Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Into the Fourth Floor
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Just logging into the game.
The first thing to greet Luke was none other than the reward message.
'Wondered when it'd come through.'
That's right.
The 2nd Anniversary event from not long ago.
The rewards from that event where they searched for other Pierrots in Agas Land were finally being distributed today.
His ranking at the time: 1st place.
He hadn't registered a title in the district rankings, so other players had no idea he was the top dog.
'What a jackpot day. So much to look forward to.'
The Night King's item.
And now the event's 1st place reward on top.
A smile crept across his lips unbidden.
"Poko-poko."
Right then.
Poko, who had been hiding among nearby structures, slowly stepped out.
"Wait long?"
"Poko."
"Yeah, yeah."
Ever since entering the Demon's Lair, Poko had always waited for the group in safe zones.
Structures.
Or sculptures, whatever.
He'd hide from prying eyes in those spots and reappear once they logged in.
'Lucky we're in a party.'
Otherwise, Poko couldn't even enter the Lair, let alone these safe zones.
'Leave some snacks out ahead of time, and he hides and gets by just fine...'
Still, he couldn't keep leaving Poko on his own like this forever.
A solution.
Some reliable way to log out without worry.
What could it be?
Luke pondered as he stroked Poko's head.
A spirit beast that could join parties like normal players.
If so, maybe other systems worked too.
Like the guild system, for instance.
'Guild houses let you come and go freely outside combat.'
He'd been mulling that over since his job change anyway.
The shared guild warehouse inside.
Only guildmates could access it—perfect for stashing items worry-free.
Even if something happened to him, another guildmate managing it wouldn't let stuff get seized helplessly like before.
'Might even count as guild property, harder to confiscate.'
Worst case, hand over guild master rights and let someone else hold the deed.
'Problem is finding someone trustworthy enough with my stuff.'
If he had to pick, his sister Dia.
Or, though not human, make Poko a guild member to keep things running.
'Assuming we can add Poko like in that last party.'
He could check that later.
That's how he was spending some alone time with Poko.
"Oppa, we're here!"
"Hi, Seokwoo oppa. Um... take good care of us today too."
Soon enough, the group showed up.
Dia waving enthusiastically with her hand high.
Rabbit greeting shyly but politely in contrast.
Always total opposites, no matter how you sliced it.
"No need for the 'take care' bit—glad you both made it anyway. Everyone knows we're heading to the 4th floor today, right?"
"Yeah, but is it really okay?"
"What is?"
"Those guys from yesterday. We've been doing fine on our own this whole time, and suddenly we take in other players."
Dia had a point.
The group had been grinding levels and farming between the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Lair for a while.
Then yesterday, they abruptly added those three guys.
To bolster forces for dropping to the 4th floor, he'd said.
"The Lair party's wrapping up today anyway. We've come this far—gotta hit the 4th floor at least once for the finale, right?"
"Well, Haneul and I did say this party's good enough already..."
That's right.
They'd been saying for days it felt bad hogging his time anymore.
"I know, you're thinking of me. So let's wrap it up clean by hitting the 4th floor today."
"If that's how it is... Haneul, you cool with it?"
"Yeah, like Seokwoo oppa said, it's the last run. Can't just game with people I already know forever. Oh, of course, it's still most fun with Seokwoo oppa... I mean, these three! B-but smooth mingling with others is important too..."
She fumbled midway but ultimately, Rabbit was on board.
'Good. Just our VIP clients left, then.'
The three premium customers bringing the Night King's item.
'Ah, is this tanuki your party's pet?'
'Yep, that's right.'
'Whoa, first time hearing of a tanuki pet. Someone actually tamed one themselves.'
'Name's Poko. Cute, huh?'
'Hahaha, cute enough for top-ranker status.'
He'd even introduced Poko as his pet ahead of time.
"Sorry we're late. You all waited long?"
"No, we just got here."
"What can I say? Don't worry about the dungeon today. Like we said yesterday, we'll hard-carry the 4th floor for you!"
Speak of the devil.
His eagerly awaited clients were filing in one by one.
'Welcome, welcome.'
VIP customers.
'Our premium suckers.'
The premium suckers themselves.
The Demon's Lair's midsection, Floor 4.
Monster numbers explode exponentially from here.
Maybe that's why.
The difficulty ramps up too, so players often said Floor 4 marked the real start of the Lair.
Rabbit and Dia's levels were nearing 40 by now.
Luke was with them, sure—but normally, he wouldn't have brought them this deep.
And sure enough.
This trio averaging level 60 shows up offering help.
Just because the group needed members.
They'd asked to join through Floor 4.
Guys who had zero trouble finding parties.
'Whoa, real philanthropists we got here.'
Thief, mage, warrior advanced jobs, the trio.
Lycan's Assassin gig was one Luke had passed through himself once.
'Optimized for human targets.'
Feeling Luke's gaze, maybe.
Lycan, mid-corny joke to the group, met his eyes.
A sly wink.
Then right back to the others.
Friendly vibe.
But neatly ignoring Luke's existence.
'Funny guy.'
Adorable, really.
'Eh, decent face that pulls. Makes flirting easy.'
Striking blond hair.
Sharp nose.
Chiseled jaw.
Smooth talker too.
Lycan was probably the trio's flirt lead.
Setting up parties for easy backstabs in dungeons.
Not their first rodeo, either.
'That skinny Bess ties players with vine spells on cue.'
And pint-sized Howler tanks up front to buy time.
'Once they stall...'
Assassin Lycan finishes.
Obvious setup.
Only question: timing.
Had to keep eyes on them awhile to figure it out.
Lycan's wrist guard.
For the Night King's marked gear item, at least.
'Who'da thought I'd spot Night King gear here.'
Not some insane coincidence like before.
Just weird it didn't show in the 2nd Anniversary event.
In a district with 10,000 players, no less.
'Maybe Night King symbols only show with level gaps or something?'
Luke recalled scouting players in Agas Land.
Not just top-rankers Dorothy and Leon—even mid-level diffs showed unidentified.
ID'ing those unidentified items crawled like snails.
'Some ticked up like 0.01%.'
That's why he ditched highbies early and focused on the event.
'If so, maybe overlooked rankers and top-rankers have Night King gear too?'
No.
Not just rankers.
Any player with enough level or stat gap might qualify.
'Damn Night King, getting all his treasures swiped.'
Now making one guy miserable.
"Ah, I saw that earlier!"
That's when.
Dia suddenly pointed at a statue in the dungeon.
Mysterious sculptures dotting Underground Floor 4.
Wild variety too.
This statue, stone slabs, altars, statues, tombstones.
Even massive odd-shaped, colored constructs.
All uses and meanings unknown.
"Ah, you're talking about the dungeon structures."
"Can't take 'em outside?"
"Nope, embedded like they're part of the ground. Some players dug into their purpose back in the day..."
"And?"
"Total bust. No common threads. Zero clues, so they dropped it."
"...Ah."
"Now they're just dismissed as pointless decor."
Lycan was spot on.
Archaeologists, historians, magitech experts.
Players and NPCs from all fields had poked around.
Zero yields.
Wasted time only.
'Can't even explain why the Lair spawned.'
Deserved the treatment.
"Weird, right, oppa?"
"Yeah."
Dia back at Luke's side.
Lycan flashed an innocent grin at the sight.
"You're Dia's real brother, right?"
"Yep."
"You two get along great."
"Thanks."
"Hahaha, no prob. Say... that moniker 'Luke'—inspired by the Luke?"
Twitch!
He's smiling.
Definitely smiling as he asked.
But those wide eyes held a subtle menace.
Quiet Rabbit reacted first to the out-of-nowhere question.
Like the carriage escort days, gearing up to deny—but Luke cut in.
"Nah, no way. Why mimic that vile criminal? Made the character on a whim, then boom—that guy's all over TV. Felt so wronged. Of all the names, mine matches that scum's!"
"..."
"Something wrong?"
"...No, nothing."
Nothing my ass.
'Whoa, check that glare. Intense. Real intense.'
Even averts eyes when his expression slips.
Low-tier tells, still green.
"One thing I'm curious about, though."
The topic pivot, too.
"Shoot."
"Party window shows your level and job hidden. Privacy settings?"
Ah.
Wondered when.
'Makes sense—they exposed all basics to avoid suspicion, but I'm the only one hiding. Bugs 'em.'
Obvious.
So obvious.
"Ah, usually keep it private. Job's Thief. Level 40... no, 50."
Twitch!
Flickering brow for a split second.
"...Got it."
Then smooths expression, chats on casually.
'Tsk, green as hell.'
Luke tsked inwardly.
They probably thought they'd fooled the group completely.
Why?
Low-tiers were oblivious to criminal news, wouldn't join if they knew.
'Biggest reason: newbies suck at spotting criminals.'
Newbie.
Term for fresh players or total noobs.
What they always missed: the mark.
The criminal-only mark that spawned past certain Infamy thresholds.
'Kept me out of open fields entirely.'
Higher Infamy, more and varied marks.
'And the most basic first stage is...'
Luke's eyes sharpened.
'The red streak tattoo.'