Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: The Reluctant GM
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“What...? Surveillance?”
“It’s not exactly surveillance. It’s more like monitoring to check for any illegal play.”
“...What’s the difference? If you look at the communication regulations, tracking specific players is illegal...”
Bang―!!
The keyboard on the desk crashed to the floor with a loud clatter.
“Hey, Agent Kim. Are you talking back to your superior right now? I told you already—this is an order from above. Don’t you want to work?”
“N-No... That’s not what I...”
“Director Han himself commented on this personally.”
“Director Han? Who... Director Han did?”
“Yeah. I’m doing this because I look out for you. Do you know how rare an opportunity this is?”
Unlike his earlier irritable slamming of the keyboard, the boss awkwardly stood from his seat, tucked in his protruding shirt, and flashed a sly grin as he patted his subordinate’s shoulder.
“Think it over carefully. Your promotion review is coming up soon, right? You can’t keep lagging behind while everyone else advances. Right?”
“That’s true, but...”
Kim Ha-jun.
A shaggy head of unkempt hair, thick horn-rimmed glasses, and dark circles under his eyes from pulling all-nighters for days.
Tall at over 180 cm, yet he scratched his head in a hunched, timid posture.
“I’m on the development team.”
The boss pressed his forehead and sighed at Ha-jun’s words.
“Ugh, so frustrating. That’s exactly why you have to go. Someone who knows the game inside out is perfect for managing players too.”
He poked Ha-jun’s side.
“Be honest—do we even have anyone on the management team who knows the game? They drag the dev team into every mess because they don’t know jack. Right?”
“Well...”
“Plus, management put in a special request. Someone game-savvy and tight-lipped. The second I heard, I knew—you’re the perfect fit from our team.”
“Th-Thank you.”
“Good. Consider it done. Start reporting to management tomorrow. I’ll let them know.”
“What...? Wait...”
Not waiting for Ha-jun’s reply, the boss shoved something into his pocket and pushed him toward the door.
“Come on, get packing. Can’t keep a busy man here forever! Let’s get you ready!”
“M-Manger! Just a moment...!”
Slam―.
Despite Ha-jun’s shout, Manager Choi shut the door as if he’d been waiting.
“Haa... What is this?”
He let out a low sigh, staring at the locked manager’s office door.
“Management, of all things...”
Ten years.
That’s how long he’d been on the development team, from the creation of Evil Tail to now.
The youngest designer.
A genius developer.
He’d basked in the company’s spotlight from day one, but the attention hadn’t lasted.
The reason was simple.
He’d opposed the involvement of the AI Ethan in Evil Tail.
But the company believed the “AI-created game” title would generate massive buzz, ignored his warnings, and handed Ethan full control.
And regrettably, contrary to Ha-jun’s fears, Evil Tail became a massive hit. Most of those who’d opposed it with him had long since left the company.
“...What on earth is sis thinking?”
Ha-jun muttered lowly as he pulled out whatever the boss had stuffed into his pocket.
[2nd Management Team GM Han]
His new name.
‘At first, I thought it was just some weird task...’
Ha-jun—no, GM Han—recalled the events from three days ago as he gazed ahead.
[Sig Elric’s Alchemy Chamber]
A weathered sign hung at the entrance of the room he was peering into.
BOOM―!!!
A deafening roar echoed.
‘...I just witnessed the impossible.’
He couldn’t tear his eyes from the scene unfolding inside, as if entranced.
“We did it!!!”
Luen jumped up and down, shouting as the alert appeared.
“Mm.”
Woojin sighed softly, eyeing the fallen alchemist’s corpse.
As he examined the Philosopher’s Stone, alerts chimed.
“Whoa...!”
As the alerts rang out, light bloomed around them, drawing a startled yelp from Luen.
The white light shifted to a rainbow hue.
‘The final line is different from Goblin’s Nest.’
A twinge of regret lingered, but seeing Luen’s awestruck face melted it away.
‘Some things you monopolize, others you share.’
‘Barrier... like what Sig Elric used?’
Only one trait, but two skills.
‘Even one is rare. Central Continent has tons of attribute monsters... resistance to all natural attributes is huge.’
‘Incredible.’
The barrage of alerts left Woojin reeling.
“Whoa... what’s all this?”
Luen looked just as stunned.
“What do you think?”
“What do I think...? It’s amazing!! Look at this.”
Her eyes sparkling, she drew her bowstring.
Whoosh...
Flames erupted from the arrowhead.
“This is my usual enchant spell. Imbues weapons with attributes.”
“And?”
“With the title effect...”
Fwoosh――!!
The flames spread instantly from the tip along the entire shaft.
“This isn’t just a fire arrow.”
“Hm?”
“It’s not just boosted fire—it’s fire plus wind attribute.”
“Wind attribute?”
Woojin’s eyes widened.
“You mean double enchant with two attributes?”
“Yes. As long as they’re not conflicting, double enchants work.”
“Huh...”
‘An unexpected bonus.’
Woojin couldn’t help smiling.
Most monsters in Evil Tail had at least two attribute weaknesses—like undead vulnerable to holy and fire.
This prevented any class from being mandatory in hunts. But the key was what came next.
‘Attribute damage is calculated separately.’
He eyed Luen’s fire arrow.
‘Double enchant means her arrows deal both fire and wind damage simultaneously.’
Combined, that’s double damage—hunting speed doubled.
Woojin grinned in satisfaction.
“Whoa... Master, look over here!!”
Luen pointed to the bookshelf crammed behind Sig Elric’s corpse.
“What?”
“This is no joke—grade 3 spellbook!”
She pulled a book from the shelf, squealing like a child.
‘Elves and their love for magic.’
But a grade 3 spellbook was valuable in itself.
‘Mages learn up to grade 5 before heading to Central Continent at level 50.’
So grade 3 was high-tier, level 70+.
“Can you learn it?”
Luen gave a wry smile.
“No. Impossible.”
“It’s not impossible. With your talent, after curing your mana deficiency, you could even handle grade 1.”
“Thank you for saying that.”p>
Unaware of her level cap, she took it as mere comfort.
“Hmm.”
Woojin scanned the shelves.
Activation: Force Nara
Grade: 3
Description: Known as White Light Bullet, a destructive spell unleashing intense light and fierce flames.
Flip...
Woojin skimmed the contents. A real spellbook.
But as the alert said, unlearnable.
In-game, shelf books were just props.
‘Otherwise, every mage would swarm it.’
“Wonder if it’d be different in reality?”
No mana anyway, so irrelevant to him.
“Anyway, something more important than this.”
The real prize now.
Among Dark Forest’s three dungeons, Alchemist’s Lab had the fewest clears.
Designed for parties, but beginners struggled to sync, and attributes doubled the difficulty.
Nicknamed “newbie’s grave,” only big clans attempted time attacks.
‘Fewer clears than Labyrinth Tower in Central Continent.’
Fewer clears meant less known secrets.
“...Huh?”
As he opened the chest, Woojin’s eyes flickered.
▶ Experimental Robes x1
▶ Experimental Glasses x1
▶ Common Potion x2
▶ 50 Silver
The robes and glasses were mere cosmetics—unimportant.
But the final drop exceeded imagination.
▶ Charged Philosopher’s Stone
‘Philosopher’s Stone... drops here?’
Woojin picked up the jade-green stone.
Name: Charged Philosopher’s Stone
Grade: B
Description: The reason Alchemist Sig Elric was excommunicated from the Association, the fruit of his life’s research. Rumored that Association Head Rahad coveted it and banished him. Obtainable by defeating Sig Elric before he summons familiars.
▶ Allows random contract of 1 golem entity on use.
▶ Grants learning of Basic Alchemy on use.
The Philosopher’s Stone’s popularity stemmed from golem contracts.
‘But what’s this?’
Like the core from Goblin’s Nest, it had a prefix.
‘Not ordinary.’
Normally C-grade.
‘Higher grade than Labyrinth Tower floor 8 drops... from Dark Forest?’
He read the note below.
▶ All of Sig Elric’s familiars reside within the Philosopher’s Stone without summoning.
▶ Charged effect from familiars raises contracted golem’s grade by 1 step.
▶ Contracted entity changes: Golem → Guardian.
“Guardian?”
A name he’d never heard.