Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: 1장 - 5 (2)
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My eyes widened the moment I spotted the phrase "Shared Dimension" among the rare string of system messages.
Shared Dimension.
I hadn't expected a message like this beyond the anticipated unlock for Zone 5.
I still hadn't finished all my hunting.
I continued my thoughts as I climbed the castle's central staircase.
From what I'd heard, "shared" meant you could encounter people from other dimensions there.
If that interpretation was correct, then a massacre might be possible.
If the Shared Dimension was a complete lawless zone like the individual dimensions, it would offer tremendous growth potential.
But there had already been one instance where people gathered en masse.
The tournament arena during the Day 20 event.
PvP had been completely blocked there.
And judging by the system's direction so far, it was more likely to resemble the tournament arena.
As I speculated further about the Shared Dimension,
I figured there might be monsters too.
If the Shared Dimension had no monsters or additional resources to acquire, it wouldn't be useful for much beyond trading.
There had to be some clear advantages to make it worth going there.
Maybe...
It wouldn't be just people.
Various guesses about the Shared Dimension bubbled up in my mind.
Reaching the top floor, I turned my gaze to the boss room.
The door to the boss room, huntable every five days, was set to open tomorrow.
At the sight, I thought of the boss items in my inventory.
After defeating the first boss on Day 18 in the past,
There had been three more boss hunts since.
Days 23, 28, and 33.
Especially on Day 28, a rare-grade item dropped.
That's when I learned that bosses always dropped items at 100% rate, and had a chance for rare-grade ones.
And right now, rare-grade items suited my current level perfectly.
Most items scaled with the user's stats, and common-grade ones only applied to stats under 50, which was obvious.
And on Day 28,
The rare item I got was a bit special.
The Skeleton Champion boss of Zone 4's battle arts manual.
However, as the name suggested, it wasn't a readable book.
But it boosted Strength, Mana, and Stamina by 1 each, and let you pick one of the boosted stats for an extra +1.
I'd chosen Mana to improve my regeneration, and thanks to this item alone, my Mana had risen by a whopping 2.
On top of that, it had an effect similar to a set bonus: each equipped Champion item added another selectable stat.
As I recalled the boss items,
I couldn't help feeling a twinge of disappointment that hunting in Zone 4 was over and I hadn't leveled up today either.
Afterward,
On my way back to the village,
I belatedly pondered that Zone 5 was called the Avelos Minor Kingdom.
'It's gradually expanding.'
Meadow, forest, outpost, territory...
Now I had to hunt in a place called a minor kingdom.
As I mulled over preparations for the next zone, I felt something drop inside my body.
I immediately pulled the dormant Central Core Extract from my inventory and lifted it with my Unique Devour.
An unfamiliar, immense energy surged forth.
This time, I hadn't taken out the Central Core Extract to recharge Mana or Defense.
Instead, I channeled Demi-God Power into my fingertips right away and scraped the surface with that force.
Carefully, I poured the powdery residue that flaked off into my mouth.
Something spread through my body,
And at that moment.
The special stat Gravitas had increased.
This was one of the Central Core Extract's many abilities—and arguably the most core one.
I'd discovered this thanks to the epic item skill, Essence Probing.
After my first Essence Probing attempt, I'd uncovered most of the Central Core Extract's abilities.
The moment I realized it was ingestible, I consumed one and learned of the special stat Gravitas.
Once the 5-day cooldown ended, I used Essence Probing on the special stat itself.
Fortunately, it applied since stats fell under "environment," and I got the results the next day.
I recalled that system message.
Those were the keywords for the special stat Gravitas.
The Central Core Extract had hit 70% analysis for a partial detailed explanation, but the resulting Gravitas stat lagged behind.
The keywords revealed almost nothing.
I probed the keywords again with Essence Probing,
And learned that its ability would reveal at Gravitas 10.
My current Gravitas was 8.
At this rate, I'd feel its effects in just a few days.
No direct level-up gains, but I was steadily growing stronger.
The sun of the Transcendent World still hung high in the midday sky, but inside Zone 2's dense forest, the canopy made it dimly lit.
A group of about twenty emerged from the darkness, heading toward the forest exit.
Their appearances were ragged.
Some were covered in dirt, others panted roughly with minor scratches from wolf claws.
Leading the group was Artu.
He flicked the wolf blood from his sword with practiced ease and glanced back at the rookies following him.
"Good work, everyone. Almost no injuries for a first-day hunt. That was solid hunting."
Artu's praise brought color to the rookies' faces, especially Dalos's.
Dalos stared down at the iron sword in his hand. Just hours ago, his trembling fingers could barely grip it.
Now, the thrilling sensation of severing a wolf's neck lingered in his fingertips.
Proof that his level had risen.
The power surging through his body brought a euphoric high, like a drug.
Afterward,
The group exited the forest, crossed the open plains, and reached the village entrance.
Other teams who had finished hunting were already gathered at the entrance, resting or maintaining gear.
Artu spotted a familiar face amid the crowd and halted.
A muscular giant with a massive axe slung on his back.
Senior Administrator Rabupan.
Rabupan stood with arms crossed, his sharp eyes scanning everyone entering and exiting the village.
As if searching for someone.
Artu gestured for the rookies to wait, then approached Rabupan.
Sensing someone coming, Rabupan turned and immediately spotted Artu.
He looked down at Artu and spoke.
"Back already, Artu."
A faint smile ghosted across his stern face.
Artu bowed deeply at once, responding humbly with proper etiquette.
Rabupan acknowledged the greeting with a casual wave, then scanned the rookies behind him.
His piercing gaze made the rookies shrink involuntarily.
A veteran of Dimension 64 since Day 8, a survivor who'd witnessed Oheon's massacre.
To fresh rookies, Rabupan's intimidation was pure terror.
Artu turned smoothly to ease the tension, introducing Rabupan to the rookies.
"This is Administrator Rabupan. A senior who's been here far longer than me, and the one who knows better than anyone the rules and survival laws you must follow here. Greet him."
The rookies, including Dalos, bowed 90 degrees in unison the moment Artu finished.
"Greetings, sir! Please take care of us!"
Rabupan nodded approvingly at their discipline, giving them a quick once-over.
His eyes appraised their stats and gear like a butcher judging meat.
He replied to the rookies.
"Loud voices. Good. You're new and disoriented, but remember this."
Rabupan stepped forward, his low voice grave.
"This isn't the Earth you knew. No laws, no morals, no nations to protect you. Only strength and hierarchy exist. If you want to live, act sharp. Fail to know your place and rampage, and you'll vanish by someone's hand before you even become wolf food."
His advice wasn't mere scaremongering.
It was a chilling warning from one who'd seen countless vanish without a trace in Dimension 64.
The rookies swallowed dryly and nodded. The triumph from moments ago faded, replaced by tension.
Rabupan shifted his gaze from the rookies back to Artu, his expression softening.
"Artu, I have a message for you."
"Yes, sir."
"Administrator meeting at 8 PM tonight. Directly ordered by Siron himself. All administrators must attend."
'Siron calling everyone?'
Artu's eyebrow twitched faintly.
Total Administrator Siron rarely called full meetings.
Usually for efficiency,
He issued orders individually or through seniors like Rabupan.
The more he thought, the graver Artu's face grew.
'A full assembly. Can't be trivial.'
It had to relate to that person's recent moves.
But Artu replied calmly.
Rabupan shrugged.
After that,
The two shifted from business to casual talk.
Mostly minor episodes from today's hunt or tests of shop-bought items, exchanging info.
The rookies dared not interrupt, straining to glean every scrap of info from the administrators' conversation.
Dalos watched Artu and Rabupan chatting amiably and thought,
'You have to reach that position to finally get treated like a person and converse with smiles.'
That was when it happened.
A heavy presence emanated from deep in the village, the densely packed lodging area.
The murmuring crowd fell silent instantly, like a receding tide, leaving an eerie quiet.
Even Rabupan mid-sentence clamped his mouth shut.
His eyes flicked past Artu's shoulder, toward the village interior.
Artu instinctively turned too.
In the distance, a man approached slowly.
Plain attire, but each step carried a weight that dominated the surrounding space.
Sharp features, cold gaze.
The Total Administrator they'd just been discussing, Siron.
The instant they spotted Siron, Rabupan and Artu bolted forward.
They raced competitively, stopping before Siron and bowing deeply in unison.
"You've arrived, Siron sir!"
"Greetings!"
Their postures were impeccably disciplined.
Siron halted, looking down at them with a blank expression.
The trailing rookies watched blankly; Dalos among them.
The absolute leader Artu who'd guided them, and the terrifyingly intimidating Rabupan.
Both deferring so subserviently...
Dalos recalled Artu's words from the hunt.
'The one who manages and controls everything here. The Total Administrator who holds our lives in his hands.'
That was him...
Siron sir.
Gulp.
At that moment, Dalos swallowed unconsciously.