Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Theme Stage #2
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Theme Stage.
A true or false reality embodying someone's memory.
Everything there is false, and you absolutely must not trust it.
Especially the residents who seem to live and breathe right there—you have to be even more cautious around them.
That was the last lesson Do-yoon received before entering the Theme Stage.
"Do-yoon, don't forget. NPCs are NPCs. Don't get too attached."
Those words, in particular, kept stirring his heart.
#
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Entering the 'Waiting Room'. "Oh."
Straight shot from the 1st floor all the way to the 4th.
What followed was a bizarre sense of floating, paired with a village landscape filling his vision—one he'd never seen before.
Not some natural sprawl with grass overgrown on dirt paths, but neatly maintained walkways caught his eye.
Looking far ahead, a wooden sign clearly marked the place.
This is a village where challengers from various worlds rest briefly before entering the floors. "Hmm."
He summoned his status window belatedly and set off.
-Thud. Thud.
As he approached the village entrance, armored guards blocked Do-yoon's path.
"Halt!"
'Guards.'
Do-yoon knew who they were.
And their role, too.
'Guards will block you before entering the Theme Stage. Just say you're a challenger—they'll get it.'
According to Han Ji-hyeok's explanation, that's the role they played.
"State your identity."
"Challenger. Here to pass the trials."
"Hmm. Are you the last one challenging the trials?"
-Clank.
The guards' vigilance loosened in an instant.
An attitude like they'd lived here forever and were totally used to challengers like Do-yoon.
"Identification?"
"None."
"This guy's been talking casually from the start..."
The guard with the neatly trimmed mustache grumbled, irked by Do-yoon's tone.
"Sigh... whatever. Not our first rodeo."
"Can I go in?"
"Sure. But show any suspicious moves, and you're under arrest. Got it?"
Do-yoon nodded at the guard's words and brushed past him.
"Uh, we just letting him waltz in like that?"
But the rookie-looking guard shot Do-yoon a suspicious glance and prodded his senior.
"Idiot, not our first time... oh, right, you're the newbie. Just let him through. Block him and it'll blow up bigger."
"B-but."
"I said let him go."
Only after the final warning did the clumsy rookie step aside.
"..."
Do-yoon and the rookie's eyes locked for a split second.
"...Gasp!"
"...?"
But the rookie freaked out on his own and quickly looked away.
"Hey. You trying to stir up trouble already? Nothing funny—move along."
'I didn't even do anything?'
Do-yoon felt totally wronged; the guy had sensed something all on his own.
As Do-yoon fully entered the village, the senior guard smacked the rookie's head.
-Bang!
"Argh!"
"You idiot, why pick a fight?"
"B-but that guy who just passed... I got a super weird vibe from him...!"
"What's weird about him?"
"We've checked tons of challengers together, right? But that one was extra off!"
Beastkin, dwarves, elves, and beyond.
Challengers of countless races had passed through.
But none radiated such an alien aura as that man.
"Enough. Do your damn job."
"...Damn, seriously."
Whatever happened after he left, Do-yoon pressed on into the village.
The streets felt more peaceful than he'd imagined.
Like a straight transplant from a medieval fantasy backdrop.
Civilization worlds apart from Do-yoon's modern life kept piquing his curiosity.
Waiting Room → For now, though, he headed for the waiting room where the other challengers gathered.
Following the arrows sunk into the ground, he soon spotted a building.
'Here it is.'
The gathering spot for other challengers: the waiting room.
This was where the groundwork for conquering the 5th floor began.
Half excited, half anxious, he grasped the doorknob to give it a light turn.
"Whennnnnniiiiiiit iiiiiis!!!?"
Until a thunderous bellow erupted from inside.
"The last challenger—whennnnn is he cooooming?!"
'Should I just bail?'
He looked pissed beyond belief.
Thinking differently: did they even need hunters from other worlds?
The gallery users had drilled it into his head to watch out for hunters, and Do-yoon always stayed on guard.
With that mindset, why not just skip meeting them entirely?
'A-hyeon.'
Suddenly, his senior hunter's warm smile popped into his mind.
"Sniff sniff. Hang on."
As he stood there mulling it over, a presence beyond the door picked up on him first.
"Strange scent. Never smelled it before. He's here. Newbie."
With those flat words, Do-yoon sensed heavy footsteps barreling his way.
-Thud! Thud! Thud!
'Too late.'
The thought hit just as the door flew open roughly.
"..."
Do-yoon locked eyes with the figure on the other side.
A head taller than him, pure macho muscle incarnate.
Evoked Ji-hyeok hyung mid-gym session—the intimidation rolled off him in waves.
"You."
"Hello."
"You're the new challenger who just hit the 5th floor."
"Yeah... seems like it."
Huff! Huff!
A gaze burning with weird hunger raked over Do-yoon openly.
Not sizing him up as a person—like appraising a tool.
Do-yoon had seen eyes like that before.
"Finally..."
"Ease off the stare-down."
Before the vibe spiraled weirdly, someone stepped in to rein the hunter back.
"Come in first."
This one matched Do-yoon's build.
Peculiar trait: fox ears poking up from his head.
'Cool.'
As Do-yoon eyed him with genuine curiosity, the fox ears twitched, registering the stare.
"What, first beastkin you've seen?"
"Yeah."
"Figures. Doesn't matter. Get in."
Do-yoon followed the man's lead and finally stepped into the waiting room.
"..."
Dozens of hunter gazes hit him upon entry.
One, two, three...
Thirteen hunters staring him down.
"That's the guy."
"Last challenger's here. No more grinding these damn stages."
"Raid date? Tomorrow?"
"Everyone, cool it. We haven't prepped right yet."
The beastkin man who'd spoken to Do-yoon first wrangled the murmuring crowd.
"Damn it! Been stuck here a month—a whole month! Other towers are already tackling the next floor..."
"We get it. That's why I'm 'asking' for cooperation on a solid raid."
The beastkin hunter shot a polite glance at the fuming one.
Politeness.
For hunters who bulldozed anything for gain, it was their bare-minimum line—their ethics.
'What's with this atmosphere.'
Do-yoon, stuck in the thick of it, just blinked in confusion.
But he couldn't screw up the raid.
With conquest on his mind, Do-yoon spoke up expectantly.
"So, when's the raid?"
"...?"
"Hey, newbie. Fresh off the boat, judgment's off. Sit quiet and let the adults talk."
'Adults my foot.'
Aren't they all newbies like him?
Barely cleared the 4th floor and trapped here, already pulling rank—felt lame.
'Ugh, negative vibes.'
Do-yoon caught himself and reflected right there.
The gallery's hunter disdain had clearly rubbed off.
Explained the sour first impressions.
"Sirs."
Undaunted, he tried appealing again—with politeness.
"Before I cleared the 3rd floor, I met this super strong masked hunter. He said newbies stuck here for the 5th were wasting time."
"Masked hunter..."
"My master."
Do-yoon's eyes sought the voice.
There—a hunter with the same lanky build and mask as the one he'd glimpsed before.
'That one's strong too.'
Pure gut feeling.
Trained by that powerhouse aura guy—had to be legit.
Do-yoon figured.
"Master said a new challenger was coming soon, and he'd rank among our strongest."
"...!"
"Ha, what nonsense!"
Do-yoon cringed at the words.
'Why drag that up again.'
He wanted raid plans, not hunter ego trips.
"So, raid plan? Tomorrow?"
"...You scared of the tower? The floors?"
"Well... gotta do it anyway."
The beastkin man sensed something off in Do-yoon's unflinching brass.
Last challenger in, total strangers all around.
Yet zero nerves, laser-focused on his goal—that bold vibe stood out.
'Earthling.'
The beastkin knew Earth hunters' rep: lowly, weak.
Hunter Alliance treated them like dirt.
But.
'What the hell?'
This guy acted like background noise, pushing ahead unfazed.
"Hahaha! No frustration here! I'm in! Wants raid? Toss him in now!"
"Hey, procedures..."
"Nah. I agree. Pressure from our worlds too. Tower raid first."
"Shit happens, they fend for themselves anyway, right?"
One after another.
Otherworld hunters, raid-hungry, jumped on Do-yoon's side.
"..."
The beastkin couldn't hold them back anymore.
"...You."
He eyed Do-yoon.
"Yes?"
"Really good with this? No adaptation, no intel—just straight raid...?"
"Totally fine."
He'd crammed enough tower lore outside already.
Plus live feeds from insiders—way better than their hunter briefings.
"Sigh... no clue. What are you?"
"Love raiding."
Do-yoon fiddled with his curved sword's hilt, radiating resolve.
The beastkin eyed him, exhaustion hitting hard, then called it.
"Meeting's done for today. Tomorrow: full raid prep."
'It was a meeting.'
Explained the cramped crowd.
Perfect timing for the last challenger.
Do-yoon trailed the grinning hunters out, ready to prowl the waiting room.
But a shadow fell over him.
"You."
Striking black-haired beauty.
A woman a touch shorter than Do-yoon had snuck up close.
"Yes?"
"Weak Earth runt, huh? Ballsy."
"What're you—"
"Can't stand weaklings strutting. Time I taught you truth."
Random beef at a random time.
Do-yoon's brain short-circuited.
Gallery users' warnings flooded back, etched deep.
— Boss Mob Gallery User Don't get attached to hunter scum, don't even chat. Think of 'em as beasts wearing human skins—makes it easier ㅇㅇ; "Come at me. Weak Earth male."
The feral hunter taunted Do-yoon.