Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: World Quest
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[Remaining Survival Time: 712 hours, 41 minutes, 49 seconds]
Nearly ten days had passed since Kim Kang-san and Park Han-yeong left Labyrinthos.
During that time, Kang-seok had fully mastered his first transcendence, ‘First Movement: Overdrive’.
A fundamental enhancement of his physical abilities through transcendence.
And the transcendent skill, Overdrive, which granted him explosive speed for a mere ten seconds.
In fighting games, control was everything.
Even with identical characters, the difference in combat prowess depending on the player was astronomical. That was the nature of fighting games.
Attack combos, psychological warfare, precise execution of skills.
Kang-seok wasn't the only one who had grown stronger. Seong Yu-jin had reached level 12 and had become much more adept at combat itself.
While Exo Online’s system automatically increased stats upon leveling up, the configuration of the skill tree was left to the player's discretion. Consequently, Seong Yu-jin had structured her skill tree to focus on tanking.
It was for no other reason than to play in tandem with Kang-seok.
A classic hammer and anvil.
Seong Yu-jin would become the anvil, luring the enemy, and Kang-seok would be the hammer, striking them down.
It was a basic tactic, but incredibly useful. Its effectiveness in real combat had been proven several times over the past ten days.
Kang-seok and Seong Yu-jin had completed one full clear of the Labyrinthos dungeon in that time. They didn't just focus on accumulating survival time; they also stockpiled a sufficient amount of Kron in case of emergencies.
They were currently on the first floor.
Instead of starting another clear, Kang-seok chose to head outside.
“Hey, Kang-seok.”
Standing before the stairs leading to the entrance, Seong Yu-jin turned to look back at him. A hint of hesitation colored her face.
“What if we go out and miss them?”
“That could happen, but we can’t just wait around forever.”
Ten days had already passed. It wasn't as if the two had planned a long journey; they had just gone to scout the surrounding area. They should have been back long ago.
There were two possibilities.
One, Kim Kang-san and Park Han-yeong had abandoned him and Seong Yu-jin.
Two, there was a reason they couldn't return.
His mind made up, Kang-seok extended a hand to Seong Yu-jin. After hesitating for a moment, she took it, and the two ascended the stairs side by side. They pushed open the dungeon's entrance door and stepped outside.
The first thing to assault their eyes was the brilliant sunlight.
Then, a gust of wind. It was fresh, different from the stale, enclosed air of the dungeon.
Kang-seok, who had reflexively shut his eyes against the sunlight, cautiously lifted his eyelids. Seong Yu-jin, too, sniffed the air, taking in the outside world.
Outside the dungeon.
The landscape that unfolded before them.
It didn't register. A far more intense stimulus captured Kang-seok’s eyes and ears.
[Congratulations on clearing the tutorial.]
Along with the luminous text, a voice sounded. It was the voice of an intelligent woman, though it carried a somewhat cold feeling.
[You have escaped the Labyrinthos dungeon. You, Choi Kang-seok, are the 5,182nd player to pass the tutorial.]
“Five… five thousand?”
He asked without thinking, but there was no answer. The woman’s business-like voice continued.
[Of the 375,172 players summoned on the day of the Great Summoning, the estimated number expected to pass the tutorial is 9,538. This is merely an estimate, with a margin of error projected to be around 1,000.]
Three hundred and seventy thousand.
Of those, only about five thousand had passed the tutorial so far.
The unexpected numbers left Kang-seok and Seong Yu-jin reeling.
Kang-seok involuntarily pictured the faces of Ahn Jae-min and Kim Nam-yeong.
[The Seven World Quests]
[This is the task given to you, the players. Clearing all World Quests will allow you to see the ‘Ending’.]
[Upon seeing the Ending, you players will be able to return to your original world, retaining all the power and equipment you have obtained in this one.]
See the Ending, and you can go back.
The goal. The one and only way to return to their original world.
But the information didn't sink in right away.
Another, much larger thought filled Kang-seok's mind.
The luminous text and the woman's voice had said five thousand out of three hundred and seventy thousand. The final estimate was around ten thousand.
Then what about the other three hundred and sixty thousand?
Did that mean all 360,000 who failed to pass the tutorial were dead?!
[The tutorial you and Seong Yu-jin cleared was Difficulty Rank A, a tutorial from which successful passage was almost unexpected. In fact, only twelve players, including yourselves, have demonstrated the practical strength to clear an A-rank tutorial. Only twelve out of 375,172. You have every right to be proud.]
Kang-seok gritted his teeth. He felt a surge of intense anger at the glowing text that continued to appear.
[Seeing the Ending will allow you to return to your original world with your current power intact.]
[That is the one and only promise made to you players.]
[Tutorial Clear Rewards]
[500 Kron / Title: Tutorial Clearer / Full Condition Recovery]
The woman's voice ceased. At the same time, the luminous text that had filled their vision vanished, and with a cheerful chime, new text appeared.
[First Quest: Save the Village.]
The same glowing text appeared for Seong Yu-jin. But instead of paying attention to it, she quickly turned and tried to push open the door to Labyrinthos.
“It won’t open.”
The door was sealed. It wouldn't budge, as if it had never been meant to open.
“We can’t go back to Labyrinthos.”
The only place they could currently get Kron.
They could no longer return there. They had to find a new source of Kron.
The glowing text continued.
[A small nearby village is in crisis due to an attack by a monster horde. Save them. Rewards will be distributed based on the degree of success in the quest.]
The reason Kim Kang-san and Park Han-yeong hadn't returned.
The luminous text faded. Kang-seok hurriedly scanned his surroundings.
The ground. The blue sky. A vast, sprawling forest.
Kang-seok’s gaze fixed on one spot.
Beyond the forest, smoke was rising sporadically, as if from a fire.
* * *
A monster horde attack.
Save the village.
The first quest.
See the Ending, and you can go back.
Amidst the scattered pieces of information, Kang-seok made his decision. He swung the backpack he was carrying to his front, turned his back to Seong Yu-jin, and shouted.
“Yu-jin!”
Though he offered no explanation, Seong Yu-jin quickly understood his intent. After a brief moment of hesitation, she hopped onto his back.
“Ugh, you’re a bit heavy.”
“It’s because of the armor!”
With the weight of her chainmail, sword, and shield, it was only natural that her total weight would be more than that of an average adult man, no matter how light she was.
Kang-seok forced a grin at Seong Yu-jin’s retort and kicked off the ground. He sprinted toward the rising smoke.
The sun was high in the sky, it was noon. But as they neared the smoke, the sunlight began to fade. Dark, murky clouds covered the sky, obscuring the sun and casting the surroundings in shadow.
It was too strange to be simple storm clouds. It felt artificial.
The trees in the forest were spaced far enough apart that running wasn't difficult. Sprinting straight toward the smoke, Kang-seok came to a halt before a thicket that blocked his view. He let Seong Yu-jin down.
The sounds of battle came from beyond the bushes. Screams and roars could be heard, along with the ceaseless, sharp clang of weapons colliding.
The other side was a battlefield.
A village was being attacked by a monster horde. *Save them*—honestly, it didn't resonate much with him. His and Seong Yu-jin's safety was far more important.
“Ready?”
“Yeah.”
Seong Yu-jin gave her shield a shake and nodded. Drawing Durendal, Kang-seok pushed through the bushes a step ahead of her. And the scene that greeted him.
Contrary to his initial thoughts, Kang-seok couldn't help but freeze. And Seong Yu-jin was the same.
A village, under attack by monsters.
Beneath the dark clouds, zombies and skeletons were running rampant.
* * *
In a world with monsters that had the heads of dogs or cows, the appearance of zombies or skeletons wasn't particularly strange. The so-called undead monsters were staples of games and other subcultures.
But seeing them in person was a completely different experience. There was a sense of pressure distinct from the gnolls or the cow-headed monsters.
The dead were moving.
Corpses were rising to attack the living.
“Yu-jin!”
Kang-seok shouted loudly. Seong Yu-jin, who had been standing there with a dazed look on her face, snapped to attention and assumed a combat stance.
Though it was only for a short time, Kang-seok tried to observe as much as he could.
Zombies and skeletons.
The villagers. There were few young men; most were children, women, or the elderly.
The houses weren't very large. There were many small, sturdy-looking huts.
Some of the villagers were fighting back with farming tools like sickles and plows, but it was a hopeless effort. The zombies and skeletons were too numerous, and there were too few among the villagers who could fight properly.
He couldn't wait any longer. Drawing Durendal, Kang-seok, along with Seong Yu-jin, plunged into the fray.
The zombies in movies and comics were usually incredibly slow, but the undead before them were different. Their movements were quite sharp, and more importantly, their strength was exceptional.
But even so, they were still just zombies. They couldn't keep up with Kang-seok's almost outrageous speed.
With zombies spread throughout nearly the entire village, Kang-seok moved quickly.
Seong Yu-jin would draw the zombies' attention with a taunt, and Kang-seok would swiftly strike their heads. In this way, they took down nearly ten zombies in an instant. Once the immediate area was somewhat clear, the two began to move separately.
Seong Yu-jin continuously emitted a white light, luring the zombies that were attacking the villagers.
Kang-seok dashed like the wind, slaughtering the zombies.
By the time Kang-seok alone had defeated nearly twenty zombies, not only the undead but also the villagers were staring at him and Seong Yu-jin with dumbfounded expressions.
“Hah!”
With a sharp cry, Kang-seok swung Durendal in a wide arc. After cleaving a charging zombie in half at the waist, he took a deep breath.
The zombies inside the village had been more or less dealt with. Licking his lower lip, Kang-seok turned to look at Seong Yu-jin, who was fighting a short distance away.
“You okay?”
At Kang-seok’s worried question, Seong Yu-jin smiled and nodded. But her expression changed again immediately after.
“Kang-seok, behind you!”
At the sharp warning, Kang-seok quickly spun around. From the bushes on the opposite side of the village, a massive monster appeared, letting out a monstrous roar. Its upper body was abnormally developed, and its bulk seemed even greater than that of Aden, the king of the gnolls.
Gray skin like patched-together rags. Human arms, legs, and faces sprouted from various parts of its body.
It was a truly grotesque sight.
“Krrruuuuaaaaargh!”
The monster roared again. It seemed to glance around before its gaze locked onto Kang-seok and Seong Yu-jin.
One of the villagers screamed.
“It’s a Flesh Golem!”
It wasn't Korean, but he understood the meaning clearly. However, this was not the time to ponder linguistic differences.
Kang-seok quickly kicked off the ground, putting distance between himself and Seong Yu-jin. It was to draw the monster’s attention to himself and ensure her safety.
Fight while evading.
There was no question that Seong Yu-jin was the party’s tank, but if a monster that huge landed a solid hit, being a tank wouldn't mean a thing. The best course of action was for Kang-seok himself to use his unique mobility to evade.
As Kang-seok intended, the Flesh Golem’s attention fixed on him.
The Flesh Golem charged toward Kang-seok as if it wouldn't wait any longer, and Kang-seok steeled himself. He stared straight at the Flesh Golem's movements, planning not just to evade but to counterattack.
*CRACK!*
With a deafening roar, the Flesh Golem’s head snapped to the side. An arrow, nearly the size of a forearm, had struck it.
And it didn't end with one shot. A series of roars followed, and five more arrows embedded themselves in the Flesh Golem's body.
But the Flesh Golem didn't die. As if it were nothing, it let out a monstrous roar and swung its arms wildly.
Kang-seok looked in the direction the arrows had come from. It seemed someone was sniping from a distance, but he could see nothing but bushes and villagers.
Kang-seok refocused on the Flesh Golem. And this time, something other than an arrow pierced through it.
*BOOM!*
It was a massive explosion, incomparable to when the arrows had hit. The Flesh Golem’s entire head was blown off.
‘Cannon… cannon fire?!’
That wasn't an arrow. An arrow couldn't do something like that.
“Back off! It’s going to regenerate!”
A sharp voice called out from the direction the arrows had come from.
Kang-seok gritted his teeth. Instead of heeding the voice and retreating, he charged forward.
Having lost its head, the Flesh Golem staggered, unable to keep its balance, and was powerless to stop Kang-seok’s approach. Kang-seok leaped high with a double jump. Pulling Durendal back, he aimed its tip at the Flesh Golem's chest.
The ultimate strike learned through the Black Sword Durendal.
→↗↑↖← + HS
Knight of Knights
The moment he thrust Durendal forward, a pure white light erupted. A giant sword of light pierced through the Flesh Golem, and in its wake, a massive crest of light slammed into the monster.
He wasn't in Rage Mode or Overdrive, so there was no damage boost, but this was enough. With a gaping hole in its chest, the Flesh Golem could no longer hold out and collapsed to the ground.
“Hah, hah…”
Just like how using a super special move in a fighting game consumed energy, Kang-seok gasped for breath as if he’d just finished a hundred-meter sprint. He turned toward the direction from which the voice and arrows had come.
[Quest Cleared.]
[Quest MVP: Choi Kang-seok (Male)]
[Number of villagers deceased after joining the battle: 2]
[Number of villagers injured after joining the battle: 4]
[Defeat of the Flesh Golem]
[Quest Success Rate: High]
Luminous text poured down sporadically. Kang-seok waved his hand to dismiss it and looked straight ahead.
Amidst the rejoicing villagers, a figure emerged.
She wore a green-based camouflage uniform. On her arms and legs were guards that had a strangely sci-fi feel, and on her back, she carried some kind of enormous gun. In her right hand, she held a large crossbow, but it had a massive cartridge attached, making it look more like a rifle.
But the most striking feature was the device mounted over her right eye. It resembled the artificial eyes or scopes often seen in sci-fi movies, but it had no fewer than four blue lenses.
A black-haired woman dressed in military-style clothing.
By now, Kang-seok and Seong Yu-jin had a good idea.
Probably a Player.
But it was the black-haired woman who spoke first.
“Dark… Destiny Lord?”
The woman tilted her head as she said it. Seeing the strangely contorted expression on her face, Kang-seok’s own face flushed bright red.
The woman cleared her throat. She looked past Seong Yu-jin, who was blinking in confusion, and stared directly at Kang-seok. Then, she asked with an awkward smile.
“Hey, just wondering. Are you, like, a middle schooler or something?”
Kang-seok shouted back as if his life depended on it.
“It’s an old name! From way back!”