Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: The Invitation
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# 61
[Reward for Discovering the First World Quest, ‘Raum’s Tower’]
[15,000 Kron]
[Title Acquired: First Discoverer]
[‘Ring of the First Discoverer’ Acquired]
[Promoted from Fighter to Intermediate Fighter]
As soon as the video about the World Quest ended, luminous letters appeared one after another.
15,000 Kron was even more than the VP Kron he had received for defeating the Demonic Beast Cimeries. But Kang-seok couldn't focus on the generous rewards. He hurriedly asked into the empty air.
“Iris! Was the World Quest only visible to us?”
It felt different from before. For a moment, he felt a connection to other Players who weren't here.
Iris replied, her voice somewhat mechanical.
[The details of the World Quest have been delivered to all Players who have passed the tutorial.]
[The World Quest rewards vary based on the contribution made in the process of obtaining the quest.]
Kang-seok’s rewards were Kron, a title, a promotion, and an item called the ‘Ring of the First Discoverer.’
Feeling a renewed sense of strangeness, he quickly raised his hand and saw a white ring on the middle finger of his left hand.
Kang-seok reflexively looked back at Seong Yu-jin and Choi Yu-ra. Like him, they were both staring at the rings that had suddenly appeared on their fingers.
But Yang Jun-gyu was not.
Only after making eye contact with Kang-seok did Yang Jun-gyu realize he was the only one without a ring, and he frantically looked at both his hands.
Choi Yu-ra suddenly exclaimed.
“Wait a minute, so our names were revealed too? Our names were broadcast live to the whole world?”
The names of the ‘Discoverers’ displayed at the end of the World Quest video.
[That is… correct.]
Her voice sounded as if she were sweating profusely.
While Kang-seok and Seong Yu-jin were bewildered, Yang Jun-gyu alone shouted with excitement.
“Wow! Wow! Our names are really famous all over the world now?”
He couldn't hear Iris's voice, but he could guess the general situation from Choi Yu-ra's words.
Kang-seok let out a long sigh. How nice it would be if he could be as purely joyful as Yang Jun-gyu.
‘Will there be disadvantages?’
Even in games or online communities, excessive fame could be a poison. How much more so in reality? Although he wasn't a particularly negative person, his imagination leaned toward the bad rather than the good.
But he couldn't show it. Kang-seok fixed his expression and patted the shoulder of Seong Yu-jin, who was also worried.
“Well, let’s try to think positively for now. Let’s just consider it… our fame has spread far and wide.”
“Okay.”
Seong Yu-jin also forced a smile.
Choi Yu-ra changed the subject.
“Well, enough of the gloomy talk. How were everyone’s rewards?”
“I got a whopping 4,000 Kron! And experience points, too!”
Yang Jun-gyu answered, excited once again.
Choi Yu-ra patted Yang Jun-gyu's head, who looked like he might start wagging a tail, and then glanced at Kang-seok and Seong Yu-jin. From their expressions, it seemed they had all received at least 10,000 Kron.
“The rank up, and this ring, right? Yu-jin, you got experience points too, didn’t you?”
Choi Yu-ra deliberately left out any mention of Kron and titles. Quick-witted Seong Yu-jin couldn't have missed her intention. Talking about Kron and titles now would only hurt Yang Jun-gyu's feelings.
“Yeah, I think I can advance from Knight to Paladin. My healing level went up too, so you can leave the healing to me now.”
Seong Yu-jin lightly tapped her chest. Yang Jun-gyu, who had been staring blankly at the ring on her finger, asked.
“What kind of ability does the ring have?”
Kang-seok and Choi Yu-ra were just as curious. Seong Yu-jin stroked the ring, closed her eyes slightly, and answered.
“Ring of the First Discoverer. Set item. Open parenthesis, ring, necklace, earrings, close parenthesis. A ring bestowed upon those who first discovered a World Quest. Increases all of the wearer’s stats by 5.”
Kang-seok let out a stifled laugh at Seong Yu-jin's earnestness, reading out every word, including the parentheses. Yang Jun-gyu's eyes sparkled again.
“Wow, an all-stat increase makes it a truly versatile item.”
His face showed even more envy. This time, Choi Yu-ra asked.
“How much is an increase of 5? In Exa Online?”
“Um… I wouldn’t say it’s massive, but it’s not something to be ignored either. Plus, the important part is that *all* stats increase by 5. You know, there are some stats that are normally hard to raise, right? For example… huh.”
Seong Yu-jin, who was looking at her status window displayed in luminous letters, gasped.
“What? Is something wrong?”
“Oh, no. My fixed Charisma stat went up. That’s something that’s fixed when you create your character, so it doesn’t increase even when you level up. You can usually only add to it with items, but this isn’t an addition; the base fixed stat itself has increased.”
“Heeh. Come to think of it, I feel like my figure has gotten a bit better too?”
Choi Yu-ra said as she looked Seong Yu-jin up and down. Of course, since she was wearing the Magic Armor Arnak, her figure wasn't clearly visible, but whether it was just a feeling or not, she really did seem to have improved a little.
Kang-seok also took a moment to look at himself. He couldn't check his detailed stats like Seong Yu-jin, but whether it was his imagination or a real change, his body felt decidedly lighter.
If, as Seong Yu-jin said, even fixed stats had increased, then it truly was an item worthy of a World Quest discovery reward.
‘I bet things like Luck have gone up too.’
It wasn't visible to users, but God of Fighting Online did have a Luck element. Due to the nature of fighting games, it was rarely used, though.
Thanks to this discovery reward, Seong Yu-jin had reached the level required to advance to Paladin. Naturally, they were also curious about the results of Kang-seok and Choi Yu-ra's promotions.
“Did anything change for you two? You said things change a little with each promotion.”
“Hold on.”
Both Kang-seok and Choi Yu-ra had already been promoted one rank during the fight with the Demonic Beast Andras. To be promoted again in just two days was like a super-fast promotion.
Unlike before, Kang-seok's status window now had quite a few more entries. He grinned as he looked it over.
“My special move gauge has increased by one.”
“Special move gauge?”
When Seong Yu-jin asked, Kang-seok began to explain in earnest.
“I’ve been able to see it since I became a Fighter. Before that, I just relied on instinct. Anyway, do you remember how I usually used Knight of Knights at most twice per battle? When I’m not in Transcendence Mode, I mean.”
“Mhm. I think that’s right.”
Seong Yu-jin nodded, searching her memories just in case. Kang-seok held up three fingers.
“Now, I think I can use it up to three times in a row even in my normal state. It’s a huge improvement.”
“Ooh.”
In fact, that wasn't all. His overall ‘stamina’ had also increased, so he wouldn't collapse immediately after using Overdrive once like before.
Less than a month had passed since they left the dungeon Labyrinthos, yet Kang-seok was growing stronger at a dazzling pace.
If he were to have a rematch with Aden, the King of Gnolls, he was confident he could win without using Overdrive.
Hearing that Kang-seok had gotten stronger, Yang Jun-gyu was simply impressed, and Seong Yu-jin was as happy as if it were her own achievement. Then, the three of them naturally turned to look at Choi Yu-ra.
Choi Yu-ra was staring blankly into the air.
“Yu-ra?”
Choi Yu-ra didn't answer right away, even when Kang-seok called her name. She gestured in the air a few times as if pressing buttons, then suddenly burst into a bright laugh. As if that wasn't enough, she jumped up and down on the spot, unable to contain her joy, before leaping into Kang-seok’s arms.
She then hugged Seong Yu-jin and even gave Yang Jun-gyu a few hearty pats on the back before finally calming down and telling everyone.
“I can modify Gigantes now. And a heavy weapons slot has opened up!”
With her promotion to Sergeant, the Gigantes modification slot had finally been unlocked. Another firearm in addition to her anti-materiel sniper rifle and submachine gun.
Choi Yu-ra hugged Kang-seok and Seong Yu-jin again.
* * *
Kang-seok’s party decided to spend the night in Andras’s lair. Thanks to Yang Jun-gyu, it wouldn't take long to return to Aachen, but it was already late, and they expected to be bombarded with questions for having discovered the World Quest.
They would face a barrage of questions whenever they returned, but they wanted at least one night of proper rest.
The first World Quest.
The first step toward returning to their original world.
Kang-seok and Yang Jun-gyu took one two-person guest room, while Seong Yu-jin and Choi Yu-ra took another.
It was a strange thing to think about, but this was the first time since being summoned to this world that Kang-seok was sleeping in a different room from Seong Yu-jin.
While he felt this was how it should be, he also felt a strange sense of emptiness.
And the next morning.
The party woke up a little later than usual and hurried toward Aachen. Thanks to Yang Jun-gyu, even though they left after 10 AM, they were able to reach Aachen before noon.
The guards at Aachen’s gate caused a commotion as soon as they saw Kang-seok. It wasn't just because they had encountered the hero and savior of Aachen, the ‘Dark Destiny Lord.’
“The Captain of the Knights Templar from the Gawain Cult?”
“That’s right. Last night, he came to see the mayor of Aachen, saying he wanted to meet Lord Dark Destin… Lord Choi Kang-seok.”
Cliang from the Aachen branch, who had been about to naturally say Dark Destiny Lord, glanced at Kang-seok and quickly changed the title.
Yang Jun-gyu asked.
“Uh, does that mean we have to go to the city hall now?”
The party had parked their carriage near the city gate. Cliang had arrived as soon as the city guards started making a fuss.
“That won’t be necessary. It seems the news hasn't fully reached the guards yet… The Captain of the Knights Templar, Edward Price, left Aachen this morning. I suspect he barely managed to make time to stop by last night.”
“Heh, sounds like he’s really busy.”
When Choi Yu-ra commented, Cliang nodded.
“It’s rare for the Captain of the Knights Templar to leave the cult’s grounds. I can’t be certain, but seeing as he was heading toward the royal palace, it seems he was summoned by the royal family. I don't know the full story, but it's highly likely he stopped by Aachen while he was in the area.”
The cults of this world each had their own order of Knights Templar.
The Captain of the Knights Templar was, as the name suggested, the highest-ranking among the knights.
To exaggerate slightly, he could be called the one who wielded the god’s military might on earth.
Naturally, his status was comparable to that of the highest-ranking priests, so it was only natural that many people would want to see him.
“Hmm.”
And this Captain of the Knights Templar wanted to meet Kang-seok.
As Kang-seok stroked his chin, quietly organizing his thoughts, Cliang spoke cautiously.
“I believe he heard of the fame of Lord Dark Destin… Lord Choi Kang-seok, the savior of Aachen who defeated the Earth Dragon Andras, and was intrigued as a fellow martial artist. I don’t think it’s anything to be concerned about, so please don’t worry.”
“I understand. Thank you for your concern.”
“Of course. You are the savior of Aachen.”
Sincerity was evident on Cliang’s face. It seemed he had heard a lot about Kang-seok from adventurers and Players over the past day.
“By the way, where did you go last night? There were quite a few Players looking for you, Lord Choi Kang-seok.”
His attitude was polite, but his eyes and voice were full of curiosity.
Kang-seok responded smoothly.
“I went to the Sauerland Mountains.”
“The Sauerland Mountains?”
“I will tell you the details after I meet with my companions. Are Mr. Kim Kang-san and Ms. Park Han-yeong still staying at the same inn?”
Cliang was no rookie but a seasoned employee, and he didn't make the mistake of letting a moment's curiosity cause him to blunder.
“Yes, Ms. Park Han-yeong is said to have recovered a great deal.”
“Thank you. Then I will see you at the Adventurers’ Guild this afternoon.”
As soon as Kang-seok made a vague appointment, Cliang withdrew without any lingering attachment.
Since riding horses was not allowed in downtown Aachen, carriage traffic was also restricted.
Yang Jun-gyu drove the carriage toward a main road where they were permitted. Even though they were inside a covered wagon, people somehow recognized Kang-seok’s party and reacted in various ways. Some whispered amongst themselves, while others waved and greeted them warmly.
Kang-seok sighed.
“This is going to be a real hassle.”
He had already prepared a story to tell the Players.
When they defeated Andras, they obtained a clue about the World Quest. Last night, that clue activated, and following its guidance, they went to the Sauerland Mountains, where the World Quest was unlocked.
Strictly speaking, there were no lies.
Unless someone had seen Kang-seok’s party visit Andras's lair, they would never even imagine that Andras had left behind the key to its lair, allowing Kang-seok to take possession of it.
Of course, that one story wouldn't solve everything.
Not only Kang-seok’s party but also Yang Jun-gyu had received a portion of the World Quest discovery rewards, so there would surely be those who complained about not being taken along.
But he couldn't deal with every single one of them, nor was there any reason to.
“Jun-gyu, you know to watch your mouth, right?”
Choi Yu-ra said, poking Yang Jun-gyu in the back. Yang Jun-gyu replied immediately.
“Don’t worry. I’ve mostly been a solo player until now, so I don’t have anyone to talk to anyway. I doubt anyone would even notice my sword has changed.”
“Aww, you poor thing. And you say it so proudly.”
As Choi Yu-ra playfully patted his back, Yang Jun-gyu blushed and pursed his lips.
The savior of Aachen, the Dark Destiny Lord.
The discoverer of the first World Quest, Choi Kang-seok.
In two days, his name had become widely known. Kang-seok couldn't easily judge whether this would be a curse or a blessing.
Seong Yu-jin gently took Kang-seok’s hand. Instead of meeting his gaze, she shared her warmth and spoke in a soft voice.
“You’ve gained enough fame to attract the attention of even the Captain of the Knights Templar. Fame can be a form of power. Just like you said yesterday, Kang-seok, let’s think positively.”
In a world where gods truly existed, the power of the cults was strong. A man who ranked among the top five most powerful figures in a cult had taken an interest in Kang-seok and had visited the city of Aachen in the middle of the night to meet him.
His name had also become known among the Players. From now on, Kang-seok's words would be regarded not as those of a mere Player, but as those of a ‘pioneer’ who had discovered the first World Quest.
Fame is power.
“Yeah.”
Kang-seok squeezed Seong Yu-jin’s hand.
He soothed his impatient heart and looked further into the distance.
In the distance, at the end of the road, he could see Kim Kang-san and Park Han-yeong’s inn.