Hell Beast's Lair

All players gained the right to leave Leisin the moment they hit level 10.

Of course, they didn't have to leave right away. They could stick around up to 99% experience toward level 11 whenever they wanted.

Once they reached level 10 and talked to the NPC village chief named Kedlak in the big mansion at the center of town, he'd send them off to the mainland—where the real game began.

But even after hitting level 10, hardly anyone left Leisin immediately. The trend was to hang around a bit longer.

And the reason for that was...

Thud!

"Whoa! Finally level 10!"

"Now we just job change, right? What job you going for?"

"You think it's up to us? We go whatever our Patron Spirit picks."

"Yeah, true. Anyway, try for a melee job. I'll go ranged."

"Alright, catch you after the change. Whisper if anything weird happens."

Level 10 symbolized graduation from the beginner zone, but it was also the level where you got your first job.

The current meta was to finish your job change in the beginner city before heading to the mainland.

"Why's that?"

—Job change quests on the mainland tend to be a bit tougher. Not a huge difference, but people wanna take the easy route when they can.

"Hmm, got it."

But even after hitting level 10 and changing jobs, did most players head straight to the mainland? Nope. They all shared the same mindset.

—Once you get power, you wanna swing it around.

The job-related skills you picked up the moment you finished the change!

Sword auras and magic!

Wolves that had been a pain to kill before got shredded in one skill blast. Nothing felt more satisfying.

—So they spam skills like crazy before heading out. Or some folks, like you right now, wanna end their beginner city run for real.

For players who couldn't settle for trash like wolves, Leisin had a boss monster.

—Here we are.

Pushing through the brush, they emerged into a wide clearing. At one end loomed a cave in a sheer rock wall, punched through with a massive hole.

"LFG for Hell Beast tank! DPS waiting!"

"Ah, healer! Come on in. You see the Hell Beast pattern guide vid? If not, take a sec to watch it—detailed strats on RaSe IpVen."

"Buying Hellfire Essence, top gold!"

The clearing—half the size of a field—was packed with players. Shouts everywhere, buzzing like a marketplace.

"Crowded, huh."

—Outside the city, this is the second busiest spot. It's like the beginner zone's landmark.

"What's first?"

—You wiped it out. That ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠horned deer quest area.

"Oh yeah."

Carpe nodded. Yeah, the line for the deer quest had been longer than this.

As Carpe approached the cave, conversations sharpened into focus.

"Yo, you see that vid topping RaSe IpVen yesterday?"

"The junk shop quest one? Yeah. Tried the spot, no NPC though."

"Guerrilla quest, probs moves around. Anyway, who is it? Still in beginner zone."

"Why? Gonna do what if you find 'em?"

"C'mon, gotta have a reason? Party up, be cool."

"Party? You even watch? Solo'd the whole orc squad. Hell Beast solo too, no doubt."

"Fuck, dude. Can't talk? Total buzzkill."

"Anyway, sky-tier folks won't eat with us. Hurry and LFG at our level. Time's up soon."

"Ugh, fine. Tank and healer here. Need last DPS!"

Carpe's expression twisted oddly as he listened. Cheonma Jijon chuckled.

Hearing his story from strangers felt... itchy. Half embarrassing, half nice.

—Your Highness, how 'bout a party for once?

"...Pass."

—Link up, watch 'em struggle, then step up and crush. Picture it: 'Whoa, Carpe! How you so OP?!' 'Friend me pls!' Boom.

"No way! Cringe!"

—What if there's a girl in party? She blushes at your dominance, hesitates to chat... You just smirk coolly and dip. Straight novel material.

"...Bro. You read too many novels. Dial it back?"

Guy was nuts. Spouting that cheesy shit like it was normal.

—Humans crave recognition. No need to hide. Acting all humble here, what when you're a star later?

"I wanna be top dog, not some celeb."

—Same diff. Think RaSe top ain't a star?

"Fair... Anyway, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠future's for future me."

A translucent barrier sealed the cave mouth. Touching it popped an alert.

"Time attack dungeon?"

—Yup. See those steles?

Right by the entrance, two massive steles. LFG chatter around them too.

"Recruiting record-push party. Rares+ or special jobs only."

"Uh, I got a rare dagger from wolves. Joinable?"

"Nah, that's... no."

Users near the steles looked geared up—better weapons or armor, at least one popping.

"Records carved on those, huh."

—Bingo. Touch the top to see.

Carpe did. A long window unfurled.

"Like this. Intuitive, nice."

Solo and party records ranked separately.

Carpe nodded, starting to pull away—

Bzzz!

"Huh? Someone cleared?"

Eyes turned to the entrance. That hum must signal a clear.

Flash!

Three guys materialized in a glow.

"Hell yeah! Got it!"

"Felt that shit doggo drop—pure ecstasy."

"Drops though? Stingy as fuck. One lousy hide?"

Minsu, Kwangsu, Jeongsu.

The "Three Sus" were the clear party's stars.

Ignoring stares, they bolted to the clear stele.

"Yo! Rank? Top 20?"

"Top 20's easy. Top 10 even... Oh, 17th!"

"Sweet. Top high-schoolers here. Rewards gonna be juicy."

"Grab 'em and mainland bound!"

They vanished as quick as they came. Would-be chatters stared blankly.

"Rewards for ranking, huh."

—Obviously. Not great though. 17th? Chief tosses a few pots, done.

"...Not juicy at all. Why bother?"

—Lots skip it. But like I said, craving recognition.

Your name and time etched forever.

Fame-hungry types loved it. Not so much for low-key folks like Carpe.

—Plus, resume fodder. 'Set this record in beginner zone'—guilds eat it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up.

Endless challengers for those reasons.

"Those ????"

—Rankers pick public or anon. Anon shows ???

"Ah. And you're #1?"

—Heh, caught that?

"Kinda obvious."

Solo #1: 1min 7sec. Crushed #2.

"Bug-level time. Who else but you?"

—Got bug calls back then. Good times now.

Day two of launch, soloing impossible clears? Bound to raise eyebrows.

—Half-year later, no one's close. #2's decent tho.

"#2... Tado Tusin? Rings a bell."

Carpe furrowed his brow but drew a blank. Must be nothing important.

He stepped to the entrance.

Then a guy spoke up.

"Hey, party up?"

Guy eyed Carpe's armor—spotted the rare, probs.

"Sorry, wanna solo."

"Ah... Gotcha. Solo's rough. Good luck clearing. Fail, hit me up."

Wished luck but acted like failure was certain. Guy left.

—Won't see that punk again.

"Yeah."

Carpe just smirked.

"Do it."

Five seconds later, Carpe vanished from the entrance.

The dungeon was a massive sealed arena—walls, ceiling, no exits.

Like a pure duel pit. No side paths.

A timer appeared in the corner of his vision, ticking down from three minutes.

"Straight to boss fight dungeon, huh."

—Yup. No hiding, no running. Perfect stage to test yourself.

"True."

No obstacles, wide open. Devs wanted pure fights, no variables.

"Hyangi."

Carpe called, and a black magic squirrel popped from his shadow. Mukhyang's Silver Shadow Step skill.

Stay in owner's shadow or zip through shadows.

Carpe had kept Mukhyang hidden with it. Beginner zone pet? Question magnet.

"Kyuuuuw."

"Yeah yeah, sorry for stuffing you in there. My bad, bro."

Carpe petted the squirrel scampering onto his shoulder, all cute. Pulled Green Skin Slayer from inventory and equipped.

—That glove's straight broken. How's it let you dual-wield weapons?

Cheonma whistled.

Attack power screamed weapon, but nope—classified as "auxiliary item" like other gloves.

So, stack weapons on top? Totally allowed.

"Checked on the way here. What’s new."

—Mind-blowing. Damage rivals gauntlets, yet aux? Balance patch needed, trash game.

Thus, Carpe rocked two weapons' attack power.

As they griped, the timer flew by.

Hit one minute—

Hummm.

Magic circle flared on the floor. Massive monster summoned.