Chapter 24: To the Mainland
After defeating the Hell Beast, Carpe hopped on a warp and headed straight back to Leisin.
"This place is always buzzing no matter when I come."
-The crappier reality gets, the more lively RaSe has to be. What a bittersweet story.
That was the secret to RaSe's popularity.
An escape from suffocating reality.
A space where you could grab things that felt out of reach in the real world, way easier.
-When reality sucks, people crave a break from it all, and RaSe delivers that perfectly. That's why we've got over 500 million users—it's no joke.
"Yeah, I get it now."
Back when RaSe first launched and ads and hype were everywhere, he'd wondered why everyone was overreacting. But now he knew. Not a word of it was exaggerated.
RaSe wasn't just some place to swing swords and cast spells at monsters.
It had people. Society. Life.
Another world.
It was a clichéd tagline, but nothing else fit.
RaSe really was another world.
-And the mainland is RaSe's 'real world.'
Not just bigger maps and more monsters, but a place where players from around the globe gathered to build their own society.
-You know there are more beginner cities than just this one in RaSe, right?
"Yeah. Saw on IpVen there are ten in total."
When you first started the game, you'd end up in one of the ten beginner cities, assigned based entirely on your country.
Korea, China, Japan, Russia, North America, South America, EU, India, Middle East + Africa, Southeast Asia + Oceania.
RaSe divided the Earth that way and built ten cities to match. Leisin was Korea's beginner hub.
-Unlike here, most of the mainland is PK-enabled. Can't let your guard down for a second.
The ultimate stage where players from every corner of the world competed. That was the mainland.
And right now, the crowd gathered near the village chief's house were all itching to step onto that stage.
"Pretty crowded here too."
-Proof of steady player influx. Bet the total accounts hit a billion within two years.
With so many players wanting to cross but only one chief to send them, the area around his house was packed with folks waiting their turn.
Of course, there weren't any real procedures, so the line would clear fast.
Probably be his turn in five minutes.
In the meantime, players chatted away. Two near Carpe brought up something intriguing.
"Hey, you hear? RaSe dropped an app this morning."
"An app? What for? We play through capsules."
"Man, you're slow on the news. Didn't hear about the Patron Spirit app?"
"Oh, that! It launched today?"
"Yeah, install it right after you log off. Miss a notification and you'll cry blood."
Carpe, who'd been eavesdropping, shot Cheonma a look demanding an explanation.
"Patron Spirit app? What's that about? You knew?"
-Of course. Just didn't mention it since it doesn't affect you much.
"Spill."
-Exactly what it sounds like. If your Patron Spirit hands out a quest or whatever, the app pings you.
"...Do people need that?"
-Super useful.
Humans needed food and sleep, after all.
No one could stay logged in 24/7, grinding away at their health for days.
That's why logins were capped at ten hours a day—to prevent exactly that.
But Patron Spirits? They were part of the game. Always there, whether you were online or not.
And that's where the problem came in.
-Told you before: tons of Patron Spirits, but nowhere near enough compared to players.
One-to-one would be ideal, but nope. Way too many users.
-RaSe's first anniversary had stats: most-pulled was 6-star Percival.
Sir Percival of the Round Table.
In a sea of unheard-of Patron Spirits, he had name value, a silver effect on pull, and solid performance. Everyone jumped on it.
-137,000 players pulled Percival.
"Insane. That's a ton."
So when a Patron Spirit actually reached out, players treated it like a divine revelation.
-Imagine: your super-rare Patron Spirit feels generous, wants to give you a quest.
They pick someone they've been eyeing. Ping. No response.
Turns out, you're offline.
"...Nightmare."
-Can't give it to you, so they hand it off. Describe that poor sap's regret for missing it by five minutes. Three points.
"Just thinking about it makes me wanna quit."
-Right? Happens all the time. Hence, the app.
Super simple: link your RaSe account to the app, done.
Get a ping on your phone, wake up even from deep sleep, log in, claim the quest.
"Definitely not something I need."
-Told ya.
The first-ever 0-star Patron Spirit, Cheonma. Only Carpe had him.
Others begged for Patron Spirit attention; for Carpe, it was routine.
As Carpe and Cheonma chatted, the app duo wrapped up.
"Gonna log out ten minutes early from now on. Install that app."
"Do it. Imagine your Patron Spirit calling for a special skill and you're offline. Blue balls city."
They headed into the chief's house. Carpe eyed Cheonma again.
"Cheonma hyung. That just reminded me."
-...Yeah?
"Special skills. I can learn one too, right?"
-Ugh.
RaSe had special skills, separate from regular ones.
Unlike normal skills you picked up naturally, special skills came only from Patron Spirits.
Luck and relationship level were key.
"We're tight. Max relationship. Hand over a special skill!"
-Well, about that...
Cheonma sweated bullets inside.
Special skills were what he'd been dodging.
-Could give one. Feels like I can.
Like when he granted the class.
From the moment Carpe advanced to Magical Fist Lord, Cheonma felt that itch. Pop this, give special skill.
But he held back. Past precedent.
Farmer, fisher, woodcutter, shepherd!
Hyped hidden classes, delivered trash. Couldn't hype a special skill now.
Actually, worse off than before.
-Special skills match Patron Spirit grade.
6-star gives 6-star skill. 8-star gives 8-star.
So...
"...0-star Patron Spirit means 0-star skill."
-Pretty likely...
"Not 'likely.' Certain."
-No precedent for 0-stars. Could be a glitch—extra 1 in front. 10-star skill x2, congrats...
"Lame excuse from the guy who swore no bugs."
As they bickered, the line cleared ahead of Carpe.
-Mainland first, talk later. People behind you waiting.
"Sigh. Fine, let's go."
He hurried inside. A man in his middle years greeted him—Leisin's chief, Kedlak.
"Hoho, come to leave us too?"
"Yes."
"Another hero departing. Once you're gone, hard to return without special circumstances. Sure about that?"
High-levels got massive penalties in lowbie zones.
Especially beginner cities—impossible unless merchant or similar.
"Yes."
"Very well. Opening the path... Wait—you! The Hell Beast slayer!"
The chief gawked, then dashed off, returning with gloves.
"Can't send a village savior empty-handed. Take these."
◈ Time Attack #1 Reward
"Wish we could chat more, but no time. Heroes waiting behind you."
The chief pulled a scroll, tore it. A blue portal hummed open.
"Step through to Ruana on the mainland. May the goddess bless your path."
"Thanks."
Carpe bowed slightly and stepped in.
The true adventure began.
Ruana.
A massive port city by the sea—the first stop for every player leaving beginner towns.
Unlike Leisin, which was village-sized despite the name, Ruana felt like a proper metropolis.
"Whoa, this place is on another level."
-Top three biggest in RaSe. Heard it's even larger than Beijing.
"Never been, but yeah, it's huge."
Population density was unreal too. So packed you couldn't walk without bumping shoulders.
-Big city means hidden pieces galore, sights to see. Already planned it all for you.
"Hyung."
-Trust your bro. Oh, right—you haven't had real RaSe food. Ruana seafood rivals Michelin. Let's start there...
"No tricks, hyung. Special skill first."
-Tch. Not buying it.
Cheonma smacked his lips.
Fine, no point dragging it. Better rip the band-aid.
-Hit me. I'll take it. Feel better after.
"You don't expect anything good either!"
-Nah, special skills usually tie to the Patron Spirit's class.
Like 7-star Roland the knight giving "Unyielding Body," a physical buff.
7-star Cao Cao? Mass command skill like "Tyrant's Dominion."
Based on legends or famous tales.
-Got any legends? Wars? Obvious dud.
"...What's your class again, hyung?"
-Unemployed. RaSe addict who dumped his life into it. Soul preserved in-game after death.
"Got it. Expectations crushed."
0-star skill from an unemployed Patron Spirit.
Oh boy, can't wait!
-Here goes.
Cheonma psyched up with a "Hup!" Notifications popped.
A Special Skill Quest has arrived from your Patron Spirit.
Relationship level with Patron Spirit is at maximum.
Quest auto-cleared.
The 10-Star Player's Lucky Draw