Chapter 28
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: The Disappeared Summoner
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The Disappeared Summoner adventure came to mind.
'Disappeared Summoner'
In Kongori's black magic vocational training center, the Pioneers of Darkness. Skilled instructors are stationed here. Unfortunately, the Shadow Summoner who was meant to be your master has lost contact since heading to Nobira a while ago.
If you stay idle like this, you might miss the most crucial period of the beginner course. You've resolved to head to Nobira yourself and search for traces of your master.
📍 Goal: Find traces of Shadow Summoner Chao in Nobira.
⏰ Time Remaining:None
'A side quest I can knock out early. No harm in that.'
With the next adventure undecided, heading to Nobira while tackling this one seemed like a solid choice.
Snowman continued to the manager, declaring he wanted to strengthen his abilities.
"Understood. Follow me."
The same process repeated, leaving Snowman alone in the dim room.
Hummm...
The skill tree—also called the tree-shaped ability window—materialized.
'I have 4 ability points right now. The choice is obvious.'
Of course, he needed to reinforce his main ability, Shadow Summon.
[Reinforcing Shadow Summon.]
[Using 4 ability points.]
[Upon successful Shadow Summon, inheritance to the summon will now proceed more smoothly than before.]
[You can now summon 2 shadow summons simultaneously. However, simultaneous summons may not always be possible.]
[Upon successful Shadow Summon, at least 50% of the summon's ability scores will now be preserved.]
[Shadow Summon has reached a certain level. Inheritance of ability scores from all possessed summons will increase by 10%.]
A barrage of messages scrolled up for a single ability reinforcement. The two most promising were:
First, simultaneous summons.
'Now I can summon Karuna and Jamad at the same time.'
Second, the extra 10% inheritance on ability scores.
In other words, he could baseline use 50% of their original power, and factoring in their titles, gear, and other bonuses, he'd guarantee at least 60%—no, 70% efficiency.
Snowman didn't know the levels of other Transients well yet, but this made him a one-man army.
Karuna hadn't been a boss you took down in straight combat to begin with, and Jamad was a boss weakened via special gimmicks by a 5-man party before being defeated.
Thus, they were far stronger than typical bosses, and their current ability scores dwarfed those of ordinary Transients.
Suddenly, Han Yeo-myung's furious outburst came back to him.
- Why! Why! You're so strong, but... you said adventurer scores don't fully reflect power gaps! Rank 2 is double the points... so ten times... no, dozens of times stronger...
Thoughts of Han Yeo-myung furrowed his brow slightly.
Snowman stopped by a few more places before returning to his inn.
He'd accumulated quite a bit of wealth, but he had specific plans for it, so he didn't spend recklessly.
Ahead of his next adventure, he organized his situation.
'This is where it gets critical. Route matters.'
Adventures in the Eternal World were heavily tied to the adventurer's current location.
For example, events in a quiet rural mountain with nothing going on weren't all that special.
Spend months or years there, and you might survive, but growing stronger? Tough.
In other words, unlike standard RPGs where decent adventures pop up automatically over time, it wasn't like that here.
To grow, you had to periodically shift bases and plunge into the eye of the storm where countless events brewed.
'Time to leave Kongori.'
He'd reaped most of what this place offered. Now, only low-efficiency, low-reward adventures remained.
To get stronger, he needed to move on soon.
One concern, though: leaving the starting hub kicked off the dice roll in earnest.
The dice roll happened when players left a region—a common mechanic across most areas.
Like checking the weather forecast before travel to avoid trouble; same idea.
For instance, right after Snowman crossed to Nobira, the dice would roll. Low number? Penalty. High? Unexpected luck in the adventure.
'But the risks are way higher.'
Low rolls could auto-select an adventure—and not an easy one.
That's why players prepped thoroughly before moving, always bracing for the worst.
'Prep's done. I'm strong enough.'
Snowman was already far beyond what other Kongori Transients could touch.
One lingering issue: the Predator Guild.
The intel from the information guild was ominous. They were quiet now, but once he powered up more, he could become a target.
No matter the circumstances, he was obviously under suspicion for killing four of their members.
And Snowman wasn't the type to leave loose ends behind.
'Wrap up the Predators, then I'm out.'
Now, he would depart.
During the few days Snowman lingered in Kongori, more Transients trickled in after finishing adventures.
"Grrk..."
The tavern's second floor.
Men in fairly upscale clothes puffed cigars while drinking.
Though people say impressions vary, these guys had faces so vicious they rendered the fancy attire pointless.
"So, all croaked?"
"Seo Jin-cheol, Baek Sang-gyu, the lot?"
"No returns. Death judgments issued."
"Hah! All the useful ones kick it early. Had some balls, though."
If they knew how Seo Jin-cheol and Baek Sang-gyu died, they'd swallow those words—but they only remembered the pair's savagery.
These rough-looking men were the Predator Guild.
They were among the first to adapt to the changed world. Their methods skewed negative, of course.
The guild members' gazes converged on one man.
One asked the guy at the head seat.
"What now?"
"Wasn't it an operation? Those guys."
"Yeah. Took two extras, even."
"Pain in the ass. At a key time... What's the name?"
"Snowman, they said. Checked—he's already back."
"Hm... Why'd they die?"
"Who? Baek Sang-gyu and Seo Jin-cheol?"
"Yeah. Not the type to go down easy."
"They'd have done the killing. Shark pups like them."
The Predator Guild Master's nickname was White Shark.
A fearsome moniker fitting his scary mug and guild leadership.
"Right? So what if they died in place of their target? Sacrificed for him?"
"No chance."
"Then he killed 'em?"
"Yeah. Looks like Snowman sniffed the op and took them out. Method's unknown."
"Heard he looks like some saintly priest... What power lets him send four of ours packing?"
"Probably a trap using info?"
"Plausible."
"Common sense: drowning four ain't easy. Especially blind to the ambush."
White Shark's mouth was torn into a gruesome scar.
A snake-like whisper slithered from the gap.
"Watch him for now. Time's on our side. Long as he doesn't leave Kongori."
"Send a few to dunk him?"
"Dumbass. Timing matters in everything. Killing's a given—how is key. We're tied with Justice now; flashy kill draws heat."
"Ah, true. But hitching to Justice smart? Their vibe screams untrustworthy."
"They trust us?"
"Well, no..."
"Mutual profit-suckers pretending otherwise."
Sip—
Fwooo...
White Shark's cigar burned pitch-black.
Something amusing struck him; a wicked grin spread as he chuckled.
"Wanna hear something fun?"
"What?"
"Without that Snowman punk, all our guys would've come back alive from this adventure."
"Duh?"
"Nah, kid. Seen other guilds? Flailing, dropping like flies. Some lost half."
"For real?"
"Yeah. That's the world now. But us? Barely scratched. Why? Strong? Why only us?"
"No clue."
White Shark bared his teeth, exhaling smoke. Gleaming gold caps highlighted his ugliness.
"'Cause we're strong. Humans strong. Beat, kill, betray—no qualms. Others recoil in horror."
"Good thing?"
"Pffhaha... Damn right. Look—we're starting business from Kongori. You know Jeong Won-cheol running that loudmouth Justice Guild? Ugly bastard."
"Yeah."
"No muscle to rein in his crew, so he comes crawling. 'Cause we're strong."
"Rank 2 bro, right."
"Anyway. Wolf pup grabs tiger to herd sheep. A wolf, even."
"Your play?"
"Play nice helping Jeong Won-cheol, swallow Justice whole. Then the rest, pivot to human trafficking."
First time hearing details; members perked up.
"Know why we were bottom-feeders before?"
"Nah."
"Law. 'Cause of the law."
"Huh?"
"Feast your eyes on this paradise. Stab a passerby—no cops. 'Tween Transients."
"Ah!"
"Law vanished, violence fills the void. Best violence-whisperer climbs highest."
"You?"
"Yup."
He finished, paused as if last line irked him.
"Nah, one's more."
"That other hidden ranker?"
"Yeah. Raked insane points. Got dirt too. Gotta find him."
"Find and... kill?"
"Tame with perks if obedient. Or kill."
"Send the boys max hunt."
"Actions, not words. This is business now. Octopus-spread manpower, offload smart."
"Justice pitched first, right?"
"They proposed. Jeong Won-cheol's book-dumb but slick. Try sparing him."
That was when.
A man kicked open the tavern door.
"Bro! Bro! Where you at?"
"Here, asshole."
"Knew it. Jeong Won-cheol... that fucker's looking for you."
"Me? Why?"
"Needs muscle. Some psycho barged into Justice solo, demanding his brother."
"Solo?"
Weird.
Even trash shouldn't struggle against one.
"Guy's stronger than expected. Suppress attempts caused casualties; stalemate now."
"Wants an arm chopped or a kill for show. Annoying... Wait, solo fight? Hidden ranker maybe?"
"Could be."
"Prep heavy. If off, back him instead."
At the same time, similar news reached Snowman as he prepped for his journey.