Chapter 36

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Translator: Ryuma

Chapter: 36

Chapter Title: All Golems Are Precious

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A blue flame seeped from the eyes of the last golem awakened by Kang Seol.

Sss...

Grizz hadn't left a single trace anywhere in the lab besides his own.

Now, that hardcore narcissist had effectively mentioned one person's name—and only one.

The viewers panicked as unfamiliar names kept popping up.

Even Kang Seol, who had actually awakened the golem, was just as baffled.

'Did Milan mean that much to Grizz?'

To Kang Seol, Milan had been his avatar—another extension of himself.

Pandea was a world he'd thought of as just a game, yet someone living and breathing there remembered his words and longed for him. It felt a little surreal.

And oddly touching.

Kang Seol couldn't quite put a name to the tingling emotion stirring inside him.

As he stared at the charred research complex with bewildered eyes, Arta—the lab director—approached.

"Sir, we've received tremendous help from you. Though our long-researched specimens were all destroyed, the research records remain intact. Grizz won't hold it against us."

"Hoo..."

Kang Seol still couldn't shake the memory of that massive plant from some sci-fi flick looming right in front of him.

'What the hell has Grizz been up to?'

Elusive and always on the move—that was Grizz's style. He probably wouldn't run into him again in the early game stages anytime soon.

Clank... clank...

One of the golems approached carefully cradling a small box in its hands, then offered it to Kang Seol.

"What's this?"

"A reward for resolving our lab's crisis."

"Ah."

Additional reward.

"Boots?"

"Yes. Grizz has a keen interest in new materials. He's constantly experimenting with non-steel options like leather and fabric, infusing them with mechanical ingenuity."

"And these are one of his inventions?"

"Precisely. The core mechanism inside is one of his more recent achievements."

Kang Seol examined the boots he'd received as extra loot.

"Crisis Escape?"

Kang Seol glanced at Arta, who kindly explained the boots.

"They're acceleration boots. Activate them once, and flames erupt as you blast forward at incredible speed. Duration is short and imprecise."

"Any side effects?"

"We've resolved all known issues so far."

That "so far" stuck in his craw, but Kang Seol liked these boots a lot.

'As a summoner, I can't avoid getting targeted. This lets me slip away in a pinch?'

For now, before he reached his ideal power level, nothing could beat it.

"How do I use them?"

"Tap one heel against the other's sole."

"Can I test it here?"

"No issue, but if you're not used to them, try an open area first."

"Got it."

One more secret weapon in the bag.

While checking, Kang Seol inspected his new title too.

Not many plant monsters on the continent, which was a shame, but the cooking proficiency boost was excellent.

'That it?'

Kang Seol prepared to leave the wrecked research complex. Not bad results despite rotten travel luck.

'Still, need to bolster my forces. Too many close calls.'

Like when Jamad fell behind blocking plants alone.

Unfair moments could strike anytime; better prepare ahead.

"Anyway..."

"Ah, would you leave your name, sir?"

"My name?"

"We need to inform Grizz of his visitor."

"...No need."

"Understood. Thank you."

With that, Kang Seol ended the adventure.

Vmmm—

A swirl of light enveloped him, and he vanished.

Sss...

Three hours later.

Weeeeng—!

The central control device hummed smoothly amid the researchers' cleanup of debris from the chaos.

Hiss...

A faint connection tone emanated from the device.

Arta placed a hand on it.

Whoooong...

Glowing runes etched onto Arta's body.

"This is Lab 81. Connected entity: Arta-2."

"...Is it?"

"Connection unstable. Could you repeat?"

The static faded. The other side cleared their throat a few times before speaking.

"It's me. Heard you had an emergency?"

"The bio research complex suffered unexplained hypergrowth. It's resolved now."

"Ho? Resolved? How?"

"Well..."

Arta recounted everything: the problem's onset, the crisis, and the stranger's aid.

One detail caught Grizz's interest.

"A visitor? For real?"

"Yes."

"Hmm... An uninvited guest. Quite bold."

Arta spilled more details, dumbfounding Grizz.

"Restarted all the golems? Impossible."

"All true."

"No way... Arta, golem restarts only allow one answer. Don't tell me you don't get it."

"I dare not comprehend."

"He nailed even the one I hid. That 'visitor' knows about me and Milan. Hoo... Intriguing. What about the thief?"

"Left after it was done."

Grizz sighed.

His excitement for new puzzles never lasted.

"Can't be helped. Milan's not the type to return anyway. Oh, planning to visit Lab 81 soon. With a key investor."

"Understood. We'll prepare accordingly."

Vmmm—

Light swirled around Kang Seol as he arrived somewhere new.

Before him stretched a dense great forest.

Adventure 6. 'Incomplete: Coloring Practice'

The people of Pandea in the Eternal World know their world doesn't exist in just one form. A prime example: the Spirit Realm.

Spirits are sentient aggregates of elemental energy born from nature.

They wield pure elemental force—master mages and mischievous imps.

But when their playground shifts from the Spirit Realm to Pandea, problems arise.

The longer they linger in reality, the greater the risk of freak phenomena like wildfires, hailstorms, droughts, and polar nights.

Near Novira, this issue has persisted for years.

By the Great Forest, the boundary stone regulating travel between the Spirit Realm and material world malfunctioned years ago. It's called a "spirit flood" disaster.

The Aquarius Mage Tower fixed the stone swiftly, but scattered spirits remain unrecovered. Warped by the breach, they likely haven't strayed far from the Great Forest.

Capture or eliminate lingering spirits before they cause trouble. Saving more varieties helps greatly.

Goal: Capture or eliminate as many different types of spirits as possible.

Failure tanks your Zodiac ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rep and inflicts 'Self-Loathing' debuff.

Remaining time: 「719:59」

'A month? The time limit's a whole month?'

Unlike before, the absurdly long ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠timer left Kang Seol dazed, like he'd taken a hammer to the head.

'Giving this much time means it's a pain-in-the-ass adventure...'

And an odd name too.

'Incomplete' prefixed, 'Coloring Practice' tacked on.

Kang Seol felt puzzled scanning it.

'No mention of multi-spirit vessels anywhere?'

As he pondered and looked around, a trio spotted him and whispered.

"Hey? A person."

"Ignore him. Competitor anyway."

"True, but..."

They were right.

Transferees weren't always buddy-buddy idealists. Rivalry and envy existed too.

Kang Seol ignored them and headed to the registration desk.

A hooded, hollow-eyed man sat beside a twintailed young woman in glasses, both looking like exhausted grad students at the table.

"Adventurer from Novira, here to help?"

"Yes."

"As you see, we're the Aquarius Mage Tower—very busy. First..."

"...You're busy now?"

"Think we're lounging? Our minds are racing with macro solutions for this mess."

"Right, we don't need to bust a gut like you lot to get results... Never mind. ID please."

Kang Seol found the mages frosty.

Or maybe par for the course.

The game captured their vibe perfectly—not tsundere, but pure ice queen. Cocky pricks whose dialogue made you want to grab a hammer and pay a visit.

This world's mages always equated intellect with dominance, even in tiny ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠interactions.

Milder than later magitechs, sure, but still annoying.

No point wasting energy on short-term NPCs, so he handed over his ID.

"Let's see... Ah, registered in Kongori. Hmm... Snowman? Rings a bell..."

"Fake?"

"N-no. It's just..."

The man strained his bleary eyes, flicking between ID and Kang Seol.

"Uh... So... Snowman, sir?"

"Yes."

"Wait, Snowman the adventurer?"

"Shh! Ah! Sorry for yelling. Were you the one who claimed top credit crumbling Rock Fang at Pointed Rock Mountain recently?"

"Not sure about 'top,' but I tangled with them."

"My god..."

"For real? Really?"

Fame shone here.

It drew unexpected goodwill or bargaining edges.

Reason to chain big adventures.

'Fame's better the more you stack.'

No immediate payoffs, but piled high, it unlocked premium adventure rewards.

Creeeak...

"Ah! Brain fart. Here—spirit vessel for captures!"

The man handed a smaller box from his feet, not the big one nearby.

"This is..."

"Upgraded model. Low stock—master said give only to trustworthy folks!"

"To me?"

"Yes!"

The earlier trio overheard, whispering again.

"They give us the big heavy junk, but him the upgrade? Unfair."

"What happened? Ask later?"

"Nah, looks like bad news."

Unfairness dogged Pandea. And they lacked power to fix it.

No choice for Kang Seol either.

"Thanks, but I'll pass."

"Y-yes? Why..."

"Brought my own spirit vessel."

"Ah! Then registration's mandatory. Measurement first—avoids reward issues later."

Kang Seol presented Grizz's incomplete multi-spirit vessel from his belt.

Click.

"Ooh... Neat design. Homemade?"

The man checked each compartment on the belt-mounted vessel.

"From an acquaintance."

"Hmm? Wait... Prin, check this."