Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Land Without a Master (3)
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“So, what kind of group is this ‘guild’?”
“It’s where players gather to make a living by killing monsters, and at the same time, they become independent groups with a certain amount of influence, either nationally or globally. Since they’re fundamentally affiliated with the state, they also handle monsters on the country’s request.”
This time, as if determined not to lose, Cha Eun-ha quickly explained.
She even wore a proud expression.
Seeing her, Jeon Do-jin smiled warmly.
…He looks just like a doting father. Even if she’s not his real daughter.
As I watched them, Jeong Ha-yeon cautiously spoke up.
“The names of guilds have been mentioned several times, but we’ve never actually seen one of any significant size make an appearance. Se-hyeon-ssi. Don’t you find that a bit unnatural?”
A sharp observation.
It was understandable for smaller guilds to be absent, given their limited manpower, but why weren’t the larger guilds showing up?
For not a single one to have appeared was definitely abnormal.
“They must have their reasons. For example…”
“For example?”
“Perhaps there’s a much larger incident happening, and they’ve sent so much of their workforce to deal with it that they don’t have the capacity to send people here.”
Jeong Ha-yeon nodded, as if she thought it was a possibility.
It wasn’t just a possibility; it was the truth.
If they had been able to turn their attention here sooner, a guy like Yang Gyu-hyeok would never have been able to run rampant.
The gates would have been cleared under strict control, and the area would have stabilized relatively quickly.
“You’re Kim Se-hyeon-nim, right?”
As I was using darkness to disintegrate the severed vines, a man with a crack in one of his glasses’ lenses approached me.
“Yes. That’s right.”
[Using the skill, ‘Extreme Eye’.]
He was an unremarkable player.
However, judging by the number of people behind him, it was clear he was their representative.
“We were on the verge of giving up and leaving to find another safe zone because we couldn’t hold on any longer, but thanks to all of you, we can finally breathe a little easier. Thank you so much.”
In truth, I had joined late, so I hadn't been seen by many people.
I was wondering why he had singled me out when I saw Cha Eun-ha, a short distance away, turning her head with a prim expression.
‘Good grief.’
She did it without being asked, but that made it even better.
She was acting on my behalf of her own volition.
There was no better sign than that.
“I only did what had to be done. We have to help each other to survive.”
[The ‘Angel of Benevolence’ waves a cheering stick.]
[You have been sponsored 500 coins.]
[The ‘Devil Who Mocks the Heavens’ doubts if your species is correctly classified as human.]
“But something seems a little strange. Isn’t the Ruler of this place fulfilling their duties?”
“Ah…”
The man let out a bitter, empty laugh.
“There is no Ruler here.”
“No Ruler?”
“There was. But he abandoned this place and left for another. He left us behind. But there’s no one strong enough for a new Ruler to emerge, so one hasn't appeared.”
“For now, we’re just somehow, somehow living day to day like mayflies.”
“Then, do you happen to know where he went?”
“The rumors are rampant… but the most common sightings place him to the south.”
I see. So he gave up Seoul City Hall and went to Yongsan.
Originally, he was supposed to be reigning as the Ruler around Seoul City Hall, and I was planning to go to Yongsan to take the ‘Center’.
‘The growth rate of the plants, and the speed at which they’re spreading…’
I could understand why he abandoned this place.
He was never particularly pleased about taking the North in the first place.
This isn’t bad.
The Center has its advantages, but it also has its drawbacks.
If I play my cards right, I might be able to minimize those drawbacks and make things easier.
“That damn Yoo Seong-hoon. If he was going to leave, he should have gone alone, but he had to persuade all the capable people to go with him…”
“Wait a moment. Who did you say?”
“Huh? Ah, Yoo Seong-hoon. He was the player who used to be the Ruler here.”
“…”
A chilling sensation ran down my spine.
I didn’t know the name Yoo Seong-hoon.
The Ruler who was supposed to be in control here had a different name.
The biggest variable I had been concerned about in this chapter.
A change in the Rulers.
‘The East changed too.’
Nam Sang-jin, who was originally supposed to be the Ruler of the East, had become someone’s loyal subordinate and come all the way to Sinseol-dong Station alone.
To think it would be the same here.
My brow furrowed unconsciously.
Perhaps it wasn’t just here.
Assuming the worst-case scenario, there was a high probability that the Rulers of all regions had changed.
…It would be better to modify my future plans a bit.
I need a plan that accounts for each of the regional Rulers being different.
[Sub-quest has been cleared.]
[You have received 500 coins as a reward.]
With a significant number of vines gone, the system must have finally recognized this place as a safe base, as the quest was completed.
Stingy. I thought it would be at least 1,000 coins.
I swiped the system message aside and asked the man.
“What is that tower?”
“Ah, that’s a watchtower. If you look closely, you’ll see two guards and a bell hanging from the ceiling.”
“Then what’s the bell for?”
“Haha. It’s an intruder alarm. After the town ended up like this, strange monsters started appearing. When they spot them, they ring that bell to sound the alarm. Well, there’s no way it’ll ring in broad daylight like this, so you don’t have to worry.”
The man laughed jovially.
That’s a flag.
*Dong!*
Sure enough, before the man’s laughter had even faded, the crude sound of a bell echoed through the area.
The man’s expression instantly soured.
“Damn it! Is it them again!?”
“All able-bodied fighters, gather quickly!”
As if they had been through this many times before, people dropped what they were doing and moved swiftly.
They didn’t seem to be running away in fear, so they must be E or D-rank monsters.
This was good.
There was no faster way to earn people’s trust than by repelling a monster invasion.
“We’ll join in. If you’re low on stamina right now, just handle any that get past the front line.”
“Who’s tired?”
“I’m perfectly fine.”
“…Excellent.”
I drew my sword and dashed toward the sound of the monster’s cry.
Something was blooming on the bodies of insects that were larger than their original forms.
Cordyceps.
Their strength varied depending on the rank of the host monster, but since there were no high-ranking ones nearby, most were based on low-rank individuals.
For them to parasitize the corpses of monsters, which normally disappeared within an hour, was a feat in its own right.
*Schwing!*
As my sword drew an arc, the bodies of several monsters exploded.
I cleared a path at the very front and turned my attention elsewhere.
Jo Min-ah was handling the monsters without much difficulty, using the power she had just awakened.
She still needed to get used to her abilities, but the lack of mana proficiency was apparent.
I’ll have to teach her a few things after this is over.
I turned my gaze forward again and increased the speed of my swings.
“The newcomers are incredibly reliable…?”
“With them, there’s a chance!”
“We don’t have to live in fear anymore!”
Because of that, though it was a sudden invasion, the cleanup was swift.
The increased trust from the original inhabitants was a bonus.
And that wasn’t all.
By enthusiastically participating in the restoration of the base, my reputation steadily rose.
Nothing resonates more with desperate people than an act of kindness that asks for nothing in return.
At least, that’s how it would appear in their eyes.
“Kim Se-hyeon-nim. I have a request to make.”
So, it was only natural that the leader of the Seoul City Hall survivors came to see me that evening.
“We would like you, Kim Se-hyeon-nim, to become the Ruler of the Seoul City Hall area… the ‘North’. This is the consensus of all the survivors here.”
I barely managed to swallow the laugh that was about to burst out.
The words I had been waiting for.
There was no reason to refuse.
“Actually, we did make this request to someone else before…”
But just as I was about to accept, he said something I couldn’t ignore.
Without any warning, an unsettling anxiety crept up, feeling as if it was grabbing my ankles.
“Someone else, you say.”
“Yes. I believe… his name was Hwang Chan-jin.”
“…Could you please say that again?”
“Huh? Ah, yes. Hwang Chan-jin. As I recall, that was his name. I remember him because he was quite powerful.”
Was it because I failed to control my expression?
I could see him glancing at me, watching my reaction.
I covered my face with my right hand, massaging it to finally relax my stiff muscles.
Hwang Chan-jin?
That guy was here?
“…”
Thinking about it, it was strange.
A blessed talent. Information that suggested he had played the game quite a bit. And a personality that seemed well-suited for survival in a world like this.
Why hadn’t a guy like that become the Ruler of any territory?
If he had been aiming for the North or the Center like me, he could have easily beaten me to it while I was held up.
But he didn’t.
Why?
‘Did he choose a route that forgoes becoming a Ruler from the start?’
Unlikely.
He had to know that if he couldn’t suppress that guy using the Ruler event, he wouldn’t even make it past the mid-game, right? Then why?
I pressed my throbbing forehead and let out a short breath.
Maybe I was overthinking it.
In reality, Hwang Chan-jin was somewhat ‘ambiguous’.
He knew about the Sa-in-cham-sa-geom and the existence of its dungeon.
And yet, he didn’t know the exact conditions for obtaining it.
It was like a machine that appeared sophisticated but had all its crucial parts missing.
“That man seemed uninterested in being the Ruler, just gave us an indifferent look and disappeared. Still, I thought I should let you know, just in case.”
“I see.”
I managed to form a smile and nodded.
Perhaps relieved by my positive reaction, his expression visibly relaxed.
“We have no objections either.”
“It was thanks to you, Kim Se-hyeon-nim, that we were able to escape Dongdaemun, and that we could safely cross the river afterward.”
“If it’s you, Kim Se-hyeon-nim, we’d be honored to ask.”
The survivors from Dongdaemun also chimed in.
“Everyone…”
I covered my mouth with my hand and bowed my head.
As if I were choked with emotion. As if I were deeply moved.
“…Thank you.”
The corners of my mouth kept twitching.
Forcibly suppressing the urge to laugh, I barely managed to continue speaking.
“As much as you all believe in me, I too will do my best to survive alongside you.”
Cheers and applause filled my ears.
My attempt to speak while controlling my emotions had come across as if I were sobbing with gratitude, eliciting an even more passionate response.
How convenient a tool misunderstanding can be, depending on how you use it.
“I understand. I accept. I will become the Ruler of the North.”
[You have acquired the characteristic, ‘Ruler’.]
***
Having become the Ruler of the North, I had now established my position.
I also had a day or two to spare before the next chapter properly began.
Now was the time to reorganize my forces.
“Hmm.”
In the mayor’s office of the city hall building.
I rested my chin on one hand and drummed the fingers of my other hand on the desk.
The people here, as well as the survivors from Dongdaemun, were willing to trust and rely on me. That was a good thing.
The problem was the lack of manpower.
The twins weren’t yet ready to be main combatants.
Their stats were far from sufficient.
Jeong Ha-yeon was in a similar situation.
Having Jeon Do-jin, who could take my place when I’m not around, was a relief.
At the very least, he could ensure the people from Dongdaemun would follow orders.
On the other hand, it meant that if my relationship with Jeon Do-jin soured, it would cause a serious division.
Cha Eun-ha seemed to have a favorable impression of me, but Jeon Do-jin would always be more important to her.
*Tap, tap.*
At some point, the sound of my fingers tapping on the desk grew louder.
I must have been applying pressure without realizing it.
I consciously stopped my fingers.
Ultimately, I needed to raise the twins, who showed me their unconditional trust.
There was no other way.
“Shop.”
[It’s been a while, Se-hyeon-nim.]
Along with the shop window, Uriel appeared in her two-heads-tall chibi form.
She was smiling brightly, but her true intentions were impossible to read.
Whether angel or devil, none of them could be trusted.
[What do you need?]
“Testament. I need two one-day versions.”
[One-day Testaments…? Not the one-hour ones?]
Her reaction was one of bewilderment.
The Testament was an item that greatly boosted a disciple’s performance when in a master-disciple relationship.
But skills and power couldn’t be used indefinitely.
Once you’ve exhausted everything, you need to rest.
That’s why the one-day version was generally considered garbage that was just more expensive.
“Just find them for me. Oh, and Igniel’s Tear as well.”
[Excuse me? Igniel’s Tear costs 180,000 coins. Are you sure about that?]
“It’s an item worth the price.”
[Please wait a moment.]
Watching Uriel begin to search for the items on my behalf, I let a slight smile touch my lips.
There was a specific way to properly use the Testament.
The notion that the one-day version was just expensive and inefficient was a story that changed completely when you knew the trick.