Chapter 113: "Big Bro!!!!!"
The capsule lid had barely opened when a noisy shout burst in alongside the swinging door, and one guy shoved his way inside.
"Wh-what the hell?"
I'd just logged out when this dude popped up out of nowhere. Without thinking, I shoved his face away with my palm.
"Gack, hack...!"
He made a weird noise as his nose got squished, flailing backward.
"What the hell?"
"Agh...! It's me, Big Bro. Yun!"
Nam-gung Yun?
Only then did I look properly at the guy rubbing his nose, eyes brimming with tears. His baby-faced features still screamed just-out-of-his-teens, not quite shed the kid vibe yet.
"What're you doing here?"
"What do you mean, what? Come on, that's cold. I told Jin-su hyung and Chan-ho hyung I was coming today, but you all ditched me for the game..."
That's right—it hit me then. The guys had mentioned Nam-gung Yun was showing up.
Got caught up talking with Hyun-woo hyung and forgot.
Feeling bad, I ruffled his hair playfully as I climbed out of the capsule.
"Sorry, sorry. Jin-su mentioned it, but we had a big quest. Why didn't you join? Weren't you heading to the Hwanrok Altar with the others?"
Stepping out, I grabbed an energy drink from beside the capsule and handed it to him.
"Well... I went with them, but I got cut from the test."
"Test?"
"Jin-su hyung found a hidden quest at the Hwanrok Altar. But it only triggers for no-class characters... I'd already done my first job change, so I couldn't join."
"Got it."
I nodded at Nam-gung Yun's explanation.
Good thing Jin-su found the Zodiac Successor job quest. Chan-ho hasn't job-changed yet either, so he should snag it too.
The Zodiac Successor class, inheritor of the 12 Star Spirits' power, paired six light spirits with six dark ones. Even with the Hwanrok Altar key, you couldn't solo it—and anyone with even a first job change was locked out. Tricky as hell.
Still, learning the key's in Sword's Tomb is a win.
I gave a wry smile. Truth was, getting those two the Zodiac Successor was a gamble.
In my dreams, across countless loops, I'd never witnessed the 12 Star Spirits' power. They only existed in ancient texts.
The guy I met was a Spirit Seeker, not a Successor.
Spirit Seeker Samuel Harlan. One day, he sought me out after I'd conquered the continent as the Iron Kingdom's king. He spoke of a divine oracle tasking him to awaken the 12 Star Spirits' successors at the Hwanrok Altar—and that the key lay dormant in Sword's Tomb.
But back then, the north was a mess of infighting, and war with me turned it to ruins. Kalun Tribe's homeland was lost.
I'd hunted Sword's Tomb countless times, but dreams always started in the Iron Kingdom. As King Kal Hendrick, heading north meant civil war first—no way around it.
But in-game, you can start elsewhere.
That was the game-dream divide, the key to rewriting the future. The gamble paid off. They found the Hwanrok Altar key in Sword's Tomb, just like the texts said. Now, to mold those two into Zodiac Successors.
But perfecting their power meant finding the Mystic Divine Beast, source of the 12 Star Spirits—and that required a Spirit Seeker.
Of course, time will bring the oracle, spawning NPC Samuel Harlan as the Seeker.
Too slow, though.
Star Spirit power rivals dragons. Useful against the Destroyer, but first...
The Continental War.
12 Star Spirits counter the magic towers' mages. Conquering the Deus Union's three towers demands that power.
And another wildcard.
Green Dragon Bilzak.
Hibernating now in his Green Forest lair near Deus Union, but if he woke... big problem. Among the Six Great Dragons, Bilzak alone contracted with the magic towers.
Probably testing magic on humans, but hitting Deus with him awake means fighting a dragon too.
For that contingency, the Mystic Divine Beast was key. Never saw Zodiac power in dreams, but Samuel Harlan had led me to it once.
Thanks to him, I hunted Red Dragon Raparon.
Pre-Destroyer, the Continental War needed Zodiac and Mystic Divine Beast power.
"Anything else at the Hwanrok Altar?"
"Huh?"
"The others might miss it, but as an Explorer, you might've noticed... anything off about the altar."
"Uh...?"
Nam-gung Yun tilted his head.
"Look closer. Your path diverges from theirs. Sharpen your eyes—paths aren't singular."
He cocked his head, not getting it.
"Anyway, you waited here the whole time?"
"Yeah. Paths split, no in-game whisper system like other games. Couldn't reach hyungs, and you might leave first."
I nodded. Dimension World lacked whispers—only magic or special items worked. Fair enough.
"Good work. Here's my number—meet at the cafe next time. Easier to talk there."
"For real?"
He knew which cafe—eyes lit up. Hidden Eater's brother or not, as a regular player, no safe zone access like her.
"Nothing special."
"Oh, and... Hidden Eater said to tell you she'll think it over?"
Hidden Eater? I lowered my voice.
"Yeah. Wouldn't say details, but when I mentioned meeting you guys, she asked me to pass it."
"Hmm."
"And... if you wanna talk, come to the Veil."
Veil?
I frowned.
"Know where that is?"
"She said if you can't find it, drop the idea of teaming up."
"Hah, sounds like her."
She'd anticipated even my question—couldn't help smirking.
"Ugh, she's like that."
Nam-gung Yun pouted dramatically.
"Time to step up as big bro."
He nodded at my words.
"Got it."
Relief: his eyes burned brighter than at White Swamp.
Nam-gung Yun's no slouch. Just overshadowed by Hidden Eater.
His sister's shadow stifled him, so I'd planned the Hwanrok Altar hidden class to spark his rise.
Key is his job change success.
I stood, thinking.
"Nam-gung Yun. Once the altar's done, head to Frispel. Muak Clan'll watch your back."
"Hey, who said you can dump kids on us? We're no daycare."
Right then, Nam Hyun-woo leaned on a capsule lid, looking exasperated. Balancing a tray of stacked cups effortlessly in one hand, he eyed Nam-gung Yun—who gawked, eyes wide.
"N-no way..."
"Yup. Community knows, so no harm. This guy's Muak's Geom-san."
"Whoooaaa!!"
Nam-gung Yun jumped up for real, grabbing his hand.
"Whoa, cups!"
"Sorry!!"
Bowing sharply, Nam-gung Yun drew a sigh from Nam Hyun-woo.
"This the kid?"
"Yeah. You and I got more to discuss—handle him?"
"...More what?"
I shoved his back as he set down the tray, feigning disproportionate fear with his build.
"What now? You and Mad Dog didn't cause trouble, did you?"
I smirked at his head-shake.
"Opposite. You're tight with Kwak Yeon, right?"
"Why that old coot?"
"Where's Yuldo Clan now?"
"Base is Iron Kingdom-ish, but no real turf. You know—name-only clan, players do their own thing. Mixed classes. Mad Dog was in the Duchy, right? Saw Ranmingming in Deus Union recently."
Kwak Yeon, top Yuldo player with Baek Yiheon and alchemist Ranmingming—picked magic-friendly Deus, figures. Good intel, but not my focus.
"Set up a meet with Kwak Yeon."
"What's the play? Mad Dog, now Kwak Yeon... eating Yuldo Clan?"
"Close enough."
Nam Hyun-woo's casual question met my blunt answer—he couldn't hide surprise.
"Muak too, ideally."
"Again? Muak not enough—now Yuldo under you...?"
"Said I'd gift Muak something convincing, right?"
I eyed him.
"Kal Duchy's three dwarf masters' tech—you know it's top-tier, even in Deus. Their gear fetches insane auction prices."
"And...?"
"Dwarf weapons. You're hybrid-famous, Geom-san—need variety, yeah?"
"...Dwarf weapons?"
"Plus Restun's location."
Gulp—Nam Hyun-woo's eyes sharpened at Restun's name.
"Name the date."
Muak's Geom-san: decisive.
"Hoo..."
Logging back into Modo's workshop in Jaha's territory, I scanned around on spawn.
They haven't returned yet.
After Muhar, reported to Jaha, then hit the workshop for Norpa and Bil-sang—learned they'd gone mining for mats, so I logged out.
Time to wrap this.
I pulled a small scroll from my inventory.
No hesitation—I tore the scroll. White light bloomed, motes sinking into me.
A massive amount of experience has been accumulated to you.
A skill slot has been added.
Skill Slot 1 (1 slot) has been created.
The moment I'd waited for. Stuck at 49 forever, hitting 50 felt special.
"Finally..."
Then—
Memory Keeper Lv2 → Lv3
Memory Keeper Lv3 Effect: Trait Absorption
"...Huh?"
Another turning point hit me.