Chapter 31
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: The Composer's Path
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Pshhhh
With the sound of the capsule machine opening, Yuhyeon slowly opened his eyes.
The vast plains were gone, replaced by the cold, gray machine that now greeted him.
Hoo.
He glanced at the clock; it was nearly four in the morning.
Seven hours had already passed since he parted ways with Sangcheol.
It meant he had been playing without even realizing how quickly time was flying by.
Did I kill about three hundred of them?
Yuhyeon clenched his trembling hand.
The sensation of swinging the bastard sword at the wolves still lingered in his hand.
He had killed a countless number of wolves while logged into the game.
It was just getting fun, too.
To be honest, he felt a bit disappointed that he was forced to log out right when he was having the most fun.
If his fatigue hadn't run out, he would probably still be hunting wolves.
The thrill of the one-hit kills was just that addicting.
They said there was a limit on connection time to prevent potential health issues, right?
Wonderland had implemented several systems to reduce health problems among its users.
The most prominent of these was the fatigue system.
To recover it, one had to either sleep at an inn or log out for natural regeneration.
Second, there was a 120-hour weekly play limit.
This averaged out to about 17 hours of playtime per day, and exceeding it resulted in a forced disconnection.
It was a way to prevent players from damaging their health while also curbing gold farmers and macro users.
Ive achieved enough.
Yuhyeon felt he had made sufficient progress during this session.
He had reached level 15, and more importantly, the amount of experience he was gaining from Silver Wolves was decreasing.
This meant it was time to find a higher-level hunting ground.
Its actually a good thing it cut me off at the right time.
Yuhyeon tidied up the inside of the machine and slowly got up.
There are still so many people here.
Looking around, he could see gamers still occupying the capsule room.
Some were playing, some were sleeping, and others were gathered in small groups, chatting away.
He wondered what kept them up all night, but then a small smile touched his lips as he realized he had just done the same thing.
Well now, this is a dangerous game, isn't it?
With a cheerful expression, Yuhyeon left the capsule room.
Yuhyeon walked through the bustling night streets.
Even at four in the morning, the pubs were still crowded with people.
Yuhyeon was quietly thinking, Everyone has so much energy, when...
Ooooh!
A customer in one of the pubs let out a loud cheer, clenching both fists.
It was just like a soccer coach celebrating a goal.
The boisterous movement naturally drew Yuhyeons gaze to the pub.
...A game video? Wonderland?
A Wonderland combat video was playing on the pubs TV screen.
The customers eyes were all glued to the screen, their faces filled with excitement as they chattered away.
Yuhyeons gaze shifted to the customers mouths.
He intended to read their lips.
Wow, theyre already at the final phase in just an hour.
Think theyll clear it this time? I heard this is their 32nd attempt on Varagas.
Holy crap! Did you see Kangsan just now? He dodged all the patterns and landed a back attack! That was an insane play.
The Eternal Guilds raid party quality is on another level.
Yuhyeon nodded.
It seemed to be a discussion about raids, one of Wonderlands high-end content.
The Eternal Guild, Ive heard of them.
The Eternal Guild.
One of Koreas representative guilds, famous for its raid party that achieved the world-first clear of the Elder Dragon raid.
It was renowned for having an average member rank of under 20 and an overwhelming number of top-ranked players.
Even Yuhyeon, who wasn't up-to-date on game news, had heard of them.
Oh, awesome! Its Song Hayul!
Just then, the camera zoomed in on a woman at the very end of the line.
She was a woman with platinum blonde hair, holding a violin.
Her eyes sparkled like the gentle starlight scattered across a quiet night sky.
Song Hayul Preparing a Large-Scale Buff
A subtitle soon appeared on the screen.
She began to play right as Varagas was undergoing its final awakening before the last phase.
Her goal was to grant the raid party a massive buff to bring the raid to a close.
Her looks are insane. It has to be character customization, right?
I heard thats her real face.
Dude, be realistic. How can that be her real face? Even most idols cant compare to that.
The men chattered on about her doll-like appearance.
Yuhyeon, however, wasnt focused on her looks, but solely on her violin.
A top ranker playing the violin.
He already knew that in a game played by billions, there were many bards who played instruments.
But this was the first time he had seen a high-ranking player perform.
Yuhyeon watched Song Hayul with expectant eyes.
Soon, she could be seen drawing her bow forcefully across the strings.
At Song Hayuls powerful and precise movements, a serious expression washed over the raid members faces.
She must be playing something incredible.
He couldnt hear the music, but he could tell.
He could see the exhausted faces of the raid members change in an instant.
It was as if her performance was instilling courage into warriors ready for battle.
Vwiiing!
As her melody continued, dark clouds began to gather inside the dungeon.
Soon after, an effigy of a man appeared, parting the dark clouds in two.
It looked like Ares, the god of war, descending upon the mortal world.
His eyes flashed, and a golden barrier formed around the raid members.
Whoa, thats a Rhapsody, right? The effect is so damn cool.
The God of War, Ares!
I wonder what it feels like to fight with a buff like that.
I dont know. But the damage boost must be insane.
And so, the final battle between the Eternal Guild and Varagas began.
The raid members, now in battle formation, maintained their lines and charged the boss in unison.
A rogue who masterfully dodged floor patterns to land back attacks, a warrior with a shield as large as his body steadfastly blocking the bosss breath attack.
And behind them, a mage chanting spells to call down lightning, and the platinum-blonde performer.
Man, just watching makes me nervous.
Theyre almost there. Just a little more!
The battle was more dramatic than any movie, and the eyes of everyone in the pub sparkled.
At last, the breathtaking battle reached its climax, and Varagas collapsed to the ground.
Waaaaah!!
That was insane!
World first on Varagas!! So epic!
Whoever suggested drinks tonight? I seriously commend you!
Yuhyeon clenched his fists tightly.
The people in the video were among the strongest players in Wonderland.
They lived in an exclusive world that only a tiny fraction of players could ever experience.
But why did he feel a competitive fire burning within him?
Will a day come when I can perform on a stage like that?
Yuhyeon dreamed of playing his instrument before an even larger audience.
It wasnt that he wanted the achievement of a world-first raid clear like the Eternal Guild.
He simply wanted to see people enthralled by his performance on a grander stage.
Its not entirely impossible.
He didnt think it was just a pipe dream.
This was an era where Wonderlands star players, not celebrities, advertised for corporations on billboards.
A world where it wasnt strange for people to gather in a pub at four in the morning to watch a raid video.
In such a world, he believed it wasnt impossible to be recognized as a musician in Wonderland.
Ive already experienced it once.
Besides, hadnt he already had a similar experience?
The experience of showcasing his performance in front of a huge crowd and Pengkuns viewers.
He already knew that if he put his mind to it, he could do it.
I should get home quickly.
Yuhyeon walked home with a light step.
He wanted to sleep soon, wake up, and log into the game in top condition.
A new morning dawned.
Sunlight falling on the leaves refracted like a spectrum, scattering light in various directions.
A gentle breeze blew, and the sunlight streaming through the window was neither too hot nor too stuffy.
A truly clear morning.
Hnngh.
The first thing Yuhyeon reached for after waking up was his violin.
Ever since he had picked up the instrument again, playing it right after waking up had become his morning routine.
Ziiing.
Of course, he didnt play anything intense first thing in the morning.
Just enough to keep his musicians senses sharp, until the feeling returned to his hands.
Beep.
After finishing his practice, he immediately sat at his desk and turned on his computer.
He was opening his composition software.
He began to press various keys on his master keyboard, as if warming up his hands.
Hmm-hmm.
In truth, he was still half-asleep, so no particular inspiration came to mind.
The notes that appeared on the screen were more or less just what came to him as he pressed the keys.
Nevertheless, a smile played on Yuhyeons lips.
He found meaning in living the daily life he ought to live as a musician.
Okay, morning routine done.
After finishing his routine, Yuhyeon naturally logged into the Wonderland community forums.
He wanted to do some research before heading to the capsule room.
Things like strategies for the 100 Homeworks or information needed for his future growth were his targets.
Click!
Newbie Tips The Perfect Guide to a Bards Early Growth, Part 1 (Reflects 30.11.7 Patch)
Hello, Im Crescendo, and Ive been playing only bards for three years.
First, Id like to offer my deepest condolences to the newbies who have willingly stepped into this world of disillusionment and frustration.
From now on, you will engage in a tear-jerking struggle just to afford potions
Hmm?
Yuhyeons eyes narrowed as he read the guide.
He had clicked on it because it had the most recommendations, but the content was less of a guide and more of a rant.
Youll walk a path of suffering, and no one will invite you to parties, so youll have to pay to join?
A guide should at least contain a roadmap for the future or some know-how, shouldnt it?
He was half-heartedly scrolling down when...
How to Level Up a Bard IMPORTANT
1) Leveling up through combat
Its most efficient to fight monsters 4-5 levels lower than you. Goblins or rabbits, which have relatively simple patterns and slow movements, are easier to handle.
In the early game, you lack proper attack skills, so monsters with difficult and fast patterns are not recommended.
Recommended Cities: Pale (Goblins), Magmil (Little Rabbits), Blue Lake (Slimes)
Not Recommended: Lutetia (Silver Wolves), Stonehill (Red Boars)
.
.
.
Fight mobs with easy patterns, huh
Yuhyeons eyes narrowed.
None of it really applied to him.
At this rate, Im not going to find any useful information.
Was it because he had always walked a different path from others?
Having already hunted plenty of Silver Wolves in the not recommended city of Lutetia, Yuhyeon found no useful information here.
He might even be the bard who had hunted the most among players of his level.
In his situation, was there any information he could gain?
Oh.
As he scrolled down, Yuhyeons eyes suddenly narrowed.
2) Leveling up through composition (RECOMMENDED)
Just as farmers can gain a small amount of experience through farming, bards can gain experience through composition.
This is also the method most bards use to level up.
Recommended Leveling Route (11-20): Level up to 20 through composition (takes about a week).
21-30: Participate in instance dungeons twice a day and level up through composition (takes about two weeks).
31-40: The prime of a bard, achieve Performance Lv. 4. Level up mainly through instance dungeons and party play.
You can level up through composition?
At the same time, one of the skills he had obtained upon changing his class to Conductor of Melody came to mind.
Come to think of it, Ive performed since changing my class, but
It was the myth-grade skill he had received: Magical Score Creation.
A passive skill that allowed him to imbue special magic into scores he created himself, without using a skill.
He had even composed music in the real world, but this would be his first time creating a piece in Wonderland.
The thought filled him with excitement.
I should try composing a song.
Yuhyeons eyes shone brightly.