Chapter 71
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Encounter
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Virtual Reality's Music Genius
Chapter 71
Dont tell me this is
Yuhyeon murmured to himself as he looked at the food provided by the Golden Apple Merchant Guild.
Ting!
Golden Apple Merchant Guild's Special Soup (Rare)
Description: A special soup the merchant guild prides itself on, featuring the exquisite taste of smoked duck. Consuming this food permanently increases Agility by 1.
Ting!
Golden Apple Merchant Guild's Bread and Salad Set (Rare)
Description: A bread and salad set the merchant guild prides itself on, featuring the delightful taste of savory bread and fresh vegetables. Consuming this food permanently increases Intelligence by 1.
Ting!
Golden Apple Merchant Guild's Lamb Steak (Rare)
Description: A lamb steak the merchant guild prides itself on, featuring superb texture and aroma. Consuming this food permanently increases Strength by 1.
Ting!
Golden Apple Merchant Guild's Fine Aperitif (Rare)
Description: A fine aperitif the merchant guild prides itself on, featuring the exquisite aroma of fresh grapes. Consuming this food permanently increases Intelligence by 1.
The food from the Golden Apple Merchant Guild had permanent stat-increasing effects.
And not just any stats, but Strength, Vitality, Agility, and Intelligenceall useful for any classeach increasing by 1.
Yes! Four dishes, so I had a hunch, but to think they all give useful stats!
Kain exclaimed, acting as if he had discovered a rare treasure.
Haha! This is why I said we should take the escort job for the Golden Apple Merchant Guild.
Kain said, taking a large bite of bread.
Isnt it amazing? Raising all our useful stats by 1?
He shrugged his shoulders as if to say, Didnt I do well?
Opportunities like this are rare, so you should eat up while you can, Yuhyeon.
What do you mean, opportunities like this are rare?
Increasing all stats was something one could even get as an achievement reward.
How could an opportunity like this be rare?
You know that in Wonderland, internal development is just as important as gear, right?
Yuhyeon nodded.
I do.
Internal development.
It was a term for strengthening ones character by collecting various elements.
The main method was to raise an NPC's affinity to receive quests, and in return, get skill points and items as rewards.
Leveling up gets harder and harder the further you get in this game. Thats when this kind of internal development becomes the way to strengthen your character.
Kain continued speaking while greedily eating his food.
Among all the ways to build your character, items that increase stats are considered the absolute best. Whats more, these rewards are untradeable, so you cant even buy them with money.
It might not seem like much since its just 1 point at a time, but it adds up and becomes something you cant ignore. Its why two players at level 100 can be so differentone might have 200 in a stat, while another easily surpasses 300. Its all from internal development.
Yuhyeon was already aware of that fact.
Im a perfect example of that.
Yuhyeon already possessed stats that no one at his level could ever hope to have.
This was largely due to the 5 to all stats he had received from a legendary achievement.
If possible, Id want to delay our journey as much as I can just to keep getting this food. If a different dish comes out, our stats might go up again.
Kain was even saying he wanted to slow down the journey just to eat the guilds food.
Was it really that valuable?
Only then did Yuhyeon begin to grasp the true value of a stat increase.
The value of the rewards he had been receiving was unbelievably high.
Is that why it was a legendary reward?
He had been consistently receiving rare rewards that some might never obtain in their entire lives.
It was a fact he would have never known if Kain hadnt told him.
So, Kain, what are your stats right now?
Haha, revealing stats is normally a secret but since you got us into this great quest, Ill let you in on it.
Kain said with a playful flourish.
Lets see, lets see. Including the Strength and Agility I just got
He then calculated his current stats and spoke.
As an Explorer, I have to raise all my stats, so nothing really stands out. But my Strength is 45, Agility is 38, and my Intelligence and Vitality are both around 30.
What about you, Yunaring?
When Kain asked, Yunaring replied cheerfully.
I use a longbow, so I raise both Strength and Agility. My Strength is 50 and my Agility is 60! My other stats are around 20, hehe.
And you, Yuhyeon?
At Kains question, Yuhyeon momentarily fell silent.
Ah, since youre a Bard, are your stats a little on the low side?
Haha, its alright, feel free to tell us.
It was the exact opposite.
The reason Yuhyeon was hesitant to answer wasn't because his stats were low, as Kain worried.
Ting!
Nickname: Yuhyeon
Level: 26
Class: Conductor of Melody
Strength: 157 (152) Agility: 98 (93) Intelligence: 67 (62) Vitality: 70 (65) Mana: 67 (62) Divinity: 20 (20) Charm: 40 (40) Will: 8 (8) Movement Speed: 22 (22)
Remaining Stat Points: 30
.
.
.
On the contrary, he was hesitant because his stats were so ridiculously high.
So high that he had no idea how to explain them.
In fact, Yuhyeon himself was just as surprised.
When did they get this high, anyway?
Yuhyeon calmly reviewed the events of the past few days.
There was the time he spent all his saved-up stat points to fight the Treant, and the time he unlocked the Cajón and received a legendary achievement reward
The 20 to all stats from the Treant set and the 22 movement speed from the legendary reward.
Adding up all the various rewards he had received in the last few days, the numbers roughly matched up.
But that didn't change the fact that they were difficult to explain.
Didnt they say Bards mainly focus on Intelligence?
Yuhyeon decided to be vague.
Um my Intelligence is about 70.
Haha, I guess thats how it is for a non-combat class.
Hey, dont be discouraged! You have an attack buff, so Im sure youve got a bright future ahead of you.
Yes.
Yuhyeon couldnt muster a proper response to Kains words of comfort.
Ill keep this a secret until the very end.
He had a feeling he would never reveal his stats to anyone.
Not even to Sangcheol, who was like family to him.
Before long, dinner came to an end.
Ah, that was a good meal. Sir Willis, thank you for dinner!
Kain said, stretching his body briskly.
So, whats everyone planning to do now? Log out? Or camp for the night?
My fatigue is getting low, so I was planning to log out. Theres not much to do at a campsite anyway.
Yunaring replied as if it were the obvious choice.
Right, its not like were sleeping at an inn.
It was rare for players to spend the night outside of an inn, except during large-scale raids.
This was because sleeping at a campsite didnt recover any fatigue.
What about you, Yuhyeon?
Hmm I think Ill stay on.
However, Yuhyeon decided to remain at the campsite and continue playing.
It wasn't because he had some romantic notion about outdoor camping.
I have too much fatigue left to log out now.
He figured he could work on composing some scores until his party members logged back in.
After all, Yuhyeon still had scores to create.
Alright then. How about we meet around 3 PM Wonderland time? That way, we can naturally camp for another day and get another meal.
Anytime is fine with me!
Yunaring readily agreed to Kains suggestion.
Im fine with that too. Just come whenever youre ready.
And so, Yuhyeons first camping trip was decided.
His first solo night under the stars.
After Yunaring and Kain left.
Yuhyeon, now alone, remained at the campsite, fiddling with his Cajón.
Alright, shall I get started?
Looking around, he saw that the merchants had long since gone to dreamland.
Yuhyeon picked up his Cajón and quietly rose from his spot.
Itd be a bit much to wake sleeping people.
Yuhyeon headed to a secluded spot in the forest, far from the campsite.
It was a place with a well-trodden path, however, so he could return at any time.
He had to choose his spot carefully, as nocturnal monsters could launch a surprise attack.
Oof.
After finding a spot, he plopped down on top of the Cajón.
Now, what should he create
Hmm.
Yuhyeons eyes narrowed slightly.
This is the first time in my life Ive tried to write a score for a Cajón, isnt it?
He had composed for the recorder before, but that was based on classical music, similar to string instruments.
In other words, while the instrument was different, the music itself was the same.
The Cajón, however, was far removed from the world of classical music.
Classical music has a strong aristocratic feel.
The origin of the word classical was the Latin word classicus.
It referred to the highest of the six classes of ancient Roman citizens.
Thus, classical music meant elegant and refined pieces enjoyed by the highest class.
The Cajón, on the other hand, is more like a street instrument.
The Cajón was an instrument created by Africans whose drums had been confiscated by the Peruvian government.
To express their overflowing excitement and rhythm, they began drumming on fruit crates and furniture, which eventually evolved into the Cajón.
It was a complete contrast to classical music.
Knowing the history makes it easier to compose.
Yuhyeon wasn't trying to say that classical music was aristocratic and the Cajón was its opposite.
It was just that understanding an instrument's history and the atmosphere derived from it was extremely important.
Especially now, when he was unfamiliar with the instrument.
- The Cajón is freedom. With this thing, you can perform anywhere.
Yuhyeon recalled something Kai had once told him.
At the same time, he pictured Kai playing the Cajón.
His passionate performance, his hands moving with ever-present excitement.
Dung!
Dung-dung!
Yuhyeons hands struck the Cajón with a light, rhythmic beat.
It was a natural movement, as if he were possessed by something.
Jireureu!
Chit! Deugeudeuk!
Normally, the first step in composing was to spread out a sheet of parchment.
But Yuhyeon had a different reason for playing the instrument first.
Ill try to infuse the emotions I feel from playing into the piece.
He would play first, then transfer the feelings that arose onto the parchment.
The order was different, but the context was the same as regular composition.
Dung-dung, tak!
Dum-chit! Du-dum-chit!
A small smile formed on Yuhyeons lips as he played the Cajón.
At the same time, Kais words began to make sense.
This is fun.
This Cajón
It was producing every sound he wanted, no matter how he struck it.
When Yuhyeon hit it hard, the sound was loud; when he hit it softly, the sound was gentle.
Its free.
Just as Kai had said, it was an incredibly free instrument.
As if it would produce any sound the player desired.
It was then.
Kung
A vibration sounded from a distance.
At first, it was faint, barely causing the ground to tremble.
Kuuung
Kuuuung
Soon, a tremendous roar echoed, powerful enough to send nearby leaves and stones scattering.
Terrified birds shot into the sky with a flutter of wings.
As if heralding an impending natural disaster.
Whats that?
By the time Yuhyeon, who had been engrossed in his performance, noticed
Something enormous was pushing its way through the trees
Kung, kwang!
With a massive roar, it revealed itself before Yuhyeon.
Yuhyeon finally stopped playing and looked up at the colossal being.
It stood about four to five meters tall.
A towering figure, as tall as a decent-sized tree.
A damp, musty smell emanated from its body, and its skin was rough and darkly pigmented.
A Troll
Its identity was a Troll.
The very creature Kain had mentioned had a 2 chance of appearing.
The undisputed king of the forest, the supreme ruler of the mountain range.
Yuhyeons gaze met the Trolls.
Just looking at it, he could feel an immense pressure.
A crushing weight that gave him no confidence he could win in a fight.
Of all times, why now, when Im alone?
Of all times, it had to be now, after Kain and Yunaring had left.
He encountered a Troll while left alone deep in the forest.
He couldn't receive help from anyone, nor could he even ask for it.
Gulp.
What should I do?
Late at night, a taut tension filled the forest.