Class Quest (2)

[Name: Grandfell Claudi Arpeus Romeo]

[Class: Demon Hunter]

[Level: 67]

[Stats] Strength: 23 / Agility: 28 / Magic: 18 / Luck: 2

[Possessed Points: 0]

Thankfully, Grandfell's brilliant mind remembered the previous stats perfectly. Thanks to that, the changes were clear at a glance.

Strength and Agility had each risen by a whopping 2 points.

...Is this really okay for me to accept? It felt massive. A total of 4 stat points. That was equivalent to gaining four whole levels.

But it wasn't something to calculate that simply.

The level itself hasn't changed.

I was now four—no, even more—steps ahead of other players at the same level. Consider the price of items that boost stats.

Even just 1 point costs millions of won, and beyond that, the price skyrockets per point.

This might be a reward worth more than my entire salary from my office worker days.

But that wasn't the end of it. I glanced at the quest window and flinched.

The quest that boosted my stats was a repeatable quest. Of course, the reward might not be the same every time. But if I could raise even 1 point through training...

This was a quest I had to repeat whenever possible.

That's when it clicked. No wonder starting the class quest alone had reporters swarming and people saying I could aim for the top rankings.

I looked at the quest window again.

With rewards like this from the first quest...

What kind of reward awaited in the linked quests? Anyone would have to look forward to it.

No.

But I didn't let myself expect. This was purely my own will, not Grandfell's influence. Great expectations lead to great disappointments. Right—know your place.

...But just for this moment, couldn't I purely rejoice? After all I'd been through!

The aftereffects of that grueling week's training still lingered in my body. Yet I didn't show a hint of emotion.

My shirt and slacks were soaked in sweat. My legs felt ready to give out any second. But without a moment's hesitation, I stood from my seat.

This disheveled state perfectly captured Grandfell—the me, Lee Hoyeol's—dark history.

What the hell was pride anyway? Why couldn't I express anything honestly?

I mulled it over, then dropped the thought. Puberty's like that. Whatever.

......

My stats had risen. But there was no bonus effect like fatigue vanishing cleanly. So...

Back home, I had no choice but to prepare dinner with hands trembling like I had Parkinson's.

The menu was flawless. Chicken breast, fresh veggies. Even rye bread for a top-quality meal.

The problem was the knife work.

Chop chop—

I stared at the crookedly sliced veggies. Then, brazenly, I said,

"Sometimes, a unique cut isn't bad."

I picked up an especially mangled carrot slice and continued.

"This resembles a star in the night sky."

Sure it does.

It felt like my shamelessness was growing by the day. But I had to adapt. What else could I do but spit in my own face?

...Still, let's make one excuse. This was a meal I could've whipped up in five minutes before.

Slice the rye bread in half, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stuff in chicken breast salad. Simple sandwich for a quick bite.

But I gripped fork and knife in both hands for an elegant feast. My trembling forearms caused chicken salad to spill onto the table.

"......Poisoned."

My pride wouldn't even allow a small mistake.

"Seems pesticide lingered on this part."

I had no choice but to ponder seriously.

...What if I claim I hit my head?

This wasn't some stand-up comedy! Better pitying looks than being seen as a madman, right?

Luckily, no eyes on me. After the meal ended, I immediately grabbed the wad of papers on the table.

They held the concepts of magic I'd jotted down while watching NetTube videos. Even though I wrote them, they still baffled me every time.

More baffling that I even understand this.

It sounded plausible enough. To the point where it felt like real magic existed, not just classified as a 'skill'.

Well, not sure if I got it right.

Just from watching the videos, I'd grasped the search and interfere processes. But I still couldn't manifest magic.

Even after investing stats in Magic, it wasn't enough to manifest like in the NetTube video.

That mage was nearly level 300.

His Magic stat was probably around ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠there too. Of course, whether it was simply insufficient Magic, or another defense mechanism to protect my pride... I had no way to know.

Asking my Magic to reach that mage's level would be shameless anyway.

So, I had to delve into easier magics up to search and interfere.

Studying when I never planned to...

Three days to analyze one spell from the video. Starting another already made my head throb.

But regardless of those feelings, my actions showed no hesitation. I replayed the NetTube video and began scribbling on fresh paper.

"Once I adapt, the time will shorten too."

I desperately hoped this confidence wasn't bravado. Prayed I could live up to my words.

*

8 PM. International organization, Anti Arcana United. The lights in the AAU Korea branch office hadn't gone out yet.

"......Damn it, Thursday."

This overtime happened every Thursday.

Seong Hyunjun slumped face-down on his desk. Thursdays always made him nostalgic for the past. Back when Arcana was just a game.

"Where'd you go? My work-life balance!!"

The world's top VR game, Arcana Continent Chronicles. Getting hired at 'Cosmo,' its developer, felt like owning the world.

What kind of company was Cosmo? From CEO Raymon Sean, a work-life balance zealot, to top-tier industry salaries. Dream job for any developer.

But when the CEO vanished, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠everything changed. Arcana was no longer a game—it was reality. Cosmo's closure was just a matter of time.

From executives to grunts, even janitors—every Cosmo employee except the missing CEO paraded through courts worldwide.

The endless trials ended in insufficient evidence. And now this.

"......Raymon, if I get my hands on you, you're dead."

Seong Hyunjun had been forcibly hired at AAU Korea branch. Yeah, he was grateful. In this job market, snagging a public sector spot? Using his experience for world peace, no less.

But gratitude and resentment were different emotions.

Seong Hyunjun asked his senior next to him.

"Senior, at least no new updates this week, right?"

"God, I hope so."

"No notice by 8 PM means none, yeah?"

New updates. Another term for Arcana's reality erosion. Arcana overlaying reality. No better phrase.

Of course, grunts like Seong Hyunjun couldn't know about updates.

"Who knows. That guy's whims are insane."

Only Raymon knew, probably. That was the guess. He hadn't died, after all. Proof: Arcana's official homepage still running smoothly.

Thanks to it, the world tracked player levels and rankings. Cleared rifts, reward payouts. The site kept the world turning.

What the hell is he thinking?

Seong Hyunjun scratched his head furiously.

"That Raymon bastard... No, is he even human? Anyway. Why pull this crap? Bad taste? Forcing overtime every Thursday. Feels like he's still servicing Arcana."

But the grumbling didn't last. Sighs erupted from everywhere in the office. No need to ask why.

"Shit. Update dropped!"

"Ah, damn. I took tomorrow off."

"Screw this. I'm quitting and going after Raymon myself."

Yeah, no updates for nearly a month. He'd half-expected it.

Seong Hyunjun slowly logged into the Arcana official homepage. As colleagues said, update details were posted.

Author: Obviously Raymon.

"......What the hell?"

"I-Is this real?"

"Raymon lost his mind?!"

Reading the update, they couldn't hide their shock. It made no sense.

"He pulled out Count Ascura already?"

A whopping Lv.430 named monster. Current rank 1 player, Skal, was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠only Lv.401. A 30-level gap. And Count Ascura was a demon-type monster.

Growth-type. Insane status ailments. Demon traits unleashed in reality...

"......Senior, this isn't an update to clear—it's just there."

The new rifts were impossible.

"Right. Just suck your thumb and watch."

If it were game days, fine. Balance patch complaints, some hate. But players would die hundreds of times to find strategies.

This was reality. Death was permanent. Fail to clear, demons spill out. Horrific.

Ring ring— Phones rang everywhere. No one answered. They grasped the severity.

"......Even rankers uniting might struggle?"

"Who knows, but doubtful. Demons don't fall to numbers alone, as you know."

"What about Mage Tower NPCs...?"

"As if they'd move. By lore, they only act if the Tower's in crisis. Earth ends? They don't care if Tower's fine."

Seong Hyunjun said,

"Set the Count aside. What about other mobs?"

"Guilds—alliances even—might attempt Outskirts or Domain."

"Solutions exist! Hunt trash mobs there, level up, challenge the Castle!"

"Time? Rifts'll collapse first."

"......"

Seong Hyunjun was speechless. Really no way? Then what happens to us?

Ring ring—

"Answer the phone first."

At his senior's words, Seong Hyunjun dazedly picked up. An excited reporter's voice came through. But he couldn't focus.

"......Sorry. Nothing to say right now."

*

Early dawn.

"?"

My vision flickered as I filled paper at the table.

"!"

Vampires, huh. I set down my pen.

"Inferior kin dare interrupt my precious time."

I murmured softly.

"I shall hold them accountable and punish them severely."