Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 6
>Chapter Title: Max Affinity from the Start?
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- Grade: Rare
>- Description: A title granted to those who maxed out an NPC's affinity during the tutorial.
>- Effect: NPC affinity increases more quickly.
>All stats +2
Titles were among the hardest rewards to obtain even in Demlock.
That was only natural.
Titles were only given when a player's actions or achievements were recognized as truly extraordinary.
You had to move more fiercely than others and deliver solid results.
'A rare title is rare enough.'
Among them, rare-grade was a satisfying outcome.
Common, rare, hero, legend.
The stat differences between grades were huge, but rare-grade was useful anywhere.
Even back in Demlock days, rare-grade was the one Do-hyun relied on most.
And this grading system was the same in Godose.
The importance of rare-grade was probably similar too.
'Good start.'
In that sense, snagging a rare-grade title right from the tutorial was a fantastic launch.
One that boosted affinity gains, no less.
It wasn't combat-oriented, but long-term, it might even be better.
'Thankfully, Godose doesn't make affinity rewards pure RNG.'
They'd actually implemented some of the feedback, it seemed.
No wonder Godose swallowed up the whole world. If they'd run it like Demlock, even as the first VR game, it would've been mired in controversy.
Do-hyun finished checking his rewards and looked up.
'Hmm.'
Charlie was there, eyes shining with a kindly expression.
No trace remained of the impatient guy who'd practically dragged him along at first.
"Thanks to you, we got here faster than expected. It's all because of you."
His voice was noticeably softer too.
'I just did some fighting... Is it really this easy?'
Strictly speaking, he hadn't done much, so was this pure luck...?
Well, wartime now—they'd surely appreciate Do-hyun quickly clearing the monsters.
In the now-warm battlefield vibe, he pointed ahead.
"Now we just head there."
He was pointing at a door beyond the hallway.
The tutorial was finally nearing its end. That door led to the final event.
"Once we take out the black mage inside, we can claim victory in this war..."
Charlie was mid-sentence as he ran down the hall.
"......!"
About 100 meters left.
Rumble—
Suddenly, the hallway behind them began to collapse.
And that wasn't all.
From beneath the crumbling floor, an eerie black light seeped out.
Charlie panicked at the abrupt change.
"My God...! Has the summoning already begun?"
The summoning had started faster than planned.
Worse, grotesque monsters were climbing from the ruined floor. Including the ones they'd seen before, plus bat-like ones.
Someone had to hold them off.
"Damn...! I'll handle this. You go ahead! Just head inside. Stop that summoner, no matter what!"
"......?"
"Normally, as captain, I'd go, but... I can trust you with this. No, I want to ask you to. Hero... Will you help us?"
Do-hyun momentarily forgot the situation and pointed at himself in a daze.
Had he heard that right?
But apparently not misunderstanding, Charlie bowed his head in gratitude.
"May the blessings of Arlen Citadel be upon the hero of this war..."
It left Do-hyun baffled.
'...Me go in? Not you?'
And understandably so—this was a fixed event in Godose's tutorial.
'That thing' gets summoned, Charlie charges the monster first.
Then a death scream echoes, he dies, and 'that thing' bursts through the wall.
Even first-time Godose player Do-hyun knew it—it happened to everyone.
Yet here, the event had changed.
'Sure, it varies a bit by player actions... but this much?'
It was bizarre.
Charlie barely fighting or clapping were minor, no big impact on progress... but this was supposed to be inevitable.
Approaching the door brought up messages.
[Only one person may enter at a time.]
>[Death will collapse the seal array, removing all boss status effects.]
>[Proceed?]
Intimidating warnings.
No one had heard of these in the tutorial. Maybe insiders knew, but it wasn't the standard route.
In Demlock, they called this an Easter egg.
Or...
'Hidden piece.'
Deliberately hidden game features.
They usually had sky-high difficulty—and rewards to match, far beyond normal.
If Godose was like Demlock, this would be too.
He didn't know exactly what triggered it, but Charlie's trust and max affinity probably played a big role.
'Lucky break.'
Nothing else to call it.
Who'd have guessed such a secret lurked here?
Now, he could enjoy Charlie's cringey reactions with a smile.
[Proceed?]
"Yeah."
Do-hyun wasn't one to refuse a hidden piece.
The door opened at his firm reply, blinding light enveloping him.
When he opened his eyes, the scene had changed.
Roooar!
"Argh! Why, why are you doing this?! I'm your summoner! Obey me! No, nooo—!"
A massive darkness swallowed what looked like the summoner.
No, not quite human.
Humanoid silhouette, but glimpses of its body screamed monster.
[Dark Summoner Contracted with the Abyss]
>- Title: Contracted with the Abyss
>- Type: Hybrid
>- Traits: Black Magic, Summoning, Curses
>- Description: A black mage who contracted with the fearful world, the Abyss. Summoning 'it' to topple Arlen Citadel.
Even the exposed info confirmed it wasn't human.
But Do-hyun's eyes weren't on it.
On the pitch-black darkness devouring it. Within, red reptilian pupils gleamed.
[Bound Iron Blood Wyrmspawn]
>- Title: Legendary Named Boss
>- Type: Dragonkin
>- Traits: Currently sealed.
>- Description: Abyss wyrmspawn bearing the name Iron Blood. Little known to humans, passed down as a source of terror. All abilities sealed by bindings, movement restricted.
"...Legendary?"
Do-hyun let out a baffled chuckle at its info.
* * *
Godose borrowed a lot from Demlock.
One was the grading system.
Common - Rare - Hero - Legend.
It applied to Do-hyun's titles, items, skills—everything.
Monsters too.
Not all, just those titled 'boss' got grades.
And among bosses, the special ones were named bosses.
'The only bosses with names.'
Unique individuals symbolizing themselves.
Unlike respawning bosses, they stayed dead.
Irreplaceable uniques.
They had lore of living eons, so even same-grade, higher difficulty.
'Legendary named...'
This one bore a legendary title.
With a name so red it looked black.
'No wonder it's impossible.'
Now it made sense.
It wasn't made to be killed.
A boss tasked with absolutely, reliably killing the player for the fixed event.
That was the tutorial boss's true nature.
Not strange at all.
Gamers knew games sticking unbeatable tutorial monsters in for events.
Just one oddity.
'In videos, only the name showed—rest question marks...'
He'd figured it'd be strong, but not this insane.
Probably no one knew its identity?
'No, 1 year and 6 months in—some might. Enough time to uncover most hidden pieces.'
Even if known, no one dared challenge it.
Anyway, now here, time to choose.
Kill it?
Or cleanly bail?
As if to prod his dilemma, eye contact triggered its roar.
The 10-meter behemoth's bellow chilled the spine just hearing it.
And the messages after? Pure goosebumps.
Roooaaar!
[Heard the roar of 'Bound Iron Blood Wyrmspawn.']
>[Overwhelming presence lowers physical abilities.]
>[Movement speed -20%.]
>[Attack speed -20%.]
>[Defense -30%.]
>[Magic resistance -25%.]
"...No mercy."
Already OP, and nasty debuffs too.
Like saying 'don't even think of fighting me.' But fair, in a way.
Clank—clunk.
Grrr...
Bindings shackled its hands, feet, torso, neck.
Every limb—pinned to the wall.
Like a guard dog on a leash.
Stray too far, bindings yanked it back.
Arms had some slack to swing, but slowly.
-HP: [1,000,000 / ???]
Wounded and bloody all over—pitiful HP for a legendary named boss.
As described, all abilities sealed.
A nerfed version of a nerf—limbs crippled, dying.
But still, that monstrous HP and one-hit-kill arms.
No way a level 1 player was meant to take it.
'Death lifts seals and status effects, right?'
In the normal tutorial, Charlie's death must've freed it to full power.
So...
'...Doable?'
Maybe the only chance ever?
Unique shot at an uncatchable boss.
Demlock had these moments.
Stumble on insane-difficulty hidden pieces, faced with choice.
Do-hyun's choice was always the same.
"Alright, let's do it."
Kaiser wasn't a man to back down from a challenge.