Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 89
>Chapter Title: The Sacred Gacha Spot
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Deep within the Fetid Rock Forest.
Crunch, crunch.
After walking for a few minutes, Do-hyun glanced around, confirmed no one was nearby, and finally checked his backlog of messages.
[You have defeated the field boss of the Fetid Rock Forest, 'Death Orc Warrior.']
[Would you like to harvest the enhanced essence orb from the Death Orc Warrior?]
[Essence orb harvested.]
[Reward: ....]
[Recorded in the Book of Adventures.]
[You have defeated a new type of boss on first encounter.]
[Predation effect: All stats +6.]
[Level up.]
....
The barrage of messages that had flooded in after taking down the Death Orc Warrior.
Normally, Do-hyun would have checked them right away, but this time he couldn't.
'Ugh, what a madhouse.'
The moment he'd felled the Death Orc Warrior, there hadn't even been time to look at the messages before the onlookers showered him with applause.
A bunch of burly, dark-skinned guys staring with wide, sparkling eyes and clapping purely out of admiration....
'...Not exactly pleasant.'
It even reminded him of Charlie, somehow.
He might have just shrugged it off if that had been the end of it, but the real problem came next.
Apparently, applause wasn't enough to express their awe, so they swarmed him en masse, begging for autographs.
-You're gonna be blessed!
-Yesss! Autograph!
-That was incredible. I watch all your videos—uploading this one too, right? Can't wait!
Their words, tossed out casually with each signature, were burdensome but not entirely unwelcome.
There had been folks like this back in the day too.
Nostalgic memories surfaced, and hearing they watched his NewTube channel felt refreshingly novel.
He'd heard people mention interviews, but this was the first time someone said they were a fan of his actual upload videos.
'That archer especially left an impression.'
Among them, one had eyes sparkling brighter than most but said the least.
Just staring endlessly.
Like a tsundere getting an autograph, maybe.
-...Lucky.
-Liza!
Meanwhile, Jihard watched their attention on Do-hyun with obvious envy—it was their little secret.
Despite the spectacular undead show, no one had approached Jihard at all. Astonishingly so.
-What's wrong with me? Why won't they talk to me?
Probably because his fighting style was too crude.
The thought crossed Do-hyun's mind immediately, but he wasn't so lacking in tact as to say it aloud.
'Not important right now anyway.'
Snapping out of the brief reminiscence, Do-hyun focused on the system window.
Specifically, the rewards.
[Death-Tainted Orc Warrior's Hide]
[Grade: Rare]
[Description: Tough hide from an orc warrior steeped in death energy. Useful for crafting armor.]
[Death-Tainted Orc Warrior's Fang]
[Grade: Rare]
[Description: Sharp fang from an orc warrior steeped in death energy. Useful for crafting accessories.]
The rewards from this kill: these two material items and 600 gold. That was it.
Meager compared to what he'd gotten before.
Bitter as it was, Do-hyun accepted it easily.
'...This is normal. Things have been going too smoothly lately—not like me at all.'
He'd swept hidden pieces and snagged guaranteed items from first-discovery buffs, but this was standard fare.
If field bosses dropped gear every time, why would equipment be so rare and expensive?
Auction houses would overflow with it—you could trip over the stuff.
'Still, not a total loss.'
No gear, but plenty of gains.
First-encounter kill triggered the First Slayer's 'Predation' effect, boosting all stats by 6.
And not just that—another level up, hitting 30.
[Player: Kaiser]
[Level: 30]
[HP: 5,010 / 5,010]
[MP: 1,600 / 1,600]
[Stamina: 790 / 790]
[Class: Last Adventurer [Successor of Kashyar]]
[Titles (7)]
-Max Affinity from the Start?
-First Slayer
...(Expand)
[Stats]
[Strength: 80(+70)] [Agility: 55(+69)]
[Vitality: 5(+69)] [Senses: 37(+67)]
[Mana: 5(+65)]
Remaining Points: 46
'Nice....'
The resulting status window.
Seeing those dazzling stats brought a grin to his face. Who'd guess this was level 30?
Titles already at 7, every one exceptional.
And 46 points left over.
'No need to invest yet.'
The 'Latent Dragon' trait granted 7 points per level-up anyway—it'd climb fast enough. Not the right time.
Plus, the random skill draw ticket from hitting level 30.
'See what it gives first, then decide.'
He itched to draw right then, but held back.
Hadn't he sworn in Raven?
'Gacha only at sacred spots!'
No more casually drawing skills anywhere based on just the Eye of Truth!
The system had rewarded that resolve with the fateful 'Parry' skill—so he'd stick to it.
Jihard, however, clearly thought differently from resolute Do-hyun.
-M-Master... I can't hold it much longer.
Do-hyun replied firmly, not even glancing at the desperate Jihard.
"Just a bit longer."
-Something's... stirring inside me... about to happen.
"We're almost there. Really."
-That's the fifth time you've said that, Master...?
"Last one. For real this time."
Like maxing out reps at the gym, trainer yelling 'One more, last one for real!'
Or a dad at the mountain peak telling his kid 'Five more minutes!' every time he asks.
Do-hyun savored Jihard's distorting face each time.
Truth was, Jihard had good reason to whine.
[Guardian 'Jihard Black' has reached level 10.]
[Guide him at this crossroads of choice.]
'Talk about perfect timing.'
Like users picking a subclass after god draws, guardians evolved at level 10 too.
But not quite the same.
Less a job change, more like picking an attribute.
Like 'Crimson Flame Salamander' or 'Azure Flame Salamander.'
Or 'Iron Golem,' 'Regenerating Golem.'
No better or worse—just choose what the user needs most.
'Divine Beasts are different, though.'
Guardians picked attributes; Divine Beasts evolved.
Like an imugi swallowing a yeouiju to become a full dragon—each evolution brought stark change.
Hence the saying: pre- and post-evolution Divine Beasts were different species.
'Yongyong and Hosik were the same.'
Purple Bro's Dragon-Tiger duo started as a big tiger and imugi.
Repeated evolutions turned them into Azure Dragon and White Tiger of the Death Chambers.
Jihard was a bit unique in that regard.
[Path of the Commander Necromancer]
[Path of the Bomber Necromancer]
'Knew it, but seeing the jobs pop up is weird.'
With corpse and curse traits, classic bomber necro style, blatant undead summons.
Evolving into a goblin hopper now would be the real surprise.
So Do-hyun had planned to raise Zeke, not Volk....
A guardian showing jobs like a user? Kinda odd.
'When was this guy ever normal?'
Special in good ways and bad.
No shock now.
How much longer did they walk? Just as Jihard hit his limit.
"Uwaaack!"
"Argh, damn it! Commons again!"
"Jackpot! Heroic grade! Thank you, gods!"
Rowdy voices echoed from beyond the rocks.
-We're here!
Having been once before, Jihard bolted in, certain.
Do-hyun and Eliza followed, soon spotting them.
Users huddled in thick fog, red-eyed, perched on rocks, frenziedly drawing.
Fewer than Raven's crowds—Fetid Rock Forest had thinned them out—but still around ten.
'Right place.'
Brion's most famous gacha spot: Rock Forest Mountains.
Orcs popped up everywhere with fog, but weirdly not here.
Not just orcs—no bugs either.
People used it as a rest area or safe zone.
'Now it's prime gacha real estate.'
Rumors ruined everything.
Safe zone drew hunters with draw tickets mid-hunt.
Success stories spread, turning the old haven into a gacha mecca.
Do-hyun was one such pilgrim.
-Master, hurry!
"Got it."
At Jihard's urging, Do-hyun acted fast.
[Choose the Path of the Commander Necromancer?]
"Yeah."
Flash!
Blinding light erupted from Jihard, black as his mana—pitch darkness swallowing sight like a tunnel.
[Guardian 'Jihard Black' walks the Path of the Commander Necromancer.]
[Draw a skill for him.]
Messages flashed, seven cards appearing.
That was why.
Why not evolve in a hunting ground, endure the whining to reach this spot.
First guardian evolutions skipped tickets—direct draw.
'Good thing Purple Bro tipped me off, or I'd have drawn somewhere dumb.'
Do-hyun muttered, looking a decade older. Finally free, Jihard couldn't hide his bafflement.
-Wait, that's what mattered? Anywhere's fine.
"Nope. Half-hearted resolve gets you nowhere. Achieving anything easy? Life's not—screw it, Jihard."
-....
Jihard shut his mouth at Do-hyun's dead-serious face.
True words, but why apply that grit to gacha? Bosses got half-assed whacks.
Jihard's brain couldn't parse it.
"Look at them, burning with will. So desperate."
-....
Worse: the humans around actually looked that determined—no exaggeration.
Truly desperate.
-Humans are weird....
Owner lost it at 'card smash' or 'draw'—never normal, but extra nuts then.
And those drugged-out, bloodshot-eyed fanatics....
-Liza?
-Don't look at that crap, Eliza. It's gross.
Jihard shoved Eliza—peeking curiously from the robe pocket—back in and asked.
-So, what'd you get?
Do-hyun's face hardened at the question.
"...Silver."
-What's that mean?
"Dunno. Sad, so leave me alone."
-...?
Do-hyun looked genuinely heartbroken.
-Beats me. You're on your own.
Jihard gave up comprehending and backed off.
User's draw, sure he should focus—but in this league where everyone but him was bonkers, he lacked the bandwidth.