Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 9
>Chapter Title: Eye of Truth
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Chapter 9
>9.
>[Eye of Truth]
>-Rank: Unique Trait
>-Effect: Pierces through the hidden.
A succinct phrase.
>Do-hyun couldn't help but tremble with emotion upon seeing it.
>"Unique Trait...!"
>A type of trait he'd never seen in his life.
>He'd never even seen the Unique type in Delrock.
>But Do-hyun wasn't foolish enough to fail to recognize its value.
>'Honestly, I have no idea what this ability does. But it's definitely something incredible.'
Weapon Master? Hero? Slayer?
>They were all great traits.
>But none were one-of-a-kind.
>Even if no one possessed all of them, plenty of people owned at least one each.
>But Eye of Truth?
>'At the very least, I've never heard of a trait like this.'
Unique.
>Truly one of a kind in the world.
>In Godohseh, with its billion players, this meant only Do-hyun possessed it.
>Its power aside, its rarity was incomparable.
>'Come to think of it, there were talks like that.'
He'd seen discussions on the community forums about the "rank" attached to traits.
>Why use the word "rank" instead of "type" or "kind" for traits that were all traits anyway?
>It was a valid question.
>Ranks divided them into tiers like Common, Rare, Heroic, Legendary—while type or kind would distinguish traits from skills.
>There had been quite a debate, but it ultimately fizzled out with the idea that it was just a translation quirk between Korean and foreign languages.
>Do-hyun had thought similarly when he saw the post.
>No, honestly, he hadn't thought much of it.
>Whether rank or type, it wasn't a crucial factor.
>He'd just glossed over it.
>But now he knew the reason.
>'It really was a rank...'
Unique Trait and Trait.
>Those two were rank designations.
>Looking back, it had been naive to think an AI superior to humans like Alex would make such an error.
>The mystery was solved, but that wasn't the important part.
>'The important thing is I just hit the lottery.'
>And not just any lottery.
>A one-of-a-kind trait, five other traits, and titles to boot.
>It was a total jackpot.
[First Slayer]
>-Rank: Legendary
>-Description: A title granted to the first to slay a Legendary Named Boss.
>-Effects
>Wrath: Deals 10% additional damage to boss monsters.
>Predation: On a successful Try in the first battle, all stats increase by +6.
>Predation does not apply to bosses of the same type as previously defeated ones.
>All stats +10
>[Current stats gained from Predation: +6]
No wonder—with traits already sweet, this was a Legendary title to top it off.
>Its performance matched the rank perfectly.
>The base All stats +10 was jackpot enough, but Predation offered late-game potential too.
>And Wrath for 10% extra damage to boss monsters.
>One title equaled the effects of three.
>'Ha... sweet...'
>Sweet enough to worry about diabetes.
>'For someone like me, whose luck was always trash, to get this chance...'
>Do-hyun, who had suffered the world's unfairness in Delrock, cherished it all the more.
>How many gut-wrenching days had he endured?
>Back then, while others started with Rare ranks, he'd strutted around with Commons...
>'This time feels good.'
A user starting with six traits, plus Legendary and Rare titles?
>The forums would explode if he posted.
>He'd draw players desperate to recruit him—and others dying of envy, maybe even trying to kill him.
>'They probably wouldn't believe it anyway.'
>Even he wouldn't believe it if someone else claimed it.
>'More importantly...'
Having confirmed his rewards, Do-hyun looked around.
>The floor and walls were a wreck from the Iron Blood Wyrmspawn, but the opposite interior remained pristine, as if divided by a line.
>At the sight, Do-hyun tilted his head.
>'Why hasn't the tutorial ended?'
>As far as he knew, a goddess appeared, resealed the boss monster, sent the adventurer to the main continent, and the game began.
>But none of that was happening.
>"Wait... reseal the boss monster?"
Something flashed through Do-hyun's mind.
>'The goddess appears when...?'
>When the user dies.
>But him?
>Far from dying, he'd smashed the wyrmspawn and claimed all the traits and rewards.
>The situation had changed entirely because of that.
>'What happens in a case like this?'
He panicked for a moment but quickly regained his composure.
>And that composure soon turned to faint anticipation.
>If the planned event had changed...
>'It might be a hidden piece.'
>He'd already sucked up all the honey, but greed filled him—who knew?
>As he approached the entrance door, a message appeared.
>[Boss death confirmed.]
>[Return to entrance?]
>"Yeah."
He answered quickly, and his view flipped.
>The corridor was even more chaotic than the filthy room, littered with monster corpses.
>While Do-hyun had spent 5 hours and 30 minutes inside, a grueling battle had raged here too.
>Charlie stared at him in shock amid the blood-soaked battlefield.
>Covered in monster blood, his spirit unbroken—yet now he wore a dazed, incredulous expression.
>Their eyes met, and his lips trembled.
>"Ah... aaah...."
>"...."
>Do-hyun instinctively sensed it.
>The man was about to spout another gem of a line.
>Sure enough, in a quivering voice, he asked,
>"I clearly heard the monster summon... Did you truly slay it?"
>"Yeah, well...."
>"And yet you're unscathed... What in the world are you...?"
Unlike before, his speech was near-reverent, polite, his eyes filled with admiration.
>It was all already overwhelming, but Charlie pressed on.
>"No, it doesn't matter who you are or where you're from."
>"?"
>"True heroes bloom in chaotic times. I, Charlie, firmly believe your presence will bring great change to this disordered world."
>His face resolute, he then dropped to one knee.
>"Hero... I wish to walk that glorious path with you. May this humble knight become your heart and sword?"
Ding-.
>A message appeared simultaneously.
>[Knight Commander 'Charlie' of Arlen Citadel wishes to become your heart and sword.]
>[If you accept the knight's oath, he will pledge loyalty to you.]
>'...What the hell?'
>He'd hoped for a hidden piece inwardly, but this was beyond expectation.
>A knight's oath meant following unto death.
>It wasn't mere metaphor.
>[Upon acceptance, Charlie will no longer be Arlen Citadel's Knight Commander but your subordinate.]
>[You, as lord, receive the benefits he would have.]
A knight who swore an oath abandoned everything for their lord, offering all rights and privileges.
>A true oath of total devotion.
>'Jackpot.'
>A Knight Commander of a citadel would offer plenty for growth ahead.
>NPCs would treat him well anywhere, and his high position would ease progress.
>But...
>[However, he is long dead. You gain no benefits as his lord.]
>"Ah."
>Do-hyun let out a deflated sigh at the follow-up message.
>No wonder things had gone too smoothly.
>Starting as a level 1 lord of a Knight Commander would be total balance-breaking.
>'The tutorial recreates the Arlen Citadel massacre from the past.'
It was the stage for otherworld adventurers to reach the main continent via the goddess.
>Unlike the main game's timeline, the medieval scenery was from that era.
>'Just a ceremonial oath, like an event...'
>Wanting more would make him a thug.
>Still, it felt good, so Do-hyun nodded without much thought.
>That instant.
>[Knight's oath accepted.]
>[In Knight Commander 'Charlie's' memories, you remain as his lord.]
>[The war, later recorded as the Abyss Horror and Arlen Citadel massacre, ends in victory in his memories.]
>[He will sleep peacefully, awaiting a future with you.]
>[Tutorial ends. Pantheon opens.]
>[Warping to Pantheon shortly.]
Messages appeared, and the boss room warped away.
>A different route from the original, but he'd cleared the tutorial successfully.
>'...Sleeps peacefully, huh.'
>Do-hyun glanced at Charlie.
>His eyes brimmed with loyalty, like gazing at a true lord, his face resolute. It tugged at him.
>That would be the man's final memory.
>Thinking so left a strange pang in his heart.
>Just an NPC, really—but after those reactions, some attachment had formed...
>"Lord, where is our next destination?"
>That must be why.
>Before warping, he answered the man whose resolute gaze held a flicker of hope.
>"...To where we're needed. The world's in chaos, after all."
>"Ah...."
It felt cringy, but he figured Charlie would want that line most.
>Charlie, mouth agape in a daze, closed it.
>No special reply, but it was enough.
>His eyes proved Do-hyun right.
>[Using warp.]
>[Moving to Pantheon in 5 seconds.]
>[5....]
Do-hyun, heart eased, boarded the warp.
>Charlie approached, nodding as if having made a vow.
>"...Please accept this."
>He drew something from his bosom and offered it politely.
>[3....]
>[2....]
>It was a necklace.
>A rather plain design embedded with what looked like a red ruby.
>Do-hyun was stunned to receive it. But before he could react, the warp time ended.
>[[... ] obtained.]
>[Moving to Pantheon.]
>"Thank you, my lord. Please... save the... ."
>Blinding light enveloped the messages.
>Charlie's faint words trailed off, and Do-hyun's vision went black.
>[Welcome to the Pantheon.]
>[This is the place to choose your god and decide your path. We pray for divine blessings.]
>[Inventory unavailable here. Forced logout triggers auto-selection.]