Chapter 10
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: The Aura Flower
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Will you help?
Mauga, the guard on watch, was slightly taken aback by the unexpected response.
The young man before him had to be one of the foreigners flooding Origin Village.
Countless foreigners had approached the village up to now.
What? Village access restricted? Anyone would think it was some amazing reward.'
'Tch, I thought they'd at least give some EXP... sigh.'
He had planned to grant entry to anyone willing to help the village, but every single foreigner had refused and gone their own way.
As a result, he now openly showed his disgust whenever one approached.
This one would refuse the request for help too, anyway.
But this approaching foreigner readily agreed.
Yes. What do you need help with?
It had been a long time since a foreigner passed the first stage.
Its a request from the village chief. Can you fetch an Aura Flower for us?
Aura Flower?
Thats right. Id be grateful if you brought one back.
What does it look like?
Hold on.
Mauga held out a single photograph.
The photo showed an Aura Flower.
So I just need to bring this.
Thats correct.
Aura Flowers were rare blooms that grew only on cliffs.
They sprouted in tiny numbers within small caves, making them incredibly difficult to harvest.
So this foreigner would refuse here and turn back too.
All the ones whod offered to help had done just that.
Yes. Understood.
But Maugas expectations were spectacularly proven wrong.
Youll really fetch it?
He was genuinely shocked.
Yes. Its a request, right?
You can really bring it back?
Ill have to go look.
With that, the foreigner vanished.
This foreigners a strange one.
Mauga resumed his watch, thinking that.
Unlocking a hidden theme was an incredibly tricky task.
The difficulty ramped up gradually as you passed through higher-level villages.
The Aura Flower should be pretty close by, for sure.
Jeong Hoon retraced his memory as he walked.
This hidden theme hadnt been unlocked by him, but by the traitor Alessandro Braiden.
One of the worlds strongest mages, known as a Sage, he was the one whod opened it.
Of course, he wouldnt unlock it for quite some time.
No one paid attention until hints revealed its crucial role in reaching the pinnacle of magic.
Jeong Hoon, did you know each village has a hidden theme?
That bastards voice still echoed in his ears.
Just recalling it made his fists clench.
Oh? Im not really interested.
Doesnt All Master include magic? This place is perfect for growing your magic.
Havent you already gobbled it up?
Heh, thats right. Thats why Im telling you.
The guy whod always rubbed it in that he was one step ahead in magic, needling him whenever he got bored.
This time, Ill take it for myself.
The spot Jeong Hoon arrived at was a stream far from any fields.
This stream connected all the way to Origin Village. Just a few days ago, the water hed scooped into his ladle had flowed from here.
But ahead, a Lv.17 Red Slime held the territory.
An upgraded version of regular slimes, it was one of the trickiest field monsters.
Red Slimes spewed poison, so high levels could ignore it, but low levels had a high chance of poisoning and needed antidotes on hand.
Jeong Hoon, who knew how to counter Red Slimes, was the exception.
Human! This is my territory! Approach and Ill spray you with poison!
Red Slimes couldnt speak, so the message floated above its head.
Sorry, but Ive got business there.
Jeong Hoon charged forward.
Warnings wont work, huh?!
Purple smog rose from the Red Slimes body.
Jeong Hoon held his breath and thrust his fist.
It pierced straight through the slimes body.
To defeat a slime, you had to destroy the small, bead-like core inside.
Jeong Hoon grabbed the slimes core in his hand.
He clenched his fist, shattering it.
Kieeeek!
The Red Slime left that message behind as it melted into liquid, soaking the dirt.
Your level has increased!
All stats 1.
Bonus stat 1 granted.
Good.
His level rose to 16.
And the bonus stats hed been saving hit 15.
Achievement unlocked! Youve completed Save the Good Stuff for Last (1)! 1,000 achievement points granted.
An achievement given each time you stockpiled bonus stats.
Most users invested bonus stats immediately upon leveling.
So few achieved this.
It rewarded points up to a max of 100 bonus stats stacked, but with question mark rewards, most skipped it.
But every game has its crazies.
Hit bonus stat 100 v
-But they only gave a D-grade mark for it... is this legit?
Whoa, for real? Fk, thats insane...
Mark? You skip investing bonus stats for levels 1-101 just for that?
If anyone still invests after seeing this, step up lololol
Right here.
The mark obtained via bonus stats.
Having gotten the Mark of the Perfect Beginner, he needed this one too.
It was a material for crafting the same type of item.
Levels slowed down later, so best to grab them early when bonus stats barely mattered.
The stream water was crystal clear.
Dipping a hand in chilled him to the bone.
Such minute details made New World the revolution of the gaming world.
Jeong Hoon shook water from his hand and swam across the stream.
As if proving no user feet had touched it in ages, the grass beyond showed no footprints.
Of course, what user would visit this empty place.
Anyone but me.
He trampled the thick weeds, venturing deeper.
Ahead lay a cliff.
Pitch-black darkness showed how deep it went.
Jeong Hoon approached the cliff.
He had no intention of jumping down like a madman.
The Aura Flower was simply here.
It should be around here.
Hed heard it so often it was burned into his brain.
Squatting, Jeong Hoon groped the wall just below.
He shifted sideways slowly, searching for a hole.
Found it!
After much fumbling, he discovered a small hole.
Reaching in, his fingers brushed a small flower.
Jeong Hoon carefully plucked it.
A beautiful flower gleaming with silver.
The Aura Flower the chief requested was now in his hand.
Hey, Mauga. Time to switch shifts.
Someone approached Mauga on watch.
A dark-skinned, bald man with a build that didnt yield an inch to the intimidating Mauga.
Block? Already that time?
Checking the time, eight hours had passed.
What, you didnt even notice? How do you stand this boring crap without a care?
Block tilted his head.
Guarding meant standing still at the village entrance for eight hours.
A dull, tedious job, yet Mauga held his post without a twitch for the full eight.
...Youre the weird one. Didnt I catch you napping sitting down last time?
Ahem, standing still for hours at night makes anyone drowsy.
What if an intruder slips in?
Intruder? I can handle any intruder myself.
Block flexed his arm muscles with a confident grin.
NPC Info
-Nickname: Block
-Level: 40
-Job: Village Guard
Blocks level was 40.
Monsters roamed nearby, but all under Lv.20.
Mere childs play for him.
Foreigners could come too.
Foreigners? Those weaklings?
Block scoffed.
The highest-leveled foreigners visiting the village topped out at 30.
He was confident he could crush any one-on-one.
Anyway, one came by two hours ago.
A foreigner?
Yeah. Said hed fetch the Aura Flower.
Hah... that flower?
Block couldnt fathom it.
He too issued the quest on the chiefs orders when foreigners appeared.
But over 70 kicked it before even hearing details, and the rest 30 quit right after.
I bet hell give up.
Agreed.
Maugas words rang entirely true.
No one could fulfill the chiefs request.
Anyway, Im heading in. Hold it down.
Anything to report?
Nothing. Id have said if there was.
Got it. Oh, grab me some milk on the way in. Forgot it rushing out.
Sure th...!
Maugas words cut off midway.
His eyes widened slightly at one spot, and Blocks head turned that way too.
Huh? A foreigner?
The foreigner walked briskly toward their entrance.
Ive brought the Aura Flower.
Jeong Hoon held the Aura Flower in his hand.
Its really the Aura Flower...
Is that the real thing?
One more person besides Mauga stood at the entrance.
NPC Block.
Of course, bringing it didnt complete the quest.
...Ill take you to the chief.
Mauga was just the middleman.
To complete it, he had to see the chief.
The chief happened to be watering his fields.
Hm?
Sensing footsteps, the chief turned.
Chief, the foreigner brought the flower.
The chiefs eyes widened.
The Aura Flower hed sought so long without success?
Is that true?
Yes. Take a look.
NPC Info
-Nickname: Mark
-Level: 60
-Job: Village Chief
His fierce face was no joke.
By looks, he seemed mid-to-late 70s.
Yet somehow maintained, his build outdid even Maugas intimidation.
Arm muscles as thick as Jeong Hoons waist, not an ounce of flab.
Level 60 to boot.
Likely the highest in the village.
...Its the one! Thank you for fetching it! Truly, thank you!
Marks eyes reddened upon confirming the flower.
It was inevitable.
That Aura Flower was for treating his chiefs only granddaughter.
Good thing I wasnt late.
The quest timer ran until the granddaughter passed.
After, no more reason to fetch Aura Flowers.
Tears finally fell as Mark grabbed and shook Jeong Hoons hand.
True to his burly frame, his grip was no joke.
Quest completed.
First to complete The Chiefs Request quest. 3,000 achievement points granted.
Acquired Village Pass.
Mark handed Jeong Hoon the village pass.
Now he could enter and exit freely.
Need an introduction to the village?
Was it gratitude for fulfilling the chiefs request?
Maugas tone was friendlier than before.
No thanks. I prefer wandering alone.
I see. Got it.
Mauga headed home without protest.
Left alone, Jeong Hoon strolled the village, scouting around.
When I first entered, I was bafflednothing there.
As Alessandro said, no one in the village gave quests.
Inevitably so.
The link to the hidden theme was within the village.
No one knew about it.
Here?
Jeong Hoon arrived at an abandoned house, long devoid of human warmth.