Chapter 20
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Immunity to Ten Poisons
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"Then, have a pleasant time."
The technician who had finished installing the capsule left.
The massive capsule took up a full third of the room, so it had taken quite a while to set up.
"Wow... So this is what a 30 million won capsule looks like. It looks absolutely killer!"
The capsules at capsule rooms were mostly around 20 million won per unit.
That's why Ha-jin couldn't stop marveling at this next-level model.
"Gawking at it won't make it yours."
Unlike public capsules, the one installed in Jeong Hoon's home was a personal unit.
Genesis had registered Jeong Hoon as the user, so no one else could log in with it.
It was exclusively for Jeong Hoon.
"Ugh, now I'm seriously pissed off. Guess I'll go play New World myself."
Unable to bear the envy, Ha-jin headed off to the capsule room.
His mother had gone to work, leaving Jeong Hoon alone in the house.
"Should I tell her when she gets back?"
The capsule was bigger than expected, so even after clearing out as much space as possible, the room still felt cramped.
Jeong Hoon opened the capsule and settled in.
The new-product smell stimulating his nose felt great.
At capsule rooms, you inevitably ended up in units used by others, but this one was untouched by anyone else's hands, which was pure bliss.
Is this why people buy personal capsules?
Enough basking in the thrillit was time to level Immune to Poison to 10.
Logging in.
Earth Korea User Management Team.
The management team was having an unusually hectic day.
Why was the team, nicknamed the Salary Lupin, so busy?
The reason was simple: phone calls.
Ring ring
Every time the staff hung up, another call rang through as if on cue.
"Yes, Earth Korea speaking."
Can you tell me who the Martial Artist is that took first place in the event!?
"I'm sorry, but we can't access details on events run by Genesis."
Just run the program and check!
It was all thanks to the Martial Artist who had posted absurd scores in Genesis's latest event.
The team had a vague idea of who it was, but none of them were dumb enough to blab about confidential security matters.
"The event footage can't be accessed via program either. Forcing it would trigger sanctions from Earth HQ immediately."
Over 90 of the callers were from guilds.
Anyone with the potential to smash scarecrow dolls was a Martial Artist they absolutely wanted to scout.
"Seriously, they know it's impossible, so why keep calling?"
Oh Jin-su pressed his fingers to his brow with a fed-up expression.
Only the user management team could monitor player activity through the program, and that's why he'd just returned from being summoned upstairs that morning.
'Who the hell is it? Any guesses?'
'......Sorry, but you know it's classified.'
'Can't you just leak a tiny hint?'
'You want us fired?'
Seven years ago, leaking info on a user who job-changed to Epic had gotten the entire team disciplined and purged.
It wasn't just disciplinethey'd been hit with astronomical damage claims, pushing those involved to extreme measures.
No one with a brain would even consider spilling.
'Anything involving user security always drags the management team in.'
Besides, if it was the Martial Artist who took first... it had to be that user.
The beginner who'd shown bizarre moves from the start.
They couldn't see detailed infono nickname, no levelbut given his feats, the odds were high he'd claimed first again.
'Wait... If it's pre-job-change, that means he hasn't done the job quest yet?'
A chill ran down his spine.
What grade of job-change would he achieve?
The highest first-job grade across all of New World was Unique.
James Marcus, America's strongest Paladin.
No one else had managed Unique.
'......No way.'
Jeong Hoon headed to a mini-dungeon.
Unlike regular dungeons, these ended once you defeated the boss, making them ideal for solo play.
The mini-dungeon he portaled into was empty.
No surpriseit wasn't popular.
Newbie users in Origin Village were busy training at the training hall or clearing the northern dungeon.
"Kek!"
Jeong Hoon's arrow pierced the monster's brow, ending the fight in an instant.
You gained a small amount of experience.
Mini-dungeons also gave stingy experience compared to others.
You'd level faster taking quests from instructors at the training hall.
Even so, Jeong Hoon chose the mini-dungeon.
You resist poison.
This was Origin Village's toughest mini-dungeon.
A forest thick with poison plants.
Jeong Hoon deliberately chewed and swallowed them.
To max out Immune to Poison at level 10.
'Better nail this down for sure here.'
These poison plants were fair game only because it was Origin Village.
In other villages, you'd rarely encounter them easily, and higher-level areas had deadly poisons that far outstripped Immune to Poison.
This mini-dungeon, though, was perfect for leveling itthe perfect match for the skill's reactions.
'I'd love to farm Krasha...'
But the Krasha Jeong Hoon had thrashed was too demoralized for combat.
It probably wouldn't even spew poison gas if he entered.
Forcing it would waste time anyway he'd already leveled up plenty on its venom, so it'd take longer now.
'Keep going?'
Jeong Hoon portaled to the next mini-dungeon.
Lv.25 Orc Warrior
Regular monsters from the northern dungeon appeared as bosses here.
"What is this place... Kruk!"
Jeong Hoon's arrow pierced the orc warrior's throat.
The orc spewed blood and perished heroically.
You gained a small amount of experience.
After the kill, Jeong Hoon plucked and ate poison plants from the forest again.
He repeated this for a long while.
Immune to Poison level has increased.
Level up!
All stats 1.
Bonus stat 1 granted.
Immune to Poison finally hit level 10.
It had been level 8 before entering; he'd gained a whopping 2 levels here alone.
Roughly 22 hours of munching poison plants.
Exhausting, but the pride of qualifying for Krasha's Poison Fang washed away the fatigue.
Krasha's Poison Fang
-Type: Consumable
-Grade: Rare
-Upgrades a status ailment resistance skill from Normal to Rare grade.
-However, the skill must be level 10.
Jeong Hoon used it immediately.
'Immune to Poison (Normal)' has been upgraded to 'Immunity to Ten Poisons (Rare)'!
Done.
Krasha's Poison Fang had upgraded Immune to Poison to Immunity to Ten Poisons.
Unyielding Will couldn't raise its grade, so he needed an external item like this.
'Call it a day?'
Jeong Hoon logged out with a satisfied smile.
He could've pushed more, but 22 hours had worn him out.
Whoosh
The capsule door opened, revealing his mother right there.
Startled, Jeong Hoon scrambled out.
"Mom, when did you get back?"
"When? I got home after work yesterday and you were gaming. Didn't think you'd still be at it."
It was Sunday.
The one day she didn't go to work.
And it was 2 p.m.
He'd installed the capsule and logged in around 4 p.m. yesterday, so she'd seen him gaming all day.
He'd meant to log out before she got home, but got carried away maxing the skill.
"......Sorry."
"It's fine. But I really didn't expect you to take first place..."
His mother stared at the capsule.
Its sleek design screamed 30 million won luxury.
Who'd guess it was for gaming?
"I told you I'd win first."
"Yeah, but I didn't think you'd top an event with over ten thousand entrants."
It was her son's event.
So she'd looked up the Genesis event details herself.
"My mom's sonthink I couldn't snag first in something like this?"
"You're right. I underestimated you too much."
"Yeah, big time. So let's go out for dinner tonight."
"Dinner?"
"Yeah. Meat. My treat!"
Today was a great day.
"Huh? We ate out just the other day."
"That was pork. This time, beef."
"No need. Save that beef money for something important later."
She didn't like him spending money.
But Jeong Hoon wasn't backing down.
"This is that time. When it's important."
"......Can't argue with that."
No parent can win against their child, they say.
She surrendered in the end.
With permission secured, Jeong Hoon finally sleptthree hoursthen headed out to eat with his mother.
The place: the priciest hanwoo beef spot near the neighborhood.
"Let's go in!"
"Jeong Hoon, isn't this too expensive...?"
"It's fine! I saved up a ton in the army."
This was what money was for.
Jeong Hoon treated his mother to hanwoo beef, footing a 400,000-won bill.
Yeo Min-ji couldn't understand it.
A week after the event ended, why hadn't he come for the job quest?
First job-change was required to leave Origin Village.
He had to return to the Hall of Martial Arts.
Yet its starthe fist technique masterstill hadn't shown.
"No way he's leveling more at 50? Nah..."
First place meant he was around level 50 for sure.
"......How long is he gonna stay?"
"Yeah. Doesn't it get boring just sitting there all day?"
Users marveled at her patience.
She'd trained under instructors, cleared dungeon drills, visited the Hall of Martial Arts multiple timesand every time, she'd been parked quietly in the corner.
But even that had limits now.
WhisperIn-tae - Minzi: Miss. Time to come back. You've been away too long......
WhisperSunwoo - Minzi: Heard from In-tae. Drop it and return.
A whisper from team leader Park In-tae.
And from her father, Yeo Sun-woo, too.
'Just a bit longer and he'll show!'
Yeo Min-ji bit her lip.
Not just In-taeDad too.
No more stalling.
WhisperMinzi - In-tae: ......Sigh, heading back.
WhisperMinzi - Sunwoo: On my way.
She finally stood.
"If you don't wanna get called a shitty Martial Artist, train properly. Results follow effort."
She tossed advice to the users.
Hanging out at the Hall of Martial Arts had taught her plenty.
Unlike typical games, New World rewarded actions quicklyand you could stagnate no matter how much time passed.
Martial Artists suffered this the worst.
"......Got it."
"Understood..."
The users nodded eagerly.
"See you, Instructors."
"Yes."
"Take care."
The instructors were courteous.
Once, she'd been a newbie under their trainingbut now roles had reversed.
She'd reached far higher realms, so respect was natural.
"Stay healthy too, Instructor Altio."
"Thanks."
Altio smiled kindly.
She was one of the rare trainees who'd endured his brutal regimenfondness was inevitable.
"But who exactly were you waiting for?"
"No idea."
Users had no clue why she'd camped the Hall for days.
They just sensed she was waiting for someone.
Soon after, a user entered the Hall of Martial Arts.
"Huh?"
"Who's that?"
The instructors recognized him instantly.
"Long time no see."
He was the user who'd beaten Altio instructor in a 1-on-1 spar.