Chapter 249
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 249
Chapter Title: The Forced Penalty
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A massive, out-of-nowhere earthquake threw the entire world into chaos.
Forced Penalty Applied.
Current Penalty Intensity: Stage 1.
Words appeared in the sky.
It was just like when the game had turned into reality.
That phenomenon hadn't occurred since the early days, so it'd slipped everyone's minds for a moment. Why was it back now?
The message was even broadcast through every electronic device, just like back then.
Stage 1 will end when 1 of current humanity has perished.
1.
It might seem small as a percentage, but in raw numbers, that was tens of millions of people.
The earthquake would keep going until those tens of millions were dead.
People paled, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
"This is bullshit!"
"Don't you see us busting our asses to stop this penalty?!"
"Fuck you, New World bastards!"
The Penalty cannot be stopped.
It couldn't even be stopped.
"How the hell are we supposed to handle the damage?!"
"Shit!"
The real problem was that tens of millions dying wouldn't be the end of it.
The whole world was already a mess from monsters.
Reconstruction efforts were still underway in many places.
If earthquakes kept hitting on top of that, forget reconstructionsociety's infrastructure itself would be shattered.
To prevent even greater damage, delete the Forced Penalty.
Deletion method will be revealed shortly.
Even greater damage.
People gritted their teeth at the message.
A massive quake alone was devastating enough. Anything more, and humanity might truly go extinct.
"...This isn't the time to be doing the fourth job change quest, is it?"
"Yeah..."
Before starting the quest, Ha-jin and Deok-gu had planned to share its details.
But then the massive quake hit, along with the message.
"Let's contact Hoon first."
"Got it."
Ha-jin hurriedly called Jeong Hoon.
The line connected before the second ring.
Not doing the quest? Why're you calling?
Jeong Hoon's voice from the smartphone was remarkably calm.
"No... this doesn't feel like the time to be doing quests."
No, you two do the quest. I'll handle this one.
"Handle it yourself?"
Yeah. I already knew about the massive earthquake.
"Really?!"
Yeah.
As expected of Hoon.
He wouldn't say it like that unless he knew how to resolve the crisis too.
"Okay, got it. I'll trust you and go do the quest then."
Good. When we meet next, you better be done with your fourth job change. Got it?
"...I'll try."
Don't just try. Soon as you're done, we're heading to Reas.
Reas.
The village Jeong Hoon had been in before New World became reality.
A place where cities formed based on each class.
He'd thought he'd never return after reality hit, but now Jeong Hoon mentioned it.
"Why Reas? Something good there?"
Who knows. Guess you'll see when you get there?
"Huh?"
Anyway, finish it no matter what.
The call ended there.
"Bro, what'd Hoon bro say?"
"...He'll handle it, so we have to do our fourth job changes no matter what?"
"Ah..."
'That should light a fire under them.'
Jeong Hoon had deliberately mentioned Reas.
No immediate plans to head there, but people worked hardest with a clear, close goal.
"First things first, gotta deal with that penalty."
Rumble...
Another massive quake hit, collapsing even the buildings that had barely held on.
Jeong Hoon moved, recalling the memory.
The way to remove the Forced Penalty.
Clear open dungeonstotal of 2,000 of them.
'Clear 2,000 like that, and a door opens to the dungeon made by a Transcendent. Perfectly clear that one, and the Forced Penalty deletes.'
Pretty complicated method.
Early reality was like a tutorial: close dungeons to learn penalty deletion. Now the difficulty ramped up, making it trickier.
'Gotta move fast.'
Jeong Hoon entered a nearby flickering portal.
Not just any dungeon.
Lv. 201 or higher.
Only those count.
Lv.245 Blood Snake Lair
No time to waste.
He entered the portal.
Enter Lv.245 Blood Snake Lair?
1272,000
The deletion method was revealed.
Clear Lv. 201 dungeons 2,000 times.
But when revealed, the count was at 27.
Meaning 17 Lv. 201 dungeons had been cleared since the penalty hit.
"Damn... why does it have to be 201?"
"This is insane."
Lv. 201 dungeons.
The level was one thing, but the difficulty spike was the issue.
From 201, difficulty shot up.
In New World days, you could retry after death. Post-reality, death was permanent.
Even high-level players hesitated on high-level dungeons.
Plus, tons of players hadn't reached 201.
Leveling wasn't easy; impatient ones quit around 100. Player numbers dropped sharply at higher levels.
2,000 wasn't a small number.
1582,000
...
2032,000
But the count started climbing faster as time passed.
Insanely fast, even worldwide.
"Does it usually go up that quick?"
"...Dunno?"
"Whateverjust clear some dungeons!"
"Please... make the quakes stop."
Sub-200 players could only pray high-level ones cleared for them.
Master, aren't you pushing too hard?
'Yeah. Could probably take it easier.'
Muk-ho and Anima chimed in with worried voices.
As they said, Jeong Hoon had cleared 38 dungeons nonstop.
All Lv. 201, so no levels gained, but count rose steadily.
"I'm fine. Got holy power."
He recovered fatigue and stamina with holy power during runs.
Mana shortages filled with top-grade mana potions from the achievement shop.
Condition barely dipped no matter how many dungeons.
He checked the sky count.
2722,000
272 clears so far.
Jeong Hoon was blitzing them, but progress felt slow.
Meant not everyone was pitching in.
"They'll regret it."
Jeong Hoon wasn't just closing dungeons for the penalty.
This Forced Penalty was crafted by at least a Demon Lord-level Transcendent.
Top clearer gets rewards. Perfect final dungeon clear? Juicy payoff.
And one more thing.
Those rewards likely tied to the Seven Deadly Sins.
'That bastard's got mine!'
The Seven Deadly Sins reacted.
That's why he needed max clears.
Jeong Hoon entered the next Lv. 201 dungeon.
...
2,0002,000
19 hours.
Time to hit 2,000.
Jeong Hoon alone cleared 102.
Over 5 of the total.
2,000 Dungeons Cleared.
Condition met. Next condition revealed.
"What? It's not over?"
"Don't fuck with us!"
People raged at the message.
2,000 clears in 19 hours7 quakes hit.
Damage immense.
Reconstruction would take ages.
Though that reconstruction would come from this dungeon clear.
'End of this penalty adds new items to point shop. Can buy recovery scrolls there.'
Those would quickly restore collapsed buildings.
Happened plenty before regression.
Next condition revealed.
Face Giant Soldier Urs.
'Back then, we failed to take it down.'
Even with world rankers gathered, Giant Soldier Urs survived.
Rankers felt their powerlessness bone-deep; many joined James Marcus's side.
French Black Mage Sophia Stephanie Agalet was one.
'Most familiar faces will be there.'
Path to Giant Soldier Urs was simple.
Thousands of portals worldwide.
Step through the red-glowing ones to face it.
Jeong Hoon activated Supremacy of the Heavenly Demon, scanning for portals.
Found a red-flickering one nearby.
'Kill. Kill.'
Alessandro Braiden cursed the Easterner who left him like this, over and over.
Wanted to rip his limbs, toss him in a pit of fire.
But his stats wouldn't recover.
"Alessandro!"
"Whoa! Awesome!"
Wandering streets, tons recognized him.
He was the world's first to break 500Archmage.
Not anymore.
'Fuck, I'm no better than scrubs now.'
Mana too low for spells.
Max 3-circle.
To recover, raise mana first.
Tried everything; nothing left.
Achievement points: measly 6,300.
Not enough for mana-boosting elixir.
Each purchase hiked required points.
He'd blown most on mana elixirs; now needed 50,000 for next.
"Alessandro! Please! Take down Giant Soldier Urs!"
"Yes! You can do it!"
Unaware of his rotting heart, people chanted his name.
Their eyes held faith he'd end the penalty.
'Fuck! Fuck!'
Alessandro fled the scene.
"Please, we beg you!"
"May the gods be with you!"
They cheered, thinking he headed for Urs.
But he fled home.
How the hell take down Giant Soldier Urs with 3-circle?
And there? Face James Marcus who ditched him, and that psycho bitch Amelie glued to his side.
"Fuck... anyone... just kill those bastards..."
Alessandro curled up, burying his head.
Tears fell, thinking of New World time wasted.
Heh heh, quite the sight, your despair.
Then, a chilling voice whispered in his ear.
'What, what is it?'
Alessandro flinched, cautiously lifting his head.
He saw it.
A massive red eye.