Chapter 411
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 411
Chapter Title: NPC Mint
-----------------------------------------------------------------
NPC Mint.
His assigned role was to guide those who had hunted up to the mid-boss Arangurt to the Tomb of the Forgotten Constellation at the eastern edge, a level 1,015 dungeon.
But the current Mint had lost that role and had directly created a bizarre quest to lure in the powerful visitor to Arandis.
It's because of free will.
The newly granted free will to NPCs.
That free will had blurred the very concept of being an NPC.
Jeong Hoon gripped Mint's throat and slowly applied pressure.
Guhhh!
Mint writhed pathetically, as if his growth to level 2,500 meant nothing.
Recite the quest details.
Guhk! Uhk!
No one could answer if you ask like that.
At Tenebris's words, Jeong Hoon slightly eased his grip.
Recite it. If you dont answer, you die.
At the voice laced with killing intent, Mint hurriedly opened his mouth despite his agony.
Guhk I-Ill tell you. So please, this...
Dont try any tricks.
Only then did Jeong Hoon fully release his grip.
Regaining his freedom, Mint coughed and gasped as he forced his mouth open.
I am a follower of Beelzebub.
Beelzebub?
Jeong Hoon tilted his head.
What the hell is he talking about?
Tenebris looked down at Mint with an incredulous expression.
Beelzebub was a demon.
A follower of such a Beelzebub?
Did Beelzebub intervene during the process of being led to the divine realm?
Otherwise, it made no sense for an NPC to try to harm a user.
The current New World was a game.
Not reality.
Even if Jeong Hoon was late and Ha-jin lost his life, it wouldnt be a real death.
The problem was the change in NPC behavior.
If Beelzebub had intervened during the process, it was highly likely that not just Mint, but other NPCs had attacked users as well.
Did you send a signal for help since Beelzebub was captured?
How did you Hup!
Mint hurriedly clamped his mouth shut.
It seemed to be top secret.
One corner of Jeong Hoons mouth curled up slyly.
Who else besides you?
T-That, I dont really know
Then you die.
As Jeong Hoon raised his fist, Mint cried out in panic.
Please wait! Theres a way to find out!
There is?
Yes! We hold gatherings periodically! If I attend, we can catch them all at once!
Then why lie and say you didnt know?
Ive never attended a single gathering! Im sorry!
Ho, they hold regular gatherings?
There were already cults for Tenebris and Psyche, so one for Beelzebub made sense.
The issue was.
Ive never heard of a cult related to Beelzebub.
Before his regression, he had moved based on memories from even further back.
Thanks to that, he swept up all sorts of opportunities while playing New World, achieving explosive growth.
That included wiping out cults, yet there was zero info on anything Beelzebub-related.
Even if they operated in secret, with the number of users, they couldnt stay 100 hidden.
You, from now on, answer everything you know about the villages I name.
Jeong Hoon quickly listed from Origin Village to the previous one, Atlas.
Uh Sorry, but there are no cults in such low-level places.
Followers?
No followers either.
I see.
That was a relief.
No harm will come to the users.
Even James Marcus hadnt properly cleared the path through Arandis.
Leveling up was incredibly tough, and breaking through required not just James alone, but many hands.
Yet until reality-ization hit, fewer than 500 had cleared Arandiss path.
Even that required wiping out ultra-high-level boss monsters over level 1,500 to claim the World Trees power and create the gate to the next village.
In the end, Jamess record was reaching the World Tree slumbering beneath Arandiss center.
Since New World had moved to the divine realm and hed ascended to demigod, he reached Muran instantly, but others couldnt.
They had to meet direct conditions to set foot in the next village after Arandis, Gustain.
The next gathering is in Gustain! If you wish, I can go there and bring the roster!
No, Ill go myself.
G-Gustain requires a seal to access.
Then hand over that seal to me?
At the straightforward answer, Mint hurriedly added.
It only recognizes its owner!
Oh, really?
Yes!
Then howd you jump to level 2,500?
That was a miracle bestowed by Beelzebub.
With that, Mint pulled out a glass vial containing less than half of a red liquid.
Level and Stats Amplification Potion
-Type: Consumable
-Rank: God
-Drinking once causes levels and stats to explosively rise for 1 hour.
This was what had let him leap from level 1,000 to 2,500.
Okay. Confiscated.
With that, Jeong Hoon tossed the vial to Ha-jin.
Huh? Why give this to me?
Take it.
Crazy Youre giving this to me?
Yeah. Its God-rank.
God-rank? Whats that?
Ha-jin examined the vial briefly before shoving it into his inventory.
T-That precious thing
Mint felt rage at losing the potion but lacked the courage to challenge Jeong Hoon, settling for a mutter.
Guide me.
Yes?
Were heading to Gustain right now.
O-Okay.
Mint started to say something but nodded.
Better to obediently use the seal to open Gustains gate.
Those unqualified cant set foot in Gustain.
The World Tree beneath Arandiss center.
Without claiming its power, Gustain was inaccessible.
At the current point, no one had reached the World Tree, so this outsider couldnt possibly enter Gustain.
Proof: he couldnt create the gate himself.
Ill slip in alone and call for help.
Mint pulled out the seal and infused it with power.
The inscriptions on the seal glowed, creating a portal ahead.
A one-use portal that vanished after one person entered.
Is this the portal to Gustain?
Yes. Correct.
Okay. Lets go.
Jeong Hoon stepped into the portal without hesitation.
It swallowed him instantly, vanishing without a trace.
Huh?!
Mints face filled with shock as he watched it activate.
The portal only recognized its owner, Mint.
How could an outsider control it?
Stunned, he stared blanklythen the vanished portal rippled again, and the outsider stepped out before it.
Come on.
Uh Huh? Whyd it reappear?
Dont come, and you die.
I-Im coming!
Mint dashed into the portal, mind a whirlwind.
It swallowed him, but stayed open behind.
Ha-jin and Bong-gu, keep pushing through Arandis.
G-Got it Hey! What the hell just happened?
Questions later. No time now.
A proper answer would take too long.
Okay.
Reading Jeong Hoons expression, Ha-jin nodded.
Thanks.
After Jeong Hoon left.
Hyung-nim, what the hell is Hoon hyung-nims deal?
Bong-gu, whod kept silent, finally spoke.
He couldnt close his gaping mouth in shockthe casual suppression of a level 2,500, and he couldnt even check Jeong Hoons growth.
Cannot read information.
What change had happened to Jeong Hoon?
No idea.
Ha-jin answered casually and kept moving.
Arent you curious whats changed with Hoon hyung-nim, hyung-nim?
Curious as hell.
Then why?
He said hed explain after handling the urgent stuff.
Ha-jin felt the same as Bong-gu but decided to wait patiently.
Jeong Hoon always kept his word.
Ha, how does he casually pin down a level 2,500?
Right? Couldnt read his info either He didnt do anything illegal, did he?
Word was Earth Corp was paralyzed.
Not just stalledcompletely non-functional.
Theyd caught shadows trying to mess with New World from the dark web multiple times.
New World HQ cleaned house, dragged them into the light, and rendered them useless.
No way Hoon hyung-nim broke the law.
Then how do you explain that?
Fair point.
Lets wait. Hell tell us himself.
Pushing through Arandis came first.
Gustain.
A city untouched by outsider footsteps, even before regression.
Jeong Hoon was the first to set foot there.
Totally freewheeling.
Gustain looked like any normal city.
Hed rushed to Muran before without looking closely, but now NPCs lived freely, regardless of roles.
High levels? Or no one comes, so no restrictions. Hard to believe its a game world.
Mukho fully agreed.
Normal NPCs had limited activity ranges.
Even with free will, low-level ones stuck to roles.
But not Gustain.
No activity radius seemed to exist.
Um The gathering starts at midnight.
Mint, whod followed, briefed on the schedule.
Location: underground hall of the inn.
Building wasnt huge, but expected 100 attendees.
Usually 50-60, but with Beelzebubs direct call for help, more would come.
Contents?
Eliminate outsiders.
Eliminate outsiders, huh.
Jeong Hoon nodded as if it made sense.
Simply put, wipe out usersbut users respawn even if killed by NPCs.
Sure, NPC rampage would chaos the game, but what did Beelzebub gain?
The answer was simple.
Hes plotting to escape the divine realm.
Sow chaos in New World to distract divine eyes, then use his powers to slip out and return to the demon realm.
Successfully completing his spy mission.
S-So, what do we do?
As Jeong Hoon closed his eyes in thought, Mint asked cautiously.
Jeong Hoon opened his eyes and jerked his chin.
Guide me.
N-Now?
Yeah.
Get there early, wait, then hit them all when they arrive.
Beelzebub.
No matter your plan, it wont succeed. Not on my watch.