Chapter 58
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: First Place and the Knight's Return
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Earth Korea management team.
After everyone had clocked out, Oh Jin-su was the only one left, staring at his monitor.
Events couldn't be spectated, so there was no way to know how they unfolded in real time, but checking the results afterward was possible.
-1st Place: ConfidentialConfidentialFist Technique Master (2nd Job)
"He took 1st place after all."
Oh Jin-su burst into laughter.
With no way to spectate, all they could do was wait for users to wrap up the event. Most hadn't even completed their 2nd job change, dissatisfied with the rewards.
That meant the event's difficulty had been pretty brutal.
Which only made him more curious.
Had that Martial Artist claimed 1st as expected?
And sure enough, his prediction hit the mark perfectly.
Fist Technique Master.
For a Martial Artist, Fist Technique Master was a Unique-grade job.
It laid the groundwork for potentially advancing to Legendary later on. Landing it at 2nd job meant a shot at Legendary starting from 3rd.
Of course, actually upgrading the grade was like chasing stars.
Even so, Oh Jin-su knew something.
That user was the first hidden class Martial Artist ever to appear in New World.
It was probably disguised by the blind system.
What the hell is it?
No Martial Artist hidden classes had been uncovered yet.
Even the sole user who'd job-changed into one was somehow keeping it under wraps.
No info at all.
Not even on that user's true grade.
"But more than that, what the hell is with that NPC?"
The shocking part wasn't just that.
The user returned to Edenhark, met some NPC, and headed to Autobahn with him.
An NPC using a portal to go to another village?
It was info Oh Jin-su had never heard of in all his time at Earth Korea.
And according to New World data, there was no NPC named Isaac in Edenhark.
Meaning the user had gone to Autobahn with an NPC that shouldn't exist.
"Does that even make sense...?"
What the hell was going on?
Psssh-
The capsule hatch slid open, and Jeong Hoon stepped out.
He opened the door to find his mother enjoying some fruit while watching TV.
"Mom, what's so fun on there?"
She snorted as he showed interest in the TV.
"Thought you were glued to your game and nothing else, but guess not?"
"Ahem."
Time flew by when he was carrying out his plans.
But he had a promise with his mother, so he always came out at dawn to get some sleep.
This time, though, he'd started the event and even made a bet with that NPC Lingling, ending up pulling an all-nighter.
"How's the game going?"
Luckily, his mother didn't say much.
Feeling a bit guilty, he vowed inwardly to keep his promise as best he could.
"Yeah. Took 1st place in this event too."
His mother looked mildly surprised at the mention of 1st place.
"Really? What do they give you for 1st?"
"Yeah. Not a real-world prize like a capsule or anything... but I got a game item."
"I see. Speaking of, that's what you're doing, right?"
She nodded and pointed at the TV screen this time.
New World was broadcasting on TV.
"Oh, yeah. That's it."
As a game loved worldwide, New World had taken over the esports scene too.
They'd professionalized all sorts of content, holding countless leagues every year with massive promotional buzz.
Last year's finals livestream had drawn a record 1.2 billion viewers.
Even mid-tier pro gamers in New World pull in over 5 billion won a year easy.
Top pros were said to rake in nearly 50 billion.
Jeong Hoon couldn't tear his eyes from the player on screen.
James Marcus.
The user the camera was locked on.
Pre-regression, his comrade and America's strongest Paladin.
The backstabbing bastard who'd betrayed and crushed him at the end.
Jeong Hoon clenched his fist hard.
"Jeong Hoon? What's up all of a sudden?"
He snapped to at his mother's question.
"Nothing."
"...You looked ready to kill someone."
Lee Na-yeon felt a chill down her spine from Jeong Hoon's murderous glare just now.
Her son had been so good-natured since babyhoodnever much of a crier, never strayed once. He'd grown up perfectly.
This was the first time she'd seen eyes like that on him.
"...Just jealous, I guess."
Jeong Hoon scratched his cheek awkwardly and forced the brightest smile he could muster.
"Oh?"
Her son's face was back to normal.
Had she imagined it?
"Yeah. Anyway, Mom, is there anything you want?"
He quickly changed the subject.
His mother's birthday was a few months away.
Pre-regression, busy with college, he'd scrimped together enough for a 1-million-won gift certificate.
It wasn't bad, but now he wanted to give her something even better.
Time to cash out some gold.
New World gold could be converted to cash.
That would cover a birthday gift no problem.
"Nah. What would I need?"
Worried her son might spend money, she refused outright.
But Jeong Hoon wasn't one to back down.
"Mom, your bag's looking pretty beat-up... How about I get you a new one?"
"Bags cost a fortune... I appreciate the thought."
"...No way. I'll get you one for sure later."
He nodded to himself, settling on a bag as the gift.
"Alright. But how good do you have to be to compete in something like that?"
His mother pointed at the TV.
"The tournament?"
"Yeah."
"Hmm... Gotta be a Ranker at least."
Pretty much everyone in tournaments was a Ranker.
Rankings factored in level, job, status window stats, achievement scoreseverything. Land in the top 10,000 on any server, and you were recognized as a Ranker.
Naturally, with all the ranking battles, spots flipped daily.
To even compete with other players in those leagues, you needed Ranker status.
Which was why league dominators were users in the absolute elite of the elites, like James Marcus.
Experience gap's too big to ignore.
Tournaments were balanced, sure.
But elite users crushed anyway thanks to experience and talent.
Rankers were in constant competition with other users.
It wasn't just about grinding EXPyou had to strategize daily, hunting the fastest growth paths.
Same time for everyone, but efficiency decided rank.
No wonder the cream of the crop led the pack.
"I see. Guess our son can't join then."
Even to Lee Na-yeon, the player's moves looked no joke.
Earth HQ's observer program let civilians track plays in detail.
So even a non-gamer like her could follow along clearly.
No matter that Jeong Hoon had snagged 1st twice in eventsa newbie like him couldn't touch a tournament.
Yeah, started way too late.
Those guys have been at it since beta. Geniuses too. No talent bridges that gap.
Jeong Hoon had heard that plenty pre-regression.
Not anymore.
But now? He could compete.
Level 102 was low, but his combat experience was endless.
Still, no plans to enter one.
No needsimilar "events" would pop up soon enough anyway.
After a day of rest and regrouping, Jeong Hoon logged back into New World.
He spawned in Isaac and Charlotte's house.
Tidied the bedding and stepped outside to find Isaac already geared up to head out.
"Slept well?"
"Thanks to you, got good rest."
"That's a relief."
"By the way, where you headed?"
"Oh, the Lord's castle. Gotta report back now that I'm home. The Lord's gonna be thrilled."
Trapped in some dark alley mid-mission.
Safe return meant reporting to the Lord's castle.
And a question mark blinked over Isaac's head.
General Quest: Knight of Autobahn
-Restriction: Isaac trust 80
-Reward: Ogre King subjugation quest access
-Description: Accompany Isaac to the Lord's castle.
Jeong Hoon's eyes lit up.
One key thing in Autobahn: the Ogre King subjugation quest.
Normally, you grinded side quests in surrounding villages to build villager trust and spread rumors till it reached the Lord's castle.
Skipping that tedium shaved off at least 1-2 weeks.
"Can I tag along?"
"You too? You're no knight."
"Since I'm in Autobahn anyway, figured I'd check out the castle."
"Hmm. You're the one who saved me, so that should be fine. Alright! Let's go!"
Autobahn Lord's castle.
Lord Blaine had been racking his brain over a recent headache.
A week ago, a Lv.190 Ogre King had set up shop in northern Autobahn.
It and its minions were turning the area upside down.
Bad enough, but a few days back, they'd marched down toward the territory, forcing a standoff with his soldiers.
Lots of casualties.
"How many victims?"
"Three dead total. Over twenty injured..."
"Damn it all."
Havoc in just a week.
He wanted them gone, but Autobahn's forces couldn't handle an Ogre King.
Not going.
Not doing it.
Even visiting foreigners were turning tail.
"How about recruiting foreigners?"
"Where are we gonna find ones over Lv.150?"
That was why they bailedthe Ogre King's level.
Foreigners balked and refused the commission.
A few had stepped up, but their insane reward demands tanked those deals.
"If only Isaac were here..."
Ask who Autobahn's strongest knight was, and he'd pick Isaac no hesitation.
Lv.160 Saber.
Far stronger than the others, drilled swordsmanship daily, mentored juniors selflesslya true knight.
But Isaac hadn't returned in over two weeks.
Where the hell was he, and doing what?
"Lordship! Isaac's back!"
Good news hit then.
"For real?! Send him in!"
Isaac was back.
Blaine shot to his feet.
But entering the Lord's chamber wasn't just Isaac.
A foreigner?
One stood beside Isaac.
"Knight Isaac reporting. Sorry for the late return."
"Where the hell have you been?"
Joy was joy, but a scolding was due.
Vanished mid-scout mission, back after over two weekshe needed the full story.
"Well..."
What came out of Isaac's mouth next left Blaine stunned.
"So... you got trapped in some dungeon and it took forever to escape?"
"Yes... That dungeon was different from others. I spent eight years there, but only a little over two weeks passed here."
"Huh..."
It was hard to buy.
But Isaac's face was gaunt, more grave than last seen.
Aged ten to fifteen yearsenough to quash Blaine's doubts.
"And this one's the one who helped me get out."
"I-is that so?"
"Yes."
Blaine's gaze shifted to the foreigner beside him.