Chapter 67
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Unknown Box
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ah, do you perhaps know about the black market?
Blaine mentioned the black market upon seeing the box.
Yes.
Jeong Hoon answered.
The black market was a slightly different concept from an auction house.
While an auction house allowed verified items to be registered and sold by users, the black market required no such verification.
As a result, the black market was often used for criminal activities.
Things like money laundering or fencing stolen goods.
The Empire had once swept them clean, but 'factions' were sporadically opening black markets in the shadows.
Jeong Hoon was slightly surprised that Blaine would mention such a place.
Two years ago, a black market opened in Autobahn.
Really?
Yes.
Blaine ground his teeth as he recalled the past.
It was shortly after the previous lord had passed away and his son, Blaine, had taken the seat of lord.
Even before Blaine had solidified his position as successor, he had a younger brother under him.
Drake Autobahn.
Drake outwardly pretended to trust and follow his older brother, but inside, he was a viper coiled and ready to strike at any moment.
Thanks to that, after being named successor, Blaine faced threats to his life multiple times.
I thought he was a good little brother.
However, Blaine wasnt foolish enough to just take it.
He systematically eliminated Drakes underlings, cutting off his hands and feet, and ultimately ascended to the lords seat while banishing his brother from Autobahn.
It was a decision he made because he couldnt bring himself to kill his own blood.
So, youre saying that brother of yours orchestrated the black market?
Yes.
But Drake didnt give up easily.
The mark that only a lord could possess.
He stole that mark and put it up at the black market.
It was meant to sow chaos among the territorys people by claiming Blaine lacked the qualities of a lord.
Public opinion is a fearsome thingonce it boils over, its incredibly hard to quell.
If Drake then showed up having retrieved the mark in that situation, the first phase of narrowing Blaines position would succeed.
But Blaine had learned of the entire plan through his own loyalists planted around his brother, and he was furious.
Hooking up with those illegal faction scum?!
His teeth ground together on their own.
No matter how much he coveted the lords seat, to think hed ally with such filthy bastards
Afterward, Blaine leaked false information to his brothers side that the mark had gone missing.
Sure enough, they opened a black market as if theyd been waiting for it, and Blaines forces, who had been lying in wait, stormed in the moment it opened and crushed them all at once.
And thats what you got out of it?
Yes. I dont know what it is, but it seemed extremely valuable, so we kept it in the vault.
Jeong Hoon didnt know why an Unknown Box was circulating in the black market, but the moment he saw it, he made his decision.
Then, may I take that box?
This one?
Blaine hesitated for a moment.
The Unknown Box was an item that had come up at that black market, brought by Drake.
He claimed to have acquired it by chance while being banished, but Blaine had no intention of believing that.
It was probably a trap he had prepared.
It wont open?
But when he tried to open the box, for some reason, it simply wouldnt budge.
In the end, having failed to open it, he had no choice but to toss it into the treasure vaultand he never imagined Jeong Hoon would choose it.
Yes. Its not from Iora, by any chance?
Uh? Youre right. How did you know?
As expected.
Iora was one of the villages you could only reach after hitting level 200.
And it was the only place to obtain an Unknown Box.
Amazing. To think they hid an Unknown Box in the treasure vault.
He never dreamed hed find such a rare item here.
It was a treasure vault you could only enter after maxing trust with Blaine.
Just another one of New Worlds pranks, no doubt.
Is that impossible?
To take the box, he needed Blaines permission.
If he says no, nothing I can do.
He hadnt expected much from the treasure vault to begin with.
The Unknown Box was the most appealing item here, but another chance would come.
He didnt want to obsess over it.
But contrary to expectations, Blaine shook his head.
No. If you want it, its yours. However that box cant be opened. We tried every trick in the book, but we failed in the end.
Thats fine. I can open it.
Pardon? Is that true?
Jeong Hoon nodded.
Blaine reacted with disbelief, but he couldnt doubt the benefactor of Autobahn.
So, he decided to make one request.
Then, could you open the box right here in front of me?
Right here?
Yes. Since it came from Drake Im suspicious about what might be inside.
Understood.
And so, the Unknown Box ended up in Jeong Hoons hands.
Unknown Box
-All items are randomly contained within.
-Luck effects do not apply.
-Requires Unknown Key (not in possession)
A box containing all items at random.
Hence, Unknown Box.
Even Luck Potions had no effect, so it was purely up to the heavens.
And to open it, you needed an item called the Unknown Key.
No wonder no matter what they tried, it wouldnt open.
Without the key, no amount of effort would open the box.
Jeong Hoon opened the Achievement Shop and immediately went to Category-Special.
-Unknown Key
The Unknown Key cost 20,000 points.
With his current 72,000 achievement points, buying one key would leave him with 52,000.
Not bad.
Jeong Hoon purchased the key right away.
He took the key from his inventory and laid the box on its side.
A hidden keyhole revealed itself.
We even tried crafting a matching key, but there was no reaction.
Blaine had tried that method too.
But no matter how many times they refined the key, the box didnt budge.
Itll open.
Jeong Hoon inserted the key into the keyhole.
He slowly turned it.
Click.
The locked box unlocked.
Wha? Did it just open?!
Blaine, who had been watching the box, went wide-eyed.
Yes.
Jeong Hoon opened the previously sealed box.
Inside was a single ring.
You have acquired Ability Stat Amplification Ring (One-Time Use) (Epic).
Oh?!
Ability Stat Amplification Ring (One-Time Use)
-Type: Ring
-Rank: Epic
-Special Ability (1): When the rings mana is drawn out, temporarily increases the wearers all ability stats by 50.
-Special Ability (2): Reduces the targets all ability stats and attack damage by 50.
-Once used, the ring can no longer be used.
Jeong Hoons lips curved into a wide grin as he checked the ring.
Hiss
The capsule door opened, and Ha-jin stepped out.
His face was slightly flushed with excitement as he exited.
Finally got a Unique-grade weapon.
The Unique-grade gear hed longed for.
Even Epic-grade was pricey, requiring ages of saving to afford.
Sure, you could buy Unique-grade with cash, but Ha-jin didnt have that kind of money.
So his only option was farming gear from raids or siege content.
But Unique-grade was out of reach, and even Epics were rare, so hed been stacking enhancement stones on Rare-grade gear.
And today, I got one!
Not just an Epica Unique sword.
Hed have been thrilled with an Epic, but Unique made him feel like he was flying.
Something good happen?
He ran into owner Lee Hyun-woo, who was coming back from a smoke.
Is it that obvious?
Yeah. Youre grinning ear to ear; hard not to notice.
Haha.
So, whats up?
Lee Hyun-woo pulled out a canned coffee and handed it to Ha-jin, asking again.
I scored a Unique-grade sword today.
No way, for real?
Yeah! Now I can get even stronger!
The performance gap between a Rare sword and a Unique one was night and day.
An unenhanced Unique started below a max-enhanced Rare, but once you started slotting Unique enhancement stones, the stats went insanethat was Unique-grade weapons.
Nice! Wanna join an event then?
An event?
Yeah.
Lee Hyun-woo handed him a flyer from the stack in the corner.
It read Capsule Room Siege Event.
Capsule Room Siege Event? What kind of event is this?
Hed never heard of it.
Sieges were typically guild content: hold a captured castle for a set time to succeed in defense.
Rewards like EXP, gear, enhancement stones, etc., scaled with contribution.
Guilds ran them monthly, gathering members.
Turning that into an event?
Apparently, just participating from a capsule room lets even solo capsule owners join.
This event allowed up to 4-player parties, or solo play.
More than that, and youd get randomly split.
Weird. Should I drag Jeong Hoon into it?
To Ha-jin, his strongest ally was Jeong Hoon.
Hed just hit level 100, but with a Legendary job and matching Legendary weapons.
Plus, hed taken first in the second job change event?
Ha-jin had confirmed it via New World notices.
Level aside, Jeong Hoon was a real monster.
Hmm? He leveled up a bit? Events adjust everyone to 150, but.
Only levels were adjustedskills had no limits. That was the issue.
Ha-jin was currently level 160.
Jeong Hoon had started New World just months ago, so the gap would be huge.
Yeah. That guy hit over 100.
What?
Lee Hyun-woos pupils dilated slightly.
Level 100 in that short time?
How was that possible?
Hes a total monster. Hes obsessed with leveling right now.
Hed heard Jeong Hoon headed to Autobahn.
No news since, so probably lost in leveling.
Well, the guy who stayed 21 hours straight in the capsule room.
Lee Hyun-woo had never seen such a freak.
It wasnt just addictionthe venom in his eyes was no joke.
Like he was clinging to New World for some purpose.
Oh? Speak of the devil.
Ha-jin pulled out his smartphone.
A text from a friend?
Yeah. Ill head in first.
Sure. Take another flyer. He might be interested.
Okay!
Ha-jin took one more flyer from Lee Hyun-woo and left the capsule room.
Jeong Hoon called Ha-jin the moment he exited the capsule room.
Hed told his mom he was stepping out briefly and met Ha-jin at a nearby café.
Man, your face is rare these days. Right?
Ha-jin vented his complaints the second he saw Jeong Hoon.
Not even a whisper since coming to Autobahn.
Sorry. Been a bit busy.
I get it. Leveling mustve kept you swamped.
Yeah.
It was true hed been mad with leveling, but a ton had happened in Autobahn too.
He hadnt had the bandwidth to check on others.
Ha-jin was better offYeo Min-ji checked in every few days via whispers.
Anyway, whats up?
Do I need a reason to call? Just grabbing coffee.
You? No way.
Ha-jin tilted his head suspiciously.
Really.
So we drink coffee and I can bounce?
Heard theres an event at the capsule room. That right?
Ha-jin flinched, shoulders twitching.
You ghost. Where do you even get this intel?
He shook his head and pulled out the flyer.
Siege event, huh.
Jeong Hoon skimmed it and nodded.
I was just gonna suggest we team up. It allows up to 4-player parties.
Cool. Im in.
This wasnt just any event.
It was the first harbinger of the game becoming reality, packaged as an event.
So just us two?
Nah, two more are coming.
Coming? Who?
Ill tell you later.
Jeong Hoon sipped his coffee enigmatically.
And the next day.
I heard theres a siege event coming up. Did you hear?
Yeo Min-ji had come all the way to Autobahn to see Jeong Hoon.