Chapter 68
Chapter 68
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Stay or Go Home
-----------------------------------------------------------------
If both parties swear an oath not to hold violence against each other, it forms a kind of mutual agreement for a duel.
Dokgo Hyun provoked him with those words.
"You'll need an explanation. You're half right."
The TV Girl stepped forward.
"Under mutual agreement, if you swear an oath to duel with your status window at stake, a [Contract Duel] activates."
"Huh? But isn't this the no-violence mission right now...?"
Someone among the spectators muttered.
"Correct. Even if the mission prohibits violence, you can still do a [Contract Duel], but if the supervisor calls it out, you'll get the mission failure penalty. However..."
The TV Girl spun around with a grin.
"Supervisors have quite a bit of discretion. If the supervisor pretends not to notice and doesn't call it out, the [Contract Duel] is valid."
Basically, if you're gonna fight anyway, go ahead.
Dokgo Hyun smirked.
"Right now, even if you come at me, the supervisor won't snitch or make a fuss. How about it? Wanna do a [Contract Duel] and fight, Lee Hyun-jun?"
"Grrgh...! You little brat!"
Lee Hyun-jun gripped his plasma cutter.
Stagger.
But Lee Hyun-jun collapsed.
"Argh, guh."
It took him over 30 seconds to get back up after falling.
Watching that, the TV Girl stepped between them as if to say it wouldn't do.
"Looks like I can't let you do a [Contract Duel] after all. Better stop here."
"Yes."
Dokgo Hyun immediately accepted the TV Girl's intervention and backed off, which was annoyingly compliant.
"Raaargh!!"
Bang!! Bang!!
Unable to contain his rage, Lee Hyun-jun wildly swung his plasma cutter at the wall.
But he couldn't keep it up for long.
Stagger!
Thud!
Once again, he fell in the most pathetic way.
Part of it was because his injuries from Dokgo Hyun hadn't fully healed, but the biggest factor was losing one arm.
With both arms, his center of gravity was balanced, but with one arm blown off by the explosion, it was completely off-kilter.
Now, the Lee Hyun-jun who had displayed such fluid, flashy swordsmanship was as good as gone.
Thanks to Dokgo Hyun, Lee Hyun-jun was far weaker than before.
"Heh heh."
"Kukuku."
Sinister chuckles leaked out from here and there.
They had confirmed Lee Hyun-jun's weakness.
"Alright, let's open the boxes now."
"The red one was a mine, so the rest should be relatively safe, right?"
With that, the players boldly opened the boxes.
The contents were as follows.
Red box: Pillar of flame.
Green box: Random potion.
Yellow box: Hint note.
Blue box: Random mini-item.
Everyone cleared it.
Lee Hyun-jun, with one arm severed, was the last to open the blue box in front of him.
The box had remained intact even amid the explosion and flames, so it seemed inherently indestructible.
"Hmm. Not a single death. Is it thanks to Dokgo Hyun Player grabbing all the red boxes?"
The TV Girl muttered.
"If just one more person had died, I could've clocked out early, but that last one just won't go. No helping it. Proceeding to Mission 9..."
"Wait."
It was the Buddhist-concept player, Team 25's leader, Musanghwa.
"Namu Amida Butsu. This humble monk shall offer his life."
"No."
"...Why not?"
"As supervisor, I can't allow it. Death during a mission is one thing, but suicide between missions to meet a headcount? Letting that slide would wound my pride."
"..."
Musanghwa clicked his tongue, unsure which beat to follow.
"Anyway, proceeding as planned is best for everyone. Opening the 9th mission."
Snap!
With a finger flick, a small room appeared on stage.
A nameplate on the door read 'Room of Choice'.
Preliminary Mission 9: Choice of Early Return
📍 Goal: Within the time limit, enter the Room of Choice and select one of the two options below.
Selecting either clears it unconditionally, but failure to choose results in failure.
No violence allowed inside the Room of Choice.
⏰ A. Early Return: Return home with 10 Healing Potions and 10 Mana Potions each.
No penalties for returning, and Player status is retained, so you must participate in Preliminary Phase 2 next.
⏰ B. Go All the Way: Stay in the gym and proceed to Mission 10.
Reward: ???
🎁 Bonus on Success: Varies by choice.
💀 Penalty on Failure: Death.
⏰ Time Limit: 20 minutes.
💡 Hint: Judge yourself coldly!
"Ah...!"
"This is...!"
Those sighing were the ones who had cleared the tutorial on hard mode.
Dokgo Hyun also recalled Tutorial Mission 9.
'The situation's different from back then.'
The amount of information differed from when he was trapped in the tutorial site and had to decide.
Back then, it just said they'd send you home, but this specified mandatory participation in Phase 2.
"Ah, what do we do."
"Isn't going home the better deal?"
"Yeah. You get a ton of potions too, not just going home."
"Plus, staying means challenging Mission 10..."
As everyone hesitated, one man stepped forward first.
Shuffle, thud.
Shuffle, thud.
Staggering along—it was Lee Hyun-jun.
His impression was striking as he clutched his burned and severed left arm preciously while climbing onto the stage.
The moment Lee Hyun-jun entered the Room of Choice.
Fwoosh!
Lee Hyun-jun was instantly teleported out.
"That's how it works."
The TV Girl said.
Now there was no need to hold back.
If even Lee Hyun-jun bailed, escaping was the smart play.
Rumble...!
Dozens lined up.
"What should we do?"
Kang O-su asked Team 41's members.
"I'm going all the way. That is, I'll pick B and stay."
Dokgo Hyun said immediately.
In fact, he'd even considered picking A, leaving, tracking down Lee Hyun-jun, and killing him.
'He took his severed arm, so he'll probably find a doctor or some recovery method outside. If it's a doctor, tracking him through major orthopedic clinics with [Psychometry] wouldn't be impossible.'
But recalling the stay-home order after the tutorial ended made him hesitate on A.
No point leaving if he'd just be ordered to stay home anyway.
'Above all, the reward for B bugs me.'
The ??? reward piqued his curiosity.
"Ahem, I'd like to pick A."
Choi Han-pung said.
"Me too..."
"Same."
Eun Jua and Kang O-su also wanted A.
The mental fatigue was immense.
Life-risking jumps, quizzes, dungeon crawls, etc.
Thanks to team leader Dokgo Hyun's exploits, it was easier than other teams, but mental strain was unavoidable.
"Got it. First, take your coins."
He divided the 3,000 Coins from clearing Preliminary Mission 8.
Even split would be 750 each, but Dokgo Hyun gave 800 to each of the three and took only 600 for himself.
It wasn't a loss; he'd already received plenty from the team.
The members gratefully accepted but eyed him questioningly—why more for us?
"Severance pay."
"Severance?"
"Yes. Team 41's activities end here. I'll take option B."
"Ah...!"
"Once we part here, the team probably dissolves."
The team naming mission stated teams lasted only through Preliminary Phase 1.
"So, this is goodbye."
Dokgo Hyun offered handshakes.
"You've all worked hard. It was an honor teaming up. You're rare—outstanding and fair people."
In a death game where even allies deceived each other, these had fully trusted leader Dokgo Hyun.
And Dokgo Hyun had devoted himself as leader for them.
A clean team, rare in this brutal game.
"Truly regrettable."
Choi Han-pung shook Dokgo Hyun's hand.
"Our team had all good people..."
Eun Jua shook next.
She was right; great luck with people.
Kang O-su followed.
"Will we meet again?"
Kang O-su asked, but Dokgo Hyun shook his head slightly.
Unknowable Management Bureau tricks made promises impossible.
Even if co-op chances arose, Dokgo Hyun preferred solo.
Understanding the uncertainty and his nature, the team accepted.
"Honestly wanted to keep teaming, but no choice. If opportunity comes, reunite?"
Kang O-su said, and Dokgo Hyun nodded faintly.
For Kang O-su, that was the best he could get.
"Um, hey!"
Eun Jua spoke up unusually firmly.
"Still! We should at least exchange contacts!!"
Probably her loudest voice since arriving.
"Exchange numbers."
Even college group project folks swapped contacts and made open chats.
For teammates who'd entrusted lives to each other, it was natural.
But...
'Get dragged into crazy messes alone, not others.'
Dokgo Hyun wanted a clean farewell with good feelings.
However.
'No, these people would handle contacts carefully.'
Not the type to call idly out of boredom or anxiety.
"Sure."
They exchanged numbers.
Who knew when calls might get blocked again, but it felt reassuring.
"Best if we never need them, but never forget."
Choi Han-pung said, all agreeing.
"Alright. We'll head out first."
Thus, Team 41 minus Dokgo Hyun went to the Room of Choice, hit A, and left.
Dokgo Hyun saw them off, then headed there late.
To check other players.
'A picks teleport out; B picks just exit the room.'
Kim Min-kyung and her goons, whom he'd watched warily, had all picked A and vanished.
'I'm nearly last.'
As Dokgo Hyun walked to the Room of Choice.
Rustle!
Some unknown guy hiding dashed in first.
Dokgo Hyun yielded graciously.
"Haha! S-, [Stone Golem Summon]!"
Crack!
Boom!
A stone golem exuding massive barrier-like pressure appeared at the Room of Choice entrance.
The hider inside yelled from behind the hulking golem.
"Heh, hehehe, Do-, Dokgo Hyun! I've been waiting for you!"
"Hm?"