Chapter 94: 8-Quad. To the Central Island
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 94: 8-Quad. To the Central Island
As they advanced toward the center of the island where the Seondong Stone lay, Seo-un kept a constant eye on the map. He tracked the movements of the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven, watching for any deviation from its usual behavior.
Suddenly, he noticed a shift in the creature's pattern.
When the massive, azure territory of the Blue Dragon appeared, the Great Sage actually stopped. For the first time, it waited outside the boundary, seemingly unwilling to let its path overlap with the dragon's.
The Blue Dragon is like the Blue Zone in Royal Ground. But a monster with that much power is actively avoiding it?
In the game Royal Ground, the Blue Zone was a hazard that gave a brief warning before randomly bombarding a designated area. To Seo-un, the Blue Dragon was the literal embodiment of that mechanic. It unleashed random lightning strikes, instantly eliminating any unlucky players caught within its reach.
The Blue Dragon is definitely more of a natural disaster than a monster meant to be hunted.
He already suspected that the Great Sage wasn't intended to be a huntable target either, but there was a clear distinction between a named monster and the Blue Dragon, which the system treated simply as a "zone."
His eyes sharpened as he intuitively grasped the hierarchy between the two.
-Enemy ahead!-
Krakakakak!
As he analyzed the map, the white clouds before him split apart, and the very ground began to tear open. Seo-un reacted instantly, sidestepping the fissure and barking an order.
-Don't counter! Just evade!-
Acting as a scout dozens of meters ahead of the group, Seo-un’s warning allowed the team to dodge the incoming magic with ease.
Three players revealed themselves atop a cloudy ridge. Seo-un didn't rush in; he maintained a cautious stance, his senses dialed to the maximum.
-We don't know where the rest of them might be lying in wait.-
While he remained on guard, the three enemies—who had only fired a single spell—turned and vanished over the hill as if fleeing for their lives.
-It looks like a trap,- Gi-chan signaled.
Seo-un nodded and cautiously ascended the hill. By the time they reached the crest, the enemies were long gone, likely already over the next ridge. Only then did the rest of the team close the gap and speak up.
"For a trap..." Rimin started.
"It was far too blatant," Jin Long finished.
Seo-un turned to Hamit. Hamit, any other eyes on us?
-None. Even just now, I only felt their gaze after the magic was cast.-
Dump stepped forward, adjusting his gear. "How about using the Cloak of Stealth?"
"We've been making our presence known since the moment we set foot on this island," Seo-un countered. "If the enemy has Carmen's Eye, it’ll be the perfect opportunity for them to shatter the cloak. It’s not worth the risk."
Dump nodded and quietly backed off. Scanning the surroundings with a suspicious gaze, Seo-un signaled the advance. Regardless of the intent, the presence of enemies was a good sign—it meant the Seondong Stone in this area had likely been activated.
After ten minutes of cautious movement, another magical volley erupted. Seo-un shattered a flying fireball with a single punch. A mage flickered briefly atop a distant hill before vanishing again.
-Hyung!-
-Priest!-
Gi-chan and Jin Long called out simultaneously. Seo-un already knew what they were thinking.
-Sprint to the Seondong Stone!-
There was still a chance it was a trap, but Seo-un agreed with the others: the enemy wasn't setting an ambush; they were stalling for time.
As they broke into a full sprint, they spotted a mage retreating on an Air Board in the distance. The moment Seo-un activated Gale Step and drew his bow, another mage—hidden on the flank—launched an attack.
-Don't worry about the side!-
While Gi-chan intercepted the magic from the flank, Seo-un loosed a Pyeonjeon at the mage on the Air Board.
Shoo—Boom!
The mage narrowly dodged the projectile, but the Pyeonjeon exploded on impact with the ground. Though shielded by a barrier, the blast sent the mage staggering. Just as Seo-un nocked a second arrow, magic flew in from the opposite side.
-I've got this!- Juriel shouted.
The moment her counter-magic collided with the incoming spell, creating a mid-air explosion, Seo-un’s second Pyeonjeon cut through the smoke.
Shoo—Thwip!
Seo-un’s lips curled into a smirk as the arrow grazed the mage's shoulder, drawing blood. The mage, who had been trying to pull out a scroll while balancing on the Air Board, stumbled violently. He tumbled off the board and went rolling across the dirt.
Li Lingwei smiled as she watched the fallen mage. -You used my poison.-
Nodding slightly, Seo-un didn't slow down. He stepped on the poisoned mage’s head as he sprinted past.
Crunch!
-Don't stop! Keep moving!-
Ignoring the mage who had already dissolved into a loot box, they dashed toward the Seondong Stone. As expected, they found the desolate stone guarded only by Stage 1 Dokkaebis.
-It's practically empty. Let's clear it in one go!-
They executed their standard formation: Lyle maintained Chain Lightning, Gi-chan called down bolts with Call Lightning, and the martial artists charged in to mop up the survivors.
Just as the Dokkaebi numbers dwindled to twenty, the survivors suddenly grew in stature, their skin turning a deep, angry red.
Fwoosh!
One of the Dokkaebis brandished a staff, unleashing a torrent of flames. They were significantly stronger than the Stage 1 variants, but they were still no match for Seo-un’s squad.
Before long, Seo-un cut down the last of the guardians and activated the Seondong Stone. One hundred red Stage 2 Dokkaebis materialized instantly. Only then, as they began farming, did Jin Long speak.
"So this was why they were stalling. They wanted to finish the wave."
"Splitting the team... how foolish," Li Lingwei remarked.
Seo-un shook his head. "We considered splitting our team too. It's not a bad strategy if you can secure a site without a fight and then regroup. They likely expected multiple squads to swarm the Central Island and tried to grab what they could here first."
The strategy was sound. If not for the variable of the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven, this site might have been defended by Stage 3 Dokkaebis and a full squad by the time Seo-un arrived.
"Let me know if any unusual items drop!"
Seo-un dove into the fray, weaving through the red Dokkaebis and snatching up loot.
"Over here! An unusual item!"
At Li Lingwei’s call, Seo-un dashed to her side.
"Headband Tightening Spell? What is this?"
At the mention of the name, Seo-un snatched the small parchment from her hand. He unfurled it to find the words "Headband Tightening Spell - Front Part" written at the top, followed by three lines in an ancient, unknown script.
"Dammit!"
A lock icon appeared over the item description. Seo-un crumpled the parchment in frustration, but then a notification arrived like a godsend.
[Ding! You can unlock this item by spending accumulated coins. Required coins: 25.]
It was a steep price for half an item, but Seo-un wasn't about to throw away a vital clue for the sake of 25 coins.
Flash!
The moment he authorized the payment, the lock shattered, and the ancient text shifted into readable Korean.
-Hum-ni-chin-ya-cha-pa-ha, Hum-ni-chin-ya-cha-pa-ha, Hum-chi-hum-chi...-
The meaning was still a mystery, but Seo-un’s lips twitched as he stared at the three-line incantation.
"Hyung, is that...?"
"Yeah," Seo-un replied.
Gi-chan looked skeptical. "I saw that monkey guy passing by earlier, and he wasn't wearing the Golden Headband. Will that spell even work?"
"He wasn't wearing it, but he's a crafty bastard. He might be hiding it."
"Only the front part dropped. Is half a spell enough?"
Seo-un’s expression turned serious. "It's better than nothing. If we can hinder him even for a second, it’ll be a lifesaver in an emergency. Everyone, memorize this incantation. It's short, so it shouldn't be hard."
While guarding the Seondong Stone, they prepared a quick meal of cup ramen. Gi-chan led the group in reciting the Headband Tightening Spell until everyone had it down.
"Where do you think the back part drops?" Gi-chan asked once they finished.
"Probably from the Stage 3 monsters here."
"Then we should—"
"We won't have the chance. This much is already a massive haul."
Juriel, who had been listening quietly, chimed in. "What’s the plan now?"
"We have to move."
The rest of the team looked confused, but Juriel understood immediately. "To the Central Island?"
"Yes. As long as that crazy monkey is on the loose, we have less than a week. He’ll be charging into the Central Island soon. It’s better to thin out the competition there and end the game before he arrives."
He wanted to avoid a direct confrontation with the Great Sage at all costs.
"There are 420 survivors left. From now on, everyone will flock to the Central Island because that monkey is going to start devouring the auxiliary islands one by one. We need to secure a position and prepare for the final battles before the rush begins."
"I guess we’re abandoning this Seondong Stone, then," Dump said with a hint of regret.
Seo-un shook his head. "Now that the monkey is in play, clearing the game the 'normal' way is secondary. Moving now might reveal a new opening."
With their decision made, the group headed back to the island's edge. After confirming the Great Sage's current position, they steered their Seondongun toward the Central Island. Seo-un took the lead, the team following in a tight combat formation.
After a journey equivalent to crossing two auxiliary islands, the massive Central Island finally loomed in the distance.
"It really looks like a realm where immortals would live," Jin Long remarked in genuine awe.
As they stepped off the Seondongun, the team was momentarily captivated by the scenery. Elegant buildings constructed from solid clouds were scattered across the landscape, surrounded by exotic celestial flora. Waterfalls cascaded down cloud-cliffs, dissolving into white mist, while rainbow-colored lotuses floated atop shimmering ponds. It was a mystical sight that transcended their various home dimensions.
Dump looked at the terrain, which had been obscured by thick clouds when he’d viewed it through the Eye of Askro. "Do you think the farming spots are concentrated in the center?"
"Come to think of it," another added, "we were able to destroy almost all the Seondongun even though we only circled the auxiliary islands!"
Seo-un nodded. "That’s the trade-off. On the auxiliary islands, you have mobility because of the Seondongun, but farming is limited to hunting. On the Central Island, there are no Seondongun, so you can't leave easily, but you gain the right to farm high-tier items."
"What a damn complicated set of rules," Dump grumbled.
However, having pieced the rules together, Seo-un finally understood why the players already on the Central Island hadn't ventured out to the auxiliary islands.
"Let's move. We'll stick to the outskirts to scout the terrain before we head for the heart of the island."
*
Clang!
A knight in crimson armor sheathed his sword with an irritated growl and slumped to the ground. "There's no one left to kill!"
"It is rather tedious," a knight in blue armor agreed, his face etched with similar annoyance.
After a period of gleefully slaughtering anyone who set foot on the island, they had run out of targets. More than half of the total players were still alive, but those on the Central Island were playing it safe, camping in the outskirts and surrendering the center.
"Should we just activate the Seondong Stone ourselves?" the older twin in red suggested.
The younger brother shook his head firmly. "Even for us, there's no way to stop it if every remaining squad teams up against us."
That was the reason they hadn't activated the stone yet, despite firmly controlling the perimeter. The moment the Central Island’s Seondong Stone was triggered, every player on the island would unite to stop the countdown.
"If we don't lure them in, we're just wasting time. Besides, that Epic Monster flying around outside is starting to look suspicious."
"Then we should split the team and send out a detachment."
The older brother’s eyes sparked at the suggestion. Though they were identical twins, the older brother was expressive and competitive, while the younger was stoic, his eyes deep and inscrutable. The surrounding team members exchanged nervous glances.
"No need to be overly cautious. One mage and one shielder will be enough," the red knight said, standing up. He pointed at a knight and a mage who had made the mistake of meeting his gaze.
"Don't overdo it," the younger brother warned. "Don't let your temper cause another 'accident' like last time. I'm tired of cleaning up your messes just because we're brothers."
"Hmph! You're one to talk. Just make sure you don't team-kill everyone with your area-of-effect skills again."
With that, the man pulled out a red metallic Air Board, hopped on, and sped off. The younger brother watched the three-man detachment disappear with a grim expression.
-Come back before that Epic Monster destroys more than half of the auxiliary islands.-
-I know, I know.-
Skus, clad in his red armor, sent the reply through the team chat. His eyes burned with a manic competitive fire as he pushed the Air Board to its limit.
*
"It's safe to assume that both Skus and Verus are on this island."
Seo-un looked at Juriel after she finished cross-referencing the kill list with the survivor logs. "Are those two famous?"
"They are knights from Cueren, known as the Devil Twins," she explained. "They are said to be the King’s most treasured assets among the regular knights. Any war where they lead the vanguard is considered a guaranteed victory."
Her description reminded Seo-un of the 'Madman of the Battlefield' he had encountered in the first round, though he kept the thought to himself.
"Wait, aren't you from the same country?"
"I am. But they have a terrible relationship with my family. Our political stances are complete opposites."
"If they're regular knights of that caliber... they must be Sword Emperors."
Juriel nodded solemnly.
"Two Sword Emperors, huh," Seo-un muttered, his gaze turning toward the center of the island.