Chapter 21

“What...? Surveillance?”

“Rather than surveillance, think of it as checking for illegal play as part of our administrative duties.”

“... How is that any different from surveillance? The communications regulations say tracking a specific player is illegal...”

CRASH!!

The keyboard on the desk fell with a tremendous clatter.

“Listen, Assistant Manager Kim. Are you questioning your superior’s orders? I believe I already told you this came from upstairs. Do you not want to work here?”

“N-no... That’s not what I...”

“Director Han personally commented on this matter.”

“What? Wh—Director Han did?”

“Yes. I’m doing this because I care about you. Do you think opportunities like this come along every day?”

In stark contrast to his earlier fit of slamming the keyboard down, his boss rose awkwardly from his chair and tucked in his shirt. Then, smiling as though nothing had happened, he patted his subordinate’s shoulder.

“Think it over. Promotion reviews are coming up, aren’t they? All your colleagues are moving up. You can’t keep falling behind forever, can you?”

“That’s true, but...”

Kim Hajun.

His hair was so shaggy it was impossible to tell when he had last cut it, and he wore thick horn-rimmed glasses. The dark circles beneath his eyes suggested several nights without sleep.

Though he stood well over 180 centimeters tall, he scratched his head with a strangely cowed slouch.

“I’m on the development team, though.”

His boss pressed a hand to his forehead and sighed at Hajun’s reply.

“Good grief, you’re hopeless. That’s exactly why you should go. Someone who knows the game as well as you do ought to be managing the players.”

He poked Hajun in the ribs.

“Honestly, does anyone in administration even know anything about the game? People who don’t understand it call themselves administrators, then come running to development whenever something goes wrong. Am I right?”

“Well...”

“Besides, administration specifically requested someone for this. They asked for someone who knows the game inside out and can keep his mouth shut. The moment I heard that, I knew. You were the perfect man for the job on our team.”

“Th-thank you.”

“Good. Then I’ll take that as a yes. Report to administration starting tomorrow. I’ll let them know.”

“What? Wait...”

Without even trying to hear Hajun’s answer, his boss shoved something into his pocket and pushed him toward the door.

“Now, now! You’ll need to clear out your desk. I can’t keep a busy man here all day! Go get ready!”

“D-department Head! Just a moment...!”

SLAM.

Despite Hajun’s cry, Department Head Choi shut the door as though he had been waiting for the chance.

“Hah... What is going on?”

He let out a quiet sigh as he stared at the now-locked office door.

“Administration...”

Ten years.

That was how long he had worked on the development team, from the days when [Evil Tale] was still being made until now.

The youngest designer.

A genius developer.

He had been the center of attention throughout the company from his very first day, but that interest had not lasted long.

The reason was simple.

He had opposed allowing the AI [Ethan] to interfere with [Evil Tale].

But the company believed that billing it as a game created by AI would generate tremendous buzz. They ignored his proposal and gave [Ethan] complete authority over the game.

Unfortunately for Hajun, [Evil Tale] became a massive hit, contrary to his expectations. Most of those who had opposed the decision alongside him had long since left the company.

“... What on earth is my sister thinking?”

Muttering under his breath, Hajun took out whatever his department head had stuffed into his pocket.

[Administration Team Two, GM Han]

It was his new name.

‘At first, I wondered why I had to do something so strange...’

Hajun—no, GM Han—looked ahead as he recalled the events of three days earlier.

[Sig Elric’s Alchemy Room]

An old sign hung at the entrance to the room he was peering into.

BOOOOM!!!

A deafening crash rang out.

‘... I’ve just seen something impossible.’

As if entranced, he could not tear his eyes away from the scene unfolding inside.

* * *

[You have defeated Sig Elric.]

“We did it!!!”

Ruen shouted, jumping up and down as the notification appeared.

[Congratulations.]

[You have leveled up.]

▶ 23 → 25

“Yeah.”

Woojin let out a quiet sigh as he looked at the fallen alchemist’s corpse.

[Time Since Dungeon Entry - 9 minutes 40 seconds]

[Updating the Dungeon Board records.]

[Would you like to register your name?]

Notifications sounded while he examined the [Philosopher’s Stone].

[Your name will be recorded as ??? on the Dungeon Board.]

[The Dungeon Board records have been updated.]

[1st: ??? (2 members) 9 minutes 40 seconds]

[2nd: Kerga’s Party (4 members) 17 minutes 37 seconds]

[3rd: Lycan’s Party (4 members) 19 minutes 31 seconds]

[Congratulations.]

[You have reached first place on the Dungeon Board.]

[You have obtained the title - Wielder of Elements.]

“Whoa...!”

As the notification sounded, light flared around the two of them, making Ruen cry out in surprise.

[The new Dungeon Board record is under 10 minutes.]

[Your astonishing hunt will amaze everyone.]

[The title’s effects are changing.]

[Wielder of Elements is changing to Elementalist.]

The white light turned into a five-colored radiance.

[The clearing party has been confirmed to consist of 2 members.]

[This hunt has reached a level of greatness.]

[Adventurers will hear of this unprecedented record.]

[The title’s effects are changing.]

[Elementalist → Ruler of Elements.]

‘The final description is different from the one at the Goblin Nest.’

He felt a little disappointed, but even that faded when he saw Ruen’s astonished expression.

‘Some things are meant to be kept for yourself, and others are meant to be shared.’

[Ruler of Elements]

▶ Grade: Heroic

▶ Description: A title awarded for taking first place in the field dungeon - Alchemist’s Laboratory time attack with a party of two or fewer.

▶ All stats +5

▶ Trait: Five Elements - Resistance to natural elements +15%

▶ Skill: Element - Imbue your equipment with an element.

▶ Skill: Barrier - Create a shield of the same element applied with the Element skill.

‘Barrier... Is that what Sig Elric used?’

It had only one Trait, but no fewer than two skills.

‘Even if there’s only one, monsters with elemental attributes become more common the closer you get to the central continent... Resistance Traits are incredibly rare.’

And this covered all natural elements, not just one.

[The effects of the Hunter of Swiftness title increase upon setting a new time attack record.]

▶ All stats +5 → 10

▶ Trait: Swiftness - Physical speed +10% → 15%

▶ Skill: Acceleration - Increases physical speed to 2.5 times normal for 1 → 3 seconds.

‘Incredible.’

The endless flood of notifications left Woojin almost dazed.

“Wow... What is all this?”

Ruen seemed every bit as surprised.

“What do you think?”

“What do I think...? It’s amazing!! Look!”

Her eyes sparkling, she drew her bowstring.

WHOOSH...!!

At that moment, flames sprang from the arrowhead.

“This is the enchantment magic I’ve always used. It lets me imbue a weapon with an element.”

“And?”

“If I use Element from the title on top of this...”

WHOOOOSH!!

Amazingly, the flames around the arrowhead spread along the entire shaft in an instant.

“This isn’t just a fire arrow.”

“Hmm?”

“I haven’t simply strengthened the fire element. I’ve added wind to it.”

“Wind?”

Woojin’s eyes widened at her words.

“Are you saying you’ve stacked two elemental enchantments?”

“Yes. As long as the elements don’t oppose each other, I can double-enchant.”

“Huh...”

‘That’s an unexpected bonus.’

Her answer brought an involuntary smile to Woojin’s face.

Most monsters in [Evil Tale] had weaknesses to at least two elements.

Undead, for example, were vulnerable not only to holy attacks but also to fire.

This was intended to prevent particular classes from becoming mandatory for monster hunting, but what mattered was what came next.

‘Elemental attack damage is calculated separately.’

Woojin looked at the fire arrow Ruen had created.

‘If she can double-enchant, her arrows can now deal fire damage and wind damage simultaneously.’

If combining two elements let her deal twice the damage, their hunting speed would rise accordingly.

Woojin smiled in satisfaction.

“Wow... Master. Look over here!!”

Ruen spoke as she gazed at a wall cabinet packed with books behind Sig Elric’s corpse.

“What is it?”

“This is incredible! It’s a third-grade spellbook!”

Pulling a spellbook from the cabinet, she exclaimed with childlike delight.

‘An elf through and through. She certainly loves magic.’

Of course, quite apart from her delight, a third-grade spellbook was immensely valuable in its own right.

‘They said the spells mages learn when they reach level 50 and head to the central continent are fifth-grade.’

That meant a third-grade spellbook contained high-level magic that could only be learned at level 70 or above, at the very least.

“Can you learn it?”

Ruen gave a rueful smile at his question.

“No. That’s impossible.”

“Not impossible. With your potential, once your Mana Vessel Disease is cured, you could learn first-grade spells, never mind third-grade.”

“Thank you for saying so.”

Unaware of her own level cap, she could only assume he was trying to comfort her.

“Hmm.”

Woojin examined the books in the cabinet.

[You cannot own items other than dungeon rewards.]

Activation Phrase: Fos Nara

Grade: Third Grade

Description: Known as the White-Light Projectile, this lethal spell unleashes fierce flames accompanied by an intense light.

FLIP-FLIP.

Woojin quickly skimmed the book.

The spellbook was genuine, complete with actual contents.

But as the notification indicated, learning from it was impossible.

Within the game, the books in the cabinet were merely decorations.

‘Well, if that weren’t the case, every mage would come rushing here.’

“Would it be different in reality?”

Not that it applied to him, since he had no Magical Power anyway.

“Well, there’s something more important than this.”

[Would you like to inspect the reward chest?]

Now came the real prize.

Of the three dungeons in the Dark Forest, the [Alchemist’s Laboratory] had been cleared the fewest times.

It had been designed for party hunting, but beginners already had trouble coordinating with one another. Having to consider elements as well doubled the difficulty.

It was called a graveyard for beginners, and aside from major clans attempting time attacks, hardly anyone visited.

‘It’s an unusual dungeon. It’s actually been cleared fewer times than the Labyrinth Tower on the central continent.’

Fewer clears also meant less was known about the place.

“... Huh?”

Woojin’s gaze flickered as he opened the chest’s lid.

▶ Laboratory Outfit x 1

▶ Laboratory Glasses x 1

▶ Ordinary Potion x 2

▶ 50 silver

The [Laboratory Outfit] and [Laboratory Glasses] were merely cosmetic equipment, so they were not particularly important.

The final drop, however, was beyond anything Woojin had imagined.

▶ Brimming Philosopher’s Stone

‘A Philosopher’s Stone... drops here?’

Woojin picked up the jade-colored stone from inside the chest.

Name: Brimming Philosopher’s Stone

Grade: B

Description: The fruit of alchemist Sig Elric’s lifelong research, and the reason for his expulsion from the association.

Rumor has it that Association Head Rahad expelled him because he coveted it.

Can be obtained by defeating Sig Elric before he summons his creatures.

▶ Use to form a contract with one randomly selected golem.

▶ Use to learn Lesser Alchemy.

This golem contract was precisely what made the [Philosopher’s Stone] so popular.

‘But what’s this?’

Like the core stone he had obtained at the [Goblin Nest], this [Philosopher’s Stone] had a modifier attached to its name.

‘This is no ordinary stone.’

After all, as far as he knew, a [Philosopher’s Stone] was a C-grade item.

‘Something from the Dark Forest is higher-grade than an item that drops on the eighth floor of the Labyrinth Tower...’

Woojin read the description at the bottom of the window.

▶ All of Sig Elric’s summoned creatures remain inside the Philosopher’s Stone without having been summoned.

▶ When used, the [Brimming] effect provided by these creatures raises the contracted golem’s grade by one tier.

▶ Contracted creature changes from Golem → Guardian.

“Guardian?”

It was a name he had never heard before.