Chapter 33

“Raaaagh!!!”

“Goddammit...!!”

“Kill him!!!”

The cave was always noisy with people killing one another, but today was a little different. This was probably the first time the Hyenas inside had ever worked together so closely.

'How...?'

'Why can't I hit him?!'

There had once been a heated debate in the community over a single question.

Did real-world abilities carry over into virtual reality?

The developers said no, since every character started with identical stats. But anyone who had played the game knew better. Even with the same physical abilities, a feel for moving one's body, more efficient use of skills, good judgment, and the ability to learn the game were unquestionably real-world abilities.

Just as someone who practiced kendo in real life handled a sword a little better in the game, and someone who had learned archery was better with a bow.

SLASH!!!

“Aaaaagh!!”

“Guh!!”

And only those who had fought on the brink of death knew what “real” combat was.

“Hah... hah...”

Woojin looked down at the Hyena lying on the ground, panting up at him.

“You... What the hell is that bizarre swordsmanship?”

“What would you do if you knew?”

“You'd better remember this... Do you know why we only use common skills? Because anyone who stands out ends up as prey. You can forget about playing this game in peace from now—”

SLICE.

Woojin casually cut off the man's head.

“Whatever.”

[Achievement unlocked.]

[Achievement: Path of Blood]

▶ Kill 100 people on your first day of killing

[No one has ever accomplished this feat before.]

[Congratulations.]

[Title acquired: Butcher → Mad Demon.]

“Hmm?”

Once he had killed all the murderers outside the boss room, a notification appeared before him.

“Lucky me. I didn't even know this achievement existed.”

Naturally he hadn't. As the notification log had just said, no one had ever accomplished it before.

[Mad Demon]

▶ Grade: Heroic

▶ Description: A title obtained by killing at least 100 people within one day of your first kill

▶ Strength +5

▶ Agility +5

'It doesn't look like much for a Heroic title, but...'

Woojin let out a low exclamation as he read the last lines of the description window.

▶ The effects of the achievement First Murder will change.

▶ The effectiveness of the achievement First Murder increases fourfold.

“This is impressive...”

▶ Experience gained from killing is permanently multiplied by 8.

▶ For one day, you can gain attribute points equal to 1.5 times the number of people killed.

'With this, I really could become a ranker through PK alone.'

He suspected that the title Jangryeong had obtained was Butcher.

Butcher quadrupled the experience gained from killing, but its duration was limited to one month.

'Jangryeong leveled up so fast because he started PKing after moving to the central continent. The players he killed were high-level too, so they must have given plenty of experience.'

Woojin, on the other hand, was still in the beginner area. The raw amount of experience he could gain from killing was nowhere near what Jangryeong had earned.

But the moment the effect became permanent, that changed everything.

'Large-scale wars are frequent on the central continent.'

From guild wars to war quests in the various kingdoms, being able to gain experience through those events, without even resorting to indiscriminate murder, was an enormous advantage.

[Please allocate your remaining points.]

After killing all the Hyenas in the cave, the title's effect had brought his accumulated points to a staggering 150.

'It only lasts a day, but that's as many points as I'd get from thirty levels.'

Woojin laughed before he knew it as he looked at his status window.

[Level: 34]

He quickly allocated his remaining points.

Total Points: 535

“Ha... haha...”

Those were his stats without the additional effects of equipment. In attribute points alone, he was on par with a level 107 player.

[The Red Centipede has respawned.]

[The boss room is being generated.]

At the notifications, the wall crumbled and a new door appeared.

GRRRRIND...

Woojin pushed the door with all his might.

'Even if it's only for a day...'

Right now, he was the strongest on the continent.

* * *

“Where is that bastard?!”

“W-well...”

[The Red Centipede has been defeated.]

[Time until respawn - 60:00]

The notification announcing the Bloodstained Cave's clear rang out to every player in the dungeon.

“Tch...”

'Even now, the others are busy wasting their time on this crap...'

The Bloodstained Cave was a low-level dungeon that didn't even give him experience, but hearing the boss-kill notification still left Colson visibly irritated.

“Peron. You tell me. I can't trust that bastard. Are you sure you caught him?”

“... Pardon?”

“Don't tell me you failed the job and couldn't bring yourself to report it.”

Peron's face turned gray at the question.

“N-no, absolutely not.”

“Listen carefully. I'm the one who introduced you to the Genesis Corps. All you have to do is complete this job, and you'll have powerful backing on the central continent.”

TAP.

Colson jabbed a finger into his shoulder as he spoke.

“But if you can't do the job properly? Then you'll have made the worst enemy possible. Don't even think of setting foot on the central continent.”

“O-of course. My men are inside right now...”

“Then get it right. Understand? Don't try any pathetic tricks! If you failed, saying so is your only chance of at least surviving in the Dark Forest!”

Peron and his men instinctively shrank back at Colson's roar.

“Um...”

Just then, a voice from the cave entrance made Colson turn his head.

“I-I've brought him.”

Behind the man emerging awkwardly from the cave entrance stood Woojin, bound.

“You're the bastard who ran wild at the Orc Citadel?”

Colson roughly shoved aside the man holding the rope and stood before Woojin.

“Do you have any idea what you've done? You had the nerve to ruin the entire quest the Genesis Corps was working on!”

'A quest?'

Woojin cast a sidelong glance at Colson.

'Right... They wouldn't have done something like that for no reason if it weren't a quest.'

Now he understood why the ten great clans hadn't stopped the Genesis Corps from doing such things in the beginner area. To players in the game world, quests mattered more than anything.

“So?”

“... What?”

“What's your point?”

Woojin sighed as he asked, sounding annoyed. There was no need for a lot of pointless explanation.

'That lunatic.'

'Surely he isn't acting like that because he doesn't know?'

Woojin's provocation left Peron and his men on pins and needles.

“You insolent little shit...! Today's the day you quit this game!”

BOOOOM!!!

Colson's fist slammed mercilessly into Woojin's face.

'Holy shit.'

'Rare skills really are different...'

'It's over. Stupid bastard. Thank goodness he died without a fuss.'

Peron and his men exchanged glances and sighed in relief.

“Colson Pawen, the Human Butcher.”

That was when it happened.

“I've seen you on the forums, but the guys on the central continent really are different.”

“...!”

Everyone was stunned by the voice coming from inside the cave.

“I shouldn't be thinking this... but seeing you makes me want to hurry over to the central continent myself.”

“You bastard...”

Colson's expression hardened.

'What? He survived my Crushing Fist?'

This was the beginner area, wasn't it?

His thoughts were thrown into confusion.

SHRRR...!

The Barrier surrounding Woojin's front disappeared.

'What the hell is that?'

With no way of knowing that a player could use Sig Elric's skill, Colson could only glare at the blameless Peron.

“That bastard... Didn't you say he was a Warrior? Then why is he using magic?”

“I-I'm not sure...”

'Damn it, you're the ones who gave us the job! Why the fuck are you asking me?!'

Despite cursing inwardly, Peron could only offer an awkward smile.

“I don't know what trick you pulled, but let's see how long you can keep spouting bullshit. Get that bastard!”

At his shout, the Corps members behind him charged Woojin all at once.

“They've unlocked their second-tier skills. No matter how good you are, you're still just some punk in the beginner area...”

BOOM! BOOM!!!

THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD!!!

Colson's confident expression gradually froze.

“A-aaaaagh!!”

“Guh!!!”

One after another, he saw the charging Corps members disappear with screams.

“I-it burns!!!”

“Shave me...!!”

Footsteps approached, steady and unhurried.

“Hmm. This is pretty useful.”

Woojin emerged from the darkness, examining something with a satisfied smile, as though Colson didn't even exist.

'What... is that?'

Colson couldn't hide his bewilderment at the sight of Woojin.

Flames enveloped his entire body. Despite the tremendous heat, he seemed completely unbothered.

[Centipede Lord]

▶ Grade: Heroic

▶ Description: A title awarded for placing first in the time attack for the field dungeon Bloodstained Cave with a party of two or fewer

▶ All attributes +5

▶ Trait: Grounded Legs - Attack increases by 10% while both feet are touching the ground

▶ Skill: Blazing Flames - Returns a portion of received damage to the attacker and generates flames.

(Can only be used by someone who has consumed the single Red Centipede Heart obtainable through the time attack.)

At first glance, it was merely a counter skill that inflicted fire attacks and reflected damage. But with Woojin's current stats, the reflected damage alone was enough to deal fatal injuries to level 50 players.

“Looks like none of you are wearing armor with resistance stats. Well... who would bother bringing that to deal with some rookie in the beginner area?”

SHUNK.

For the sake of those suffering from the flames covering their bodies, Woojin drove his sword in with all his might.

“Guh... gugh...”

The Corps member's corpse disappeared with a faint cry, leaving only the fire that had clung to his body on the ground.

“Not bad.”

Watching the experience roll in with the death, Woojin turned to Colson.

“How much...”

His eyes were those of a predator sizing up its prey.

“...experience will you give me?”

DING.

[The updated Dungeon Board records will be applied to the stone monument.]

At that moment, a notification sounded.