Chapter 22
Upon reaching level 10, every player is granted the qualification to leave Layscene.
However, it’s not mandatory to leave immediately. Players could stay in Layscene until they reached 99% of level 10 experience.
Once reaching level 10, players could speak to an NPC named ‘Kedlak,’ the village chief in the central mansion of the town. He would then send them to the homeland where the real game begins.
However, it was rare for players to leave Layscene immediately upon reaching level 10. The majority preferred to stay a little longer.
And the reason was simple.
Thud!
[You have reached level 10. You are now eligible to perform the advanced class change quest assigned by the Backstage.]
“Whoa! Finally, level 10!”
“Now it’s time to change classes, right? What class are you going to choose?”
“Can I choose freely? I’ll just go with whatever the Backstage assigns me.”
“Yeah, that makes sense. Anyway, try to choose a melee class if possible. I’ll go with a ranged class.”
“Oh, then let’s change classes first and see. If there are any special instructions, we’ll discuss them later.”
Level 10 not only symbolized graduation from the beginner zone but also the level at which players could obtain their classes.
It was currently the trend to complete the class change in the beginner city before moving to the homeland.
“Why?”
-Performing the class change quest in the homeland tends to be slightly more difficult. Well, it’s not a significant difference, but people prefer to take the easier route if possible.
“Hmm, I see.”
So, did players immediately move to the homeland after reaching level 10 and changing classes? Not quite. Most players shared a similar mindset.
-When you gain power, you want to wield it.
The class-related skills obtained the moment the class change was complete!
Swordsmanship and magic!
It was incredibly satisfying to see those annoying wolves easily dispatched with a single skill after all the hard work.
-After trying out all those skills, some players move to the homeland, while others really want to finish things off in the beginner city. Just like you right now.
For users who couldn’t be satisfied with just wolves, Layscene had boss monsters.
“Alright, here we are.”
After pushing through the bushes, they arrived at a vast open space. At one end of the open space, there was a large cave opening in a rocky wall.
“We’re recruiting a tank to hunt the Hell Beast! DPS players, stand by!”
“Oh, Healer, please come here. Have you watched the Hell Beast pattern guide video? If not, please take a moment to watch it before coming. We have detailed strategy videos in the guild chat.”
“I’m buying the essence of hellfire at a high price!”
And about half of that vast open space was filled with players. Their lively voices resembled those of a bustling marketplace.
“There are a lot of people here.”
-If you exclude the city, this is the second most crowded place. It’s like a landmark in the beginner zone.
“Where’s the first?”
-You’ve eradicated it. It’s where you did the antler deer quest.
“Ah, I see.”
Karpe nodded. Indeed, there were more players gathered here than at the deer quest, eager to break it.
As Karpe approached the cave, the conversations of the surrounding people became clearer.
“Hey, did you see the video that was uploaded on the forum yesterday? It got the best rating.”
“Oh, that old quest video? Of course I saw it. But when I went to the location shown in the video, there was no NPC.”
“It must be a guerrilla quest, so maybe the NPC location changed. Anyway, who do you think it is? That person is also in the beginner zone right now.”
“Why? What difference does it make if we know?”
“Well, it’s not like we need a specific reason… It would be nice to get along and form a party.”
“Talking about parties. Haven’t you watched the video properly? He can handle everything solo. He’ll easily take down the Hell Beast alone. A party is useless.”
“Oh, that guy. Can’t he speak properly? He’s annoying.”
“Anyway, that high-level player won’t even consider us, so let’s quickly find party members who are at our level. My time is running out.”
“Okay, got it. We need a tank and a healer. Looking for a last dealer!”
Karpe’s expression changed subtly as he listened to the conversation. The celestial being chuckled.
It felt strange to hear his own story from someone else’s mouth. It was a mix of embarrassment and satisfaction.
“Would you like to join a party with the celestial being?”
“…Forget it.”
-Forming a party and then leading the charge when others are in trouble! Just imagine it. Others would be like, ‘Wow! Karpe, how can you be so strong?’ and ‘Please add me as a friend!’ Something like that.
“Ah, I won’t do it! Stop teasing me!”
-And if there’s a female player in the party? She might hesitate to talk to you, blushing at your overwhelming performance… But you, without saying a word, would just smile coolly and leave. It’s like a scene from a novel.
“…Hyung. I really think you’ve read too many novels. Can you cut it out?”
It’s really crazy. How can he casually make such embarrassing descriptions?
-It’s natural for humans to want recognition. There’s no need to hide it forcibly. If you act like a mouse in this situation, what will you do when you become a star later?
“I want to become a celestial being, not a star.”
-That’s what I meant. Wouldn’t Lasae be a star?
“Well, that’s true, but… Anyway, let’s think about the future later.”
The entrance to the cave was blocked by a transparent barrier-like thing. As Karpe touched it, an alert popped up.
[Would you like to enter the dungeon ‘Hell Beast’s Cave’?]
[When a party is formed and enters, all party members will enter together, and the difficulty will be adjusted based on the number of party members.]
*This is a special dungeon. It is a ‘Time Attack Dungeon’ that checks and records clear time.
“A Time Attack Dungeon?”
-Yes. See those pillars over there?
Right next to the cave entrance, there were two large pillars erected, as pointed out by the celestial being. People were also looking for party members around those two pillars.
“We’re recruiting for record-breaking runs. Only those with rare items or special classes can apply for a party.”
“I have a rare dagger that I got after killing wolves. Can I join?”
“Ah, that’s… a bit…”
Near the pillars, the players seemed to have better equipment compared to others. At least one of their weapons or armor looked more impressive.
“It seems like the records are engraved on those pillars.”
-Exactly. When you place your hand on the pillar, the records appear.
Following the celestial being’s words, Karpe placed his hand on the pillar. Immediately, a long window unfolded before his eyes.
[Clear Time Records for the Dungeon ‘Hell Beast’s Cave’]
-For Solo Players
1st place ??? - 1 minute 7 seconds
2nd place TadoTusin - 13 minutes 23 seconds
3rd place Gunter Lauchel - 19 minutes 52 seconds
4th place ??? - 22 minutes 37 seconds
.
.
.
30th place Betodisangse - 45 minutes 19 seconds
-For Party Players
1st place Team Mamon - 11 minutes 9 seconds
2nd place ??? - 12 minutes 7 seconds
.
.
30th place Genesis - 31 minutes 5 seconds
“This is how it works. It’s intuitive and easy to understand.”
The clear times for solo and party play were ranked separately.
As Karpe nodded, about to leave the scoreboard, something happened.
Boom!
“Hey, who cleared it?”
People’s attention started to focus on the entrance of the cave. It seemed like the vibration just now indicated a clear.
Pop!
Right after the vibration, three men appeared with a bright aura.
“Wow! We got it!”
“That damn wolf seemed to tremble a bit when it fell. It felt so satisfying.”
“But seriously, aren’t they stingy with the drop items? Not even a single piece of leather.”
Minsu, Kwangsoo, and Jungsoo.
They were the heroes of the clearing party, commonly known as the 3S among friends.
Ignoring the gazes of the onlookers, the 3S immediately rushed to the clear pillar.
“Hey, hey! What rank did we get? Are we in the top 20?”
“Top 20 is too easy. I think we’re in the top 10… Oh, here it is! 17th place!”
“Haha. In high school, we’ll have the highest rank. The rewards will be sweet.”
“Let’s get our rewards and go straight to the mainland!”
Just as quickly as they appeared, the 3S left. Those who wanted to talk to them were left staring at their backs with blank expressions.
“It seems there are rewards for being ranked?”
-Of course. Well, it’s not that great. If you’re around 17th place, the village chief might throw a few potions your way, and that’s it.
“…It doesn’t sound very rewarding. Then, is it not worth it?”
-Many people actually don’t bother. But, as I said earlier, people have a desire to be recognized by someone.
It’s about having your name and record engraved forever.
While it may not appeal to someone like Karpe, who has less desire for honor, it could be very attractive to someone else.
-Plus, it can serve as a resume. Saying ‘I achieved this record in the beginner zone’ would make it easier to join a major guild.
In any case, for these reasons, users were constantly challenging the Hell Beast.
“But what does ‘???’ mean in the rankings?”
-When you enter the rankings, you can choose whether to make your ID public or not. If it’s private, it shows up as ‘???.’
“I see. And is the current 1st place held by you?”
-Hehe. Did you catch on?
“Well, there’s nothing to catch on to.”
The clear time for solo play was 1 minute and 7 seconds. It was an overwhelming difference compared to the 2nd place.
“Who else but you would achieve such a bug-like record?”
-Indeed, I heard a lot about bugs. Now it’s just a memory.
Two days after Laase opened, while others couldn’t even clear it, anyone who achieved such a record would naturally be suspected of using bugs.
-It’s been half a year, and there’s still no one nearby. The 2nd place did well, relatively speaking.
“2nd place… TadoTusin? It sounds familiar.”
Karpe narrowed his brows, trying to recall who it could be, but ultimately couldn’t remember. Well, with such a vague memory, it was surely nothing significant.
Standing in front of the cave entrance, Karpe was approached by a man.
“Um, would you like to party together?”
The man spoke, glancing briefly at Karpe’s armor. He probably noticed it was rare and decided to strike up a conversation.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I want to try solo.”
“Oh… I see. Solo can be tough. Anyway, I wish you luck in clearing it. If you fail, feel free to find me.”
Despite wishing for a clear, the man showed an attitude that he would never clear.
-We won’t be seeing that guy again.
“Yeah, I guess not.”
Karpe simply chuckled and replied.
[Would you like to enter the Hell Beast’s Cave?]
“Yes.”
[Confirmed as solo play. You will be transported to the dungeon in 5 seconds.]
Five seconds later, Karpe concealed himself from view at the entrance of the cave.
The dungeon was a vast space, with walls and ceiling completely sealed off.
There were no other paths, making it seem like an arena.
[Hell Beast will be summoned in 3 minutes. Prepare for battle.]
That notification appeared right after entry. A timer appeared in one corner, marking the passage of time.
“It seems like a dungeon where you face the boss directly.”
-Yes. There’s nowhere to hide or run. It’s a perfect stage for those who want to test their own strength, isn’t it?
“Definitely.”
With no obstacles and ample space, the intention of the developers to fight as much as possible without variable factors was evident.
“Hya.”
As Karpe called out, a black squirrel popped out of his shadow. It was the effect of the skill ‘Shadow Step’ from Hanyoung.
[Shadow Step - Level 1]
-Allows you to move between the owner’s shadow and the shadows of family members. The maximum distance of movement increases proportionally with the skill level.
It was a skill that allowed Karpe to hide Hanyoung using his shadow.
Seeing him carrying a pet around in the beginner zone would have made it too obvious for other users to ask questions.
“Kyu kyu.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m sorry for putting you in such a cramped place. It was my mistake.”
Karpe petted Hanyoung, who climbed onto his shoulder and acted cute. Then, he equipped the Green Skin Slayer from his inventory.
-Those gloves are definitely a scam item no matter how you look at it. How can you equip another weapon on top of them?
The celestial being shook his head.
Since it was an item with attack power, it was naturally expected to be classified as a weapon. But, what a surprise. The legendary gloves were classified as ‘Auxiliary Items’ like other gloves.
In other words, it was possible to equip another weapon on top of them.
“You already confirmed that when we came here earlier. It’s not something to act surprised about again.”
-It’s so absurd. What kind of auxiliary item has attack power that rivals gauntlets? It’s a game with messed-up balance.
As a result, Karpe currently possessed two weapons equipped for attack power.
While Karpe and the celestial being were grumbling, the remaining time on the timer quickly passed by.
When the timer reached one minute.
Boom.
A magical circle appeared on the cave floor, and a massive monster was summoned.
[Hell Beast, the Guardian of Hell, has been summoned!]
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