Chapter 25
[Special Skill ‘Repetition’ - Obtained 0-star.]
“…Huh?”
-…Hm?
Both of them exclaimed in surprise at the unexpected result.
“It’s a more normal name than I thought. Cooking at home - 0-star, Taking a nap - 0-star. I thought something like that would come up.”
-…Apologies to all the unemployed nationwide. But why repetition? What does it have to do with me… Ah.
“Ah.”
At the same time, both of them realized. It was about where this keyword ‘repetition’ came from.
“Regression!”
-Yeah, that’s all it could be. Life was repeated. Something like that, I guess.
Cheonma narrowed his eyes. As expected, his regression was clearly deeply connected to this game called Lasean.
-These Lasean guys, is this how it works? Alright, I’ll stake everything on this game and clear it completely. Definitely!
“Well, even though you don’t have a body, sir, your ambition is impressive.”
-…The Behind the Scenes and the player are in sync. If you clear it, it’s like I clear it too, right?
“That’s right. Then, let’s first check the skill given by the sync.”
Feels good.
The moment he saw the name ‘Repetition,’ he felt it! This was similar to ‘Unlocking’ skills.
As soon as Karpe opened his status window…
Ching.
[Congratulations. You have obtained a 0-star skill, the first in the server. The title ‘First 0-star skill’ is awarded.]
[The title ‘Two Firsts’ has been converted to ‘Three Firsts.’]
“Wow. That’s right, this existed!”
The titles awarded when he first obtained a 0-star Behind the Scenes and a 10-star skill were also given when he obtained the 0-star skill, of course.
[First 0-star skill]
• Skill points are given +1 per level up. (Retroactive)
• The level of the ‘Repetition - 0-star’ skill also increases each time the player levels up. (Retroactive)
[Three Firsts]
• All stats +33
The options of the titles were the same as those obtained previously.
It was insanely good news.
-I’ve been playing games for over 10 years, and I’ve never heard of a title with +33 to all stats. This level of title makes even a 0-star skill forgivable trash.
“Well, it’s time to check it out from now on.”
Phew.
Karpe took a deep breath and checked the skill window.
[Repetition - 0-star]
• Repeats.
That was the end of the description.
“…Are they kidding?”
• The explanation is disgustingly unfriendly, is this guy similar to unlocking?
“No, there’s a limit to being unfriendly.”
Isn’t this a bit too much? Unlocking at least had some explanations using Chinese characters.
“What exactly is it repeating?”
-We’ll have to find out from now on. First, let’s experiment with various things against monsters.
“Sigh, alright. Hopefully, something will come up as we roll along.”
Exhaling a sigh, Karpe and Cheonma set off from the city.
Just a little past the east gate of the port city of Luana, a long stretch of beautiful beach unfolds.
It’s the first hunting ground encountered in the mainland, the “Luana Beach.”
Due to Luana being a port city, nearby monsters are mainly aquatic creatures.
Giant snails, giant crabs, sea crocodiles, sea turtles, and more.
And the most powerful monster at Luana Beach, excluding the field boss, was the “Merman” that Karpe was hunting now.
“Lightning Arrow!”
“Squawk!”
Thud.
[You have defeated the Merman!]
[Level up! Bonus stats have been granted.]
Of course, even though it might be considered the most powerful monster at Luana Beach, to Karpe, it was just a one-hit kill monster, nothing more or less.
“The Merman is also a one-hit kill.”
-The stat powerhouse packed lightning into a water-attribute mob, of course, it’s a one-hit kill. Even if it’s considered the strongest here, it’s a mob that isn’t even level 20.
The monsters Karpe had defeated on the beach so far were five. Without exception, they all resulted in a one-hit kill.
“I’m using magic for the first time, but it’s better than I thought.”
A 3-star skill, Elemental Arrow.
It was a higher-tier skill than the 1-star skill Magic Arrow, allowing the user to imbue desired attributes into the arrow.
“Even though the taste in my hands is lacking, it certainly pleases the eye.”
-There’s a reason why wizards are a popular profession. Anyway, that’s not important right now.
“Well, that’s true.”
Karpe furrowed his brow. He couldn’t even grasp a clue about ‘Repetition.’
“I’ve tried everything I can think of.”
Using the skill ‘Repetition’ repeatedly.
Repeating to kill the same monster.
Saying ‘Repetition!’ to monster corpses, and so on.
No matter what he did, the repetition skill remained steadfast.
-It’s hard to get full on the first sip. Don’t be too hasty, it’s still the beginning.
“Understood. I’ll try a little more for now.”
And so, for about an hour.
Unfortunately, Karpe’s research on ‘Repetition’ didn’t yield any significant results, and in the meantime, he reached level 12.
“Sigh. I really don’t know.”
-I don’t see any progress for the time being. It’s better to focus on completing the quest now.
“I guess that’s better. Where should we look?”
Karpe opened the quest window to check the details.
[Artifact of the Sorcerer King]
[Category: Job Scenario, Mainstream]
[Quest Requirement: The one who inherits the will of the Sorcerer King]
[Discovered the secret of the Sorcerer King and Arklam in the starting city, Rayshin. To confront the impending crisis, one must grow stronger.]
[Head to “Geas” in the port city of Luana to learn about the Sorcerer King’s legacy.]
[Success: Intermediate Skill Pack x1, Linked to the next quest]
[Failure: All quests related to Arklam disappear, Mainstream questline destroyed]
“It seems like we need to find an NPC named Geas.”
Karpe glanced at the quest window again. With only the name of the NPC “Geas” provided, there was no information about their location.
“This isn’t like searching for Mr. Kim in Seoul. To find an NPC with just a name in such a vast city… Do you happen to know, Hyung?”
-Naturally, I don’t. Even though I’m a NPC, I don’t remember all the NPC names and locations. Unless that NPC is extremely important.
“I suppose so. I just thought I’d ask.”
As Karpe had experienced before, the organization known as Arklam was akin to a secret society. So, it was highly likely that the NPC Geas was hiding somewhere.
“Indeed, it seems like an advanced quest of mythical-class.”
For an ordinary player, it might have been a situation to grumble, saying “What kind of unfriendly game is this?” But…
“It’s intriguing.”
The hardcore gamer chuckled.
Although it might be a tough journey, the rewards earned through hard work also had their own flavor.
To cut to the chase, Lasé wasn’t that unfriendly after all.
“Geas? Ah, that gravedigger Geas!”
“If you mean that old man, he’ll be at the communal cemetery outside the west gate. He comes down to our store to buy necessities once every few months, so I know him well.”
Ding.
[Information updated.]
[NPC ‘Geas’ location marked on the mini-map.]
Upon returning to the city, Karpe entered a general store in the eastern commercial district and asked the owner about Geas.
And the kind shopkeeper promptly provided Karpe with the correct answer.
As someone who was prepared to find a needle in a haystack in the desert, it was a somewhat anticlimactic conclusion for Karpe.
“A bit anticlimactic.”
-It’s better if it’s solved easily. What are you disappointed about? The more easily it’s solved, the better. The more perverted you seem the more you look at it.
“This kind of thing has the romance of exploration, you know.”
-The guy who thinks finding NPCs in town is exploration must be only you. We’ve got a long way to go, so let’s get moving quickly.
The port city of Luana was divided into three main areas.
The eastern commercial district, the southern port area, and the central lord’s castle.
The western and northern areas were largely undeveloped due to the giant mountains blocking them, so people rarely traveled there.
Therefore, essential but avoided facilities such as garbage dumps and communal cemeteries were located in the west and north.
Karpe’s destination was the communal cemetery in the west.
Although it was the farthest from the eastern commercial district, fortunately, warp NPCs were stationed at each gate, allowing quick travel between them.
-It’s a natural measure. It’s not just a city, it’s Beijing. Who would play a game where it takes an hour to move around the city?
For that reason, Karpe was able to arrive at the western gate in no time using the warp at the eastern gate.
“Let’s see, the mini-map…”
Karpe activated the mini-map. The communal cemetery wasn’t far from the western gate. Karpe hurriedly set off towards the gate.
About five minutes had passed since he started following the path shown on the mini-map.
“There it is.”
Anyone would think it was a communal cemetery.
A row of countless graves and a two-story wooden house built nearby. Karpe headed straight for the wooden house without further ado.
Creak.
“Pardon me. Huh?”
The moment Karpe stepped into the wooden house, the scent of lemons tickled his nose. It was such a strong smell that his mouth instinctively salivated.
“Hehe. Is the smell a bit strong? Understandable. There’s nothing like this to erase the smell of corpses.”
While Karpe was momentarily taken aback by the lemon scent, an old man descended from the second floor and spoke to him.
Despite the deep wrinkles and snowy white hair, he had a kindly demeanor.
“You must be looking for Geas, the gravedigger. A rare visitor. So, what brings you here? Are you here to commission a grave?”
“Oh… Oh!”
However, Karpe’s pondering was ultimately meaningless.
While Lasé boasted a reality akin to real life, the game was still just a game.
While the unfamiliar visitor hesitated, NPC Geas was the first to react.
“I greet the descendant of the Sorcerer King,” Geas said, kneeling on one knee.
“Oh? How so?”
“Hehe. Could someone affiliated with Arklam not recognize it?”
Geas’s gaze was directed towards the legendary gloves Karpe was wearing, the “Enigma.”
And in that moment…
Ding.
[You have completed the Quest “Artifact of the Sorcerer King.”]
[Intermediate Skill Pack received. Check your inventory.]
[Linked Quest “Artifact of the Sorcerer King (2)” initiated.]
“Oh.”
Karpe let out a short exclamation upon seeing the quest notification pop up so easily.
Of course, whether he said anything or not, Geas, as a programmed NPC, had fulfilled his assigned task.
“I am pleased to be able to pass on the legacy that has been continued since ancient times. The artifact left by the Sorcerer King is not far from here.”
“Where is it?”
“It is at the central point of the communal cemetery, known as ‘Ruana’s Pit.’”
Ding.
[Artifact of the Sorcerer King (2)]
[Category: Job Scenario, Mainstream]
[Quest Requirement: The one who inherits the will of the Sorcerer King]
[Discovered the location of the Sorcerer King’s legacy from Geas in Luana. Retrieve the Sorcerer King’s artifact located in “Ruana’s Pit.”]
[Success: Obtain the first artifact of the Sorcerer King, proceed to the linked quest “Artifact of the Sorcerer King (2).”]
[Failure: All quests related to Arklam disappear, Mainstream questline destroyed.]
“Huh?”
As Karpe read through the quest notification, he was taken aback.
“The Sorcerer King’s artifact isn’t just one?”
Considering the linked quest reward mentioned “Sorcerer King’s Second Artifact,” it was a solid guess.
The item obtained from the first quest in the starting city was the legendary Enigma gloves.
And surely, the artifact they were about to retrieve would also be at least a legendary item.
While the second artifact quest could be the end, who knew if there would be a third or fourth.
-Of course not, you shameless fellow. Legendary items aren’t just like Vienna sausages, and they wouldn’t come out in succession like that.
“Well, there might be an Epic or Mythic one mixed in there somewhere?”
-Let’s just stop talking. Talking to a shameless guy like you makes me feel like my insides are going to burst.
In truth, while Cheonma was joking, he also believed it was a possibility.
Anything could happen in a “mythical” grade item.
Karpe blinked and said to Geas with a glint in his eyes.
“I’ll go right away.”
“Hehe, I understand your urgency, but please calm down for a moment. Preparation is necessary.”
Geas’ explanation was as follows:
“Ruana’s Pit” was originally an undisclosed location where Arklam secretly guarded the Sorcerer King’s artifacts.
At that time, there were neither countries nor cities in that place, so Geas’ family had secretly managed it for generations.
However, about 150 years ago, the city of Luana suddenly appeared there, and the lord of that place designated this location as a communal cemetery.
“The problem started then. The Sorcerer King’s artifacts contained powerful mana, and as corpses began to pile up around them, the undead began to surge.”
Arklam was in chaos.
The dormant sanctuary of the Sorcerer King had become a den of the undead, which was a natural consequence.
But a mere secret society had no way to oppose a metropolis, so they resorted to the means of getting a job as a gravedigger.
“That’s how we came to manage the communal cemetery… But at some point, the atmosphere inside the ruins became so dense with death energy that we couldn’t dare to enter.”
“Couldn’t you have moved the artifacts before it got to that point?”
“Hehe, that’s not possible. There is a magic spell cast that would cause anyone unqualified to touch the artifact to perish.”
“Ah, I see.”
Karpe nodded his head.
An explanation followed about a ruined site where treasure lay dormant due to the aura of death.
By now, Karpe could anticipate what Geas would say.
“With a few materials, I can craft an artifact to ward off the death energy.”
A quest to create something for entry into somewhere.
It was a classic RPG cliché.
“As an example, let’s talk about a place known as a symbol of purification from the ocean. Please bring materials imbued with the power of the sea.”
Ding.
[Artifact of the Sorcerer King (2)-1]
[Discovered the Sorcerer King’s ruins, but unfortunately, they were permeated with the aura of the undead. Obtain materials to purify the aura.]
[Essence of the Sea (0/1) obtained (In Progress)]
[Mermaid Scales (4/20) obtained (In Progress)]
[Success: Gain entry to the Sorcerer King’s ruins]
[Failure: Undead monsters within “Ruana’s Pit” have their stats increased by 3 times]
“Mermaid scales might be easy to find, but the Essence of the Sea might prove more challenging.”
-Essence of the Sea is dropped by ocean monsters at a low rate. Alternatively, it can be obtained through harvesting skills…
The problem was that Karpe didn’t have harvesting skills.
For now, his only option was to aim for dropped items.
“Understood. I’ll go get them right away.”
[Quest accepted.]
Karpe exited the cabin immediately after accepting the quest.
“Alright, let’s head back to the beach! But before that…”
-Before that?
“We need to check the rewards first.”
Karpe opened his inventory. There, a card pack labeled ‘New!’ had appeared.
[Intermediate Skill Pack]
[Upon opening, obtain skill cards ranging from 2 to 8 stars.]
*This item cannot be traded.
“Is this how skills are usually obtained?”
-No, quests that reward skills are rare.
You can obtain skills by defeating monsters or completing quests. The problem is that the drop rate is usually abysmal.
So, does that mean you have to rely on the skills you learned during your job change to reach max level? Of course not.
-Usually, you can obtain skills through leveling up. After a job change, you receive a skill pack every 5 levels.
“I see.”
15, 20, 25…
Every multiple of 5 levels, a skill pack is given in the inventory. Most players obtain skills through this route.
-Of course, the skill that appears is random. The probability of getting a skill suitable for your job is slightly higher, but it’s still random.
“So if you get a skill that doesn’t match your job or combat style, can you sell it?”
-That’s also random. Some skill cards from opening skill packs can be traded, while others cannot. Generally, the untradable ones are more common, about 8 to 2.
“What a game of randomness.”
-Anyway, if you get a tradeable top-tier skill, its price skyrockets.
“Now I have a rough idea of the system.”
With that said, Karpe took out the skill pack from his inventory.
“But looking at this skill pack, it seems like there are multiple cards inside. How many skill cards are in there?”
-5 cards.
“Huh? That’s more than I expected. What a bargain…”
-You just have to pick one card out of the 5.
“…This game is like a scam.”
It sure seems like it.
Karpe sighed deeply.
Well, if skills were handed out so generously, there wouldn’t be a reason for skills to be expensive.
“Okay, let’s do this.”
The material of Lasé’s skill card pack felt like the vinyl from his childhood TCG days. As Karpe tore open the pack, he shouted:
“My turn! Draw!”
-Crazy guy.
Pop!
With a short flash, 5 cards floated into the air from the card pack.
Five cards with a brown background and a yellow ‘?’ mark. Karpe checked the other side just in case, but it also had a ‘?’ mark.
-They’re all the same, so just pick one.
“Hmm…”
Sure enough, there was supposed to be a skill ranging from 2 to 8 stars.
The higher the grade, the more abysmal the probability, so realistically, a 4 or 5-star skill would be the best.
“I should approach this with a mindset of avoiding only 2 or 3-star skills to keep my sanity intact.”
Karpe muttered to himself as he selected the second card from the left.
“You’re the chosen one!”
At that moment, the ‘?’ mark on the card disappeared, revealing its true identity.
Ding.
[Congratulations! Obtained a 2-star skill card – ‘Charge Arrow’!]
Karpe’s mind exploded.
“…”
-Wow, that’s amazing! Getting a 2-star from an intermediate skill pack is not an easy feat.
“No, this can’t be real. It’s a scam, isn’t it?”
He had resolved to avoid only 2 or 3-star skills, and yet a 2-star skill popped out like a ghost?
-Your idea of a scam is the level of scam you’ve been pulling off until now. This is just a normal occurrence.
“Wow, unbelievable. Is this it?”
-Of course it is. Once you choose one card, the rest evaporate… Huh?
Cheonma’s eyes blinked in confusion.
-What’s going on here?
Surprisingly, the four cards were still floating in the air.
“What happened?”
-This, this can’t be happening, right? Skill packs disappear once you choose one.
But the cards in front of them showed no signs of disappearing. Karpe furrowed his brow and picked another card.
And at that moment…
Ding.
[Skill activated.]
[Would you like to repeat?]
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