Chapter 7

◈ Chapter 7. Class Quest (2)

[Name: Grangpel Claudius Arpeus Romeo]

[Class: Demon Hunter]

[Level: 67]

[Stats]

Strength: 23 / Agility: 28 / Magic: 18 / Luck: 2

[Available Points: 0]

Fortunately, Grangpel's sharp mind remembered the previous stats accurately.

Thanks to this, the changes in stats were immediately apparent.

[Stats]

Strength: 25 / Agility: 30 / Magic: 18 / Luck: 2

[Available Points: 0]

Strength and Agility had increased by 2 points each.

...Is this really acceptable?

The increase is so significant.

A 4-point stat boost.

It's as if my level had increased by 4.

But it's not that simple.

‘My level hasn’t actually changed.’

I am now four steps ahead of players at the same level.

Or even more.

Consider the price of items that boost stats.

‘Just a 1-point increase costs millions, and the price per point skyrockets beyond that.’

This might be a reward that even my annual salary from my previous job couldn’t match.

But that’s not all.

I was startled as I looked at the quest window.

─Train your weakened body. (Repeat)

The quest that boosted my stats is a repeatable quest.

Of course, the reward for the quest might not be the same as before.

But if I can increase my stats by even 1 point through training...!

This is a quest I need to repeat whenever possible.

At this point, it made sense.

Starting a class quest alone could make a knight and even put you in contention for the top rankings.

I looked at the quest window.

─Defeat a demon. (Success)

─Train your weakened body. (Repeat)

‘If the first quest reward is this much...’

What kind of rewards await for the linked quests?

It’s only natural to expect something.

‘No, I can’t do that.’

But I didn’t allow myself to expect anything.

This was entirely my own will, not influenced by Grangpel.

Great expectations lead to great disappointment.

Yes, I can’t forget my place.

...But can’t I just be purely happy for a moment? I’ve suffered so much! The aftereffects of the grueling training over the past week still lingered in my body.

However, I didn’t show any emotion.

My shirt and slacks, drenched in sweat.

My legs, ready to collapse at any moment.

But I got up from my seat without a moment’s hesitation.

This perfectly expressed the dark history of me, Lee Ho-yul, as Grangpel.

What’s the point of pride if I can’t express anything honestly?

I thought about it and decided to stop thinking.

It’s just a phase, right?

...

My stats had increased.

There was no additional effect like the complete elimination of physical fatigue.

So...

When I returned home, I had to prepare a meal with hands that trembled like a seizure.

The menu was impeccable.

Chicken breast and fresh vegetables.

A very high-quality meal, complemented by rye bread.

The problem was the cutting.

Chop, chop—

I looked at the unevenly sliced vegetables.

And then I said boldly,

“Sometimes, a unique preparation isn’t bad.”

Holding a particularly crooked piece of carrot, I continued,

“This looks like the stars in the night sky.”

What can I say.

It feels like I’m getting more and more shameless.

But this is something I need to adapt to.

As I said, what else can I do but spit on my face?

...But I should at least have an excuse.

This menu, which I used to finish in 5 minutes.

I cut the rye bread in half and put the chicken breast salad inside.

I could have had a simple sandwich.

But I held a fork and knife in both hands and had a very elegant meal.

Despite my trembling biceps, I spilled the chicken breast salad on the table.

“...Murder.”

Even a small mistake was not allowed by my pride.

“Apparently, there was some pesticide left on this part.”

I had to seriously consider this.

‘...Maybe I can say I hit my head?’

It’s not like I’m shooting a stand-up comedy show!

Still, it’s better to be pitied than to be seen as crazy, right?

After the meal, with no one watching, I immediately picked up the pile of paper on the table.

It contained the concepts of magic I had written down while watching NetTube videos.

Even though I wrote it, it’s ridiculous every time I read it.

‘What’s even more ridiculous is that I understand it.’

──────

Magic is not about creating something from nothing.

It involves 『Exploring』 an object.

Interfering with the object.

And 『Manifesting』 it.

Most magic starts with exploring and interfering with mana. Magic power significantly influences the exploration and interference of mana...

──────

It was quite convincing.

Not just a simple ‘skill,’

but a real concept of 『Magic』 might exist.

‘Well, I don’t know if I’ve understood it correctly, but...’

I had understood the process of 『Exploring』 and 『Interfering』 just by watching the videos.

But I still couldn’t 『Manifest』 magic.

Even though I had invested points in magic power, it was insufficient to manifest magic in the NetTube videos.

‘The mage in the video was almost level 300.’

His magic power was likely similar.

Of course, it could be due to a lack of magic power.

Or it could be a defense mechanism to maintain my pride.

There was no way to know with my current state.

It would be unreasonable to hope my magic power would reach that level.

Ultimately, I had to delve into easier magic to the level of 『Exploring』 and 『Interfering』.

‘Studying something I’ve never done before...’

It took four days to analyze one magic from the video.

My head already hurt thinking about analyzing another.

But my actions were without hesitation.

I replayed the video on NetTube and started writing on a blank piece of paper.

“Once I get used to it, the time will shorten.”

I sincerely hoped this confidence wasn’t just bravado.

*

8:00 PM.

International Organization, Anti Arcana United.

The lights in the AAU Korea branch office were still on.

“...Damn, Thursday.”

This overtime occurred every Thursday.

Seong Hyun-joon was flat on his desk.

Every Thursday, he longed for the past.

The days when Arcana was just a game.

“Where are you, my work-life balance?!”

The prelude to the world’s best virtual reality game, the Arcana continent.

When I got a job at ‘Cosmo,’ the company that developed Arcana.

It felt like I had the world in my hands.

What kind of company was Cosmo?

CEO, Raymond Shen, a proponent of work-life balance.

Yet, he paid the highest salaries in the industry.

It was a dream job for every developer.

But everything changed when the CEO went missing.

Arcana was no longer a game but a reality.

Cosmo’s closure was just a matter of time.

From executives to janitors.

All Cosmo employees, except the missing CEO, were frequent visitors to courts around the world.

After a long trial, the verdict was insufficient evidence.

And now.

“...Raymond, if I ever get my hands on you, you’re dead.”

Seong Hyun-joon was forced to work at the AAU Korea branch.

Sure, I should be grateful.

In this job market, getting a position in a public company is a blessing.

Especially a job that allows me to contribute to international peace using my experience.

But gratitude and resentment are separate emotions.

Seong Hyun-joon asked the senior colleague next to him,

“Senior, there won’t be any new updates this week, right?”

“I hope not.”

“Since there’s no announcement by 8 PM, it’s probably not happening, right?”

New updates.

This is another way to describe Arcana’s encroachment on reality.

The images of Arcana overlaying the real world.

There’s no better way to describe it than as a new update.

Naturally, Seong Hyun-joon and his colleagues couldn’t know if an update was coming.

“You never know. His whims are so unpredictable.”

Only Raymond might know.

That’s just a guess.

Raymond must still be alive.

The evidence is the official Arcana website, which has been operating normally.

Thanks to the Arcana website, the world knows the players’ levels and rankings.

It also knows which players have cleared which rifts and can distribute rewards accordingly.

The website is what keeps the world running.

What was he thinking?

Seong Hyun-joon scratched his head.

“Raymond, that guy... No, is he even human? Anyway, why is he doing this? Just a bad habit? Making us work overtime every Thursday? Still treating Arcana as a service?”

But his grumbling didn’t last long.

Sighs erupted from all over the office.

“Damn, there’s an update!”

“Really? I had a day off planned for tomorrow.”

“I can’t take this. I’m writing a resignation letter and going to find Raymond.”

Yes, it had been about a month since the last update.

Seong Hyun-joon slowly got up and connected to the official Arcana website.

Sure enough, the update log was uploaded to the website, as his colleagues had said.

The author, of course, was Raymond.

“...What the hell?”

“Is this for real?”

“No way, is Raymond out of his mind?!”

The people reading the update log were shocked.

This was an update that made no sense.

『A new demon is coming to your side.

New rift, ‘The Count’s Castle’ has been added.

New named monster, ‘Count Ascura’ : Lv.430

New rift, ‘The Count’s Estate’ has been added.

New monsters have been added.

‘Count Ascura’s Lieutenants’ : Lv.390

‘Count Ascura’s Knights’ : Lv.350

‘Count Ascura’s Soldiers’ : Lv.300

New rift, ‘The Outskirts of the Estate’ has been added.

New monsters have been added.

‘Blood-soaked Beasts’ : Lv.220~Lv.250

‘Blood-soaked Bandits’ : Lv.230』

“Count Ascura is already out?”

A named monster at level 430.

The current top-ranked player, Scall, is only level 401.

A 30-level gap.

Moreover, Count Ascura is a demon-type monster.

A growth-type monster.

With devastating status effects.

Considering the characteristics of demons released into the real world...

“...Senior, this update isn’t meant to be cleared, is it?”

The new rifts are impossible to clear.

“Right. This is just a call to sit back and watch.”

If this were an update from the game era, it wouldn’t matter.

Players would complain about the balance patch.

They might get a bit of flak.

But eventually, players would die dozens or hundreds of times and figure out a strategy.

But this is reality.

Where death is permanent.

And if the rift isn’t cleared, the terrifying demon will be released into the real world.

A terrifying reality.

Ding, ding—

Phones started ringing all over the place.

But no one answered.

They all realized the severity of the situation.

“...Would even the top players struggle to clear it?”

“Even if they try, it won’t be easy. As you know, demons can’t be defeated by sheer numbers.”

“What if we get help from the NPCs in the magic tower...?”

“The NPCs would have to move. According to the setting, the mages in the magic tower only move when the tower is in danger. They won’t move even if the world is destroyed, as long as the tower is safe.”

Seong Hyun-joon said,

“Then, let’s set aside the count for now. What about the other monsters?”

“We’d need a guild, or even a coalition, to even attempt it.”

“There are solutions. We can level up by hunting the lesser monsters in the outskirts or the estate rifts and then challenge the castle rift where the count is.”

“Hmm, will there be enough time? The rifts might collapse before we’re ready.”

“...”

Seong Hyun-joon was at a loss for words.

Is there really no solution?

What will happen to us if there isn’t?

Ding, ding—

“Let’s answer the phone first.”

Seong Hyun-joon, with a dazed expression, picked up the phone.

The voice of an excited reporter came through the receiver.

But he couldn’t focus.

“...I’m sorry, I have nothing to say at the moment.”

*

Early morning.

“?”

My vision flickered as I sat at the table, filling out the paper.

“!”

[Class Quest: Prelude to the Counterattack]

O last demon hunter.

Inform the demons that the time for counterattack has come.

─Defeat a demon. (Success)

─Train your weakened body. (Repeat)

─Hunt a vampire. (In Progress) ▼

Vampires.

I put down my pen.

“A lowly race is interfering with my precious time.”

I muttered quietly.

“I will hold you accountable and punish you severely.”