Chapter 86

◈ Chapter 86. Blooming in the Swamp (3)

The Kingdom of Yusra.

The ancient kingdom, now invested with capital and labor, had transformed into a plausible city. It had become as bustling as the major cities of Arcana in the past.

“Wow, it’s different every day.”

In front of the corner of the Golden Palace Square.

At the Golden Calf Inn, players had gathered.

Back when Arcana was just a game.

They used to spend their time at the inn like this.

“Just being here makes me think of the old days. Don’t you feel the same?”

It was the first time since Arcana became reality and they became players.

Seeing the familiar inn scene made them feel as if they had returned to those days.

“Hey, those mobs? They’re no joke.”

On the large screen hanging on the outer wall of the inn.

The images being played reinforced the fact that this was not a memory but reality.

For the players, and now for the Arcanians who were no longer NPCs.

It was still broad daylight.

Yet, the Shadow Mercenary Corps Commander was drunk.

“Damn. Get that big-headed lump to move.”

Kichi’s hand, holding a drink, trembled.

What had agitated Kichi was the muscle-bound figure blocking the screen.

“Just hit him! And dodge!”

It was Luckyd.

There were many who found his size inconvenient.

“What are they doing, those guys?!!”

“...Man, my ears are ringing.”

“What? Speak up! I can’t hear you!!”

Just with a stern look.

It was impossible to stop Luckyd, who was captivated by modern amenities.

Luckyd picked up a beer and drank it.

Gulp, gulp—

A predator zone where fights never ceased.

Just thinking about it made his throat dry.

Luckyd drained his glass and said,

“Commander! Aren’t we planning to go there?”

“Hic. I won’t take you, you bastard.”

“What, what?! What kind of nonsense is that!”

“Just blocking the whole screen. I’ll do it just to spite him... Hic!”

Thud—

Kichi, drunk, fell onto the table.

“Wait, Commander!!”

Luckyd got up to shake Kichi awake.

“Now I can see something.”

“It’s hard to even describe...”

“Let’s endure. You know his muscle-bound personality well.”

The players shook their heads at Luckyd’s antics.

There was someone who couldn’t raise their head at their behavior.

A fellow Arcanian, like the Shadow Mercenary Corps.

The Explorer’s Guild.

“What a nuisance. I feel my face turning red.”

“No, that’s life. What can you do?”

“Still, it’s a predator zone. I understand the excitement.”

The Explorer’s Guild.

A group of explorers, as the name suggests.

The conditions for joining the guild were simple.

One, be an explorer.

Naturally, any player with the Explorer class would join the Explorer’s Guild.

Explorers needed to explore dangerous areas to level up.

However, their combat abilities were poor compared to combat classes.

The reason explorers have survived so far is due to their information-gathering skills.

“There are many rare things in predator zones.”

Explorers exchange information and help each other, a principle of the guild.

Park Hwi-gang’s eyes sparkled at the explorer’s words.

“You mean the loot that monsters fight over to claim?”

“Well, that’s common knowledge. There are other types of loot too.”

“Other types of loot? In such a swamp?”

“Of course. But, is it because I’ve been talking for so long? My throat is a bit dry~”

Of course, it’s not proper to exchange information without a drink.

When Park Hwi-gang ordered a beer, the explorer’s face lit up.

“Oh, that’s fine. Then I’ll drink it gratefully.”

Gulp—

And he continued in a hushed tone.

“Have you heard of the Herb of Power?”

Herb of Power?

Of course, he knew.

Plants that serve as potion ingredients.

“Right. The herbs commonly thought of as potion ingredients. But that’s just the commonly known effects of the Herb of Power. There are truly rare Herbs of Power, but... well, only a few explorers know about them...”

Trailing off.

It meant there was no suitable snack to go with the beer.

Sure enough, the quick-witted Park Hwi-gang ordered.

“Can I have some chicken too?”

How about it, this is modern snack and beer.

You can’t hold out without giving up some information, right?

Indeed, after tearing into a chicken leg, the explorer started spilling the beans.

“The rare Herb of Power permanently boosts physical abilities.”

“...What? Is that possible?”

“It’s possible, which is why it’s so valuable. The best among them are the Herbs of Power that permanently increase magic power. Once, it was a rumor only among explorers. Finding just one would allow you to live comfortably for months.”

“!”

“In predator zones like this, the chances of finding such rare Herbs of Power are high. For explorers like us, it’s a matter of risking our lives, but the rewards are substantial.”

Permanently boosting physical abilities?

That meant permanently increasing [Stats].

Park Hwi-gang’s mind raced.

‘I don’t know how much it boosts, but...’

Even a +1 would be significant.

It was equivalent to the value of one level.

Of course, even without leveling up.

There were ways to increase stats.

But there was no need to consider that.

‘Class quests aren’t something everyone can undertake.’

Only one person per class.

And only those who meet the conditions can start a class quest.

It had nothing to do with most players.

So, it wasn’t an exaggeration that the Herb of Power was traded at an exorbitant price.

‘The higher the level, the harder it is to gain a level.’

Park Hwi-gang fervently wished.

‘Please!’

May Mr. Ho-yul obtain at least one Herb of Power!

Thanks to Ho-yul, Park Hwi-gang’s Netube subscribers and views skyrocketed. He wanted to share this valuable information with Ho-yul, but there was no way to do so. All he could do was pray.

However.

“What the hell, what’s that skill?!”

Park Hwi-gang’s thoughts didn’t last long.

The camera angle changed.

Ho-yul’s image appeared on the screen.

There, not only with magic.

But Ho-yul also held a sword.

“What’s that?”

Luckyd was the first to react.

The more you know, the more you see.

Luckyd recognized the stance of Ho-yul, who held a sword.

Involuntarily, he smiled.

“The Commander and that old man weren’t just talking nonsense!”

As they said, Ho-yul was undoubtedly a strong person.

Luckyd’s combat instincts were boiling.

He knew he shouldn’t challenge such a person, but his blood was pumping.

However, Ho-yul’s performance was just beginning.

The frost magic that followed.

The inn erupted in shock at its manifestation.

“The swamp is freezing over.”

“That’s not just any ice magic, is it?!”

“Hey, you specialize in ice magic. What’s that skill called?”

“I don’t know. I still have a long way to go before I can learn such a skill.”

Luckyd, who had been silently watching the screen, nodded.

“Yeah, I’ve had enough of the cold from Frost.”

Even the troublesome Luckyd was calmed by Ho-yul’s display.

Park Hwi-gang had to rethink.

Does Ho-yul even need the Herb of Power?

Yes, what’s needed is not prayer but faith.

Realizing this, Park Hwi-gang devoutly murmured.

“Homen.”

*

In the vast predator swamp.

The news spread among the players, each focused on hunting.

“Mr. Ho-yul is here too? Really?”

-I didn’t know. They said he went straight into the rift.

“No, bro! At least bring him some tea he likes!”

The enthusiastic Nam Tae-min and Nam Cheol-min brothers.

“Sis, did you hear?”

“...”

“I Ho-yul entered the rift~”

We clearly said it, right?

You can’t make an excuse that you were too busy fighting, right?

The paladin Leon, completely engrossed in battle.

“What a lack of manners, really!”

And to the Shining Guild.

Dmitry, as usual, was exaggerating.

But this time, he could empathize with the exaggeration.

Snap!

Camilia released her arrow and swept back her loose hair.

“Mr. Ho-yul is greedy, isn’t he?”

The greedy I Ho-yul.

Not only completing quests but also clearing such a rift.

“...Are you two even acquainted?”

“Is that the right question to ask?”

“What? What do you mean by that?”

“No~ I know why you’re not popular with girls~”

“No, why are you suddenly making a fuss?!”

The bickering duo.

Rox, the guild master of Shining, didn’t get involved in their argument.

Continued fighting.

And the rolling thoughts.

Realizing he was an underdog.

He had no time to waste.

‘I Ho-yul entered the rift.’

Was it because he lacked experience points to seek out such a rift?

He was certain it wasn’t the case.

Hunting in a level 500 rift wouldn’t make a dent in Ho-yul’s required experience points. So, Ho-yul must have another reason for finding this rift.

Rox’s guess seemed to be correct.

“Wait a moment.”

The pinnacle of the archer class, Bow Master.

Her vast field of vision, befitting her title.

Camilia spotted Ho-yul.

More precisely,

“What is Mr. Ho-yul doing now?”

A staircase in the air.

Boldly stepping on it.

Ho-yul heading somewhere...!

“Of course, I knew he would.”

That’s I Ho-yul.

Including Rox, who had guessed as much.

It was natural for all players to focus their attention on Ho-yul.

*

...Now I understand why the top players were complaining.

The required experience points increase significantly with each level.

[Wild Predator Anaconda: Lv.530]

[Cruel Janitor: Lv.550]

As you can see, I hunted monsters with higher levels.

The levels gained were 10.

[Level: 324]

I can’t fully understand Arcana’s complex experience system.

But hunting level 500 monsters at level 200 and hunting them at level 300 must have a significant difference.

Indeed, there was a difference.

‘I have more leeway now.’

Simultaneously using sword skills and magic.

I could defeat enemies without being as tense as before.

Of course, this terrifying adaptability.

Not only with my monstrous magical talent.

But also thanks to Granfel’s physical potential.

[Plague-Infused Crossbow] - [Grade: Magic]

[Plague-Infused Crossbow Bolt] - [Grade: Magic]

[Trivial Storage Belt] - [Grade: Rare]

The three items I obtained after defeating [Cruel Janitor].

There was a reason he carried so many things.

Among the three items, the [Trivial Storage Belt] was worth noting. It had a practical effect of slightly expanding the inventory.

Of course,

“It’s a fail.”

From Granfel’s aesthetic perspective, it was subpar.

‘Selling it is meaningless.’

Apart from my incorruptible nature.

I had the rift clearance reward.

A sum that would have kept the past I Ho-yul from sleeping peacefully. The pending reward was even greater.

‘So, I need to use it properly.’

Today’s experience made me realize.

The more wells you dig, the better.

What came to mind was.

The Magic Enchantment discipline among the twenty schools in the Magic Tower.

I had read dozens of books on Magic Enchantment while preparing for the regular conference. The core of the discipline could be summarized in two lines.

‘You can extract effects from items.

You can bestow extracted effects on other items.’

It sounded easy, but the process was the problem.

Items and magical tools were one of the few areas the mighty Magic Tower couldn’t conquer.

I heard that many items were destroyed in the process of extracting and bestowing effects.

‘He must have always been discouraged. Probably.’

Kiko Armin, the senior mage of Magic Enchantment.

Already small in stature.

She also walked with a hunched back.

If the Magic Tower were a company that evaluated performance.

Kiko’s Magic Enchantment department would always record a loss.

Kiko’s cautious behavior had its own story.

But such circumstances were unimportant to me.

I boldly declared.

“Every success requires a necessary failure.”

Yes, I was determined to uproot the Magic Tower.

I would advance Magic Enchantment using the Magic Tower’s capital and items as sacrifices.

The [Trivial Storage Belt] would be the material.

‘The more inventory space, the better.’

I expected to collect more items from rifts in the future.

Why, like now.

Swoosh—

I immediately manifested a staircase after the battle.

The reason for climbing was simple.

The Herb of Power glowing at the top of the Chuki tree.

To harvest the Four-Color Wintergreen.

‘Four-Color Wintergreen from the start.’

[The Pentagram of Pure Knowledge].

The vast knowledge I acquired through it told me.

This is a jackpot.

The Four-Color Wintergreen permanently boosts physical abilities, meaning it permanently increases stats.

Four.

Four points of ability.

Equivalent to four levels.

How many terrifying class quests would it take to achieve this?

Moreover,

I had witnessed the possibility of cultivating Herbs of Power during the pre-verification of the regular conference.

If the research yields successful results...

‘I can mass-produce Four-Color Winter