Chapter 66

< Q&A(2) >

Water Drop: I'm sorry. They have good abilities, but they're not the main focus.

Tree: They're so pampered that they're slowly rotting. The water here doesn't get refreshed, you know.

Water Drop: The second reason is that it's a beginner's auxiliary system.

Honey: A beginner's system?

Water Drop: Yes. Think about it. If one day people in Honey's world suddenly gained the ability to fly, how would they notice? How many people would suddenly think, "Oh, I should try flying"?

That's true. Maybe for kids, but if an ordinary adult tried to fly naked, they'd end up in a mental hospital.

Water Drop: That's why the most suitable system for Honey's world is the status window. It's a game-like system where levels, stats, skills, and rewards appear in a rectangular window.

Tree: But since it's a beginner's system, it will eventually disappear.

Water Drop: We'll monitor the adaptation level and gradually remove it within about 10 years, starting with the skill window for those who have already awakened.

Honey: Do we really have to remove it? If the status window disappears, it will be hard for future awakened people to realize they've awakened.

Having the system is convenient in many ways.

Water Drop: Don't worry. Right now, people haven't fully adapted, so they can't feel their own abilities. Even if they do, they might confuse it with a delusion.

Tree: Even now, S-rank people can sense others' abilities to some extent. When the system disappears, this sense will become stronger. Sensitive people might even detect the stats of non-awakened individuals. That's why Honey's sprout skill is relatively low compared to its current usefulness.

I thought it was too good for an S-rank. If the status window for awakening becomes common, only the monthly optimal awakening effect will remain, making it just an S-rank.

Tree: Also, the beginner's system is a comfortable guide but also a constraint that sets limits.

Water Drop: In games, unlike reality, you can only move within the system's framework. Having clear levels and skills might feel convenient at first, but once they're set, it's hard to break free.

Tree: An F-rank awakened person can never become S-rank. The system sets the growth limit for F-rank. No matter how hard they try, B-rank is the limit. In the early stages of the system, there was even a safety mechanism that made it hard for F-rank skills to grow. But in a world without the system, an ordinary person can become the strongest in the world.

Water Drop: People keep changing, so there are no fixed limits. Stats and skills can change.

Tree: And we, the system, aren't always accurate. Especially lately, due to Honey, the accuracy has dropped.

...Because of me?

Newbie: Yes! Can you reduce the frequency of using the sprout skill? Even by 20%? I feel like I'm going to die from overwork!(ㅠ◇ㅠ)

Tree: We have to check and assign expected levels and skills every time the sprout skill is used on a new person. We adjust our time, but it's still tough. We don't have infinite time in a day.

Honey: ...I'm sorry.

I didn't realize it was real-time manual work.

Honey: I'll reduce it by half.

Water Drop: Thank you. If the accuracy drops too much, it will be difficult for Honey too.

Of course. It wouldn't work to struggle with the wrong skill.

Honey: Can the skill names be given more intuitively?

Water Drop: It's possible for new skills, but it's hard for already stored skills. We can only change a few. Moreover, completely new skills are very rare.

Tree: They are almost non-existent.

"Almost non-existent." With the current number of awakened people not being very high, the rarity of new skills suggests the existence of other worlds.

Like where the former owner of the Golden Forge lived.

Honey: By the way, the owner of the Golden Forge had a particularly detailed skill description, and even received an item.

Tree: Ah, that was the effort of the previous skill owner. It required a sacrifice for the future of others.

Water Drop: He was a good man. Like all great blacksmiths, he was also a great cook.

Tree: I miss him. Good people leave quickly.

The sacrifice seemed to involve risking one's life. The item being passed on suggests the skill's uniqueness.

Tree: I can't give a detailed explanation, but it's a very rare case. It's impossible with ordinary abilities.

Water Drop: It's a one-time thing, so the next skill owner will be ordinary.

Mingwoo, you're in.

Water Drop: We can provide detailed skill descriptions, but as I mentioned, the Perfect Caregiver title is new, so we don't have the information.

Tree: The Caregiver title is already very rare for its level.

Newbie: Yes, I've never seen the Caregiver title before!

A Caregiver? That's surprising.

Honey: Isn't it enough to just be the guardian of an S-rank awakened person?

S-ranks are rare, but not that rare, and many have surviving parents. I thought there were a few more people with the Caregiver title, even if they didn't reveal it like me.

Tree: It's a bit different. To explain, I need to tell you about high-rank awakened people. Do you have time?

Water Drop: Yes. It's good for Honey to know this information.

Tree: The Caregiver title can only be obtained if the person is a born S-rank awakened person.

Honey: Born?

Tree: When you use the sprout skill, the expected stat level appears. If it's S, not A or A~S. There are only five such people among the current awakened, and you've met three of them?

The two I confirmed were Yoo Hyun and Riet. The other one is probably Seong Hyun.

So, the other S-ranks I've met all had expected stat levels of A~S.

Water Drop: People's innate abilities aren't equal. Even before awakened people existed in Honey's world, there were many exceptionally talented individuals. Among them, those with an expected stat level of S are a kind of irregular. In the system, S-rank is the limit for the main species in that world. While SS-rank and above skills exist, they are beyond physical limits. It's not impossible to surpass the limit through effort, but it's very difficult and takes a long time, at least a decade.

Indeed, the maximum stat level was S. That's why there were no SS-rank hunters even five years later.

Water Drop: The expected awakening stat level is for newly awakened people with growth potential. The sprout skill shows optimal awakening, not the maximum or limit. So, the maximum awakening stat level for that species is between A and S.

Tree: In other words, a born S-rank is an outlier. In Honey's world, with a large population, there are already five, but usually, there are only two or three per generation. These few outliers often don't fit in with their own kind.

Water Drop: A~S-rank people tend to look down on those with lower abilities. But S-rank people often don't even consider their own kind. At the same time, other members, especially ordinary people, instinctively feel uneasy about S-ranks. They feel intimidated and slightly uncomfortable, and this small difference is significant.

Tree: It's hard to be a proper parent if you feel intimidated by a child.

While reading the text on the screen, I recalled my childhood. Yoo Hyun was cute and never made me feel uneasy.

Tree: That's why the Caregiver title is rare. Moreover, the title holder usually has a short lifespan.

Honey: What?

Water Drop: Not for any other reason, but the probability of being killed is higher. They can't touch S-ranks, so they target the family instead. Many S-ranks have a tyrant-like disposition. Fortunately, Honey's world is stable in this regard.

A tyrant? They didn't seem much different from other guild leaders. Yoo Hyun was fine, and the other two didn't seem particularly strange.

Honey: I met three born S-ranks, but I didn't find them particularly different. They had fear resistance, but their attitudes were all good.

Yoo Hyun was fine, and Riet was overly friendly. Riet's Dragon Slayer title might have been a big factor, but even Seong Hyun, who didn't have such a title, was kind.

Tree: That's because they were dealing with Honey.

Water Drop: They don't see you as a threat because of your low stats, but they like your special skills. High-rank awakened people with combat aptitude enjoy such interactions. S-ranks, in particular, would appreciate it more. There's another person besides Honey.

Yoo Mingwoo? Or Lady Saint? Lady Saint was popular among high-rank hunters, almost like a matriarch.

Tree: Just imagining it is really cute. I used to deal with such kids □□□□□□□□□□□□. Oh, sorry.

Water Drop: Newbie, thanks for the quick handling.

Newbie: You're welcome!

Is the □ to block excessive information? The deer and the wolf had different vibes.

Tree: Our story is irrelevant. It just brought back memories.

Water Drop: Be careful, Honey. Even if they are generally friendly, the power difference is too great, and their friendliness can turn into violence. They are often self-centered and dangerous. We hope Honey can gather S-ranks safely.

Tree: Yes. Safety is the priority. It's okay if it takes a bit longer, about five years? Originally, we had ten years, but five years were lost.

Water Drop: It would have been hard to find another solution within the time, so don't worry about the five years.

Honey: Yes.

Five years is plenty of time. Soon, Peace will grow, and we'll have another top-tier baby monster. I might get one from Seong City too. With Riet and his brother, and the Breaker Guild leader, we'll have eight. If Kim Sung-han grows up safely, we'll have nine.

If we take it easy, we should gather them all within two to three years.

Honey: Do monsters count in the 50?

I asked just in case. If it's limited to humans, it might be tough.

Water Drop: As long as the keyword applies, it's fine.

That's a relief.

Tree: Any other questions?

Hmm, what else?

I understood the reason for the attention I received. I didn't get all the details, but filling 50 S-ranks is the goal. I also got enough information about the system, skills, and awakened people. ...Ah, dungeons.

Honey: Are the dungeon creation rules the same? I'm conducting related research.

Newbie: Yes! The speed is just faster. Sometimes dungeons from five years later appear, but we try to handle them immediately!

Just speeding up the process, then.

Honey: Is it hard to get information about monsters and dungeons?

Tree: It's too risky because of the strong connection. You'll find out eventually.

Water Drop: Yes. Honey will eventually know everything, in time.

...It's fine if I don't know. These ominous statements are unsettling.

Is this really all? Asking about those people will probably be denied. I already got blocked. I think I know what I need to know.

Honey: One more thing. Can I tell my brother about the system? He's really anxious, and I'd like to have someone to talk to. Since he's also in the dungeon, it would be great if you could send him a message.

He'll believe it easily if he receives a message from the system.

Tree: To your brother? Wait, wait. Information spreading is dangerous, so not too much... It's okay to say you're helping us. I'll send the agreed message. Just a simple ㅅㅅㅌ?

Honey: Yes, thank you.

I hope this will calm Yoo Hyun.

Newbie: You really care about your brother! It's great to have a good sibling relationship˘▽˘

No, he's my younger brother.

Deer: My love!! Don't just take care of your brother, call me sister too!♡ε♡

Wolf: I'm your brother!!

Newbie: Both of you are so heartless. I'm the right age to be a brother!

...What are they saying?

Honey: I'm a man.

The chat window was silent for a moment. Then,

Water Drop: Oh yeah, I won! Newbie, bring the saw! Let's cut the deer's horns! Ohoh!!

The characters seem to have changed a bit.

Water Drop: A thousand years of pent-up frustration is gone!

A thousand years is a long time to change.

Newbie: Are you really going to cut it?

Water Drop: If I bet, I have to cut! What did the wolf bet on? Why is he quiet? Did they both run? Sorry, Honey. Of course, you're a man. I thought you were, and I'm sorry for the bet. They pressured me, and I got angry.

Honey: It's okay.

Tree: If you have no more questions, should we send you back? We can play more, but...

Honey: Yes. Hasn't much time passed?

Tree: Probably?

Probably? I hope it hasn't been days. That would be a disaster. I'm already a bit anxious.

Newbie: Not much time has passed! Probably about 30 minutes, at most?

...More time than I thought.

Honey: Can you reduce the time?

Newbie: It's hard because we're connected. Should I send you back now?

Honey: Yes.

Thirty minutes is okay. Now I can explain the system.

The light that formed the chat window and keyboard scattered again, and the surrounding darkness became blurry. The scenery in front of me changed.

To a vast plain.

The forest between the beaches was clearly gone, and the sea was visible.

'Did... it burn?'

The ash flying in the wind is a bit ominous.

-Cough!

Suddenly, a wild animal's roar echoed. Turning around reflexively, a creature larger than a lion, with a mix of red and gold fur, leaped toward me. I instinctively stepped back and used the sprout skill.

[2nd Level Unicorn Subspecies ? Flame Horned Lion (Subadult) Peace

Current Stat Level B

Potential Stat Level A~S

Optimized Initial Skill

Flame Breath (S) Acquired after growth

Flame Dash (A) Acquired after growth

Gigantification (A) Acquired after growth

Flame Resistance (A) Acquired

※Cannot grow without the help of an adult]

...Peace?

< Q&A(2) > End

ⓒ Geunseo