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206 - 214

Chapter 206: Chapter 206

"I want to eat a magic stone…"

Bowl, who hadn't eaten a magic stone in a long time, grumbled in pain.

Min Sung took out a magic stone from his window and threw it at Bowl.

Bowl caught it with his mouth and chewed it vigorously.

And then…

Bowl snickered with joy.

After seeing that, the elf and cat creature covered their mouths and giggled.

Ho Sung Lee smiled at them.

"Wow… This world is so different, the city landscape, elves, cat creatures, and all the other beings. I feel like I'm living in some kind of fantasy."

Ho Sung Lee looked around in awe and laughed quietly.

"It's also a world where you don't know when you'll die."

Ho Sung Lee looked at Min Sung as if he was asking, 'Do you have to ruin my mood like that?', but Min Sung ignored him and continued, "That Yulice."

As soon as Min Sung mentioned Yulice's name, the elf and cat creature looked shocked.

They were at a loss for words and showed painful expressions.

But Min Sung wasn't the type to care about that and continued, "He was so much stronger than the Samchunkyo leader."

"But you still defeated him no problem," Ho Sung Lee replied with a confused face.

"The problem is that he was just a novice or a low-level hunter."

"Oh…"

That was when Ho Sung Lee understood what Min Sung was saying.

The problem wasn't Yulice, but the other beings they would run into in the future.

If it was this hard in the beginning, there was no telling how difficult it was going to get later on.

"Sir, we're going to our accommodation now, right?"

"Yeah?"

"There's probably a restaurant there, so while you eat your meal there, I'll go and get groceries."

"One hour on earth is one month here. Once you finish grocery shopping, a long time will have passed here."

"You might not even be here anymore because of your quests."

"Yeah."

"Hm… Then, Sir, there are many ingredients in Ssol's pouch. Let's use that for now, and once there's only 1/3 left, we'll go down together."

"Why?"

"I might not be able to get in by myself, and it'll be hard for me to find you. This place is big, and I don't know my way around here."

"That's true."

"First, try out the food at the accommodation restaurant, and if it's not good enough, I'll cook for you right away…"

Ho Sung Lee was unable to finish what he was saying because of Arin, the tutorial fairy, who appeared out of nowhere.

"It's not possible for one person of a party to log out. The entire party must log out at once."

The sudden appearance of Arin surprised Ho Sung Lee and made him gasp.

"Y-you startled me!"

"Hahaha, sorry about that."

Arin smiled innocently. It apologized and vanished into thin air.

"That fairy just does whatever it wants."

Ho Sung Lee shrugged his shoulders at Min Sung.

"I guess we'll have to go together. That means we can't go grocery shopping for the time being."

"That's okay. We still have ingredients."

When Min Sung said that, the elf and cat creature notified them that they arrived.

The foreign accommodation was on the big side, and the interior was so spectacular that they felt like they were on a vacation.

"Wow, this is great!"

In response to Ho Sung Lee's exclamation, the elf and cat creature looked at each other and laughed quietly.

***

The elf and cat creature explained the situation to their friends, and their friends hugged them and comforted them through their sadness.

Ho Sung Lee, who was watching them, was surprised to find out that the owner of the accommodation was a cat creature as well.

He wondered if most of the people in Beatrice who weren't players were either elves or cat creatures.

Bowl and Ssol went looking around the accommodation, and Min Sung quietly waited for the room to be prepared.

A moment later, the owner of the accommodation finished crying and assigned them their rooms.

The elf and cat creature they came with were going to stay here as well.

They got a total of 2 rooms, 1 for Min Sung, and 1 for Ho Sung Lee, Bowl, and Ssol.

After selling the items that Min Sung obtained after defeating the grey wolves for Beatrice money, Ho Sung Lee paid for their accommodations.

***

"Ugh… It's smaller than I

thought."

Ho Sung Lee saw the size of the room and knitted his brows.

It was no bigger than 5 pyeongs.

"It looked nice on the outside, but the inside looks different."

Ho Sung Lee grumbled and sighed at Ssol and Bowl, who were lying side by side on the bed.

"Compared to them, I'm always dead serious."

Ho Sung Lee shook his head. He lit a cigarette and opened the window.

The sun was setting when they entered the accommodation, but it was already pitch dark outside.

The view outside the window was quite nice.

When he saw the road in front of him, he felt like he was on vacation.

The foreign buildings, as well as the tiles on the ground, were all new to him.

On top of that, just the fact that they weren't even on earth anymore made him feel fascinated and scared at the same time.

He sighed all of those emotions along with his cigarette smoke.

***

Knock, knock-

Min Sung, who was resting on the edge of his bed, slowly lifted his head in response to the sound of knocking.

"It's Ho Sung."

He heard Ho Sung Lee's voice from across the door.

Min Sung got up and opened the door.

"Sir, are you going to eat here? Or should I cook for you?"

"What do you think?"

"Personally, I think you should try the food here to see what it's like in Beatrice. Who knows if it's good or not?"

"Where's Bowl and Ssol?"

"They're sleeping."

"Let's go downstairs."

"Sure."

Ho Sung Lee flashed a smile and followed Min Sung down the stairs.

As soon as they got to the restaurant on the 1st floor, the place was empty.

Despite the fact that it was dinner time, the only other customers were the elf and cat creature they came here with.

As soon as they arrived, the elf and cat creature waved their hands.

They were smiling, but the way Min Sung saw it, their eyes were filled with sadness of losing their friends and families from their village.

It didn't seem like they were trying to hide those emotions, but it didn't look like they tried to make it obvious either.

They probably didn't have a particular liking to players, but he couldn't sense an ounce of ill-feeling from them.

They were actually kind, and that was unexpected.

Min Sung looked at them before sitting in a place far from them.

As soon as Ho Sung Lee sat down next to him, the elf and cat creature sat across from them.

They looked at them in a friendly manner and asked, "You came to eat, right?"

The cute cat creature wiggled her ear and continued, "Would you like our recommendations?"

The cat creature looked like she wanted to make a recommendation, but Min Sung believed that what they recommended would be the most rational choice.

"That would be nice. Thank you."

In response, the cat creature and elf smiled.

The cat creature then lifted her arms into the air.

"We'd like to order!"

In response, their friend and owner of the accommodation approached with a smile.

"Sure. What would you like?"

"4 orders of Atzmin, 4 orders of ribs, and 4 cups of Crienne Juice."

"Sure. I'll get that for you right away."

The owner of the accommodation winked and left.

The owner of the accommodation, who was on the larger side, was very contrasting with the cat creature sitting with them.

There seemed to be a significant age difference between them.

But it was hard to guess the age of beings from other worlds.

"Come to think of it, I haven't introduced myself. I'm Ho Sung Lee, and this is my hunter, Min Sung Kang."

In response to Ho Sung Lee's introduction, the cat creature and elf introduced themselves as well.

The cat creature's name was Tasha, and the elf's name was Shudelian.

"Thank you for saving us."

Unlike Shudelian's cold facial expression, her words sounded warm.

"Like I said before, we didn't save you."

In response to Min Sung's remark, Shudelian smiled bitterly.

"If it weren't for you, we would have been tortured by that Yulice guy," said Shudelian while looking far into the distance.

He knew what she meant.

Considering the fact that he destroyed their village and dragged two beautiful women around, it was obvious he was planning to use them as slaves.

"Consider yourselves lucky," Min Sung said.

The cat creature, Tasha, and the elf, Shudelian, couldn't stop smiling at Min Sung.

While Ho Sung Lee stared at Min Sung in jealousy for monopolizing the two beautiful women's attention, the food came out.

They were the dishes Tasha confidently ordered.

The first dish, Atzmin, was a food that was often called Arancini on earth.

It was an Italian dish consisting of Ragu sauce, mozzarella, bean rice, and fried bread crumbs, and it resembled the flavor of a large cheese stick.

There was a total of 8.

It was prepared so that each person could eat 2.

Min Sung focused on the Arancini.

'I wonder how the food tastes in this world.'

'I hope it's good.'

Min Sung felt both anticipation and fear as he cut a piece of Arancini with his fork and knife.

As the round ball of Arancini cut into half, white steam evaporated from it, revealing white cheese inside.

As soon as Min Sung Saw that, he was certain.

It was going to be good.

When he picked up a piece, the cheese stretched out.

It was hard to cut off, so he had to keep rolling it up with his fork.

He put a piece of the fried outer layer and cheese into his mouth.

The cheese was hot, and the fried outer layer was soft.

It was unbelievably soft.

It was so high quality that it couldn't be compared to a simple cheese stick.

The flavors rang through his head and filled his heart.

Chapter 207: Chapter 207

He was entranced by his first bite of the Arancini.

That was how captivated Min Sung was by the food.

'This is a killer.'

Min Sung was in awe.

Min Sung finished his first Arancini in no time and quickly proceeded to eat the second one.

Once Min Sung finished his second Arancini, he was surprised by the fact that the food wasn't all that different from the food back on earth.

He never imagined he could have such delicious food in Beatrice.

For that reason, he was much more touched than usual.

Once they finished the Arancini, their main menu, which was ribs, appeared.

The ribs covered in red sauce and accompanied by fried potatoes looked so delicious it could make anyone salivate.

As soon as he took a bite, he noticed that the meat was as soft as a cloud.

'The food in Beatrice is actually unbelievable.'

Since they weren't in a modern location, he didn't expect too much of their food, but it was absolutely delicious.

The chili sauce and the ribs went perfectly together.

"Beer."

As soon as Min Sung said that, Ho Sung Lee sprung up from his meal. He ordered the beer and brought it back himself.

Min Sung, who was used to cold beer, wasn't used to the lukewarm beer of Beatrice, but it also had its own charm.

It was still beer nonetheless, and the fact that it was lukewarm allowed him to taste the depth of the flavors.

Min Sung ate a piece of the fried potatoes covered in oil.

The way the oil exploded in his mouth when he bit down on the potato tickled his brain.

'This is good.'

It was a satisfying meal indeed.

***

After the meal, Min Sung sat on a bench in front of the accommodation and used the system map to figure out their surroundings.

Since they weren't here on vacation, he had no time to lay back and relax.

He had to cut down the Iris tree, which connected to the world of Beatrice, as soon as possible.

But just because he was in a rush didn't mean he was going to act rashly.

To him, earth was his most precious star.

He didn't want to deal with such an important matter in a casual manner.

He had to be fast but calm and perfect.

He was going to act while also abiding by those 3 rules.

There were 3 dungeons around the city of Vanguard Frontia.

Min Sung gave it a thought.

He wondered if he would ignore the quests and dungeons and kill the ranked players or if he would go up the latter one step at a time.

He came up with one answer to that question.

Research.

He had to check the power of the world of Beatrice first.

If he had been conceited about his power until now, he wouldn't have been alive.

Endless ambition.

Greed for survival.

If he didn't have those two things, he wouldn't have been alive to taste the delicious food he just ate.

Even if he got impatient, he would take it step by step.

Min Sung's eyes sparkled with calmness and coldness.

***

Min Sung set out to find the dungeons with Ho Sung Lee, Bowl, and Ssol.

As for the directions, the elf and cat creature helped them.

They knew about all the roads around Vanguard Frontia, so they were able to find the dungeon pretty quickly.

Although they had never been to the dungeons before, they were able to easily find the dungeons with the map alone.

"I think this is the north dungeon that was on the map," the elf said with both worry and fear of the dungeon.

"We'll have a warm bath and food ready for you when you return. Us cat creatures and elves never forget the kindness we receive."

The women expressed their gratitude honestly without useless emotion.

Min Sung gave them a short nod and headed into the cave which connected to the dungeon gate.

Ho Sung Lee, Bowl, and Ssol smiled and waved at the cat creature and elf to tell them not to worry.

***

The dungeon was made of a cave just like what they saw at the entrance.

The bumpy walls and floor made it clear that they were in a cave.

The inside was quite large, and

the little light that shined into it notified them that this was a dungeon.

Min Sung continued to walk forward without any hesitation.

He planned to penetrate all 3 dungeons at the same time.

As he sped up, his senses spread out in all four directions.

He began to sense the monsters here and there.

There were many of them, but he didn't feel burdened.

As long as he judged that it was solvable, he didn't dare to slow down.

Min Sung moved like the wind.

[Quest Activation]

[Defeat all of the monsters in the dungeon.]

[Reward: +300 Performance Points]

Kaboom!

Min Sung grabbed his Gungnir from his item window.

The sound of thunder rang through the cave.

The sound of Min Sung's thunder was soon going to turn into fear for the monsters.

'I'm going to become your biggest nightmare.'

Behind Min Sung were Ho Sung Lee, Bowl, and Ssol.

A monster popped up.

They began to see it clearer.

It was a skeleton.

A skeleton covered in fire.

Min Sung's eyes were cold.

Min Sung glared at the fiery skeleton with cold eyes as he touched the shield in his item window.

He used whatever weapons he had.

He had to conserve his stamina as much as possible.

Unlike the Demonic Realm, he had never experienced Beatrice before.

Unexpected factors could always pop up.

He always had to be ready and move fast.

That was the best when it came to hunting.

After all, if a high-level player happened to appear during a hunt, things could get very complicated.

It was important to conserve his stamina and magic power for things like this.

When he grabbed onto his shaft, the Gungnir trembled as if it could charge ahead at any moment.

The fiery skeleton swung around his Scimitar.

It was a very fast and intense attack.

But Min Sung's shield blocked it effortlessly.

The impact of the Scimitar made a large noise against the Hunter's Shield.

And at the same time, Min Sung twisted his shield over his left shoulder and twisted his entire body.

He then swung his Gungnir.

Slashhh!

As soon as the Gungnir stabbed the fiery skeleton, it broke into a million pieces.

"Nice, that's our Min Sung," Ho Sung Lee said with awe.

It was understandable.

Min Sung's defense and attack were flawless.

It as a perfect kill that could be referred to as a guideline for how to fight.

As a result, despite Min Sung not doing anything, he shined.

"Focus," Min Sung said with a low tone.

"They're coming."

Dashhhhhh.

At the same time, they heard the sound of the ground grumbling.

Fiery skeletons came running over while making clacking noises and being lit up by flames.

Min Sung held up his shield and lowered his posture.

Ho Sung Lee grimaced and stepped backward.

As for Ssol, he was simply surprised.

And Bowl lit up his eyes with black flames and summoned his devils.

But before Bowl could step up, Min Sung warned Bowl to step back with a gesture made with his shield.

So Bowl had no choice but to step back behind his devils.

Min Sung watched the skeletons running over and waited for them to get closer.

And once they got close enough…

Kaboom!

Min Sung's Gungnir stabbed the ground with a loud thundering noise.

Swoosh!

White magic power charged forward.

The magic power then exploded in all four directions.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom

The magic power exploded toward the skeletons as if there was lightning.

He didn't use strong magic power, but it was enough to confuse the fiery skeletons.

He was able to inflict damage, but the magic he just used was so weak that it was simply for the purpose of fishing them in.

It was a trap.

The real fight began now.

Min Sung began to approach the fiery skeletons.

And as soon as he swung his sword, the wobbling skeletons began to break into pieces.

Every single one of Min Sung's movements contained power and accuracy.

The skeletons were unable to avoid death as they died one by one at the hands of Min Sung's Gungnir.

And then…

Rattle!

As the skeletons died, they dropped all of their items on the floor.

[Your views have increased.]

[You're being favorited.]

[Edea God has gifted you with +500 points.]

[Carlos God has expressed his interest.]

Min Sung didn't even look at the dying skeleton monsters as he continued forward.

Meanwhile, Ssol picked up the dropped items at lightning speed while Ho Sung Lee and Bowl were in awe of Min Sung's abilities.

***

Although they were in Beatrice, the dungeons surrounding Vanguard Frontia were nothing but places where Min Sung was wasting time at the starting point in his journey.

Not a single monster could stand a chance against his Gungnir.

They all died and disappeared.

Meanwhile, they approached the end of the dungeon.

Blood and flesh covered min Sung's sword, but he hadn't used up any of his stamina or magic power.

As he was thinking about how easy it was for him to clear the dungeon, the boss monster appeared.

It was a dark magic type monster, who was 2 meters tall and wore a black robe.

Min Sung scoffed and charged toward him.

The boss monster swung his cane.

A purple spark flew toward Min Sung.

Min Sung scoffed at that purple light and held up his shield.

His +9 Dragon Hunter Shield blocked out the purple light.

Bam!

The magical spark disappeared into thin air, and Min Sung's Gungnir quickly stabbed through the monster's body.

Aghhhhhhhhh!

The boss monster screamed as it disappeared into the flames.

Chapter 208: Chapter 208

[Quest Cleared]

[New Record]

[Your stats have increased by +1!]

[You've acquired performance points.]

[Congratulations. You've acquired a special reward.]

[The Dionysus Gods are showing interest.]

[Your number of favorites stand at 31.]

As soon as he cleared the dungeon, the portal exit gate opened.

***

The cat creature and elf stared blankly at Min Sung and his party who had returned to the accommodation.

"W-what happened?" The elf asked.

"I cleared it. Show us to the dungeon in the west," Min Sung said as he cleaned his Gungnir.

"… Wow, that impressive. You're really something else, Player Min Sung," the cat creature said with sparkling eyes.

"I'm not here to hear praise. I need you to lead the way. I'll make sure to pay you back later."

"Oh, sure!"

The cat creature and elf came to their senses and got ready to head out.

***

"We'll be right out. Wait for us at the entrance."

What they saw once they cleared the first dungeon and exited through the blue portal gate, they were faced with the entrance of another dungeon.

For that reason, Min Sung told the elf and cat creature to wait at the entrance. He asked Bowl and Ho Sung Lee to keep guard and entered the dungeon with Ssol.

He wanted to protect the women from monsters that could pop up.

Min Sung entered the dungeon, and only Ho Sung Lee, Bowl, the cat creature, and elf remained at the entrance.

***

A dark night.

In the midst of the owl and cricket noises, the elf and cat creature held up their lanterns and looked wide awake despite the later hour.

"What kind of person is he? How is he so strong?"

"How old is he?"

Ho Sung Lee dripped in sweat.

The elf and cat creature showed much interest in Min Sung.

The women looked so interested that Ho Sung Lee had complicated feelings.

He couldn't believe Min Sung was loved by such beautiful women of another world.

But he also understood.

This was Beatrice.

A place where only the best players gathered.

In a world like that, women couldn't help but feel drawn to powerful men.

It didn't matter that they were different species.

It was possible that their passion began when they first met Min Sung.

"We don't know when a monster might appear. Unlike the hunter I serve, I can't be so certain that I can protect you, so you must keep your guard up," Ho Sung Lee said stiffly.

The elf and cat creature agreed.

It was dangerous around the dungeons.

The elf and cat creature, who had forgotten about the danger for a while because of Min Sung, came to their senses and felt the fear.

***

The special reward was one of the 8 divination signs, which could stop the growth of the Iris tree.

It was stressful that they had to collect all 8 of these in such a manner.

It was going to take a long time.

He kept feeling tempted.

He kept thinking of killing other players and leveling up that way.

Although the players were organisms of other worlds, they were still living creatures just like the elf and cat creature.

Killing players for no reason could be similar to murder.

And he didn't quite know what the risks were of killing fellow players.

Min Sung took out his Gungnir and stabbed the giant monster.

Kaboom! Slash!

The sound of thunder, as well as flesh ripping, could be heard at once.

The giant plopped down on the ground with its mouth open.

Min Sung wiped off the blood on his sword and knitted his brows.

'How can I speed things up?'

That was the only thought in Min Sung's mind.

***

Baron Cross, who ruled over the city of Vanguard Frontia, received a report.

He was notified that there was a novice player who achieved a new record in a dungeon near Vanguard Frontia.

As soon as Baron Cross heard the news, he immediately called the superior office.

And not long afterward, he received a response.

They told him they were sending support and try to recruit him as Guide 1, and in the case that he failed, to get rid of him.

Baron Cross

was not a player but a native of Beatrice.

As a result, he felt burdened by the novice that cleared a new record, but he wasn't too worried since support from the Superior Guild was coming to help.

The Guild continuously tried to recruit novices with great abilities.

He didn't know what kind of person this was, but Baron Cross hoped that things would resolve smoothly.

He hated things that were bothersome and dangerous.

Baron Cross called a subordinate and ordered him to acquire more information about the new player that entered Vanguard Frontia.

***

The boss monster of the second dungeon was a giant just like the other monsters he fought in the same dungeon.

The only difference was that it was covered in armor.

It also looked to be more intelligent than the average giants, and the amount of magic power coming out of his skin was more than he saw on any other monster in Beatrice.

He was certain that this was the most powerful monster, but Min Sung didn't feel discouraged or nervous.

All nervousness did was cause unnecessary movements and get in the way of his focus.

He had fought this war alone until now.

No one stood a chance against him.

This was different from the confidence that other people had.

He simply did his best to kill, but Min Sung's fights contained clarity, experience, power, and focus, and that was more solid than an impenetrable fortress.

Perhaps that was why.

The giant equipped in armor had a large sword in his hand, but he couldn't make an attack on Min Sung.

Although Min Sung was just standing there without a sword or shield, the boss monster giant paused as soon as they met eyes.

"Players keep pissing the hell out of me."

Fear caused rage as well as other unnecessary emotions.

The giant let out an eerie shriek at Min Sung.

Arghhhhhhh!

It was powerful enough to stop the hearts of most organisms, but Min Sung wasn't fazed.

He simply lifted his Gungnir and headed toward the giant at a slower pace.

"I'm coming, you tall bastard," said Min Sung as he ran toward him.

[The Dionysis Gods are showing interest.]

Min Sung smirked at the system message and alert sound.

"Shut up."

Min Sung's Gungnir radiated with a magical light.

Kaboom!

A deafening thundering noise rang from Gungnir.

The giant was so panicked by the sight of Min Sung getting ready to attack that he lifted his long sword high above his head.

He was fast for a giant, but Min Sung was faster.

His special attack.

A ray of light from Gungnir was targeted toward the giant's heart.

Slash!

He aimed at his pressure point, but the giant twisted to the side, making him miss.

But since he couldn't dodge all the way, the Gungnir slashed through his armor and stabbed through his left shoulder.

The damage to one of his shoulders got in the way of the giant's attack.

When the giant lifted his sword again, Min Sung was already above him, taking out his Gungnir from his left shoulder.

"Roarrrrr!"

The giant held in his pain and opened his mouth wide in order to rip up the human that caused him damage.

Munch!

But his large teeth chomped down on the air and nothing else.

Min Sung's sword was already through the giant's eyeball.

As soon as the Gungnir stabbed him in the eye, the giant trembled and plopped down on the ground.

Thudddd!

Dust spread everywhere.

Once the dust subsided, Min Sung looked down at the giant, which was wriggling around on the ground in pain.

Min Sung looked at the giant with no emotion and grabbed his Gungnir upside down.

The Gungnir had a disintegrate function.

Since it required quite a bit of magic power, he kept it sealed, but he wanted to check its power at least once.

[Gungnir Seal Unlocked]

There was no transformation in its appearance just because he unlocked the Gungnir.

But when he swung his Gungnir at the giant, Min Sung was able to confirm the change.

Slash!

As soon as the Gungnir stabbed through the giant's neck.

Flash!

A magical light appeared from the sword and stabbed the giant's body once more.

Min Sung stared at the giant in surprise.

The magic power of the Gungnir caused the giant's armor to explode in all four directions, and the giant's body lit up.

And then the disintegration ability sliced the giant's neck.

The disintegrate ability of Gungnir was more powerful than he expected.

"Not bad."

Min Sung smirked at its impressive power and summoned Gungnir back into his hands.

[You've cleared the second dungeon.]

[New record]

[You've acquired a special reward.]

[The Dionysus Gods are amused.]

[You've been favorite 42 times.]

[Edea God has gifted you with +200 points.]

[God Chemist gifted you with +400 points.]

[Dark Hunter God gifted you with…]

Min Sung laughed bitterly at the continuous messages popping up in his system.

He was bothered by the fact that the gods were watching him, but it was undeniable that this was beneficial to him in ranking up quickly in the world of Beatrice, so he was thankful for now.

Swoosh!

Min Sung looked to the side.

A blue portal gate opened.

Min Sung headed out the portal gate with Ssol, who had already collected the items.

The second dungeon around Vanguard Frontia was cleared.

He currently had 1800 experience points.

Chapter 209: Chapter 209

[You are now able to use the shop.]

[You've acquired a special reward.]

[Your surprising growth is drawing attention from the Dionysus Gods.]

[You have been favorite 100 times.]

[You've acquired +1000 points for your number of favorites.]

[You currently have 2800 experience points.]

[Would you like to use the shop?]

[Accept/Reject]

Min Sung touched the accept button, and the shop window appeared.

The shop window was very straightforward.

He saw a list of items he could purchase with the experience points he had acquired.

Since Min Sung preferred to increase his magic power rather than learning other trivial skills, he chose the power output.

[You've used all of your experience points to increase your magic power by +4.]

[Your reputation increased by +9 for a total of +10.]

What he received as a special reward was another divination sign.

He now had 2 divination signs.

If he acquired just 6 more, he would be able to stop the growth of the Iris tree that connected the earth to Beatrice.

'Time to clear the last dungeon in Vanguard Frontia.'

Min Sung used the portal gate to leave the dungeon.

***

His upgraded magic power was so strong that even Min Sung was surprised by his own body.

His speed of growth was so surprising that ever since he came to Beatrice, he wondered just how powerful he could get in this world.

But that also meant that the high-ranking players were that much more powerful.

Min Sung didn't like to drag things on, but if this was the kind of star this was, Min Sung was willing to take the necessary steps.

He entered the 3rd dungeon in the south with the help of the elf and cat creature.

Since it was the last dungeon, he hoped he could get a special reward or more experience points, but the outcome didn't meet his expectations.

The dungeon in the south was the weakest and the easiest out of the three, so he only acquired +100 experience points there.

Although he cleared the third dungeon, there was no special quest, and there was no special reward or gift from the gods either.

He wasn't too disappointed, but he felt a void inside since he had been receiving such rewards up until this point.

"Good work. You've cleared all 3 dungeons."

When Ho Sung Lee said that, a bell sound went off along with a main quest.

[Main Quest: Head over to Newtie City and find 'Kiero' for which there is a reward.]

[Reward: +2000 points]

"We're going to head over to Newtie City. You said there's a warp gate in that city, right?"

Min Sung asked the elf and cat creature.

"There's a warp gate, but in order to use it, you need Baron Cross' permission," the elf replied.

Min Sung clicked his tongue.

He couldn't believe he needed someone's permission to use the warp gate.

He felt frustrated, but if that was the rule of Beatrice, he had no choice but to follow it.

But at that moment…

A bird flew over and landed on Min Sung's shoulder.

There was a small piece of paper wrapped around that bird's ankle.

"It's a carrier pigeon," the cat creature said.

The pigeons of Beatrice were trained with magic.

There was a piece of paper attached to the carrier pigeon's ankle.

"What's that?"

Ho Sung Lee asked.

"An invitation from Baron Cross."

As Min Sung said, the letter that the carrier pigeon delivered was an invitation for Min Sung.

Since he needed Baron Cross' permission to use the warp gate anyway, he had enough reason to meet with him.

"Let's go to the baron," Min Sung said as he began walking.

***

They arrived at the castle where the baron lived.

When he showed the invitation, the guards escorted Min Sung and his party inside.

The elf and cat creature returned to the accommodation while Min Sung, Ho Sung Lee, Bowl, and Ssol entered the castle.

The castle was vibrant.

It looked like one of the castles from the middle ages.

It almost felt like they took a time machine to the middle ages.

Ho Sung Lee and Ssol looked around the inside of the castle in awe.

On the other hand,

the only thing on Min Sung's mind was to go over to Newtie City after meeting with Baron Cross.

As for Bowl, he was sleeping inside Min Sung's pocket.

A moment later, they arrived at a large door.

When the door opened, they entered the dark space beyond it.

A man who appeared to be the baron sat in a chair.

The door shut with a large thud.

"Welcome," Baron Cross said while sitting in the chair.

Min Sung put his hands in his pocket and walked toward the chair where Baron Cross was sitting.

"Why did you want to see me?"

Min Sung asked Baron Cross.

"You set a surprising record inside the dungeons. The superior office would like to know if you're interested in joining our guild."

"I have no interest in joining anything."

Baron Cross saw the look in Min Sung's eyes and came to the conclusion that he wasn't up for negotiation.

"If you turn down the guild, you'll become a target. Are you sure you want to decline?"

Baron Cross asked once more.

"Just let me use the warp gate," Min Sung replied coldly.

Baron Cross laughed.

"I deal with a lot of foolish players from all around the world, but those ones usually die off a lot earlier than the rest, just like you will."

As Baron Cross finished his sentence, the sound of the door locking could be heard.

And then from the darkness, men began to appear one by one from hiding.

They were 5 players from the guild.

"Novices need to behave like novices. Let me ask you one last time. Are you not interested in joining the guild?"

Baron Cross looked at Min Sung with sparkling eyes and proposed once more.

But Min Sung didn't answer and took out his +9 Gungnir from his item widow.

Kaboom!

The sound of thunder rang through the room.

Baron Cross was startled by the noise, but the 5 guild players didn't react.

Baron Cross coughed and spoke to the 5 guild players surrounding Min Sung and his party.

"He has no interest in joining the guild. Take care of him."

In response to Baron Cross, the 5 players took out their swords.

The air turned cold in an instant and Min Sung calmly touched his shield in the item window.

As soon as he did, his entire body became covered with the dragon hunter armor set, and a shield equipped his left arm. This was the first time he faced off against other players since Yulice.

He put on the full equipment just in case, but he didn't feel all that threatened.

But Min Sung didn't look down on them either.

They might have been a part of the guild, but they were still the best players from their worlds.

He had to wait and see just how capable of a fighter they were.

As soon as Min sung's eyes flashed with a white light, the 5 players charged toward Min Sung.

At the same time, Bowl summoned his devils.

When the multiple devils appeared, the 5 players immediately turned away.

The sudden appearance of the devils startled the players, and Min Sung used that moment as a chance to attack.

Kaboom!

Min Sung's Gungnir stabbed through one of the players' neck.

Gungnir completely penetrated that player's neck, and when Min Sung pulled it back out, he died instantly.

Min Sung felt his speed, power and balance upgrading along with his stronger output.

They might have been players of Beatrice, but the players who tried to get him to join the guild weren't all that powerful.

But Min Sung didn't let his guard down and kept his focus.

Compared to Yulice, these players were weaker.

The reason why he could control them so easily was because of his upgraded abilities through the system.

'Maybe it won't even take that long for me to take down the Iris tree.'

Min Sung felt confident in his Gungnir, and the power exerted from it was unbelievable.

All those who got in the way of his enjoyment of food became Min Sung's enemy.

He wasn't going to surrender to such enemies.

One player swung his sword at him, but Min Sung used his shield to block it out.

Kaboom!

Along with the sound of thunder, Min Sung's sword exerted great force and slashed the player's body.

He then swung his Gungnir toward the remaining 3 players.

Kaboommmm!

The magical force that Min Sung used on the 3 players ripped them to shreds before they could do anything.

In a short span of time, the 5 Beatrice players died, and when Baron Cross saw that, he stared blankly with a stiffened body.

Baron Cross had no idea a novice player would defeat all 5 of the guild players.

And he didn't just win; he completely ripped them to shreds.

How powerful did he have to be to take care of 5 guild players with just one sword?

Baron Cross dripped in sweat while looking at Min Sung.

Min Sung clenched onto his bloody Gungnir and slowly walked toward Baron Cross.

Baron Cross' face was filled with fear.

"W-wait. If you kill me…"

Before he could finish, Min Sung swung his Gungnir.

Slash!

The Gungnir stabbed through Baron Cross' body.

Min Sung then stepped on Baron Cross' body and took out his GUngnir.

[You've killed PK players.]

[You've acquired +500 points.]

[You've killed the evil Baron Cross! You've acquired additional +200 points!]

[Honorable God has gifted you with 300 points.]

[Your honor increased by +10.]

Chapter 210: Chapter 210

Min Sung looked down at Baron Cross on the ground with cold eyes and then looked back at his party.

"Bring the cat creature and elf in front of the warp gate," Min Sung instructed.

"Y-yes, Sir."

Ho Sung Lee bowed his head.

***

Min Sung took Bowl and Ssol to the warp gate and waited for Ho Sung Lee to bring the cat creature and elf.

He tried to use the warp gate without the permission of Baron Cross, but the warp gate wouldn't work.

Baron Cross had already died, and the Beatrice citizens who were inside the castle had already left out of fear of Min Sung.

In the end, he had to ask the elf and cat creature how to use the warp gate.

A moment later, Ho Sung Lee appeared with the cat creature and elf.

They explained that they needed the warp gate key that Baron Cross had in order to use the warp gate.

Min Sung ordered Ssol to find the warp gate key, and Ssol obeyed.

Since Ssol was faster than any average hunter, he didn't think it would take him very long to find the warp gate key.

"Can we go with you?"

The elf and cat creature asked while holding hands.

"Why do you want to come with us?"

"Baron Cross is dead, so if you leave, we'll be held responsible…"

It was true.

The superior office was going to hear about Baron Cross' death, and there was no way they would leave the cat creature and elf alone as a result.

Min Sung acknowledged that he was partly responsible for this, and he believed that they could be quite useful if he brought them around.

"For the time being."

In response, the elf and cat creature held hands and cheered.

Min Sung sighed and waited for Ssol to return.

Ssol returned with the key in no time.

It looked like any regular key.

When he put the key into the keyhole, the portal gate opened along with a thudding noise.

Min Sung's party, the cat creature, and the elf immediately waked into the portal gate without any hesitation.

***

The Devil Gods couldn't help but grimace while looking at the human world's current situation through their glass ball.

That was because as the Iris tree appeared in the human world, the human world, which was Veld's objective, fell into uncertain circumstances.

The time when Black Slaughterer was in Beatrice was their golden opportunity to take over the human world, but there was no point in taking over the human world if it was dying away.

He might have been better off looking for the world belonging to the 1st rank player in Beatrice and try to take over that one instead.

But as long as Beatrice was open to everyone, he couldn't do much about it.

The Demonic Realm was at the lowest rank in that new world.

That was because the Demonic Realm had been treated as the lowest of the lowest for a very long time in the discussions of a new world.

In order to turn that around, he had to get involved in Beatrice this time around.

Since he was somewhat involved with the new world, he couldn't participate as a player, but he was allowed to bid.

Beatrice was a huge gambling board for the gods.

They invested their points, and if the results went their way, they were able to reap great rewards.

And if they failed, they had to collect points again for a long time.

For that reason, they had to be thoughtful when investing their points.

If they invested their points in a high-ranking player, they didn't show that much growth, which led to underwhelming results.

But if they invested in novice players or low-ranking players and did it right, that was a jackpot.

Of course, if they failed, they would lose a lot of points, but Beatrice was a high risk-high return system.

Demon King Veld bit down on his lower lip.

He had nothing more to lose.

He had to gamble if he wanted to revive the Demonic Realm, which was currently at a

low rank.

And in that gamble, there was one player that guaranteed good results.

Black Slaughterer.

He was certain that he could give him all the power and authority he needed.

'I'll invest all the points I've accumulated in the Demonic Realm in you, and then I'll use that power to destroy you.'

Demon King Veld ripped the space in front of him with his claws and ran into the world of Beatrice to make his gamble.

***

[Demon King Veld has gifted you with +10,000 points.]

[Many Dionysus Gods are shocked by Demon King Veld's gift.]

[The Dionysus Gods are scoffing at Demon King Veld.]

[Demon King Veld has gifted you with +10,000 points.]

[Demon King Veld's continuous point contribution is beginning to agitate the other gods.]

[Player Min Sugn Kang is receiving an explosive interest from the gods.]

[You've surpassed 500 favorites.]

[Your reputation has increased by +100.]

[Your stats have increased by +5 as a result of your number of favorites.]

[The Dionysus Gods are gifting you points following Demon King Veld's contribution.]

[Calculating.]

[You've acquired +44,800 points from the gods.]

[You're about to rank up.]

Min Sung knitted his brows at his endless system messages.

He was wondering what all the system windows were about on his way to Newtie City through the warp gate portal.

And when he found out it was about Demon King Veld, he couldn't help but laugh.

He also realized what kind of game the Dionysus Gods had been playing.

It was easy to see from the fact that an evil being like Veld was gifting him with experience points.

There was no way such a greedy demon king could gift him with points out of pure intent.

But regardless, he was thankful to Veld for allowing him to grow at such a fast rate.

He couldn't turn it down anyway, and since it was of help to him in Beatrice, he intended on returning the favor later.

… With death.

Min Sung accepted the endless energy that was coming his way.

The magic power was enough to swallow him whole.

It was to the point of not knowing what to do with so much power.

He had never had this much power before, so even Min Sung was a little surprised.

He had so much power that he didn't know how much stronger he could become if he used all of the experience points he currently had.

And that change was not only perceived by Min Sung, but Ho Sung Lee, Bowl, Ssol, the cat creature, and the elf as well.

"Sir, what is this…?!"

In the eyes of his party, Min Sung looked like the sun.

If they had known that Min Sung's growth hadn't even started yet, they would have been even more shocked.

Min Sung was getting ready to take over Beatrice.

He officially began his quest to level up.

***

Unlike Vanguard Frontia, Newtie City was bustling with life.

There were many players equipped with equipment, and there were many Beatrice natives as well.

Starting with the vegetable section, there were many shops lined up as well.

Since Newtie City was filled with players who were no longer novices, there were many Beatrice natives doing business as well.

They did some sightseeing as they passed on their way to their accommodation.

They booked the rooms they would be staying at. The first thing Min Sung did was not using the shop with his experience points, and he checked out the restaurant menu at his accommodation.

Ho Sung Lee and Min Sung stood side by side and read the menu.

With the help of the cat creature and elf, the menu read as follows:

[Menu]

Lamb stew

Tenderloin steak

Cheese salad

Fried sweet potato

Min Sung showed a stiff face while reading the menu.

And when Ho Sung Lee noticed this, he realized what Min Sung was thinking.

"You don't like the menu, do you? Should I prepare some Korean food for you?"

"Where?"

Min Sung asked Ho Sung Lee.

"I'll find out if there's a place to cook here."

Ho Sung Lee moved quickly.

Meanwhile, Min Sung pulled up a chair and waited for Ho Sung Lee to return.

A moment later…

Ho Sung Lee returned soon afterward and gave him an answer that wasn't disappointing.

"They said we can use the back garden. I'll call you as soon as the food is ready."

Min Sung nodded and got up.

"Work hard," said Min Sung before he walked up the stairs to his room.

Ho Sung Lee headed to the back garden and the elf and cat creature followed him out of curiosity.

Bowl and Ssol also followed.

***

The back garden was fairly spacious, and it was dark due to the shade, but it didn't affect his ability to cook.

Ho Sung Lee took out his cooking table from his item window.

Once he opened it up, he realized it was perfect for cooking.

The cat creature and elf watched Ho Sung Lee with sparkling eyes of fascination.

When Ho Sung Lee noticed the two beautiful women watching him with admiration, he felt pride pricking up his shoulders.

"I'll make some delicious food for you today."

Ho Sung Lee opened the recipes Woong Jang prepared for him and began cooking.

***

While the food was being prepared in the back garden, Min Sung used his interface system to open the item shop.

He currently had +65,900 experience points.

And the points he needed to upgrade his shop to the next level was +10,000 points.

Since he had more than enough points, Min Sung upgraded his shop without any hesitation.

Followed by a light, the simple shop was upgraded to one that was bordered by dragon figures, making it look much cooler.

Chapter 211: Chapter 211

Min Sung checked the list of items on his newly upgraded shop.

Since it was upgraded to the max, the list of items he could buy with his experience points was vast and impressive.

But there were only two items that caught Min Sung's attention.

[Legendary Magic Output +1 (Either low, mid, or high at random)/ +1. Costs 1000 points each]

[Skill: (Random) Either low, mid, high, highest, legendary, or mythical. Costs +50,000 points]

Min Sung thought carefully between the two options.

He didn't want to complicate things by buying all sorts of skills.

Min Sung liked to keep it simple.

So Min Sung bought one of the random +50,000 skills, and the rest of his points were spent on the 'Legendary Magic Output +1'.

When he touched the accept button, the message, 'Your purchase has been completed' popped up.

<+900 experience points remaining.>

Min Sung immediately checked his inventory.

He found the two items that he just purchased from the shop.

[Legendary magic output +5]

[Random skill +1]

Right before Min Sung tried to use the 'Legendary Magic Output +5' item…

[The Dionysus Gods who gifted Player Min Sung Kang with experience points are nervous.]

[The gods would like to warn you to be more thoughtful.]

[Your number of viewers is increasing. Your current number of viewers is 1200. You have been favorite by 518.]

Min Sung scoffed.

They were definitely obsessed with gambling.

But then again, he was one to talk as someone who bought random items just now.

He saw a system message asking him to accept or deny.

Min Sung quickly touched accept.

[You're opening all of your Legendary Magic Output +5.]

[Highest 150×2, High, 100×1, Low 10×3, total magic power of +430]

[The gods who gifted Player Min Sung Kang with experience points are happy.]

[Demon King Veld is cheering.]

[You're being favorited by more viewers.]

Min Sung's finger proceeded to click on the item 'random skill' as if he was ignoring the system messages.

[The Dionysus Gods are nervous.]

[The number of gods watching Player Min Sung Kang has exploded.]

Min Sung looked at the system message and thought.

The more gods that were watching, the more points he could acquire.

He didn't know about anything else, but it was important to increase the number of gods on his side.

Min Sung stopped himself from touching the skill. He crossed his arms and stared at the random skill inside his item window.

And it was just as he expected.

[The Dionysus Gods are suspicious.]

[Most gods are beginning to understand the player.]

[Your number of viewers is continuing to increase.]

And then a moment later…

[The Dionysus Gods are becoming frustrated.]

When he saw that message, Min Sung realized he had to use his item and touched the 'random skill.'

A window asking him to accept or reject popped up.

'Should I drag on some more time?'

Min Sung pretended to think some more and made the gods antsy.

[The Dionysus Gods are urging you to use your item.]

[The gods have gifted you with +3000 points.]

[The gods would like you to hurry.]

Min Sung laughed bitterly.

The gods were just as simple as humans.

Just by dragging on some time, he managed to get more points.

'This is funny.'

Min Sung smirked and touched 'accept'.

When he did, a bright blue light flashed intensely.

The light then disappeared before an item popped up in the air.

[You've acquired 'counter barrier'.]

'Counter barrier?'

Min Sung touched the 'capabilities' button in order to check what the item was about.

Counter Barrier: The ability to return one of your opponent's abilities back to them.

'Oh, I see.'

In contrast to Min Sung's calm reaction, the gods were excited.

[The Dionysus Gods can't believe your luck.]

[Demon King Veld is dancing and cheering.]

[The gods are smiling.]

[The gods are looking forward to your future actions.]

'But can I drag this on some more?'

Min Sung was so annoyed by all of these system messages about the gods that he looked to see if he could block them, but there was no such setting.

Min Sung clicked his tongue and touched the skill.

[Congratulations. You've acquired the counter barrier skill.]

When it came to skills acquired in Beatrice, just imagining the skill in his head, he

was able to use it comfortably.

When Min sung closed the shop, he heard a knocking sound.

The door opened to the cat creature poking in.

"The meal is ready. Please come down," the cat creature said with a little bit of shyness.

"Tell them I'll be right down."

"Sure!"

The cat creature nodded and disappeared, and Min Sung sighed.

What would happen if he couldn't cut down the Iris tree and Earth disappeared?

Min Sung shook his head.

There was no need to imagine it.

He wasn't going to let that happen.

Min Sung turned off his item window and got off the bed.

***

As soon as he arrived in the back garden, Ho Sung Lee looked quite confident with himself.

He smelled something delicious.

"I feel like I can quit being a hunter and start being a chef, haha," Ho Sung Lee bragged.

Min Sung ignored him and looked closely at the food that Ho Sung Lee prepared.

The main dish that Ho Sung Lee made was grilled short ribs.

It was clear that it wasn't just frozen ribs that were heated up.

It was letting off steam, and it looked so moist and soft that it was hard to withstand not putting it in his mouth.

"I'm impressed," Min Sung said sincerely with his eyes fixed on the ribs.

"Haha, thank you."

Ho Sung Lee had yet to even taste it himself, but just the sight and smell of the ribs made him understand his confidence.

Other Korean dishes were prepared around the grilled short ribs.

Bright red kimchi as well as other side dishes.

But there was one dish that he didn't expect.

He thought that the main was the short ribs, but that was just his assumption.

There was another plate next to the ribs.

And inside it was noodles.

"Yes, that's mixed wheat noodles!"

Ho Sung Lee confidently said.

Min Sung felt his heart sink with shock.

'Mixed wheat noodles and grilled short ribs?'

'I'm not sure about this.'

He didn't think it would go together at first, but the more he looked at it, the more he salivated, and he felt a big grumble roaring from his stomach.

He had to eat it before it got cold.

Min Sung quickly picked up his chopsticks and sat down in his seat.

Ho Sung Lee looked to the cat creature and elf, who were salivating, and gestured for them to eat as well.

"I prepared lots, so help yourselves."

In response, the cat creature and elf sat down as well.

***

"It's so good!"

"T-this is delicious!"

The cat creature and elf showed their own reactions to the grilled short ribs.

The cat creature wriggled her ear. She lifted her head into the air. She threw her fist up and her body trembled.

As for the elf, she covered her mouth in shock and stared at the grilled short ribs.

After tasting it himself, Min Sung agreed with their reactions and nodded as well.

It really was that good.

Although it was meat, it was so warm and soft that it melted in his mouth like icecream.

Min Sung looked at the mixed wheat noodles with nervous eyes.

The white noodles were floating above the broth, and on top of the noodles was a red sauce and a boiled egg, making for a beautiful sight.

'This is too much.'

'This is really overwhelming.'

Min Sung turned away to take a breath before grabbing the noodles with his chopsticks.

He mixed the noodles around in the red sauce.

Once it was complete, Min Sung slurped the noodles up.

At the same time, his chopsticks moved over to the grilled short ribs.

After putting the grilled short ribs in his mouth as well, Min Sung chewed on it. He closed his eyes and covered his eyes with his hand.

The harmony between the mixed wheat noodles and the ribs was shocking.

The harmony.

He wondered if this was what the word 'harmony' was made for.

"Sir, that's not all."

Ho Sung Lee proceeded to introduce the hidden menu.

And that was the beef rice soup that was inside the stone bowl.

Min Sung's eyes jolted wide open as soon as he saw it.

Min Sung was so happy that he almost grabbed Ho Sung Lee by the neck.

He wanted to grab him by the neck and ask why he prepared such a surprise event, but he calmed himself down.

"Put it down in front of me."

Min Sung shook his chopsticks as if he was impatient.

The thick broth of the beef rice soup contained pepper oil, and the perfect amount of bean sprouts were in it, stimulating his brain cells.

On top of that, the meat gave off so much of a presence that Min Sung almost lost his rationality.

Min Sung immediately grabbed his spoon.

He put the wet beef and bean sprouts into his mouth and slurped the green onions right up.

It was so delicious that Min Sung almost fell into a trance.

He frowned out of joy.

It was so good that he could faint.

'What a refreshing combination.'

"This is the best, Ho Sung."

Min Sung didn't hold back on the compliments and went back to the mixed wheat noodles and the grilled short ribs.

He then went back to the bean sprouts, onions, and beef, along with the thick beef broth that he spooned over and over into his belly.

Chapter 212: Chapter 212

The beef in the rice soup was soft and chewy at the same time.

And the combination of the fancy grilled short ribs and the mixed wheat noodles were absolutely fantastic.

***

The commander of the Ares Guild was at a loss for words.

That was because he heard the news that the guild soldiers that he went to threaten a notice in Vanguard Frontia had died.

"What's his name?"

The commander looked troubled as he asked one of the soldiers.

"It's a player named Min Sung Kang from Earth."

"Any other information?"

"We haven't found out more than that…"

The commander clicked his tongue while seated in his chair.

"Dispatch some men to keep an eye on him, and if you think he needs to be eliminated, assign support to take care of it."

"… Yes, Sir."

The subordinate stepped out.

'Who would welcome a new ranker anyway? Stay alive if you can. Who knows? Maybe you'll be able to meet me, Commander Marshall.'

The commander of Ares Guild stroked his chin as he let out a laugh.

***

Now that he was done eating, it was time to move.

Min Sung used his system map to see if there were any prey around him that he could use to acquire more experience points.

If he had it his way, he would face off against the other rankers immediately, but he knew he was going to run into them sooner or later.

If the water was welled up, he felt better just getting rid of it all in one go.

And even if he didn't look for them himself, he knew that people would start coming into his turf as he built his reputation.

There was no need to take it too slowly, but it wasn't efficient to rush it either.

Min Sung believed that walking up the stairs step by step was the fastest way to the top.

"Where are you going?" Ho Sung Lee asked.

"To get more points," Min Sung replied simply and left the accommodation.

Ho Sung Lee, Bowl and Ssol naturally followed behind him.

The place Min Sung was headed was the 1st dungeon surrounding Newtie City.

On the system map, the dungeons were marked with red stars to indicate the difficulty level, and this dungeon was marked with 7 stars, which was the most difficult.

The higher the difficulty, the faster he could obtain experience points and get to the next step, but the problem was the risks that came with it.

But considering how many points he received as gifts, Min Sung didn't think it was going to be difficult to deal with the dungeons near Newtie City.

Min Sung and his party arrived in front of the 1st dungeon, marked as a 7 on the scale of difficulty.

In front of the dungeon were many more players than he expected.

There were around 30 of them.

They were all equipped with expensive-looking equipment, and they were all in the process of checking their weapons.

Furthermore, they all had marks on their shoulders or chests that indicated their guild.

The only one without a guild marking was Min Sung.

Was that why?

As soon as novice Min Sung arrived in front of the dungeon without a guild marking, the other players looked at him with suspicion.

"They're staring," Ho Sung Lee whispered in a quiet voice.

Min Sung ignored him and looked for the entrance to the dungeon, and he was able to find it easily.

This time, the dungeon looked quite unique, and the entrance was like none he had seen before.

There was a door with the words of the magic language written on it, and there was nothing else around that door.

He figured that the door was his way through to the dungeon.

"How do I go in there?"

Min Sung asked some of the other players around him.

In response, the players scoffed at Min Sung.

"You're trying to go in there without joining a guild and with those weird creatures? You must be a novice. Join a guild first. How about you join ours?"

"No need. Just tell me how to get in there."

In response, the players' faces flushed.

"I don't like the sound of that command."

"I asked how I can go in that dungeon. Is it that hard to answer my question?"

The player glared at Min Sung.

The atmosphere around them grew heavy.

Ho Sung

Lee predicted a fight was about to begin and gulped.

The way Ho Sung Lee saw it, no matter how powerful Min Sung was, he was still just a novice in Beatrice.

It wasn't wise to start fights for no good reason.

"Sir. I don't think you should start any disputes…"

Min Sung pushed Ho Sung Lee with his hand and walked closer to the player who was glaring at him.

The player, who was in the middle of polishing his sword, smirked and threw his towel on the ground.

This drew more attention.

And then…

The atmosphere changed into that of a fight that was about to begin.

The players around them started cheering.

"He seems like a novice, but he doesn't seem bad for someone without a guild."

"He's manly."

"That's what players should be like."

"Good luck, novice!"

They were all mocking him.

They weren't cheering him thinking he would actually win.

They were all looking forward to seeing the foolish novice roll on the ground and get defeated for not knowing his place.

But Min Sung didn't show any emotional reaction to that fact.

The fact that they were scumbags actually reassured him.

Min Sung had just thrown the bait.

The fishing had already begun.

And if they took the bait and accepted the fight, he would be able to look forward to more experience points as well as additional gifts from the gods.

He had acquired a substantial amount of experience points until now, and he had used all of them.

As a result, he knew it wouldn't take long for his magic power to wipe all of them out in a short span of time.

Of course, that was just his prediction without any data to support it, but Min Sung had survived 100 years in the Demonic Realm with just his fighting abilities alone.

On top of that, he trusted his instincts.

He had to believe in himself in order to obtain good results.

But in order to do that, he needed a reason to have confidence.

In that sense, Min Sung could be more daring than anyone.

Min Sung grabbed his sword and waited for the player to take the bait.

And luckily, the player took the bait as Min Sung hoped.

"I need to teach this novice a lesson."

In response, Min Sung scoffed.

"I feel like you stopped breastfeeding way too young."

In response to Min Sung's provocation, the player glared even harder.

The atmosphere around them lit up.

With the other excited players in the background, Min Sung looked directly at the player.

"What a sight. You're such a baby."

Min Sung stared at the player with no emotions and waited for him to make the first move.

The player's sword was a Yeongum.

Yeongums were known to be especially thin and made of very strong material.

It bent very easily, and its movements were hard to track with the eyes, making fickle attacks possible.

"As a superior, let me teach this foolish novice a lesson."

The player's eyes sparkled.

And at the same time, he began his attack.

His Yeongum, which was able to transform swiftly, moved very quickly like a snake.

Its Aura spread out in all four directions.

But Min Sung leisurely dodged the Aura attack and smirked.

He was arrogant.

He didn't use all of his power and tried to test how powerful he actually was.

That also meant he had his guard down.

Min Sung's eyes spotted the player's exposed weak point.

Since he let him make the first move, he figured he was considerate enough.

Min Sung planned to fight with his bare hands without taking out the Gungnir from his item window.

His entire body was giving off magic power, just itching to be let out.

Min Sung unleased his magic power toward that weakness of his.

The magic power flew over like bullets and penetrated the player's thigh.

Along with slashing noises, the player's face turned into a grimace of shock.

Min Sung didn't plan on going easy on him.

He cared about experience points, but that didn't mean he intended on going easy on the guilds of Beatrice.

No matter how many of them came at him, he was ready to swallow them all whole.

Min Sung's eyes flashed.

And when the player saw that, he felt his body stiffen up.

His instincts caught on to the fact that death was near.

Min Sung's fist flew in with the light of magic power.

The player didn't even think to move.

He was simply frozen at the fear of death.

There was no way he could block the attack.

He had already been shot with the magic bullets, so there was no room to put up a defense, and more than anything else, fear had control over his entire body.

Min Sung's fist flew toward the defenseless player.

Pow!

It sounded as if a sheet of leather was being pierced through.

And as loud as the sound, the sight of the player was treacherous.

The player, who had plopped down on the ground, had his head completely missing.

Meanwhile, Min Sung looked down at his fist.

'Impressive…'

Min Sung was surprised by his own power.

The amount of magic power he acquired through the experience points gifted to him by the gods was amazing. He got to the level of power that he had never thought he could reach.

Gulp-

Strength was addictive.

He wanted even more power.

He wanted to test his power on the other players gathered in front of the dungeon.

His magic power refused to die down.

But he knew that getting obsessed with power would only lead to his death through his experience in the Demonic Realm.

If he didn't control himself, maintain himself strictly, and make a rational decision, Min Sung knew better than anyone that he would see a horrible result.

In order to keep his heart from beating so hard, he breathed in and out slowly.

Chapter 213: Chapter 213

***

'T-that was impressive.'

Ho Sung Lee got goosebumps watching Min Sung fight.

Ho Sung Lee had heard enough about Beatrice to know what kind of world it really was.

Beatrice was a world where the best players from all around the universe gathered to see how they ranked.

Even if he was Min Sung Kang, Ho Sung Lee thought that he would move thoughtfully and that it was going to be a difficult fight, but Min Sung Kang didn't show any changes.

He was just a man who went for what he wanted.

How could he kill a player from a guild in front of so many other players?

And beyond what he did, he was scared of Min Sung's force.

He killed a player in Beatrice as if it was nothing.

Since Ho Sung Lee didn't know how much more powerful he had gotten as a result of the experience points, he was beyond shocked at Min Sung's abilities.

***

In contrast to the party-like atmosphere that took place in front of the first dungeon, it suddenly turned quiet as if cold water had been poured on them.

And the cause was Min Sung's power.

"That bastard…"

"Is he trying to make the Ananti Guild into his enemy?"

"He's just a novice…!"

The silence quickly turned to a conversation about the harm that he inflicted on the honor of the guild that the player was a part of.

They weren't dissatisfied with the player's death.

They simply accepted the situation as a challenge to their own guilds.

There was a total of 7 Ananti Guild members in front of the dungeon.

And they discussed their opinions amongst themselves.

We can't just back down like this.

We're just going up against one person.

If we just let him go, the Ananti Guild will be ridiculed forever.

That's not all. The gods will abandon us, too.

It looks like we all agree.

Let's take care of him.

Agreed.

The 7 Ananti Guild players came to an agreement, and as soon as the decision was made, they began to prepare for a battle against Min Sung Kang.

The players, who were watching by, were no longer cheering or ridiculing Min Sung Kang.

But they were 2 times as interested in the fight than before.

7 Ananti Guild players against a solo novice who wasn't even a part of a guild.

But after seeing just how powerful he was, no one could guarantee, who would win between the two.

That was how shocked the players were by Min Sung's strength.

What was even more impressive was the fact that he finished him off without putting on any kind of show.

***

[The Dionysus Gods are interested.]

[The gods are focused on the fact that you're about to fight a number of players.]

[The gods are worried about the ratio.]

[The gods are disappointed at your rash behaviour.]

'It's so noisy.'

'Do they feel entitled because they gave me experience points?'

Min Sung smiled bitterly and opened his item window while looking at the players who were getting ready for battle.

As soon as Min Sung took his hand out, a thundering noise rang as his +9 Gungnir appeared.

At the same time, he was fully equipped.

With his helmet, armor, gaiters, shield, and accessories.

There was a shortcut key in the item window interface that allowed him to equip everything at once.

When the players saw Min Sung's equipment, they became even more nervous.

Min Sung's equipment was no ordinary equipment.

While they were unable to make any moves out of nervousness, Min Sung was very calm.

Nothing more, nothing less.

In contrast to the way the guild players looked down on him for not being a part of a guild, the rankers were too cowardly to make a move.

He wondered if it was necessary to be equipped against such cowards, but he couldn't let his guard down.

Just like the saying that even tigers used their full force against rabbits.

Min Sung's eyes began to flash.

And at the same time, the air around him froze.

The chilling vibe of Min Sung dominated the area around him.

The Ananti Guild players began to flinch at Min Sung's chilling vibe even

before the battle began.

Meanwhile, Bowl walked out and stood next to Min Sung.

And beside Bowl was Ho Sung Lee.

"Let me show you my new supporter ability, Sir," Ho Sung Lee said as he glared at the Ananti Guild players.

"Stay out of this."

"… Yes, Sir."

Ho Sung Lee stepped back.

"Bowl, you don't need to be involved either," Min Sung remarked.

Bowl also stepped back.

"What are you waiting for? Are you scared when it's 7 against 1? Then you shouldn't have started this in the first place."

Min Sung's words were provocative.

The 7 Ananti Guild players charged toward Min Sung.

In the shortest amount of time…

Min sung's eyes flashed from within his helmet.

He wanted to test them.

They were still the most powerful players of their own stars.

He wanted to know just how much skill he had to have against the 7 players.

He wanted the answer to that question.

This wasn't arrogance, but a desire to improve himself.

And that desire always became the foundation of his evergrowing power and experience.

Roarrrr!

The sound of the Aura's power could be heard from all four directions.

Min Sung began to free his magic power, which was just itching for freedom.

And the freedom of Min Sung's magic power soon became the players' worst nightmare.

As soon as Min Sung's Gungnir cut into the ground, the magic power that came from Gungnir turned into a monster that began sucking up the players' aura.

And once all of the magic power disappeared.

The place that the magic power headed toward next… was, of course, the 7 Ananti Guild players, who were staring blankly.

The magic power resembling white ghosts began eating through the players' bodies.

If he wanted, he could rip them to shreds, but he looked like a lion watching a deer die slowly.

A message.

This was a message to all the players who were watching the battle in front of the dungeon.

"Aaaaagh!"

Screaming could be heard.

Blood slashed into the air while the screaming continued, and the pain lasted for a long time and tortured them greatly.

When Min Sung took his Gungnir out of the ground, the Ananti Guild players were already rolling on the ground while covered in blood.

"Bowl," Min Sung called.

Bowl ran over and looked up at his master from below his feet.

Min Sung looked at the Ananti Guild players on the ground and said, "It's time to eat."

Bowl's eyes lit up with black flames.

Min Sung's Gungnir stabbed through the first player's body and went deep into the ground.

Slash!

"Cough!"

He coughed out blood and his sight grew hazy.

As he died away…

Bowl used his dark magic to make that life his.

A player turned into the undead.

The countless other players held their breaths as they watched the strange sight.

They were shocked and horrified at what looked like a sneak-peek into hell.

Min Sung killed all of the players one by one as if it was his duty.

Slash!

Slash…!

His Gungnir pierced their bodies and went straight through.

At this point, the sound of death was louder than the sound of screaming.

The voices of their wish to live could still be heard, but that didn't last long.

They lost their lives at Min Sung's unforgiving sword, and Bowl possessed those lives.

[God of Death is laughing.]

[The angels are frowning.]

[Many gods are smiling with satisfaction.]

[The Dionysus Gods have begun gifting experience points.]

[You have acquired a total of +1200 points.]

[Main Quest Activated.]

[Please clear Dungeon 1 of Newtie City.]

[You can acquire experience points as a reward.]

***

The players who saw Min Sung's fight were shocked.

They were celebrating as if they were at a party at first, but now, they looked like they were in Hell.

They saw Min Sung as a ghost.

In addition, the sight of Bowl turning the dead players into zombies was a sight that couldn't be watched with a clear head.

The players were unable to look at Min Sung for long, and they began to leave in plans to postpone the hunt until later.

Not even 1 minute later, it was just Min Sung's party and the undead players in front of the dungeon.

After sending the undead back into the ground, Bowl stared at Min Sung.

Ho Sung Lee also looked at Min Sung.

Min Sung stood still without a word.

***

His magic power was so powerful that it could even swallow him whole.

And his senses tingled to the point of being in pain if he didn't use this power again right away.

It was unpleasant.

His power wriggled around as if he was having withdrawal.

In order to calm down his uncontrollable power, Min Sung suppressed his senses.

After about 5 minutes of high sensitivity, his crazy magic power began to settle down.

"Sigh."

Min Sung sighed and looked toward the dungeon.

Since such a large amount of magic power entered his body so suddenly, it would take him some time to control it in a comfortable manner.

***

He entered the 1st dungeon around Newtie City, which was at a difficulty level of 7 stars.

The dungeon was built in a typical formation made of bricks.

It was very suitable for the middle ages vibe Beatrice had.

Since the dungeons in Korea looked similar to this, he felt familiar with it, but there was another reason why he felt unfamiliar.

Chapter 214: Chapter 214

What was different from Korean dungeons was that besides Min Sung's party, there were other players inside as well.

The members of one of the guilds were fighting off monsters.

But every time they saw Min Sung and his party, they stared like little kids who had their guards up.

Since the players who were already in the dungeon hadn't seen Min Sung's battle, they practically growled at his party for not being a part of a guild.

This was after he tested the level of the players in the area.

Since he didn't have any more time to waste with small fries, Min Sung kept moving.

Ho Sung Lee, Bowl, and Ssol followed from behind him and passed all the other players.

***

When the players in the dungeon saw Min Sung passing by, they scoffed.

They weren't staying where they were because they were lazy or stupid.

This dungeon was a level 7.

Beyond the levels of the monsters, there were booby-traps and equipment installed everywhere, which killed players.

So the fact that a novice player without a guild was rushing forward without hesitation meant that he could very well be killed before he hunted a monster.

Within guilds were experts who analyzed and cleared the traps.

"That foolish novice."

"Snicker."

"He must be crazy."

"I can't tell if he's foolish or brave."

The players within the dungeon laughed at Min Sung and his party.

***

[Warning]

[There are traps installed.]

'Hm?'

Ho Sung Lee knitted his brows.

'… Traps?'

"Sir!"

In response to Ho Sung Lee's calling, Min Sung slowed down and looked back at Ho Sung Lee.

"There are traps."

"…?"

At that moment…

Rattle! Clunk!

Along with a loud metal noise, a piece of metal with an Aura around it popped out from the ground and flew toward Min Sung's body.

Min Sung used his shield to block the metal away.

Thud!

The sound of the weight could be heard against the shield.

An impact strong enough to ring through his entire body.

It was so powerful that it was strange that the shield didn't break.

When he realized that the traps were quite elaborate, even more trap attacks followed.

Arrows shot toward him from all four directions.

But Ho Sung Lee didn't have high enough stats allowing him to dodge them.

For that reason, he used his shadow movement skill.

Ho Sung Lee became a shadow and dodged all of the attacks.

The problem was that his attack power was at rock bottom, but in a world like this, his attack power was useless.

He made the best choice possible.

It was most effective for him to gain experience points while growing as a supporter.

Ho Sung Lee was certain that Min Sung Kang was satisfied with his choice as well.

***

The traps inside the dungeon were certainly powerful, but that only pertained to regular players.

To Min Sung, the trap equipment in the dungeon around Newtie City was not threatening whatsoever.

What was threatening was time.

Time made him feel restless. It got rid of his leisure and made him rush.

Min Sung's only enemy was time.

For that reason, he had no choice but to be objective and use his time as efficiently as possible.

Min Sung dodged all of the traps that were thrown his way and swiftly moved forward.

***

The dungeons of Beatrice continuously unleashed monsters and dished out countless traps.

But within a certain time period, the same trap didn't reactivate.

That was what confused the players who were currently in the dungeon.

Why didn't the traps activate?

That thought didn't leave the players' minds.

In addition, no matter how far they walked, they didn't see any monsters.

They felt like they were going to be possessed by ghosts.

Actually, they felt like the novice that went ahead of them was the ghost.

The players couldn't believe it.

A novice got through all of the traps and killed all of the monsters?

This was something that the more experienced players of Beatrice would have scoffed at.

The 1st dungeon of Newtie City wasn't an easy dungeon to break through.

That meant it was impossible unless he was a guild player with the highest specifications.

They pinched and slapped themselves to make sure they weren't dreaming.

***

Min Sung cleared the dungeon and returned to the entrance of the dungeon through a portal.

[The Dionysus Gods who gifted you with experience points are in awe of

your hunting abilities.]

[The gods are acticipating your next move.]

[You've cleared the quest.]

[You've received experience points…]

Min Sung ignored the continuous system messages and looked for other hunting grounds using the system map.

At that moment, the guild players of different teams came out through the portal to the entrance of the dungeon.

The guild players stared at Min Sung while he looked at his system map.

They all looked at him as a 'mystery' of life.

After the guild leaders discussed, one of the guild leaders walked toward Min Sung as he looked at the system map.

"Did you clear that dungeon?"

Min Sung looked at the guild leader in annoyance.

But his eyes were serious, and he looked determined to receive an answer.

Min Sung had no interest in talking to any of them.

Min Sung turned off his map. He ignored them and started walking to his next destination.

"Hey."

As soon as the guild leader grabbed Min Sung by the shoulder, Min Sung made him freeze on the spot just by looking back at him.

The guild leader was frozen like a rock as he trembled and dripped in sweat.

That was because as soon as he met eyes with Min Sung, he felt a chilling sense of fear.

***

The guild leader had never experienced such a thing before.

It was horrifying to feel death just from a look in someone's eyes.

'What kind of novice…'

'No, there's no way he's a novice.'

The guild leader was certain.

'He's not a novice.'

It was unlikely for a novice who didn't have many chances to be sponsored by the gods to be that powerful.

'Why did such a strong player come to the dungeon in Newtie City?'

He had many questions inside his head, and at the same time, he was horrified that death was near.

He just wanted to escape the dangerous situation.

"If you try to waste my time one more time, you and the rest of your group will die."

It didn't sound like he was lying.

He wasn't bluffing.

He was telling the truth.

He was a player who could freeze people in their tracks with his glare alone.

They didn't stand a chance against him.

It was time to let go of his curiosity.

All he could do was look down.

That was when horror faded away and Min Sung grew distant.

"What happened?"

That guild leader was the only one who sensed the chills.

The other guild members and players couldn't sense it, so they didn't understand.

"That's not a novice," said the guild leader.

"What do you mean?"

"Then is he a fake player?"

"Why was he at a Newtie City dungeon?"

The guild leader gulped as he looked in the direction of Min Sung.

***

With the guild players in front of the dungeon having failed their hunt, there was one man who had been secretly watching everything.

He stood on top of a tall tree and watched Min Sung's party leave as he opened his system window.

He then wrote up a report and touched send.

Once he closed the window, the man continued to follow Min Sung's party at a safe distance.

***

"I sense a rat," said Min Sung.

"… Pardon?"

Ho Sung Lee looked around in confusion.

Ho Sung Lee didn't have the ability to find someone who was hiding their presence.

So he had no choice but to look blank.

"Wait here. Once I catch him, we'll eat a meal before we keep going."

"Y-yes, Sir," answered Ho Sung Lee with a confused face.

And at that moment…

Boom!

Min Sung disappeared with the sound of an explosion.

Ho Sung Lee blinked with a blank look on his face.

"Wow… He's even faster now. Hey, Bowl. Did you see Min Sung move?" Ho Sung Lee asked.

Bowl shook his head and stepped backward.

"What about you, Ssol?"

Ssol nodded at Ho Sung Lee.

"Wow. That's crazy. You saw that?"

"I'm fast."

"I'm impressed…"

Ho Sung Lee felt jealous.

He also felt pained at the fact that he was less capable than a goblin.

He thought he became quite impressive as a supporter, but he was still considerably weak.

Ho Sung Lee smoked with a dejected face and waited for Min Sung.

***

The man who was watching Min Sung's party jolted his eyes wide open.

The man he had been tracking suddenly charged toward him at high speed.

He tried to run off, but it was too sudden, and he was too fast to avoid.

The man decided not to run away and waited for him underneath the tree.

Boom!

Min Sung appeared right in front of the man's masked face.

His movements caused a strong wind to blow, and even the large tree's branches shook vigorously.

The masked man stared at player Min Sung Kang, whom he had been following, with a straight face.

"Who are you?" Min Sung asked.

"I already reported to the superior office," answered the masked man.

"Are you talking about the rankers?" Min Sung asked.

"You're looking down on Beatrice. Of course, I'm nothing but a carrier pigeon, but you don't stand a chance against them."

Min Sung smiled at the masked man.

"I didn't expect much anyway. I've been watching players like you for a long time now."

"…"

Min Sung's gaze met with that of the masked man, causing the air around them to freeze.

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