Chapter 89 …
Deep within the fishy-smelling Rock Forest.
Step, step.
After walking for several minutes, Dohyun looked around to make sure no one was nearby before finally checking the backlog of system messages.
[You have defeated the field boss of the Fishy Rock Forest, ‘Death Orc Warrior’.]
[Would you like to harvest the Enhanced Essence Orb of the Death Orc Warrior?]
[Essence Orb harvested.]
[As a reward…]
[Recorded in the Adventurer’s Tome.]
[You have defeated a new type of boss on first encounter.]
[All stats increase by +6 due to the Predation effect.]
[Level Up.]
…
A flood of messages that had appeared after defeating the Death Orc Warrior.
Normally, Dohyun would have checked them immediately, but this time he couldn’t.
‘Whew, that was hectic.’
The moment he defeated the Death Orc Warrior, a barrage of applause from onlookers poured in, leaving him no time to check anything.
Those burly guys with sparkling eyes clapping so purely…
‘…Not exactly pleasant.’
For some reason, it even reminded him of Charlie.
If it had ended there, he would’ve just brushed it off — but the real problem came next.
Apparently applause wasn’t enough to express their excitement, because they rushed over asking for autographs.
—
“You’ll be blessed!”
“Yes! An autograph!”
“You’re amazing. I’ve been watching your videos — you’ll upload this one too, right? I’ll be waiting!”
—
Hearing a comment each time he signed was a bit burdensome, but not entirely bad.
He used to meet people like this from time to time in the past.
It brought back old memories, and hearing that they watched his NewTube felt oddly new.
He had heard people mention his interview before, but this was the first time someone said they were a fan who watched the videos he personally uploaded.
‘Especially that archer — that one left the biggest impression.’
Among them, one person had particularly bright eyes but spoke the least.
Just stared endlessly.
Like… what a tsundere might look like when getting an autograph.
—
“…Lucky.”
“Riza!”
—
It was a secret that Jihad had been watching enviously from the side.
Despite putting on an incredible undead show, not a single person approached him.
—
“What’s the problem? Why is nobody talking to me?”
—
Maybe his fighting style was just too low-class.
The thought came instantly, but Dohyun wasn’t heartless enough to say it out loud.
‘That’s not what matters right now.’
Ending the brief recollection, Dohyun focused on the system window.
More precisely — the rewards.
[Hide of the Death-Infused Orc Warrior]
Grade: Rare
Description: Tough hide imbued with the aura of death. Seems useful for crafting armor.
[Fang of the Death-Infused Orc Warrior]
Grade: Rare
Description: A sharp fang imbued with the aura of death. Seems useful for crafting accessories.
These two material items and 600 gold were all he obtained this time.
Compared to what he’d gotten before, it was a rather shabby reward.
It was bittersweet, but Dohyun accepted it easily.
‘…This is the normal outcome. I was getting too lucky lately.’
He’d been sweeping up hidden pieces and guaranteed items from first-discovery buffs — normally, this was how it went.
If you could get equipment every time you killed a field boss, why would gear be rare or expensive?
The auction house would be flooded with it.
‘Well, it’s not like I got nothing.’
Even without equipment, the gains were substantial.
Because he defeated the boss on first encounter, the First Slayer’s Predation effect activated, raising all stats by 6.
Not only that — he leveled up to Level 30.
Player: Kaiser
Level: 30
HP: 5,010 / 5,010
MP: 1,600 / 1,600
Stamina: 790 / 790
Class: Last Adventurer <Successor of Kashiar>
Titles (7)
– Max Affinity from the Start?
– First Slayer
… (expand)
Stats
STR: 80 (+70)
AGI: 55 (+69)
VIT: 5 (+69)
SEN: 37 (+67)
MAG: 5 (+65)
Remaining Points: 46
‘Khh…’
Seeing the newly upgraded status window naturally brought a satisfied smile.
Who would think this was only level 30?
Only level 30, yet already seven titles — and none of them ordinary.
And he still had a whopping 46 unassigned points.
‘No need to invest yet.’
Thanks to the Dormant Dragon trait, he gained 7 points per level anyway, so there was no rush.
More importantly—
The Random Skill Draw Ticket he obtained upon reaching level 30.
‘Let’s see what comes out first. Investing later isn’t too late.’
He wanted to draw immediately, but Dohyun held himself back.
Hadn’t he sworn back in Raven?
‘Draws must be done at lucky spots!’
No more complacently relying only on Truth’s Eye and drawing anywhere!
Since that mindset had rewarded him with the fateful skill Parrying, he intended to maintain it.
Unlike the firm Dohyun, however, Jihad seemed to think differently.
—
“M-Master… I can’t hold it in anymore.”
—
Without even looking at him, Dohyun answered firmly.
“Just a little longer.”
“Something… something inside me is about to happen.”
“We’re almost there.”
“You’ve already said that five times, Master…”
“For real this time. We’re basically here.”
—
Maybe this was what it felt like when you can’t lift the barbell anymore but the trainer yells, “One more! Last one!”
Or like a father telling his kid, “Just five more minutes!” on the way up a mountain.
Each time he said they were almost there, Jihad’s face twisted more — and it was oddly entertaining to watch.
There was, in fact, a reason Jihad was whining like this.
[Guardian ‘Jihad Black’ has reached Level 10.]
[Guide him at the crossroads of choice.]
‘The timing really is perfect.’
Just like players choose a branching class after their god draw, guardians also undergo a form of advancement at level 10.
But it was a bit different from players.
Calling it a “class change” was generous — it was usually more like choosing an attribute.
For example:
Crimson Salamander / Azure Salamander
Steel Golem / Regeneration Golem
Nothing was strictly better; you just chose what suited you.
‘But divine beasts are different.’
If guardians merely chose attributes, divine beasts underwent something closer to evolution.
Like an imugi becoming a jewel-bearing imugi, and eventually a dragon — each advancement brought a clear transformation.
There was a reason people said a divine beast before and after advancement was practically a different species.
‘Yongyong and Hosik were like that too.’
When he first saw Bora’s Dragon-Tiger Clash, they were just a slightly large tiger and an imugi.
After repeated advancements, they eventually exuded the presence of the Azure Dragon and White Tiger of the Four Divine Beasts.
In that sense, Jihad was a bit unusual.
[Path of the Commander Necromancer]
[Path of the Demolition Necromancer]
‘I expected it, but… seeing actual classes pop up is weird.’
With traits like Corpse Handler and Curse Caster — and a textbook demolition necromancer combat style — this fit Jihad perfectly.
His skills were outright undead summoning, after all.
At this point, it would’ve been stranger if he evolved into something like Goblin Hop.
So Dohyun had naturally planned to raise him as a Commander Necromancer rather than a Bomber type…
Still, seeing a guardian get player-style classes felt oddly surreal.
‘Well, when has this guy ever been normal?’
Whether in good ways or bad, he was unusual in every sense.
Nothing to be surprised about now.
Anyway — after walking for some time, just as Jihad was reaching his limit—
—
“Aaaagh!”
“Ah, damn it! Why is it common again?!”
“No way! Hero grade!! Thank you, RNG gods!”
—
Noisy voices came from beyond the rocks.
—
“We’re here!”
—
Having experienced it once before, Jihad confidently rushed inside.
Dohyun and Eliza followed.
And soon they saw it—
Users sitting on rocks with reddened eyes, performing various draws within the thick fog.
There were fewer than in Raven, but easily around ten people.
‘We came to the right place.’
This was one of Brion’s two most famous lucky spots — the Rock Forest Ridge.
Orcs normally spawned wherever there was fog, but strangely, they did not appear here.
Not just orcs — not even small insects could be seen.
Because of that, people used this place as a rest area… or safe zone.
‘Though now it’s become a draw spot.’
Rumors were always the problem.
Since it was a safe zone, players who got draw tickets while hunting started stopping by to use them.
As more people pulled good results, word spread.
What used to be a safe haven had become a famous draw destination.
Dohyun was one of those visitors.
—
“Master, hurry!”
“Alright.”
—
At Jihad’s urging, Dohyun immediately moved his hand.
[Will you choose the Path of the Commander Necromancer?]
“Yeah.”
Flash!
Blinding light burst from Jihad, filling the area.
It was the same pitch-black darkness as his mana — a darkness that flashed by like entering and exiting a tunnel.
[Guardian ‘Jihad Black’ walks the Path of the Commander Necromancer.]
[Please draw a skill.]
A message flashed before him — along with seven cards.
This was the reason.
Why he endured Jihad’s whining and came all the way to a lucky spot instead of advancing in the hunting ground.
When a guardian advances for the first time, they don’t receive a skill ticket — they draw immediately.
‘Good thing Bora told me. I almost drew in some random place.’
At Dohyun’s relieved muttering, Jihad — finally freed — looked baffled.
—
“What’s the big deal? You can draw anywhere.”
“No. With that weak resolve, you can’t achieve anything. Do you think accomplishing something is easy? That’s life, Ji—… Jihad.”
“….”
—
At Dohyun’s deadly serious face, Jihad opened and closed his mouth.
It was technically correct…
But why apply that level of resolve to gacha?
Especially when he brute-forced bosses without hesitation.
Jihad simply couldn’t understand.
—
“Look at those people burning with determination. See how desperate they are.”
“….”
—
What made it even harder to understand was—
Dohyun wasn’t exaggerating.
The surrounding humans truly looked desperate.
As if their lives depended on it.
—
“Humans are strange…”
—
His master, who lost all sanity whenever the words “card pull” or “draw” appeared…
And those humans with bloodshot eyes like addicts…
—
“Riza?”
“Don’t look at that, Eliza. It’s dirty.”
—
As Jihad stuffed Eliza back into the robe pocket when she peeked out curiously, he asked:
—
“So… what did you get?”
—
Dohyun’s face stiffened.
“…Silver.”
“What’s that mean?”
“I don’t know. I’m sad, so don’t talk to me.”
“…?”
—
Dohyun looked genuinely heartbroken.
—
“…I give up. Handle it yourself.”
—
Unable to understand, Jihad finally stepped back.
He should be focusing — it was his skill draw, after all.
But this world where everyone except him had gone insane…
He simply wasn’t confident he could handle this league.
