Chapter 86 – Blooming in the Swamp (3)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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The Yusra Kingdom.

The ancient kingdom, in which capital and labor had been invested, had somehow taken on the appearance of a plausible city. A bustling appearance comparable to the grand cities of Arcana in the past.

“Wow. Every day is different.”

The corner in front of the Golden Palace Square.

Players were gathered at the Golden Calf Tavern.

The days when Arcana was merely a game.

They used to kill time in a tavern like this.

“Being like this really brings back old memories. Doesn’t it?”

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

Looking at the nostalgic scenery of the tavern, they even had the illusion of momentarily returning to those days.

“Wow, those mobs are no joke, right?”

A large screen hung on the outer wall of the tavern.

The playing video etched the fact that this is reality, not a memory.

Not only to the Players, but now also to the Arcanians who were no longer NPCs.

Even though it was still broad daylight.

The heavily intoxicated Commander of the Shadow Mercenaries made a drunken scene.

“Eyy shit. That thing. Tell that lump to move his head away.”

Kitsch’s hand holding the drink glass twitched.

What provoked Kitsch was the lump of muscles blocking the screen.

“Just pow! Hit. Whoosh! Dodge.”

It was Rockid.

Even though there were quite a few people feeling uncomfortable because of his large build.

“What are those bastards doing so frustratingly!!”

“……Ah shit. My eardrums are going to fall off.”

“What? Speak louder, mister. Because I can’t hear you!!”

Just with stinging glares.

They couldn’t stop Rockid, who was fascinated by modern civilization.

Rockid picked up the whole mug of beer.

Gulp gulp

A Predator Zone where battles never cease.

Just thinking about it makes me excited and thirsty.

Rockid emptied his glass continuously and said.

“Commander! Do we have any plans to go to a place like that?”

“Hiccup. Even if we go, I won’t take you. You punk.”

“W-What did you say?! What kind of nonsense is that!”

“Just completely blocking the whole screen like that. Even just because you’re insolent……. Hiccup!”

Flop

Ending his drunken babble with that, Kitsch sprawled on the table.

“Wait, Commander!!”

Rockid stood up from his seat to shake Kitsch awake.

“Now I can finally see something.”

“I can’t even say anything to that guy, really…….”

“Let’s hold it in. You know that muscle lump’s personality well.”

The Players clicked their tongues at Rockid’s nuisance.

There was someone who couldn’t lift his head at their disgraceful behavior.

Arcanians like the Shadow Mercenaries.

It was the Explorer’s Federation.

“What an annoyance that is. My face is turning red for no reason.”

“No. That’s just how people live. Well.”

“But since it’s the Predator Zone. It’s understandable to get excited.”

Explorer’s Federation.

Literally a group where explorers gathered.

The condition to join the federation was simple.

One, be an Explorer.

Naturally, if one was an Explorer class Player, joining the Explorer’s Federation was fundamental.

For the Explorer class to raise their level, they had to explore dangerous areas.

However, compared to combat-type classes, an Explorer’s combat power was abysmal.

The reason such Explorers were able to survive until now was thanks to their information gathering power.

“Because, you know, there are many rare things in the Predator Zone.”

Exchanging information and helping each other out among explorers is the way of the world.

At the federation explorer’s words, Park Hwi-gang’s eyes sparkled.

“Are you talking about the loot that monsters fight each other to claim?”

“Well, that’s commonly known information. There is also other loot.”

“Th-There is other loot? In a swampland like that?”

“Of course. But is it because I keep talking? My throat is a little dry~”

Of course, exchanging information empty-handed is also not the right way.

When Park Hwi-gang tactfully ordered beer, a smile spread across the explorer’s face.

“Oh my, you didn’t have to. Then I will drink it with gratitude.”

Gulp

And then he secretly continued his words.

“Keuh. You’ve heard of elixir herbs, right?”

Elixir herbs?

Of course, he knows.

Things like grasses that become ingredients for potions.

“Right. The medicinal herbs commonly thought of as potion ingredients. But that’s really just the effects of commonly known elixir herbs. There are actually truly rare elixir herbs separately, you know? But, well. Even among explorers, very few people know about this…….”

Trailing off at the end of his sentence.

It meant he didn’t have snacks to go with his beer.

Expectedly, the quick-witted Park Hwi-gang ordered.

“You sell chicken here too, right?”

How about it, this is the modern civilization’s chimaek(chicken and beer).

You won’t be able to hold out without giving the information, right?

Indeed, after taking a bite of a chicken drumstick, the explorer spoke fluently.

“They say precious elixir herbs permanently increase physical abilities.”

“……Yes? S-Such a thing is possible?”

“It’s possible, that’s why they are treated as precious. Among them, the best are elixir herbs that permanently increase magic. Once, a rumor spread exactly, among only the explorers in the know. That if you discover just one of those, you can play and eat for months.”

“!”

“I heard that the probability of such rare elixir herbs growing in a special area like the Predator Zone is high. Explorers like us would really have to risk our lives to acquire them, but. It would definitely serve as proper hazard pay.”

Permanently increases physical abilities?

That meant permanently increasing [Stats].

Park Hwi-gang’s brain rolled rapidly.

‘I don’t know how much it increases stats but.’

Even if it’s just 1, the effect was tremendous.

Because it meant it was equivalent to the value of 1 level.

Of course, even excluding leveling up.

There was a way to raise stats.

However, there was no need to even consider that method.

‘Because class quests aren’t something anyone can perform.’

Only one person among the class.

And only someone who meets the conditions can start the class quest.

It means it has nothing to do with the majority of Players.

So it probably wasn’t an exaggeration to say that elixir herbs are traded at a tremendous price.

‘Because as you go to higher levels, it becomes harder to raise even one level.’

Soon, Park Hwi-gang prayed with the heart of a fan.

‘Please!’

May Ho-yeol-nim somehow acquire even one elixir herb……!

Wasn’t Park Hwi-gang the one whose NetTube subscribers and views skyrocketed thanks to Ho-yeol? If it were up to his feelings, he wanted to convey this precious information to Ho-yeol but…….

Since there was no way, all he could do was pray.

However.

“Crazy. What is that skill again?!”

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

The shifting angle.

Ho-yeol’s appearance popping up on the screen.

Because Ho-yeol was there, holding a sword in his hand, as if magic wasn’t enough.

“What’s that?”

The first to react was Rockid.

One only sees as much as they know.

Rockid recognized Ho-yeol’s posture holding the sword.

So he couldn’t help but raise the corners of his mouth without realizing it.

“The Commander and that old man didn’t just spout nonsense for nothing!”

Just like they said, Ho-yeol was definitely a strong person.

Rockid’s boiling combat instinct.

Even knowing it was an opponent he shouldn’t challenge, his blood boiled.

However, Ho-yeol’s outstanding performance was just beginning from now on.

Following Ho-yeol’s magic, Frost.

At its manifestation, astonishment burst out in the tavern once again.

“Th-The swampland is freezing.”

“The freezing magic doesn’t seem like ordinary freezing magic either?!”

“Hey, you’re specialized in the freezing type. What’s the name of that skill?”

“I don’t know. Even for me, it’s still a long way off to learn a skill like that.”

Rockid, who had been quietly watching the screen, nodded his head.

“Yeah, experiencing the cold when we got hit by snow in Frost was enough.”

Ho-yeol, making even the nuisance, Rockid, control his anger.

At that sight, Park Hwi-gang had no choice but to change his mind.

Would such Ho-yeol even need an elixir herb?

Right, what was needed was not a prayer, but faith.

Having gained enlightenment, Park Hwi-gang chanted reverently.

“Homen.”

*

The vast Swampland of Predators.

News was delivered to the Players who were focusing on their respective hunts.

“Ho-yeol-ssi also came? Really?”

-I didn’t know but. I heard he entered the rift right away.

“Ah, Hyung! We should have prepared some tea that he likes!”

From the Nam Tae-min and Nam Chul-min brothers who were glad.

“Unni, did you hear?”

“…….”

“They say Lee Ho-yeol entered the rift~”

I definitely told you?

Don’t you dare make the excuse that you didn’t know because you were busy fighting?

The Berserker, Leonie, completely immersed in battle.

“He has no business ethics, really!”

And even to the Shining guild.

Although it was Dmitri making a fuss as usual.

He could sympathize with that fuss just for this time.

Phat!

Camilla released the bowstring and swept up her drooping hair.

“He is greedy. Our Ho-yeol-ssi.”

Greedy person, Lee Ho-yeol.

To come to clear even this kind of rift as if Jesse wasn’t enough.

“……Our Ho-yeol-ssi? You two don’t even know each other, do you?”

“Is it right to ask back on that part?”

“What? What does that mean again?”

“No~ I understand why you aren’t popular with women~”

“No, why are you suddenly spitting bullshit again?!”

The two of them bickering.

The Guild Master of Shining, Rox, did not join that argument.

Continuous battles.

His brain rolling separately from that.

Now that he realized he was an underdog.

Because he didn’t have the luxury to waste time on himself.

‘Lee Ho-yeol entered the rift.’

Did he seek out this kind of rift because he lacked experience points?

He could be certain it was absolutely not.

Because even if he hunted in a recommended level 500 rift, it was obvious it wouldn’t even make a dent in Ho-yeol’s required experience points. Right, Ho-yeol must definitely have another reason for seeking out the rift.

Such Rox’s guess seemed to hit the mark.

“Wait a minute.”

The apex of the archer-type class, Bow Master.

Her vast field of vision befitting the title of apex.

Ho-yeol was captured in Camilla’s vision.

To be exact.

“Just what is our Ho-yeol-ssi doing again?”

Stairs embroidering the empty space.

Stepping confidently on those stairs.

The appearance of Ho-yeol heading somewhere was……!

“As expected, I knew it.”

That’s Lee Ho-yeol for you.

Including Rox who had been guessing it.

It was natural for all Players’ attention to be focused on Ho-yeol.

*

……I’m slowly starting to understand why the rankers were making a fuss.

The required experience points that increase every time you go up 1 level are considerable.

[Beast Predator Anaconda : Lv.530]

[Cruel Scavenger : Lv.550]

As you can see, even though I hunted a monster with a higher level.

The level that went up was 10 levels.

[Level : 324]

Even though I wouldn’t be able to fully understand Arcana’s complex experience point system.

It means there is a considerable difference between catching a level 500-ish monster at the level 200s and catching a level 500-ish monster at the level 300s.

There actually was a difference in reality too.

‘Should I say I gained some leeway.’

The simultaneous operation of swordsmanship and magic.

Because unlike at first, I could take down the enemy without being completely tense.

Of course, this terrifying adaptability too.

Must be thanks to Granfel, who has the physical potential that doesn’t fall behind it, as if his tremendous magical talent wasn’t enough.

[Plague-Infused Crossbow] – [Rank : Magic]

[Plague-Infused Crossbow Bolt] – [Rank : Magic]

[Trivial Storage Belt] – [Rank : Rare]

The loot acquired after taking down the [Cruel Scavenger] is also three.

There was a reason it was carrying things dangling around.

Among the three loots, the one worth paying attention to would be about the [Trivial Storage Belt]. Because it had the practical effect of slightly expanding the inventory.

Of course.

“It is a failure.”

Although it was terrible from Granfel’s aesthetic point of view.

‘Selling it is meaningless.’

Leaving aside the upright and clean personality.

I had the rift clear reward money.

A huge amount of money that the past Lee Ho-yeol wouldn’t be able to fall asleep comfortably for even a day if he had it, is actively piling up in my bank account. And the reward money to be settled is much more than that.

‘So I need to utilize it properly.’

I clearly felt it through today’s experience.

That it is better to dig as many wells, as many holes to survive in, as possible.

The thing I thought of like that was.

Enchantment Magic among the twenty schools existing in the Mage Tower.

While preparing for the regular academic conference, I had also read dozens of books about Enchantment Magic. If I were to summarize the core of the school, it could be summarized in two lines.

『Can extract effects from items.

Can imbue extracted effects into other items.』

It seemed easy just hearing about it but.

The problem was in the process.

Because items and magic tools were one of the areas that even the great Mage Tower couldn’t conquer.

I heard there aren’t just one or two items blown away during the process of extracting and imbuing effects.

‘She was always dispirited. Probably.’

The Senior Mage of Enchantment Magic, Kiko Armin.

An already small physique.

As if that wasn’t enough, she was someone who always walked around with her back hunched over.

If the Mage Tower was a company that evaluated performance.

Kiko’s Enchantment Magic would have been a department that always recorded a deficit.

It means there is a reason of her own for Kiko being conscious of others.

However, such circumstances were not important to me.

I declared shamelessly.

“Every success inevitably requires failure.”

Right, because I vowed to pull out the pillars of the Mage Tower.

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

And the material for that will be precisely this [Trivial Storage Belt].

‘Because the more inventory space I have, the better.’

Since it seemed I would have a lot of things to pack from rifts from now on.

Why, just like now.

Sss

I manifested stairs as soon as the battle ended.

The reason for climbing the stairs was simple.

The elixir herb emitting light at the top of the Chukira Tree.

It was to harvest the Four-Colored Mistletoe.

‘A Four-Colored Mistletoe right from the start.’

[Pentagram of Pure Knowledge].

The vast knowledge acquired through it was telling me.

This is a jackpot.

Because the Four-Colored Mistletoe has the effect of permanently increasing physical abilities, that is, permanently increasing stats.

Four colors.

Befitting the name of four lights.

It gives a whopping 4 points of stats at that.

Even simply calculating it, it’s worth a whopping 4 levels.

How many times of the terrible training class quest is this worth?

Moreover.

The cultivation method of elixir herbs from the preliminary verification of the regular academic conference.

Didn’t I witness the potential of that research?

If that research produces successful results…….

‘Elixir herbs like the Four-Colored Mistletoe can be mass-produced.’

I’m telling you I didn’t make a fuss for nothing.

I come to realize it once again.

That indeed, I need to dig many wells and holes to survive……!

Befitting its tremendous effect.

The Four-Colored Mistletoe grew in an inconspicuous place.

Because whether it’s a person or a monster.

It boasted an appearance and effect that anyone who sees it has no choice but to be fascinated by.

Even so, I didn’t expect it to be at the top of a tree like this?

‘I almost passed it by myself.’

If the [Cruel Scavenger] hadn’t been gnawing at the tree.

“I appreciate your sacrifice.”

Conveying gratitude nobly.

Praising myself who invested points in [Luck].

And climbing the stairs while drawing a heart-filling future for a moment.

I reached the top of the giant tree.

I discovered the Four-Colored Mistletoe.

……But what is this.

More than the Four-Colored Mistletoe.

“……!”

A rare ‘existence’ drew my gaze.