Chapter 20

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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The expression of the Ranger standing before his eyes looked considerably displeased.

Should one say his personality was revealed on his face.

Han-bit asked back calmly in informal speech.

“What is it?”

“The quest that just appeared. Why did only you succeed?”

“What would a newbie know? You veteran should figure it out.”

“Bullshit… Does this situation look like a joke to you?”

– Yeah, your face.

– Making a fuss after they copied what they did.

– For real, conscience is dead.

At the casually thrown answer, the Ranger deeply furrowed his brow.

He is simply cursing with his face.

“All 50 people who attempted it first, including me, failed. Furthermore, just by failing, the opportunities to obtain the Hero grade were consumed. Do you think it’s a coincidence that only you properly learned the skill?”

“It’s not coincidence, it’s skill. If you failed, go to Atsbel again. Stop holding up a good-natured newbie.”

“I’m already checking. But they say she isn’t saying anything other than pleasantries.”

“Well then, seems she’s glad to see you.”

– Ah, just greet her at least. Lol.

– The fact she’s even greeting you is something. Lol.

– But he’s stubbornly interrogating him so well;

– The Ranger has quite the personality too, right.

– Heard he does ‘your mom’ jokes with his expressions.

– For real, just look at him now.

My answer made the Ranger’s face completely crumple.

“Hyung! Please watch what you say!”

Yeon-woo, who was next to him, poked his side and whispered.

He seemingly didn’t want to turn the Ranger into an enemy, but it went too awry right from the start.

Han-bit, who had been picked on first, was merely responding to the fight.

‘Well, shall I give him the answer.’

The difference between the Rashten members and Han-bit was extremely clear.

The proficiency of the Rank 1 skill, Fireball.

Because it was a matter of just maxing that out.

“Did you max out your proficiency?”

“Proficiency?”

“Fireball. You have to perfectly master it to move onto the next.”

“That is a condition identical for everyone. You wouldn’t have been able to max out your proficiency either, no?”

“I did max it out, though?”

“… What?”

At the casually blurted words, the Ranger’s expression turned strange.

Han-bit opened up the skill window and showed it on the screen.

“Watch the broadcast.”

“Wait.”

He, who was already watching Han-bit’s broadcast, turned his gaze.

It didn’t take long for that face to be dyed in shock.

“… You seriously maxed out the proficiency? What kind of nonsense is this!”

– ?

– He filled this?

– He maxed out all the other skills too?

– Why are there stars attached to everything;

– Report the hacker.

– RP can’t be hacked. It’s never been breached~

– Black Dragon accomplishes that.

The viewers as well as the Ranger showed surprised reactions.

Since the intended objective had been achieved, there was no need to hide it.

“Didn’t I say it was skill? And if you’re going to use the information I released, compete fairly. Weren’t you a vanguard at a major corporation?”

Han-bit spat out a reprimand as if finding him pathetic.

Thereupon, the Ranger narrowed his brow and spoke.

“This is an impossible tale. Aren’t you just trying to package pure luck as skill?”

“Then luck is a skill too, I guess. Or do you completely lack both?”

“A childish provocation.”

“I do look young for my age.”

“…”

– Young. Lmaoooo.

– Information) The Ranger is 30.

– Information) His character is similar to his real self.

– Isn’t he in his mid-40s?

– The vanguard was fighting against time;

Grind.

As if he had been watching the broadcast, the sound of the Ranger grinding his molars was heard.

The spicy chat from the enraged viewers was likely karmic retribution.

Glaring at Han-bit, he spoke lowly.

“We will definitely see each other again soon.”

Whip!

Brandishing his flashing cape, the Ranger entered Atsbel’s general store.

Then, as if venting his anger, he raised his voice.

“Don’t just stand there like idiots, keep trying to talk to her! Don’t miss any possibility!”

Pitiful instructions handed down to the employees.

A chuckle escaped Han-bit.

‘Try for a hundred days.’

Atsbel is a person who yields not a single inch regarding magic education.

Effort, effort, and effort.

She was a master who wished for her students to slowly build up their skills without greed to earn their qualifications.

Did she say it was because she had seen many people die trying to get ahead?

‘You want to learn the next magic quickly? I’ll give you a chance, but keep this in mind. If your amount of practice is absurd, I will never teach you again.’

When learning magic for the second time, he heard these words for being greedy.

Naturally, it was premature, and she truly never taught him magic again.

In that playthrough, he was forced to quickly learn a different technique while crying mustard seed tears.

‘Amazing historical accuracy.’

Even if a system called a game intervenes, Atsbel is Atsbel.

No matter how much Rashten desperately struggles, this fact will never change.

Instead, the more they continuously try, the affection level will probably just drop like crazy.

“Hyung, you were too harsh!”

As they moved a bit far away from the general store, Yeon-woo spoke with a crying face.

Han-bit simply patted his shoulder.

“Cheer up. I’ll cheer you on.”

“It’s not me who fought, though?”

– Lmaooooo

– Official) Streamer Loafer declares Rashten as the main enemy.

– Seriously though, he looked genuinely pissed off. Lol.

[Cuckoo has supported 1,000 won.]

[Breaking News) 6 people from Rashten got kicked out by Atsbel. Lol.]

– Look at that lingering attachment. Lmao.

– Their affection probably went up quite a bit for helping her mom. Lol.

– Atsbel’s expression got increasingly serious.

– Classic troll trait) Overdoing it even past the 4th verse.

The news that wasn’t even pity-inducing wasn’t even worth giving attention to.

Looking at his surroundings, he said to Yeon-woo.

“Let’s stop by somewhere real quick.”

“Pardon? Aren’t we going to find Master Balder?”

“There’s something I need to get before that. Follow me.”

The two moved their steps along the main street.

And when the central plaza appeared, Yeon-woo, who was following behind, halted his steps.

“Huh?”

Where his gaze landed was in front of the Adventurer Guild.

Quite a large crowd was murmuring over there.

“Why are there so many people?”

“Ah, that’s right. You don’t know, hyung?”

“Know what?”

“That person wearing the green robe over there. She’s a vanguard named Rafina, an Elementalist among the few that exist.”

– Huh?

– Why is Rafina here?

– There’s two whole vanguards;

– Look at how pretty Noona is.

– Famously has a good personality too.

– Reflect on yourself, Ranger.

Where Yeon-woo pointed, a female human could be seen.

Just as the viewers said, a gentle atmosphere could be felt from her smiling at the surrounding people.

Watching her, Han-bit turned his head and asked.

“You said there weren’t many Elementalists?”

“Right? Only truly chosen people can use Spirits.”

– Famous for being insanely hardcore content.

– Just meeting a spirit is an obstacle.

– For real, you have to commune to command spirits.

– I couldn’t do it even after grinding for 2 years. Lol.

– It’s better to just learn normal skills.

– Using spirit skills doesn’t cost mana, right?

– Yeah, that’s brokenly OP.

The viewers poured out known information.

A bit more content than what was recorded in the guidebook.

However, there was a fundamental problem with that perception.

‘… To “use” a Spirit.’

If one were to pick the most important element in the other world, it could unquestionably be called Spirits.

Han-bit also poured a long time and effort to interact with them.

Not to “use” the power of Spirits, but to borrow even a little bit more.

The overwhelming emotion when he first communed with a highest-grade Spirit remained vivid even now.

“Rafina, was it? How strong is that person?”

“She’s a vanguard in the 4,000s, and water magic is her main.”

“Magic? Thought you said she was an Elementalist?”

“I heard she’s stuck at Rank 3 for spirit skills. Better than nothing obviously, but the Elementalist title is closer to an honorary designation. Only less than 100 players can handle spirits in the first place.”

– It’s rare but you can’t use Spirit skills as a main.

– Yup, they’re still low-grade spirits so it can’t be helped.

– Still, isn’t it pretty good since it’s Hero grade?

– It does compete with Rank 4 normal skills.

– What’s the point. Rafina uses Rank 6 magic.

– Let’s just keep them for display.

– Spirit skill effects are pretty, indeed.

100 among hundreds of millions of players.

The extremely small number was proving the rarity of Spirits.

‘Is Rank 3 up to Low-grade Spirit?’

What’s directly connected to the power of a spirit is the spirit’s status.

If it’s low-grade, it was merely at the level of taking its first steps.

Even if it only reached Mid-grade Spirit, it would display quite a satisfactory power.

Unless the skill’s grade is extremely high, of course.

“Are you interested in spirits too, hyung?”

While he was briefly lost in thought, Yeon-woo stealthily asked.

The power of spirits that one must reach out their hand toward with all their might, going beyond mere interest.

Only Han-bit knew that the first step would soon be taken.

“Of course. It’s good to have the power of a spirit, isn’t it?”

“It’s good alright… This is fundamentally different from magic. It’s a game, yet the theory of innate talent is applied, I’m telling you?”

Yeon-woo once again emphasized the importance of innate origins.

Since they were beings with an excessively high wall of access even in the other world, there was nothing new.

“What about that person? Did she receive the benefits of that innate talent?”

Han-bit asked while observing the vanguard Rafina.

Yeon-woo, who turned his gaze together, nodded his head and answered.

“She’s on the side that received tremendous benefits. Because she communed with spirits of not one, but two attributes.”

“Two attributes?”

“Yes. Water and wind, and both took less than 6 months. Considering other Elementalists took at least a year for even one, it’s truly amazing.”

“That is amazing.”

Communing with spirits of multiple attributes is not an easy task.

Because each of their tendencies and personalities is strong, it’s hard to borrow their power simultaneously.

Moreover, if she moved the hearts of two spirits in 6 months, it was a sufficiently splendid achievement.

Even Han-bit took quite a lot of time before succeeding in communing with all attributes.

“You said she isn’t able to move on to the next? How stuck is she?”

“Uh… About 10 months. It seems she hasn’t filled the proficiency yet.”

“Hm.”

Yeon-woo focused on the skill’s proficiency.

However, Han-bit’s thoughts were a bit different.

‘It’s probably not a problem that can be solved with proficiency.’

Spirits are beings far too complex and unpredictable.

There’s absolutely no way a spirit of the next rank would readily lend its power just because you build up proficiency like normal skills.

In other words, it means you have to get closer to the existence of the spirit itself.

“Is that person number 1 among Elementalists?”

“As far as what’s known, yes. Because top-tier vanguards strictly filter out the information they release to the outside.”

Only one player will clear RP and possess ownership.

In a situation filled with competitors, information becomes a well-sharpened weapon.

‘I’m curious.’

He suddenly became curious about their thoroughly hidden world.

What kind of people are the top-tier vanguards?

Perhaps there might be someone who found even a small clue regarding Erport.

Even such expectations suddenly sprouted.

“Ah, she’s leaving now.”

As if her business was done, Rafina, who had been conversing, moved her steps elsewhere.

If she’s an Elementalist, there’ll probably be a time to converse someday.

It seems it wouldn’t be bad to trade information then if necessary.

Since an odd sense of intimacy forms with people who can commune with spirits.

“Let’s go too.”

“Come to think of it, where did you say we’re stopping by?”

“I’m going to drop by the grocery store, then rummage through the forest a bit. Might take about 30 minutes?”

“Pardon? Do you have something to find?”

At the story of rummaging through the forest, Yeon-woo showed doubt.

Recalling old memories, Han-bit raised the corners of his mouth and spoke.

“I need ingredients to make alcohol.”