Chapter 85

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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[A message has arrived from Team Zero.]

“…….”

Han-bit, seeing the floating sentence, opened his eyes wide.

A message from the developers he had even tried to contact by sending an inquiry.

It arrived at such a place, at such timing.

‘As expected, is it only visible to me.’

However, the two people nearby, and the chat window, had no reaction.

If it were visible, it would have been an uproar in various ways.

Since Team Zero is an unknown entity bearing a proportionate value.

“I’m not quite sure what this is. Let’s look around more.”

“Really? Then I will turn to that side.”

“I will also see if there’s anything similar!”

Kim Jae-ha and Avant-garde left while burning with will anew.

“I will look around a bit too.”

Left alone, Han-bit opened the arrived message while walking moderately.

[Congratulations on liberating the first private area. We contacted you to give you information, however small.]

‘Information?’

Team Zero immediately bringing out the main topic.

The next message followed directly.

[The private area is a space holding the Goddess’s atonement and dreams. The development of this place will become a stepping stone that can reach Her, so please strive for the liberation of the remaining areas as well.]

‘They bring up the Goddess right away?’

He had somewhat expected that Team Zero would have a relationship with the Goddess.

Though he hadn’t known the concerned party would reveal it first.

‘My message won’t go through.’

Han-bit tried speaking too, but his messages were blocked.

The Goddess’s atonement and dreams.

Even saying it was a path that could reach her amplified the questions.

Ding-

[The opportunity for us to converse will also be arranged before long. This space can be used as a ‘Portal’, so please use it usefully with your companions. Let us see each other next time then.]

The contact cut off ending with that message.

Setting aside the words about seeing each other next time, one word caught his eye first.

‘…A portal?’

A shortcut connecting various places in the world.

Because they are so rarely discovered, Han-bit only knew a few locations as well.

[Entry qualification is given to the players who liberated the 1st Private Area.]

[First Liberator]

Upon the first liberation of a private area, you can manage all entry qualifications for each area.

Targets added to the blacklist will be stripped of their entry qualification to the corresponding area.

Looking at the contents once again, the meaning was grasped.

If it’s a portal, it wouldn’t be excessive at all for such conditions to be attached.

‘Enough to be condescending about.’

The world of Record Project is so vast and complex it’s hard to explain.

Even within the game system, it is a natural occurrence that a certain amount of long time is consumed.

However, if the private area is used as a portal, traveling will end in a mere few seconds.

RP players will probably charge in with their eyes lit up.

Ding-

While he was having such thoughts.

An alarm rang in his ears.

[Cuckoo Sponsored 1,000 won.]

[Breaking News) Private Area entrance opened. Spectators start trying.]

– It’s real. Lol

– But no one is visible here?

– The try map seems to be completely different?

– Yeah you gotta clear it to come here.

The news relayed by the viewers was exactly as expected.

Since the First Liberator has appeared, it’s natural that the test for qualification opens to everyone.

Of course, whether clearing it is possible is an entirely different issue.

Though the reward obtainable would likely just be the entry qualification too.

‘I still want to keep scoring the first clear bonuses.’

The right to manage entry for all private areas is already in his hands.

However, there is a possibility that a special reward based on being ‘first’ exists in other spaces too.

Since the developers mentioned the Goddess, he must succeed in clearing them first no matter what.

“There’s nothing really notable though?”

“It was the same this way.”

While walking and organizing his thoughts, the two returned again.

“Were there no gravestones either?”

“I didn’t see any.”

“I haven’t seen any either.”

At Han-bit’s question, the same answers came out.

He had been curious about the gravestone with the symbol drawn on it, but it seemed the one was the end of it.

Would this also be something knowable only by liberating more private areas.

“What will you do? Shall we look more?”

“No. This much is enough.”

Han-bit shook his head and looked around the stone wall for the last time.

Then, pointing to the clock tower in the center, he said.

“Let’s get out of here now.”

***

“Uh? There!”

“He came out!”

The three who came outside the cave faced a massive crowd of people.

Even considering the challengers who entered the private area, it was too many.

“It’s still this packed?”

“Wouldn’t the dropouts and spectators alone be incredibly numerous.”

Kim Jae-ha and Avant-garde showed similar reactions.

“…You finally came out.”

And the voice of a man heard.

Turning his head, Ranger was approaching.

“What’s this, you didn’t go in?”

“Of course. There’s no way ordinary methods would work on matters related to you. Humbly throwing my body in is meaningless.”

– ?

– Scared?

– Are you truly a vanguard. Lol

– He did get robbed by Black Dragon a lot though.

– Level

At the light question, Ranger answered immediately with a resolute voice.

As wariness had piled up too consistently layer by layer, it seemed he had become utterly careful.

“A vanguard level might be able to clear it quickly though?”

“I have fully felt keenly until now that there is an information gap. The private area would be the same. Besides, aren’t you planning to reveal the walkthrough contents?”

“Somebody looking would think you entrusted it to me.”

“It’s an incident capable of shaking the RP world. It seems you set up a new company, so it will be a good advertisement.”

“It’s convincing since Rashten is saying that.”

“…….”

– Looooool

– Direct jab right there. Lol

– Let’s just receive money and sell it.

– Then what about us?

– Abandoning the viewers?

– Someone will sponsor later anyway.

– FR lol

Despite lightly scraping his nerves, Ranger quietly shut his mouth.

However, he showed no signs of backing down.

The people overtly glancing around nearby also had similar inner thoughts.

They were probably wishing for info regarding the private area and the walkthrough.

Of course, he planned to reveal it, but he decided to attach a condition this time.

Because he hated having his time annoyingly snatched away.

“I’ve already recorded the video clearing the private area. I’ll reveal it if you don’t annoy me until this episode is over.”

“Specifically?”

“Judge that yourselves. Viewers watching the broadcast, please keep it in mind too. If anyone crosses the line, I’ll never release the video. It’s truly up to my whims.”

Han-bit answered shortly and shifted his steps while piercing through the crowd.

Seeing those blocking the way falter and scatter, the effect seemed to be there.

“It really works?”

“Of course. Because no one knows how huge a value the private area walkthrough is…”

When they came out of the cave, the two following behind spoke as if fascinated.

Contents regarding the portal will naturally be revealed when the second private area opens.

Anyway, it’s just a relief if there are no annoying things occurring subsequently.

“Both of you know Ifrit well, right?”

“It’s the most familiar. Because I rolled around there for a long time in various ways.”

“I also had a long stay time in my own way.”

Kim Jae-ha and Avant-garde are players who started in Edlen.

Both had not progressed Ifrit’s episode, but it seemed they satisfied the experience for their own reasons.

Particularly Kim Jae-ha, who had wandered looking for hidden skills, was someone who knew about that place better than anyone.

“Let’s go that way for a moment.”

When they had proceeded for about 10 minutes.

Han-bit moved his feet toward an untidy forest.

Avant-garde, following from behind, asked as if puzzled.

“Weren’t you going to Ifrit? This direction is the path leading to the snowy mountains…”

“Because there is something to check. Has Avant-garde-ssi met almost all the NPCs in Ifrit?”

“Of course. To the extent of being well-versed in who is family with whom, and whether they have good or bad relationships.”

Avant-garde added an explanation saying it was obvious.

As it’s a field he has pride in, there was also no lie.

“Really?”

Nodding his head, Han-bit continued walking straight ahead.

And around the time a winding hill appeared, he stopped his feet.

“Then you’d know that person too?”

Turning back, he pointed to the thicket with his finger.

Following that direction, something entered Avant-garde’s eyes.

“That is…”

A crevice in the thicket darkened somewhat by a cast shadow.

Inside it, someone covered in a shabby robe was revealing their figure.

[Dwarf Goric]

“Goric?”

The name of an unfamiliar NPC that floated above the target’s head.

An entirely unknown entity, but something flashed in Avant-garde’s memory.

“Is it by any chance that Goric who was mentioned in the episode Black Dragon-nim progressed? The one who supposedly produced magic tools for Camon…”

“…But why is that NPC here?”

– Huh?

– It’s true.

– The friend who helped Camon?

– I never saw him in Ifrit even once;

Everyone recalling the exact same thing showed a surprised reaction.

Han-bit answered while nodding his head.

“That’s right. That’s the Goric everyone knows.”

The Dwarf Goric, Camon’s close friend and assistant.

He is the most important figure for all tasks to be progressed in Ifrit.

Therefore, he didn’t miss him tailing from behind since 5 minutes ago.

Step-

At some point, Dwarf Goric had stopped walking.

Right in front of Kim Jae-ha.

“Hand it over.”

“What?”

He was flustered at the abruptly spat out words.

The commanding voice continued.

“I told you to hand it over.”

“What sudden nonsense is this?”

“Are you thinking of feigning ignorance in front of me? When the token in your bosom can be felt clearly.”

“Token?”

Anger harbored inside the solid voice.

However, Kim Jae-ha didn’t understand its meaning at all.

“What nonsense is this? What’s the token?”

“Feigning innocence till the end…”

Sssk-

At that time, the robe slipped down from the Dwarf’s head as he tried to stretch out his hand.

The face revealed in the light coming through the tree crevice drew everyone’s gaze.

Black long hair waving like the night sea despite being unkempt.

Deep eyes holding melancholy, a straight, long-stretching nose bridge, and a sharp jawline.

That appearance looked like an exotic human rather than a dwarf, a very handsome human at that.

Grab-!

Goric quickly grabbed the robe and pulled it over his head again.

However, it was already too late.

“…Huh?”

The eyes of Avant-garde watching from the side were dyed in astonishment.

Taking a step closer, he reached out a trembling hand and said.

“Could it be… you are royalty?”

– Royalty?

– He was a royal family?

– Isn’t he human?

– NN That’s royalty for sure.

– Meanwhile he’s freakin handsome;

[Explanation Bug Sponsored 1,000 won.]

[Info) The appearance of Dwarf royalty looks close to humans. Their population is very small, and because it’s difficult to meet them, the players who’ve seen their actual bodies can be counted on one hand.]

“…….”

At Avant-garde’s question, Goric kept his mouth shut.

Because it was a fact leaving no room for excuses whatever he said.

“Well, was I supposed to reveal it eventually.”

Goric letting out a short breath took off his robe again.

And said looking at Avant-garde.

“As you said, I am royalty of the Dwarves. Also the owner of the token that person possesses.”

Goric’s finger was pointing to Kim Jae-ha’s chest.

“What’s this token you’ve been talking about since earlier? I don’t have anything.”

“Absurd. Never have I met a bastard as brazen as you. Are you plotting to mock me with that stupid lie?”

“You’re just picking a fight, aren’t you?”

At the continuous attacks, Kim Jae-ha’s expression furrowed slightly.

Since even if they’re NPCs, annoying jerks exist in any number.

“Hmm.”

Han-bit, who had been watching the short conversation between the two, said to Kim Jae-ha.

“Hyung, try taking that out.”

“That?”

“The iron plate you got from the snowy mountain.”

“…Ah.”

Kim Jae-ha immediately realized the meaning and nodded his head.

Opening his inventory, he took out a thin iron plate.

“Now we’re finally communicating. Bring it here.”

Seeing the item, Goric nodded his head as if satisfied.

And the moment he tried to leisurely stretch out his hand.

Snatch-!

Han-bit snatched that iron plate away.

“….?”

“Uh?”

At the sudden situation, everyone’s gazes moved together.

Han-bit lightly spread out his palm and said.

“Shall we proceed straight to the main point?”