NOVEL NEXT 35.
35.
It’s my first time encountering the word ‘villain’, but I think I understand the feeling. Villains and newbies. If it’s about this topic, I have a lot to say too.
The problem is I have too much to say.
It was the same when I used to work. During vacations, college students would come to the site as part-timers, two or three at a time. When explaining things, they’d just chew gum with a bad attitude and not listen carefully, so I ended up cleaning up after them more than once or twice.
I told them to bring black cement because we needed to grout tiles, but they brought the one clearly labeled white cement. I told them to put all the wooden battens inside when leaving work, but they left them outside, causing complaints. I told them to deliver rebar to the rebar team, but they took them one by one, causing us to get scolded…
Sigh…
If they don’t intend to do as they’re told, why do they come here and cause stress?
I can’t understand, but there are too many such villains in the world. When new people make repeated mistakes and leave others to clean up after them, the site workers naturally get angry and arguments break out. Listening to the curses they throw at each other while fighting… I think: People don’t need to be pitied, and there’s no need to have even a moment of sympathy. They’re all trash. This side, that side, and me too.
Everything contributed to my
My stream of consciousness usually goes like this. From any topic, I recall dirty anecdotes from the past and arrive at the conclusion ‘I really hate people’.
Anyway, I thought I should carefully study strategies before raids to avoid becoming a villain.
However, since all the strategy videos were repeating the same thing, I stopped at three Medusa strategy videos, and instead spent the rest of the time watching Beombiga’s gameplay videos.
Beombiga doesn’t just play Forest Effect. He played other games too, but recently only Foi content has been uploaded.
There were many videos with voice, but all were voice-modulated. He covered his face with a tiger mask that went down to his neck, and usually wore just a cotton T-shirt unless it was a special advertisement video. Judging from the upper body visible in the small screen, he clearly has a very sturdy build. He seems to work out a lot.
Beombiga uploaded his first video 5 years ago and he’s 20 now… so he’s been active as a streamer since he was in 8th grade…
It’s admirable and cool. I know very well that it’s not easy to have your own job and earn money at such a young age. I recalled my first convenience store job when I was fifteen. It was more of a part-time job concept then because I was still in school.
…I really experienced all kinds of trash people. Even in that small neighborhood convenience store, there were many people desperate to bully the young part-timer, I wonder how it was for Beombiga.
In this vast internet world… incomparable to a neighborhood convenience store.
However, I decided not to feel sorry. After all, Beombiga must have been trash to someone too.
That’s how the world goes round.
*
“Gilenda (Emperor of the Sojisis Empire)
Angryy, thanks to you, we were able to safely defeat the rebels.
These days, our empire’s people, no, not just the empire, but all people in the Western Continent call you ‘The Adventurer Walking the Path of a Hero’. I think that title is too long. So I want to shorten it.
Hero, Angryy.
…Haha. You, you’re someone who knows how to be embarrassed too.
Hm? You’re asking me to explain why I called you that? My, I don’t understand why adventurers are so impatient. Or is this because you’re embarrassed?
Right, I don’t have much time either, so to get to the point… We received a secret communication from the Haldeohn Empire in the Northern Continent. Of course, it’s related to the forces of evil. They asked for help after learning that we had rooted out ‘Black Light’.
You must have heard rumors about Arin, the third princess of Haldeohn?
…No, I’m not talking about her past engagement to me…
Princess Arin is a knight with outstanding martial prowess and also a righteous warrior. For such a princess to reach out to our empire for help, it must be quite serious. Maybe it’s even related to the jade seals…
…Oh my, you’re saying you’ll go even before I finish speaking. That’s just like you. I’m even feeling a bit hurt.
I’ll tell the Lido Guild Leader myself. Then, I’ll leave it to you. While you’re at it, please check if the princess is healthy and doing well. I have no ulterior motives. It’s just because I need to know as the Emperor of the Western Continent Empire… Why are you looking at me like that?”
After reaching level 50, I left the Western Continent. And all the content that Beombiga, MinoIsMine, and Gakjong talked about opened up at once.
Since I had already learned about it through Jemtube, I wasn’t surprised at all by the numerous system windows.
However, the moment I got on a ship, went out to sea, and opened the map…
The moment I saw three continents the same size as the Western Continent, dozens of islands, and the giant world tree in the center… I felt a thrilling sensation running up my arms.
The continents were vast, and the sea was even vaster and more expansive. I had really been staying in such a small world.
I was feeling awe for the vast world in a game that I hadn’t felt even when I first went to the sea holding Mom and Dad’s hands as a child.
When I clicked forward with the mouse, my small ship moved forward, creating spray in the blue sea.
Swoosh-.
MinoIsMine and Gakjong’s ships also moved forward on both sides, but their ships were enormously large.
No, beyond large…. What is that. It’s a cruise ship…. Isn’t that anachronistic?
Seeing the two ships that were too modern, the thrill quickly subsided. After all, this is just an absurd game, I thought.
[Party/MinoIsMine: As you travel, pirate ships appear and plunder lol]
[Party/MinoIsMine: You also have to fight field boss Siren and such]
[Party/Gakjong: You can get shipwrecked in a storm too]
[Party/Gakjong: Then you wake up randomly on a mini island, and it’s annoying if it’s ㅈㄴ far from your destination lol]
[Party/MinoIsMine: If that island is an uninhabited island without a port, you have to ask for help in chat lol]
[Party/MinoIsMine: Of course, Angryy can just tell us~]
[Party/Gakjong: Angryy would probably cut down trees and make a ship to get out…]
Wait…. You can even build ships?
[Party/Angryy: Can you make ships?]
[Party/Gakjong: Yeah, if you level up logging and construction and pass the quest, you can manufacture ships]
[Party/MinoIsMine: This quest requires incredibly precise control]
[Party/MinoIsMine: There are only a few people on the server with shipbuilding skills]
[Party/Gakjong: The desert ruins quest lol Infamous]
[Party/MinoIsMine: On our server, there’s Jangsan Tiger, a streamer called Deluxe… altogether less than five people I think]
[Party/Gakjong: But what about someone who holds the mini-game high score?]
[Party/MinoIsMine: Ah lol No matter what, that might be a bit difficult]
As someone who has accomplished everything they said would be “difficult”, “this is hard”, “you can’t do this” except for the raids I haven’t encountered yet, I was only excited.
Thanks to the two cruise ships escorting us reliably, we didn’t encounter any pirate ships. Thanks to the navigation, we also avoided dangerous waters well and arrived at the Northern Continent. As soon as we arrived, the main story quest popped up, but from here on, it wasn’t a mandatory quest for leveling up.
You can slowly progress through the main story after reaching max level. The max level was 330, and Beombiga and Changmigak were all at max level.
[Whisper/Beombiga: Angryy, you went to the Northern Continent]
[Whisper/Beombiga: Are you thinking of pushing the main story right away?]
[Whisper/Beombiga: If Angryy likes the main story so much, why don’t you marry it?]
[Whisper/To Beombiga: What are you talking about]
[Whisper/Beombiga: It’s nothing. When are you going to do the raid?]
[Whisper/To Beombiga: I’m thinking about it. I want to push the main quest and do the raid too]
[Whisper/Beombiga: Do the raid with me]
[Whisper/Beombiga: You have to do it with me.. I must be among the members]
[Whisper/Beombiga: I’ll really do well.. We… promised, didn’t we.]
[Whisper/To Beombiga: Stop talking so wistfully, I know]
Beombiga kept emphasizing doing the raid together, apparently really wanting to do it.
And it wasn’t just Beombiga emphasizing the raid to me.
[Party/MinoIsMine: Angryy, when are you going to do the raid???]
[Party/MinoIsMine: Time-wise, it’s about time for you to log off ㅠ]
I turn off the game around 6 PM when Jin comes home, have dinner together and chat a bit, then log back in at 8 PM.
Changmigak knows my lifestyle pattern too.
[Party/MinoIsMine: Want to go around 8 PM later?]
[Party/Gakjong: It’ll be more comfortable with people you know than strangers]
Can they be called… people I know? I don’t know their faces or ages…
[Party/MinoIsMine: Gchang said he wants to be called for Angryy’s first raid too lol]
[Party/MinoIsMine: He said he’d rush over regardless of weapon enhancement or anything lol]
[Party/Gakjong: Can’t miss the first raid]
Ah.
Now I realized why Beombiga was emphasizing doing it together.
The ancient raid has a maximum of 4 people. Changmigak and me, Beombiga. That’s 5 people in total. One person has to be left out.
If I take Beombiga, Changmigak will probably make a fuss about him being a celebrity. Should I just go with Beombiga after all?
Beep.
While I was pondering, I heard the sound of the front door opening. Jin has come home.
[Whisper/To Beombiga: I’ll be back after eating]
[Whisper/Beombiga: Enjoy your meal and please… call me ㅠㅠ]
[Whisper/To Beombiga: Don’t cry and wait]
[Whisper/Beombiga: Okay..!]
[Party/Angryy: I’m going to eat]
[Party/MinoIsMine: Ghost-like lifestyle lol]
[Party/MinoIsMine: Enjoy your meal~]
[Party/Gakjong: No, you eat too early—;]
[Party/Gakjong: Can’t be helped, I guess I’ll eat too]
[Party/MinoIsMine: Let’s all eat lol]