ALL NOVEL Chapter 53
Chapter 53 – Collision (3)
‘You can gain power with such a measly potion?’
Riena, despite having many mysterious experiences, realized that there’s always more to learn. The voice of the Paladin, blaming the incapable leader, echoed clearly in her ears as she looked at the small potion bottle in her hand with a frown.
The old Paladin claimed that if they consumed this special potion meant only for Paladins, their mana would be amplified, making their mastered skills even stronger. However, having learned that true skill comes from painstaking training, she struggled to understand this game-like system.
‘But that person can’t be making the wrong choice.’
Still, she believed and consumed the potion, relying solely on her trust in him. Riena had always intended to follow wherever he led her.
She believed that following him would genuinely bring her true growth, beyond just being the benefactor bestowing favors upon her.
More importantly, she saw him effortlessly drink the potion, treating it as casually as devouring a snack.
To others, it might have looked ridiculous, pouring the potion into a mask without removing it, but astonishingly, he didn’t spill a single drop.
“This, this is…”
As he enhanced one of his skills after changing to a Mage class, Riena felt the immediate effects of the potion and widened her eyes in surprise.
The skills she had acquired relied heavily on intuition, and there was no handy game interface to assist her. Yet, she couldn’t help but notice the changes happening in her body.
‘The mana I can emit has changed.’
Seeing him subtly move aside as if to encourage her to try using a skill, she nodded in understanding. She drew her sword, allowing herself to be empowered by the strength flowing through her.
The passive skill that enhances the basic damage of a knight, Strong Sword, was amplified once again. Her sword, which had been softly glowing with blue mana, was now engulfed in a fiery blaze.
‘The realm that my master spoke of.’
Her eyes trembled at the sight. There was a legendary realm known among the Grassland warriors, where one supposedly cut through the sky with blazing mana. Countless warriors of the Grassland trained and honed their skills dreaming of attaining such heights.
Of course, the skills gained in a game and that realm were fundamentally different, but to Riena, this newfound power represented a real and potent strength that she had earned through her own efforts.
‘Is there still something left to do?’
As Riena steadied her mind and sheathed her sword, he turned and began to walk ahead.
She obediently followed behind him. All she had to do was follow, and everything would be hers.
*
‘I’ve completed almost all the sub-quests. All that’s left is to start the main storyline.’
Having successfully enhanced her skills and returned to the city, Riena still felt she had energy left. However, as time was running short, I decided to call it a day.
Saying I was done didn’t mean I was quitting the game—it just meant I wouldn’t be lying down to sleep right away. After sending Riena back to the village, I found myself with some free time, staring blankly at my desktop.
Newcomers had already joined and were bustling about the village.
They wore the same dazed expressions as the last batch I had repeatedly moved from one spot to another with my mouse.
Now accustomed seniors smiled and explained the situation to them while providing ample food and resources.
Having been forced out onto barren land, trembling in fear day by day, they had decided to unite with another tribe. Now that real support was finally arriving, I noticed many calming down and rejoicing.
‘Oh, one more Transporter added. No, two? Only two Warriors? Well, it makes sense since so many must’ve gotten hurt and died, but the rate still doesn’t exceed 5%.’
I joyfully captured the information about them and cheered at the emergence of new talents.
Suddenly realizing my own appearance, I felt a bit flustered to resemble a boss desperately seeking talent, but after all, it was for everyone’s sake.
“To elevate the first game to level 4 will cost 5000P.”
Of course, as the scale grows, new concerns arose. To upgrade our resource-gathering sandbox game and increase its capacity, I now needed a whopping 5000P.
Since activating the desktop breaking task, I had only accumulated 3000P. Still lacking a significant amount. It could be attributed to the absence of major events, except for the Bug Nest raid.
‘It would be better to reduce Miners gradually and increase Farmers instead.’
The game is like a miracle that distorts reality in that other world. Naturally, prices aren’t low. Before lamenting the shortage in point acquisition, a more efficient distribution of personnel was needed.
Those who had awakened traits related to resource extraction, like Miners, could utilize their abilities outside the game, so it seemed unnecessary to confine them within the game if they had already acquired traits.
So, as more personnel became available, I pondered whether to open another game, expecting the accustomed residents to organize cycles and function effectively.
“I’m really curious though?”
My idle muttering was caught by an icon of a trendy FPS game.
In the sandbox game, resources gathered by residents would be utilized. In the action RPG, quests were completed following a storyline while gaining skills through class changes.
I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if that game met the Master Program. Or what influence hunting huge Monsters or surviving games set in a zombie apocalypse or online AOS games could have.
However, the Master Program hadn’t given any recommendations yet, making my decision hesitant. I felt that adding another game would exceed what I could manage.
-Can I contact you now?
That was when I received a message from Lee So-Yeon. Naturally, I replied to her inquiry.
“What happened?”
-No, I thought I was doing fairly well. Choosing MMORPG over a hard action RPG seems better. My character respawns without any penalties when it dies.
She naturally informed me of what she had been doing. After stabilizing resource acquisition, the second game she set up was a domestic online MMORPG similar but different from my Dark Blood.
While it was similar in granting residents class changes and skills, unlike my linear storyline, she had various quests and field Monster hunting.
Most importantly, she mentioned that due to her inexperienced gameplay, although she died, her playable character respawned without penalties.
-As you advised, I used the capture app to identify their talents, and thanks to that, several residents changed from farmers to proper Warriors and Archers with skills. However, something urgent has come up.
“Something urgent?”
Just as she said it was urgent, her typing was somewhat sloppy. If she, who generally spent all day in front of her computer, claimed it was urgent, it must be serious.
-I think our village is about to be attacked. Not by Bugs, but by another faction.
“Ah, really?”
I was slightly flustered upon reading her next message. I initially thought being attacked by another faction was a common occurrence.
However, my Grassland with Guardians was distinctly different from the place where her Guardians resided.
She mentioned that a resident, who had gone out to collect herbs, spotted them, and their identity was a fully armed gang of Thieves. She added that they were fully prepared to raid the village.
-While I did install the desktop breaking feature, I still need 6800P to activate it.
“Then there’s nothing we can do right now. We have to trust the residents for the time being.”
After calculating everything, it seemed that Lee So-Yeon had no means to assist them right now. The only fortunate aspect was that she had activated her second game to create Warriors they could trust to fight.
If they were at the level of Riena, I felt certain they could easily drive away mere Thieves.
-And the second thing is that I wanted to tell you I found the business idea I mentioned before.
“Suddenly? You’re quite composed, more than I expected.”
Despite the urgency, she surprisingly didn’t seem shaken. After discussing the crisis, she reported that as soon as discussions were over, she activated the second game and found ways to benefit from the situation we were in.
-If we can bring potions from the game into reality… I’m sure we could sell them. For a very high price too. I won’t let this opportunity slip away. Want to join me?
“…Let’s give it a try.”
She proposed once again, just as she did the first time we met. I sensed her intention to involve me regardless, but I didn’t mind. If this situation worked out well, I might be able to focus on one thing.
-As a business partner, I’ll make sure you won’t feel left out.
“That’s enough.”
I chuckled as I typed. There was no formal contract to ensure mutual trust between us. After all, such a contract wouldn’t even hold in court, so it wasn’t necessary.
But we had a bond of trust, albeit strange, forged through the strange circumstances we found ourselves in.
‘I regret the waste of having recently joined.’
That night, I tossed and turned with a troubled mind thinking about quitting my job. What I regretted wasn’t the fact of having joined. It was the life I had lived until now and the future I dreamed of that would surely change.
Looking back, I was just an ordinary person overwhelmed by the commonality of life. Studying ordinarily, going to college ordinarily, taking exams ordinariness, and getting a job ordinarily.
That life was abruptly altered by those who came into my desktop.
In fact, aside from the almost fatal encounter with the Bug’s tentacle that the residents missed early on, observing the game had mostly been my role.
Yet as time passed, my affection for them grew, and so did my sense of responsibility. My involvement in managing their daily lives had become entrenched. If I were to disappear, the gradually rising community would collapse without me.
Since what happened had already occurred, I had to give it my all; otherwise, people would die. I’d be in danger too.