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chapter 84
Pop—!
Along with the message, blue light descended from the sky.
Hanbit stepped outside the clock tower.
“…What is this now?”
The scene that entered his eyes.
It was no longer the shattered ruins he’d seen moments ago.
It looked as if time itself had been reversed—a city restored to its pristine form.
“Black Dragon-nim!”
“What happened? Where’s the golem?”
Avantgarde and Kim Jaeha arrived shortly after.
They too stared in shock at the transformed scenery.
“So this is the real unreleased area? It’s… beautiful……!”
Avantgarde’s admiration didn’t feel exaggerated at all.
A beautiful city.
What clearer words could describe it?
“Ah.”
Remembering something, Hanbit checked the dark broadcast screen.
Streaming had been restored.
“I’ll turn the broadcast back on.”
For the viewers who had been waiting impatiently, Hanbit reactivated the stream.
“You’ve waited a long time, right? It ended safely.”
-Phew.
-At least we can breathe.
-Took forever.
-Wasn’t that actually pretty fast?
-What did you even do?
-Is this the unreleased area?
-This is crazy unique.
-Why are there cars?
-??
The chat exploded with all kinds of reactions and questions.
It was only natural—this scenery looked like a mix of countless eras and genres.
“There was a part that required a specific method, but we cleared it safely. The unreleased area has been liberated. To be honest, I don’t really know what this place is yet.”
-?
-If you don’t know, who does;
-Unexpected variable.
-Wasn’t even in the web novel?
The rapidly scrolling chat was hard to answer.
He couldn’t exactly mention the goddess.
“For now, I’ll gratefully accept the reward.”
[You have succeeded in the challenge mission.]
[You have received 32,395,000 won.]
Even while the screen had been dark, challenge donations had continued to pile up.
Looking through the records, company names were, as expected, abundant.
“But seriously, how did you do it? I still don’t get it.”
Kim Jaeha asked, looking at the restored clock tower.
The golem, once such an overwhelming opponent, was already gone.
Given how powerful it had been, the current situation was hard to accept.
After glancing around, Hanbit asked the two of them,
“You both got the reward message, right?”
“Oh, the entry qualification thing?”
“I got the message too.”
[Players who liberate the 1st unreleased area are granted entry qualification.]
The guidance message that had appeared right after the scenery changed.
Not only Hanbit, but the two who had fought alongside him also received this “qualification.”
Even without knowing this place’s purpose, it was enough to form a plan.
After thinking briefly, Hanbit returned to the earlier topic.
“The Guardian Golem can be stopped by shutting down its cores. There are three of them… I’m debating whether to upload the details as a video.”
“Oh! I really wanted to see how it worked—thank goodness!”
Even though Hanbit said he was still considering it, Avantgarde’s eyes sparkled.
Since it was an unreleased area, there was also the option of not sharing the strategy.
But in the end, that wasn’t necessary.
[Special privileges are granted for the first liberation of an unreleased area.]
[A title is granted to the player with the highest contribution.]
[Title acquired: First Liberator.]
[First Liberator]
Upon first liberating an unreleased area, you gain authority to manage all entry qualifications for that area.
Targets added to the blacklist will have their entry qualification revoked.
-Whoa.
-Is this for real?
-If Black Dragon bans you, you can’t enter?
-That’s insane lol
-Hit list ㄷㄷ
-Bow your heads.
Even the brief description made the power obvious.
With this authority granted to the First Liberator, anyone’s access was in the palm of his hand.
How to use it would be something to think about later.
After all, it wasn’t even certain how many people would manage to liberate unreleased areas in the first place.
“That must be the exit.”
Beneath the restored clock tower was a door.
The same shimmering light seen in the cave flickered there.
It was probably both the exit and the entrance.
“For now, let’s look around here first. Let me know if you find anything.”
“I’ll check below.”
“I’ll start from the outskirts.”
At Hanbit’s words, the two of them moved off.
Left alone in the city center, Hanbit looked up at the violet sky.
‘This can’t be the end.’
This place looked nothing like the ruins he had wandered after death.
There was no way it existed just to show a beautiful city.
Which meant this space definitely had meaning.
-Every time I look, it’s amazing.
-Is this some kind of fusion fantasy?
-I’m ripping the background once the raw video’s up.
-The community’s blowing up lol
-Companies must be going crazy right now.
-This doesn’t feel like the time to push main story;
-Anyone who comes will just get wrecked by Black Dragon, right?
The scenery, more fantastical than fantasy itself, was new even to the viewers.
Opening the system, Hanbit sent Yeonwoo the recorded video and a message.
「I’ll send this ahead of time, so watch it first. Let’s talk after the broadcast ends.」
「Okay. I’ll keep watching the stream too.」
A reply arrived immediately.
Given how impactful the footage would be, using it well could lead to good things.
For now, he needed to uncover the meaning of this space.
Step—
Hanbit slowly walked along the street.
Though the road was empty of people, it didn’t feel hollow.
Creak—
Approaching a building, Hanbit gently pushed the door open.
Inside was the structure of an ordinary grocery store.
“…?”
His steps halted as he looked at the shelves.
Cooking oil, sugar, chili powder—familiar ingredients were neatly lined up.
-Substitute oil.
-God sugar.
-King chili powder;
-Why is this stuff here?
-Corporate promotion?
-Metaverse ㄷㄷ
-Some weird things too.
-The colors look strange.
-Mint chocolate?
Alongside familiar items were many he’d never seen before.
Their names were all unfamiliar as well, making even guesses difficult.
Creak—
After looking around briefly, Hanbit stepped back outside.
He moved on to other buildings, checking their interiors.
‘I have no idea what any of this means.’
After investigating the last building, Hanbit stood blankly in the street.
There were too many familiar yet strange things, but no real gains.
“What, you’re done already?”
A voice came from behind.
Turning around, he saw Kim Jaeha approaching.
“I checked everything over here. How about you, hyung?”
“It was interesting, but I couldn’t find anything that felt like a clue.”
He wasn’t any different.
Without even knowing what constituted a clue, finding results would be difficult.
“Let’s head to the outside for now.”
The two wandered toward the outskirts.
As intact city walls came into view, a familiar voice called out.
“Ah, perfect timing!”
Avantgarde was standing atop the wall, waving them over.
“Did you find something?”
Hanbit asked as he approached the crouching Avantgarde.
Turning his head, Avantgarde pointed downward.
“Take a look at this.”
“What is it?”
Stepping closer, Hanbit leaned forward.
A single gravestone embedded in the ground came into view.
“This is……”
A white crescent moon engraved on its surface, with a sword crossing the center.
It was the same symbol drawn at the cave entrance they had entered through the compass.
“Isn’t that what we saw in the cave? It’s here too.”
“Yes. It definitely seems to have some meaning, but it won’t react no matter what I do.”
The other two had noticed it as well.
Staring quietly at the gravestone, Hanbit extended his arm.
And the moment his fingertips touched the smooth surface—
Ding—
A unique alert rang in his ears.
[You have received a message from Team Zero.]
***
“Tsk.”
Inside the crowded cave.
Ranger clicked his tongue as he stared at the blocked wall.
“Are you sure the broadcast’s really down? It’s been quite a while, hasn’t it?”
“Why would he lie? The viewer count would be insane.”
“True. Why hide something that would only raise his value?”
Right after Black Dragon’s party vanished into the light, everyone had focused on the broadcast.
But all they saw was a pitch-black screen.
Black Dragon’s message about liberating the unreleased area had appeared, but no one knew what was happening inside.
“Wow, it’s packed.”
At that moment, a voice came from the cave entrance.
Turning around, they saw a human woman with black hair approaching.
The scabbard at her waist gleamed a pure white.
“Huh? Isn’t that Luna?”
“Luna? From the vanguard?”
“Luna’s here?”
Players who recognized her reacted first.
Ranger’s expression changed immediately as well.
“Luna? Why are you here? The vanguard raid should still be in progress.”
“What, acting like we’re close? If you want to go, head back there yourself.”
“…….”
At Luna’s cold reply, Ranger fell silent.
He hadn’t been invited to the elite raid.
Even among vanguards, the gap in competitiveness could be vast.
After a brief silence, Ranger spoke again.
“I heard you’re not interested in others. Seems even Black Dragon is an exception for a chaebol.”
“You think I’m interested in someone like you.”
Without even looking at him, Luna began examining the wall.
Despite the harsh response, Ranger didn’t back down.
“Don’t pretend. Whether it’s corporations or the vanguard, the goal is obvious. You want to monopolize Black Dragon.”
“What a stupid thing to say.”
“What?”
At her contemptuous tone, Ranger frowned.
Luna continued, running her hand along the wall’s pattern.
“Think properly. Do you really think Black Dragon is someone who can be monopolized?”
“With your family’s backing, you could pour in a fortune.”
“If that worked, the people lining up for Black Dragon would be ranked by corporate wealth.”
Right after exchanging messages with Black Dragon,
Luna had used the information he gave her to complete the long-stalled Crystal Rabbit quest.
She’d cleared it absurdly easily, and that only strengthened her conviction.
That man was not ordinary.
Tap tap—
Luna placed her hand against the wall.
No reaction came back, no matter how lightly she knocked.
It was beyond merely strange—there wasn’t even a hint to aid understanding.
And in that situation, Black Dragon had boldly opened the unreleased area and charged in.
Staring at the wall, she muttered quietly,
“No wonder people lose their minds. Even hiring PK guilds.”
“You’re tireless. I’ve never commissioned Nesto. I heard the attackers got out of prison—go check yourself if you want.”
“Feeling guilty? I wasn’t talking about you.”
“…….”
Ranger was left speechless, wearing a baffled expression.
But Luna had been observing the crowd of players from the start.
Among them were a few suspicious figures.
Information brokers from corporations and the vanguard.
‘Who is Adventurer A, I wonder.’
Luna recalled her message exchange with Black Dragon.
The information he had specifically asked about—‘Adventurer A.’
It meant he had sensed something.
‘Black Dragon’s intuition is sharp too.’
Adventurer A was like an adult suffering from middle-school syndrome.
Her interest had ended there, but she was certain that person was the one who had hired the PK guild.
After all, the guidebooks and strategies that validated his worth had all been overturned by the appearance of Black Dragon.
For someone like Adventurer A, who flaunted knowledge with pride, this situation would be worse than death.
It was easy to picture him, consumed by inferiority and jealousy, trying to harm Black Dragon.
After surveying the surrounding players, Luna turned her back.
“…You’re just leaving?”
Ranger asked, confused.
“What’s the point of staying?”
“The door might open again. There could be all kinds of variables with unreleased areas.”
“Don’t you watch the stream?”
Luna said that and disappeared out of the cave.
“Stream?”
At the sudden remark, Ranger turned his gaze to the black screen.
At some point, Black Dragon’s screen had reappeared.
