Episode 217
“Is this Sector 5?”
The conference room of the SR Gaming building.
Park Seong-ho, Deputy Director of the National Game Strategy Center, let out a short sigh as he watched the Black Dragon broadcast screen.
It was because Sector 5, which had not been implemented in the RP, had appeared.
The place, shaped like a black cube, had an atmosphere that was anything but ordinary.
“Team Leader of Information, do you have a rough idea?”
“No, I don’t.”
The Team Leader of Information, who was searching for data on his laptop, shook his head. There were no
clues regarding Sector 5 that existed in the data the Center had accumulated so far.
Aside from stories circulating like ghost stories, no information had been collected.
“The impact of the update showed immediately. This must be included in the sector expansion, too.”
“Since it’s the Black Dragon, wouldn’t there be some hidden quest?”
The employees observing the situation together offered their own opinions.
And then, the biggest variable appeared.
“The Holy Kingdom Players…….”
A joint test with the candidates of the Holy Body Faction, which had been arranged unexpectedly.
He had been involved in the Black Dragon’s sixth episode as well, but this time it was on a different level.
It was particularly disconcerting that the decision had been made by the examiners, who were NPCs in the episode.
“Check all the faces, and gather data on those whose identities can be verified. Something might happen on the inside.”
Park Seong-ho ordered his men to find information on the visible players.
There were not only faces that had appeared on the Black Dragon’s broadcast, but also players who had newly joined the Seongche Faction.
It was impossible to know how they had cleared the ‘conversion’ quest to switch factions so quickly.
“There are four Korean players. They aren’t particularly notable talents, and I don’t think we can expect much data on the new faces. I can’t even guess their nationalities.”
Han Yu-ri, the Team Leader of the Player Trend Analysis Team, reported after verifying the faces.
The Seongche Faction had about 50 players.
Of those, information was available on fewer than 10.
Those who had switched from the Hardliners or Moderates to the Seongche Faction were also not individuals who had been operating openly.
“Try to find out more through available channels, and keep an eye on the Black Dragon’s broadcast for the rest. We need to grasp the situation as much as possible until the Center Director arrives.”
“When is the Center Director coming?”
“He left. It looks like he was watching the Black Dragon broadcast.”
Center Director Ryu Seong-ryong issued work orders immediately upon his return.
At the center of these orders was the word "Black Dragon. "
Since the information had been conveyed secretly only to the department team leaders, the general staff simply regarded it as an ordinary matter. He
was currently out, having suddenly announced an appointment.
'To think he has confirmed the Seongche Faction as an enemy.'
The purpose of the Center's establishment was to clear the RP and acquire ownership.
Whether it was the government or the people, it did not matter as long as it was within the Republic of Korea's sphere of influence.
The important thing was to find someone capable of clearing the game, regardless of which faction it was.
That is why Ryu Seong-ryong's decision to regard the entire Seongche Faction as an enemy was puzzling.
No matter how strong the Black Dragon was, wouldn't it have been better to keep the possibilities broader?
"We have entered the interior."
Just then, the investigation team candidate players were teleported inside the cube.
As the Black Dragon's vision, which had been shrouded in darkness, turned into a dark forest, Park Seong-ho shook off his distracting thoughts and focused on the broadcast.
"Boom!"
"Pow!"
The Black Dragon's movements, originating from the Realm of Disappearance, were difficult to comprehend.
A battle where he felt no difficulty even after losing an arm.
Then, he rescued his twin comrades and blew up the entire area with an explosion.
"I'm a moderate, a moderate!"
Just then, a player named Pingpong appeared.
When he introduced himself as a moderate and brought up the topic of death penalties, Park Seong-ho felt something was off. After all,
if it wasn't applied as a quest field, the Cube of Hell was like a lawless zone.
After observing the situation for a moment, Park Seong-ho turned his gaze to the head of the Player Trend Analysis Team.
"There might be external player intervention. Contact the informants stationed in cities near Sector 5…"
"You don't need to contact them."
Just then, the conference room door opened, and Center Director Ryu Seong-ryong appeared.
Walking inside, he looked at the broadcast screen displayed on the monitor.
"Slash—!"
"Boom—!"
The Black Dragon's party, having crossed into the Realm of Provocation, was battling a swarming horde of monsters.
Ryu Seong-ryong took his eyes off them, removed his coat, and spoke.
“The top advance team of the Seongche faction will intervene.”
“…Huh?”
Park Seong-ho’s eyes widened at the sudden remark.
Before he could even ask a question, Ryu Seong-ryong turned toward the inner room where the RP gear was installed.
“Director, surely you aren’t planning to go to the Cube, are you?”
“Who would be able to handle the top advance party? He’s going to be a difficult person to deal with to begin with.”
Click—
he opened the door and paused for a moment.
Then, looking at Park Seong-ho, he spoke.
“It’s going to get noisy once the rankings are revealed. Please keep an eye on the reactions of the companies on the Seongche faction side. Oh, and please send an official document to DD Studio under the Center’s name. Something like an introduction?”
Leaving these brief instructions, Ryu Seong-ryong disappeared inside.
“Wait, what….”
Just as a bewildered Park Seong-ho was about to follow, the voices of the staff were heard.
“…Huh? The Black Dragon got eaten by a snake?”
“It really walked right in on its own and got eaten!”
At the strange noise, Park Seong-ho quickly turned his gaze to the screen.
There, the Black Dragon, having truly entered the inside of something, was moving and wriggling its body.
“Crunch—!”
“Phew—!”
Its movements were unhesitating, as if it understood the structure.
Digging through the monster, it quickly reached an organ that looked like a heart.
Coordinated with his comrades outside, the Black Dragon quickly tore off the key fragment attached to the surface.
"I have obtained the key fragment for the first secret room."
"A key fragment?"
An unexpected turn of events.
Having achieved his objective, the Black Dragon swiftly emerged from the snake's body. After
immediately severing the monster's lifeline, he borrowed the power of a spirit to wash and dry himself.
At that moment.
"Rumble—!"
A golden bolt of lightning struck the Black Dragon.
***
"Hmm."
Hanbit, who had been transported unexpectedly, arrived in a dark and damp space.
Judging by the surroundings, it appeared to be a space beneath a tree stump.
He felt the touch of the summoning stone imbued with madness—which he had reflexively released—on his palm.
"Huh?"
"What is this?"
"This place is…"
The twins and Pingpong, who had been transported with him, could not understand the situation.
Hanbit turned his gaze to the man who held the answer.
"I think I need an explanation."
[Seongryong]
The two-letter name he had confirmed at the last moment.
In response to the request, Seongryong nodded and spoke.
“Of course, that’s what I intend to do. I’ve been waiting for this moment, too. It’s good that you stopped the broadcast at just the right time.”
True to his word, Hanbit had temporarily paused the broadcast.
From the viewers’ perspective, it must have looked like the screen had switched to a waiting screen amidst the sudden situation.
While I was thinking this, Seong-ryong handed me a piece of paper that looked like a document and said,
“I am Ryu Seong-ryong, the President of SR Gaming and the Head of the National Game Strategy Center, an unofficial agency directly under the President.”
“…The National Game Strategy Center?”
The name of a government organization that even included the President’s title.
While I was examining that document, which looked as if it were a real thing, a message arrived.
Ding-
“Yeon-woo”
“Hyung, an official document arrived from an agency directly under the President! It’s called the National Game Strategy Center, and this is really… … .”
It was proof that firmly sealed the deal, making the name “unofficial” seem meaningless.
However, I couldn’t help feeling wary of an organization called a government agency.
“You don’t need to worry too much. The Center is also a place dedicated to supporting Koreans in clearing RP.”
“So you’re helping individuals clear it, not the nation?”
“It is a matter of realism. It is impossible to clear the stage relying solely on the power of the Center, and a player with potential would never give up ownership of the game.”
Ryu Seong-ryong added that negotiation with the player was the best option.
A contract promising the right to utilize RP in national industry in exchange for assisting in the clear.
Considering the value of RP ownership, it made sense.
“So, should I assume you are asking me for that contract?”
“Hmm, first of all, is that person trustworthy? I believe you first met in the Realm of Loss.”
Ryu Seong-ryong turned his gaze to Pingpong and asked.
Standing there blankly, he spoke in a flustered tone.
“I—I’m really tight-lipped! Please don’t kick me out!”
Pingpong still felt the fear of the death penalty.
After a moment of contemplation, Hanbit asked him a question.
“Where did you say you are currently affiliated?”
“I’m at a company called Pretzel! It’s located in a corner of San Francisco, and although there are only two of us, including my friend…”
Pingpong poured out all sorts of information to survive.
To summarize, it was a newly created startup with a friend who was also an RP player.
Having spilled out his real name, address, family history, social media, and even phone number, he looked at the two with a pitiful expression.
“May I… stay here?”
Pingpong, who had proven himself by every means possible.
Watching him, Ryu Seong-ryong moved his finger as if sending a message.
After a moment, he nodded and said,
“It doesn’t seem like a lie. However, I think the decision must be made by you, Lord Black Dragon.”
“Me?”
“Yes. Because we need to discuss the other world.”
“…….”
A word that suddenly popped out of an ordinary conversation.
However, considering previous cases, it wouldn’t have been strange to have other people involved.
“Let’s just talk about it. We’re going to bring him into our company anyway.”
“…Huh?”
Pingpong wore a blank expression at the abrupt decision.
However, having confirmed the value of the shield he possessed and his potential as a tank, he had no intention of letting him go.
His character was transparent enough to see right through, so it would simply be a matter of guiding his growth properly.
As for his business partner, there would surely be a plan, whether through recruitment or compensation.
“Understood.”
Ryu Seong-ryong nodded nonchalantly and relaxed his posture slightly.
Then, he brought up the main point of the conversation.
“I am someone who experienced this other world after receiving a grace from the Goddess of Silence. You may consider me your peer and junior, Lord Black Dragon.”
“The Goddess of Silence… is it?”
Hearing such a clear story left me with a peculiar feeling.
It was because proper conversation had been impossible with Adventurer A or the players of the Holy Kingdom due to the significant differences between us.
Moreover, hearing that they had been influenced by the same Goddess, I felt a sense of kinship, whether consciously or unconsciously.
“Goddess? Another world?”
“Please be quiet for a moment. I’ll explain later.”
As Pingpong voiced a preposterous question, Haneul quickly stopped him.
In the meantime, Ryu Seong-ryong continued.
“The Goddess wished for me to help the Recorder, and I decided to follow her wishes.”
“…The Recorder?”
“The Recorder who has endured 55 lives. When you introduced him, it seemed as though emotion had settled into your otherwise expressionless face. It made me feel strange. It was almost a pity that we were only able to proceed through one cycle.”
Ryu Seong-ryong had conveyed that he had lived a life in another world for exactly one opportunity. Given
the nature of that place, he likely couldn't have spent a long time there, but to be able to share such a conversation with the Goddess, he must have been quite remarkable.
'A Recorder of 55.'
A title firmly embedded in the name.
It was difficult to picture the Goddess introducing herself to others.
“After returning to Earth like that, I waited quietly. Then, when RP was released and you appeared, the puzzle in my head began to fall into place.”
“I understand the situation well. However, I don’t recall hearing anything like that from you, Goddess. The last thing I heard was a vague remark asking me to take good care of you there as well.”
“You weren’t very eloquent. Or perhaps you left the choice to Lord Black Dragon.”
“…….”
The Goddess’s inner thoughts remained completely unknowable.
However, there wasn’t much time to have such a peaceful conversation.
Rumble!
A fierce thunder rumbled from above the ground.
Checking his watch, Ryu Seong-ryong drew a sword with a green emblem and said,
“I suspected it, but I never imagined Odin would actually join the Holy Body Faction.”
“Suspected it? What do you mean?”
“It is a story about a master and a disciple, but let’s postpone the detailed conversation for a moment. If we leave things as they are, progressing through the main quest will become difficult.”
Ryu Seong-ryong took out a few more items and proceeded with his preparations.
As he put on his gloves, he looked at Hanbit.
“I would like you to clear this main quest while I hold off Odin. It would be best to finish before midnight.”
“Midnight… that’s when the rankings are revealed.”
“Yes. So, it would be best to finish within two hours.”
The process involved finding the remaining two key fragments and reaching the room containing the artifact.
It was an absurd request to complete the task within two hours, despite facing interruptions from monsters and other players along the way.
However, Hanbit had no intention of stalling any longer.
Standing up, he took a Giant Snake’s Heart from his inventory and said,
“I will finish within an hour. Let’s get going.”
