C351
Crown Prince Alberu Crossman took a moment to enjoy some tea with cookies.
His gaze drifted towards one of the two translucent windows.
Crunch.
In short, <RMPAG>: the game Raising My Precious Absolute God. This was the first virtual reality game that simulated reality with such advanced technology that no subsequent competitor had been able to match it. Within the game, this world was known as New World.
The <New World Forum> was an “official” site recognized by RMPAG Inc., although other popular communities existed, such as <NW-Tab> (New World Bulletin Board), and <RMPAG’s World>. This game, with its base of millions of players around the world, had almost the entire population of Earth captivated.
<It’s official! Only 20 hours until the update!>
At this moment, the official RMPAG community, ‘New(dat)Com’, was in a frenzy.
<My hands are shaking after waiting a day>
Countless new posts were being published and published.
<Is this the first time there’s been a major update?>
- Yes, yes. It’s the first time.
- There were minor updates, but this is the first time it’s been done with a day of disconnection.
A major update that ㈜Transparent was carrying out for the first time since opening RMPAG, with a day of disconnection.
Users began to get excited.
As it was a game with hundreds of millions of players, news around the world reported on the upcoming major update. Even general channels, not just gaming channels, were holding in-depth discussions about the results of the update.
Earth.
It was as if RMPAG had dominated it.
The main reason for so much excitement was,
<Hey, who will be the first to create a kingdom?>
‘The Great First Step’.
The fact that players could finally create countries.
Click.
Alberu Crossman tapped a post that caught his attention.
==============
<Hey, who will be the first to create a kingdom?>
Right now, there are three high-level players who say they’ve received the mission to found kingdoms, right?
The God of War of China.
The Water Witch of Sweden.
The Black Lion of Arsea (Jungle Union).
Which one of them will be the first?
==============
Below, over dozens of comments were posted.
==============
- Crazy. I’m telling you, none of those attention-seekers will do it.
- Yes, yes. It’s true. Those who seek attention to the point of revealing their country.
- No, they say that those who reveal their country have the backing of their country. Besides, they’re all guild leaders and have many followers, right?
- Hey, hey. None of them are in the top 10.
==============
Alberu paused for a moment at a comment that caught his eye.
Crunch.
The high-level players who revealed their identity are among the top 100, but none of them are in the top 10, who are considered the best.
==============
- No, no. If you look closely, it seems that the kingdom mission is granted according to the ranking of the high-level players. I think the system has given the mission to the players it considers capable of forming a power, so that they can prepare.
==============
“That’s right.”
Alberu nodded.
==============
- But, won’t there be many high-level players, or even among the top 100, who have hidden themselves? I think there are more players hiding than those who show themselves like those attention-seekers.
- It’s true. Frankly, there are many players among the top 10 who haven’t revealed their country or identity, right?
- Will the number 1 have received the kingdom mission? I’m very curious to know.
==============
The number 1 player.
It’s Ahn Roh Man.
He had never revealed his identity and there was very little information about him compared to the other high-level players who were among the top 10.
Crunch.
Alberu chewed another cookie.
==============
- Anyway, I think those who have received the mission will be at least the top 100, or guild leaders.
- Won’t it be some normal player?
- That’s impossible. Even if they had received it, if they’re not in the top 100 or don’t have power, they won’t be able to complete the kingdom mission.
==============
Crunch.
==============
- Jajajaja, how funny-
==============
One comment caught his attention. That comment continued with a series of responses.
- Jajajaja, how funny. Right now, it’s not the time to be interested in who will be able to create the first kingdom. First, we have to think about the possibility of creating a ‘kingdom’.
“That’s right.”
- What’s the power situation in New World? Excluding the eight calamities or the mysterious places we can’t access. In the accessible areas, what’s the situation? Even without counting forces like kingdoms, empires, or race unions, there are few ownerless lands. Do you really think someone can take territory away from one of these factions to create a kingdom? In my opinion, the only one who has a chance is someone in the top who gets a pact with the Empire to obtain a free city and turn it into a recognized duchy. Otherwise, this mission will take at least 5 to 10 years of gameplay.
The player who continued writing in response to this comment, wrote another sentence.
- We, the low-level players, should worry more about other content that will be updated. There will be many updates this time.
Crunch.
Alberu stopped reading the comments.
“Who is this player?”
This player’s last comment caught his attention.
- Expansion of the eight calamities, addition of some fields. We have to pay attention to this. It means that more NPCs, more monsters, and more items will appear. It’s an opportunity for low-level players like us to become stronger. If we master the eight calamities well, we could also have the opportunity to defeat the powerful people of each kingdom that dominate New World.
In reality, even the high-level players who were among the top 10 in New World were barely among the top 100 in the overall ranking of the strongest in New World.
That meant that there were already strong NPCs in New World. That is, there were beings that existed in that world.
“Hmm. It seems he used his game ID as is.”
You could see the ID of the person who had written the comment on the bulletin board. Although they could write anonymously, some registered on the bulletin board and wrote with their ID.
<Supreme Counselor of the Universe)> (Note: Can also be translated as: The Best Strategist of the Universe)
The bulletin board ID, for some reason-
Crunch.
It seems to be the name of the game account.
“Hmm.”
He seems like a helpful guy.
Should I look for him?
Alberu organized his thoughts and turned off the screen. Then, he turned his gaze to the remaining translucent window.
“It seems it will be difficult to return to Roan for a while.”
- It’s true.
Cale nodded towards Alberu, who was on the other side of the translucent screen.
“We haven’t installed the portal in the Black Castle yet.”
- Should we ask Ahn Roh Man for advice?
Cale, who let out a laugh, asked Alberu.
“Are you serious?”
- Not at all.
Alberu smiled happily.
- My dongsaeng is my secret weapon. I can’t let them find out.
After realizing Ahn Roh Man’s unease. Cale and Alberu decided to hide Cale’s identity from Ahn Roh Man until they discovered his true intentions.
The seven calamities. Currently, the members of Cale’s group who were registering in that place with the update were all almost NPCs, except for the Dragon Half-Blood.
- But it would also be problematic to hide too much information from Ahn Roh Man.
“I know.”
Cale had decided to confront the Transparent Family both in the game and on Earth, going to Earth 3, but if he didn’t tell Ahn Roh Man anything, he would start to suspect.
He resembled Alberu Crossman, and as he was older, he had more experience.
“As soon as the Black Castle portal is created, Rosalyn will help you, Your Highness.”
- Will Rosalyn register as a normal player?
“Yes. You have that mission, right?”
He was referring to the hero mission. But he didn’t mention it.
- Hmm.
“I think it’s better for her to be a normal player.”
Cale smiled at the sight of Alberu, who let out a strange sigh when the topic of the hero was mentioned.
“Why? Don’t you want to do it?”
- You’re a very mischievous dongsaeng.
Alberu was annoyed that Cale, who knew what he was thinking, pretended not to know anything.
Cale shrugged.
“Don’t pay too much attention to the name. Think of it as a tool that helps you achieve your goal.”
At those words, which were spoken indifferently, Alberu shut his mouth tightly.
“I’m sure Your Highness is thinking: ‘I don’t fit in that position. It’s not something that’s for me’.”
Alberu thought that Choi Han, Rosalyn, and Cale were more suitable to be heroes.
- Damn.
Cale ignored those words. According to him, Alberu Crossman had a strange tendency to belittle himself.
“To be blasphemous, in the game, I’m an incredible high-level villain. But aren’t you a low-level rookie, Your Highness?”
Sss.
Cale smiled with a mocking smile.
- …
Alberu was silent for a moment and then smiled happily.
“!”
Cale stopped.
Even though it had been a joke,
‘Is this guy taking it seriously?’
Cale, who thought that the Crown Prince had become a game addict, quickly added.
“And that darkness is your power, Your Highness! Haha!”
- Haha! Right? My dongsaeng is really good at talking.
“Right? Jajaja-”
Cale, who was laughing, stopped laughing at the same time as Alberu, who had stopped laughing.
- I suppose you’ve already figured out the power structure, right?
“Yes.”
Information about the eight calamities.
About the three strong, the five medium, and the ten weak who dominate New World.
Cale had figured all that out while the update was taking place.
Toc, toc, toc.
At that moment, a knock was heard on the studio door.
- We’ll finish this later.
Cale, who had put away the mirror again, which had cut the video call with Alberu, opened the door.
“Rosalyn?”
An unexpected person was in front of him.
“Young Master. We can’t connect the portal like this.”
20 hours.
One day was left until the update ended.
“Something’s missing.”
The Black Castle portal, which was being created with Sheritt and Rosalyn as leaders, with the help of the God of Death and the Source of the World.
There was a problem in that place.
“What’s missing?”
Huu.
Rosalyn, who had sighed, said calmly.
“We’ve figured out how to obtain energy for the portal that connects the Black Castle to the game, and the strength to maintain it, through Neo’s lair, and we can implement it.”
Rosalyn, who nodded at Cale, continued with a hardened face.
“But the connection itself is difficult.”
The most fundamental problem.
“We don’t know the structure of the game world.”
There are mages and dragons who know the structure of mana, and Gods who know the structure of portals. But no one knows the structure of the game.
“We need an expert in New World, in that system.”
Ah.
Cale realized what was missing.
“Would it be enough to bring in an expert in the RMPAG system?”
Sss.
A smile like morning dew on a rose appeared on Rosalyn’s tired face.
“It’s the right answer, Young Master.”
Cale told Rosalyn, who understood as well as Alberu, but in a different way.
“We have to get someone from the Transparent Family.”
“Exactly, we have to bring someone from ㈜Transparent Corporation. Especially an expert in the game system.”
“I’m sure there will be someone who has grievances or who has been expelled from ㈜Transparent.”
“Yes. The Transparent Family will try to hire people who are useful to them.”
“Then, we have to look among those who have been rejected.”
“Yes. But those guys are likely to be hiding.”
When Rosalyn finished speaking, Cale smiled at her and said.
“Then, we’ll have to go to Earth 3.”
With Ahn Roh Man’s help, it would be easy to locate an expert. He had worked alongside his parents, the creators of RMPAG, and he surely knew the first-generation collaborators.
“Yes, we’ll probably need Ahn Roh Man’s help to find the right person.”
Rosalyn also considered it. With a satisfied expression, Cale replied:
“It would be better to go before the update, right?”
“It’s best to act as soon as possible.”
Cale nodded.
“Will you go personally?”
“Yes. I’m the right person.”
Rosalyn had researched portals thoroughly, and unlike Sheritt, she was free to move. Moreover, by registering as a player, she could help Cale avoid Ahn Roh Man’s surveillance.
“Good.”
Cale took the mirror out of his pocket.
“I have to contact the God of Death.”
First, I have to go to Earth 3 with Rosalyn, even if it’s for a while.
Of course, I’ll return to the Black Castle right away. With an expert.
“Young Master, we should also take Crown Prince Alberu. In passing. He’s the only player, right?”
Even though she already knew that Cale and his companions were in the process of registering in the game, Rosalyn said that with a smile, and Cale finally let out a short chuckle.
Rosalyn.
She’s quite cunning too.
“Hmm. It’s true. His Highness is the only player. Let’s go together when you have time.”
Of course, Cale, who nodded without flinching, was also quite cunning.
***
“Human, this combination is new!”
Cale, Rosalyn, Crown Prince Alberu, who was waiting for them, and Raon too, returned to Roan for a moment.
For the first time, the four of them were heading to Earth 3 together.
“But, for some reason, I think this combination is the one that scares me the most!”
Raon, seeing Alberu, who was smiling happily, Cale, who was smiling kindly, and Rosalyn, who was smiling confidently, flapped his wings and shouted.
“In any case, I think it will be a lot of fun! I think we’re going to win!”
Whoosh!
A black light, the power of the God of Death, enveloped them, and soon they headed to Earth 3, Roan, where President Ahn Roh Man was waiting for them.
Ah.
But, by the way, Ahn Roh Man doesn’t know we’re going.
But hey, a little surprise wouldn’t hurt him.
