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Join the ServerSPACE 5. R-14’s Master
[Your body has been restored through the revival system ‘Fairy.’]
The message window flashed before Ark’s eyes, yet he no longer paid it any heed.
“I don’t know how many times I’ve seen this now,” Ark murmured, meticulously checking his equipment.
The Fairy was a revival system that perfectly restored a user to the exact state they had registered. While this was limited to R-14, the beginner area, it meant minimal damage upon death if a user had registered properly. There was no need to fear death.
Consequently, he could try anything.
‘If there is no death penalty……’
He might be able to train skills that manifested through death. Back in New World, Ark had acquired the Indomitable Will skill precisely because he had died so many times. Perhaps a similar skill existed in Galaxian.
And the only time to truly test this was on R-14, where there was no death penalty!
– Since it is a free service, a lot of pioneers play tricks and die.
Bhurad had remarked this the first time Ark revived with the Fairy. It seemed other pioneers shared Ark’s line of thinking.
This death-penalty-free zone presented an opportunity to obtain a hidden skill. Ark’s autobiography had even stated that he had learned a hidden skill through this very area.
‘Virtual reality games aren’t that easy for the users these days.’
He had to prepare himself. So, Ark spent an entire day deliberately dying. Thanks to his persistent efforts, he uncovered a hidden piece of information about the Fairy revival system.
[You have received the ‘aftereffect’ caused by frequent revivals.]
[The Fairy is a system that perfectly recycles the registered body. But frequent revivals placed a considerable burden on the spirit. In the worst case scenario, it will lead to mental damage. A proper rest is needed for recovery.]
[For 6 hours, all stats -50% and the stats will be permanently lost if you die again under the ‘aftereffect’ status]
He couldn’t acquire any skills through dying. Upon confirming the ‘aftereffect’ message, Ark ceased his attempts to obtain a death-related skill. However, he wasn’t disappointed.
‘I found out about this penalty, so it isn’t a waste of time.’
It was still the nascent stages of the game. Even seemingly mundane information held significant value. What might have appeared to be a reckless endeavor had, in fact, yielded something beneficial.
– Hey, are you okay?
Burum asked anxiously after Ark’s twentieth death.
– It is impossible by yourself so shouldn’t you try to fight with the other pioneers?
The NPCs couldn’t possibly comprehend that Ark was intentionally seeking death.
“No, I’m fine on my own. This place is safe, but who knows what dangers await once I leave R-14. I’ll undoubtedly encounter perilous moments. I can’t possibly ask for someone’s help every time I’m traveling.”
– You’re not wrong but…..
Burum scratched his head, a hint of hesitation in his movements. He pondered for a moment before proposing, “Then do you want to learn a technique of the Charenjok?”
“Huh? A technique of the Charenjok?”
– I noticed that humans seem to have a little trouble moving on mud. Is that right?
Indeed, that was the most irritating aspect for Ark. Even when he wanted to die, it was useless if the space bugs simply chewed on him without him being able to practice any techniques.
He yearned to practice various battle techniques before succumbing. Lacking any skills, he had to rely solely on basic offense and defense. Attacking posed no problem, but defending was a struggle.
His ankle would frequently get stuck in the mud, causing him to fall. The muddy floor of the paid hunting ground was the natural habitat of the Charenjok.
It was effortless for them, being octopuses, but Ark was no alien. His movements were so sluggish in the mud that even basic locomotion proved difficult. He had no chance to execute evasive maneuvers.
The other users, hunting in groups of five, didn’t find the mud to be an issue. They simply ignored defense and evasion, standing their ground and attacking. Why would they face problems when they could just stand there and fight?
But Ark was hunting alone, necessitating superior maneuverability. Burum believed this was the reason for Ark’s repeated deaths.
– A muddy ground is the best environment for the Charenjok. It is how the Charenjok were able to survive many brutal monsters. There are hardly any monsters able to catch up to us when traveling on mud. I can teach you this technique.
‘A skill from an NPC!’
Ark immediately nodded, accepting the offer. “Yes, I’ll sincerely learn it!”
– Huhuhu, yes. Because you are just like the Charenjok’s benefactor.
Burum selected a location.
– Now, please follow me. First spread your legs like this and…..
His eight legs began to quiver and move, demonstrating. ‘…..Is this a joke?’
How could Ark possibly move like that when he lacked eight legs? However, Ark swallowed the words rising in his throat and diligently followed Burum’s instructions.
This was a technique an NPC had offered him first. There definitely had to be a way to learn it. Once he set a goal, he dashed towards it without hesitation!
Ark rolled in the mud, desperately undergoing the training. Burum, in turn, taught him with enthusiastic vigor.
– Not like that! Relax a bit more! Like suk suk!
There was a clear reason for Burum’s desperation. The octopuses could only collect the income from the hunting ground once Ark departed R-14. Therefore, they eagerly wished for Ark to level up quickly and move on.
Thanks to such fervent passion, Ark managed to master the skill.
‘The main point isn’t using eight legs. The important thing is how evenly I can distribute my weight. It is the same principle as someone with super strength picking up an egg. Remove the unnecessary power and disperse the weight.’
This was the secret to balancing in the mud!
[A new skill (Common Occupation ☆☆) has been learnt.]
[Swamp Walking (User, Passive): Not all environments on the frontier of space are suitable for humans. Therefore it is important that pioneers can adapt to harsh environments. The faster method is to learn from the local aliens. You have learnt Swamp Walking from the Charenjok.]
[The restrictions in the swamp has decreased and the evasion rate has increased by 10%]
He had learned the skill once he reached enlightenment.
‘A two-star rated skill!’
He had learned that the stars attached to a skill indicated its difficulty or importance. Needless to say, a two-star skill was more challenging to acquire and more significant than a one-star skill.
His movements transformed rapidly after learning Swamp Walking. Until now, he hadn’t been able to execute any evasive actions, even if he grasped the timing of attacks.
However, he now occasionally succeeded in evading, and the damage he took diminished. After days spent diligently cleaning pipes, he finally commenced a full-scale battle.
“Now, let’s see……”
The pipe cleaning quest also granted experience, albeit a minuscule amount. Despite clearing it 300 times, he had only reached level 3. His agility increased by 3 thanks to the Cleaning Foreman title bonus, and his evasion also improved due to Swamp Walking.
The Alloy Dagger had an attack power of 3~4, while the Modified Alloy Dagger dealt 5~6 damage. The difference was only 1 damage, but it was not to be overlooked.
“This much should be sufficient to try it alone!”
The space worms ranged from level 4 to 7. He could distinguish their levels by their size; the smallest were level 4, while the largest ones with black fur were level 7.
Unlike the insufficient farm area, he could afford to choose his prey. And despite the monsters being everywhere, they weren’t aggressive, allowing him to initiate the attack. This was a suitable advantage for the level 3 Ark.
‘Let’s start with the level 4 space bugs.’
Seokeok!
The space bug twisted its round body after being pierced by the dagger. His stats were low, and he had no skills, leaving him no choice but to fight tediously.
At first, the monotony was agonizing, but he soon changed his perspective.
‘I have to get used to this monotony.’
Users could exert more power in a virtual reality game than in reality. A person confined to a wheelchair in the real world could run and fly in the game. Even a child could contend with a massive monster.
This was the undeniable charm of a virtual reality game! However, that power had to be supported by stats. If a user had low stats, it would actually penalize their actual physical abilities.
This was the reason Ark had been so lost in his earlier battles. He had misunderstood his own power, having been accustomed to his previous character.
‘I have to reset myself.’
He was not the strongest warrior, but merely a level 3 character. That’s why he had recklessly charged forward when he first hunted in a party. Now, he could accurately gauge his own strength.
‘Hit, to the right—I have to engrave every step into my body!’
Kuoooooh!
He finished off the space bug, which then collapsed. With 15% health remaining, he found that hunting level 4 space bugs was indeed feasible.
‘It has been 10 days since I’ve started Galaxian, and I’ve finally caught a monster by myself.’
A surge of emotions washed over him after defeating the space bug. And something even more inspiring followed.
– Ohh! Ark finally defeated a space bug!
– There’s no time!
– Recovery! Recovery!
– We have to heal him quickly so that Ark can hunt faster!
The octopuses cheered, thronging towards him. Ark had ten octopuses clinging to him, a significantly greater number compared to other users!
Ark had finally killed something after dying so many times. Thanks to the desperate octopuses, his 100 health was restored in mere seconds.
– Fighting!
– We’re rooting for Ark-nim!
He even received their sincere cheers.
“What is with that guy? He brought us to the paid hunting ground…..isn’t that VIP treatment?”
The other users, unaware of the situation, merely gazed at Ark with confusion. But Ark paid no mind to their interest.
Ark’s sole focus was the fight! He immersed himself in battle without pause. Fighting, being restored by the octopuses, fighting, being restored once more……
[Your level has risen.]
His level immediately increased after repeated battles. After two to three hours, Ark reached level 5 and allocated his bonus stats to agility.
‘Now I can roughly sense it.’
Ark began to move with greater boldness.
Bam-!
He kicked the space bug squarely in the chest. Ark’s signature taekwondo kicks had finally made their debut.
In truth, kicking wasn’t a special skill in virtual reality games. Once Ark’s success became widely known, other users began to imitate him. He had seen many users hunting with crude kicks in the second sector.
However, their kicks couldn’t compare to Ark’s. They weren’t the original. Ark had proper training, and his standards differed greatly from other users. Well, he was still only level 5…..
‘Damn, my kick didn’t connect?’
It dealt 0 damage, meaning it wasn’t registered as an attack. However, it wasn’t entirely pointless. The space bug flinched and retreated slightly from the impact.
While there might be no damage, the laws of physics still applied.
‘I don’t know if my level is too low to learn the relevant skill, or if Galaxian simply doesn’t acknowledge kicks. But there is a reaction, so it wasn’t hopeless. Even if there is no damage, there are endless ways to utilize the secondary effects.’
It was a sound judgment. Fighting became significantly easier once he started incorporating kicks.
The ten octopuses recovered his health after each battle, and his fighting speed accelerated. Consequently, he reached level 6 in just two hours!
At the same time, his previous ‘Space Combat’ skill was regained, and he learned the basic combat skill ‘Dagger Mastery’ upon reaching level 7.
[A new skill (Common Occupation ☆) has been learnt.]
[Dagger Mastery (User, Passive): This is the skill that most pioneers learn first in Galaxian. The dagger is the most traditional and most utilized from a wide range of weapons. Dagger Mastery will be the foundation of a large number of weapon techniques you will learn from now on.]
[Additional 3% damage will be granted to the dagger]
As expected from the early stages of the game! Once he committed himself, his level and skills rose rapidly. A character’s growth truly depended on the user’s will!
After learning Dagger Mastery and Space Combat, Ark began hunting the strongest monsters in the area: the level 7 space bugs. Thanks to his various bonus stats and skills, fighting higher-leveled monsters normally wasn’t a problem for him.
But catching monsters in the early stages proved more difficult. Ark was no exception. Even with Space Combat and Dagger Mastery, these were common skills that other users also learned. If other users acquired such basic skills, there was no reason they couldn’t face the space bugs.
However, Ark possessed one skill that other users couldn’t easily acquire.
‘Swamp Walking!’
It increased evasion by 10%! This was a huge bonus for someone with only 100 health.
“Take this, you stupid slugs!”
It was an explosion of kicks, followed by a swift dagger attack!
Kuoooooh!
At the end of a ten-minute struggle, even the strongest level 7 space bug collapsed. It was only difficult the first time.
He grew accustomed to hunting the space bugs, so they no longer felt as challenging. Moreover, Ark always began each battle with 100% health, thanks to the octopuses.
It was, indeed, the best hunting environment. However, Ark wasn’t in a position where he could simply hunt indefinitely. If a user reached level 10, their deposit would be returned, and they would move onto the next area.
Ark also had to gather new users from the farm area, which consumed a considerable amount of his time, but he harbored no regrets. Making money was just as crucial as leveling up.
‘I should reduce the time needed for sleep!’
His previous mindset had been revived. So, he spent three days hunting and acquiring customers.
[Your level has risen.]
‘Finally……!’
Ark’s body was filled with excitement as he saw the message window. He had finally reached level 10! He could now leave R-14.
The octopuses were even more thrilled than Ark.
– Oh! You finally have the qualifications to become a pioneer!
– Halo! It’s like a halo is shining around you!
The octopuses gathered, clamoring with joy. The paid hunting ground had been open for four days, and they were ecstatic to finally regain custody of it. However, Ark immediately betrayed their expectations.
Seokeok! Seokeok!
He simply closed the information window without a word and immersed himself in hunting once more. The octopuses were bewildered by Ark’s actions and murmured amongst themselves.
– W-what is that friend doing?
– Does he not know that he can leave R-14 now?
– No, that is impossible. Every pioneer should know about it.
– Then why is he still hunting?
– Perhaps…..he intends to stay here and get all our income?
– W-what? T-then? What about us?
The octopuses began to panic. So, they gathered around Ark, inciting him to leave.
– Don’t you think you’ve become strong enough?
– Yes, you’ll be able to chew any monsters on the frontier.
– Of course you have to give up the income from the hunting ground to discover the unexplored regions.
– But the frontier is a land of gold and opportunity for pioneers. Someone smart, strong and filled with desire like you…..no, a pioneer with strong desire can earn money that can’t even be compared with the income from this hunting ground. We guarantee it.
The octopuses didn’t want to give the impression that they weren’t grateful. But Ark also shared the same idea as the octopuses.
The average daily income for the paid hunting ground was 7~8 gold. Considering that the average income of level 10 users who left R-14 was 2 gold, this was a substantial amount.
But this was because it was the beginner area. Once he entered the frontier and the game truly began, that amount would be negligible. Common sense dictated that reaching higher levels meant greater income.
7~8 gold would be nothing once he raised his level. His previous character, Ark, had earned thousands of gold in a single day. Furthermore, he didn’t gain much experience once he reached level 10.
He was only hunting level 7 monsters. With a three-level difference, a penalty was applied to the experience he could earn. And the monsters were no longer sufficient opponents to practice his fighting skills.
He would be wasting time if he remained in this hunting ground. ‘I know that but……’
He had ignored the octopuses and continued killing the space bugs. Ark’s true objective was to regain his mindset. So, another three days passed.
He suddenly heard Bhurad’s voice emanating from the Nymphe. – Ark, come and see me.
‘That’s it!’
Ark quickly ran towards the central plaza. “Did you call?”
“Ark, that is…..” Bhurad regarded him with significantly different eyes before continuing, “In fact, I truly thought you were a hopeless person the first time I saw you.
You broke your dagger, and you also couldn’t report your work. Yet I can see that you have a bright future ahead. You continued receiving a small salary and eventually obtained a dagger again. Now I can’t help but feel admiration.”
“You’re overpraising me.”
“No, no. I’m not the type of person to utter empty words.” Bhurad examined his Nymphe and stated, “Your recovery is startling, but the amount of mileage you ended up recording is even more astonishing.
You reserved 56 mileage from hunting the space bugs. You also recorded 144 mileage from bringing in meat and leather from the space bugs. This is the best record among all the pioneers on R-14.
No, it is the highest recorded among all the pioneers scattered on the space station around Earth. How on earth did you accumulate that much mileage?”
It was hard work. There was always a chance a user could die when recording mileage for space bug hunting. The number of quests users normally completed by the time they reached level 10 was 25~30.
However, Ark had reserved 56 mileage through the paid hunting ground. His leather and meat were also approximately three times that mileage. This was incredible, considering the low drop rate from the space bugs.
However, Ark actually found acquiring the leather and meat to be easy. The guests of the hunting ground paid for the octopuses’ recovery service with leather and meat. That also went into Ark’s pocket.
If the customers also gave all the meat and leather they found, Ark would lower the fee to 30 silver. All of this was for one ultimate goal.
“No, it doesn’t matter how you gained that much mileage. The result speaks for itself. Anyway, I admire your will. I honestly didn’t expect much from the novices entering the universe, but you are different.
So I prepared a present for you.” Bhurad handed him something for his wrist.
[Bhurad’s Shield (Magic)]
[Item Type: Energy Shield Wearer Restriction: Level 10]
[Defense: 25 Durability: 30/30]
[Shield Quantity: 1,000/1,000]
[A special reward given by Bhurad, the manager of R-14’s training centre to the pioneer who raised the most mileage. The energy shield is a common defense item in the space pioneering age that helps protect the body from various dangers. The shield will be destroyed after several attacks from the enemy but the equipped battery will automatically repair the shield after a certain period of time.]
[Option: Strength +3, Stamina +3]
“This is a shield that I took care of for a long time. It is quite old, but it should be sufficient for a beginner pioneer to use. And I’ve also written you a letter of recommendation for the galactic federation.
The galactic federation is always looking for talent like you. If you would like to work for the federation, then show them this letter of recommendation. I’ll tell you beforehand, but this isn’t given to everyone. I won’t explain it now, but this is a considerable privilege that you will soon understand.”
Then an information window appeared from the Nymphe.
[R-14 training centre manager Bhurad’s letter of recommendation]
[You’ve shown incredible talent compared to most pioneers that pass through R-14. The training centre manager Bhurad appreciated your patience and qualities and wrote you a letter of recommendation to the federal government. If you make someone from the federal government a sponsor then it is possible to receive considerable benefits.]
[Difficulty: –]
[You have received the quest item ‘Bhurad’s Letter of Recommendation.’]
‘I did it!’
At first, he had thought that Bhurad’s quest would be infinitely repeated. However, the repeatable quest
Wouldn’t it be the same for the
‘I will get an achievement if I reach the end!’
Cheksun had given him items once he reached the end of the quest. If the same principle applied, Bhurad might also give him an item. Ark’s guess was correct.
Bhurad’s Shield! It was rare to receive a magic item in the beginner areas. Furthermore, he also received a recommendation-related quest!
‘Well, I have to find out a bit more information about it…..’
But that wasn’t the end. Ark took the item and organized his bags. Now he could relax and leave R-14.
Ark paid one last visit to the paid hunting ground to finish up the business.
– A-Ark!
The octopuses, who had been gathered tightly together, stared at him with surprise. They exchanged looks, and Burum slowly approached him.
– Ark, we’ve been thinking and we realized that we were too short-sighted.
“Huh? Too short-sighted?”
– You really were a big help to us. You helped us establish an independent business after we tried to kill you. We’re embarrassed about how we treated you when you’re going to be leaving soon. So we made up our mind after a meeting. We decided that we should show our sincerity.
Burum extended something that resembled a small octopus.
[Charenjok’s Token (Special)]
[Item type: Recovery]
[A mascot loved by the Charenjok. If you attach this mascot then you will recover from poison and your health will recover for 10 minutes.]
[Recovery from poison, your health will recover by 1 every 3 seconds for 10 minutes]
This was why the octopuses had been consulting each other—to decide what they should give Ark as a token of their gratitude.
‘Aha!’ An ‘!’ appeared in his head. He remembered something he had forgotten, thanks to the octopuses’ behavior.
Once something broke, everything would come out. Ark had realized that while playing the previous game. He had polished the pipes with the octopuses, and their sincerity towards Ark had increased due to the business plan.
– This might be useless for humans. Isn’t it beautiful? It will be able to soothe you if you feel upset. But this is all we have right now. Please think of us and take it. And…..this isn’t a demand. You’ll be heading to the frontier so can you give us our dream now?
“I understand.”
– Ohh! Really? You’ll really give it to us?
The octopuses danced with joy as they received the answer they had been waiting for. Ark taught the octopuses how to acquire customers and imparted the knowledge needed to make their business successful.
– Phew, he should go now. That terrible guy.
The octopuses muttered after they were handed the business documents. Ark heard it through the pipes, but he didn’t question it. The NPCs had given Ark an item, so he couldn’t afford to be ungenerous.
Anyway, Ark meticulously checked that everything in R-14 was finished and headed towards the exit. It was a place filled with users who had reached level 10.
Ark was already familiar with the procedure and entered an elevator in the center of R-14.
– Ark, the body scan has begun.
There was a mechanical sound, and the information window appeared from the Nymphe.
Character information window
Name Ark (R-02788)
Level 15
Species Human
Occupation Beginner Pioneer
Fame –
Health 300 (+15)
Mental Power 150
Strength 55 (+3)
Agility 75
Stamina 55 (+3)
Wisdom 15
Intelligence 25
Luck 15
* Title: Cleaning Foreman (Agility + 3)
Ark had reached level 15 by the time he left R-14! It was an unprecedented record for R-14. Once the authentication procedure ended, the elevator closed and shot upwards.
Another door opened, and the universe expanded before him. It was a huge dome-shaped area covered in a 3D map of the universe. One planet lit up when he entered.
At the same time, the Nymphe vibrated, and information appeared.
[You have accessed the Star Gate system.]
[Currently dozens of frontiers exist in the present galactic federation. However, space travel using the warp system is impossible to withstand for pioneers who haven’t received the body coating. These are the places where the pioneers can move to from the R-14 Star Gate.]
[Istana is a planet located on the outskirts of the Milky Way galaxy and is approximately 2.5 times Earth’s size. It is the center of humanity’s current exploration.]
[Unlike other settlements that are close to being barren, Istana has conditions suitable for humans to live in. Therefore Istana is the place where most pioneers are active and it currently leading the space development. It also contains a number of companies, including the headquarters of the galactic federation.]
[In order to receive a body coating, the support of a company or the galactic federation is required. Therefore, you must first be recognized by Istana and find a sponsor before you can head to the frontiers. As a pioneer, you can ask a company with huge financial capital or a company with amazing technology to sponsor you. The future is bright.]
The planet of Istana expanded, and red dots appeared. They were the different regions of Istana that he could select as a starting point.
[Tatuine-]
[The area where the headquarters of the galactic federation is located. It is the largest city on Istana.]
[Population Density: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Civilization: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■]
[Advanced Sponsor: ■ ■ ■ ■ □]
[Kurim-]
[Except for Tatuine, this is the commercial city with the most companies. Abundant space resources are scattered around the area and it is a commercially profitable city. Aside from the 4 main companies that are leading the space development, there are various small companies so it is easy to find a sponsor.]
[Population Density: ■ ■ ■ ■ □ Civilization: ■ ■ ■ ■ □]
[Advanced Sponsor: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■]
Approximately twenty cities were displayed. Selecting the starting point was an important choice. Ark meticulously read through the information about the cities one by one.
He searched for a while and found a city that met all his criteria. “Activate Star Gate, destination is Nephalim!”
The whole area vibrated, and light gathered. Ark turned into a ray of light and shot out of R-14. The light was launching towards Istana, the center of pioneering.
****
“What? What’s going on?”
Shortly after Ark flew towards Istana, the users gathered noisily in R-14’s central plaza. It was because of a message that had appeared on all monitors.
[Achievement: The first mission-related master of R-14 has been born.
“R-14’s Master? What does that mean?”
“Isn’t this just a place to reach level 10 before leaving for the frontier?”
“Every quest is just a repeatable quest. How does someone become a mission-related master?”
“Is there a hidden quest we don’t know about?”
The users speculated endlessly. But they were even more interested in the name of R-14’s Master: Ark!
“Ark…..”
“Surely it isn’t that ‘Ark’?”
“Of course not. Why would the hero of New World start a new game?”
“That name is popular in Galaxian, so we don’t know if that is the real Ark……”
“Is the real Ark in Galaxian?”
The users looked at the monitor dubiously. Then they scanned their surroundings with bright eyes.
“It doesn’t matter if he is the real Ark. Clearly there is a quest we don’t know about in R-14!”
“Find it! We have to occupy the spot before others find it first!”
The players swarmed like flies all over the place.
Gumul gumul, gumul gumul.
An octopus wearing tattered gear moved through the users.
– Huhuhu, Ark is gone so we can finally get some funds!
It was Burum, filled with dreams and searching for new customers.
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