“Welcome!”
A noisy convenience store that resembled the surrounding atmosphere.
In a space where a couple of drunks were wandering around, ‘Sulbbang’ Kang Yoo-han felt a sense of relief for the first time today.
Though it was far from a healing environment in many ways, it was the only place he could relax for now.
As the atmosphere grew more relaxed, he left the restaurant, declaring, “It’s a rule that after drinking, chocolate milk is a must.”
It wasn’t that he disliked or felt uncomfortable in his seat.
But his heart was racing too much; he needed a little time to calm down.
Han Da-eun, who was absentmindedly sucking on a spoon.
Her expression seemed blissfully unaware, giggling happily as if she didn’t know how she looked…
“No, don’t embarrass yourself, Kang Yoo-han. What kind of state is this when you first meet a girl?”
And not just any girl, but that Gawol.
He couldn’t come to terms with how poorly he was handling this.
The Gawol in the game was a terrible character.
A calamity that comes without reason or consequence.
If you were a streamer focusing on PVP, you’d encounter evil like this at least once.
Especially lately, there was something oddly sticky about her.
It was the kind of twistedness that exuded a subtle warmth.
That eeriness left Sulbbang feeling complicated in many ways.
He had even been targeted continuously, so it was far from a good start.
If it weren’t for Elderin, he probably wouldn’t have been tangled up in this mess.
But now… he couldn’t hate her too easily.
Without a doubt, it wasn’t just about her looks.
– “Cuteness…? No, that’s not it. I’m not cute…”
– “Hehe, it’s delicious. Thank you.”
– “I feel like it’s been ages since I’ve smiled like this.”
– “Why are you suddenly teasing me…? Ugh. Sniff…”
Hands that scratched her neck to the point of bleeding during the finals.
While what was said wasn’t recorded, she had been mumbling something with a dark expression.
That kind of unstable appearance allowed for a little bit of understanding.
Had she been dismantling her own neck with that pitiful face?
Today, Sulbbang saw Gawol—giggling easily, quickly getting swept up in the atmosphere, happy over trivial things, and crying like a child.
At first, Han Da-eun had been shy—but she was a girl desperately craving the touch of others.
He didn’t know her backstory.
He couldn’t ask, nor should he.
It’s not like Gawol committed any crimes, but it wouldn’t be wrong to dislike her either.
Yet, somewhere in the world, people like that exist.
Those who can’t even ask for help and find themselves clutching onto a knife.
People who cut their hands on their own blade and still feel grateful for not being alone even under harsh gazes.
…Was that too much speculation? Yoo-han sighed.
He placed five chocolate milks and a few items on the counter.
“Please check me out.”
“Sure. That’ll be 13,950 won. Do you have any points or rewards?”
“No. Just ring it up.”
“I have some, can’t I use mine?”
“Huh? Oh, sure. I didn’t know you were here.”
While checking out, an unexpected voice reached him.
Sulbbang was surprised, barely managing to calm his trembling body.
Thanks to her distinct, clear voice, he recognized her immediately.
Her porcelain skin glowed a rosy hue from the alcohol.
She was more beautiful than anyone he’d ever seen but had a face that looked dangerously fragile.
Tears still lingered between her eyelashes—lips curving into a gentle smile.
It was Gawol.
No, it was Han Da-eun.
“I was just about to head back, why didn’t you stay?”
“Hehe, I felt bad. I kept getting scolded for crying.”
“Is that something you should feel bad about? I was the one in the wrong.”
“That’s true. You’re the one who messed up.”
“……”
If there was anything that felt the same as in the game, it was that infuriating dialogue.
And the mischievous laughter that accompanied it.
Her body felt like Gawol had jumped out of the game… Though her features were similar, there was something vaguely different about the impression.
The vicinity was close enough that her unique, soft scent wafted through.
Even among the alcohol-soaked air, this cozy scent remained prominent.
Da-eun was enticing even with just her pale neckline fully exposed.
People could be as pretty as game characters, huh.
That was more than just surprising—it was downright miraculous.
But Gawol and Da-eun had more differences than similarities.
“You can walk a bit faster. I can keep up.”
“No thanks. Let’s walk slowly, helps clear the head.”
“Alright.”
The Gawol he knew was an assassin who moved faster than anyone else.
With her face always brimming with confidence and a mischievous smile that never faded, she was a force to be reckoned with.
Cheerful, combative, and the type of girl who looked like she could take on anything alone—Gawol was that kind of person.
But Da-eun had to match her pace as they returned to the restaurant.
Wrapped in San-sae’s arms, she wore the expression of someone seeking a warm fire in winter.
Han Da-eun was shy, struggled to manage her feelings, and looked somewhat precarious.
He remembered the first time she stepped into the restaurant.
In stark contrast to the worn-out protective gear or crutches, her bandages seemed overly clean.
She claimed it was just an injury, but that was likely a lie.
Unlike in the game, she seemed to have a bit of a clumsy side in reality.
But that leg, hmm.
Had that thin leg been what had tried to strangle him to death?
Thinking like that made his face heat up, and Yoo-han fanned himself.
A low laugh from behind tickled his ears.
“What’s wrong, feeling hot?”
“A little.”
“Should I get ice cream from the convenience store? I’ll buy.”
What is she saying? You’re not my older brother.
She’s younger than me and not even a guy.
Yoo-han laughed in disbelief.
When they reached the front of the restaurant, the rest of their group was waiting.
The five of them, riding high on momentum, headed to karaoke.
Truly, they were social butterflies. San-sae and Elderin sang exceptionally well.
The issue was Da-eun.
How could someone with such a beautiful voice not be able to sing?
Even matching the beat slightly would make it sound decent!
More importantly, that girl had terrible taste.
*
[Category: Announcement > Patch Notes]
[Author: GM Pia]
[Title: New Season “Pioneering” Patch Notes]
Hello, adventurers.
The new season ‘Pioneering’ patch has been implemented.
……
3. Bounty System
As previously announced, there will be changes to the field PK system.
The new continent is designated as a battleground, and the penalties for field PK will be significantly reduced.
Conversely, penalties for existing continents will increase; you can check the details .
On the new continent, local governmental power has yet to establish fully.
However, no one wishes to turn the pioneer area into a complete lawless zone.
Therefore, the powers that be will implement a bounty system to stabilize the area.
Adventurers who commit murder in the field can have a bounty placed on them for 3 days.
Bounty registration can be processed at the security post in Jepirion Harbor, and upon taking down the wanted person, rewards will be immediately acquired in your inventory.
You can still acquire rewards by killing other wanted persons even while a bounty is placed on you.
……
But remember.
The bounty system is designed not to protect you, but to eliminate criminals.
If you don’t think you can survive, don’t carelessly step foot in the pioneer area.
*
A large ship crossed the ‘Unrelenting Storm.’
According to the game settings, it had been three weeks; in real-time, fifteen minutes had passed since the voyage ended.
The ship dropped its ladder at the hastily constructed harbor.
As soon as the patch ended, the new area was reached.
The southwestern pioneer region ‘Jepirion’ was a continent that vividly carried the feel of a barren wasteland.
New landscapes and people appeared that had never been seen before.
The makeshift facilities looked hastily put together, and traders who crossed from the distant sea were openly profiteering.
Consumables were especially problematic. Goods vastly inferior to those from the main continent were being sold at twice the price.
What worried them more was the apparent lack of watchmen.
As questions formed in his mind, the moment he stepped into the town, a red warning sign popped up at the top of his view.
[You have entered a conflict area.]
[Warning: You may be attacked by other adventurers outside of safe zones.]
[Warning: Upon death, you may lose up to 20% of the gold in your possession.]
“Ha, how nice.”
Maybe it was the dry wording.
He turned off the notification window that felt rather cold.
While some might find that alarm horrifying, he felt quite the opposite.
He had essentially used normal fields like battlegrounds from the get-go.
That lost gold would merely end up in a murderer’s pocket, transforming into potential PK rewards for him.
The field had turned into a veritable gold mine in an instant.
With the bounty system activated, it would become a new source of income.
Well, eventually, a bounty would accumulate on him too.
“Come at me if you think you can kill me.”
As he casually wandered the village, he heard a commotion nearby.
Flames roared, sending out a red gust of wind.
This was undoubtedly the work of a player.
Getting closer, he overheard some heated voices.
“What the hell are these crazy bastards! PKing in the village?”
“Can’t you see there are no guards, you idiot?”
A figure in a Magical Girl costume was committing terror acts in the village.
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