WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: DereKimchi
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Protagonist Doesn't Want to Leave the First Floor ◈
Chapter 58: 058
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[Area 3, Misty Swamp, has reached Level 100. It will be integrated with Area 2, Grassland Plains, which previously reached Level 100.]
- Area integration? What does that mean?
- Did something happen over there?
Similar reactions appeared across every board.
Those currently in the field soon posted as well, saying nothing had changed much yet.
But after a little more time passed, posts began appearing that said something had changed.
For one, Snakes that had never been seen there before, especially venomous ones, had been spotted in Rabbit Field.
- These things are even respawning here?
The same was true on the other side.
Misty Swamp had previously been nothing but mud-like wetlands, but patches of relatively solid ground had begun to appear.
Photos and videos soon followed, showing animals normally found in Rabbit Field appearing and roaming there.
- This is...
- Yeah, this is...
- What is it, you bastards? Finish what you're saying.
Everyone came to a similar conclusion.
Just as the system notification had said, the Areas seemed to have been integrated and mixed together.
There was nothing especially problematic about it yet, but that might not remain the case.
- What level is Wasteland again?
ㄴ 96
ㄴ Not much left, then.
As someone said in that conversation, the other fields were gradually approaching Level 100 as well.
If this was not temporary, the other fields would likely be merged into the same whole whenever they reached Level 100.
- Wasteland won't be useful this winter either, then?
ㄴ Is it going to get cold there too?
ㄴ If they mix, probably. Unless they blend and settle at a moderately cold temperature.
ㄴ Hmm. Guess we'll have to wait for winter.
A few days later, Wasteland also reached Level 100 and connected with the other Level 100 fields, just as the users had expected.
Wild Boars and various other animals previously seen only in Wasteland began appearing in the southwestern grasslands, which had mostly been home to Rabbits and Feral Dogs.
Meanwhile, the southeastern Wasteland, where proper grass had been difficult to find, began gaining green plants and small animals here and there.
Around then, the individual traits of each field began to blur.
Each field had different mobs, animals, and resources, but once integration caused them to mix to a certain extent, there was no longer much reason to distinguish them.
- But it doesn't look like they're mixed exactly half and half? Feels like the basic foundation is staying intact.
ㄴ Yeah. The existing traits remain, and only some things are shared.
- Still, Rabbit Field has the best hunting efficiency. It'll be even better with Wild Boars added.
ㄴ Is there no reason to go to the Swamp now?
ㄴ Going there during a Rainy Season like this is hell to begin with.
ㄴ True.
But something felt strange.
The mobs' reactions seemed to have changed by more than just the increase in Field Level.
They had begun responding from distances where they should not have noticed anyone before, either fleeing or charging in.
- Has that been happening since the Area integrations?
ㄴ I feel like it has. Maybe I'm wrong?
While the boards were in an uproar, Seo Hajin looked down at Sangun, bleeding and dying.
“It would've been nice if I had a high-grade taming item.”
Every Sangun looked much the same.
But after fighting them, he could sense the differences.
If he had had a taming item, this one would probably have been easy to tame. It was that docile.
“Can't be helped.”
He approached to end its pain.
At the same time, another viewpoint checked that the Field Level was 99.
‘If I kill this one, this place will be integrated too... Things are going to get noisy.’
He already knew.
As Field Level rose, mobs' detection ranges expanded.
‘I don't know why they're only noticing it now.’
Were there simply too many people in the other fields to tell who had drawn a mob's aggro?
Either way, everyone would know now.
And since users had only realized it after reaching Level 100, there had to be a clear difference from before...
[You have successfully hunted the Field Boss.]
[The master of Northern Forest in Area 1, ‘Sangun,’ has been defeated.]
[The region's level increases by 1.]
Sangun died, and the notifications followed.
As expected, another notification below them announced that the Area had reached Level 100 and would be integrated with the other Level 100 Areas.
“Hmm. It's starting.”
Seo Hajin shifted his aerial viewpoint from place to place. Once the Field Level reached 100, the mobs' detection ranges had clearly grown far beyond what they had been at 99.
‘How can they see from all the way over there? No, they aren't seeing with their eyes.’
He had once wondered whether they detected people by scent, but that did not seem to be it either. The system was probably just applying its rules.
In any case, the Area had been integrated, and unfamiliar types of animals began appearing one by one in Northern Forest.
“Wow...”
He was not surprised.
He had seen them while making a circuit through every field before, and they were not particularly dangerous.
The ones in danger were the users in the other Areas that had just been integrated. Wolves had begun respawning in their fields as well.
Wolves were not conditionally Aggressive Mobs. They were purely Aggressive Mobs. Their detection range was enormous, and they usually traveled in packs.
That made them similar to the Feral Dog packs in Rabbit Field, but the Feral Dog packs were not even a minor version of Wolf packs.
“Ah.”
A thought suddenly occurred to him, and he opened SNS. As expected, it was incredibly noisy.
“The lake is the problem.”
It was still all right.
The Field Level was not high yet.
But it would inevitably continue rising unless everyone resolved to stop fishing for the boss.
“I heard it'd be easy to interfere with the fishing.”
If that did not work out...
If that place reached Field Level 100 too...
“Things won't stay peaceful like this anymore.”
Giant Lake Field was mostly water with little land, but that was exactly why it was a problem.
Users had gathered on that narrow stretch of land. Now various animals and insects, especially Aggressive Mobs, could begin respawning there too.
It was only natural that people were already talking about stopping boss raids.
The difficulty had been steadily increasing anyway, and if they simply survived for the remaining time, everyone could return together.
But people still had some room to breathe.
Perhaps because Giant Lake Field still had a long way to go before reaching Level 100, the users could not easily come to an agreement.
‘They're going to end up fighting.’
The heat and humidity already made this a damp, irritating season. It had only begun, so it would get worse.
‘A lot of people are already expecting it.’
Quite a few people were preparing to leave the lake field early, but finding somewhere safe besides there was not easy.
‘Maybe up in the trees of Logger Forest, at least?’
But even there, reasonably large trees could be knocked down if the boss Bear went on a rampage. The Villains had not completely disappeared either, so Treehouses could be damaged at any time.
“This is going to be difficult.”
Even if they packed immediately, they had nowhere to go.
Some argued that they only needed to interfere with fishing for the Giant Catfish somehow, and that was not entirely wrong.
But there were plenty of fish that required long, desperate battles just like the Giant Catfish. It would be impossible to interfere with all of them across the board.
Fights would inevitably break out, and bloodshed would naturally follow.
‘It might not become that dangerous. That field has little land to begin with, so there probably won't be many mobs respawning.’
But it was certain that the current peace would not last.
People focused on that fact and began preparing for what lay ahead in their own ways.
‘Nothing will change for me...’
The variety of mobs had increased a little, but none of them were stronger than Wolf packs.
The Wolves' detection range had expanded so much that they now came charging in from every direction without him needing to pull them together. If anything, that was welcome.
‘It would be nice if I were a mage.’
If he specialized in mass destruction, like area-of-effect magic, would he not be able to level up ridiculously fast?
‘Maybe there is one?’
He searched the marketplace for that sort of skill, but naturally found nothing.
‘No one would sell something like that.’
Besides, he had not even entered the path of magic. Even if he had a magic skill, he would not be able to use it.
Instead, he had a hunting team.
His companions were still running through the forest and hunting in his place.
‘They can't wipe out huge numbers in one blow, but they keep producing results.’
The number of Wolf pets was steadily increasing as well.
It would only get better from here.
‘I'll have to sell some of them, but... Hm?’
He had received a message.
It was from SNS, sent by an acquaintance near Giant Lake.
* * *
“...”
“...”
Two men sat blankly by the water.
One was Juggernaut, and the other was Hogu, someone he had come to know several months ago.
TrueFinal had introduced him as someone he could safely sell Wolves to. After meeting him, Seo Hajin found him to be a quiet and serious man.
Most of what he did was sit by the water as he was now, watching his fishing rod.
He only had one rod cast in front of him. Most people set out two or three, or even more.
He was a man who did not seem to fish simply to catch fish.
After visiting him like this a few times, they had grown reasonably close even without TrueFinal, who had first introduced them.
“It’s quiet here.”
Juggernaut spoke.
Hogu nodded and opened his mouth.
“The spot is poor, that’s why.”
Hogu was right.
The southwestern corner of Giant Lake Field.
It was a tributary near Rabbit Field below.
It was not the center of the lake but a narrow branch of a tributary, a place where all sorts of things from below could easily come up if the fields were integrated.
Hogu had not deliberately moved to a place like this. He had lived here from the beginning.
Behind him stood proof of that, a small wooden cabin about the size of a rural farm hut.
“You really aren't catching much.”
“Some days are like that.”
Seo Hajin had already been there for nearly an hour.
Hogu had reeled in his rod only once.
He wondered whether that was enough to make a living, but surprisingly, Hogu had called him over because he wanted to buy Wolves.
‘It feels like he didn't catch anything last time either.’
He had read on the boards before that large fish did not bite in tributaries.
Still, small fish were supposed to be caught fairly often.
But even if he saved the money from those, it would not be nearly enough to buy Wolves.
Of course, Seo Hajin roughly knew where Hogu had gotten the money. Seo Hajin had visited him and talked like this, gradually sharing bits of their stories.
“Two?”
“If possible, I'd like to buy more, but I don't have enough money.”
“You're planning to stay here.”
“This is the best place.”
“Hmm.”
Hogu was capable of moving to another field.
His Avatar Level was one thing, but he had been a capable fighter even in his original body.
According to Hogu, he had once been an operative sent into North Korea. For some reason, he had been captured while on assignment and held in a labor camp.
Seo Hajin had not investigated whether it was true.
Even if it was false, he could simply think the man was committed to his concept and let it go.
But after repeatedly visiting and talking with him, Seo Hajin was beginning to think Hogu's story might be true.
The story of how he had fallen for a woman while on assignment and ruined his mission connected reasonably well with his current username, Hogu.
“Then including the ones you already bought, that'll make four.”
“Exactly. Four is a little ominous.”
Hogu was likely buying more Wolves both for self-defense in the coming circumstances and to improve his hunting efficiency.
Seo Hajin had never sold that many Wolves to one person, but based on what he had seen of Hogu, he could call him a reasonably good customer, if not someone he trusted completely.
That was why he made another offer.
“A free extra?”
“Yes. Not a Wolf, though.”
Hogu, who had been watching his fishing rod, turned to look at him. More precisely, at what Juggernaut had set down beside him.
“A Wild Boar.”
“People have been trying to tame them quite a bit lately.”
It was a tamed Wild Boar.
It was larger than most Wolves, and its black body and two tusks jutting out like horns looked extremely threatening.
There had been a few before as well.
But they ate enormous amounts while being considered of little use, so they had not been popular.
“They weren't worth spending a Key to evolve.”
That had been the evaluation until recently.
But things had improved somewhat because as Field Level rose, Wild Boars began spawning at higher base levels.
“Did you tame it yourself?”
“No. I bought a few recently. But compared to Wolves, there are a lot of awkward parts. First, one of them eats about as much as three Wolves.”
“Hmm.”
“In combat, they aren't much help when pulling mobs together either. All they do is charge in, ram things, and bite.”
“They lose mobility once mobs gather.”
“Yes. But they work fairly well for this.”
What he showed next was the equipment newly fitted onto the tamed Wild Boar's body, specifically a saddle and armor.
“A mount.”
“Yes.”
Hogu, who already used a Wolf with a saddle, looked at the black Wild Boar with clear interest.
Its overall shape was similar to a Wolf saddle but also different. Juggernaut added that riding it would take some practice.
“It’s harder to handle than a Wolf.”
“Is it an intelligence issue?”
“The intelligence seems similar. I think it's just more stubborn.”
Wolves had a concept of an alpha and tended to become obedient once they recognized their owner as their leader. Wild Boars did not seem to be that way.
Still, this had improved as their base levels rose. Juggernaut explained that was why it had become possible to ride them at all.
“If you like it, I can give you one for free. The saddle comes with it.”
“Then what do you gain from this, Juggernaut?”
“For one thing, my food consumption will go down.”
“Ah.”
Unless it was kept deactivated, it required a considerable amount of food every day.
As he had heard, it ate as much as three Wolves by itself. It had no advantage in terms of efficiency.
But Hogu quite liked the black Wild Boar with the saddle.
And if he rode it in the future, he could use one of the Wolves that had previously carried a saddle for combat instead.
“I'd appreciate it if you're giving it to me.”
“Then I'll add it.”
The transaction went smoothly.
Afterward, Hogu reeled in his fishing rod for the first time in a while.
Splash!
The afterimage of a fairly large fish burst out over the water. As soon as he succeeded at fishing, it evaporated and vanished, while its byproducts automatically entered his Inventory.
It was not a function everyone had.
Normally, the fish would have to be dragged onto land before it evaporated and dropped items. It happened this way thanks to a function Hogu possessed.
“It’s quite convenient. It draws less attention too.”
“I can see that. How much fish do you get from catching one?”
“Five pieces about the size of my forearm, or as many as ten.”
“What? That much?”
“You get better at fishing the more you do it.”
So that was why it produced so much.
It seemed fishing had a skill similar to his [Slaughter Record].
“I got it early.”
“So it isn't a basic skill.”
“No. It's pretty expensive these days.”
That was why Hogu could get enough food without heading to the center of the lake, quietly fishing in a corner of a tributary like this.
He did sometimes go hunting in other fields, but that was probably to earn Points rather than food.
“With four Wolves... I should be all right for now.”
Hogu said that even if mobs intruded unexpectedly in the future, four Wolves should prevent any major problem.
The Wolves Juggernaut sold also had their levels filled to just before evolution, which made them better.
“If you have spare Keys, consider evolving them. They're pretty good.”
“Hmm. I've seen it sometimes, but I think it would feel awkward if they became like people. I'd feel bad making them sleep on the ground too.”
“That makes sense.”
The transaction had ended, but Seo Hajin did not leave right away. Even without conversation, sitting there blankly and watching the quiet water flow past felt fairly nice.
Of course, at the same time, his other Avatars were still hunting in Northern Forest.
‘Is my brain really all right?’
Could a human brain really handle multitasking like this?
The concern crossed his mind again, but like the flowing water, he let it drift away.
“Will we be able to trade in the future too?”
“More?”
“Yes. If possible.”
“Hmm...”
Four was already the most he had sold to a single person. He wondered whether it was all right to sell even more, but based on Hogu's behavior so far, it did not seem like he would use those Wolves to harm Juggernaut.
The possibility that he might harm other users was a different matter, but that had nothing to do with him.
“I won't use them here.”
Then, as if he knew exactly what Seo Hajin was wondering, Hogu spoke.
“If I ever return to where I was, I think I'll need as much fighting power as possible.”
“Ah.”
The labor camp.
Seo Hajin had already heard where Hogu had been before coming here.
‘So it was true.’
There was no proof.
He could just be some middle-aged man overly immersed in his concept.
No, unlike his Avatar's appearance, he might not even be middle-aged.
“Contact me when you have room for more.”
Still, he felt like he had gained something close to a friend. Wolves continued to increase steadily anyway, so there was no reason not to sell them.
“This.”
How long had he stayed after that?
Just as he was about to leave, Hogu requested a trade. The exchange window contained large pieces of fish meat.
Like deboned mackerel with the head and tail removed, the halves of the body were truly about the size of a person's forearm, without exaggeration.
“It tastes pretty good grilled.”
“This is too much.”
“It goes fast once you start eating it.”
“Hmm. I'll enjoy it.”
It had been a while since he had eaten grilled fish.
After accepting it gratefully, he moved some distance away from the water, summoned an Eagle, and climbed aboard.
Hogu raised a hand in farewell, growing smaller and smaller below him. Then the scenery opened up, showing the narrow stream joining the enormous lake.
‘Are they fighting over there again?’
Around ten people were mixed together doing something near one side of the lake. They were probably fighting over spots, or perhaps someone had caught an Item Box.
“The tributary is nice and quiet, at least.”
Of course, it might not stay peaceful there for long either. But the Wolves he had sold should be enough to protect Hogu's cabin and the water in front of it.
How far had he flown?
A new SNS message suddenly appeared. It was from Hogu, whom he had already left behind.
[Hogu: There is something I need to tell you... But you can't mention it anywhere else.]
[Me: If it's difficult for you to talk about, you don't have to.]
[Hogu: I thought it would be better if you knew in advance.]
What followed was not long.
But it was quite surprising.
[Me: Even in tributaries?]
[Hogu: The information came from someone trustworthy, so I'm sure.]
[Me: Ah. Then the one caught recently...]
[Hogu: Yes. That's right.]
It was surprising information.
The Giant Catfish, the boss of Giant Lake Field, could apparently be caught not only in the center of the lake but also in its narrow outer tributaries.
It made no sense.
Based on what was known, its body was far too large to live in a tributary.
But this world was not reality.
And fishing here did not operate like fishing in reality, which gave the information a certain plausibility.
‘He said it came from someone trustworthy.’
The information had come from the very person who recently caught a Giant Catfish, which made it even more credible.
‘Hogu isn't someone who talks nonsense.’
Hogu was cautious.
Seo Hajin did not know how he had ended up suffering after falling for a woman, but perhaps he had become cautious after that experience.
‘If it's true, disrupting fishing as they are now won't be enough to stop it.’
It was clear why Hogu had told him.
Giant Lake Field would also be integrated soon, and it could not be prevented.
‘Everyone thinks there's still time.’
Hogu did not think so. That was likely why he had hurried to buy more Wolves.
‘Hmm.’
Honestly, it would not change much for Seo Hajin. Northern Forest, his home ground, had been dominated by Aggressive Mobs from the start.
Still, it was not bad to know in advance that a variable was appearing in the field where most users had gathered.
‘If he'd told me before I left, I would've given him another Wolf instead of the Wild Boar.’
He would throw in an extra freebie next time.
Seo Hajin thought that as the scenery of Northern Forest gradually drew closer.
Footnotes:
“Hogu” is Korean slang for a sucker or pushover, which connects to the story behind the username.
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