The Strongest in the Game by Dominating Monster - Chapter 21

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Monster Domination: Game’s Strongest Episode 21

The world’s top 10 natural wonders.

This title that might exist in reality also existed in New World.

The Desert of Silence where the massive bones of a dragon slumber.

The Great Waterfall where red blood is said to flow down from the aftermath of the great war.

And the ash-colored smoke and magma spewed by the Great Volcano that once claimed one-tenth of the continent’s population in the past.

Countless scenic views captivated the users’ eyes, but among them all, there was one place everyone would name first.

That was the primordial tree, the ‘World Tree’.

A towering height that pierced through clouds and reached the sky.

A vast circumference large enough to embrace an entire city.

It was a sacred tree and living spirit that inspired awe just by facing its existence.

Therefore, the elves who served that great being considered managing the World Tree to be their sacred duty as well.

Of course, the thoughts of the users who subcontracted that duty were quite different.

“Ah. Really, this damn tedious labor.”

The user Samsungdong Goni, who was hanging from a World Tree branch polishing it with a dry cloth, frowned and grumbled.

‘World Tree Maintenance’ was a daily quest with decent rewards.

At first, he worked happily while admiring the grandeur of the World Tree, but even a Han River view gets boring if you see it every day.

The scenery that once gave him goosebumps all over his body now provided no inspiration at all.

“Damn it. How do you lose everything on a lucky hand!”

Recalling the culprit who drove him to this tedious labor made his anger explode.

Was the problem that he smiled too broadly when he got two Yellow Chrysanthemum cards in his hand?

He absurdly lost his entire fortune and ended up in a situation where he had to do manual labor.

“If I go to a gambling den again, I’m not human.”

Muttering bitterly, Samsungdong Goni suddenly became very envious of one man.

He was just a rookie dreaming of turning his life around with mere card games.

But just yesterday, one man hit the lottery overnight.

And it was a Super Bowl-level lottery called an event victory.

“Sigh. When will I hit such a jackpot?”

As he thought of the lucky person who shook the community, a sigh naturally escaped when.

[You have completed the World Tree Maintenance Quest!]

[A small amount of gold and experience points will be provided as a reward!]

“Done!”

The sweet sound that rang in his ears.

At the thought of finally being liberated, Samsungdong Goni cheered and threw away the cloth.

At the same time, the thread of reason in his mind snapped.

“If I double this…”

Dopamine gushing forth again.

As his eyes became bloodshot and his appetite began to turn when.

Whoooosh…

A gentle breeze blew and tickled the young leaves of the World Tree.

Nature’s song sung by the leaves rustling against each other.

It was a familiar sound he always heard, so he didn’t pay much attention to it.

Just as this heavenly view had become familiar, this heavenly song was now tiresome too.

However, the sound that followed was different.

Clear lyrics that he had never heard before reached his ears.

[The Remote Island and Black Castle. The king of the children abandoned there has arrived.]

“…!”

At the sacred voice that vividly struck his ears, Samsungdong Goni was startled and looked around.

However, there was no one nearby who could have whispered.

Rather, other users who were far away were also looking around with confused expressions.

“What, what is it?”

“I, I wasn’t the only one who heard that just now, right?”

When bewildered voices flowed among the users who were doing the quest.

Below the World Tree, in the village, shocked cries also burst out.

“It’s an oracle! The World Tree has given an oracle!!”

Three hundred years.

The time during which the name of the empire that conquered the continent had changed three times.

After that long time, an oracle had descended from the World Tree.

* * *

Yu Baekjin’s home was simple.

A small officetel studio rented through the government.

That was his home, and a bed, desk, some kitchen utensils, and a small wardrobe were everything.

That cramped space was now filled with Yu Baekjin’s worries.

‘Baek Jin. If you’re going to seriously play New World, a capsule is essential.’

Recalling his friend’s advice, he checked his bank account balance.

Military savings he had carefully accumulated, ten million won.

Of that, five million was used for this house’s deposit and living expenses.

So the money left in his hands now was exactly five million won.

While it was a large sum, it wasn’t exactly abundant money considering tuition and future living expenses.

“Spending another three million here?”

His brow furrowed mercilessly at the larger-than-expected sum.

Moreover, this was even the used price.

New products cost almost ten million won, so he couldn’t even consider them.

“Hmm…”

With the used trading platform open, his contemplation continued for a long time.

This three million won was his university tuition.

In other words, he was about to commit the crazy act of buying gaming equipment with his college tuition.

So just as he was thinking about whether to just keep going to capsule rooms.

A cheerful ringtone sounded from his mobile phone.

He smiled brightly at the two characters “Mother” on the screen and answered the call.

“Mom!”

“Yes. My son~”

His heart warmed at the affectionate voice that always felt good to hear.

“Are you doing well?”

“Of course. How about you, Mom? Did you eat?”

“I ate earlier. I called because I wanted to hear my son’s voice~”

While the playful voice made him laugh, his heart also ached.

His parents were currently working at a factory after moving down to Changwon where they had no connections.

For parents who were once called boss and madam, this situation couldn’t be easy to accept.

His mouth felt dry knowing her heart that tried to act bright in front of her son.

They shared trivial stories like that for quite a while.

“What about Father?”

“He’s working. Sigh. I’m going crazy because of your father.”

“Why? Is something wrong?”

“No. He groans about back pain every time he sleeps but won’t go to the hospital.”

“Is he very sick? Then he should go!”

“That’s what I’m saying! But he just says he’s fine and tells me not to make a fuss! He thinks pain relief patches are a cure-all!”

His heart ached at Mother’s complaints.

When Father was the president of a small company, he cared about his health more than anyone.

He said he would live long and long, enjoying the benefits of his successful son.

He said he would see grandchildren and even great-grandchildren before he went.

Father used to smile saying such things.

Though still imposing, Father’s back was now covered in wounds unlike the past.

“Sigh. Anyway, don’t worry too much and take good care of your body too, my son. Okay?”

“Yes. Don’t worry.”

“Good. I should go now. I’ll call you again later~”

Before the call ended, a sharp voice could be heard.

“Ajumma! Why are you talking so long?! Can’t you see we’re busy right now!”

“S-sorry. I lost track of time talking with my son.”

Even a phone call with her son had become a sin.

At that cruel reality, Yu Baekjin hung up and bit his lips tightly.

He immediately opened his banking app, sent one million won, and left a short message.

[Mother. Use this for Father’s hospital bills. Make sure you take Father to the hospital. Tell me if it’s not enough.]

After completing this dust-like filial piety compared to the grace he had received, he pressed the ‘payment’ button without hesitation.

He had to succeed. He had to make money. He had to lift up his parents’ collapsed backs again.

Those were fingertips filled with all those emotions.

* * *

“Ugh. Why isn’t he checking his DMs.”

At the campus cafe of Sports University, Lee Chaerin, an archery major, grumbled while glaring at her mobile phone.

“He must be busy. Or maybe he doesn’t want to receive contact from an old friend who reached out after 3 years.”

“He’s not that kind of person. He’s a bit cold, but he has a lot of affection.”

“That sounds like some kind of warm iced americano.”

When her direct junior, Kang Minki, teased her, Lee Chaerin’s cheeks turned red.

She quickly turned her head and pointed to the coffee in front of her where all the ice had melted and become lukewarm.

“Th-this! This is a warm iced americano! It melted!”

“Stop throwing that tantrum. What kind of disgraceful behavior is this at twenty-three years old.”

“D-disgraceful? T-tantrum? Hey! I’m your senior! High school senior and university senior! How dare you talk to your senior like that!”

“Yes. Yes. You’re right, senior. 148cm senior.”

“It’s 151!”

When he brought up her complex about height, Lee Chaerin shrieked, and Kang Minki chuckled.

“But senior. Is that user really Yu Baekjin?”

Maybe the warm iced americano didn’t suit her taste.

Lee Chaerin took a small sip, frowned, and nodded her head.

“Almost certain? He went to the same high school as us. I saw him shoot arrows so many times in high school.”

“Even so, you only trained together for less than a year. Yu Baekjin quit sports due to injury in his first year and transferred to another school, right? That’s why I never even saw his face.”

Kang Minki tilted his head and looked at her with suspicious eyes.

“By any chance, was it a crush?”

“A crush?! Hey! More than half the school liked him! Ugh! I hate guys who are that popular.”

“But our school was co-ed, so how could it be more than half.”

“That’s what I’m saying. But it was still more than half.”

“….”

Kang Minki, who understood the implication, shook his head frantically with a horrified expression.

“Ugh. He really was handsome though. But then, what evidence do you have that that user is Yu Baekjin?”

“Hehe. This noona has amazing intuition, you know.”

Lee Chaerin smiled triumphantly and puffed out her chest.

“Routine. Their routines are exactly the same. He taps the ground twice with his back foot, then lightly taps three times with his front foot. He does that every time he concentrates to shoot, so even in Mosaic Mode, that routine really stood out.”

“Oh. That is unusual. Usually people touch the fletching or brush down the chest guard.”

“Exactly. That’s why I thought it must be Baek Jin. And most importantly, the skill. That skill level isn’t amateur, right? Definitely a national team member.”

After hearing the whole story, Kang Minki crossed his arms and nodded.

“Hmm. That’s quite rational reasoning, unlike you, senior.”

“What? Unlike me? You really!”

Lee Chaerin glared, but Kang Minki smiled faintly.

“Sigh. I really raised you wrong. Really wrong.”

Lee Chaerin sighed deeply, and Kang Minki stabbed his chocolate cake with a fork and offered it to her.

“Does the junior you raised wrong also offer chocolate cake like this? Anyway, senior really wants to get that Yu Baekjin to join our mercenary group, right?”

Lee Chaerin opened her mouth wide like a baby bird to eat it and nodded vigorously.

“Yeah. Honestly, he’s tempting. Our Bow Mercenary Group doesn’t even have an event winner, and our mercenary group is always suffering from manpower shortage.”

“That’s true. Especially in terms of military power, it’s very appealing. We need an overwhelming ace who can turn the tables in large-scale battles. If he’s an event winner, there’s a high possibility he could become that kind of existence.”

The thoughts of the two people, who were the leader and vice-leader of the Bow Mercenary Group, aligned.

For them, who only gathered minor archer job classes, a skilled player with the title of event winner was absolutely necessary.

“But would he come to us? Honestly, there doesn’t seem to be any merit.”

“No merit?! We’re still a Ranker Mercenary Guild!”

“Mercenary groups higher than us are probably lining up right now too?”

“High school classmates!”

“Come on. Contacting him after 3 years, what’s that supposed to mean.”

Repeated sharp answers.

For a moment, Lee Chaerin was speechless, but soon leaned forward and smiled confidently.

“I’m here.”

“What?”

“Rain. My character, honestly, is there any man who wouldn’t fall for my character?”

“Haah….”

Unlike her confident self, Kang Minki sighed deeply.

Her character Rain was the complete opposite of her.

She was tall and had a glamorous figure.

Anyone could see she was seductive and sensual.

And as if immersed in such a character, she acted like an experienced woman in the game.

Thanks to that, there were many idiots in the game who drooled over her.

“Honestly, I did the character customization myself, and I did amazingly well! Really well! Right?”

Unlike her who smiled with satisfaction, Kang Minki found it quite absurd.

While it’s said you can resolve real-life dissatisfaction in games, senior went way too far.

This was like….

“What you’re doing, senior, that’s catfishing.”

“Hey! C-catfishing! Am I a man?!”

Though she shouted angrily, Lee Chaerin seemed inwardly stung and stammered.

She soon looked down at her body but shook her head vigorously.

No! My body! Don’t shrink back! You did nothing wrong!

After desperately giving herself a pep talk, she shouted confidently.

“Even if Yu Baekjin is amazing, he’s still just a man! If I use Seduction on him, he’ll fall for it!”

“Sigh… Senior.”

Kang Minki let out a deep sigh and looked at her with pitying eyes.

“Huh?”

“Senior, you and Yu Baekjin are alumni.”

“So?”

“Then Yu Baekjin knows you, not Rain.”

“…”

Lee Chaerin, left speechless, looked at her junior with a tearful expression.

“Th-then what do we do? Can’t we recruit him?”

“Sigh…”

At his senior’s truly reliable(?) display, Kang Minki let out a long sigh.

“In the end, we only have money.”

“Money? Will money work?”

“Who knows. But if we lack fame and charm, money is all we have.”

Though she bristled momentarily at the comment about lacking charm, Lee Chaerin soon nodded.

“Right. Fortunately, I’ve saved up some money. But how much should we offer?”

“Well. If competition heats up, it’ll skyrocket.”

After a moment of contemplation, Kang Minki spread his five long fingers.

“At least fifty million. And that’s a conservative estimate.”

Fifty million won.

An amount equivalent to a new employee’s annual salary at a decent mid-sized company.

Though it wasn’t a small sum by any means, Lee Chaerin nodded as if it was reasonable.

She could gladly bear that level of investment.

Because he was a man worth that much.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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