The Strongest in the Game by Dominating Monster - Chapter 23

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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 23

[You have accessed the Territory Management System!]

An alarm sounded along with the panoramic view, and various interfaces spread out at the bottom of his vision.

[Buildings] [Assignment] [Management] [Resources]…

Interfaces filled with various information about territory management.

“Oh ho.”

Without even a moment to organize his complicated thoughts, another flood of information came rushing in.

Nevertheless, Kairen’s eyes sparkled brightly.

He usually enjoyed management simulations, and his major was Business Administration.

This kind of gameplay was always welcome.

Soon he began touching various things with curious fingers.

Checking out various buildings, what resources were needed for construction, how to manage them, and so on.

After checking for quite a while, he nodded his head and lifted the corners of his mouth.

“Interesting.”

Even though the game genre had changed to a management simulation, he was intrigued.

Especially, he liked how complex it looked with so much to do.

There were dozens of buildings just in the construction category alone.

The work of calculating and pondering where to build and what to build first was quite enjoyable.

“The resources needed for each building are bigger than I thought. Then…”

Kairen, who had been looking around for a while, nodded slightly.

The first building to construct had just been decided.

[Lower Magic Stone Mine] A mine where you can extract low-grade magic stones. A place created with magic power, where you can mine low-grade magic stones indefinitely. Required resources: Low-Grade Magic Stone: 150, Logs 50, Stone 150. Restriction: Magic stones mined here cannot be taken outside the territory.

This building also required enormous resources, but it was a fundamental structure for resource accumulation.

Along with the ‘Logging Camp’ and ‘Quarry’, it was a building that should be prioritized first.

“Hmm. I need to look into securing low-grade magic stones right away.”

An ironic situation where low-grade magic stones were needed to build a low-grade magic stone mine.

Even that number was not insignificant.

Even after defeating countless goblins during the Goblin Army, he had only obtained about twenty magic stones.

He still needed over 100 more magic stones.

Moreover, he had no idea yet how to obtain logs and stone.

“Well, there must be a way to get them. I could ask Jin-woo for help too.”

He muttered to himself while stroking his chin.

Then he slowly continued checking the other systems.

While he was deeply absorbed in the system like that.

[*Warning! Unknown enemies have noticed the existence of your territory!]

[Unknown enemies are beginning their search to confirm your territory!]

[The enemies will arrive at your territory in 30 days!]

[Prepare for the raid and subjugate the enemies! If subjugation fails, massive penalties will be imposed!]

[If subjugation succeeds, massive rewards will be given!]

“…! What, what is this?”

Suddenly, dizzying text appeared before his eyes.

A raid? Unknown enemies?

As he blinked at the unexpected system message, red text was embedded like a tattoo in the upper right corner.

[Raid: 719:59:55]

Clearly an indicator showing the time remaining until the raid.

Kairen let out a hollow laugh, and soon the corner of his mouth that had burst into a chuckle twisted into a strange smile.

“Interesting. Really interesting.”

Territory management was already tight, and now he had to block enemy raids on top of that?

It would certainly not be an easy task.

Perhaps the enemies would attack before he could even properly manage his territory.

However, Kairen found this situation very enjoyable.

He had already learned the true taste of perseverance through hardship, both in reality and in this game.

He had drawn his bowstring until his hands were blistered and was selected for the national team trials.

He studied while sleeping only three hours a day and got into Korea University.

He became so absorbed that he couldn’t even feel fatigue, and obtained the Monster Lord profession.

In the end, this was the same.

Right now he could clearly see the bone-breaking hardship ahead, but at the end of it, a sweet conclusion would be waiting.

Having always tasted that sweet conclusion, Kairen licked his lips in anticipation.

* * *

Rudenville Village is bustling 24 hours a day with a mix of beginners who just started the game and alternate characters of existing users.

However, for the past two days, Rudenville Village had gathered far more people than usual, leaving no room to even step foot.

“Ugh. How many days has it been already? I don’t even have time to level my main character, is this right?”

“That’s what I’m saying. Ugh. The executives should do it themselves.”

Two users leaning against the wooden fence at the village entrance pouted their lips and grumbled.

“That Kairen guy, or whatever his name is, will show up eventually, where is he hiding?”

“Hey! What if someone hears you saying his nickname!”

At the statement from the user on the right side of the gate, the user on the opposite side looked around frantically in shock.

He had heard that the leader spent a fortune to find out that the event winner’s nickname was Kairen.

If he was caught carelessly revealing that classified information, he might be kicked out of the mercenary group.

“Hey. The nickname is already out. It’s already spread widely in the community.”

“Huh? Really?”

“Ah. You didn’t see? Yuhan got pissed and exposed it in the community. He even put up a bounty? If you find and report that user, he gives 1,000 gold?”

The user who recalled the satisfying revenge Kairen had shown giggled.

“Wow. Yuhan’s really going overboard. He must know that rankers are going crazy trying to recruit Kairen, and he’s pulling that stunt?”

“Exactly. He’s lost his mind. Hehe. But how could he not be mad after what happened to him? He’s been getting roasted on broadcasts ever since. Yuhan even revealed his real face. He probably can’t even hold his head up in real life from embarrassment.”

“Hehehehe. Well, if I got a piss shower from a dog, I would’ve wanted revenge too if I were Yuhan.”

“Ah. Did you hear about that? Yuhan got so pissed that he went to get revenge on that dog too, but got beaten up by the dog’s owner like a dog on dog day and logged out?”

While the two people giggled about Yuhan for quite a while.

Far away, beyond the horizon, a man appeared.

He slowly walked toward the village entrance, and the two giggling people glanced over.

It probably wasn’t the user they were waiting for this time either.

It was a gaze without expectation, but soon the two people opened their eyes wide and gaped.

“It’s him, right?”

“It’s him! He’s here! He really came!”

“Hey! Be quiet! If the other guys notice, it’ll get noisy. Let’s approach as quietly as possible and…”

The two people devised a secret plan, but.

Clatter clatter!

Around them, dozens of users began rushing toward Kairen.

They weren’t the only ones who had been eagerly waiting for Kairen, and those who belatedly realized this fact also rushed over, not wanting to be left behind.

“Kairen sir! Could we have a moment to talk?!”

* * *

‘What? What’s this?’

Kairen frowned as he watched the users who suddenly rushed over, surrounded him, and spoke incessantly.

“Kairen sir! If you come to our side…”…”

“We’re the 121st Ranked Mercenary Corps…”

“Hey! Anyone below the top 100 should back off! Have some conscience!”

“Bullshit! Who are you to tell us to back off!”

“Kairen sir! We’ll support you with everything – items and hunting grounds! Just hear us out once…”

The people flailing around as if they’d met a celebrity continued even after entering the village.

‘Mercenary corps? Something like a guild.’

Listening to their talk, Kairen lightly shook his head.

Now wasn’t the time to be with anyone, so he had no desire to belong somewhere.

So he shouted loud enough for everyone to hear.

“I have no intention of joining a mercenary corps! Everyone move aside!”

He thought this would settle things, but.

“Kairen sir! At least hear us out!”

“If you listen to the conditions we’ve prepared…”

“We offer double! Absolutely double what other mercenary corps offer as signing bonus!”

The surrounding mercenary corps showed no intention of listening and kept shouting loudly.

When the conversation wasn’t getting through and irritation began to rise in this chaotic environment no different from a marketplace.

[Automatically analyzing surrounding environment.]

[Noise Cancel Mode is recommended for the adventurer!]

[Noise Cancel Mode is a function that blocks conversations from surrounding users.]

[Noise Cancel Mode will automatically stop after one hour.]

“Use it.”

As he immediately nodded and muttered briefly, the surrounding noise disappeared like magic.

He could still hear NPCs’ voices and natural sounds like leaves rustling in the wind, but he couldn’t hear the users’ voices at all.

Though he couldn’t hear their voices at all, the faces of users shouting with heated expressions looked quite funny, so Kairen chuckled lightly and started walking again.

Like the Pied Piper leading users behind him, the place he headed to was Daron’s Cabin.

As he approached there, Rookie, who had been lying lazily, suddenly jumped up.

Woof woof! (Kairen sir!)

Rookie, who recognized his presence just by smell, barked happily and ran over, and Kairen also welcomed him with open arms.

“Rookie!”

He petted the head of Rookie who immediately ran over and nestled in his arms.

He had been very worried because he was suddenly summoned to the Black Giant Castle and couldn’t take full responsibility for Rookie’s safety until the end.

Fortunately, he seemed to be fine.

“Rookie? What’s wro… Kairen!!”

Then, Daron, who noticed Rookie’s unusual behavior, opened the door and came out, and his eyes widened when he spotted Kairen.

“You! Why are you only coming now! How long we’ve been waiting!”

Daron, who literally rushed out barefoot, grabbed Kairen’s hands and waved them around, greatly rejoicing.

“I’m sorry. Something suddenly came up.”

Kairen spoke carefully, reading the room around him.

Words like Monster Lord and Black Giant Castle were better avoided among the users who had swarmed like ants.

“Hmm. Hmm, I suppose so. Yes. We can’t catch up properly here. Come inside. Come in quickly.”

Daron, who understood Kairen’s feelings while looking at the surrounding users, guided him inside the cabin.

Watching Kairen follow Daron inside, the users could only let out disappointed sighs.

* * *

“I see. No wonder I was worried when Rookie told me you suddenly disappeared. So you received a summons from the Monster Lord.”

“Yes. I was summoned so suddenly that I couldn’t take care of Rookie until the end.”

“It’s fine. It’s okay. Rookie returned safely, and you’ve returned as the Monster Lord. What could be better than this?”

A smile bloomed brightly on Daron’s face.

He seemed so pleased that he kept chuckling heartily and smiling continuously.

“So. What are you planning to do from now on? You’ll have to leave the village first.”

“Yes. I plan to leave the village right away. I have a friend on the continent, so I’m going to meet him first.”

“Hmm. I see. Then you don’t have anything urgent to do right away.”

“Yes. That’s right.”

When he tilted his head looking at Daron who seemed to have something to say.

He looked at Rookie with longing eyes and continued speaking.

“You. Do you have any thoughts of taking Rookie with you?”

“…! Excuse me?”

Kairen flinched at the topic he had hoped for inwardly but couldn’t bring up himself.

Actually, his desire to be with Rookie was burning like a chimney.

He had grown attached enough over time, and he knew well that Rookie was a sharp kid.

But since he was Daron’s companion dog, he had considered it beyond his reach.

He never dreamed that Daron would bring this up first.

“D-Daron sir?”

When he called out, even stammering, Daron gave a bitter smile.

“It wasn’t easy for me to bring up either, but now is the time I should let this child go.”

Whine. (Master…)

As if it had already been discussed with Rookie, Rookie meekly accepted the talk of parting.

“Embarrassingly, I said he was a special child because I raised him myself, but actually Rookie is an extraordinary child from his very birth.”

Kairen, recalling the past, nodded lightly in agreement.

Thinking about it, Rookie had even fought the Goblin Lord and bought time.

No matter how much he was a Tamer’s dog, that was too extraordinary to be extraordinary.

“An old friend entrusted this extraordinary child to me. He said he would come back exactly 3 years ago, but there’s still no contact.”

“Then should I return Rookie to that owner?”

“No. There’s no need for that. That friend valued promises more than his life. If such a friend has had no contact for 3 years…”

Though he trailed off, the meaning could be easily guessed.

“Anyway, there’s no contact from that friend, but I can’t keep Rookie like this forever. A wolf can’t live like a dog forever.”

Kairen initially thought the word wolf was simply a metaphor.

But from the following statement, he realized it wasn’t a metaphor but the truth.

“Rookie is a descendant of Borte, the ruler of those distant Eastern Grasslands. What I want to ask of you is to meet Borte and help Rookie find his true form.”

As Daron finished speaking, a translucent window unfolded before his eyes.

[Ruler of the Eastern Grasslands (Legendary)] A descendant of the ruler who once reigned over the Great Grasslands was living in a Small Grassland. You who have realized the truth. Help the king’s return. Restriction: Monster Lord, one who has received Daron’s recognition. Condition: Meet Borte, ruler of the Eastern Grasslands. Reward: Rookie will transform into Borte (Legendary). *Until Quest completion, Rookie will not be treated as a tamed pet.

Do you accept the Quest?

“…!”

Kairen blinked his eyes.

His gaze wouldn’t leave the two characters reading ‘Legend’ embedded next to Borte, and after a moment.

Kairen quickly nodded his head, fearing the spear might disappear.

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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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