If you ask whether hunting is harder in the Field or in a Dungeon, nine times out of ten, the answer will be the latter.
Hunting within the confined, dead-end space of a Dungeon is naturally more difficult compared to hunting out in the Field.
Dahav was well aware of this fact, which is why he was deep in thought.
[Please select the next Follow-up Quest.]
- Return to Shazam and report. This will lead to the Follow-up Quest: Subjugation Force Organization.
- Proceed forward to thoroughly investigate the cause and eradicate it to the root. This will lead to the Follow-up Quest: Root Removal.
A choice quest.
Depending on the Player’s selection, the quest’s difficulty and rewards could vary, so he had to choose carefully.
Putting aside his wavering thoughts for a moment, Dahav recalled the information he had reviewed before logging in.
‘Whichever I choose, I’ll still get the Skill Rune.’
The Skill Rune targeted this time was not the final reward but rather a secondary prize obtained by completing the Follow-up Quest.
So, no matter what he picked, the goal would be achieved.
However, the difference in time commitment was stark.
The first option involved forming a subjugation squad and moving together, which made it overwhelmingly easier, but assembling the squad would take about three days.
The second option, by contrast, if he had the ability, could be cleared alone in as little as three hours.
Future Users would most likely choose the first since they could get the desired reward without restrictions during the subjugation squad’s formation period, and hunting while roaming freely wasn’t an issue.
So, even though it took longer, clearing the quest with the squad was preferable.
“But efficiency differs.”
The second option offered much higher Experience Points due to its difficulty.
Moreover, thanks to the ‘Tomb Raider’ achievement, the experience gained from the Black Sorcerer’s Cave was doubled.
He didn’t want to waste such a rare three-day window.
With that in mind, he boldly chose the second option.
[You have selected the Follow-up Quest ‘Root Removal’.]
[You can receive the rewards for completing the Investigation of the Cause quest from Shazam at any time.]
Ding!
- Root Removal (Main Quest)
- Rank: C
- Quest Details: You have finally caught a clue to the source of Shinaga’s stench. You will advance to uproot the root of the Shinaga stench and restore the Tourist City’s glory.
- Completion Rewards: 60,000 Experience Points, +20 Favorability with Shazam, +20 Shinaga Reputation, Special Reward
Although he was mentally prepared, seeing it in person sent a chill down his spine.
So far, the highest difficulty of any quest he had fought was 6.
But this quest’s difficulty was a whopping C.
He had jumped two entire ranks in one go.
“No, this is actually a good opportunity.”
Though the difficulty was higher than expected, he had already steeled himself.
This could be a great chance to showcase a Super Player’s abilities.
“Yeah, this will be a good benchmark. Besides…”
The clear reward included a ‘Special Reward’ as well.
“There are items I need to get with that reward, so I can’t miss this golden opportunity.”
***
As time passes, every game inevitably develops an ‘Old User Group’ that becomes somewhat stagnant.
The final form of the Old User Group was the formation of guilds for camaraderie.
Pushed to the fringes, newbies were sidelined, and as the stagnant waters deepened, game operators were forced to intervene—a critical variable in game management.
And in 2040, ASA was no exception to this phenomenon.
They built their own ultari and became known as the ‘Old Forces,’ wielding authority with impunity.
At first, some voiced complaints against unfair treatment and discrimination.
But the strength that came from numbers and mobs was impossible to ignore, and inevitably, the victors were the guilds and companies.
Ultimately, most players suppressed their grievances and either continued the game or surrendered and joined forces with them.
Just as ASA was believed to be turning into stagnant Old Users, a savior emerged.
Wilhelm Rothschild.
He led an army of summoned creatures, dismantling the rules and even the guilds established by the Old Forces.
His unmatched fame and popularity reached such heights he was called ‘The One and Only Under Heaven,’ ‘The Unique Existence,’ or even ‘The Messiah.’
Videos of his interviews were always nominated among the most popular on I-tube.
-When was the toughest time playing the game? Hmm… Probably when the Akatsuki Guild was ranked 16th, and they put a death mark on me? No, actually I never died against Akatsuki, but I did die once clearing Root Removal at level 10. That was the hardest. Even now, thinking back, I couldn’t help but curse the game then.
Root Removal (Main Quest).
Though it was a level 10 quest, its difficulty was a rank C.
Many sympathized with Wilhelm’s interview.
-If you ever pick Root Removal, you might want to quit immediately and clear it later around level 20. Unless you’re confident you’re a Super Player. Then, by all means, challenge it. It’s a good benchmark.
-What’s with level 20? For ordinary players like us, we need at least level 25 to clear comfortably. Why would the operators put a rank C quest at level 10?
The infamy of Root Removal was extremely high.
Facing such a notorious quest, it was impossible not to feel tense.
“Sigh…”
He muttered a self-encouragement, breathing deeply and exhaling repeatedly as he moved forward.
It was an act to drive away as much tension as possible.
“I can do this. Yeah, and I packed some really great equipment, so no worries.”
At that moment, a monster named ‘Tamed Pirarucu’ entered his sight.
Pirarucu.
One of the reasons Root Removal’s difficulty was so high.
A monster of elite rank—one level above the normal tier—its entire body resembled that of a giant insect.
The difference was that it was several times larger than a typical bug.
Its head alone was the size of a person, and its thick, scaled body rivaled iron armor.
Its mouth was filled with dozens of sharp teeth, and its high stamina made it one of the strongest elite monsters at level 10.
Moreover, its ferocious temperament earned it the nickname among novice users as ‘The Biting Cockroach.’
Fortunately, thanks to Wilhelm’s popularity, there were many videos of his epic battles and one-shot kills, including strategies for hunting Pirarucu.
“Calmly, just as planned… I can definitely take it down.”
Regaining his composure, Dahav pushed off the ground to accelerate.
Thud—
Pirarucu seemed to recognize Dahav’s presence from the sound and twisted its body toward him.
His right hand held the dagger raised to chest height, ready to strike at any moment, while he silently recalled Pirarucu’s attack patterns.
‘First Pattern: Headbutt’
Even as he memorized this, Dahav’s eyes stayed fixed on Pirarucu’s movements.
Rumble—thud—
As expected, Pirarucu opened its jaws wide, revealing a terrifying maw, and charged.
If bitten by those huge, sharp teeth, survival would be nearly impossible.
Yet Dahav didn’t dodge; he charged head-on.
They collided, closing the distance rapidly.
Just as Pirarucu let out a sticky-sounding slurp, attempting to engulf Dahav whole—
Swoosh—
Dahav slid across the ground, narrowly avoiding the maw.
Sliding underneath Pirarucu, he thrust the dagger held in his raised hand.
Screech—
[Critical Fatal Spot Attack!]
[Due to Critical Strike judgment, attack damage is increased by 300%.]
[Special option of Banryongdanwol, Tannyunga (…. 20) bleeding poison activated!]
Pirarucu howled wildly in agony, thrashing about.
Roar—!
Its weak spot was its abdomen.
Its scales covered only the back and head; the underside revealed soft flesh with low defense.
Of course, knowing this didn’t guarantee success.
It required courage to run straight at a sharp, hostile maw, as well as the reflexes and wit to read and respond to Pirarucu’s movements.
Fortunately, Dahav possessed all these traits and proved it with his resounding success.
Thanks to his critical strike, his tension eased slightly, and his body longed to relax, but he dared not loosen his grip on focus.
‘Still too early to rest ‘
Roar, roar—!
Pirarucu screamed and struggled violently, but it was far from dead.
Its massive bulk made it hard to predict where the next attack would come from, making defense more difficult.
Dahav quickly withdrew his dagger and rolled away, creating distance like a falling leaf.
Scrape—scrape—
The rough stone floor stung his knees and forearms with sharp pain, but it ensured his safety.
However, as long as the enemy was alive, safety was as fragile as a candle flame in the wind. Hastily, he regained his stance and watched Pirarucu.
“You really have the personality of a bug, don’t you.”
Despite the pain inflicted by the critical strike, its eyes remained sharp and alert.
Roar—!
Pirarucu charged again, its eyes burning with fierce resolve.
Though it came straight at him again, the real danger lay in its astonishing learning ability.
If he disrupted the first attack in the same way, Pirarucu would certainly switch tactics next time.
Many users had died deceived by Pirarucu’s seemingly reckless charging.
That was why he hadn’t summoned a Ghoul at first.
To prevent being caught off guard by the second attack.
“Come out.”
From the Magic Circle on the ground, a huge Troll Ghoul materialized and blocked Pirarucu’s path.
Roar—!
Pirarucu struggled to push the Troll Ghoul aside, clearly irritated, but Dahav did not remain idle.
He blocked Pirarucu’s line of sight, moved strategically, and slid once more, burrowing underneath for another attack.
Roar—!
While Pirarucu flailed, Dahav summoned a second Ghoul—a Giant Toad Ghoul—preparing for a third strike.
“If I succeed just two more times, I can definitely take it down.”
No matter how high Pirarucu’s stamina was as an elite monster.
“I also have stealth skills not to be underestimated, and I’m equipped with Unique Equipment.”
The first success might have been lucky, but from the second attack onward, it was all skill.
Unlike before, Dahav now confidently promised himself victory, preparing to push off the ground again.
Ping.
[You have killed the Tamed Pirarucu.]
[You gained 10,000 Experience Points.]
[You gained an additional 10,000 Experience Points from the Tomb Raider achievement!]
Pirarucu’s unexpected death left Dahav momentarily stunned.
“What the…?”