[Bright Stalactite Flower]
[Observation Progress: 100%]
[A mysterious flower that blooms in the depths of caves, appearing only at extremely rare probabilities. Many people do not even know of its existence, and even most experts have failed to cultivate it. (See more)]
[(Omitted)]
[Effects]
[1. All combat abilities increase by 20% in darkness.]
[2. Possesses the effect of .]
[<Starlight Scent> : The opponent intoxicated by the scent of the Bright Stalactite Flower falls into perfect darkness for 5 seconds. While in darkness, all their abilities decrease by 10%, and Effect 1 is applied. (Cooldown: 5 minutes)]
Jaeho, who had begun working diligently to increase the percentage, managed to achieve 100% in just one day.
It was clear that the Naturalist’s professional guidance had been a great help.
Of course, in the process, there were countless bizarre failures and sacrifices of many Bright Stalactite Flowers… But even those proved surprisingly useful.
“You really are an incredible chef! I never expected you could create food that suits the taste of the Giantfolk so perfectly!”
Every single failed product ended up in the Naturalist’s mouth.
Thanks to that, Jaeho’s affinity with him was reaching its peak.
“Still, there’s one serious problem left.”
Namely, that cultivating the Bright Stalactite Flower was impossible.
This exceedingly sensitive flower would die at the slightest touch of sunlight—or even moonlight.
Only in these damp and pitch-black caves, with moisture flowing down the stalactites, could the flower survive.
“Even if I tried to artificially recreate this environment in Elysia… Moving it there would be nearly impossible.”
Even inside the Inventory, it was affected by light.
“In the end, I’ll only be able to use it as an ingredient.”
It was disappointing… but with options like these, its value was sure to be immense.
“Naturalist! You’re certain you know how to cultivate this, right?”
Before leaving the mine, Jaeho confirmed one more time.
“Of course! Don’t worry, just leave it to me. As long as you’re not asking for an unreasonable number, I can cultivate as many as you need.”
The Naturalist’s confident declaration, ill-matched to his menacing face, was almost like seeing himself in a mirror.
“Alright, then I’ll leave this place to you.”
“Understood.”
“Oh, and someday, if there’s an opportunity, I might send people to this mine.”
It would be a waste to leave this mine idle, even if they weren’t Dwarves.
If this was a mine once used by Dwarves, there must be plenty of high-quality minerals left.
“If this mine gets crowded with miners again, I’d welcome it more than anyone.”
And so, Jaeho finally left the mine and Embay Forest.
With Samantha… and the Elves.
***
Just as expected, Wansik, who had been kidnapped by Taylor, was quickly released from Prison.
After all, due to the game system, the Bulgeom Guild couldn’t keep Wansik locked up forever, and inhumane or cruel acts were strictly forbidden.
Wansik had simply spent some time waiting around in Prison before coming out.
—Mei, it’s me.
Wansik immediately contacted Mei.
—Huh? Pangpang, are you finally out now?
They were now close enough to speak comfortably with each other!
Of course, Wansik still wasn’t fond of the nickname ‘Pangpang’.
—Does Alicia know? I heard she’s on her way back to the Flower Garden.
—No way. That guy probably blocked my contact right away. More importantly, what did the Elves say? Did you explain properly why I disappeared all of a sudden?
Wansik was most afraid that all the hard-earned Elf affinity would be reset to zero.
He couldn’t let that happen—ever…
Tok—
At that moment, Wansik’s shoulder lightly bumped into someone coming from the opposite direction.
“Ow ow ow! Hey! I’m dying here!”
“??!”
Suddenly, the other person flew backward dramatically, landing flat on the ground…
“I saw it! I saw that human pickpocketing!”
“Me too! That human was fighting in the alley!”
“Wait? The thief who broke into my house yesterday looked just like that!”
Clearly fake accusations started ringing out from all sides.
Seeing this, Wansik thought, ‘No way?’
“Are those Bulgeom bastards really trying to frame me this pathetically?”
With suspicion in his heart, he tried to escape quickly… But this was the Bear Kingdom.
Not only the Players but even the NPCs in the Rasel Kingdom Guard sided with the Bulgeom Guild.
—@$*^$0@8!
—Damn punks!
—You petty bastards!
It was impossible for a Player in the low 200s to cleanly shake off the Guard’s pursuit.
Inevitably, Wansik ended up back in Prison.
A Bulgeom Guild Executive visited him, wearing a mocking sneer.
“You’ll never escape from here.”
“Hey, you lunatics! That Alicia guy blocked my messages anyway! It’s not like he’d come even if I called!”
Wansik shouted his grievances, but it was completely ignored.
“Doesn’t matter. Taylor has decided to take responsibility and redeem himself for his mistake.”
“Yeah, right. You really think he’ll succeed? The guy’s surrounded by Elf bodyguards!”
“Eventually… It’s useless to bluff. We already know Alicia left alone without the Elves.”
“?!!”
The Bulgeom Guild had also figured out that Jaeho was currently in the Otolc region.
And that he was now returning to Elysia.
***
Taylor already knew that his trump card, Villain’s Noose, was useless against Jaeho.
He wondered just how this Player could have a higher Infamy than himself, a top-ranked assassin… but…
“That’s not all.”
Besides, this time, his goal wasn’t kidnapping.
It was assassination!
And he planned to broadcast the entire scene live.
He’d make him kneel in humiliation before the Bears…
Through his advance investigation, he had already confirmed that there would be no Elves this time.
At most, one of the Elysia Four Heavenly Kings and a streamer from the Broadcast.
“He’ll go down before he even knows what’s happening.”
Taylor was full of confidence.
“Ah, there he is.”
Finally, Alicia’s figure appeared beyond the sand dune!
But to Alicia’s eyes, Taylor was completely invisible.
A perfect disguise, undetectable by sight.
Thanks to it, Taylor, who had transformed into a cactus, started his Broadcast.
He hadn’t turned it on earlier to prevent any information leaks.
—moth: What’s this? What’s the Broadcast about?
—eapa12: Is this the original desert? Wait… isn’t that Alicia?
—coff: Whoa? Is he trying to get revenge on Alicia? That’s so petty.
—qorhvk: Petty, my foot. What’s wrong with an assassin doing an assassination?
—akdntm: Anyway, the Bears and Elysia are natural enemies, so whatever.
As expected of a top Ranker, the viewership soared instantly.
And everyone already figured out Taylor’s goal.
Assassinate Alicia…
“?”
Taylor waited for Jaeho to come closer.
But then, something totally unexpected happened—he flinched.
Beyond the dune, behind Jaeho, a group of people… no, Elves, appeared!
—qnfeha: Wow… Taylor’s got guts. Trying to assassinate in that situation?
—clzls: Crazy lololol! If you look closely, they’re all Elves!
—EjrqhRdl: Huh? For real, lolol! Taylor, if you succeed, I’ll sell my house and donate!
The chat window exploded with excitement.
But Taylor himself was drenched in cold sweat.
“Th-these bastards! They said there wouldn’t be any Elves!”
He’d gotten the info from the guild’s informant.
He’d heard not a single Elf was moving with Alicia—so why were there dozens of Elves in front of him?!
The viewers might want blood… but unless he’d lost his mind, there was no way he’d go after Jaeho now.
He’d die before even getting close!
“I haven’t even recovered from the last level-down. If I die again, it’ll be a huge pain!”
Face was a secondary concern.
First, he had to survive!
But then—
“Why do they keep looking this way?!”
***
Jaeho, completely unaware that Taylor was sweating buckets, kept his gaze fixed on Taylor, who’d disguised himself as a cactus.
The reason being…
[Due to the ‘Gold Vault Thief’ Title, you have discovered a hidden ‘something’.]
“Could this be Brejal’s Secret Vault?”
If it was a secret place found in the Fermasa Desert, there was a good chance…
—Wait!
Just then, Dae-wa Jingjing-i following Jaeho shouted.
—That’s not a real cactus!
“What?”
[The Spirit of Vitality says, ‘Yes, that’s right. I sense impurity—it’s not a pure spirit.’]
—There’s a strong sense of malice. Very suspicious!
The two Spirits, usually at odds, both reacted, so Jaeho drew out his Legendary Sapling Shovel.
Chuk—
“I’ll try shooting it with my bow first!”
At the Elf’s words, Jaeho nodded.
Pew—!
Thunk—!
“Ugh…!!”
The moment the cactus was hit, a faint groan was heard!
“Didn’t you just hear something?”
At Jaeho’s question, Samantha nodded as well.
But Taylor still tried to hold out.
Insisting to himself that he was a cactus…
Thud—
“Uh? The cactus is shaking!”
Thud, thud
“Red liquid is coming out of the cactus!”
“Should I shoot it again?”
Gulp!
Taylor couldn’t take it anymore and exploded.
If he stayed like this, they’d keep shooting arrows at him until he died.
Bang—!
With a small explosion, Taylor reverted to his true form and bolted in the opposite direction.
“You sons of bitches! Can’t you just pretend you didn’t see me?!”
Such agility—truly befitting an assassin!
“Huh? That person is…”
Jaeho immediately recognized Taylor.
“What shall we do, Alicia?”
The Elves waited for Jaeho’s command.
They’d never seen Taylor before, so they didn’t know if he was friend or foe.
“For now… let’s capture him alive.”
It was obvious he’d come here to kill him.
“And didn’t he kidnap Wansik before?”
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
***
No matter how high-ranked he was, there was no way Taylor could escape after being hit with multiple Elf arrows.
Soon, Taylor was captured by the Elves and dragged in front of Jaeho, kneeling.
“You bastard…”
Seeing Taylor growl at him, Jaeho couldn’t help but laugh.
“Why are you cursing at me? You’re the ones who started it. Why are you so desperate to take down someone minding his own business?”
“Well… in New World, killing and being killed is normal, isn’t it?”
“No, it’s not.”
Jaeho answered firmly—and he had every right to say so.
“I started this to open a flower shop. But people kept picking fights and even kidnapping.”
“What a joke! If you’re just running a flower shop, why did you found a country and become the First King among Players?!”
“They gave it to me, what was I supposed to do?”
“What?”
Taylor was left speechless at such an absurd answer.
He’d never heard of anyone starting New World just to open a flower shop, and then becoming king and founding a nation as part of the process.
“Are you seriously saying that?”
“People like you, who discriminate by race and just go around killing, wouldn’t understand.”
“Hmph! Aren’t you the same?! You couldn’t get such high Infamy for nothing!”
“Oh, that…”
Jaeho’s insides churned.
“Silence!! How dare you insult Alicia?!”
Just then, the Elves, who had been listening quietly, burst out in anger.
Their eyes, perfectly filtered for Jaeho’s Infamy, saw only a pure and just king.
“Whoa, calm down. No use talking to these guys anyway.”
Jaeho calmed the Elves.
“Let’s drag him back to Elysia and lock him up. Use him for a hostage exchange. Oh, that was your specialty, right?”
There was a hint of pity in Jaeho’s expression.
“Too bad for you. Failed the kidnapping and got chased all the way here alone, huh?”
“…Tch.”
Taylor’s pride was deeply wounded.
No matter what, he was a top Ranker; he hadn’t come here just because his guild had forced him—
“I, uh… mmph!”
But the Elves blocked his mouth, silencing him completely.