Excellent! This is a fantastic setup for Chapter 4, showcasing Hyun's growth and his explosive entry into the wider player community. Let's flesh this out into a complete, punchy chapter that delivers on the hype.
---
———
On the third day, as the virtual sun began to set over the training grounds, Hyun executed his final swing.
[Swing #5,000: Form Perfect.]
His muscles screamed in protest, but they also sang with a new, hard-earned harmony. The sword felt less like a foreign object and more like an extension of his own arm. As the notification flashed, a cascade of light and sound erupted before him.
[Hidden Quest: The Unbound's Foundation - COMPLETE!]
[Reward: Passive Skill [Perfect Slash (Growth-Type)] has been acquired!]
[Bonus Completion EXP: +50,000!]
A torrent of energy surged through him. Level-up notifications chimed one after another.
DING! [Level Up! LV 3 → LV 4!]
DING! [Level Up! LV 4 → LV 5!]
...
DING! [Level Up! LV 6 → LV 7!]
The golden light faded, and Hyun stared at his status screen in disbelief. "What? 50,000 EXP... and I only went from level 6 to 11? This cursed 1000% EXP requirement is insane!" He cursed the game, the system, and the twisted balance designer. "You've got to be kidding me! This is—"
Before he could finish his tirade, another, softer chime rang.
[Achievement Unlocked: The General's Apprentice]
[Description: You have endured the grueling foundational training of the retired Royal Swordmaster, Gerald, and earned a sliver of his acknowledgment. True strength is built, not granted.]**
[Reward: STR+5, AGI+9, LUCK+3]
The frustration was instantly washed away by a wave of pure, unadulterated euphoria. The new stats solidified his power. He jumped, whooping with joy, his exhaustion forgotten. Without a single word of thanks to the old man watching from the porch, he turned and sprinted out of the training grounds as if hellhounds were on his heels.
"YEEEES! Finally! My time's almost up, I need to hunt and level up for the tournament!"
Old Man Gerald's laughter boomed across the empty field, a sound of fond exasperation. "That impudent brat! He reminds me of... ah, never mind." His eyes grew distant for a moment, perhaps remembering another headstrong young man with immense potential. "I'm sure *he* reached the pinnacle and is happy now. Just you wait, you little whelp. Don't think our training ends here. I'll reel you back in when you're ready for the next lesson! HAHAHA!"
DING!
A friend request from [Mina_Arrow] popped up.
"Tch. I'll just reject it," Hyun muttered, focused on his grind.
---
Meanwhile, in Mina's party, the mood was grim. They were staring at the impassable canyon leading to the Arcane Golem's lair.
"Well? What did he say?" asked the Mage, [Pyro_Jack].
"He... rejected my friend request," Mina said, her cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and irritation.
The Warrior, [StoneWall], sighed. "Let's just forget this Golem's Heart quest. We're wasting our time."
Jinwoo, playing as the Priest [Light_Jin], nodded in agreement. "He's right, Mina. It's been three days. We haven't leveled, and we've burned through so many potions. This is a dead end."
"Are you all suggesting we just give up?" Mina retorted, her voice sharp. "We need that Golem's Heart to forge a weapon capable of competing in the tournament! Fine. Just wait a second."
She opened her menu and began furiously typing a direct message.
[Mina_Arrow]: Hey, you! Slime King! You idiot! Accept my friend request, you moron!
A few seconds later, a reply came.
[User_#0003]: I'm busy. My time is expensive. I have many more monsters to hunt. Bye.
Mina's eye twitched. She took a deep breath and typed again.
[Mina_Arrow]: W-Wait! Will you help me just this once? We can split the loot 50/50. How about it?
On the other end, sitting atop a small mountain of dead goblins, Hyun saw the message and a wide, predatory grin spread across his face. This was an opportunity.
[User_#0003]: Hm... 100,000 Won. Transfer it to my account now. And I keep all in-game item drops. Or forget it.
He expected her to refuse. Instead, the reply was instantaneous.
[Mina_Arrow]: Deal! And I'll be recording this. [Account Details Attached]
Hyun's eyebrows shot up. She really is rich.
---
Back with the party, Jinwoo looked at Mina expectantly. "So? How did it go?"
Mina gave a confident wink. "He's on his way."
Five minutes passed. Then ten.
"Shouldn't he be here by now?" StoneWall grumbled. "Don't tell me you got scammed."
"What kind of idiot doesn't even know how to use a teleport scroll—" Jinwoo began, but his sentence was cut off by a low, growing rumble.
The ground began to tremble. From the depths of the forest behind them, a cacophony of roars and screeches erupted.
The ground cracked. Trees snapped. A wolf's howl turned into a scream.
Mina's arrow trembled. "This isn't a wave… this is a stampede."
A tide of dozens, no, hundreds of forest monsters—Goblins, Wolves, and even a few Trolls—surged toward them, a chaotic mass of claws and fangs. The party braced for impact, their faces pale.
And then, a voice cut through the din, loud, clear, and utterly casual.
"HEY YOU GUYS! Lower your weapons! Those are my mobs!"
A figure emerged from the tree line, running at an impossible speed. It was a player in a simple, unassuming tunic, utterly drenched in so much monster blood that it was impossible to distinguish its original color. His stats were hidden, and dark circles under his eyes spoke of severe sleep deprivation.
It was User #0003.
He didn't stop. He ran past
the stunned party and straight into the oncoming wave.
He didn't roar. He didn't activate a flashy skill. He simply moved.
And the world split.
Time slowed.
THUMP. THUMP. His heartbeat in his ears.
The Novice Sword flashed — not with light, but with blood surgical. The [Perfect Slash] passive triggered again and again, critical hits erupting like bloody flowers. He moved through the horde like a scythe through wheat, a maelstrom of pure, efficient destruction.
A goblin's head flew.
[CRIT! 2,147 Damage]
Its body stood for half a second — then split like overripe fruit.
In less than a minute, the wave was gone. A mountain of loot glittered on the ground. Silence returned to the forest.
Hyun stood amidst the carnage, calmly wiping blood from his face with his sleeve. He turned to the party, who were frozen with their jaws on the floor.
"Alright," he said, his voice flat from exhaustion. "Where's the bastard I need to take care of?"
"Hahhhh?" was the only collective sound the party could manage.
But Mina, her hands trembling not from fear but from excitement, had recorded the entire thing.
———
Within an hour, the video was uploaded to the official Lucidia World forums.
Post Title: [URGENT ANALYSIS] The "Slime King" is a FRAUD - He's the "Goblin GENOCIDER"! New Meta??
[Video: A 2-minute clip showing Hyun's calm, terrifyingly efficient annihilation of the monster wave. No skills, no shouts, just pure, devastating basic attacks that one-shot everything.]
Comments:
> [Pyro_Jack]: I WAS THERE. I saw it with my own eyes. My [Fireball] does 150 damage. His basic attack was critting for over 2000. WHAT IS HE?
> [TheoryCrafter]: I've analyzed the frame data. His attack speed is impossible. His movement is impossible. This isn't a hidden class... this is something else. He's breaking the fundamental math of the game! @GM_Prospero, explain this!
> [SlimeResearcher]: I TOLD YOU ALL! I TOLD YOU HE WASN'T A NOOB! "Hit That Mochi" was just the beginning! This is the power of a TRUE Beta Tester!
> [CrimsonBlaze_Recruiter]: User #0003', if you're reading this, the Top 10 Guild Crimson Blaze formally invites you for a trial. We offer a full sponsorship. Please check your DMs.
> [BrawnyBraggart]: ...No way. That's... that's the guy I... user has gone offline
> [Mina_Arrow (OP)]: He's just a freelancer for hire. Reasonable rates. DM for inquiries. (◕‿◕✿)
In a sleek, hyper-modern VR lounge, a young man with sharp, intense eyes lounged in a top-of-the-line capsule. He scrolled through the forums, the viral video playing on his main screen. He paused it on a frame of Hyun's blood-streaked, determined face.
A slow, intrigued smile spread across his lips. He pulled out a physical, platinum access card from his console. It was stamped with the number #0011.
He tapped the card against his chin, his eyes glued to the screen.
"So," he murmured to himself, his voice laced with a mix of nostalgia and competitive fire. "Is that you..."
---
End of Chapter 4