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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Starting with 13 Hidden Traits
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Doing well?
"···Is Randolph really Phantom?"
Three people—two men and a woman—gathered at a café near Gangnam Station.
Two burly men who looked exactly alike, and a stunning beauty.
They sipped their coffee at a corner table, carrying on their conversation amid the noisy surroundings.
"It's certain. Even if we ignore Main Quest 1, scoring higher than Gracia in the class section is impossible without deep game knowledge."
The woman said.
As she pointed out, top-tier classes couldn't be obtained through skill alone. They required overwhelming luck backed by knowledge that surpassed even that luck.
There was no way to accept that score unless it was Phantom.
"The 5-year veteran ghost player Phantom has finally appeared. This is going to cause a stir."
"Can we make contact first?"
The two identical men spoke gravely.
The woman shrugged in response.
"How? We've been searching for years and came up empty."
"That's because Phantom wasn't a real player back then. Now that he's a real player, there has to be a way."
"Then how about 'phishing'? The secret auction house must be open by now, right?"
"Phishing···."
"To take first in Main 3, he'll need a ton of top gear. Of course he'd use the auction house."
Phishing. Slang used among players.
It involved listing high-quality items cheaply at the secret auction house, attaching the 'Twin' ability of a talisman to track the buyer's location.
The 'Twin Talisman' had an option that revealed each other's position no matter the distance.
Unaware beginners would snap up the cheap items, only to be tracked, killed, or robbed.
In-game, and even in reality.
"But isn't that a lowlife tactic used by scum like 'Massacre'?"
"If it's Phantom, he'd know every option on a talisman inside out. No way he'd fall for it."
Both twin men voiced their opposition.
Phishing was a despicable tactic used by beginner-hunting scum like Massacre.
Even if they tried it, Phantom would never fall for it.
Only first-year Pangeniar noobs who didn't know talisman names fell for phishing.
But the woman clicked her tongue.
"You still don't get Phantom? He's the guy who actually went off to cut down the Demon King. Even if he failed, didn't you see his execution during the great expedition?"
Many had pegged that character, Wilhelm, as Phantom.
And Wilhelm was truly insane.
He'd launched a great expedition despite countless obstructions and faction sabotages.
He'd failed even with eight unique items, but Wilhelm's feats were the stuff of eternal legend in Pangeniar history.
A myth in every sense.
"If there's a phishing item at the secret auction house, he'd buy it thinking, 'Nice, cheap.' And if you rush him, he'd say, 'Come at me, I'll kill you all if you step in.' That's the Phantom I know."
The woman's eyes gleamed.
'Phantom fangirl.'
Sharing the thought, the two men scratched their heads in unison.
"What next after contact?"
"Invite him to our guild, obviously."
"Would Phantom join our nothing-of-a-guild?"
"We'll make an effort. Sure, Phantom's probably a big shot in reality too··· but we're better than the other lunatics."
Most Pangeniar players were crazy.
They couldn't distinguish game from reality and murdered as casually as breathing.
The previous 'Collapse' phenomenon had monsters appearing, letting some wash their image. But roots ran deep.
"By the way, what kind of person is he? Big corp CEO? Nah, probably a chaebol heir?"
The woman's eyes sparkled as she spun fantasies.
The two men shook their heads at the sight.
*
<['Sub Quest - Sanctuary Exploration' completed.]>
<[Exploration rate 100%! An unbelievable score even seeing it with your own eyes!]>
<[First to perfect clear the desert sanctuary.]>
<[Acquired 'Teleport Book'.]>
<[Achieved 'Sanctuary Conqueror (First)'.]>
<[Experience accumulated. Leveled up!]>
The moment he reached 100% exploration rate while touring the sanctuary with Dramat.
The sub quest completion notice arrived, along with the rewards.
"Huh!"
He let out a gasp at the rewards.
A Teleport Book and a first-achievement title.
Picking up the thick blue book brought up its description.
『Teleport Book (Epic)
A magic book that transports you to fully explored locations.
Cast time 30 seconds, usable once per day.
Currently registered waypoints - Desert Sanctuary』
A book that let you return to dungeons or locations at 100% exploration.
There were warps for region travel, but they were limited, imprecise, and expensive.
This epic item solved all that perfectly.
'Gonna fetch 1 million gold.'
1 million gold. Enough to buy a mansion in Pangeniar.
'Might have decent demand if listed at the secret auction house.'
The secret auction house, activated after climbing Main Quest 2 ranks.
A place for anonymous trades among all players.
He had no intention of selling, but he wondered how much demand it would draw.
Teleport Books were 'ultra-rare' items, with fewer than 20 in circulation.
'Plus the achievement···.'
'Achievements' required overcoming trials and adversities. Only feats worthy of praise in Pangeniar granted them.
Achievements boosted fame immensely. High fame unlocked titles or friendships with named NPCs that only responded to specific honors.
Above all.
'Level 3.'
Finally level 3.
His level rose with each Main Quest cleared.
But it wasn't fast. If anything, it was painfully slow.
'System where required EXP scales with talents. My required EXP is probably at least ten times the average right now.'
Normally, clearing Main Quest 2 put you at level 4 minimum, 5 at best.
Being at 3 now meant absurdly high required EXP.
Because he had too many talents.
'But max stats are uncapped. Level-up gives 12 per stat instead of 10. Thanks to a hidden trait, probably···.'
Of course, there were upsides.
Benefits so immense that extra EXP meant nothing.
'Status window.'
Reciting it summoned a parchment before his eyes.
[Status Window]
Name: Randolph
Class: Star Successor
Level: 3
Strength: 36(+5) Vitality: 36(+5) Agility: 36(+5)
Intelligence: 36(+5) Divine Power: 36(+5)
··· Every level-up raised all stats by exactly 12.
Anyone seeing it would yell about bugs.
Impossible for normal players.
'I get that all talents maxed out means stats hit cap on level-up. But even that caps at 10.'
Stats rose randomly on level-up based on talents and experience.
Individual stats capped at +10 per level-up; extremes were needed to reach 100 from level 10.
Exceeding that required transcendence.
Yet his rose by 12. Across all stats.
'Hitting level 10 means 2-star transcendence stats.'
Stats requiring two stars eaten for transcendence, achievable at level 10. No cheat like this.
Plus class trait 'Star Possession Effect' boosted all stats by 5.
After five years in Pangeniar, even he'd never seen this.
Once was coincidence, twice was fate.
'One of the new hidden traits must be involved.'
He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
13 hidden traits. Three he'd never seen.
[Glutton], [Great Sage], and [Heavenly]
He didn't know exactly, but one directly caused this.
He'd have to discover their effects through trial.
Anyway, he'd gotten everything from this sanctuary exploration.
'Shadow Cloak, Fairy Queen's Tear, Teleport Book.'
Just looking made him smile.
Not one to discard.
All raid boss drops with abysmal rates.
Especially 'Fairy Queen's Tear'—essential talisman granting special options to gear. Ultra-rare.
"Monster!"
"A giant sea appeared in the sanctuary!"
Had dawdling on exploration drawn them?
Warriors trickled in, spotting Dramat.
"We must leave before the great warrior and queen arrive."
Isabella's expression hardened.
Warrior numbers swelled by the minute. Escape before the sanctuary sealed.
"Dramat, rampage."
Swooooosh!
Dramat moved at his command.
Unwilling, but no refusing the master.
As Dramat rampaged, he slowly lifted the Shadow Cloak.
"Share it."
"Yes?"
"Tracking teams will form. We need to leave the desert before then. Sneak out undetected."
"Ah."
Only way: slip away in the chaos.
If soldiers spotted him or Isabella directly, it'd escalate.
Isabella slipped under the cloak.
"Closer."
"···Yes."
Isabella's eyes trembled faintly.
They pressed close, cloaked together, and quietly exited the sanctuary.
*
Warp out of the desert region.
Half a day until warp activated.
"Don't worry. The curse is lifted."
The curse barred Isabella from warping.
Trapped in the desert forever.
But with Star Blessing now, she could warp.
"I··· trust you."
Isabella nodded.
Desert's end: opposite side a black abyss. Endless darkness.
Isabella gazed beyond with desperate longing.
Only warp led to the next region.
Same as game. Regions unconnected.
Too late for Isabella to turn back anyway. Queen likely noticed, sent search and pursuit teams.
"I must commune with the stars until warp activates."
"I'll stand guard."
She understood: logout.
But not safe here. Logout risked beasts, monsters, or pursuers.
Entrusting safety fully to Isabella.
Picking Fairy Queen's Tear over guardian amulet meant no safe zone. No regrets.
That talisman was superior.
'A hopeful start.'
Golden carpet ahead led to Royal Road.
Considering reality links, growth in Pangeniar was crucial.
If more Pangeniar monsters invaded Earth in the future.
'···Demon King. He might descend.'
A monster even Wilhelm couldn't beat, possibly in reality.
That chilling doom.
He sat, inhaled deeply, closed eyes.
'Logout.'
<[Logging out.]>
<[Place character in safe spot.]>
<>
<[Logout complete.]>
*
Shwaaa!
Showering, he shaved.
Dried off, toweled hair.
"Whew, refreshing."
How long since last shower and shave.
The freshness was exquisite. Should've cleaned up sooner.
'···Lived like a total shut-in.'
Exiting bathroom, room mess drew a sigh.
Over a month isolated. No cleaning, just surviving.
Giant Mantis attack—transforming out barely counted as outing.
Shut-in. But couldn't mope forever.
Quit job, but couldn't live like this.
"Time to clean."
Resolved, about to tidy when—
Ding~
Text alert, phone buzzed.
Grabbed desk phone, checked message.
Frowned inevitably.
―Oppa. Doing well?
···From his ex-girlfriend. The one who dumped him, claiming no future.