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Translator: penny
Chapter: 169
Chapter Title: Oracle Island
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Whoosh—
The sound of crashing waves jolted me awake.
A cool yet fierce wind whipped through my hair.
When I opened my eyes, the night sky loomed above, shrouded in darkness.
Whoosh—
Splash.
There were no stars or moon yet, which made sense.
Trial zones mostly had identical day-night cycles, so the time stayed consistent.
In short, we'd crossed over from the rest area right around dusk, meaning it was just after sunset here too.
You have entered
That's why people usually didn't head into trial zones at night. Dangerous monsters came out after dark.
But this place was the exception—you had to enter after sunset.
Resident Privilege: Drop rate increased 10x.
Your level has risen.
10 Bonus Stats awarded. Check now!
"Huh? Where are we?"
The Saintess's voice made me turn, and sure enough, the whole party had crossed over.
We stood on a small island.
But it was oddly shaped for one—a mountain rising about 100 meters from the middle of the endless ocean.
Just like I'd heard.
No sandy beach, just a massive rock jutting from the sea. At the summit was a flat plateau roughly 1,000 pyeong, where arrivals had settled in to rest.
"Dickhead, where are you?!"
"Seo-yeon! So-hee, over here!"
I headed to the edge and peered down. A sheer cliff dropped away.
Hum.
Good thing I didn't have to worry about falling off. An invisible barrier blocked anything from going over.
"Damn it. What are you doing out here alone? Do you know how many times I called you?!"
"Sorry. Couldn't hear over the wind."
"We all know you're bullshitting."
...Busted?
Fooling the Crimson Flame Witch after fifteen years together was no easy feat.
At least no worries about plummeting to death.
I took in the dizzying cliff, the whirlpools and waves churning below, then turned back.
Han So-hee had rounded everyone up.
You are currently invincible.
Invincibility ends in 10 seconds.
"So, what is this place?"
The party, stepping into the fourth trial, scanned warily with tense faces.
It wasn't just us.
All five hundred or so on the mountaintop huddled in groups, eyeing each other suspiciously—hands on weapons, clueless about the place.
Cliffs on all sides, ocean beyond.
No escape routes. And more people kept arriving.
"Why no guidance messages?"
"...They don't expect us to kill each other, do they?"
Everyone was guessing it might turn into a battle royale, survivors advancing.
"No need to worry about that."
"Huh?"
"Check your quest window."
Please wait a moment. Currently forming teams. (491/∞)
"Forming teams?"
"What's this?"
Which trial to pick next?
Without agonizing over it, we'd trained hard, and when I said go, my party—who hadn't scouted the trials—knew nothing of this one's quirks.
Oracle Island is a special trial open only during certain hours.
Some trials stay hidden until specific times. This one opens just four hours: 4 PM to 8 PM.
No entry otherwise.
That's why I chose nighttime over daytime.
"A special trial?"
"Intriguing. Never imagined such a thing."
"Mm."
How do you know? Shin Seo-yeon didn't ask this time.
She accepted my info without suspicion, piecing it together.
"So you're saying this trial only opens at set times, and it runs differently from the norm."
"Pretty much."
"More benefits than other zones, so that's why we're here?"
I nodded.
Even without foreknowledge, anyone could guess that, right?
World logic demanded it.
Limited time, limited slots—special perks. Rewards had to differ.
They know nighttime's risky, yet they came anyway.
"Not dangerous?"
"Very dangerous."
Strictly speaking, this was a trap.
Selection process: high risk, high return.
Great rewards meant equal danger.
"I see."
"Mm, guess so."
"Ahh, hope we get good items."
So nonchalant.
I warn of danger, and nothing. All casual. Even Han So-hee, usually the worrier, unchanged.
She met my eyes and smiled softly.
They trust me.
With reactions like that, I felt silly for trying to raise alarms.
But this one's genuinely risky.
I was about to explain properly when someone approached our group casually, beaming like an old friend.
"Whoa! Min-jun oppa!"
"Yeah?"
I looked up to see two familiar faces.
"It's us! Ah-hyun and Yu-rim unnie!"
[Lair of Evil Spirits].
There, I'd bonded with four women, recruited two for the party, released the other two.
The first two: Lee Se-ra and Han So-hee.
The latter: Joo Ah-hyun and Kim Yu-rim.
Not a problem with them—just not worth keeping around.
They lacked Lee Se-ra's unique talents.
So casual hellos when paths crossed, maybe a quick fuck. Now they stood before me.
"Wow, it's been forever!"
"How've you been?!"
Ex-fuckbuddies showing affection.
"Long time, both of you."
"Just like Ah-hyun said—it's really Min-jun."
"Unnie, come on. You know my eye for handsome guys? I never forget a pretty face."
Still the same, those two.
Not stunning faces, but killer bodies.
"Look at 'em. Asses like that? Working out?"
True to her badminton roots, Joo Ah-hyun had thick, sturdy thighs and glutes, her exposed abs chiseled under leather gear.
Kim Yu-rim, ex-military, boasted developed thighs and calves, plump ass and tits drawing stares.
"Fucking hot."
Our party all robed up, hiding features—no one outshone these two in raw appeal here.
Nothing stirs lust like healthy, athletic beauty.
Despite the eyes on them, their focus locked on me. Joo Ah-hyun clasped hands, grinning.
"Knew no one? Perfect. Min-jun oppa, mind if we join? It's been ages!"
"No party?"
"Just us two!"
Just them in a special trial? Impressive.
"Figured you had a team from before."
I assumed they lied to jump ship—bad manners mid-trial.
But Joo Ah-hyun and Kim Yu-rim shook heads vigorously.
"Nope!"
"Seriously just us!"
Stunned, I asked,
"...You crossed alone, for real?"
Gutsy as hell. I checked their status windows.
Not bad at all.
Leveled up a ton.
Bonus stats suggested plenty of stat shards too. They'd tackled tough zones.
Sure enough, their tales revealed grueling paths.
"We came through [Black Scale Mountains] and [Crimson Desert Border]!"
No easy trials—top two or three in difficulty.
"Just you two?"
"Ugh, no. Guys were all over our bodies, trying to pin us down."
"Ah."
"Seemed risky, so no fixed parties. Teamed up on-site with Yu-rim unnie, in girl-heavy groups. Forty-three in the second trial, seventy-two in the third."
Five survived the second, eleven the third.
11-15% survival rate. Lucky to make it.
"Tough going."
"First trial toughened us up. Manageable after. Right, Yu-rim unnie?"
"Yeah."
Fair. [Lair of Evil Spirits] was top-ten worst for survival.
Stuffing down monster corpses to survive—that grit carried them.
Starting strong matters.
Average girls might've crumbled in crisis.
Many trial deaths were self-surrenders.
These two? They'd recall that hell and push through anything.
I'd picked them for that spirit alone. Judgment validated.
"Anyway, can we join?"
"Please, Min-jun oppa!"
They sparkled pleadingly.
No harm my end. Solid skills, especially Joo Ah-hyun's [Footprint Tracker]—gold here.
One catch.
Joo Ah-hyun and Kim Yu-rim glanced around me, impressed.
"As expected! Min-jun oppa's popular."
"Yeah."
Then they eyed my crotch, swallowing, licking lips—eyes hungry.
Never dreamed I'd run into them here.
Figured rest area at most.
Why not there, but here? Baffling.
But trouble brewing.
First trial fuckbuddies.
High chance of repeat.
I'd cut them loose to spare Saintess angst.
Now it loomed.
No joke—Joo Ah-hyun and Kim Yu-rim's nipples poked through tops, restraint fading.
They eyed me like prey. How to handle...
"Hold on. Mind a quick chat first?"
Han So-hee, watching, stepped between.
"Whoa, So-hee too?"
"Where? Long time!"
She waved calmly, leading them aside.
"You know them?"
Shin Seo-yeon and Saintess closed in, expectant.
"Who are they?"
"...Party with So-hee from first trial. Huge group originally, but when I arrived, just those three left alive."
"Got it. Not good."
Saintess pitied them; Shin Seo-yeon suspicious if that was all; Lee Se-ra indifferent.
I zipped it—silence best.
"Tch."
Whatever was said, Joo Ah-hyun and Kim Yu-rim returned, demurely sitting.
Nipples still perky, but reasoned now.
"Nice to meet you. Should've introduced properly. I'm Joo Ah-hyun."
"Pleased. Kim Yu-rim."
Polite intros.
Thanks.
I nodded to Han So-hee. She waved it off, mouthing,
You've always helped me. Told 'em to separate work and play—they'll stick to it.
Thanks. How'd you tame the horny bitches?
Said you'd never touch them again if they crossed lines. Promised faithfully.
...Top pick for my back. Best girl. I psychically smacked her ass.
"Whoa, so you're both unnies. Nice to meet you."
"Same."
"Military? Cool."
Age gap? Or no rivalry?
While Han So-hee and I talked, girls bonded fast.
"Heh, ex-soldiers aren't common."
Background check done, they turned to me.
"Dickhead, how long we waiting?"
"Dunno."
I checked time; Joo Ah-hyun chimed,
"We've waited two hours. Chatted with that group—they've been three."
Closing time soon—four-hour window exact.
Bigger issue brewing though.
Please wait a moment. Currently forming teams. (891/∞)
As crowds swelled, spaces shrank—tensions flared.
"Hey, don't come closer."
"What're you saying? No room left—what now?"
"Don't care, back off, chink."
Murderous vibes.
Our rest area tame? This era favored fists over words—lawless bloodshed.
Bombs ready to blow, hatred rising.
"You're too close."
"New group's over there—no space. You back up."
"What? Cliff's right behind. Push more, you're dead."
"Fuck off, try it."
...They'll clash before trial even starts.
Chaos. And as thought, two groups yelled, drawing weapons.
"Wanna go?!"
"Come at me, small-country scum!"
Clang! Clang!
Signal given—swords everywhere.
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