NOVEL NEXT Chapter 72
In the original work, the player’s activity range covered the entire map of Earth.
The character could move anywhere on the map if they wanted.
Of course, the main stage of Part 1 is Shio-ram.
This is just a recommendation, not a requirement. The system doesn’t prevent players from escaping.
However, the problem is that if you take a leap out of Shio-ram, your growth graph gets shoved into the abyss.
In the 7th loop, unable to suppress my curiosity, I tried to escape Shio-ram and ended up failing miserably, comparable to the first loop.
Growth was painfully slow, and with the name value of being a special admit, I had to brawl with assassins.
Without any backing, presumed traitors were after my life, and while I was bandaging my wounds, my already slow growth became even slower.
You never know if it’s crap or artisan cheese until you taste it.
The result of not suppressing my curiosity was only gained after investing a full loop.
Thus, I was glued to Shio-ram in Part 1.
Theoretically, to achieve the fastest growth, I had to stay mired in Shio-ram for four years and suck the blessings of growth dry.
After graduating from Shio-ram in Part 2, the player could roam around the map.
By that time, the world might be shrouded in ominous clouds, but mobility would still be possible.
However, there are occasionally places you can’t move to.
To be precise, there weren’t really locations forcibly blocked by the system.
Most of the time, it’s due to the character’s conditions or lack of specifications.
For instance, in previous loops, the floating island that was previously inaccessible could be forcibly breached by the Steel Warrior who could also send foes plummeting.
If the conditions are met, almost the entire map can be accessed.
– Clack
Suddenly, my body flinched. A minor creaking. Usually, a superhuman wouldn’t notice such subtle dissonance, but it was very audible to my ears.
I cautiously surveyed my surroundings.
Information of the luxurious train interior flowed in. Unlike the typical structure, each seat was divided like a room.
For me, it felt like an expensive luxury seat that I wasn’t entirely comfortable with. Yet the feel of the handle in my grasp was strangely familiar.
It felt similar to the sensations I had in the dormitory. Have I gotten accustomed to such luxury items?
After exiting the Edinburgh Gate Terminal, I boarded the train heading straight north.
I couldn’t find the hidden piece near Edinburgh in the original, and since there was no tourism purpose, I scanned the spatial perception vaguely and set off.
Locally, it was around 4 AM.
The sunlight was nowhere to be seen at this hour. There’s a time difference between Shio-ram located in the North Pacific and Scotland.
By date, a whole day had already passed, but it was no problem to calculate the return time to Shio-ram based on its standards.
‘…It’s vast.’
Information outside the train was changing endlessly.
Regions that looked like cities passed by, followed by scenes of lush green emerging from nature.
Even as the train sped on, new incoming information surged perpetually. It appeared somewhat similar, yet differences were present in subtle aspects.
Receiving such information continuously made me acutely aware of how vast the world is.
It felt similar to the first time I stepped outside the orphanage.
The difference now was that I couldn’t see the sky. No clouds to block it, no rising sun, moon, or stars.
Back then, it was astonishing to realize that concrete structures weren’t the whole world, and it was bizarre that walls wouldn’t pop up no matter how far I walked.
Seeing that I wasn’t the only one in the world and that most people looked happier than I did filled me with such envy…
– Slap
Just before unnecessary emotional self-pity kicked in, I slapped my cheek. The sting brought my dazed mind back.
I shook my head in disbelief.
‘Should I really see a mental hospital?’
While rubbing my flushed cheek, worries surged.
I felt a red alert for my mental health.
Of course, the original me was not exactly sound in mind either.
I knew my mental state was as shaky as a goldfish, but lately, it felt like it had worsened.
Since trying out Gop-hwa, my emotions would suddenly bubble up, and during solitary training at night, I’d find tears streaming down.
‘…Is this dangerous?’
The results of the psychological tests I had taken with Professor Riu a few days ago hadn’t come back yet.
I would decide whether to split my time and visit a mental hospital after seeing those results.
I felt reluctance to even think about visiting a psychiatric hospital, yet it was certainly better than suddenly going crazy and tying a noose.
For a superhuman… precisely, for an active hero, mental health is a crucial issue that needs careful handling.
Exceptional individuals, unlike regular folk. Their level of power differs, and if the minds of such people snap and go wild, the fallout wouldn’t end at mere inconveniences.
If things went haywire without sufficient restraint, they could truly turn into villains causing serious damage, so mental health management is an essential quality for heroes.
As I rubbed my cheek with the water bottle provided, I felt the transition from nature to urban space in my spatial perception.
I had arrived at my first destination.
.
.
.
My ultimate destination is Shipna-ha.
The objective is to acquire the Necklace of Confession obtainable from a dungeon nearby.
However, abandoning my weekend just for that necklace felt like a waste of the time spent in this land.
Additionally, there are things I can acquire along the way to Shipna-ha.
Having planned to use the entire weekend, I came out intending to grab a few Easily obtainable hidden pieces.
Hidden Piece, high-level artifact “Lake’s Gem”
This artifact in the shape of a blue gem changes the absorbed mana into water vapor.
This vapor possesses purification and recovery properties, practically functioning as a semi-permanent healing potion.
When adhering to a soloing strategy, recovery-type artifacts like this are extremely important, and the Lake’s Gem is so effective that I often sought it in later loops.
I remember its location. It was being sold on clearance at a general store in northern Scotland—
“Crystal ball? Those crafts sold out years ago. We barely managed to sell them as clearance items because they were taking up space with no demand.”
…Ugh.
.
.
.
.
Hidden Piece, high-level artifact “Spear of Slaughter”
A treasured possession of a hero who operated during a chaotic time.
It became a cursed relic through a series of coincidences, captured by a hero filled with vengeance against monsters and dragged through the battlefield.
When a wound is inflicted by the spear, an aura that hinders recovery and devastates the injury manifests in the wound.
While the description is chilling, its effectiveness in killing something is superb. Most monsters suffer permanent loss from just one poke.
Likewise, it is stuffed away in a corner of a small weapon shop in the geography of the Scotland map. People were unaware of the functionality of this weapon, which had lost its light due to a curse.
Frequently sought after since the 9th loop—
“Ah, I see. This used to be a blacksmith that also sold weapons about ten years ago. I heard they moved due to poor performance and cleared out their stock.”
Ugh…
.
.
.
.
…Hidden Piece, material item “Vicon’s Horn”
A rare byproduct of the mythical creature Vicon, its horn is a tricky material with a sinister aura that makes it difficult to handle.
It’s just tricky, but with a skilled maker, it can be used effectively.
I’m a rookie who can’t even begin to learn the crafting technique, but I have someone in mind who can impart that skill to me.
If I request them, they should be able to make me a proper weapon. Alternatively, I could just hold onto it and sell it later.
The way to acquire it is—
“How about this price? It’s only for decorative purposes here, but it should be quite useful for you, so isn’t this price reasonable?”
‘Oh.’
I didn’t have high expectations. Given the two previous failures, Vicon’s Horn was a type of hidden piece that’s hard to come by.
I nodded vigorously and pulled out a bill from my pocket. Even with technological advancement, cash was still popular in the market.
“It was a good transaction.”
– Nod
The same goes here. The price was a bit steep by my standards, but it was cheap compared to what the horn could be made into.
Nodding my head, I reached out and grasped the horn that was characterized by its dark color—
– Whoa!?
The moment my hand touched it, Vicon’s Horn gave off a dreadful resonance, as if it sensed it should never be touched.
I felt the same. Stifling a strange nausea, I struggled to hold on but sensed that something fundamental was rejecting that horn.
My energies clashed with the horn several times. The horn trembled precariously, then collapsed into dust in an instant.
“……”
“……”
A cloud of black dust piled up in the seller’s hands swayed lightly in the breeze.
An unexpected silence fell.
The vendor’s eyebrows twitched too. He rubbed the dust particles remaining in his hands and timidly said,
“…There’s nothing wrong with the product.”
No, what the hell? So does that mean there’s a problem on my end?
My head throbbed.
I despised the world…
*
[“The Curse of the Enchanting Beauty” brings misfortune, leading to unhappiness.]
[“Due to the Curse of the Enchanting Beauty, vitality is consumed.]