Chapter 207

Jeong-Hoon, Ha-Jin, and Bong-Goo visited a dungeon in Songpa-gu, Seoul.

A dungeon that could only be entered by those above level 201 who had completed their third class advancement.

Furthermore, the entry restriction required them to wear at least one Unique equipment item.

That's why there wasn't a single person in sight in front of the dungeon.

"What kind of dungeon is this?"

"Brother, this dungeon smells dangerous..."

Ha-Jin and Bong-Goo glanced at the portal.

As expected of a restricted dungeon, the portal was about 1.2 times larger than that of a normal dungeon.

Since dungeon portals were usually quite large, it stood out even more despite being only 1.2 times bigger.

"It's okay. We're not going to hunt in this dungeon."

"You're not going to hunt?"

Jeong-Hoon nodded and continued.

"Why do you think there's no one around?"

"Because the dungeon is dangerous...?"

This time, Jeong-Hoon shook his head.

"Because there's no need to hunt."

"No need?"

"Yes. This is a ghost dungeon with no monsters."

Ghost dungeon.

It meant a place where there were no monsters within the dungeon.

Originally, ghost dungeons didn't exist in New World.

It didn't make sense for a dungeon to have no monsters.

However, after the realization, ghost dungeons came into existence.

Even without monsters, a mysterious power resided within them, forming the structure of the dungeon.

'There must have been people who entered this dungeon before.'

Those who entered earlier would have felt puzzled after confirming that there were no monsters.

However, they would have left after failing to find anything unusual.

He was certain of this because the treasure within this dungeon wouldn't be discovered for another two months.

"Huh? Then why did we come here?"

If they weren't hunting monsters, was there anything else worth filming?

Jeong-Hoon then took out pickaxes from his inventory and handed them to each of them.

"Here, take this."

"What's this?"

"Gasp! A Unique grade pickaxe?"

Bong-Goo, holding the pickaxe, asked in surprise.

[Highest Grade Pickaxe]

- Type: Pickaxe

- Grade: Unique

- Attack Power: 290

- Critical Hit Rate: 2 ~ 2.25%

- Remaining Durability: 100%

- Special Ability (1): When using the pickaxe, [Passive: Mining] is automatically activated.

- Special Ability (2): When using the pickaxe, [Active: Forced Mining] can be activated.

- Special Ability (3): Mining success rate greatly increased.

It was a Unique grade pickaxe.

With this pickaxe, there was no need for any other mining equipment. It boasted such perfect mining capabilities.

"This time, the content is mining."

"Mining?"

"Is there anything to mine in this dungeon?"

Jeong-Hoon nodded.

"That's why I called you guys here."

"Wow... you even investigated that there's a mine hidden in here?"

"Yes."

Ha-Jin couldn't help but be astonished. He had closed so many dungeons, and yet, instead of resting, he had even investigated this...

'I've felt it before, but this guy is no joke...'

Ever since he was young, Jeong-Hoon was someone who always saw things through to the end once he started. It was the same in the game, but he never thought Jeong-Hoon wouldn't change at all even in this unrealistic world.

"Brother, then what are we going to mine?"

If they were using Unique grade pickaxes, they must be mining something incredible.

"You'll see when we get there."

Jeong-Hoon grinned and started the broadcast.

* * *

Myth Guild.

Myth, which was temporarily renting a building to use as a guild house, was in a state of turmoil.

"The Guild Master isn't back..."

"What's going on...?"

Several days had passed since Sa Jae-Hyeok left. There was no sign of him, and no signal could be detected. This meant that something had happened to him.

If something happened to the Sword King, the leader of Myth, the guild would inevitably be shaken. Sword King Sa Jae-Hyeok was practically the symbol of Myth.

"Didn't he say where he was going...?"

One of the guild members asked cautiously.

The executives shook their heads.

"We haven't heard anything."

Sa Jae-Hyeok hadn't even told the executives about his destination. He just said he had some business to take care of and left for a while.

That's when it happened. Another guild member raised his hand.

"Um..."

Everyone's attention turned to him.

"What is it?"

"Do you have any idea?"

They urged him to answer, sensing that he knew something.

"Yes. Do you happen to know about Transcendents?"

"Transcendents? Those guys who tempt us to make contracts with them?"

Some executives seemed to know. It was natural, as the Transcendents had tried to entice them into contracts while they were clearing dungeons.

Of course, they didn't readily agree to the contracts. They couldn't just blindly make a contract because they were tempted by power.

"Yes. Actually, I made a contract with a Transcendent."

"So what does that have to do with the Guild Master?"

"Well, you see..."

The guild member carefully explained the situation.

The executives were astonished by his story.

"T-The Guild Master made a contract with a Transcendent?"

"Yes."

"What...? Why would the Guild Master need to make a contract with a Transcendent...?"

The executives fell silent.

Sword King Sa Jae-Hyeok.

They suddenly recalled the news that he, the best swordsman in Korea, had been defeated by a martial artist in the last siege.

Because of that, Sa Jae-Hyeok had shut himself in the training ground for a long time, driven solely by his desire for revenge against that martial artist.

What if, in that situation, someone tempted him with power...?

"I'm sure of it. The Transcendent I contracted with told me so."

"...A Transcendent?"

"Yes. We can communicate with each other."

"Then why hasn't the Guild Master returned?"

"He entered the Abnormal Dungeon that opened recently, and I was told that he died there..."

"What...?"

Silence fell over the room at the news of Sa Jae-Hyeok's death.

"I'll kill you if you're lying."

It was Han Tae-Seong, one of the executives who assisted Sa Jae-Hyeok, who broke the silence.

He glared at the guild member with burning eyes.

"I-It's true! The Transcendent I contracted with is the same one who contracted with the Guild Master!"

"...What?"

A dungeon that imposed a penalty if not cleared.

Myth had also moved to clear that dungeon.

Since Sa Jae-Hyeok was absent, the executives filled his shoes, but to think he had entered that place...

"I'm certain! Please believe me!"

"Ha, then why didn't you enter?"

If they were both contractors, why did only Sa Jae-Hyeok enter?

"That's... because I made the contract after the Abnormal Dungeon was closed."

"Don't bullshit me. How can we believe..."

Han Tae-Seong couldn't continue his words.

A familiar message appeared before him.

<'Guide of the Fallen Star' says it will give you power if you make a contract with it. It also says it will help you avenge Sa Jae-Hyeok.>

Guide of the Fallen Star.

It was definitely a Transcendent.

But how could it offer a contract outside the dungeon?

Weren't they supposed to be unable to intervene outside dungeons?

"It says it can help me get revenge...?"

"Was he killed by a monster in the Abnormal Dungeon...?"

The executives' eyes wavered.

<'Guide of the Fallen Star' says that it was a human who attacked Sa Jae-Hyeok.>

A human, not a monster, had taken Sa Jae-Hyeok's life.

At those words, Han Tae-Seong gritted his teeth.

"...So if we make a contract, will it reveal the bastard's location?"

If someone had killed the Guild Master of Myth, they deserved to pay the price.

<'Guide of the Fallen Star' says it can only track him when he's inside a dungeon.>

Han Tae-Seong nodded.

That was enough.

No, it was more than enough.

It was much better to kill him inside a dungeon than outside.

"Is it true that it will give us power?"

<'Guide of the Fallen Star' says it is.>

"Alright. Then I'll make a contract."

As Han Tae-Seong accepted the contract, the room buzzed with excitement.

"Tae-Seong... isn't a contract a bit much? Do you even know what this is?"

Executive Ahn Chang-Soo hurriedly tried to stop him.

"Chang-Soo, this is the guy who messed with the Guild Master. We can't let this slide. If we do, Myth will eventually crumble."

Han Tae-Seong had already made up his mind.

The Transcendent promised to give him power if he made a contract.

If it kept its promise, he would have a chance to win.

"...Okay. Then I'll make a contract too."

Reading his thoughts, Ahn Chang-Soo also expressed his intention to make a contract.

"Okay. I'll do it too."

Starting with Ahn Chang-Soo, the executives raised their hands one by one.

With Sa Jae-Hyeok gone, the core of Myth was greatly shaken.

To solidify Myth once again, they needed that much power.

And they also had to avenge their Guild Master.

"I want to make a contract too!"

The guild members present also raised their hands.

'Kekeke, it's done! It's done!'

The guild member who had started it all watched the scene with satisfaction.

This was because he had an Avatar quest received from the Transcendent.

[Avatar Quest: Contract]

- Restriction: Avatars who have contracted with Apostle grade (Upper) Transcendents.

- Reward: 3,000,000 Experience Points + Epic Grade Item Box (Random)

- Description: Actively intervene and facilitate contracts with the Transcendent. (The reward grade increases with the number of successful contracts.)

It was because he accepted this quest that the Transcendent was able to approach the Myth guild members.

[Reward upgraded!]

[Reward upgraded!]

The reward was upgrading as the number of contractors increased.

The guild member's grin stretched from ear to ear.

* * *

[Current Viewers: 202,786]

Within 5 minutes of starting the broadcast, the number of viewers exceeded 200,000.

"Wow... that's amazing."

"I'm already nervous."

Holding their pickaxes, Ha-Jin and Bong-Goo started to get nervous at the explosively increasing number.

"What's with you guys, acting like amateurs?"

It wasn't like this was their first or second time broadcasting. It was about time they got used to it.

Ha-Jin and Bong-Goo laughed awkwardly.

"Haha... well, I don't think we've ever had this many viewers before."

"Brother... there are so many foreigners?"

The reason they could surpass 200,000 viewers in 5 minutes was due to the explosive response to the previous video.

Thanks to that, the views on all of HoneyTube's videos increased, and the number of subscribers also exploded, reaching 9.7 million.

"Don't worry too much about the comments."

"But still..."

"Hmm..."

Ha-Jin and Bong-Goo glanced at the comment section.

Even though Jeong-Hoon told them not to mind it, they couldn't help but be conscious of it.

[MonthlyWageThiefWannabe donated 50,000 won.]

- Wow lol, all the piggies have gathered!

[ArabianNightDream donated 100,000 won.]

- I saw the video you uploaded before. I think it helped me adapt a little faster. 100,000 won as a thank you!

Donations were pouring in like crazy even before they started.

'This donation system needs to change soon, too.'

While money was good, points would become more important over time.

Before long, money would disappear, and an era where points were the currency would arrive.

└ So what are you going to show us today?

└ Can't you see what he's holding? It's obvious he's going to mine.

└ Mining? You mean coins?

└ Crazy lol. Do we have to mine coins with our own bodies now?

Jeong-Hoon chuckled.

"Yes, that's right. Today's broadcast is about mining."

And he was going to mine a very special item.

└ For real?

└ What are you going to mine?

└ He's really opening a treasure chest today lol

└ You'll miss out if you don't watch. I have to watch this.

Now that the game had become reality, treasure chests were an even more important element.

That's why Jeong-Hoon wanted to bring forward the timing of the treasure chest reveal to increase the survival rate even a little.

[Current Viewers: 259,114]

The number of viewers had increased by another 50,000.

It was time to reveal the treasure.

"Let's go in."

Jeong-Hoon led Ha-Jin and Bong-Goo into the portal.

[Please check the conditions for entering the dungeon.]

[If you do not meet the conditions, you cannot enter.]

The entry conditions were to be at least level 201 and have completed the third class advancement.

└ Ah, what the... those under level 201 can't enter?

└ Really, damn it... I haven't even reached level 200 yet.

└ Ha... should I watch this?

└ This is driving me crazy... I can't leave because I'm curious

Viewers who were not level 201 were in despair, and the explosive growth in viewership noticeably slowed down.

This meant that as many people were leaving as were joining.

[Enter Lv.??? ??? Dungeon?]

Only the entry restrictions were displayed in detail for ghost dungeons, and the level and dungeon name were not disclosed.

This was because there were no monsters.

"Enter."

As he declared his intention to enter, everyone's bodies were sucked into the portal.