The egg-cluster colony, already reduced to ash.

Crunch—

Ha Gangwoo planted a foot on the blackened ground and stared straight ahead.

‘Inside the egg where ‘Spell, Demonic Energy-Infused’ had detonated.’

Amid the thick bodily fluids, something gleamed.

‘There it is.’

The rare item that only spawned with a certain probability had appeared.

Gangwoo walked over to the shimmering egg, hands in his hoodie pockets, each step heavy on the scorched earth.

Inside lay a single necklace, radiating intense light.

[Spell’s Madness]

Grade: D

Durability: 34/34

Vitality: +32

Mana: +41

Description: A necklace imbued with powerful demonic energy.

Effect

-Recover 1 MP per second

“An Artifact?”

It offered the same effect as Reins’ Armlet—an MP recovery item.

And the necklace slot had been sitting empty, just waiting for this.

With a satisfied expression, Gangwoo equipped it.

Ding—

[You have equipped Spell’s Madness.]

[You recover 1 MP.]

[You recover 1 MP.]

[You recover 1 MP.]

…

..

.

With the welcome chime, his nearly depleted MP surged back up.

‘This is good.’

Recovering 1 MP per second was already nice, but combined with Reins’ Armlet, it would be 2 per second.

‘I’m curious.’

He wanted to try them together right now, but the armlet wasn’t on him—no way to test it.

‘Then this is all that’s left.’

According to the information, this was the real reward.

[Mutation!!! Evolution of the Spider [Hidden] Cleared.]

[Reward acquired.]

(The reward is automatically deposited into your Inventory.)

Thump-thump

‘What’ll be in it?’

Rumor had it that the reward could range from F-Rank to S-Rank items.

His anticipation was at its peak.

‘Inventory.’

Reining in his racing heart, Gangwoo opened his inventory.

Ding—

Inventory (8/10)

[Madness of Temperance]

[Runtetail’s Necklace]

[Warp Altar x1]

[Rupicel Mineral x1]

[Mid-Grade HP Recovery Potion x3]

[DLC — Book of Job Change: Blood Devil]

[Wooden Arrow x19]

[Gravity Belt]

[-]

[-]

‘Gravity Belt?’

Ha Gangwoo immediately opened the item’s Status window to check.

[Gravity Belt]

Grade: B

Durability: 54/54

Defense: 245

Strength: +120

Description: A belt imbued with a special power.

Effect

-Consumes MP to increase the item’s weight.

(Increased weight lasts for 120 seconds.)

A belt woven from leather and metal, its golden patterns and the crimson gem set at its front striking the eye.

“Strength 120?”

A B-grade item—and an Artifact with an active effect, no less. Worth at least ten million Gold.

A smile spread across Ha Gangwoo’s lips.

‘Information really is everything.’

Was it the Tutorial’s second floor? He’d heard there was a hidden mechanism like this one there, too.

Back then, he’d missed the reward for lack of intel—but not this time.

He fastened the Gravity Belt around his waist at once. His hoodie covered it from view, but the fit was surprisingly comfortable.

‘This is insane.’

Gangwoo grinned at the sudden surge of power flooding through him.

True to its B-grade, it gave a flat +120 to Strength alone. A higher number than all the Strength he’d accumulated so far. No wonder the energy felt overwhelming.

‘How do I use it, though?’

The effect description was frustratingly vague.

Increasing an item’s weight didn’t sound all that useful.

‘Let’s try it.’

He decided to test the item’s effect right away.

[Wooden Arrow retrieved from Inventory.]

A wooden arrow snapped into Ha Gangwoo’s hand.

‘Will it work?’

There was exactly one application that came to mind from that description.

He focused on the Activation Word, aiming it at the arrow.

Then—

Ding-

[10 MP consumed.]

[Wooden Arrow weight increased by 1KG.]

[10 MP consumed.]

[Wooden Arrow weight increased by 1KG.]

…

…

..

The arrow’s weight crept upward, gram by gram.

But there was a catch.

[Insufficient MP.]

It drank mana like water.

A dizzying wave of fatigue washed over him for a moment—

[1 MP recovered.]

[1 MP recovered.]

[1 MP recovered.]

…

..

.

—but the Spell’s Madness he’d just acquired erased the wooziness in seconds.

Gangwoo hefted the now-substantially heavier wooden arrow and smacked his lips.

‘Not bad. But is it actually good?’

A full-on B-grade item—the expectations had been high. The disappointment stung a little.

‘Let’s fire it.’

The current added weight was roughly 9KG. A weight no ordinary wooden arrow could ever possess.

Without using any skill, Gangwoo nocked the arrow against his shortbow.

Crack—

He drew the bowstring to its limit, then let go. Whoosh—the arrow split the air with vicious force.

In the moment the arrow struck the tree.

A smile spread across Ha Gangwoo’s face.

*Crunch*—the wooden shaft punched clean through the trunk and buried itself in the ground beyond.

“No way.”

A hit that, normally, would’ve thudded into the bark and stopped there. Now it had the force to pierce straight through.

*Not bad.*

A B-rank Artifact, sure, and the Strength boost helped—but the result was satisfying.

*Let’s wrap this up.*

Ha Gangwoo tugged his hood lower and started walking.

***

Clear sky. Sweet scent of grass. Two suns.

This place was peace itself. A world untouched.

*Amazing.*

Gangwoo took in the dense green trees, the insects crawling along the ground, and felt a pang of wonder.

A place that felt impossible to believe was crafted.

And the ones trailing behind him now—they felt like real people, too.

“Evan, I’m hungry.”

The spoiled prince, Teil.

Rain, still glancing at Gangwoo sideways in suspicion.

“Just a little longer, Your Highness. Please bear with it.”

Evan patting Teil on the back.

Natural, free—like they were truly alive.

*Makes me uneasy.*

Knowing every ending already, Gangwoo’s brow furrowed as he watched them.

Past that sunlit forest, a single-log bridge appeared.

A bridge spanning a deep ravine.

And at its head, a Gate blazed with fierce light.

Ha Gangwoo tugged his hood low and stepped up to the Gate.

*So this is where it ends.*

As Gangwoo stood staring blankly at the bridge, Evan spoke up.

“Is something the matter?”

To them, this Scenario’s end was invisible.

“No. See you again.”

“Huh?”

Evan tilted his head at Gangwoo’s words, but—

*Ding-*

[The Scenario is ending.]

The moment Gangwoo stood before the Gate, everything froze.

Evan, mid-confusion behind him. The clouds drifting overhead. All of it, stopped cold.

Then a flashy system window appeared before Gangwoo.

[Scenario.1 Fallen Kingdom (2)[Main] cleared.]

[Calculating score…]

+[[DLC-Another Story] Rescue the Princess.][Hidden] cleared.

+[Mutation!!! The Spider’s Evolution][Hidden] cleared.

+[Evan’s Request.][Sub] cleared.

+Evan survived

+Rain survived [Hidden]

+Teil survived

+Defeated the Spell imbued with Demonic Energy

…

..

.

*Ding!*

Final Rank: SSS Rank.

[You have earned 3,600 EXP!!]

[Perk bonus: you have earned an additional 3,600 EXP.]

[You have earned 100,000 Gold.]

[Scenario (1-1) reward granted.]

“SSS Rank. Not bad.”

A smile tugged at Ha Gangwoo’s lips as he read the system window.

Was it the payoff for clearing two Hidden Quests? Either way, his Rank had exceeded expectations.

‘Let’s move.’

Ha Gangwoo shoved both hands into the pockets of his hoodie and stepped into the Gate, where violent light rippled like heat haze.

Ding-

[Main Quest has been updated.]

***

Clang!

The Smithy rang with the cheerful clamor of metal on metal.

Ha Gangwoo pulled his hood low over his brow as he entered.

The moment he crossed the threshold, the smith came bustling up, rubbing his hands together breathlessly.

“You’re here, Player Ha Gangwoo. The repairs are finished — perfect work, I assure you.”

The smith lugged over a hefty crate, straining under its weight.

The blade that had been chipped and dull now gleamed as if fresh-forged. Every item shone like new.

“Thank you.”

Gangwoo reached into the crate and closed his hand around Celeritra.

A Status Window flashed open on the spot.

Ding-

[Retrieve Celeritra?]

(Please report any defects with the item.)

[Yes / No]

‘Interesting.’

A system to prevent fraud had appeared.

Gangwoo immediately opened Celeritra’s Status Window.

[Celeritra]

Grade: D

Durability: 55/55

Attack Power: 56

Strength: +42

Vitality: +32

Description: A longsword forged from flame crystals. It carries an aura of fire.

Effects

– Spend MP to sheathe the blade in flames.

The repair was flawless, just like its gleaming appearance.

The other items were in perfect condition too, so Gangwoo retrieved them all.

The smith hesitated, as if chewing over something to say, then finally spoke up.

“Are you satisfied with the goods?”

“Yes. You did good work.”

“Ahaha. Not at all.”

The smith forced a smile and rubbed his palms together before continuing.

“Um, could I trouble you for one more photo? The last one I took didn’t have you in it, Gangwoo-ssi.”

“Is that so.”

Of course it wouldn’t have.

Because the moment the picture was snapped, Gangwoo had activated Invisible.

The smith had been rude from the start, and now he was trying to use Gangwoo again — for a photo and a transaction.

There wasn’t a reason to extend goodwill.

Yet Gangwoo seemed to pause in thought for a moment, then a faint smile crossed his lips.

“Sure. But… do you also buy items?”

He happened to have some gear he no longer needed.

The smith’s face split into a wide grin at Gangwoo’s words.

“Huh? Ah! Of course I buy!”

Gangwoo pulled off the boots he was wearing and handed them over.

“These.”

[Black Leather Boots]

Grade: F

Durability: 9/10

Defense: 19

Vitality: +11

Description: Boots made from black rat hide. The fur is badly worn, resulting in low durability.

A Scenario 1-1 entry reward. With the Red Steel Greaves in his possession, he had no use for these anymore.

“Excellent! I’ll take them!”

The smithy owner didn’t even ask the price before announcing his intent to buy, and Ha Gangwoo sold the item—worth less than 10,000 Gold—for 50,000.

“Alright—say cheese!”

The smithy owner flashed a grin and stepped beside Gangwoo.

Following the owner’s instructions, Gangwoo stood in his chainmail, holding the Steel Sword in his right hand and the boots in his left.

The moment the smithy owner pressed the shutter, Gangwoo shut his eyes again.

Click!

“Take care.”

“Come again!”

The smithy owner bowed at a perfect ninety degrees, offered his goodbyes, then smiled to himself.

“Great! This time… huh?”

The owner’s face twisted with confusion as he checked the photo.

Because once more, all the picture showed was his own grinning face, standing alone.

“Gone again… W-Wait!”

The smithy owner panted as he chased Gangwoo outside, but Ha Gangwoo was nowhere to be seen.

***

Clank, clank—

A man in armor far too expensive for a Scenario 1 zone strode through the streets.

“Whoa, look at that armor—is he out of his mind? That effect only shows up with +10 or higher!”

“No way. I know that piece. It’s an A-Grade Artifact—Tiria’s Blessing… That thing’s worth hundreds of billions, easy.”

Eyes naturally turned; the man scowled and kept walking.

“Mr. Hwang. Straight there, I assume?”

Beside the man in the costly armor, a hulk carrying an enormous shield on his back bounced a ball off his skull as he spoke.

Thump! Thump!

“Of course we’re going straight—why the hell would I stay here now that the Scenario’s over?!”

The man in the pricey armor bellowed.

None other than Hwang Taeseong—eldest son of the Seilo chairman, and the man who’d lost Celeritra and his set armor to Ha Gangwoo.

Taeseong’s face twisted as he pounded his thigh plate with a fist.

‘Fucking bastard. I’ll pay you back for this.’

He still hadn’t forgotten that humiliation. The reason he gritted his teeth and craved growth was simple: he dreamed of revenge—his own hands delivering it.

The man who’d taken Taeseong’s earful was Kim Ryujun.

Even after being yelled at, Ryujun just grinned and kept bouncing the ball off his forehead.

“Got it! I’ll get the car ready!”

Taeseong snapped at Ryujun as he dribbled the ball off his head.

“Will you cut it out! You’re driving me crazy!”

But Ryujun paid no mind—still grinning, still tapping the ball off his skull.

Taeseong glared at him, brows knotting.

‘Pathetic punk. If I had someone half as decent, I’d dump him in a second.’

Kim Ryujun: an S-Grade Player.

And not just any—an extreme Tank subclass classed as nobility.

Hwang Taeseong had sunk a fortune into a contract with Kim Ryujun. The man was a headache to deal with, but his abilities were rock-solid.

Case in point: the two of them had formed a two-man Party and plowed through Scenario 1 in just four days.

Taeseong turned his head away.

‘Let it go.’

Kim Ryujun was nothing more than a tool, anyway. Whether he bounced a ball or played on his phone, as long as the work got done, that was all that mattered.

Right now, there was only one thing to think about: grinding that bastard Ha Gangwoo into dust.

Taeseong drummed his fingers against his thigh armor, unbidden, steeling his resolve.

But as if the universe wanted to mock that resolve—

Thump! Kim Ryujun fumbled the ball. It slipped right through his hands.

The ball, robbed of its target, bounced once—thwack—right off the back of a man’s head.

A hulking figure, easily over 190 centimeters tall, armored head to toe. From the set of his gear, he was clearly a Player who’d graduated Scenario 1 ages ago—a carry driver, by the look of it.

“Ah, fuck…”

The giant caught the ball one-handed, then stalked up to Kim Ryujun, menace radiating off him in waves.

“Haah… fuck, I was already in a shit mood as it was.”

The giant jabbed the ball against Ryujun’s head, once, twice, a threat in motion.

Ryujun just grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head.

“Ah… sorry about that…”

No sooner had the words left his mouth—

BANG!!!

The giant crushed the ball, exploding it on the spot.

In that instant, Ryujun’s expression froze over, cold as ice.

The giant pitched the torn leather of the burst ball at Ryujun’s face—thwack—then turned on his heel.

“Ha… you’re lucky, you know that.”

And as the giant’s back receded into the distance—

Kim Ryujun unslung the shield strapped to his back.

Hwang Taeseong saw it, and his face twisted.

“Hey. Don’t. I don’t need the headache. I said DON’T!!!”

He bellowed at the top of his lungs, but even as he did, Taeseong knew. Once that bastard’s eyes rolled back, there was no stopping him—no one.

Taeseong’s words had barely finished echoing—

Crckkk—a vicious, splintering crack tore through the air.

“Ugh!!!!!”

The giant’s scream ripped out of him.

***

Ha Gangwoo was in Scenario Zone 1 as the sunset bled across the sky. He sat on a bench, running a full check on his status.

Vitality: 74 → 78 (↑4)

Sense: 50 → 60 (↑10)

Levels gained from Scenario 1-1: 2.

He’d poured the 14 points into Sense and Vitality.

‘Distribution’s done.’

Gangwoo opened his Equipment Window for the first time in a while.

[Equipment Window]

Weapon: [Celeritra]

Weapon: [Decay Gloves]

Helmet:

Top: [Red Steel Top]

Bottom: [Red Steel Bottom]

Belt: [Gravity Belt]

Boots: [Red Steel Boots]

Necklace: [Spell’s Madness]

Ring: [Warp Ring]

Ring: [Lucifel’s Ring]

Bracelet: [Reins’ Armlet]

‘Almost all filled out.’

That Equipment Window, once so empty, was now packed full—every slot occupied before he’d even noticed.

All that was left now was the helmet.

Ha Gangwoo settled onto the bench with a satisfied smile.

But a musty, rank odor crept up from his clothes.

*Gross.*

The culprit was spider slime smeared all over his black hoodie and pants.

The relentless stench made his head throb.

*Maybe I can sell it.*

Gangwoo opened the Auction House and searched for one particular item.

The same kind of scroll he’d used on the fourth floor—a Clean Scroll.

The moment he’d used it, the filth covering his whole body vanished, replaced by a feeling he couldn’t forget: pure, clean relief.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Gangwoo’s face as he scrolled through the listings.

*Nothing.*

The Clean Scrolls were nowhere to be found.

Well, all scroll items were DLC products from lucky pouches. Of course they wouldn’t be here.

Still, there was something similar.

[Clean Box 4X4]

Grade: F

Description: A Cleaning Box harmless to the human body. From food to items to Players—it cleans anything thoroughly.

Quantity: 1

Price: 10,000 Gold

*Sounds about the same…*

It cleaned, sure, but the description was vague.

*Was I supposed to dunk my clothes in it like a bucket?*

Frowning, Gangwoo rubbed his brow in thought, then bought the item.

[You have purchased a Clean Box 4X4.]

Light coalesced in front of Gangwoo the moment of purchase, and with a soft *pop*, a box appeared.

It was about 50 centimeters on each side. Inside the transparent container, a sloshing blue liquid shimmered.

He didn’t need to check the instructions to figure out how it worked.

Open the box, wash the items.

His face wrinkled in distaste as Gangwoo stripped off the black hoodie and pants.

When the Costume came off, a sleek red armor set was revealed underneath.

*Should I wash my face too?*

While he was at it, Gangwoo removed his facial Costume as well and stuffed everything into the Cleaning Box.

Once all the items were inside, he closed the lid, and a system window appeared.

Ding-

[Time until clean: 4 minutes 59 seconds.]

*So I have to wait.*

Still, he supposed it was fine—if he bought the big box, he might even be able to take a bath with it.

*Should I buy a few more?*

Just as Gangwoo was staring thoughtfully at the Clean Box—

*Thump!*

A ball he recognized all too well slammed into his face.

The ball fell from his face and *thudded* onto the floor.

Instantly, Gangwoo’s expression turned cold.

He slowly glared in the direction from which the ball had come.

And then—

“Ah! So sorry.”

A man wearing a huge shield on his back grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

“…”

Next to him stood another man with a face Gangwoo knew all too well.

“How amusing.”

A wicked smile curling on his lips, Gangwoo stepped onto the ball that had struck him.

*Seismic Stomp.*

*CRACK!*

The ball exploded on impact, and the ground screamed. For an instant, silence rippled outward.