I hurried back to the weapon shop, my emotions boiling over. But someone suddenly appeared and blocked my path.

  “Stop, Mr. Adventurer,” he shouted, striking an absurd pose: legs spread wide, one hand covering his face while the other dangled at his side. It looked exactly like something straight out of a JoJo character.

  Damn it… Why is there another weird NPC showing up? And with a JoJo pose too… I grumbled inwardly.

  I tried to walk past him, but he continued blocking my way.

  “I told you to stop, Mr. Adventurer.”

  “Cut out that JoJo pose,” I snapped.

  He stared at me without expression.

  This NPC is totally chuunibyou! What were the developers even thinking… I thought to myself.

  “I can see that you are carrying a relic of the Goddess of Fortune,” he said calmly.

  “You mean this?” I held up the underwear.

  He immediately shut his eyes as if he had witnessed a sacred light. “Stop! Put it away!”

  I stuffed it back into the box. He looked like someone who had just seen a legendary artifact.

  “Is it really that valuable? Can’t you buy something like this cheaply at the armor shop?” I asked flatly.

  “Do not compare a sacred relic with other filthy objects,” he retorted sharply.

  “I don’t understand the mindset of perverts like you,” I replied irritably.

  “What do you intend to do with that relic?” he asked, staring directly at me.

  “Obviously, I’m going to trade it back for my rare knife. There’s no way a rare knife should be exchanged for something like this,” I said in frustration.

  “Hm… how about trading that relic for one of my relics instead?” he proposed, trying to negotiate.

  “Another relic? Don’t tell me it’s another absurd item,” I grumbled.

  “Do not call it absurd. These are all relics left behind by the Goddess of Fortune of the Alphatya Kingdom,” he replied.

  “I will exchange this heirloom apron for that relic,” he continued.

  “Who would want that dirty apron?” I shot back, annoyed.

  “You could ask the Goddess herself about the story behind this old apron,” he said.

  Before I could even process what he meant, he quickly snatched the box from my hand and shoved the apron into my arms.

  “You thief! I didn’t agree to that!” I snapped.

  “If you want to know its story, seek out the girl who runs the Item Shop!” he shouted as he ran off.

  “At last, I have obtained this relic! I’ll build an altar for it and worship it for seven generations! Yahoooo!” his voice echoed as he disappeared into the distance.

  “Why are there so many absurd NPCs in this game… I thought this was supposed to be a serious game,” I muttered.

  Left with the dirty apron, I walked toward the Item Shop.

  The shopkeeper greeted me with a warm smile. “Adventurer, what would you like to buy?”

  “Uh… does this belong to you?” I asked while showing her the apron.

  The moment she saw it, she rushed out from behind the counter and hugged it tightly, tears welling in her eyes.

  “Where did you find this…?” she asked with a trembling voice.

  “That strange man traded my item for this apron,” I replied, feeling awkward seeing her cry in front of me.

  “If it’s important to you, you can have it,” I added, trying to comfort her.

  “This was the apron my mother wore… before she was killed during a monster raid. She always wore it because it was the gift I gave her on Mother’s Day,” she said while clutching the apron tightly.

  “A raid? So this kingdom was attacked before?” I asked.

  “Yes. Before adventurers arrived, monsters used to invade frequently. Every kingdom was busy dealing with its own problems, so no one came to help.”

  She took a shaky breath. “My mother hid me in a closet and distracted the monsters. When everything was over… the only thing I found was my mother… lifeless, still wearing this apron.”

  “I’m sorry for reopening old wounds,” I said quietly.

  “It’s alright… at least this apron has returned to me. I’m very happy,” she replied, forcing a small smile.

  My heart ached. This cheerful and beautiful girl had been carrying such a painful memory.

  “I promise I’ll protect this kingdom. There won’t be another raid,” I said, even though I wasn’t sure how I would accomplish that.

  “Then I entrust the peace of this kingdom to you, Mr. Adventurer,” she said while wiping her tears.

  “My name is Veronica Zenya. If you ever need help, just come here. Thank you for returning this apron.”

  “It’s nothing. I have other things to take care of. My name is Yoruno. Nice to meet you, Veronica,” I said as I turned to leave.

  “Mr. Yoruno, wait! Sorry to ask for another favor,” she called out.

  “What can I help with?”

  “Please deliver this chef card to the chef at the Bar. He dropped it while shopping here.”

  “Ah… he was panicking while searching for this. If it isn’t found, he could be detained,” I said in surprise.

  “Really!? I should have gone to look for him myself…” Veronica said anxiously.

  “Relax. I’ll deliver it now.”

  I immediately ran toward the Bar.

  In front of the Bar, the chef was already handcuffed and about to be taken away by officers. His daughter was crying while trying to stop them.

  I quickly explained about the chef card that had fallen earlier. The moment the officer saw the card, he ordered the handcuffs to be removed.

  The chef hugged me tightly in relief.

  “Thank you, Adventurer… if it weren’t for you, this bar would’ve been shut down and I’d have been arrested,” he said.

  “Thank you for saving my father,” his daughter added.

  “It was Veronica who found it,” I replied.

  “So it fell in front of Veronica’s shop, huh?” the chef said with relief. “Thank goodness it was found.”

  “As a token of gratitude, you can eat here for free anytime!” he declared proudly.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  “Seriously?” I asked.

  “Of course. My father always keeps his promises,” his daughter said.

  “You should look for a man like this instead of a knight who only guards the sewer,” the father joked.

  “Dad… Michael is a good person. He promised he’ll rise in rank and become a Royal Knight someday,” the girl replied.

  Seriously… after going around everywhere, I finally met the girl the knight likes, I thought flatly.

  “What’s your name, Adventurer? And what would you like to eat? Just name it, I’ll make something special for you,” the chef said.

  “Hm… what should I eat…”

  “Dad!” the girl suddenly shouted. “Why did your shopping list turn into a Grow Potion recipe!?”

  “Maybe I wro—”

  “That’s the recipe I’ve been looking for! May I take it? The owner is almost giving up searching for it,” I interrupted quickly.

  “Oh, go ahead and take it,” the chef said.

  “Then I’ll be going now. I have to return this recipe!” I said before rushing out of the Bar.

  The two of them could only stare at each other in confusion.

  I quickly searched for the green-haired man. I found him sitting weakly on a bench in the plaza.

  “I found it,” I said, handing him the recipe.

  He looked at me, then at the paper. His eyes immediately lit up again.

  “Thank you so much! With this, I can finally perfect my potion!”

  “Come with me,” he said, pulling me toward his shop.

  A sign in front read: Alchemy Shop.

  It was my first time seeing the inside—filled with strange tools and chemical ingredients.

  He immediately began mixing liquids, heating them, stirring, pouring—I couldn’t understand any of it.

  Finally, he poured the last liquid into a glass container.

  “At last, my research has succeeded!” he exclaimed.

  “What kind of potion is that?” I asked.

  “It’s a new potion I created. It can help dying plants grow and become fertile again,” he said proudly.

  That’s exactly the potion Gerald and Berthard need, I realized in surprise.

  “May I have that potion?” I asked.

  “Of course. You’ve helped me so much already—take it for free,” he said, handing me the bottle.

  “And if you visit every day, I’ll give you five Vital Salve M and Mana Tonic M for free,” he added casually.

  “Seriously? I can get those two for free?” My eyes lit up.

  “Of course. Your help is worth far more than this reward,” he said with a smile as he piled five Vital Salve M and five Mana Tonic M into my hands.

  “With this… I finally found a way to exploit the system and get those two items for free,” I said, tears forming in my eyes—happy and relieved at the same time.

  “Thank you very much. I need to hurry—my friends need this Grow Potion,” I said as I prepared to leave.

  “Good luck! Let me know if the potion works,” he replied, waving.

  With renewed excitement, I ran around the kingdom searching for Gerald and Berthard. Luckily, I found them before they left the gate.

  “Gerald! Berthard!” I shouted.

  They pulled their reins, stopping their horses.

  “I found a solution for your grape plants,” I said, panting.

  “What do you mean?” Gerald asked.

  I took the Grow Potion out of my inventory. “This. Use this, and your grapes should grow again.”

  Gerald accepted the bottle—and his eyes immediately became watery. “Will this really help?”

  “Yes. It was made by the kingdom’s alchemist,” I replied.

  Gerald and Berthard exchanged glances, stepped down from the carriage, and pulled me into a tight embrace.

  “Thank you. This is a lifesaver for us,” they said at the same time.

  “You can thank the alchemist directly if it works,” I replied.

  “Of course. Still, thank you very much, Yoruno,” Berthard said.

  “Father, we should return to the vineyard. Let’s try the potion now,” he added to Gerald.

  “You’re right. Sorry, Yoruno, we have to leave immediately. We’ll let you know the results later,” Gerald said with a wide smile.

  Berthard climbed onto the carriage first. Gerald rummaged through his pocket for a moment before handing something to me.

  “Yoruno, take this.”

  “What is this?” I asked, looking at the black envelope.

  “Someone entrusted it to us. They said to give this letter to the adventurer we considered worthy,” Gerald explained before climbing onto the carriage.

  “See you again, Yoruno! Thank you!” they both shouted, waving their hands.

  I stared at the black envelope, curious. Then a notification appeared.

  ----

  Do you want to read this letter?

  YES [O]?NO [X]

  ----

  I pressed [O]. A small fireworks effect appeared on the hologram.

  Congratulations to the Player who received this letter.

  ----

  You have completed Hidden Rare Quest: Red Swap Trail.

  Please meet me at the Cabaret Club tomorrow night at 21:00.

  — GM Odin

  ----

  “A letter from the developer… the same one who gave me the Greedy Mamon Atonement curse…” I muttered, frowning.

  “So all this time, being sent in circles back to the beginning, running into absurd NPCs—it was all because of him.” I snorted irritably.

  “Fine. I’ll meet him tomorrow. Let’s see what he wants.”

  -----

  The next day, at 21:00, just as the invitation said.

  “If I’m not mistaken, it should be here…” I muttered while staring at a dimly lit establishment.

  “What was the developer thinking, arranging a meeting in a place like this…” I sighed in annoyance.

  Two large guards stood at the entrance. The moment I approached, they blocked my path without a word.

  Of course, they wouldn’t let anyone pass without an invitation. I took the black envelope out of my inventory.

  They examined it briefly, then nodded and allowed me to enter, returning the letter to me.

  The deeper I went inside, the less I could believe what I was seeing.

  “Seriously…? This looks like a modern nightclub. Why would something like this exist in a medieval world?” I grumbled inwardly while looking around the cabaret club.

  Players and NPCs were mixed together. Some were drinking, others dancing wildly in the middle of the room. I couldn’t even tell which ones were real players and which were NPCs.

  Suddenly, a woman approached me. “Who are you looking for, young man? You look like it’s your first time here.”

  “I received an invitation from GM Odin.” I showed her the letter.

  “Oh, him. Follow me. He said he was waiting for a guest.” The girl led me deeper inside.

  We stopped in front of a large door guarded by two muscular men.

  She knocked, then pushed the door slightly open—white light shining through the gap.

  A developer room? Is this like the white room from the first login? I wondered.

  But once I stepped inside… it wasn’t. The room looked just like the outside area, only more private.

  “Welcome, Player No: OMG-9980654238. Account Name: Yoruno.”

  The voice belonged to a middle-aged man—probably in his thirties—lounging casually on a sofa, surrounded by beautiful girls, a hologram glowing in his hand.

  “Seriously? This? I thought GM Odin would be some cool guy. Turns out he’s just a perverted old man partying every day,” I muttered irritably.

  “Hahaha! Even though I’m a developer, I’m still a human with wild desires,” he replied proudly, without the slightest shame.

  “A place like this doesn’t even fit the medieval world,” I argued.

  Oh yeah, now that I think about it—aren’t there slot machines in this world too? I suddenly remembered.

  He just shrugged. “Life is meant to be enjoyed. Right, girls?”

  “Yeah~!” all the girls cheered.

  I covered my face. “I think I joined the wrong server…”

  “So, why did you invite me?” I asked.

  “Oh, right! I almost forgot.” He took another sip of wine.

  This guy… my temper was starting to rise.

  “Congratulations on completing the Hidden Rare Quest Spider—”

  One of the girls beside him stopped him and whispered something in his ear.

  “Oh, right! The Red Swap Trail quest.”

  Damn it… he even forgot the quest he made himself.

  “Alright, everyone, give a round of applause for… Yono!”

  “Yoruno! Who the hell is Yono!?” I shouted, growing more irritated.

  “Right, Yoruno! Hahaha!” he laughed while the girls giggled along.

  “But still, congratulations. You’re the first player to trigger and complete this quest. No other player has managed it before,” he said more seriously.

  “As a reward, I will grant you one Active Skill of your choice. Normally, Active Skills can only be obtained at level 100, but for players who complete the Red Swap Trail Quest, there is an exception.”

  An active skill… I could hardly believe it.

  “Yes. Tell me the skill you want. Be specific. If it’s too general, the result will be poor. If it’s too overpowered, I’ll nerf it with heavy conditions for usage. Fair is fair.”

  I fell silent. I hadn’t even thought about level 100 skills yet.

  “Will the skill be the same as other players’?” I asked.

  “No. Active Skills are unique. They may look similar, but their effects will differ.”

  “I’ll give you an example,” Odin continued casually. “Two players once chose fire powers. The first was specific: a flaming punch. The second simply said ‘control fire’—too general. When it’s too broad, the system rolls automatically and the result becomes random. In that case, the result was: breathing fire.”

  Odin looked at me faintly.

  “Tell me, isn’t breathing fire technically the same as controlling fire?”

  His explanation was complicated, but the point was clear.

  I started thinking. There were many cool skills I wanted: Bankai, Kamehameha, turning into a rubber human, Rasengan…

  But other players had probably already asked for all of those.

  I needed a skill that activated automatically, didn’t consume MP, and didn’t require high Intelligence.

  “Has anyone asked for all their attacks to become Critical? Wouldn’t that be too overpowered?” I asked.

  “Not just overpowered. That would destroy the balance. If two players duel and one always lands critical hits, the match is over instantly.”

  He checked the holographic database.

  “Not a single player has requested a critical skill yet. Most players prefer flashy techniques instead of buffs.” He looked at me.

  “So you’re interested in Critical Rate Up?”

  “This skill is permanent. It cannot be changed.”

  Critical Rate Up… not bad, I thought.

  But I also wanted time control… invincibility… and other abilities… my head started spinning.

  “Sorry, all those skills have already been taken by other players,” he said casually.

  “Huh!? You read my mind!?”

  “Of course. I’m a developer.”

  “Then at least remove my curse first,” I asked.

  “I can’t. That curse is the punishment for cheating. You’re already lucky you weren’t permanently banned.”

  His tone suddenly turned cold.

  I fell silent.

  “But if you keep playing, you might eventually find a way to remove the curse yourself. Alright, back to the topic. Choose your skill now. These girls are waiting for me.”

  Seriously… I muttered inwardly.

  “Fine. I choose Critical Rate Up. My attacks can become Critical Damage.”

  “Good. To balance the skill, your critical rate will be random between 1% and 100%. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, it can exceed that in multiples of 100%. Do you agree?”

  “Critical can go beyond 100%? That’s overpowered… but fine. I accept.”

  “Very well, Player Yoruno. I grant you the Active Skill ‘Lucky Strike’. Your account will automatically log out and cannot be played for 24 hours while the skill is configured. Enjoy your night. See you again.”

  Everything suddenly went dark, and the words appeared:

  ACCOUNT UNDER MAINTENANCE