Chapter 163 – Anugas’ Necklace (2)
5.
It was a house that had a great night view. The house had a wine cellar, so one could enjoy this night scene with wine. The wine cellar looked quite expensive, and it was filled with expensive wines. There wasn't much space to move within it.
– It is a really nice house.
– Yes. I decided to indulge myself by moving into this place. When I used to be a baseball player, I always wanted to live in a place like this.
The interview was being conducted with the fancy house as the background.
The interviewee was Jameis Jones. He was more famously known as BigK in Warlord.
During the Warlord's second Main Scenario Quest, BigK entered the ranks of the 1st team Raid member after he distinguished himself in the great battle event. Afterwards, he participated in Red Bull's core quests and Raids. He showed off his surprising Skill, and now he was considered to be one of the top Magicians of the Red Bulls.
– When I failed to break into the Major League, I thought my dream was crushed. I never expected to achieve my dream through this game.
His life had changed after the second Main Scenario Quest.
The most clear-cut evidence of the change was his residence.
He was now the owner of a house that anyone would envy. Moreover, a regular person would never be given a chance to be featured in such an interview.
– This is the age we are living in. Riches and fame can be had for people, who are good at playing games.
– This might be a bit of a rude question. It hasn't been too long since BigK-nim's career has taken off. However, you are already making a good deal of money. Could you guess at how much the most famous Users of Warlord make? I'm talking about the Users that even people unfamiliar with Warlord knows. This is the most burning question amongst our viewers.
– I'm not them, so I can't be sure. However, if I had to guess…. Currently, the two most famous Users in Warlord is the Storm Queen and the Hahoe Mask. The Storm Queen is already famous for being an heiress, so we should exclude her. The Hahoe Mask…. The house I live in right now is probably the size of his wine cellar.
– That is incredible.
– Of course, the Hahoe Mask's identity is still a mystery, but there is wide consensus that he is incredibly rich.
Ahn-jaehyun was too flabbergasted by the video he was watching. The half-eaten Chocobar fell to the floor.
Chul-puhk!
The Chocobar was mushy, because it had melted. The Chocobar was in rough shape when it fell to the floor. Ahn-jaehyun picked up the Chocobar, and he checked if there was anything stuck to it. When he didn't see anything, he put the Chocobar back into his mouth.
Moreover, he continued to look at the video with a flabbergasted expression. Ahn-jaehyun had been wordlessly watching the video, but he spoke without meaning to.
“Have these bastards lost their collective minds?”
Gulp.
Ahn-jaehyun chewed and swallowed the Chocobar. After tapping his Tablet PC several times, he switched the content on the screen.
‘So this is how they are going to trouble me?’
He had started watching this video, since he had heard about the recent news regarding the Red Bulls guild.
The Red Bulls guild's 1st team members had been conspicuously absent from the spotlight in recent days. Numerous guilds were trying very hard to get across the Urugal mountain range, yet he hadn't heard a single rumor regarding the Red Bulls guild being nearby.
This meant the Red Bulls guild was progressing on a secret big project in a different region. This was why he had been collecting information on them, and he had come across BigK's recent interview.
Still, he never expected things to progress in this fashion.
Ahn-jaehyun looked at the screen of the Tablet PC with annoyed eyes, and he kept swiping at the screen. His temperamental actions came to a pause when Ahn-jaehyun came upon the page where he had uploaded the most recent video regarding the Skull Collector.
He had already seen this page over several dozen times, yet the sight in front of him never failed to transform his bitterness into sweetness.
‘The timing of the release was spot on.’
He had caught the Skull Collector a while ago. He had left the production of the Skull Collector Hunt video to the Romani films, and the final video was sent to him four days ago.
However, Ahn-jaehyun hadn't immediately uploaded the video.
This was the footage showing the Death Knight's first appearance. This video was monumental for several reasons, but he held back uploading the video. He waited for the right time.
Moreover, he came up with a plan when Anugas appeared.
He decided to put the video up on his Youtube page when he completed the Anugas Raid.
His aim was simple. When the Anugas Raid starts, everyone's attention would be focused on the Black Continent. When the Anugas Raid ended, everyone's attention would be shifted towards the Hahoe Mask.
What would happen if he uploaded the video at that moment?
‘I'll easily get 100 million views.’
His aim was right on target.
In just a single day, he recorded 40 million views. He wouldn't have problem getting 100 million views. He could probably double that number.
The reaction was also quite good. His 6 sponsors were full of praise regarding the video.
His bank account was beyond being in a good state as his sponsorship funds came in. It was rather impressive.
This pretty much washed away all the unpleasant feelings he had earlier.
Ahn-jaehyun considered the interview to be unpleasant, but now he had the foundation needed to turn BigK's words into reality.
‘Anguas' Necklace, Token of the Secret Society, Deposed Prince's Sword….. Basically, I've reached the endgame in regards to Items.’
Basically, he had gathered all the arsenal he would need.
‘I really reached this point.’
This feeling was sudden and unexpected.
He had continued forward in the face of all kinds of hardship and suffering. He had finally reached this point, and he took an assessment of himself.
‘I'm really here.’
He was proud of himself.
Everyone including Ahn-jaehyun himself thought this was impossible to do. The task he set out to do was considered to be beyond impossible. It was idiotic. He was given an unprecedented second opportunity, and it had felt as if he was wasting this opportunity by pursuing the unachievable. It was so stupid that Ahn-jaehyun had yelled at himself before.
However, he had finally achieved this idiotic task.
He was pleased.
A happy smile formed when he saw the figure within his bank account.
Hue hue hue!
He was so happy that a silly laugh automatically came out of his mouth.
He was surprised, proud, pleased and happy.
The fact that made him happy above all else was the reality that his enemies were frightened and scared of him.
‘The only thing left is to crush them.’
Thirty great guilds.
The beings he hated the most couldn't rashly move against him. Every time they harbored hatred for the Hahoe Mask, he would extract a fair cost.
Moreover, they would feel a much steeper penalty for messing with him than before.
Ahn-jaehyun started drawing within his head. He drew out the future he wanted to see.
He first drew the scene where the Hahoe Mask put his foot down on the 30 great guilds.
‘Yes. I'll grind them up into….’
He would step on them, and he envisioned himself standing above them.
‘I'll become the best, and it'll all be mine….’
They would be his stepping stone, and he imagined what would happen after he stood above all of them.
‘I'll become the best, and······.’
He'll rise above them, and…..
“Hmm.”
6.
As he was drawing the picture within his mind, he glanced at the capsule coffee machine.
When Hyrkan succeeded in the Anugas Raid, the Black Continent started to go through a significant amount of change.
[The Ruins of the Heard Fortress was released!]
[Black Continent's First Rest Area has Appeared!]
[Challenge the Black Continent!]
The biggest change was the appearance of the Heard Fortress.
When Anugas was deposed, the captured souls of the Ruined Kingdom's warriors were freed. They started circulating around the ruins, and the Subjugation Association sent NPCs to research the phenomena.
This was how a town was created near the ruins of the Heard fortress, and at the same time, the NPCs started giving out various quests.
The Quests were like road signs. Up until now, the Users were milling about without having any definite tasks to accomplish. Therefore, the Quests were like finding sweet water that ended their thirst.
On top of all of that, a cube capable of Item Production was installed in the town, and a Item Storage facility also came into being.
“I use the Wyverns to haul my Items. This is why my wares are expensive.”
A new NPC accompanied by five enormous Wyverns appeared, and the Users rejoiced at its appearance. Then the Ingredient Coins and Gems obtained from the Black Continent finally hit the market.
The Items above level 200 were produced quickly, and these Items started filling up the market.
In many ways, the Users that had been most daring in this environment had been the Stormhunters guild, and they were also the first ones to push forward.
[The Stormhunters guild was the first to enter the Ravine!]
[Stormhunters guild has released the footage of battles conducted within the Ravine!]
[The Stormhunters guild has revealed their Quests. 'Our next destination is the Balos ruins, and the Olbrid forest. It is our main goal to push past these locations. We'll be the main protagonist instead of the Hahoe Mask.’]
When the Anugas Raid ended, the Stormhunters unexpectedly threw themselves towards the Ravine.
After the Anugas Raid came to an end, the Hahoe Mask had to take a break to relieve his exhaustion. Then Hyrkan had to secretly go meet the Blacksmith Olf for the production of the Anugas' necklace. He received the production Quest, and he had to move to various regions to gather all the Quest ingredients. The Stormhunters guild once again took the lead position.
As if they abhorred the idea of falling behind the Stormhunters guild, the other members of the Big 3 started to release news about their gains and achievements.
[The Red Bulls Guild found the Lost Island in the south!]
[Hydra Guild has started exploration of the Hell Cave in the west!]
It was the Red Bulls and Hydra guild.
After the Immoral Prince episode ended, there was no events that could be pointed out as being a signature achievement for the two guilds. However, while everyone's attention was focused on the Black Continent located on the other side of the Urugal mountain, they headed towards a location far from the interests of the other Users. One headed south, and the other headed west.
The Stormhunters guild conquered the Urugal mountain range in the north. The Hahoe Mask conquered the Frozen Kingdom in the East. The two guild wanted to achieve something similar, so they headed south and west. They wanted to conquer something unknown. This was a gamble made by these two guilds, and now it was proving to be the winning move.
Of course, the world was surprised by their news.
Hyrkan was taken aback by the news.
“Lost Island? Hell Cave?”
‘This is nuts. Those regions are supposed to be released in the latter half of the Ruined Kingdom? Why now?’
Lost Island and the Hell Cave.
From Hyrkan's memories, the two locations appeared near the end of the Ruined Kingdom episode. It was the stages that set up the 4th Main Scenario Quest called the Dragon's Army.
‘Will these places also give Mythos rank Ancient Power? Will it?’
At the same time, he dug through his memories. He remembered that the Ancient Power of Darkness and Light could be earned at those locations.
‘No, it's a guarantee that it'll show up there. It came out in the Frozen Kingdom and the Urugal mountain range, so it should….’
The world was changing by the hour.
‘This game has gone nuts. Why would it make sense to pour out all the Mythos Rank Ancient Power at once?’
When the Item he wanted the most was completed, Hyrkan started running full tilt on a stage that was completely different from what he remembered.
7.
“The power of the gem is dangerous. Please use it with discretion. If you aren't careful, you might push the world towards its ruin.”
Hyrkan was now familiar with the face in front of him. The Blacksmith Olf spoke as he passed over a necklace embedded with a thumbnail-sized diamond. Hyrkan carefully took the necklace.
[You've gained the Anugas' Necklace.]
When Hyrkan fondled the necklace, the Item Option popped up on top as a holographic window.
[Anugas' Necklace]
*Main Properties
– Epic Rank Item
– All Stats +188
– Class related Stats +222
– Required Level : level 200
*Sub-properties
– When equipped, 10% increase in health
– When equipped, 10% increase in magic
– When equipped, 10% increase in movement speed
– When equipped, 10% increase in all damage
– When equipped, damage received is decreased by 10%
– When equipped, cool time is decreased by 10%
– The magic and stamina consumed when using a Skill is decreased by 35%
– This Item cannot be damaged.
*Miscellaneous
This necklace holds the power of the Ancient Weapon Anguas. It holds the power of its eye. It'll allow the wearer's ability to be brought out to a fearsome level.
The necklace had a filthy amount of Options, and these were the most desired Options. Hyrkan let out a sigh of satisfaction as he looked at the Anugas' Necklace.
“Hooo.”
After catching Anugas, it took him 5 days to complete the Anugas' Necklace production Quest.
The tasks he had accomplished flashed before his eyes. Then he started to think about the memories from his distant past.
‘I can't believe I've obtained it.’
Hyrkan thought about the first time he came up with the ridiculous idea of making an All Strength Necromancer. He had to come up with with a way to make up the much needed magical energy. He remembered going around in ridiculous getups.
Hyrkan had come up with the idea during that time. If he had an Item similar to Anugas' Necklace, he wouldn't have worried about lacking magical energy.
However, at the time, he never even considered the fact that he would be able to obtain such an Item. This was why he never made plans assuming that he'll have such an Item.
However, he now had the Anugas' necklace. Hyrkan had considered it to be a unreachable star in the sky. He had thought it was something he would never be able to catch, yet this star was shining brightly within Hyrkan's grasp.
‘How much will I be able to get if I sell this?’
Afterwards, he thought about it in terms of materialistic value.
It was inevitable. Anugas' Necklace wasn't a bound Item. It could be traded, and the required level was only level 200. If one considered the Options, it could be used even when one became level 300 or even 400.
Then there was the fact that Warlord contained rich Users willingly to pay ridiculous amounts of money for Items. These people were so rich that they didn't know what to do with all their money.
Currently, there was the original owner of the name Rich Lich named Himala playing this game. Then there was the original owner of Anugas' Necklace named Mateo Walker. He wasn't as rich as Himala, but he would gladly pay any price for this Item. They would easily spend several hundred thousand dollars for it.
It would be able to turn anyone's life around. Basically, one could easily buy a building by selling this Item.
Of course, Hyrkan's thoughts didn't end there.
‘If I equip the Deposed Prince's Sword, Anugas' Necklace and the Secret Society Ring…’
If he used the Deposed Prince's Sword, and the Anugas' necklace, he could reduce his magical energy consumption of his Skills by 60%. What if he put on the Token of the Secret Society, which increased magical recovery by 20%? This would be combined with the 10% increase in magic by the Anugas' Necklace.
‘In reality, the combined effect will reduce my magic consumption by 70%.’
It was well over half!
With those Options as background, he could once again eat expensive consumable Items like he was chewing gum.
He would no longer feel the lack of magical energy he felt after he gained the Power of Frost.
Instead, he had magical energy to spare.
Now he just had to invest in Skills that he couldn't purchase, because he didn't have enough magical energy to spare.
‘I'll have to burn through Skill Books to obtain the [Conductor] skill. Then the page of Ancient Power I have…. It'll be fine if I use it on the [Skeleton Knight] rather than the [Golem Summon].'
Hyrkan decided to invest in his Skeleton Knight.
