Team Leader Kim Tae-seok visited CEO Lee Se-jin’s office.
“What? Another story is unfolding?”
Se-jin was surprised.
In the virtual reality game Ares, there exists a ‘New Story’ system. This new story is a privilege for users who clear it better than others. Sometimes, it also serves as a reward activated by high clear rates. The new stories are categorized into different levels.
There is the general new story at level 7. Level 6 stories include ‘A Story for You’ and ‘Another Story.’ The ‘Another Story’ is usually a chain quest but also contains more special intricacies.
“The levels can continue to rise, then.”
‘Another Story’ can ascend further in levels. A level 6 story can climb step by step to level 5, level 4, and level 3.
“A quest linked to the demon Grout…”
Since it involved the demon Grout, Se-jin didn’t know how high it could go.
“If ‘Another Story’ is triggered and rises a level, the story rate will start to apply.”
“Correct.”
The story rate increases each time the level rises and each time another story begins. It also goes up each time it’s cleared, like a stage. With remarkable achievements and extraordinary feats, it increases significantly. At the end, when everything is completed, it provides a comprehensive reward.
“If ‘Another Story’ triggers again, can it be cleared?”
Se-jin questioned himself. It was difficult to judge within the bounds of his common sense. This quest was related to the demon Grout.
“I don’t know either.”
Tae-seok was also unsure. Then Se-jin showed an intrigued smile.
“If it’s cleared, what will he gain?”
What kind of reward would be given at the end of the story? All of it depended on user Hyeon-soo.
***
Grout laughed.
An arrow sent by a mere human blacksmith. To Grout, who toyed with humans like insects, it was laughable.
A demon. Among the demon race, known for their combat prowess, those who rise to the highest ranks govern the demon race as nobles. Grout was among the lowest of these demons. But even so, he was powerful.
In his complete form, Grout wielded the power of level 700. An unprecedented level in Ares so far. Of course, the game Ares strictly maintains balance. Grout, in his level 700 form, couldn’t descend recklessly. Such a descent would entail immense risk even for him.
Therefore, Grout borrowed the power of fragments to manifest.
Grout in his fragmented state could not exert even 50% of his usual power. Even so, he possessed strength above level 400. Thus, an arrow shot by a mere insect was laughable to him.
At that moment, Grout sensed a massive power.
“…?”
Piiiiiing-!
It was an extraordinarily fast movement. Instinctively, Grout formed a pentagonal shield. In that instant, an arrow flying at the speed of light collided with the shield.
Crackkk-!
Most shields’ durability is determined by the user’s total defense. The defense of the demon Grout was beyond human imagination. Even if he was weakened by more than 50%.
However,
Crashhhh-
The arrow pierced through the shield and struck Grout’s chest.
[You have taken 61,313 damage.]
Grout’s body was pushed back.
“Khaaah!”
Grout, who flew about 15 meters, was shocked.
‘This, this is…?’
Soon, Grout realized. The arrow’s power had clearly been more than enough to pierce him. Yet, it was lodged in his chest. With a foreboding expression, he looked down at the arrow, which was glowing red-hot.
The genius blacksmith had prepared for this possibility. While forging the arrow, he had judged that it might not be able to break even a fragment. So he imbued it with a special power. This power, which activated probabilistically, now revealed its might.
[Fourfold Arrow.]
It pushes the damage taken four more times consecutively.
Once.
“Khaaah!”
[You have taken 53,313 damage.]
Twice.
“Kurgh!”
[You have taken 54,075 damage.]
Thrice.
“Kyah!”
[You have taken 44,317 damage.]
Four times.
“Krrrgh!”
[You have taken 57,976 damage.]
[Grout’s HP has dropped below 40%.]
[You have taken rapid, severe damage.]
[Status effect: Unconsciousness is activated.]
[Stunned for 2 seconds.]
Grout’s current HP was less than half of its usual amount. This halved total was displayed as 100% on his HP bar, and this single arrow had reduced it by about 60%.
Grout felt this kind of pain for the first time in hundreds of years. The pain was so intense that he was momentarily knocked unconscious in mid-air. Regaining his senses, his noble face contorted.
“I will kill youuuuu!”
He was a mere insect.
Grout was determined to repay the humiliation inflicted by such an insect.
At that moment.
Grout, who was about to fly to the Tower of the Sage, felt an eerie sensation behind him. Turning his head, Grout was shocked. Hyun-soo was standing there as if he owned the sky.
—
(The One Who Made the Most Powerful Shot)
Unique Title
Grade: A
Special Ability:
· When you make another attack that surpasses your previous most powerful one, the damage is doubled.
The arrow Hyun-soo had just shot dealt one of the highest single-shot damages in Ares. The top-ranking high-level players ranged from level 360 to 370. Even the world’s number one player was known to be at level 400.
Hyun-soo was confident. If this arrow had hit a high-ranker between levels 360 and 370, it would have forced a logout or reduced their HP by more than 90%, depending on their class.
“I think it should work.”
And right after he shot, Hyun-soo conversed with Arte. Once the conversation ended, Hyun-soo stepped on the window sill.
At that moment.
[You have inflicted massive damage on the Blood Demon Grout.]
Hyun-soo was surprised. He didn’t understand.
‘I already received the quest, so why…?’
[Another Story begins.]
“…!?”
This was the notification he heard before receiving the linked quest: Cage from Arte. Generally, the start of a new story notification indicated an increase in difficulty and maximized rewards.
‘Could I hear such notifications twice in a row…?’
This was the first time he had received Another Story, so there might be hidden systems he wasn’t aware of.
Ding!
[Linked Quest: Fragment of the Blood Demon Grout]
Grade: S
Requirement: The one who triggered a new episode
Reward: 25% Story Rate, 2x EXP and Drop Rate
Penalty for Failure: Arte’s death.
Description: Your arrow provoked the Blood Demon Grout. Destroy the Fragment of the Blood Demon Grout.
The quest description included something called the Story Rate. It also highlighted the advantages of Another Story.
‘Double EXP and Drop Rate…?’
Even as a fragment, it was boss-level. And it was at an enormous level 400. The thought of receiving double the experience points for defeating such a named boss was unimaginable.
‘I have defeated many named bosses before.’
But the fragment had a much higher level than those, meaning it would grant much more experience points. The amount of experience points gained with double rewards was beyond imagination.
“I’m going.”
Leap of Calamity.
Hyun-soo instantly moved behind Grout. Grout was shocked to discover him.
‘Is he a blacksmith?’
The blacksmiths Grout knew were people who stayed inside their forges making artifacts. They lived lives lower than soldiers or knights.
Grout felt something was off.
He had once fought a legend centuries ago. For a moment, he sensed the same spirit in this man.
‘But…’
Grout’s eyes grew cold. Because of that formidable arrow, he hadn’t seen the true essence. The man’s body was insignificant compared to that legend. Among the humans he had encountered, this one was the most trivial and worthless.
Grout laughed.
“Just because you pushed me once, you think you can boast?”
Grout and Hyun-soo moved. Grout’s razor-sharp arms clashed relentlessly with Hyun-soo’s sword.
Clang!
Hyun-soo was amazed. Grout’s speed vastly outmatched his own. It felt irrational, not a matter of skill, but an inherent ability.
‘He hasn’t learned martial arts or fighting techniques.’
Born.
They were blessed with superior genes from birth. Hyun-soo’s face twisted as he took a hit.
Slash-
[HP has dropped below 90%.]
[HP has dropped below 84%.]
[HP has dropped below 81%.]
The damage was greater than any enemy he had faced before.
“Do you know?”
Grout sneered.
“That this isn’t even the source of my power.”
Blood dripped from Hyun-soo’s body, forming droplets in the air around him. The droplets quickly transformed into sharp spikes.
And then.
Stabstabstabstabstab-
[HP has dropped below 75%.]
[HP has dropped below 71%.]
[HP has dropped below 54%.]
Hyun-soo’s HP plummeted. The Blood Demon, Grout, literally used blood as his main weapon. His combat skills were just supplementary.
Hyun-soo quickly activated a skill. Sword King’s Mastery, the Surge Blade, deals extra damage when attacking a vital point.
At that moment.
Flash-
[Negated.]
“…!?”
Hyun-soo was stunned. With a single gesture, everything he had was blocked.
“Blood Explosion.”
Boom-
The blood Hyun-soo had shed exploded beneath him, instantly reducing his HP to below 20%.
“Grrk!”
Grout entertained an amusing thought.
“I will curse you and bring you into my demonic realm.”
Grout’s eyes gleamed menacingly.
“You will create masterpieces like that arrow for me and my army for the rest of your life.”
NPCs have absurd levels of freedom. Players cannot break their bonds, and even Blue Inc. cannot intervene. Just as they do not intrude upon the players’ achievements, they also do not intervene in their downfall.
“I will lock you in a cage and watch.”
[HP has dropped below 12%.]
“Is this all you’ve got? Huh!? Hahahahaha!”
Grout was ecstatic. The thought of having another toy to play with thrilled him. At that moment, Hyun-soo’s expression changed dramatically.
“Is this really all?”
Arte, inside the Tower of the Sage behind him, became visible. Sage Arte. He wasn’t a strong man, but he had the power to temporarily create skills. Hyun-soo had spoken to Arte before flying toward Grout.
‘Arte, let’s give back the pain you received.’
Arte temporarily created a powerful skill.
“Grouttttttt!!!!”
[Sword Strike of Despair]
[Imbues a chosen man with one of his skills, dramatically raising its level by 3.]
[It is a concentration of rage and resentment. Pain increases by 7 times, paralyzing the enemy’s will.]
Grout’s eyes trembled. The man who had seemed endlessly weak just moments ago was now rampaging.
[Berserk Sword]
[10% chance for the sword’s base attack power to increase by 401%.]
[Lasts for 15 seconds.]
It fused with the skill.
A collaboration between Sage Arte and Master Hyun-soo.
[Sword Strike of Despair applies to Ghost Step.]
[Ghost Step level increases by 3.]
[Ghost Step damage increases by 180% per hit and extends to 3 seconds.]
[One attack induces pain 7 times over.]
Hyun-soo was genuinely furious.
“Arte must have suffered much more.”
Of course, Hyun-soo and Arte had only recently met and shared a brief connection. But empathy is a powerful force. No one can imagine the pain of being trapped in a small room for 300 years. Losing his family, his lover, his home, his world, Arte had endlessly screamed in that place.
“You will suffer too.”
Hyun-soo walked the path Arte had paved.
“Ghost Step.”
Now it was Grout’s turn to scream.
Cliche Novel 