Chapter: 18
Completely unaware of what was happening inside Terra, Eugene leisurely left through the eastern gate.
He could feel the eyes of both NPCs and players fixed on him.
It was only natural.
He was riding a horse.
Given enough time, most players would eventually be able to obtain one, but not at this point.
Setting aside the issue of Coins, no one even knew that mounts existed in the first place.
As a result, the NPCs were shocked that Eugene had already acquired a horse, while the players were astonished to learn that getting one was even possible.
A few particularly curious people approached him, hoping to ask some questions.
Eugene ignored every single one of them.
They weren’t useful people, and worthless trash like them wasn’t even worth talking to.
He’d rather spend that time killing another monster and earning more experience.
Ignoring every question thrown his way, Eugene rode out of Terra.
As soon as he stepped outside, peaceful silence welcomed him.
“Now I can finally breathe.”
Just no longer hearing the buzzing voices of those idiots was enough to put his mind at ease.
“I need to find people who are actually useful.”
People like the Sword Empress or the Battle Demon.
At the very least, he needed talented individuals who could become his hands and feet.
“I’ve already met the Sword Empress once, so finding her again shouldn’t be too difficult. As for the Battle Demon…”
Eugene frowned.
Finding that battle-crazed lunatic would probably be difficult.
After all, he’d never actually met the Battle Demon in person.
He had only heard rumors.
The man had supposedly defeated the boss of the 70th Floor all by himself.
Granted, he eventually died because of it.
Still, someone with that level of ability had to be found somehow.
“Well, he’ll become famous soon enough.”
The Battle Demon had made a name for himself almost immediately.
While everyone else was still struggling to adapt to the Tower, he’d already begun fighting both players and monsters.
Even if it wasn’t now, Eugene figured he could simply look for him once rumors about him started spreading.
“The problem is the last one.”
He needed at least three allies.
The Sword Empress and the Battle Demon were practically guaranteed.
But he still hadn’t decided on the third.
Zygot of America.
The Flame Emperor of China.
The Blade Emperor of Japan.
Russia’s Killing Weapon.
There were also the Wizard, the Frost Sorcerer, the Lion King, the Blood Lord, and many others.
One after another, the famous figures from his first life came to mind.
Other than Eugene himself, they were among the most capable people who had climbed the Tower.
“They’re all about the same.”
If he absolutely had to choose one, Zygot was probably the best option…
“But that bastard disgusts me.”
Elia Ventrick.
Known by the title Zygot, he possessed strength great enough to be considered the strongest Tower climber after Eugene.
But he was insane.
There was no method too cruel if it meant becoming stronger.
There was a reason he had earned the nickname Zygot.
If he hadn’t at least devoted himself to conquering the Tower, he probably would have become one of the Ten Evils.
“Yeah… I’ll pass.”
His strength was certainly tempting.
But just thinking about the man left a bad taste in Eugene’s mouth.
Someone like that wasn’t worth recruiting.
It was better to cut off his head.
“Anyway, I’ll leave the third spot open for now. I’ll decide later after finding someone suitable.”
There was no way to know exactly how useful someone would be without seeing them personally.
Just as Eugene was riding while lost in thoughtā
Grrrrrrrr…
Low growls echoed from all around him.
“Hm? I’m already here?”
Apparently he’d been thinking for longer than he realized.
Blinking, he looked around.
Monsters filled with killing intent began appearing.
Red-skinned, bipedal creatures standing roughly one meter tall.
“Red Goblins.”
These monsters lived east of Terra, beyond the Sulfur Deer habitat.
Their levels were around 3 to 5.
Compared to the Sulfur Deer, they were ridiculously weak.
Especially for Eugene, who had already reached Level 10.
They didn’t even provide meaningful experience anymore.
So why had he come here?
There was only one reason.
‘Because this is the fastest way to level up.’
Normally, hunting Sulfur Deer would let him grow much faster.
They were higher level than Red Goblins, lived in herds, and were ideal for mass hunting.
Howeverā
Using a certain method made leveling incomparably faster than hunting Sulfur Deer.
Grinning, Eugene dismounted.
Cracking his knuckles, he walked toward the goblins.
“Come at me, you little bean-sized punks.”
“…Can we really do this with just us?”
The boy, Park Ji-hoo, asked with a worried expression.
“It’ll be fine. There are enough of us. You don’t have to be so scared.”
Isia answered as calmly as she could.
After recruiting Park Ji-hooāthe future Battle Demonāand gathering a few more people along the way, their group had grown to five.
Everyone had approached them after witnessing Isia and Park Ji-hoo defeat those thugs.
Other than Park Ji-hoo, they were all still Level 1.
‘Five or six people should be enough to kill one.’
Wasn’t that what Mullen, the branch manager of the Terra Information Guild, had said?
‘Ji-hoo is strong.’
Despite his timid personality, he possessed enough fighting ability to knock out three fully grown men.
On top of that, his massive gauntlets looked far superior to her own Crimson Lotus [E].
And she herself…
‘I cut his head off in one strike.’
The man swinging an axe had lost his head from a single slash.
The sword she’d swung in anger had cleanly severed flesh and bone alike.
For someone who had never even held a sword before entering the Tower, it was an incredible feat.
‘I’m just glad the shock wasn’t as bad as I expected.’
Murder.
Isia had killed someone.
She’d never even punched another person before coming here.
Normally, such an experience would leave someone with unbearable trauma.
Yet surprisingly…
She felt calm.
Noā
To be honest, she felt nothing at all.
The only thought in her mind was:
He attacked first, so he deserved to die.
She found it strange that she could think like that.
But at the same time…
She was grateful.
If she wanted to survive inside this Tower, she would need exactly that kind of resolve.
At any rate, if killing a person hadn’t shaken her, then hunting monsters probably wouldn’t either.
The real question was whether they could actually defeat one.
“You saw how this big sis swung her sword earlier, right? I’ll chop monsters down just the same, so don’t get scared already.”
Laughing confidently, Isia tried to reassure him.
Park Ji-hoo slowly nodded.
“Y-Yes…”
How could such a tiny, timid kid fight so well?
She was curious.
But that could wait.
Right now, the monsters came first.
“If I remember correctly… it should be around here.”
Unfolding the map Mullen had given her, Isia examined the surroundings.
The Sulfur Deer habitat was marked nearby.
“Ah, over there.”
She spotted terrain that matched the map perfectly.
Together with Park Ji-hoo and the other three players, she cautiously approached.
“I think those are the Sulfur Deer.”
A frightened voice came from behind her.
It belonged to the only woman among the newly recruited players.
She hadn’t obtained any noteworthy equipment in the tutorial.
However, she had acquired the Healing [E] skill.
‘A healer is the most important role in party hunting.’
Remembering the online games she had occasionally played before entering the Tower, Isia gladly welcomed her into the group.
“They don’t look that strong.”
“Yeah. I expected monsters to look terrifying, but they’re just slightly larger deer.”
The remaining two members were men.
One carried a shield.
The other wielded a long spear.
Since each of them had managed to obtain an item in the tutorial, Isia assumed they had some ability.
“Still, don’t let your guard down. I heard you need to be at least Level 7 to fight one by yourself.”
She relayed Mullen’s warning.
“L-Level 7?”
Everyone’s faces immediately turned pale.
They had no idea exactly how high that was.
But they knew one thing.
As Level 1 players, they stood no chance alone.
The two men who had just been underestimating the Sulfur Deer suddenly looked tense.
“It’s okay. I also heard that five Level 1 players are enough to take one down. Besides, we even have a healer. We can do this.”
“Hmm…”
“Can we really trust that information?”
“The map alone proves it’s reliable.”
That was true.
They had managed to find this place in the middle of nowhere using nothing but the map.
The information seemed trustworthy.
Even so, none of them felt particularly relieved.
“One more thingāwe absolutely have to fight them one at a time. Only target the ones separated from the herd and staying near the edge of the habitat.”
“I-I understand.”
Everyone nodded.
There were five of them.
Even if the Sulfur Deer were supposedly Level 7…
With this many people, surely they could handle one.
Especially after seeing what Isia and Park Ji-hoo had done earlier.
If those two displayed even half of the strength they’d shown before, they should somehow manage.
“…You’ll keep teaming up with us, right?”
“Of course.”
“I will.”
She had been worried that everyone would lose their nerve after seeing real monsters.
Fortunately, that didn’t happen.
“Then let’s go over the plan first.”
Thankfully, the group’s composition wasn’t bad.
They had a shield-bearing tank.
A healer.
And damage dealers using a sword, spear, and gauntlets.
It would have been even better if someone had ranged attacks.
Still, this should be enough to defeat a single Sulfur Deer.
“I seem to be the quickest on my feet, so I’ll lure one over.”
The Sulfur Deer wandering around the outskirts usually gathered in groups of only two or three.
Sometimes one would stray off by itself.
She intended to lure one of those isolated deer back.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
Everyone asked with concern.
Yet although they all looked worried, not a single person volunteered to go instead.
Isia didn’t blame them.
Everyone was afraid.
Everyone was scared.
“I was the one who started this, so I should take responsibility.”
She had been the one to gather everyone.
Inviting them to hunt together only to push someone else into danger wasn’t the kind of person she was.
“Then I’ll be back. Stay here and get ready.”
Drawing Crimson Lotus [E], Isia slowly walked toward the Sulfur Deer, one careful step at a time.
