Chapter 53
Jukchang Daejeon.
The day before the start of this event, rumors that the planner made it on drugs were rampant.
Managing Director Kwon Myeong-han was having a small dinner party with his confidant Kang Tae-hun, and was unfiltering the resentment he had buried in his heart.
“Hey Taehoon Kang. Do you think this makes sense now?”
Chi profit.
meat being grilled. Executive Director Myung-Han Kwon, whose face was flushed red, probably after drinking, was talking to Manager Kang Tae-Hoon with a twisted tone.
“What is a bamboo spear? uh? Isn’t the operation a mess because there are crazy idiots around who say this is fun?”
Those who were prepared for a do-or-die battle and shouted their opposition to the event called Jukchang Daejeon. But isn't it the military and companies where the ranks are gangsters? Executive Director Myung-Han Kwon strongly objected, but he did not dare to go against the will of his direct superior, President Lee Mi-yeon.
“Aigoo... I can understand your thoughts, Mr. What do I do though? The boss says he likes it..... And isn't CEO Lee Mi-yeon the one who owns 1% of the company? You thought it was all positive for the game and prepared it.....”
Bang.
“This bastard... You are just like the others! How can I live my life with confidence when I live only as a yes-man like that! uh?”
“Haa... what can I do? Still, there is no such thing as this company.”
With an honest heart, Manager Kang Tae-Hoon agreed with Executive Director Myung-Han Kwon.
‘If common sense says this isn't a crazy event, then he's crazy...'
An event outside common sense that ordinary people can't even try to understand. However, the event that was really promoted because of people like Gan Shin-bae, who praised the novelty and goodness, led by President Lee Mi-yeon, was already approaching D-day, receiving great interest, concern, and ridicule from users.
“Ah...if only I hadn't flinched at his scouting offer.”
At the time of company establishment of Arcadia Co., Ltd. The conditions thrown at famous Korean game companies by large-scale headhunters dispatched from the United States were a huge topic.
It is a program for children's education that provides support for study abroad expenses as well as a light annual salary. In addition, 100% guaranteed medical insurance, living expenses, and official residence support were so tempting that even employees at the executive level were tempted to fall for them.
“I told you to become a dragon’s tail rather than a snake’s head...”
Manager Kang Tae-hun smiled bitterly as he picked up a glass of wine and murmured, facing executive director Kwon Myeong-han, who fell asleep snoring.
He was not so big in the past, but as a vice president of a medium-sized game company, he led major projects within the company with great authority. But now he has the title of general manager, but he has become a scarecrow with little access to Arcadia's data.
Unlike the past, when they ran around with great authority and responsibility, although lacking, the present has gained material abundance and stability, but has lost practical authority. Director Kang Tae-hoon emptied his glass while asking himself the ultimate question of which time was happier.
He seemed to be drinking more bitterly today.
* * *
On the day of the Jukchang Daejeon.
All users, including Jaeyoung, saw a magnificent video that appeared as soon as they connected to Arcadia.
[Finally, the festival of fighting was held. A battlefield full of blood and struggle.]
A video featuring a muscular giant dressed as if he were about to shout Sparta. Like a fighter preparing for a campaign, he slammed his shield with his sword and shouted to Jaeyoung in a solemn voice.
[You! Are you ready to jump into the battlefield for glory and victory!]
A video that makes your heart feel magnificent just by watching it. Then, a selection window popped up in front of his eyes.
[Would you like to participate in the event Jukchang Daejeon? Y/N]
-If you accept participation, you will be moved to the event-only map.
Jaeyoung presses accept without hesitation. At the same time, he could feel the world around him changing rapidly.
Pang Pang Pang!
The sound of firecrackers resounding somewhere. Undoubtedly, Jaeyoung, who had been in a small village just a moment ago, was placed in the middle of a huge place where a festival seemed to be in full swing.
“Welcome to Fantastic Island! My name is Receptionist Lisa!”
A cute-looking NPC dressed as a maid. She approached Jaeyoung first and greeted him with a friendly smile.
“What are you doing here?”
A space full of people chattering here and there. Jaeyoung imagined a bloody fight with a bamboo spear, but Jaeyoung tilted his head slightly at the people eating and drinking happily without any signs of that on the outside.
“This is Fantastic Island, a fantasy island where a 24-hour festival is held. It hosts a different themed parade every day and is famous for its delicious food and beautiful beaches. Is this your first visit to this island?”
Jaeyoung nodded his head at her question, a smile that could not be erased from his face.
“Then take your time and look around. You will probably find plenty of things to do. Oh, everything on this island is free, so don't be shy and enjoy it to your heart's content!”
Lisa goes somewhere with a wink in her eyes. Jaeyoung left her behind and looked around.
“and! oh my god! It tastes so much better than eating it in this barbecue reality!”
“Even if you eat here, you won’t gain weight, right? Here you go! Bring me each one of the menus here.”
“hey! Awesome! There's a gryphon rental store over there. They say you can fly on it!”
“Hyaa... the parade sisters here... are so pretty.....”
“Darling? What did you just say?”
“Eh... Oh no..... Shall we go see the magic tarot?”
Fantastic Island. Just like the meaning of its name, many people were already having fun on this island, which provides fantastic things to do.
“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
“Whoaaaagh! Higher!”
A real amusement park is a world full of realistic and thrilling experiences. A world where you can satisfy your desires by eating the food you want to eat without having to worry about gaining weight or worrying about your health. Seeing people enjoying various things to play in this virtual reality, Jaeyoung could really feel that this world is changing rapidly in the flow of innovation and change.
“At this rate, all travel agencies will have to close their doors.....”
It seemed that all of the airline accidents and travel accidents had to lower the shutters from here, but suddenly a loud sound came from behind Jaeyoung.
“Queueek! Where else are you!”
“Hmm... It's a heterogeneous space. It's not the human world... but it's not the spirit realm or the phantom realm... it's a completely unfamiliar dimension of another world.....”
Suddenly, a crack in the space opened behind Jae-young, and two gumballs, Tan and L, protruded. The two appeared tearing up the space and looked around with strange eyes.
“...how the hell did you guys get here?”
“Even if the owner is not interested, shouldn’t you take care of the relationship if it is a relationship signed with a familiarity contract? What if you disappear without a word? It's a bit over the line to go to another dimension.”
“As a guardian angel, protecting the contractor is a sacred duty. I came here to fulfill that duty.”
Two beings that appeared splendidly by tearing up even the space. However, those who passed by Jae-young, who could not recognize them, were busy going their own way without any reaction.
“Rather than that, where the hell is this, owner, and how did you end up in a place like this?”
“It's strange... If such a huge dimension exists, there's no way we wouldn't know about it...” An
event area full of adventurers. The two, who had existed since the beginning of Arcadia's numerous dimensions, were looking back and forth with curious eyes in a heterogeneous space they had never seen before. Suddenly, a person came up to Jaeyoung and started talking to him.
“Hmm... Hey?”
“yes....?”
A female user wearing a blue wizard outfit. She looked at Jaejoong with twinkling eyes and asked.
“Excuse me for the first meeting... Is this your hidden class?”
“...?”
A question that comes in without a hitch. Jaeyoung was taken aback by the question from a user he had never met before, but soon put on a calm expression. However, she said with a strange smile, as if she had confirmed the subtle reaction she showed in that moment.
“Huh.... that's right.”
Seeing her reaction as if she was convinced that what was just a guess was true, Jaeyoung also asked directly.
“...how did you know?”
“Who wouldn’t expect it to appear tearing up space like that? Being a hidden class is obvious.”
“Eh? what? did you see that how?”
“...That’s strange. Ordinary humans would never recognize us...”
Tan and L were taken aback by her words. As the two muttered with their eyes full of bewilderment and doubt, she tilted her head and narrowed her eyes as she looked behind Jaeyoung's back.
“The two beings after that are... spirits? no is it redemption? I can't see it exactly... Is it a summoning hidden class?”
The existence of Tan and L, which no one except Jaeyoung has been aware of until now. Until they revealed themselves, no one could recognize their existence, but the mysterious female user in front of them was exactly aware of the existence of the two.
“wow! Isn’t that person over there the No. 2 Starlight Witch?”
“oh my god! is it real wow!”
“Who is that person with you?”
“I don't know... Is this the first time I've seen it?”
“Isn’t it another ranker by any chance?”
Crowds flocked to the cry of someone famous or not. In an instant, Jaeyoung became trapped in the middle of a crowd of noisy people.
“Oh... I’m sorry. I just wanted to ask out of curiosity, but I got people’s attention for no reason.”
A female player scratching her cheek as if in trouble. She bowed her head and greeted Jaeyoung.
“First, let me introduce myself. I’m Stella, a wizard user who plays Arcadia with the hidden class ‘Starlight Witch’.”
Witch of the Stardust.
Recently gaining huge popularity in Arfandia, she was the second most powerful player in the rankings.
“Looking at the beings who are difficult to grasp even with my eyes of truth, they seem to be hidden powers....
Eyes like shining stars. Strangely, unlike other users, her eyes, which were exceptionally bright, were looking directly at Tan and L, who were fluttering and flying behind Jaeyoung's back.
“hey! Stella! Are you here to participate in this Jukchang Daejeon?”
“Sir! Can't you let me lose? I am also a wizard user, but I want a good item.”
“Please take a screenshot with me!”
Is it because she is a ranker who has a beauty that anyone can say is pretty and has a hidden class? Stella smiled broadly at the endless requests from the people who came and left after leaving a strange word to Jaeyoung before going to meet the users.
“I’ll be looking forward to seeing how he plays when the game starts later. See you again.”
“...What is that fucking human female?”
“Hmm... to see through our cognitive impairment... you're a nasty human being.”
Tan and L glared at Stella's back with displeased expressions as if their pride had been scratched at the fact that their cognitive impairment had not worked.
For some reason, Jaeyoung felt that this event would not go smoothly.