The chaos in the New Continent was eventually quelled once the emergency maintenance began.
The developers seemed to have attempted to bring about some changes, but as is often the case in life, things don’t always go according to plan.
Ultimately, they had to resort to using the same methods as in the existing continents.
However, even amidst the chaos, some people manage to see opportunity.
Having practically cleaned out the nearby areas, I managed to secure a fairly decent share.
The sweet flow of gold didn’t last long, though.
Even if someone takes away your gold through PK (Player Killing), they can’t touch the coins stored in the village.
After realizing just how dangerous the New Continent’s fields were, users started to avoid carrying gold with them.
Killing gamers near the village had become a fruitless endeavor.
One might say the concept of the New Continent has failed, but such issues will naturally resolve themselves soon enough.
The best hunting grounds have always been far from the village, after all.
Playing Invul requires a lot of consumables.
It’s an obvious fact that going back and forth to the village for supplies will drastically reduce efficiency.
If you want to restock on consumables from nearby merchants, you’ll need to carry enough gold with you.
The idea is to avoid picking on the weak and instead focus on high-level player battles.
[Would you like to store 80,000,000 Gold? Y/N]
[Storage complete.]
In any case, it’s true that the advantages of user hunting have dropped off recently.
So, it’s time to begin thoroughly exploring the New Continent.
There is still much about the New Continent that remains undiscovered.
While several pieces of information have been released to heighten anticipation, users ultimately must discover the important details themselves.
Relying solely on community sites during these times is a beginner’s move.
Exclusive money-making information — so-called “honey pots” — cannot be found without moving on your own.
It’s only natural that such operations are more efficient with a group rather than alone.
“Surely you’re not broadcasting right now? If you are, turn it off. We’ll ruin the honey pot.”
“I know that. But I am recording. I’ll edit it and upload it later; it should be fine, right?”
“Only if I get a chance to inspect it before you upload.”
“Of course. Do you think I’m some kind of creep?”
A warrior with a large great sword strapped to his back.
Soobin shrugged his shoulders.
…For now, this idiot was the only person I could call on.
It can’t be helped.
My network is narrow, what can I do?
There aren’t many people in this scene that I’d consider allies worth traveling with.
Especially not during times when the dynamics of the battleground are rapidly changing.
It’s not easy to find a high-level user who isn’t affiliated with a guild.
Surprisingly, Soobin met these criteria.
Until now, he has only acted in a mercenary capacity, but he also possesses adequate stats and skills.
In fact, he could even take the vanguard in my place, so our two-person party setup was quite functional.
Actually, I did briefly consider Traveler.
But he’s busy preparing for the league.
Even if I asked, he would likely turn me down immediately.
– Big match of the season opener: Q Prime vs Sigma eSports!
– Will the Korean league sustain its system centered on Luche and Traveler?
– Sigma eSports makes a bold call-up of Camellia to the first team!
With the New Continent patch, the professional league season was also about to begin.
Since my first game is against Luche, it’s sure to be heated.
I’m looking forward to seeing how thoroughly Luche will prepare.
Luche appeared stronger than ever at the arena.
Ah, I can’t wait to see the match.
“Seo… uh, is your sister not coming?”
“It’ll be hard; Elderlyn is the type who focuses on preparation. She’ll probably only join after uploading reviews of all the new additions. Dolgyul said he’ll come tomorrow.”
“Sangsa said she’ll only connect tomorrow, too. There’s nothing we can do. Let’s roam around together today.”
Still, this is quite something.
I’ve started to use the word ‘sister’ more naturally.
I know thinking about such things is meaningless.
Nevertheless, a word that seemed strange now comes out of my mouth naturally.
Perhaps humans really are creatures that adapt to their environment?
You might even say I’ve become more open to physical contact.
It feels strangely soothing to be close to someone else.
That’s why I would sit on Sangsa’s lap during karaoke sessions.
It wasn’t out of ill intent.
I just found it really comforting. I think I now understand why women hold hands when they walk together.
‘Warm and soft… No, this is beside the point.’
Anyway, compared to the past, when even slight physical touch would make me uncomfortable, there’s a significant difference now.
I haven’t yet made contact with men, so I don’t know about that, but it’s not something I’d casually experiment with.
Am I really easier to get along with than I thought?
A sense of warning is starting to arise.
While I was lost in thought, Soobin opened the map.
The unexplored territories are still shrouded in a fog-like depiction.
Still, you can somewhat make out the general shapes.
Soobin pointed straight to the center of the fog.
“Most people seem to be trying to breach the center first, especially this area.”
“The guilds focused on territory expansion will likely head that way. They probably think the best rewards are clustered in the center.”
“So, are you planning to go to the center?”
“No way. Don’t say such ridiculous things. Why would I want to see what happens there?”
Even if you find some treasure, it’s not yours if you can’t protect it.
If we were to make a mistake and get entangled with the territorial guilds, things would become unnecessarily messy.
Territorial guilds don’t get their bad reputation for nothing.
They’re essentially groups formed for profit.
Just like how rationality and logic mean nothing in front of a starving beast, these guys aren’t much different.
Powerful but greedy carnivores.
Wolves that naturally go after weaker prey due to instinct.
That’s how I see the nature of territorial guilds.
Therefore, it’s more logical to head elsewhere.
I already had a place in mind — the ravine in the corner of the map.
It’s expected to be one of the most difficult and complex courses on this continent.
“We should head there.”
“…Really?”
“Why, are you scared?”
A natural smirk crept onto my face.
Soobin clenched his teeth tightly.
“It’s just too exciting! Let’s go right now!”
The blood tasted thick in my mouth.
It was hot and sticky, heavy with iron, spreading a metallic taste throughout.
I had to rinse my mouth with water after spitting it out on the ground.
Angry at nothing in particular, I kicked the fallen monster’s head.
Then my own foot hurt.
It seemed too embarrassing to grab my foot in front of him, so I acted as if nothing happened.
Apparently, all the monsters in this area were Minotaurs.
Half-human, half-bull creatures. Their tenacity makes them less than ideal foes.
Also, biological-type monsters tend to make you dirty from the blood.
“Ugh, my mouth still tastes of iron.”
“Should I give you more water?”
“Yeah.”
Clearly, the monsters in this area were of high caliber.
Even the Minotaur we just defeated was far stronger than what you’d find in the top hunting grounds of the main continent.
There were quite a few other players around when we first entered this area, but now none remain.
Most of them had either been killed or fled.
Even with my equipment level, these monsters are rather challenging to deal with.
For the average player, hunting here is practically impossible.
Furthermore, the terrain of the ravine makes it difficult for large groups to move simultaneously.
Which is why I was even more confident.
This is the right choice.
“Will we find something if we keep going?”
“Exactly. It feels promising.”
There are two reasons why I chose this place out of so many possible regions.
One is that it’s a location that large territorial guilds find difficult to enter.
Narrow terrain and strong monsters make it vulnerable to enemy ambushes, meaning it’s not a region they would easily choose.
The second reason follows the same logic.
This ravine is best traversed by a small group of elite players.
However, most players with stats comparable to mine are already affiliated with large guilds.
With most of the major guilds focusing their forces on central conquests, this area is one of the quietest spots on the New Continent.
The fact that each individual monster is difficult to defeat but not impossible is also a good sign.
If it weren’t a normal quest route, monsters that even I couldn’t overcome would have been waiting.
Then, we must press on.
Infinity Black is a game, and therefore follows rules.
In games, hard work is always followed by reward.
Unlike reality.
“Hey, how should we handle the spoils?”
“For now, let me keep them all. We’ll settle up afterward.”
“Hmm, it feels good that you’re trusting me with this.”
“…Yeah, something like that.”
I’m actually quite grateful to Soobin.
Even though he’s died many times at my hands, he’s never shown any ill feelings and even willingly extended his hand to me.
Even I don’t repay gratitude with enmity.
However, if there comes a time when unpleasant feelings well up within me again, this guy has enough room to step aside.
“Let’s go. We’ve rested enough. Let’s keep moving and see if we can find something.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yes.”
“That’s right. Heh heh…”
With these somewhat complicated thoughts organized, we resumed our journey.
Traveling with someone was not such a bad thing after all.
