Ark the Legend 1-12

by Yoo Seong

  * This item isn’t for sale.

 

  ‘Heok! This is real! A real air board!’

  Ark’s mouth opened as he read the information window. In fact, Ark had been worried about a serious problem over the last few days. It was the existence of a vehicle. New World was set in medieval times so he never had to worry about vehicles. The hunting grounds were close to the villages and other towns were only 2~3 days away. It was a game where hunting was comfortable

  However, the scale of Galaxian was different from other games. Even Istana that was one planet in the galaxy was 2~3 times earth’s size. The hunting grounds were also on the boundaries of Istana. Sometimes people would have to travel a minimum of 100 km after leaving a city to find monsters inhabiting an unexplored region. Anybody walking on foot would understand. It was a waste of time and calories. That’s why Ark suffered when travelling 532 km on Beltana.

  ‘If I earnestly start adventuring……’

  Like always, the problem was money. Typically users in Galaxian moved using a bike. However, even an old model that moved a maximum of 100 km/hr cost at least 200 gold. He didn’t understand it when on Beltana but the 300 km/hr hover bike that he rode cost 700 gold.

  ‘Although it is necessary to live…..’

  There was also a fatal weakness with the bikes. The bike couldn’t be placed in the bag so they had to park it outside the ruins. This was a problem that wouldn’t occur in medieval games. Ark wasn’t worried about the discomfort of parking but security. If someone had a hacking skill like Ark then they could steal his bike! Of course, hacking wasn’t a common skill.

  ‘But there is enough!’

  Thieves were common enough that he was worried about it. Now he could feel relieved. Marquis Martin had solved two problems at the same time. Not only did he get a vehicle for free, the air board could be stored in his bag unlike the bike. It only travelled 60 km/hr but the speed wasn’t a problem. Above all it was free!

  ‘Amazing! The deadly schedule is worth it in the end. This is the compensation I need!’

  “How about it? Are you satisfied?”

  “Of course. It is the best!”

  Ark answered without thinking about it. Then Marquis Martin smiled bitter sweetly and said.

  “I’m glad you are satisfied with your compensation. But to ask if the reward would change depending on your answer……that means you are rejecting my suggestion. Am I correct?”

  He was satisfied with the compensation received. This meant he had no more reason to need Marquis Martin. But Marquis Martin was a powerful aristocrat of the federation so there was no reason to offend him. He generously gave him an excellent item so couldn’t he pretend to be grateful?

  “I’m thankful that Marquis Martin appreciates my ability. But I’m just a pioneer who appeared in the universe 4 months ago. I luckily became Beltana’s Hero so there is still too much I don’t know yet. I have no confidence that I can return Marquis-nim’s expectations. If I gain more skills then I might work for Marquis-nim in the future.”

  “Don’t tell me that so simply.”

  “I’m really sorry.”

  “No, I can’t do anything if you don’t want to……”

  Marquis Martin closed his eyes and became immersed in his thoughts. After a couple of minutes, Marquis Martin opened his eyes and said in a low voice.

  “Then can I request a favour?”

  “A favour?”

  “The explanation might take a while so I’ll try to make it simple. As you know, Nabe is the northernmost city of Istana but there is actually one more there. You might have heard about this. Our ally is the 3rd alien alliance the Aschulat. Apart from Nabe, the other city in the northern wasteland called Charem belongs to the Aschulat.”

  “Huh? Isn’t Istana a planet of the galactic federation?”

  “It is a planet of the federation. Even if the Aschulat are allies, it isn’t possible for them to have a city on Istana. So the Aschulat claim that they have nothing to do with Charem. But the Aschulat’s reason for denying involvement with Charem has nothing to do with avoiding the federation’s suspicions. That’s because the entire city of Charem is a huge smuggling organization.”

  “Smuggling organization?”

  “Yes, there are a number of items restricted by the galactic federation. Charem is the city where people smuggle those things through. Of course, even the Aschulat and members of the galactic federation smuggles things through Charem.”

  Marquis Martin sighed and continued talking.

  “The reason the galactic federation has tolerated Charem is because it was useful. Like I said, Charem is officially a stateless city. Therefore some Rama are also associated with it. The federation were able to get information about the Rama through Charem so they overlooked its existence.”

  “……But a problem has formed.”

  “Exactly.”

  Marquis Martin nodded.

  “The Aschulat used the excuse of internal conflicts to leave the Bellin constellation conflict against the Rama. Now all the information from Charem has been blocked off. At the same time, the federation’s contact within Charem also cut off contact. The federation’s line of contact has been cut off but there is no confirmation that the Charem cut off contact with the Rama. In that case, there is a possibility that all the information from Charem is going to the Rama.”

  Marquis Martin spoke with a serious expression. It was obviously a serious problem just by listening

  A city situated in the heart of the federation was selling information to the enemy. The problem was more serious than a war. However, Ark wasn’t entirely convinced.

  “Is Charem officially a lawless city? There is no evidence that Charem is secretly communicating with the Rama. Even if the city is used to smuggle illegal goods, can the federations’ troops be mobilized without any evidence? Won’t the Aschulat be able to complain?”

  “That is why I want to ask a favour from you.”

  Marquis Martin replied in a low voice.

  “Charem isn’t a normal city. It is camouflaged with a few layers of advanced shields and is equipped with devices to detect movement. Charem is also 1,000 km from the nearest city so it is difficult to find with a radar. The federation might’ve overlooked Charem’s existence but to be more accurate, they have no way to handle it. If we move troops large enough to capture Charem, their information network will detect the movements. They will escape and the situation would become worse.”

  The galactic federation had no confirmation that the Charem were secretly communicating with the Rama. If they rallied the troops and failed then Charem would 100% ally with the Rama

  Furthermore, they might’ve officially denied it but the city still belonged to the Aschulat. If the federation mobilized troops for a sudden attack then it could adversely affect the alliance with the Aschulat. The galactic federation weren’t brave enough to take such risks.

  “The federation won’t throw away troops when there is no guarantee they can control the situation.”

  Marquis Martin’s voice became even lower.

  “You will create the conviction for me.”

  “I’m not sure what you’re talking about……”

  “It is simple. You must sneak into Charem and use this.”

  Marquis Martin took out a bag-sized machine.

  “This is a GPS transmitter connected to the federation’s military. This is the most advanced GPS transmitter able to send extremely long range signals and the radio waves can’t be interfered with. The problem is the shield. The transmitter can’t penetrate the layers protecting Charem. This transmitter needs to be used when the shield is turned off or connected to Charem’s communication antenna that isn’t shielded. If it succeeds then the federal troops can overpower Charem.”

  “What do you want me to do?”

  “I want you to be in charge.”

  “But aren’t there other people who know where Charem is?”


  “I specifically asked for you.”

  Marquis Martin smiled and answered.

  “Didn’t I tell you? I have a high expectation of your abilities. But it isn’t your combat power that I rate highly. If it is simple fighting power then there are more reliable guys. I need someone who isn’t simply a strong warrior. I need a warrior like you.”

  “A warrior like me?”

  “Do you know why I was in charge of your mass media campaign? I only heard the situation from Haman. And I saw the videos you took. I came to the conclusion that you are a pioneer strong in improvisation. You’re a wise and cunning fellow. From what I know of this situation, this talent is needed more than anything else.”

  ‘That’s right. I can understand the situation now.’

  This was definitely the reason why Marquis Martin suddenly cancelled the schedule. He didn’t understand every point but it was possible to know Marquis Martin’s aim. Ark’s visibility started to fall a few days ago. But he didn’t dare cancel the schedule until they arrived at Nabe because it was the closest city to Charem. This was the best place to spring the plan on Ark.

  ‘That’s also why he gave an item like the air board as compensation.’

  This was the nearest city to Charem but it was still 1,000 km away. If Ark accepted the task then he would need a method of transportation. Marquis Martin’s behaviour was to make it easier for Ark to accept the mission.

  ‘If I think like this then it feels like…..’

  It had a smell. The smell of a main quest. The quest involved playing a decisive role in helping the federation take control of a smuggling city. If he succeeded then he could guess that Marquis Martin’s reward would be tremendous. It might even be equal to the compensation received when becoming Beltana’s Hero. High-risk, high- return. If the risk was high then he would also receive a lot back. In other words, the larger the risk the larger the prize.

  ‘What intelligence personnel would be able to find the city, break into it, infiltrate the main facilities and connect the GPS transmitter to the communication antenna?’

  It was indeed a mission impossible! He couldn’t fathom the probability of success for this quest

  There were many chances for Ark to get caught and killed. This was a burden so even Ark couldn’t accept the quest blindly. He wasn’t just worried about the degree of difficulty.

  ‘Milan said he restored the slab……’

  Ark had been waiting several days for the slab. Then he was contacted a few hours ago that the slab was restored. If the slab matched Ark and Milan’s expectations then he could get considerable income from the Murat ruins. There was also more security than Marquis Martin’s quest. He could also discover a new rune. Of course, it wasn’t so urgent that he had to go running there immediately

  But he couldn’t think about relaxing. The Murat ruins were hidden but there were many pioneers on Istana so there was no guarantee that they wouldn’t find it. The place Milan found the slab had been discovered by other pioneers so the ruins might’ve already been taken away. The first person who found it would take the treasure. He didn’t know how long the quest would take so it was a burden to accept. However, he could expect a colossal reward if the quest was successful. Not anyone could receive a quest like this. He couldn’t bear to decline it.

  ‘The most worrisome thing is if Milan’s slab is different from my expectations. If he refused Marquis Martin’s quest and the slab turned out to be nothing then he would’ve blown off a rare quest. But he couldn’t blindly accept the quest. Besides…..eh? Wait? Come to think of it…..’

  Ark finally realized something strange.

  “But haven’t I been played over and over on the media as a war hero over the last few days? If Charem can grasp the movements of the federation army then wouldn’t they know me? How can I take on this duty?”

  This was the problem.

  Marquis Martin’s quest was a type of spy work. But Ark was a celebrity thanks to the interviews over the last few days. It would be impossible for him to infiltrate Charem. Marquis Martin laughed like he expected it and took something out.

  “I’ve already thought about that.”

  -Hyde Helmet (Quest Items)

  Item type: Helmet

  Wearer Restriction: Level 31 (Body Coating Required)

  Defense: 5 Durability: 30/30

  A helmet that covers the entire face.

  This looks like a normal helmet but a special feature has been added. There is a special coating on the glass front so the opponent can’t see your face. It also prevents all infrared scopes from detecting your name by setting a different character name. If you want to do bad things! If you want to hide your name! The Hyde Helmet is the best choice for a coward like you.

  * If you commit a crime then the chaotic value will be applied to your original name.

 

  “T-this?”

  Ark eyed the blue helmet with astonished eyes.

  “A former informant who infiltrated Charem bought this item. It can be used by the galactic federation, Aschulat and Rama. A lot of people who want to hide their identity will buy this helmet. I will lend it to you for this mission.”

  ‘There is a way with this helmet!’

  Ark’s ears didn’t hear Marquis Martin’s words anymore. Ark became the ambassador of the galactic federation and he became a celebrity. But becoming famous was something Ark wanted to avoid most. Ark had no choice but to unintentionally receive attention from other users. In additional to his name, his face and appearance became known. When visiting Hamad, Asuran and Milan he had heard quite a few people whispering about him. That situation would continue for a while. If it was just interest then it wouldn’t matter that much. He was willing to receive requests for pictures or signatures. The problem was the guys with evil intentions. It was a world where many people hated celebrities just because they were famous. A lot of them would approach Ark under false pretences and then stab him in the back. It was to the extent that his head throbbed when thinking about it.

  ‘If I use this then it is possible to hide my face and name?’

  His problem would be settled. It might only have 5 defense but the unique properties of the helmet made it beyond value! However, the item was leased so he would have to return the Hyde Helmet when the quest was over.

  ‘But……’

  Ark thought for a while before speaking with a serious expression.

  “I understand. I will accept Marquis-nim’s request and install the GPS transmitter in Charem. But Marquis-nim knows better than anyone that there is no guarantee this mission will succeed. If I fail then I will lose my life and a lot of time. So I would like a minimum compensation promise.”

  “Say it.”

  “Please give me the Hyde Helmet.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  “Of course, I know receiving compensation beforehand seems slightly stubborn. But Charem is 1,000 km from here. And I’m by myself…..”

  “So I will give it to you.”

  “No, that is…..eh? You’ll give it to me?”

  “How many times are you going to say the same thing?”

  Marquis Martin frowned and muttered. Ark was dumbfounded by Marquis Martin’s reaction. The defense was low but the helmet’s special function meant it was quite rare. At least in Ark’s view point

  And the item couldn’t be obtained through a normal route. He got a bit of help from Marquis Martin but he was still a NPC. He played the game for several years but he never heard of a NPC that would just give an item to the user. Especially Marquis Martin who had squeezed all of Ark’s fame in the last five days? Marquis Martin declared in an unpleasant voice at Ark’s stupid expression.

  “Don’t look like that. This is an urgent problem. You know that too. Isn’t that why you shamelessly pushed the conditions? I noticed your expression when receiving it so the conclusion is clear. Your mouth is babbling on for no reason.”
>
  ‘Well, I guess but…..’

  The words were coolly spoken so he felt even more uncomfortable. Normal users wouldn’t think that deep but Ark wasn’t a normal user and he felt uncomfortable. He was a user who had experienced a lot of aerial combat!

  ‘He is a NPC. Unlike users, he won’t act based on his feelings.’

  Ark knew that. NPCs normally behaved stingily. If the NPC was willing to settle so easily then it meant they wanted something. His experience with cheap tricks meant there was something fishy. But the circumstances involving Marquis Martin were different. It was a virtual reality game but a NPC was a NPC. They were part of the game. Intimacy was calculated as a numerical value and affected the behaviour of the NPC. Intimacy was also the cause behind the Royal Guards and the Silver Hand’s loyalty. If a NPC accepted an impossible request then it meant the request wasn’t impossible in the first place.

  ‘Yes, it isn’t a stretch to think this situation is different.’ In fact, the air board wasn’t his compensation for his achievements on Beltana. Marquis Martin just gave him the item required for the mission. The Hyde Helmet was the same. Anyway, now he had a chance to sneak into Charem to proceed with the quest. And the level restriction of 31 wasn’t high. If he thought like that then Marquis Martin wasn’t actually that generous. Then…..’

  He might be able to get even more! Of course, he couldn’t be too excessive. Once again, a NPC’s behaviour was affected by various numerical values. His request wouldn’t be granted if it went beyond the threshold. This was an absolute rule! If he became too greedy and crossed the limit then there was a risk the quest would be cancelled and intimacy decreased. So Ark……

  “I’m grateful to Marquis Martin in many ways. I could become Beltana’s Hero thanks to Marquis-nim. The reason I didn’t grumble about the promotional trip without any breaks was because I’m thankful to Marquis-nim. If Marquis-nim requests something from me then I can’t refuse no matter the dangers. Yes, I’ll dedicate my body and heart to your request.”

  The reason he spoke like this……

  “The thing I’m worried about is how to complete the mission despite the dangers. I’m not afraid to die. But the thing that concerns me is betraying Marquis Martin’s expectations and failing the mission. I heard that the northern region is infested with considerably high level monsters. I’m might be Beltana’s Hero but I’m still inexperienced as a pioneer! I only have equipment of this standard. I don’t know if I can accomplish my duty like this.”