Chapter 41: Speak, Pygmy

[You have opened seven Random Coin Boxes in succession.]

The seventh Random Coin Box was triggered.

[You have fulfilled the Hidden Piece 'Challenge to the Jackpot'.]

To my relief, it was as I remembered.

'I guess I really did return to the past.'

The realization washed over me anew. It was currently the early stage of the Tutorial, so ten years before the year I had lived in. Before my regression, hidden pieces were thought of as commonplace.

Things considered so very natural ten years later were so very new right now, ten years prior. This 'Challenge to the Jackpot' was something everyone in the future knew about.

The notices continued.

[You are the 'first' to have fulfilled the conditions for 'Challenge to the Jackpot'.]

[There is a title that can be connected to the first discovery of the Hidden Piece 'Challenge to the Jackpot'.]

When I discovered 'Gold Turtle's Collective Spirit' earlier, I didn't connect my title because there hadn't been much merit in doing so.

'But this time?'

[The title that can be connected is 'First Pioneer'.]

I pulled up the detailed explanation.

If a Player with the [First Pioneer] title is the first to discover a [Hidden Piece], it is possible to trigger a linked scenario. Linked scenarios can be triggered three times.

Linked Scenarios Triggered: [0/3]

Linked Hidden Piece: [Challenge to the Jackpot]

Scenario: Random Coin Box transformed into Double Coin Box

'Double Coin Box?'

A Double Coin Box was a box that would give me the amount of Coins I had right now, doubling my total Coins.

'I have around 40k Coins.'

So if I opened the Double Coin Box, I would be able to acquire 40k Coins.

'That would make 80k Coins.'

My goal was 70k Coins, so that would leave a whole extra 10k. While I was standing there, thinking, the Guardians sent notices, apparently feeling antsy.

[The 'Nameless Observer' observes your actions.]

[The 'Whispering Devil' is curious.]

[The 'Lady of the Scales' focuses on you.]

[The 'True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain' feels impatient.]

[The 'Courageous Lion King' strikes his chest.]

Of course they were curious as to why I didn't crack open the seventh box right away.

"Senia, share the reward I got."

I publicized my reward to the Guardians. Should I change the Random Coin Box to a Double Coin Box, or not? I was showing my actions to the Guardians right now, showing them exactly what I would do.

"Guys. I'm in a place right now where I can get a Double Coin Box."

Blinking, Yeonseo asked, "What's that? Gonna give it to me?"

She almost looked like a squirrel wanting an acorn. I knew she was just joking, so I ignored the second part of her words with ease.

"It's a box that doubles the number of Coins you have when you get it."

"Aha. Then can't you wait to get it when you have more Coins? It would be more profitable to get that when you have more money, right?"

As expected of Yeonseo—she hit the bullseye. I was thankful she was so smart. Lady of the Scales, are you listening?

"Yeah. That's true in theory. But it doesn't work with Coins gained through trades."

In other words, there was no point in getting all their Coins and then obtaining the Double Coin Box.

"And also, this is a place where all of us worked hard together and cleared together, right? We're all party members who've fought with our backs to each other."

"H-Huh? I… guess?"

Yeonseo glanced at me doubtfully.

State: Uneasy / Doubt / Anxious

If I had to hazard a guess, she was probably thinking along the lines of 'What's up with him all of a sudden? Did he eat something strange?' I fully understood her feelings. Even I felt awkward saying such words.

"It's my belief that there should be a fair distribution of rewards here. That's what's right."

"…"

Unable to adapt to my sudden change of tune, Yeonseo simply stared, almost like a fearful squirrel.

"So I'm gonna get the box now. If I do that, I can give you guys at least 3,000 Coins each."

I would easily reach my goal of 70k Coins, leaving me a surplus of about 3,000 Coins to give to the others.

'It's a lot of money for beginners.'

It was an amount that could buy fairly good items in the beginner grade, as well as potions, which could be called a Player's second life. Considering that ordinary Guardians gave sponsorships of 10 Coins or 300 Coins at most, 3,000 was no paltry sum.

[The 'Lady of the Scales' is impressed by your character.]

[The 'Whispering Devil' detests you.]

Senia appeared. "First Pioneer can only be connected to hidden pieces three times. Will you still use it?"

"Yeah. That's what's fair."

Actually, I wasn't doing this to be fair, but because I needed 70k Coins right now.

'What I need right now is 70k Coins.'

These 70k Coins would take me to a far higher place, at least according to the strategy in my memory.

'It's originally a strategy that can only be done by silver spoons.'

Who in their right mind would invest 70k Coins in a beginner? This strategy was only possible for truly high-level Players or children from chaebol families. It wasn't something ordinary working class people could even dream of.

'Plus… there'll be the gate clear reward, as well as the quest clear reward.'

And not only that, but as long as things went well, there was a possibility that the 'Lady of the Scales' would give me a generous sponsorship. The picture was drawn in its entirety.

[Will you connect the title effect of 'First Pioneer' with the Hidden Piece 'Challenge to the Jackpot'?]

This time, I chose 'YES'.

[The connection between the title effect and Hidden Piece has been completed.]

[Random Coin Box has been switched to Double Coin Box.]

I immediately opened the Double Coin Box.

[Current held Coins: 43,219 Coins]

[You have opened a Double Coin Box.]

[43,219 Coins acquired.]

My Coins were instantly doubled, meaning I currently had 86,438 Coins.

"I'll distribute 3,000 Coins each to you guys. Thanks for your hard work."

When I did so, I got a notice.

[The Lady of the Scales has sent you a 500 Coin sponsorship.]

It was a little feeble. Compared to the Lady of the Scales' fame, it was indeed too feeble a reward, though it was better than nothing.

"Hyungnim. Should I destroy this thing now?"

Yoohyun had a purple crystal, the Clear Crystal of the Turtle Nest, in his meaty, pot lid-sized hand. I nodded. He let go of the crystal, and it floated in midair.

"Uryah!"

He punched out, and after a few attacks, the crystal shattered.

[The Gate 'Turtle Nest' has been cleared.]

[Distributing Gate Clear rewards.]

[All Players are given +500 Coins.]

[All Players are given 'Beginner Tower Return Scroll'.]

I was surprised to see a Beginner Tower Return Scroll in the rewards. It was an item that was usually given after clearing a gate.

"We're gonna use the Beginner Tower Return Scroll. Use it right away without saving it."

This wasn't a very high difficulty gate. We only took the roundabout way of getting Coins, but we could have cleared it as soon as we found the crystal. The gate's overall difficulty was low, so the rewards were also not very high. In any case, I never expected much from the gate clear rewards to begin with.

'If there's a Beginner Tower Return Scroll, that means…'

It essentially meant that the Beginner Tower had formed while we were in the Japanese gate.

The notices continued.

[The quest 'Turtle Nest' has been cleared.]

That was the quest Senia had issued us. She approached us, then spoke while looking at me. "I will now deliver the rewards for clearing the Turtle Nest."

I didn't expect much.

"…"

"What are you waiting for? We have to use the Return Scroll before we get kicked out, so spit it out."

When we left, we would probably be swarmed by police or reporters. I wanted to avoid such a tiresome thing, if possible. It would be much more convenient to go straight to the Beginner Tower.

[Distributing rewards for clearing the quest 'Turtle Nest'.]

Senia handed me a pouch.

"Hm?"

By all appearances, it looked like a pouch filled with Coins.

"What's this?"

"Please take a look."

I took the pouch from her and got Coins.

[7,000 Coins acquired.]

The heck was this?

"…"

"…"

A moment of silence fell between Senia and me. The gate clear reward was a paltry 500 Coins, but the reward for a quest issued by an Intermediate Administrator was 7,000 Coins?

'This isn't…

I had a hunch. About the Turtle Nest clear quest.

'A quest issued by an Intermediate Administrator.'

It was obvious by looking at the attitude of this easily handled newbie Streamer. This was a quest she had been asked to issue as a proxy, and similarly, these rewards were given by someone else. And that someone did not reveal their identity.

'Who is it, then?'

I had no idea. Was there ever a Guardian who would give 7,000 Coins for a beginner gate?

'Could it be the Demon King's Guardian?'

Only someone of his level would do such a thing.

'Or… they'd have to be someone on the level of the Herdsman of Las Vegas.'

But the 'Herdsman of Las Vegas' had to be watching the US server right now, so it couldn't be him.

'Who could it be?'

I could only guess. If it was the Lady of the Scales, she would have personally issued the quest with her name on it. Something was strange about this. I was happy, but it was strange. There was no further information I could glean about the current situation.

'Who could it have possibly been?'

I pulled my thoughts away from the big question with effort. "All of you, use the return scroll we got as a reward. At least if you want to avoid something troublesome."

[You have used a 'Beginner Tower Return Scroll'.]

I was struck with a moment of dizziness, and it felt like I was getting sucked somewhere. When I recovered my senses, I was suddenly standing somewhere completely different.

[You have arrived at the Korean Beginner Tower – D-Tower.]

I looked around.

'So the Beginner Tower really opened.'

I could see people with their names written above their heads. They weren't actual people, but NPCs. They only existed in special places and were like artificial intelligences. You could think of them as NPCs in a game.

'Aria of the Potion Store. Charles of the Weapon Store.'

They were all familiar names. The NPCs managed stores that sold better quality items than the weapons you could get from the System shop. If you had enough intimacy with the NPCs, they sometimes sold hidden items as well.

'We've really arrived.'

D-Tower. This place, the former Tutorial Dungeon, was now the 'Beginner Tower'. Looking around with wide eyes, Yeonseo grabbed my sleeve and shook it.

"My god, is this real life? Weren't we in Japan just now?"

"…"

"Isn't this D-Tower? It is, right? I'm not dreaming, right?"

The 1st floor of D-Tower had changed. The original shops had all disappeared, as well as the ATM Sunhwa and I had used to block the Goblin Soldier's spear. The whole floor had been completely transformed.

Yeonseo's mouth was wide open.

"Holy cow…"

This was a world where monsters appeared, over 140,000 people died, and gates and dungeons existed, so what was all this fuss about return scrolls about?

"Amazing. So frickin' amazing. Amaaaaaazing!"

Her excited appearance was a little cute, but it was a bit irritating that she was grabbing my sleeve while jumping around. I shook her off.

"That's rude, treating me like I'm dust or something," Yeonseo muttered, pursing her lips.

"Thanks for your hard work. You guys go do what you have to do now. In a few days, I'll contact you again, so Yoohyun and Yeonseo, you go clear just 25 rounds of the Seoul Station Dungeon."

"Understood, hyungnim!"

"Got it. We just have to do 25 rounds, right?"

In the meantime, Players who had recognized Yoohyun started to come this way.

"Huh? Isn't that So Yoohyun?"

"Really? The Tutorial Ender?"

Everyone's interest in our sudden appearance quickly focused on Yoohyun. I was glad about it—he could take all the interest.

I was pretty impatient right now. The Beginner Tower had formed, and I had my advancement and Guardian Selection in front of me.

'Before that…'

I walked forward to carry out the strategy that only chaebols could do.

"Oppa. What should I do?"

"You go home and rest. I'll be back at night."

"What are you gonna do, oppa? Can't I come with you? I'm good at tanking, right?"

Just then, I recalled her summary.

Summary: Weak Brocon

The 'bro' in there couldn't be referring to me, right?

"Go home."

"…Okay."

"I'll get ice cream on the way home."

"Really?"

Sunhwa smiled brightly, like she had never been pouting. The happiness I could feel from her through Eye of Perception told me she really loved ice cream.

After a few steps, I saw the escalator that, unlike before, now had zero cooldown and required a usage fee.

[Escalator Going to the 2nd Floor]

The escalator going to the 2nd floor of the Beginner Tower. 15 people can teleport at the same time. Currently, there is nothing on the 2nd floor.

Cooldown: –

Required Coins: 100 Coins

I got on the escalator. Senia, who hadn't closed her channel yet, followed me. She probably thought my actions right now were a waste of money.

"You think my actions are a waste of money, right?"

"Yes. There is currently nothing on the 2nd floor."

Your attention, please, Guardians. Allow me to show you what I'm going to do here.

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