Light of Arad: Forerunner

Chapter 12

Jinseong confidently presented his pass.

The capital of the Duchy of Bell Meyer, the guards stationed at the gate had no reason to stop him.

“Go on in. But keep in mind, you can be expelled at any time if you cause any trouble.”

“Yes, yes. I understand.”

That didn’t mean they were particularly welcoming either.

Hearing the stern tone, Jinseong couldn’t help but click his tongue in disappointment.

‘Man, if they only knew! Huh?! Back when Sky Castle was destroyed, I was practically acting as the supreme commander and leader at the Allied Central Camp! Huh?! The duchy would always say, ‘Adventurer, you are always welcome, please visit us anytime!’ Just like that!’

Jinseong thought about the treatment his characters had received in *Dungeon & Fighter* after completing every scenario quest.

Compared to that, how was he being treated now?

Of course, Jinseong knew these were all unnecessary thoughts at this point, so he entered Hendon Myre, the capital of the Duchy of Bell Meyer, without any particular response.

More importantly, the truth was that he didn’t even have the luxury of making any particular response.

“Wow…”

Jinseong couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

He had expected as much.

From the moment he could see Hendon Myre’s gate in the distance, and the unified white-toned buildings beyond the gate dedicated to honoring Grand Magician Meyer.

Even as he saw countless people bustling beyond the gate, he had already been surprised once!

“What should we have for dinner tonight?”

“You’re already talking about dinner when we just came out for lunch?”

“Hey, hey, fresh fish for sale! These were just brought in this morning from West Coast Harbor!”

What could one say about all this bustling noise?

There were no skyscrapers, but instead, a certain satisfying pleasure came from seeing the low-rise or single-story buildings all uniformly colored and lined up.

‘They say it’s market day. Could it really be market day? Or is there always this much foot traffic?’

And the well-maintained roads teeming with countless people.

The sight of people of all ages, professions, and genders bustling about made Jinseong feel like he was walking through the streets of Myeong-dong or somewhere in Gangnam on the weekend.

As Jinseong was glancing around, feeling as though his eyes were about to pop out, he suddenly heard a familiar voice.

“Only those who challenge can seize victory, you know? If you’re interested in duels, feel free to come by anytime!”

A bright and refreshing voice, a grappler holding tonfas in both hands, with a striking appearance full of healthy charm that was even more noticeable than her voice.

If you were a *Dungeon & Fighter* user who had ever wandered the streets of Hendon Myre, you’d certainly recognize this NPC. Jinseong couldn’t help but recognize her.

“Wow?! Cho-Bung! It’s Cho-Bung!”

He was so impressed that he unconsciously called out her name.

Cho-Bung immediately looked at Jinseong and asked,

“Ahaha! Do you know me?”

It was a question that would never have come from the NPC he encountered in the game.

Though he might have been flustered by the sudden attention, Jinseong nodded and replied,

“You’re the champion of the duel tournament! Yes, that’s why I know you.”

How many times had he ‘initiated conversation’ with Cho-Bung in Hendon Myre?

Even though it had nothing to do with the main scenario quests of *Dungeon & Fighter*, how much time had he spent loitering there?

“Heh, you must be interested in dueling! You look pretty strong, so what do you say? Shall we showcase our skills, sweat together as we get tangled up, and ultimately become one with victory and friendship? Want to experience the charm of a duel?”

“Tangled up and sweaty… I’ll, uh, I’ll definitely experience it next time… Heh, next time for sure!”

Watching Cho-Bung speak with light and quick movements, Jinseong nodded as if he was entranced.

It was clear from his expression that his interest wasn’t solely in dueling.

“Hmm…”

So much so that he didn’t even notice another fighter, Pungjin, an NPC who once taught skills to fighter-class users, frowning and staring at him.

Someone else beside Jinseong then spoke up.

“Lol, what are you doing? Are you streaming or something?”

Even though he was wearing an avatar, Jinseong could immediately tell that the guy was a male Gunner, Spitfire class.

“Huh?”

“What are you doing in front of Cho-Bung, lol?”

“Oh, no, nothing.”

“Did you type that on purpose? lol crazy.”

Seeing the laughing user, Jinseong didn’t respond any further.

He just looked at the user, who had a mischievous and curious expression, and nodded.

‘I see. No matter what, actions in front of NPCs that could interact in the game will be noticeable to others. And… The names of the players still show up above their heads.’

It was a silence of observation.

Since this was practically the first time Jinseong had encountered a fully equipped user who was no longer a beginner, he felt the need to quickly gather information.

‘Reputation, guild, adventurer group, and titles don’t show. Only the character’s nickname appears.’

Although Jinseong was staring intently at the user, the user didn’t seem to notice and soon went on his way.

Watching the user’s back as he walked away, Jinseong’s expression hardened.

Was the special ability that someone possessed after being transported into *Dungeon & Fighter* only to recognize nicknames and character names?

‘Then that male Ranger back then, he-.’

That guy, who had chased after him in a hurry, calling him ‘Mister, Mister.’

Just how many inquiries had he made, searching for someone who could assist him within the limits that wouldn’t impose a penalty in this world, *Plain: Arad*, and how long had he been waiting for Jinseong himself?

‘Now that I think about it, he was remarkable. And despite likely hearing warnings from Nemer, he was slyly trying to exploit the loopholes…’

He had asked Jinseong not to apply buffs, nor deal with minor monsters.

The only thing he wanted was for Jinseong to crack the boss pattern strategy, which must have been because he was trying to apply Nemer’s warning in the most borderline way possible.

Nemer had said,

The entities managing space-time in this dimension will acknowledge cooperation between the possessed and ‘character adventurers,’ but unilateral assistance would cause distortion, so they intend to prevent it.

‘Did he think that doing just that much wouldn’t count as “receiving help,” but rather as “cooperating”?’

So, what exactly was the difference between cooperation and help?

Since the user had already experienced it, Jinseong could quickly arrive at a conclusion close to the correct answer.

‘It’s not just the level difference… The criteria for distinguishing between players in *Dungeon & Fighter* must apply here as well. Then, it’s the item level, in other words, the difference in “fame” that rises when you equip items.’

The adventurer fame of the Dark Knight that Jinseong had played was well over 57,000.

And the adventurer fame of the male Ranger user was just barely over 6,000.

In that situation, forming a party and entering a raid together was possible, but as soon as aggro was drawn to Jinseong, it was likely judged as receiving help rather than cooperation.

‘Throwing the was indeed the right decision. Lowering the required level to equip items by 10 means that, even with inflated numbers, fame will rise more quickly.’

The reason Jinseong had requested from Nemer was based on such speculation.

‘And thinking about the fact that forming a party is possible…’

Another idea popped into Jinseong’s head.

It was likely a valid one, but since there was no immediate need to apply or test it, Jinseong simply nodded slightly and resumed observing his surroundings.

‘Now, where should I go first? I can’t head straight to Sky Castle.’

The imperial guards would likely be blocking it.

It was uncertain whether he could obtain a pass from another NPC, but there was no need to force his way in.

‘In a situation where I don’t know whose scenario is being disrupted and how, where should I go?’

Where would be the best place to gather information?

One of the places where players, who wandered around when Sky Castle was still intact, often visited, and a place that would generally be seen as a hub for information.

‘The tavern.’

Jinseong immediately started heading toward the back alleys of Hendon Myre, aiming for the Moonlight Tavern.

* * *

If there was a silver lining to his situation, it was that the general layout of Hendon Myre in this real-world Arad was not too different from the one in the game.

‘Yes, if I turn into this back alley… There it is.’

Calming his racing heart, Jinseong cautiously opened the swing door of the Moonlight Tavern.

It was still late in the afternoon, so the tavern was relatively quiet.

“Welcome.”

And so, Jinseong could sense it all the more.

The cold stares from the few people inside the tavern, eyeing a new customer entering such an out-of-the-way place for the first time.

Even if it was just a regular drunk looking at him like that, it would be enough to make one nervous. But the person lifting their drink and glancing at Jinseong—who was that?

‘…Karacas. Seeing him in person, his presence

is no joke.’

The head of the Adventurer Guild, known as ‘Karacas the Sighing.’

Jinseong moved to a spot where Karacas’s gaze wouldn’t reach him directly, scanning the surroundings.

‘Hmm? But Aganzo isn’t here? He would normally be here unless something happened…’

He was checking the usual NPC position at the far-right corner of the Moonlight Tavern, but Aganzo wasn’t there now.

“What would you like to order?”

“Ah, order? Oh, well… Do you have milk?”

It was a mundane yet natural fact.

If you were a player or game character, it wouldn’t matter if you stood around blankly without saying anything, but for Jinseong, this was reality.

Going into someone’s establishment and just sitting there without ordering anything would be the height of rudeness.

“…We happen to have some milk that Kanna made, but… Will that be all? No other drinks or food?”

Of course, ordering just a glass of milk in a tavern was only marginally better than being rude, which was why the owner of the Moonlight Tavern, the NPC, had a somewhat dark expression.

“I’m just trying to wet my throat. Hehe, thank you.”

Jinseong gave an awkward smile.

Then he watched as the owner NPC left to fetch his order.

‘Shusia Elmin… She’s an elf, huh. Her ears are sharper than I expected.’

An elf from Granfloris, believed to be extinct.

But here she was, running the Moonlight Tavern and serving as its main bartender.

Suppressing a feeling that almost made him laugh, Jinseong gripped the cup of milk that Shusia had brought him.

‘Should I just wait here for the NPCs—or rather, the residents of this world—to gather and talk? Or should I first secure a pass to Sky Castle and then attend to other matters? What should I do next…?’

Just as he was trying to plan his next move,

Creeeeak…

The swing door of the Moonlight Tavern opened again.

Like Karacas, Jinseong naturally looked toward the door.

“Um… Hello. Are you the owner of the Moonlight Tavern? My name is Seria. And this here is—Oh my, what’s wrong?”

Seria was entering the Moonlight Tavern, shyly greeting the owner.

Beside her was a female fighter, and judging by the nickname floating above her head, she was undoubtedly a user.

“Oh… It’s nothing. I was just startled because you resemble someone I know. Yes, I run this place. What can I do for you?”

As he listened to Seria and Shusia naturally exchange greetings, Jinseong thought,

‘It’s a quest. Probably a Sky Castle-related quest… Hmm?’

The scene of Shusia recognizing Seria at first glance was something Jinseong vaguely remembered.

He was certain it was from one of the scenario quests related to the dungeon area: Sky Castle.

Creeeeak…

Someone else slowly opened the swing door and leaned against it.

Jinseong almost spat out his milk.

“Hey, rookie adventurers, ask your questions quickly and get your answers right away! Our captain doesn’t like to be kept waiting for long!”

A woman with red hair, wearing a beret at a cocky angle, stood leaning against the door just as cockily.

An Iron Wolf Knight of the De Los Empire, a lower-ranking knight.

‘Pff… Renny? What? Renny?’

Renny was frowning with her youthful face, scolding Seria and the female fighter user.