Solo Max-Level Newbie

In an unnamed ruin on the 40th floor, beneath looming dark clouds, a few shadows gathered. Among them were the high-level administrator Hastings, the head of the Ataraxia family, Exencion, and a woman with red hair—three were present.

“Damn it! What exactly happened here?” Hastings trembled with barely suppressed rage, his fists clenched as if ready to smash everything in sight.

“The enemy’s strength was greater than we anticipated. Had I joined the fight, I too might have lost my life,” Exencion uttered gravely.

Even with the nihilism of Nietzsche and the demonic deity of the devil king, the foe was unbeatable. With Exencion added to the fray, the tide of battle would still not have turned. What’s more, wasn’t Jinhyuk able to send Shub Niggurath back to its original floor? The creature they faced was at least three levels above their initial estimates.

It was then that the quiet woman spoke up, “How impressive must this guy be for all of you to be groaning like this?” Though she looked like a young girl with short hair, assuming her age based on appearance alone would be a folly. Known as ‘Tamia’, she was one of the mighty ancient dragons, inheriting the potent blood of the Red Dragon’s lineage.

“He is a human who seeks to interfere with every endeavor I undertake. And to have even persuaded that damn Vendivia, all my efforts have turned to naught.”

“Huh, Vendivia? That dark elf administrator, right? She was quite prickly, yet she’s taken a liking to him. He must be quite something,” Tamia remarked in astonishment, for to her, humans were nothing more than playthings to be crushed on a whim or incinerated, given that a mere gesture from her kind could reduce them to ashes.

But now, a hint of curiosity arose within her regarding this player named Kang Jinhyuk, an unusual sentiment for a being of her proud draconic stature.

“He’s merely an annoying human. More importantly… will the dragons accept my proposal smoothly?”

“Who knows? Dragons tend to do as they please, but pile up enough gold and treasure, and you could entice them somehow.”

“If it’s treasures you need, worry not. I can procure as much gold and riches as necessary.”

“And don’t forget what you promised me.”

“I am aware. The lordship will surely be arranged for Lady Tamia to inherit.”

Hastings nodded. The current lord, a Gold Dragon, was an ancient creature over 2,000 years old. He was wise and good-natured, earning him the support of many dragons for over a century. However, Tamia despised the idea of an old, less capable dragon than herself occupying the lordship. Hastings approached just in time to scratch that itch, suggesting she take the throne.

“Then what do you need me to do?”

“We will handle three locations. Lady Tamia, lead your kin to erase the most troublesome one.”

The strongholds of the giants, the forests of the elves, the Lake where the Frost Blade Tribe resides, the psych ward managed by Andria—every place connected to Jinhyuk was noted.

“Even the most formidable monsters can’t protect all those places at once.”

A large-scale invasion led by powerful dragons implied that something had to be given up, no choice but to face surrender. One miscalculation amidst tactics and strategies could be the downfall of what Jinhyuk cherished most. ‘I will not let him reach the top of the tower,’ Hastings started to prepare another move, all in an effort to prevent the tower’s balance from breaking—an echo of past nightmares.

***

A rare peaceful respite.

[Be at Gangnam Station Exit 1 by 2 PM tomorrow. Should you be late, your survival cannot be guaranteed.]

With such a warm invitation, the second Veteran Corporation general meeting commenced. It was meant for camaraderie and fostering a congenial company atmosphere. But the real reason was to weed out any potential defectors who might have surfaced during the lull.

However, the potentially intense meeting unexpectedly fell apart due to strong arguments from Ellis.

“I came out to have fun, not to sit through stiff meetings!”

Thus, the meeting location shifted to a PC bang, still popular among many despite the rise of VR game rooms. Ellis looked around in fascination.

“Ooh, I’ve heard of it. Is this the place where young humans invest their lives?”

While there had been cases of people being banished due to odors from staying too long, some did indeed spend whole months there.

“I’m new to such places,” said Teresa.

“I’m too busy catching up on studies. Did you call me out for this?”

Teresa and Chun Yuseong chimed in their own opinions.

“It’s a nice change of pace, sometimes,” someone suggested, causing Chun Yuseong to grumble about his preferences before getting roped into a gaming challenge.

Shortly after, Melerna broke the silence.

“Thanks. I was at the mercy of that old man, but now I feel like I can live without fear.”

The association she belonged to had been tightly controlled by Nietzsche, and now she felt liberated from years of fear of being disposed of or killed suddenly.

“We, too, wanted to express our gratitude. If it weren’t for you at Gabcheon, we’d all be bones now,” said Min Jungwoo.

“Exactly. You saved us. If there’s ever anything you need, just let me know. Especially anything related to familiars—I can be a big help,” added Lee Yuri.

The mood was undeniably good. Although they were initially dragged into the company under less-than-ideal circumstances, they were now building an unexpected camaraderie.

***

Elis quickly took charge, ordering a lavish spread of PC bang food rumored to rival proper restaurants.

“Handmade burger and fries set, chicken mayo over rice, jjapaghetti with cheese and fried egg, ice-cold Coke, and red velvet cheesecake for dessert!”

Handing over a golden nugget the size of a thumbnail, Elis’s order was swiftly prepared, and soon enough, they had the PC bang to themselves.

“Tasty! I’d like this chef to cook for me regularly, or perhaps, I should just buy this place and come by often,” mused Elis, while Jinhyuk chose to play ‘LOL (Legend of Legend)’.

Elis selected Vladimir, the Blood Lord, while Jinhyuk picked Teemo. Things quickly went south for Ellis.

“Why is this so weak! This, this wretched mosquito of a character!”

As Ellis crumbled in front of the computer, Chun Yuseong stepped up for a battle, armed with his analysis of Jinhyuk’s gameplay. But he too soon ended up wailing at the unfair match, much to the delight of the spirits rooting for their master Jinhyuk.

‘Today’s general meeting turned out to be a smashing success.’

A satisfying smile crept onto Jinhyuk’s face as he considered gathering everyone again for another fun day. Thus, a day of respite passed, with only 24 hours left until the auction.

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