“What the hell, is a war actually starting then?”

At the line of empire soldiers that connected endlessly to the point that they could connect from one town to another, the users looked at the empire army with excited expressions as they whispered to each other.

“Wow, for it to be a war that’s on a scale like this. I want to participate in the war, too!”

“What do you mean participate, this friend’s dreams are even big. I just want to be able to even get close and watch. It will probably be really amazing, right?”

“Cut it out, guys. With our level we can’t even go into the Wasteland, let alone the central continent. You’ll probably die after getting hit by a random Shikar Desert mob a couple times.”

“Yo, still, I’m at lv 90, do you really think I’ll die in one hit?”

“Yes, for sure.”

“…”

The war declaration of the Kaimon Empire and the Luspel Empire was produced into a cool video and was being broadcasted through the game broadcasting companies, and the attention of all the users that played Kailan was leaning towards the central continent.

It was the first all-time large-scale battle happening between the two giant empires in Kailan.

And high-ranking users of the small minority, who received a quest related to the battle or were personally participating, couldn’t help but be the subjects of envy.

Since at this point, in order to step foot into the central continent, you needed to be at least lv 120 or higher.

However, there were a lot of voices of complaint.

“No, how is it that the update they did saying it was for new content just a banquet for the small minority of top-rankers?”

“No kidding. I was anticipating, while wondering if new classes were coming out this time as well. But forget about new classes, there’s absolutely nothing new for a lv 50 user like me.”

“Excuse me, people. You’re complaining right now after having finished all the content, right? I still have a ton to do, so I found I didn’t really have much to complain about…”

“…”

In some ways, this was an obvious sequence.

In Kailan, the users that were lv 120 or higher merely made up a small minority of about 0.1% of the top rankings.

As the server that opened up first, the Korean server, as well as the Europe and North America server were at this rate, the complaining was more severe in the foreign servers that opened late.

Since in the case of the new server, there was not even one user that could step foot into the central continent.

However, after a couple days passed, the complaints of the users instantly blew over.

This was because quests related to the war that anybody could do began to appear all over the empire.

• Look here, youngster. Soon after, my one and only son, who is an empire soldier, will be dispatched to the central continent. I want to make some marvelous equipment for my son… By any chance, would you be able to find and bring me 7 Iron Ores?

From material gathering quests that gave quite a generous reward…

• Hey, you, seeing that you have a strong build… If you just learn a little, you look like you could fight well. How about it, coming into the Guards of the Luspel Empire and showing off your skills? If you work hard, you could even skip over Decanus and Centurion, and become an Officer.

To having the opportunity to find employment as a soldier of the empire.

As there was even the opportunity to be promoted, it wasn’t a proposal that could be ignored as a soldier.

At the new quests and content that were continuously created like this, the users immediately wore a broad smile again.

Especially the chance to get employment(?) affiliated with the empire as an empire soldier, blacksmith, magician, or knight took centre stage with a lot of the users.

The rank or occupational group given was all different depending on the user’s abilities, but if you obtained a job position(?) related to the imperial family, because you could gather contributions little by little, and above everything else, the Fame reward was so good to the point it was incomparable to other quests, it was to the point that within the users, the employment craze hit everybody.

It was even to the point that in the real time chatting room of the community, heated discussions related to the jobs arose.

• Everybody, soon, I will be promoted to a Decanus. To be a Decanus when I’m a lv 40, isn’t that so freaking awesome?

• Person above, so far as my observations go, you’re not affiliated with the central royal guards. Based on the fact that you hit Decanus at lv 40… It seems that you’re affiliated with the local small manor vigilante, so I’m not one bit jealous.

• Ha, this person is sharp…

• What do you mean sharp. It’s weird if you don’t know.

• Huhu, everyone, don’t be surprised. As soon as I took the test, I was immediately given a job as a Decanus affiliated with the central royal knights. The weekly pay is 400 thousand gold, Keu-ha-hat!

• Hul, above person, by any chance, could you share your class and level? I’m curious.

• I’m currently a lv 107 Warrior-class user.

• Hul! No way. I’m a lv 112, but I failed the Decanus real match interview…!

• Huhu, this would be the physical difference, no?

• Until you upload a picture for proof, I cannot believe you.

• Haha, these people. Please wait a moment, I will bring a screenshot.

Through this new update, Kailan stood on a new phase overall, and although having already claimed 1st place with an overwhelming share of the VR game market, Kailan began to rise even more.

No matter what game channel was turned on, information and stories related to the war happening in the central continent were being shown, and despite being a game that had almost been released for a year, new users were constantly flowing in.

And Ian and the Lotus Guild were standing right in the centre of that.

* * *

“Bbookbbook, I’ll give you a meatball, so don’t hide and come out!”

“Park Bbookbbook, where are you?”

“What the hell is Park Bbookbbook?”

“You said you’re Bbookbbook’s hyung. So, I thought his family name was also Park like yours.”

“…”

The empire knights, who finished maintenance, had all left, and before the Lotus Guild members buckled down to start hunting, they began to go around the dungeon looking for Bbookbbook, who disappeared.

At first, Ian thought that he would be able to find him immediately like any other time, so he didn’t think much of it, but as time passed by, he began to grow worried.

What was even worse was…

• Familiar ‘Bbookbbook’ has denied Summon Release.

• Familiar ‘Bbookbbook’ cannot be Summon Released.

Ian wore a flustered expression.

‘What the hell? He denied Summon Release? Did he at least discover something that’s more delicious than meatballs?’

The time that went to no good purpose felt wasteful, but still, as the priority was finding Bbookbbook before hunting, Ian diligently looked for Bbookbbook with his guild members.

And it wasn’t like they weren’t hunting at all either.

Since they needed to catch the monsters that they ran into while wandering around before continuing.

“Lord guy, why are you looking so hard for that ugly turtle?”

At Kaizar’s words, Celia, who was beside him, replied in place of Ian.

“What do you mean ugly! Do you know how cute Bbookbbook is?”

“Ha… I think that turtle and my subordinate guy looks similar. Their body proportions seem to be similar as well…”

At Kaizar’s words, Hoonie, who followed next to him, scowled.

“To compare me to that big-headed turtle… I think that’s too much, Master.”

“Your words are short again1. Do you want to get hit?”

“…”

At the unbearable humiliation(?) that he had never experienced up until now, Hoonie shook his fist.

‘This too shall pass…’

And he thought.

‘If I feel like I won’t be able to beat that monster-like dude… Once I’ve just absorbed all the dark energy, I should throw away 100 thousand Fame and terminate the contract.’

However, this thought of Hoonie was an incredibly incorrect idea.

No, rather than incorrect, it was more like impossible.

This was because Hoonie had read the contract content incorrectly.

Specifically, the contract content that said, ‘if Kaizar destroys the contract before you meet the requirements, your Fame will decrease by 100 thousand.’

If the content was read, it could be understood, but breaking free from Kaizar at the cost of 100 thousand fame was not a situation that Hoonie could make.

In the case that Kaizar lost interest in Hoonie and he destroyed the contract, it meant that 100 thousand Fame would also be thrown away with it.

However, Hoonie, who read that part incorrectly, thought of the 100 thousand Fame as the last resort as he stubbornly endured.

However, just then, one of the guild members called Ian with a loud voice.

“Oh, Ian! What’s that over there?”

“What?”

And everybody’s gaze turned to the place that they were pointing towards.

“That thing shining brightly over there. I think in that corner over there, a light is glowing softly?”

“Let’s take a look.”

The party, including Ian, walked towards the place that the light was shining from with careful footsteps.

They had no idea what would appear in the inside where their range of vision was dark, and since this area was the beginning of the high level hunting grounds, where the average level range was over 140, carelessness must be avoided.

And as they slowly turned the corner, a familiar backside caught the eyes of the party.

“What the hell?”

“Bbookbbook, what are you doing here?”

That was the backside of Bbookbbook.

What was more baffling was the form of the monster(?) that was standing face to face with Bbookbbook.

Ian mumbled with a dumbfounded expression.

“What the hell, he… Looks the same as Bbookbbook.”

The monster that was face to face with Bbookbbook in front of a narrow passageway was a sea turtle that had a similar appearance to Bbookbbook.

However, different from Bbookbbook, who had a dark, navy blue shell, the opposing turtle was a golden turtle whose whole body shone with a golden light.

As Bbookbbook’s large head, which already stood out enough, shone with a golden light, that appearance truly took the cake.

However, Ly, who followed beside Ian without a word, asked Ian all of a suddenly.

• Owner.

“Ly, what’s wrong?”

• By any chance, is that turtle the one that you talked about last time… The coolest-looking turtle in the world, Bbakbbak2?

“Huh…?”

• It seems his name is Bbakbbak because his head shines that brightly. But why is that turtle here? Owner, didn’t you say last time that Bbakbbak was in the northern continent?

“…?”

At Ly’s words, Ian momentarily wore a flustered expression.

And Fiolan, who was next to him, asked.

“Ian, what is Bbakbbak now? Was there a turtle like that as well?”

Herz showed interest with an excited expression.

“What is this, Bbookbbook even had a friend? That golden turtle, is that a turtle you know?”

At the two people’s questions, Ian, who was momentarily in a daze, suddenly remembered the story of the ‘Good-looking Turtle Bbakbbak’ that he made up last time without much thought.

‘What, what the hell is this…?’

Ly’s mumbling continued.

• Come to think of it, I think he truly is more good-looking than Bbookbbook. It’s to the point I want to touch that shining head once.

It seemed that he heard Ly’s words, as Bbookbbook, who was in the middle of confronting the golden turtle with a serious expression, turned his head and glared.

Glare!

“Jinsung, his expression is really serious. This is the first time I’ve seen him this serious besides when he eats meatballs.”

“Same…”

Ian replied.

“Same goes for me.”

Bbookbbook, who glared every so often at the party that only said offensive things, began to crawl over towards the golden turtle.

And they didn’t know why, but the party all held their breath as they watched that scene.

It was an expression that the protagonist of a martial arts book or movie met a mortal enemy on top of a single log bridge!

Bbookbbook wore a resolutely determined expression, and even Kaizar began to watch the combat of the two big-headed turtles with an interest as well.

Bbook- Bboo-bbook-!

What he was saying was unknown, but Bbookbbook pompously shouted.

And Bbakbbak(?) stood up to him and also opened his mouth.

However, surprisingly, Bbakbbak knew how to speak in the human language.

Bbakbbak stared at Ian instead of Bbookbbook and opened his mouth.

• Human, do you know of me?

“Huh…?”

• Bbakbbak, huh… For me to have such a cool name!

“Pfft…!”

In order to hold back the laughter that burst out in such a serious(?) situation, Ian had to use all of his strength.

1 Similar situation as before, where Hoonie is speaking informally, and this cannot be expressed in English properly.

2 For those wanting to read the chapter where Bbakbbak is first unofficially introduced, please refer back to chapter 65! ^^