Chapter 183

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]

Chapter 183: Heavenly City (2)

Worn-out wooden walls and pillars with musty straw roofs lined the main street. The squishy, muddy ground was too crude to even function as a proper road.

“Hhehe.”

A lizardman, face flushed red from being drunk, staggered about, relieving himself on the street.

Waaeeeng.

As if the stench of feces wafting from all directions wasn’t enough, fat flies buzzed around the main street.

It was a sight unbefitting of the grandiose title of “Heavenly City.” The one-eyed man had mentioned something about this earlier.

A slum, he had said.

‘At least this District 9 lives up to being a slum.’

—Coo.

Hayang’s voice whispered in his ear.

It seemed the smell was a bit too much for her.

“Just bear with it for a bit, okay?”

—Coo.

She was probably nodding.

A multitude of races could be seen wandering the streets. From bizarre monsters with ant legs on their heads, to quadrupedal beasts with dolphin heads, and even bug-like humanoids.

But the most striking sight was…

“Heehee, Oppa. What are we doing today?”

“Hmm. How about the Golden Tavern today? Oppa earned a lot of Merit Points. I’ll treat my Yumi!”

“Oh my! Oppa, you’re so cool today!”

A wolf-woman, called ‘Yumi,’ and an ogre were enjoying a date, arms linked.

‘Is this for real?’

Even if love transcends race, this was like taking a spaceship to another galaxy.

He had learned a few things.

The ogre and the wolf-woman were using completely different languages. Yet, they understood each other.

‘It seems like everyone can understand each other’s languages…’

Seeing the countless races roaming around without any particular reaction, it seemed like the Heavenly City was structured to bring in members from all over.

There was one more peculiarity.

Everyone here was wearing a badge-like object on their chest.

Bronze, silver, gold, and platinum.

Bronze was the most common, and the number decreased exponentially as the color went up. He had only seen one person with a platinum badge among the hundreds on the street.

Passersby were seen making way for an otherworldly being with a platinum badge, as if encountering a noble.

‘That badge. Could it be a symbol of status?’

One thing came to mind.

He remembered the sponsorship certificate Jipael had given him when he first entered the testing grounds.

Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze.

That was how it was classified.

In other words, the person wearing the platinum badge was likely a high-level test passer.

That’s probably why they were being treated with such caution.

‘He said to find a guide.’

As he continued walking in the direction the one-eyed man had pointed, he began to see larger buildings.

‘Are those shops?’

A three-story equipment shop with a shield and sword on its sign, a large tavern nearly four stories high, and a potion shop with a potion symbol.

The road, though still crude, had stones laid out sporadically. At least it wasn’t at the level of stumbling through mud.

In the center of the main street, lined with various buildings, stood a fountain, spewing murky, muddy water.

It was a stark reminder of the evolution of civilization, so to speak.

“Excuse me.”

“Hmm?”

He addressed a Minotaur sitting by the fountain.

“Do you happen to know where the guides are?”

“Go to the rest area over there.”

The Minotaur pointed to a building with a chair symbol.

“Thank you.”

He arrived at the rest area.

Opening the door, a subtle fragrance wafted out.

The floor was neatly laid with marble.

Softly glowing crystal lights adorned the ceiling. Unlike its worn-out exterior, the interior was quite luxurious.

A human with a body as white as snow sat at the counter.

The light being, who had been staring at him with an expressionless face, spoke.

“A trainee, I see. Welcome. Are you looking for a guide?”

[TL/N: Trainee – Subjected to change as I get a better understanding of the context]

“Yes.”

“Please take this badge first.”

He received a colorless badge.

[You have received a Heavenly Identity Card!]

[District 10, Earthling!]

[Assessing trainee level…]

[Beginner – You have passed the Deadly difficulty!]

[Trainee – The Deadly badge is activated!]

Like a gauge filling up, the color of the badge slowly began to change.

Bronze.

Silver.

Gold.

Platinum.

Diamond.

Passing through the five colors, the badge now began to glow a crimson red.

Interest flickered in the guide’s previously emotionless face.

“Oh. A trainee who passed the Deadly difficulty… It’s been a long time.”

“I suppose it’s rare?”

“Rare, indeed. Very rare. District 10 is a space where the lowest dimensions gather…”

The guide, staring intently at him, continued.

“It’s not only difficult to enter the beginner’s trial, but even considering all dimensions, only one in ten thousand passes the Deadly difficulty.”

The guide, still staring, then rested their chin on their hand and spoke.

“You will be given special benefits. You can check them when you leave this building… Do you have any questions?”

“What is this place for?”

“First of all, it’s not ‘this place,’ it’s the ‘Heavenly City.’ I would appreciate it if you could correct your terminology…”

The guide, with a slight glare, continued.

“The Heavenly City serves two main functions. A shelter and a place of learning.”

“Please elaborate.”

“Even at this moment, countless planets are being destroyed and corrupted by invasion. The great beings felt great sorrow for this. They wanted to help. So, this Heavenly City was created.”

The guide, looking at the badge, said, “You can accumulate Merit Points here. You can gain many things through them. Even special powers that are not allowed in the lowest dimensions.”

He roughly understood what the guide meant by “a place of learning.” It seemed like they considered getting stronger by accumulating Merit Points as education.

That aside…

“What is a shelter?”

“There will be cases where you cannot protect your planet even after gaining that power. In such cases, you can reside in this Heavenly City.”

Ah, so that’s why it’s called a shelter? If the main base catches fire, you just move here.

“Those people are called ‘residents,’ and people like you who come and go are called ‘visitors.'”

“What’s the ratio?”

“You can think of it as about 5:5. There has been a significant increase compared to the past. In residents.”

“Does that mean many places are collapsing?”

“…Yes. Anything else you’re curious about?”

“How do you earn Merit Points?”

“You can earn them through various activities. The most common is hunting. You can explore dungeons, hunt in the field, or complete quests. You could also find treasure.”

“It’s very similar to a game.”

“I heard they considered that when constructing the space. They said it was the most efficient way. Anyway, there are many hidden elements in this Heavenly City. Try to find them.”

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]

Kim Minwoo nodded.

That’s what he was planning to do anyway.

“I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“I want to take the trainee exam. Where should I go?”

“You should go to the Testing Grounds. You can refer to this for the address.”

[‘Map of Heavenly City District 9’ acquired!]

He looked at the map.

District 9 itself was quite large. On the far right of the map, he could see a space shrouded in fog, as if it hadn’t been explored.

“Ah, right.”

The guide, looking at him, said, “The badge’s functions will be activated when you go outside. One piece of advice: don’t take the trainee exam too early.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’ll immediately move on to the next district. In terms of the game you mentioned, it’s like leaving behind hidden pieces and moving on to the next chapter. And the difficulty level will have increased significantly.”

“I understand. Is there any way to get more Heavenly City entry tickets?”

“Raising your rank from trainee is one way, and otherwise, purchasing them by accumulating Merit Points is another. They can also be given as quest rewards.”

Kim Minwoo nodded.

His original purpose in coming here was not only to strengthen himself through new challenges but also to obtain entry tickets for his guild members like Seo Ye-rim.

It seemed there were quite a few ways to get entry tickets.

He left the rest area.

At that moment…

The badge moved to his chest and attached itself, and messages started popping up.

[Trainee – Deadly badge equipped!]

[‘Deadly’ modifier applied!]

[1. Residence in District 9 upgraded from lowest to highest rank!]

[2. ‘Deadly’ modifier applied to all factors! Rewards will also be applied based on ‘Deadly’ difficulty!]

[3. ‘Merit Point Shop – Deadly’ opened!]

All aspects being affected by the “Deadly” modifier…

He could roughly guess why this was mentioned as a benefit.

What if he had cleared the Bronze, Silver, or Gold difficulty?

It was obvious that the modifier would have been applied according to that level.

In other words, the rewards would have been capped lower.

Not only that, but once a difficulty level was set, one could go down to a lower level, but not up to a higher one.

‘The snowball really rolls big.’

That’s probably why they called it a benefit.

Before he could take a few steps…

Numerous gazes started to gather.

“What’s that?”

“A red badge?”

Murmurs!

He could see otherworldly beings looking at the badge on his chest with caution.

But that was only for a moment.

“Could that be…?”

“Deadly? Did they pass the Deadly difficulty?”

“How long has it been since we’ve seen this?”

Then…

“It’s the Hamorn Guild!”

The crowd suddenly parted.

A lizardman with a diamond badge appeared through the gap.

The guild’s emblem was displayed on their sharply armed left arm. There seemed to be over twenty otherworldly beings with similar emblems.

“Hey there, young human.”

The lizardman spoke, narrowing their eyes and flicking their tongue like a snake.

Then, the lizardman, with a proud air, said.”

Judging by how you came out of the rest area, you seem like a beginner who just arrived… Am I right?”

“Who are you?”

“I am Amteron, the District 9 leader of the Hamorn Guild. To think a human passed the Deadly difficulty. You’re truly a remarkable talent.”

Amteron nodded as if acknowledging him and clapped.

“Our Hamorn Guild has bases not only in District 9 but in every district. That’s how large our reach is.”

“So?”

“Join our guild. We’ll treat you well, I promise.”

Whether on Earth or here…

It seemed that guilds seeking to recruit promising rookies existed everywhere.

“What are the benefits?”

“We have a lot of information. We can provide everything from various hidden quests to item and manpower support. We’ll ensure you have a smooth path ahead.”

[‘Deadly’ quest activated!]

[Content: Amteron, the District 9 leader of the Hamorn Guild, wants to recruit you.]

[Clear condition: Refuse the recruitment offer.]

A quest popped up.

Then…

Amteron grinned and said.

“A quest must have popped up by now. The content is probably to refuse the recruitment offer.”

“How do you know so well?”

“Didn’t I say our guild has a long history? It’s not like you’re the only one.”

*Swish swish.*

Amteron started sharpening his claws with a blade.

“You must be quite skilled yourself, human. But everyone’s been like that. Of course, you’d be proud, having passed the Deadly difficulty. But don’t do that. Let’s not waste our energy and go about this amicably.”

“If I refuse, will you kill me?”

“No. Why would I kill such a talented individual? But things might get a little rough. Why do you think it’s a Deadly-rank quest? It’s simple.”

Amteron’s eyes gleamed as he spoke, “If you refuse, we’ll have no choice but to fight. But what do you think the modifiers will be like?”

Now he understood why the lizardman was so confident.

If he refused, they would fight.

It seemed like all sorts of buffs would be poured on them, and all sorts of penalties would be heaped on him.

That’s why they weren’t even considering the possibility of refusal. Even if he did refuse, they were confident they could subdue him.

“It’s fortunate that we were nearby. If those red flag-waving maniacs were closer, they would have attacked you first. Compared to them, aren’t we gentlemen? We’re trying to recruit you through words, friend. Aren’t you lucky?”

The lizardman said, licking his tongue.

[TL/N: So here’s the thing, the names for this arc are confusing af for me. Like Heavenly City/Realm (it can be called either of them but I am not able to decide because I lack the context) and the rank of the badges and quest, like diamond and deadly. So my point here is the names can be a bit inconsistent from this chap onwards, please bear with me as I decide the names and finalise everything.]

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]