Chapter 137 – Provocation (1)

Translator: Seven

Editor: Ana_Banana

It was 2023, four years after the world had been transformed into a game.

There were many changes in the world. However, there wasn’t a single person who thought that it had changed for the better. (TL: I think Lee Se-jun would disagree)

Instead, most of the news from around the world was bad news.

The loss of government function caused by the arrival of monsters, the spike in crime rates, horrendous acts of terrorism…

In all honesty, these pieces of news were not good at all.

[Park Yongwan, “Kim Woo-jin will lead the next generation together with Isaac Ivanov.”]

[Kim Woo-jin becomes Korea’s Next Generation Ace!]

That’s why the flames created by Kim Woo-jin weren’t put out easily.

People, especially Koreans, were using their interest in Kim Woo-jin to forcefully turn their attention away from the miserable reality.

-Kim Woo-jin isn’t an ordinary guy. Are those records real?

-Kuh! He takes out criminals. I like it! I’ll be this guy’s fan from now on.

-Finally, Korea has a player who can compare to Isaac Ivanov!

-If you have Choco Pies for Isaac Ivanov, let’s send them to Kim Woo-jin! (TL: pfft)

Of course, the public’s reactions were not all positive.

-No matter how good he is, isn’t it too much to compare him to Isaac Ivanov?

-Right. And it’s not the Messiah Guild, it’s the Phoenix Guild, right? You suckers, bow your heads and reflect!

-It’s obvious that the Phoenix Guild is making a media bubble. Sooner or later, the bubble will burst.

There were many negative reactions and this was to be expected.

No matter how much effort the Phoenix Guild put in to fix their image now, in the eyes of Koreans, the Phoenix Guild to which Kim Woo-jin belonged, was seen unfavourably while Isaac Ivanov, who was now being compared to Kim Woo-jin was considered to be Lee Se-jun’s successor.

-No, if you’re Korean, then you should root for Kim Woo-jin!

?Isn’t Isaac Ivanov an honorary Korean?

?Crazy Isaac fanboys, so if you eat choco pie that makes you Korean? Hey, all you Kim Woo-jin fans, let’s send him choco pies!

?Isaac likes Bulgogi too!

?I’m sure Kim Woo-jin also likes Bulgogi!

Naturally, there were arguments and these arguments became the firewood that made Kim Woo-jin’s fame burn hotter.

Of course, it didn’t last very long either.

[Isaac Ivanov’s next stop is San Francisco!]

[Is Isaac Ivanov going to challenge the Forest of the Dead?]

The news that Isaac Ivanov was headed to the US consumed the world.

…

In 2018, following the advent of the dungeon gates, monsters rushed into the world and there was unprecedented chaos.

Many feared that, were it to continue, the world might come to an end.

Most of those people had similar thoughts.

First, they thought that they had to go to America. This was how the US was seen by the rest of the world.

If the world comes to an end, it would be the last country to fall.

In fact, when the world became a game, the US had cleared up the chaos so quickly that other countries couldn’t hope to compare and so many people began heading toward it.

The same was true for the players.

A large number of talented players who appeared in unstable places like Africa, Eastern Europe, Central and South America, Southeast Asia, etc., found many ways to declare themselves as US citizens, and of course, they were readily accepted.

It was at that moment, that no one could deny that the strongest nation had been born.

So the world said.

“There’s no need for the Messiah Guild in America.”

America had saved itself already, so they didn’t need a Savior.

These were not just words, in reality, the Messiah Guild could not exert much influence in the United States.

“Because there is no dungeon that America can’t clear.”

Even though there was no Messiah Guild, there were still many guilds in America that were capable of clearing dungeons.

At least that’s what the people in America believed and that was the pride of the American people.

“In fact, Great One and Frontier, these two guilds, have cleared many dungeons so far.”

The reason for that pride was the Great One Guild and Frontier Guild, the second and fifth largest guilds in the world.

With the support of the US government, they had targeted any dungeon that appeared on American soil.

“Until that dungeon appeared in San Francisco.”

However, in February 2023, an A+ rank 3 Floor Dungeon ‘Forest of the Dead’ appeared in San Francisco, and problems arose when the two guilds failed to clear it.

“It was a painful failure.”

Of course, they were not discouraged by the failure to clear it.

In the first place, their pride came from their spirit of challenge, and not fearing failure.

“Even though both guilds joined together to attack…”

The Great One Guild and the Frontier Guild tried to clear a dungeon while working together.

It was a moment where the two Guild Masters, who had been fiercely competing behind the scenes, shook hands.

“But they still failed.”

The problem was that even though the guilds had improved their relationship, they still failed to clear the dungeon.

Of course, even that didn’t make the two guilds give up.

As soon as they failed, they began preparing for another attempt.

They risked their lives to protect America’s pride.

“Then the US government shut it down.”

But the US government stopped them.

This was a natural measure.

It would be strange if they let the two guilds, who had become the main forces in the country, risk their lives just to clear a 3 Floor Dungeon.

“It really hurt their pride.”

Anyway, this hurt America’s pride.

The Forest of the Dead was such a place.

It was the dungeon that had wounded the great America’s pride.

“Even if it wasn’t explained like that, you’ll know how damned that place is.”

This was the dungeon that Kim Woo-jin wanted to attack with Lee Jin-ah under the name of Isaac Ivanov.

“Damn, even if you wanted to pick dungeons, why did it have to be this one?”

That’s why Lee Jin-ah complained after Kim Woo-jin’s explanation.

Of course, there were no results yet.

“The US government guys are funny. Would they let Russians clear the dungeon that hurt their pride?”

As Lee Jin-ah had said, the Forest of the Dead was the dungeon that had hurt America’s pride.

At the moment the US government was blocking the attack because they still intended to clear it themselves. So it wasn’t a dungeon that they were willing to give other countries a chance to attack.

What if it was a Russian?

“Life is expensive.”

So Kim Woo-jin used the prices of lives.

The Great One Guild members.

In exchange for their lives, Kim Woo-jin had requested the help from the Great One Guild.

He had requested them to help him attack the Forest of the Dead.

“Isaac Ivanov’s name is also expensive.”

It was a deal that normally wouldn’t work, but the situation changed when Isaac Ivanov’s name was also included.

Could America truly deny the next generation savior who wanted to challenge a dungeon that they had failed numerous times?

Even when he said he was willing to buy the opportunity in exchange for what he deserves?

“And America is the country of heroes.”

How could a heroic country, not somewhere else, impose restrictions on heroes?

At least, the United States that Kim Woo-jin knew would not be able to do this.

That was why he was convinced.

“The doors will open.”

They would surely give them the chance to attack the dungeon.

There was only one task left for Kim Woo-jin.

“Sure, let’s say they open. Can you clear the dungeon? It’s a dungeon that two world class guilds collaborated to attack and failed. Undead monsters would surely appear in the Forest of the Dead. Isn’t that a bad match for you?”

Could Kim Woo-jin clear the dungeon or not?

In the face of this question, Kim Woo-jin didn’t need to think for long.

“So that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Am I right? Will it be difficult?”

“It won’t be too difficult to deal with. You wouldn’t have to deal with undead monsters on the front line if it was anyway.”

“What?”

“If you die, I’ll use you as a skeleton.”

“Fuck really, I won’t die! I’m not gonna die!”

At this point, there was no 3 Floor Dungeon that Kim Woo-jin couldn’t clear.

Woowoong.

The news that they were waiting for finally came.

-Uh, I just got a response from the Great One Guild.

Oh Se-chan, who had handled the negotiations, brought the news.

“How did it go?”

-It’s okay, but there’s a bit of a problem.

“Problem?”

-Uh, So… they want to bet a prize.

“Prize?”

-We’d give the prize to whoever clears the dungeon. It’s also at the legendary level.

Kim Woo-jin smiled at those words.

“It seems they’re overflowing with confidence.”

Giving prizes to whoever cleared the dungeon, in other words, the Great One Guild were confident that they could clear the Forest of the Dead.

“They don’t even care about me.”

Isaac Ivanov had been completely ignored.

That was the reason that Kim Woo-jin was smiling.

“So what’s the prize?”

-That…

Kim Woo-jin couldn’t keep the mocking smile on his lips after hearing Oh Se-chan’s words.

“Is it really that?”

Instead, he could only ask in surprise.