In the years since Elysia flooded into reality, the symbol of Korea had become the Matap. “Yes, I’m in front of the Matap!” “Wow… How many meters tall is that? I can’t believe that thing just appeared overnight.” “Wait, aren’t those the supernovas who are threatening the Rankers?!” The Matap. The shrine of all mages. A place that had played a pivotal role in the world of Elysia. When such a monument rose from the heart of Seoul, the ripples it sent through the world were indescribable. [Matap Effect? Rankers Flock to Korea.] [Hyeonja-ui Tap: ‘We Seek Not New Knowledge, Only Friendly Relations.’] [Matap Tourism Skyrockets: 3,000% Increase in Visitors from Last Year.] “Why did we come to Korea? Because of the Matap, of course,” one foreign player had said in an interview. “From long-distance teleportation to enchanting services… there’s so much available here. We, the Gwanghui Guild, are planning to stay in Korea for the foreseeable future.” The Gwanghui Guild, one of the world’s best, had opened a chapter in South Korea. Following their lead, other major guilds from around the globe established their own presences, paying hefty taxes for the privilege. With an abundance of high-level players, monster-related damage plummeted. Korea’s future was bright. But it wasn’t just the Matap that had crossed over from Elysia. Where there is light, there must also be darkness. Damn, even their players think they’re the best in the world, it thought. I want to be that good! I want it so badly. I’m so jealous. So envious it makes my stomach churn, makes me want to kill. Yes, in the shadows, devils now lived. “It was hard to get used to at first,” the imp mused, “but the more I look, the more I realize this place is so much better for us demons than the continent of Aethelgard. Envy, jealousy, pessimism… all these delicious negative emotions, just ripe for the picking!” In an environment like this, it was only a matter of time before it became a high-level demon. One day, it would be just like the greats. The low-level demon licked its lips in ecstasy. It had spotted its prey. Five players. Yes, let’s go with those guys this time. It remembered the desperate howls of the players it had hunted yesterday. Such sweet music. This new group looked young, inexperienced. They would be easy prey. There were five of us in the party, including me. A good number. It wasn’t just high-level players who could find work; the community boards were full of postings for players at my level. Clearing rifts was dangerous. It was real. If you died, there was no game over screen. You were just dead. “I see it. The crack.” I pointed toward the subway exit. It was still rush hour, and the station was teeming with people. If I hadn’t quit my job, I’d be one of them right now, squeezed into that crowd. As the thought crossed my mind, I reached the designated exit. This was what players saw: a shimmering distortion, a crack in reality only visible to our eyes. I could see a faint barrier blocking the subway entrance, yet crowds of oblivious office workers pushed right through it on their way to the platforms. Ordinary people were unaffected by the rifts. It was probably the only reason society still functioned. [Gnolls’ Cellar] [Suitable Level: Lv. 35-40] [Collapse Progress: 19.8%] I read the information hovering in the air. When the collapse progress reached 100%, the rift would shatter, unleashing its monsters into the real world. In the chaotic early days after the Cataclysm, when there were fewer players and less knowledge, rifts collapsed all the time. The human toll had been unspeakable. Because of those sacrifices, players like me could now exploit these ticking time bombs for our own gain. We were the only ones who could enter them. “Judging by the progress, another party might have gone in ahead of us,” one of my new teammates said. “But let’s give it our best shot! Alright, I’m having one last smoke. I’ll be ready to go in five minutes.” Was I nervous? A little. I couldn’t help it. Just a few days ago, I was an ordinary office worker. Now I was about to hunt monsters that, until recently, hadn’t even existed. It was only natural to be on edge. In times like these, I almost felt thankful. It was just a feeling, though. My body showed no signs of my inner turmoil. There wasn’t the slightest tremor in my hands. My neck was straight, my posture unflinching. My shoulders weren’t slumped. My gaze was clear and confident. I looked like some kind of aristocrat on his way to the subway, not a rookie player about to enter his first rift. Stay positive, I told myself. Nothing good ever came from being nervous. Besides, I didn’t join this party just to get my first taste of combat. The recommended level was 35-40. My current level was 55. Even with the Abyssal Stalker’s mediocre stats, that fifteen-level difference was a massive advantage. There was no point in standing around. “Alright, shall we go in, then?” “Good luck!” “Let’s do this together!” Before I knew it, five minutes had passed. They were a motivated party. Three women, all of whom seemed to be older than me, and one who was younger. I’d spent my childhood navigating the wars between my own sisters, a skill I’d later used to stay in my bosses’ good graces. I knew how to break the tension. I opened my mouth, my voice taking on a very noble, almost theatrical tone. “You have nothing to worry about. I am here.” Wait, who was I trying to reassure? Them or me? I couldn’t stop myself. “...Yes?” one of them stammered. Damn it. I could practically see my party members melting from secondhand embarrassment. They were going to die of shame before we even saw a monster. The Silver Prince Saga. My goddamn black history. They say you get halfway there just by staying quiet. I’d better keep my mouth shut from now on. That was my conclusion. As we stepped through the crack, the world shifted. It was the same subway station I commuted through every day, but twisted into something strange and alien. Choi Cheol-min, the party leader walking ahead of us, clicked his tongue. “The escalator’s rusted out, so we’ll have to walk. Lot of stairs here. Let’s just pretend it’s a warm-up and head down!” I looked where he was pointing. He was right. The escalator was a ruin of corroded metal. A damp, unpleasant smell wafted up from the darkness below, punctuated by the occasional howl of a beast. A gnoll, probably. The rift had clearly transformed the subway into a suitable habitat. Only players could access this ruined station. Of course, if the rift collapsed, the real subway would end up looking just like this. “Check your gear, everyone.” “Given the lack of bodies at the entrance, I’m guessing there really is another party ahead of us?” “Seems like it, but don’t worry. This is a transfer station, so it’s pretty big. If we pick a good route, we can hunt without getting in their way.” I was glad I’d found a party. It would have been stupid to come in here alone. I opened my inventory and checked my equipment. I suppose I was lucky in this regard. Level 55 might not seem that high now, but back in the days of Elysia, it was a respectable achievement. Equipment wasn’t easy to come by. But who was I back then? A player who lived and died for style. I vaguely remembered spending all my pocket money on the coolest-looking gear I could find. Thanks to that old vanity, my current equipment was on the luxurious end of the spectrum. [Nameless Blacksmith’s Masterpiece: Silver Dagger] [Rating: Rare] [Requirement: Lv. 50] [Effect: Deals additional damage to undead and demons.] [Description: A masterpiece crafted by a blacksmith of great skill but little fame.] I remembered this dagger. I’d bought it at an auction for a ridiculously high price. As the description said, it was made by a player who was a famous blacksmith at the time. I couldn’t recall his name, but if he’d kept playing Elysia, I’m sure he’d be a legend by now. But that wasn’t the point. This is my only melee weapon?! This was a huge waste. Silver weapons had terrible durability. I vividly remembered how quickly they wore down during hunts, forcing me to spend a small fortune in gold on repairs. Back then it was just game currency, but now, it was my actual cash on the line. I had a bow, but only five arrows. All of them silver. I couldn’t even use them without worrying about their durability. I made a quick decision. I would have to fight as little as possible. At least until I could find a new weapon. [You have entered the Gnolls’ Cellar - Pantry.] The only new weapons I’d find here were the crude ones the Gnolls used. Still, that was better than wearing down my precious silver. After all, I still had the level gap on my side. I regretted that thought the moment the battle began. Seriously, Park Jin-woo, you idiot! No matter how cool silver weapons are, was it so hard to pack something practical?! “Krrr-owch!” Dog-men. Gnolls. The real ones were much faster and smarter than the ones I remembered from Elysia. They had adapted to the subway, using the complex terrain to their advantage. Shush! An arrow whizzed past my head. The mage, Seo Jeong-yeon, who had barely dodged it, shouted, “Gnoll Archer! Hiding behind that vending machine!” For some reason, our party’s roles felt completely disorganized. I glanced over at Choi Cheol-min. Was this how parties hunted these days? I hadn’t heard his class for certain, but the large shield and plate armor made it obvious he was a tank. So why wasn’t he protecting the party? He had completely broken formation. I didn’t know, but the situation was not good. Seo Jeong-yeon was our only ranged damage dealer, and she was already under fire. I did as she said and looked toward the vending machine. Sure enough, two gnoll archers were taking cover behind it, nocking fresh arrows. Is this my chance? I racked my brain. Yes, it was an opportunity. Gnoll archers were terrible in close combat. If I could get to them, I could take their bows and arrows. But I wasn’t exactly a melee expert, was I? It had been over a decade since I’d been in a fight like this. But my body didn’t seem to care about any of that. I was already walking. My gait was relaxed, leisurely, as if the gnolls posed no threat at all. I moved with unearned confidence toward the gnoll archers. My mind was racing, weighing all the variables and dangers, but my body was perfectly calm. It wasn’t nervous in the slightest. More accurately, it wasn’t intimidated by the gnolls. The confidence of the Silver Prince Saga persona was draped over me like an impenetrable cloak. “Excuse me? It’s dangerous! You don’t have a weapon!” I thought I heard Seo Jeong-yeon shout, but the words didn’t quite register. Maybe I’d misheard her. Maybe she was slurring her words in panic. “GRRRR!” Fangs bared, two gnolls charged forward to intercept me, their hostility palpable. I met them casually. A simple sidestep. A single punch. I slammed my fist into the bridge of the first one’s nose. The sequence of movements was fluid, graceful even. My vision never wavered. “You must be undisciplined,” I said, my voice low and condescending, as if I were chastising a disobedient hunting dog. It was an instinctive reaction, that haughty, overbearing attitude. I was looking down on them from on high. “In which case,” I continued, raising my fist again, “corporal punishment is sometimes necessary.” Crack!

Chapter 2: A Shadow Cast By Light