Light of Arad: Forerunner

Chapter 23

Sunsujikgi kept sending continuous chat messages.

“Sir?”

“Is this the Sky Castle party?”

“Is it right?”

“Answer. Answer.”

She circled around Jinseong nonstop while talking.

Jinseong had to just stand there idly.

If he turned his head to look at the Spearman, it might trigger a reaction that showed his ‘in-game avatar of himself’ moving on her screen.

‘She might not have recognized me initially but only just remembered. If that’s the case, it’s a relief. But if that’s not it…’

Jinseong swallowed dryly.

The most rational reason for such doubts was because of his [status].

‘When I first arrived at Sky Castle and was just hunting, my reputation was all that was visible. But now…’

His name, clearly visible in the game system that he could use.

The name *Jinseong* was clearly imprinted.

‘I thought my original nickname, that is, my name, wasn’t supposed to be visible. It wasn’t there before, but now it is. And it’s *Jinseong*. There’s only one possible time this could have happened.’

When he introduced himself to G.S.D., asking to be called *Jinseong*.

Could it be that his nickname got engraved in his [status] at that moment?

Wasn’t it also because his body was now perfectly identified as *Jinseong* that Sharan could call his name so naturally?

‘That’s exactly the problem. If that’s the case… then eventually—’

Gulp.

Jinseong’s rational suspicions led to a conclusion.

‘Before that?!’

Before he introduced himself as *Jinseong* to G.S.D., in other words, when he was still forming a party with the Spearman user who was still circling around him, what was Jinseong’s nickname?

How did it appear to the Spearman user, *Sunsujikgi*?

“Sir? Sir?”

“Ugh—”

Jinseong couldn’t help but sigh at the sudden sound echoing in his head.

Even though he tried to ignore it, there was a reason Jinseong couldn’t help but react.

“ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Why aren’t you answering? Whisper works fine.”

It was because it was one of the game Dungeon & Fighter’s systems, a ‘whisper.’

It was no small embarrassment for Jinseong.

‘Whisper works too? No, it’s probably obvious when you think about it…’

How was he supposed to describe the sensation of hearing a whisper?

More importantly, should he just ignore this situation?

When a voice resonated through his skull far more directly than using something like bone conduction earphones, Jinseong made a choice.

“Lag, lag, lag.”

It was a response Jinseong himself had experienced at some point.

* * *

“Oh! He responded!”

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Sunsujikgi’s long fingers quickly swept over the keyboard.

[Ah, lag ㅋㅋ Sir, you’re the person I partied with at Sky Castle, right?]

She was typing so urgently that she even made typos, but Sunsujikgi was more focused on the monitor with greater interest.

[Yes. Hi. Hehe.]

“Hehe? Haha, that’s really funny. What is this? A bot?”

Sunsujikgi’s lips twitched into a grin.

Her typing was even faster than her smile.

[Jinseong-nim]

[But sir, how did you change your nickname? Did you use a name change coupon?]

A habit of breaking up sentences instead of writing them in one go, as someone familiar with the game.

[Why do you ask about my nickname?]

When Jinseong asked back, Sunsujikgi adjusted her glasses slightly and tilted her head.

“Or maybe not?”

[You didn’t have a nickname last time ㅋㅋ so I thought]

[I thought you made it with special characters]

[But they said that’s not possible, so I thought you used another method]

The chat messages poured in simultaneously.

Jinseong responded.

[Well, I’m not sure. Maybe it was just a bug? Haha.]

It was a sort of regret only someone who had become possessed by the game could feel.

“Hahaha! Haha, what is with this person?”

As much as she wanted to use internet slang full of consonants, the words Jinseong spoke couldn’t be outputted that way at all.

Sunsujikgi laughed, slapping the desk with her palm.

[But your level is still low ㅋㅋ didn’t you push the scenario?]

With her large, round eyes sparkling behind her glasses, Sunsujikgi asked again.

[I have some circumstances… I’m taking it slow.]

[? -. Why are you doing that? ㅋㅋ]

[Me? Haha. I didn’t do it. Ah, that’s a typo. Probably pressed backspace wrong.]

If Sunsujikgi could see it, she would’ve burst out laughing at Jinseong’s rather flustered face by now.

Even so, Jinseong’s steadily responding words were at least logically correct, so Sunsujikgi believed and concluded them.

‘These days, even people in their 40s don’t chat like this. Using a period at the end of every sentence, at least in their 50s, or could it be… in their 60s? But playing Dungeon & Fighter would be hard for someone in their 60s or older… Ah, maybe that’s why they said they’re taking it slow?’

Sunsujikgi smiled as she looked at the monitor.

A sort of warmth one could feel as someone who loved and had played online games for a long time.

‘There are still players like this. I like it… Dungeon & Fighter’s chat window is cleaner compared to other games, but sometimes it gets wild. Seeing a player like this makes me feel warm inside.’

It was a sort of humanity felt by someone who had nurtured many characters in the game Dungeon & Fighter for a considerable amount of time.

[Later, wanna party together?]

Sunsujikgi asked.

Jinseong’s response took a bit of time.

[Sure. If we can run a dungeon as a party before the raid, let’s go together.]

[Let’s go together ㅋㅋ ㅇㅋ let’s go together]

Sunsujikgi chuckled as she typed.

And with that as the last message, Jinseong started to move and spoke.

[Yes, enjoy Dungeon.]

[ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Enjoy Dungeon]

As she watched Jinseong walking toward the West Coast Port, Sunsujikgi still had a smile on her face.

‘Why is it so cute when an elder chats like that? The nickname even seems like his real name—Wait, *Jinseong*?’

As if something clicked, Sunsujikgi tilted her head.

At the same time, she minimized the Dungeon & Fighter window and quickly opened YouTube.

“…That’s right. It’s the same name as that Alley Engineering YouTuber.”

Sunsujikgi stared at the monitor intently.

Then she came to a conclusion.

‘Since the name’s similar, this person could be an elder who started playing after watching him.’

The conclusion that he was someone possessed by the game would never cross her mind.

Sunsujikgi reopened the Dungeon & Fighter window and stretched.

“Ah, I have to party with them later. I’m really curious how they play. Especially since they’re a Dark Knight, it makes me even more curious.”

Then she tied her hair back and adjusted her glasses.

[Guild] Sunsujikgi: Hey, can I recommend an elder to our guild?

[Guild] FirstApocUsed: Suddenly an elder? Do you know them, Sunsu nuna?

[Guild] Sunsujikgi: No, I don’t know them ㅋㅋ just, I like them

She typed with a smile that showed her white teeth.

* * *

‘I managed to get through that, right? Ugh, *Sunsujikgi*… better remember that nickname.’

After moving to the West Coast Port, Jinseong quickly hid in an alley.

Even if he directly told someone he was possessed by the game, few would believe him. Nevertheless, because of a single warning that said, ‘If you’re discovered, there will be a penalty,’ he had to be so anxious and nervous.

After taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, Jinseong tensed up again.

“Killing an Apostle is easier said than done.”

That was because he heard Ban’s voice.

Jinseong pressed his body against the building wall and slowly peeked out.

Standing next to Ban was a female Archer user, whose subclass was Muse.

There was also a woman’s voice filled with passionate emotions. Of course, it wasn’t a user.

“I know it’s a tough task. But I must return and take revenge!”

Though the voice itself was unfamiliar, the situation made it clear to Jinseong.

The person whom he had essentially saved, the injured passenger who had been aboard the airship Dornier when it fell toward Sky Castle.

‘If this is the part where Ophelia says that…’

Ophelia, a believer of GBL, a religion that explored the truth from ancient relics atop the great floating whale Behemoth.

“Though I understand your feelings, you shouldn’t overexert yourself if you lack the strength.”

“All the believers were my family. The Behemoth’s temple was my hometown. But Lotus… he made the believers attack and kill each other—”

Just from hearing her voice, overwhelmed with hatred and fear, Jinseong knew.

‘It’s Lotus. The Apostle of Mind Control, Mind Confusion, and Mind Manipulation.’

The reason Ophelia fled from Behemoth aboard the airship Dornier was because the quest related to *Lotus

the Eighth Apostle, the Long-Legged* was beginning.

It was not an exaggeration to say that this marked the start of the game Dungeon & Fighter’s very early stages, yet already, at this point, the user had to face one of the Apostles directly.

‘If, during this quest, the source of the corruption uses their power and causes the worst situation, it would be a disaster.’

The impact wouldn’t be ordinary.

If by any chance the user adventurer fails to defeat Apostle Lotus, what might happen?

‘According to the lore, Apostle Lotus mentally dominated every living creature on the planet where he originally lived before coming to Arad. If that power manifests here as well, it’s over.’

The worst-case scenario wasn’t just something Jinseong could imagine.

Having already heard the story from Ophelia, Aganzo was speaking as if he was echoing Jinseong’s thoughts.

“Ban, I understand what you mean, but stop. The tragedy of the GBL religion could become a tragedy for all of us. We must quickly check Behemoth and stop the Apostle. Her Majesty said she would prepare the Magata, so let’s move swiftly.”

The fact that the GBL religion’s tragedy could spread across all of Arad.

Thus, the Duchy of Bell Meyer wanted to respond to this issue promptly and immediately.

Ban nodded and spoke to Hatz, who was standing beside him.

“Hey, Deputy Commander. I’ll go ahead as a representative, so get the others ready in the meantime. I can’t be the only one suffering.”

“Really…”

Hatz frowned but nodded.

And with those words, the female Archer user started to move.

Jinseong tilted his head.

‘Hmm? Aren’t they supposed to move using the Magata?’

The dungeon area *Granfloris* and Sky Castle were both fixed locations, accessible by land routes.

So it seemed logical that the scenario would be determined by the movement of the ‘character adventurer’ controlled by the user on the keyboard… but…

‘Well, the scene of riding the Magata was never depicted in the game either. You just clicked into the Behemoth dungeon and were right on its back. So, this must be…’

Did this mean that there was a significant gap between the user and NPC when it came to special dungeon areas like this?

While the user might reach *Dungeon Area: Behemoth* by simply following the minimap and clicking through map transitions, what about the NPCs who had to board an airship?

Jinseong was trying to ponder the disparity between the reality he was in, with the NPCs that existed in this reality, and the users who experienced the game.

But then, a cheerful voice accompanied by quick footsteps interrupted him.

“That’s right! We can’t just let the Commander suffer alone! I’ll go too!”

That voice made not only Ban and Hatz but also Jinseong recoil in shock.

“…Lennie. It’s happening again.”

“Is it starting again?”

The first two likely sighed in exasperation due to the temper of Iron Wolf Knight Lennie Blainscok, but for Jinseong, it was different.

‘It’s starting again?! Lennie, already?!’

At this point in time, Lennie shouldn’t be heading to Behemoth.

At least according to Jinseong’s memory, Lennie shouldn’t even appear yet.

In other words, the fact that Lennie was rushing over, and the reactions to her…?

“But Lennie has a point. Although Aganzo and the adventurer will be with us… Commander, wouldn’t it be safer to take Lennie along?”

“Safe? You think Lennie can guard my back? Well, she might be useful. If I take her along and she struggles, she won’t say such things again.”

What about Ban’s response, saying he’d take Lennie directly to Behemoth?!

Jinseong was certain.

The female Archer user who had already left the scene.

The user who had just completed a quest by witnessing the dialogue between Aganzo, Ban, Ophelia, and others!

‘…This is the current corruption.’

The fact that her quest was corrupted.

Jinseong had to suppress his pounding heart and take several deep breaths.

“Hello, I’m from the Mage Guild.”

Because he had to brazenly act again.