Damned System

Chapter 37. Capitalism (1)

Apart from the disappearance of the barrier, the Level 3 mission differed in many ways from previous missions.

The most noticeable difference was the absence of a restriction on the number of participants.

Moreover, the mission objectives had changed.

MISSION

「03-143」

Destroy all connections linked to the hall.

• Connection (0/1)

「Rewards」

Select one of the following rewards.

• Mana 60, reputation 3

• Attribute Mana 30, reputation 6

(※ Special reward for ranking 1st in Reputation, rewards will be doubled upon mission success.)

The addition of reputation to the rewards was expected.

There was a phrase in the public announcement that stated, “All acts directly contributing to the closure of the hall.”

In fact, my reputation increased by the number of missions I had completed when the update involving reputation was carried out.

It was only natural that it now appeared in the reward list.

Thus, there was no need to pay particular attention to this aspect.

I skipped over the expected content and examined the unexpected parts.

‘Connection.’

What was this? I repeatedly checked the details of the mission using Mana Detection for reconnaissance.

‘There’s no enemy elimination count…’

But even before I could thoroughly analyze the changed part, I sensed the presence of mana nearby.

These were smaller in size but more numerous than the monsters I had seen at Level 2.

‘Six from the start.’

Their exact location was below me.

At first, I thought there were monsters underground.

But when I turned my gaze to confirm the direction of the monsters, I realized it was a misconception.

‘A pond…’

No, it would be more accurate to call it a swamp.

This place was more difficult to secure visibility compared to previous mission sites filled with trees.

Taller than me, the grass jutted above the water’s surface.

They were plants with leaves shaped like circular fans.

‘They look like lotus leaves.’

I quietly observed the water’s edge, where the roots of the unknown plants were submerged.

Specifically, the surface, blackened as if infused with darkness.

Floating in the direction where the Mana Detection had registered the monsters was something in an inverted triangle shape.

Red eyes indistinguishable between the sclera and pupils.

Shiny, reptilian-like leather.

A long tongue flicking out occasionally from the water.

‘A snake?’

I tightened my grip on my spear, facing off with the creature, its head just above the water.

In the meantime, other creatures detected by Mana began to approach me.

The quiet surroundings amplified the sound of water splashing each time the monsters moved.

Their positions were in the swamp on the left side of a mud path exposed above the water.

One, two, three, and finally six in number.

All the creatures within my 300-meter range surfaced above the water.

They were close enough to be seen with the naked eye.

Positioned between tall grass, six pairs of red gleaming eyes flicked their tongues and stared intently at me.

It was a poor move to enter the water without knowing how these monsters looked.

If they were snake-like, they might constrict me.

Throwing my spear was not an ideal option either, risking losing the weapon.

‘If I can’t go in, I must make them come out.’

As soon as I lowered the spear I had held ready for stabbing, the water shifted more dynamically.

The monsters, as if preparing to rush at me, began to move back and forth within the water.

It wasn’t easy tracking their positions with my eyes due to the dense plant stems and the ripple of the water’s surface.

‘If I didn’t have Mana Detection, it would have been quite the struggle.’

The terrain and environment were not favorable for me.

I clicked my tongue inwardly, dipping the cross-blade tip of my spear slightly into the water.

“Learn firsthand why an electric shock is dangerous, you bastards.”

Sparks leapt from my fingertips, quickly enveloping the spear.

“Shhh!”

As a result, the monsters lurking underwater began to thrash like fish pulled from the water.

* * *

Triangular heads, slightly forked tongues, and jaws that opened up to 180 degrees.

Four legs with webbed feet, sharp claws, and tails as thick as my thighs.

The new monsters bore a resemblance to crocodiles.

Yet, they couldn’t be classified as such.

These creatures could walk bipedally.

When upright, they reached up to my chest.

‘Jumping out from the water is annoying.’

I clicked my tongue again, thrusting a dagger into the mouth of a monster that had just launched itself from the water at high speed.

I seized the opportunity to kick aside another creature lunging to bite my hand from the side.

Whenever a monster died, corrupted mana was absorbed as if on cue.

「You’ve successfully eliminated an enemy.」

「27 corrupted mana has been absorbed.」

「You’ve successfully eliminated an enemy.」

「29 corrupted mana has been absorbed.」

A crease formed on my brow involuntarily. The message indicating mana collection was not appearing.

I glanced at the message window with a complicated feeling.

But glancing alone couldn’t reveal the reason.

In the end, all I could do was put it behind me.

The creatures’ mana ranged from the high 20s to the low 30s.

‘They have more mana than polar bears.’

By the mana reserve alone, these entities were stronger than polar bears.

A normal human would die before engaging physically.

I tackled the monsters shooting out of the water like arrows diligently without easing my guard.

Just in time, one had crawled up the land and attempted to bite my shin, so I stomped on it firmly.

Crack.

With a monotonous sound, the skull of the creature beneath my foot caved in completely.

“Phew.”

A few minutes into the battle, all six monsters targeting me lay dead.

‘The Chaos gauge is approximately 0.4%.’

Thanks to the increased mana reserve, the rise in the Chaos gauge had significantly slowed.

Unlike during the Promotion Test, there was no intense emotional turmoil.

From my previous experience, the threshold where I directly experienced mental corruption was from the early 30% range.

From that point, hallucinations and a tendency for violence began to manifest.

At 50%, I occasionally used violence unknowingly, such as kicking instinctively.

‘Despite having some leeway, there’s no need to leave corrupted mana unchecked.’

I wiped off the black blood from my longsword and dagger while activating Purification.

Instead of leaving immediately, I examined a monster’s corpse.

The one pierced in the neck with the dagger was the most intact.

In contrast to the creatures seen during the Promotion Test and at Level 2, which were riddled with needle-like teeth in the roof of their mouths, these had teeth only along the jawline like crocodiles.

After examining its overall appearance, I moved on to find its weak points.

‘I need to keep writing the guidebook.’

While I prepared for Level 3, Ethan and Lily had already completed a Level 2 mission once.

Leading players were now nearing the graduation point from Level 1.

It was time to produce the subsequent guidebook for high-level missions.

To consistently gather reputation, I couldn’t afford to slack on information gathering.

‘Let’s try stabbing it for starters.’

I began stabbing various parts of the monster’s corpse with the dagger.

However, there were no specifically weaker areas in the hide.

The force needed to penetrate the back and belly skin with the dagger was similar.

Lifting the tail revealed its heft, indicating a blow to the head meant a reserved appointment with a concussion.

These creatures were indeed stronger than the average human.

‘But they’re not comparable to the monsters I saw at Level 2.’

I could cleave these creatures in two with a single swing without employing materialization.

Perhaps that was why the battles here felt easier than those at Level 2.

‘Their response time is slower, and they’re less strong.’

After examining the creature’s remains, I mulled over the previous battle.

‘Even with six gathered, they didn’t attack first.’

It was only after I provoked them that they charged.

Even when they charged, it wasn’t in a random manner.

‘Are they creatures accustomed to group hunting?’

This aspect needed more attention in the next battle.

After tidying up the information, even briefly, I stood up.

Upon looking at the corpse of the monster I had slain, a crease naturally formed on my brow.

‘This might be chaotic if their numbers increase.’

Certainly, while they were weaker by themselves, a scenario with dozens attacking at once would be overwhelming.

With limited hands, I might have to endure getting bitten a few times.

After confirming the cautions for the following battles, I began to move.

While moving, I pondered over the unsettling feeling I sensed when examining the monster.

‘Something’s odd…’

Typically in games, as one levels up, the main hunting grounds are distinct.

And the quality of monsters from those grounds should also elevate.

The difficulty is supposed to rise gradually like ascending stairs.

‘But the monsters at Level 3 are weaker than those at Level 2?’

Saying it was purely due to the numbers seemed inadequate, as the discrepancy was too significant.

Unlike me, who was playing solo, others engaged primarily in party play.

It should never be considered difficult with the full 15 players.

‘I found the fox creature more troublesome.’

For without materialization, it was hard to kill.

Objectively, from an average player’s standpoint, level 3 posed a greater convenience.

‘Then why? The configuration seems illogical.’

Based on my experience, level 1 is a section for raising basic physical capabilities.

Level 2 is where character building starts in earnest.

The store comprises a wide variety of low-cost auxiliary skills, and most players likely discern their roles as a dealer, tank, etc., starting at Level 2.

From this perspective, the game structure seemed well-established.

Yet, the difficulty configuration appeared off-kilter. While ruminating over the cause, one thing bothered me.

“Connection…”

This element was absent from Levels 1 and 2.

Could this bizarre setup be linked to the connection?

‘Perhaps the levels aren’t divided purely by monster strength.’

Could there be a link with the system message that marked Levels 1 and 2 as beginner sections?

Once again, unanswerable queries piled up in the corner of my mind today.

‘Frustrating.’

I habitually swallowed down the near-escaping sigh and started moving.

The paths unflooded by water were narrow enough for merely one person to walk through.

That often slipped my foot into the water, causing loud splashes.

The narrow path hindered my movement and made it slow and bothersome.

Adding to the issues were the densely packed, spontaneously grown plants obstructing my view.

I could barely make out the ground I was walking on.

It felt like wading through a reed forest.

If it stopped there, I wouldn’t swear.

Blocking my path weren’t ordinary plants.

Their stems were strewn with sharp thorns that caused my clothes to snag repeatedly.

‘They’re not deep enough to wound, though.’

A prick resulted in a stinging pain.

Eventually, I had to cut through the plants with my sword, clearing a path as I went.

Meanwhile, more and more monsters began to gather again.

Although I glanced around, spotting a monster visually proved impossible.

Only once they drew near was it possible.

‘If this field keeps appearing, Mana Detection is a must.’

The current field had too many places for monsters to hide compared to previous missions.

I focused on the mana movements that began encircling me as I moved forward.

Once about ten monsters gathered, their first attack commenced.

‘These creatures only hunt in packs.’

This was the moment when I became certain that they never attacked alone.