Level Up Machine

Chapter 10 To the Continent (3)

Yeong-sik looked warily at the man with fox-like eyes who had suddenly approached them.

The man responded with a bitter smile.

“I’m Jeong Chan-hyeok, the 52nd summoner.”

“When did you arrive in this world?” Yeong-sik asked, narrowing his eyes.

Jeong Chan-hyeok answered with a friendly smile.

“Summoners are typically summoned every 2-3 months. Each summoner enters alternately through the west, east, and south.”

“So, it’s been a little less than two years since you arrived,” Yeong-sik nodded, responding to his words.

‘That means people have been continuously summoned for at least ten years.’

It made sense that Earthlings, having started arriving so long ago, had established power and a system called “guilds.”

“Yes, it’s been exactly 1 year and 9 months,” Jeong Chan-hyeok clarified.

“Hmm… So, what business do you have with us?” Yeong-sik asked, still wary.

Jeong Chan-hyeok glanced at Seo Ara, who was standing behind Yeong-sik.

His narrow eyes glinted momentarily.

“Of course, I’m here to recruit excellent talents into our guild. As you can see, there are quite a few such people around.”

He continued with a light smile.

“Our Light Shield is one of the six strongest guilds, and unlike other guilds, we pursue a family-like atmosphere. It’s the perfect guild for a summoner who needs to adapt to this world.”

Yeong-sik narrowed his eyes.

There was something that had been bothering him for a while, and he decided to voice it.

“Earlier, you mentioned the top three guilds and the six strongest guilds. What exactly does that mean?”

“Ah… Haha. My apologies. That must have been confusing.”

Scratching his head, Jeong Chan-hyeok smiled his characteristic friendly smile.

“In the current eastern continent, there are three guilds with the most power. These are known as the top three guilds. Baekgeom Gang Ha-rin, who caused the commotion earlier, is a member of one of these top three guilds, Leviathan.”

Jeong Chan-hyeok continued explaining in a gentle voice.

“These top three guilds hold such power that even the nations in the east can’t easily interfere with them.”

“There are nations here?” Yeong-sik asked.

“Yes, of course. In the east, there are three kingdoms: Elnot, Marcia, and Ixis. We are currently in Belen, a port city in the easternmost part of the Elnot Kingdom.”

Yeong-sik nodded at his words.

It was only natural that there would be nations since there were indigenous people living in this world.

Although Earthlings had arrived more than ten years ago, they wouldn’t have been able to create cities and civilizations to this extent by themselves.

Such a civilization could only be refined over decades or even centuries.

“It’s amazing. How could Earthlings, who have only been here for ten years, amass enough power to rival nations?” Yeong-sik asked sharply, his eyes gleaming.

According to the orb of light, the natives and monsters of this world were also granted the “level” system.

If that were the case, it was logical to assume that the natives, who had been settled in this world for far longer, would be stronger. Yeong-sik couldn’t understand how the Earthlings’ power had grown so rapidly in just ten years.

“The reason is quite simple. The average level cap for Earthlings is significantly higher than that of the natives.”

“What?”

“Typically, once Earthlings go through the ‘adaptation’ process, their average level reaches around 30. However, the natives of this world generally have a level cap of around 10. But that doesn’t mean all natives are weak. There are occasionally natives who are ‘rankers,’ with levels exceeding 100.”

Jeong Chan-hyeok explained each point in a friendly manner.

Yeong-sik’s expression twisted bitterly upon hearing this.

“So, I’m well below average.”

His level cap was 15. Higher than the natives but still significantly lower than the Earthlings’ average.

“Is the power of levels really that great?” Yeong-sik asked something that had been bothering him since he first adapted.

Jeong Chan-hyeok nodded with a bitter smile.

“Yes. Essentially, higher levels increase health, mana, and all basic stats. While having a higher level doesn’t guarantee victory, it does provide an advantage.”

Levels were akin to the difference between middleweight and heavyweight in martial arts.

It wasn’t impossible to bridge the gap with skill, but if all else was equal, the larger physique would have a clear advantage.

“So, a high-level summoner could potentially wipe out low-level summoners in one go?”

“It depends on the situation. However, unless the level difference is extreme, a one-sided massacre is unlikely. Even rankers over level 100 can’t single-handedly destroy armies.”

“Ah.”

Yeong-sik nodded, his eyes sharp.

He felt he was starting to understand the power dynamics of this world, the influence of levels, and their limits.

‘It seems that having a level difference doesn’t mean victory is impossible.’

In some games, a significant level difference meant attacks wouldn’t land at all.

In such cases, the side with the higher level would win regardless of skill, numbers, or strategy. Fortunately, it didn’t seem to be that way here.

“But what exactly is a ranker?”

“A ranker refers to a famous summoner with a level over 100. Even in the top three guilds, they are rare.”

Yeong-sik nodded at his explanation. In a world with a level system, the concept of rankers made perfect sense.

“Now, may I ask you a question?” Jeong Chan-hyeok asked.

Jeong Chan-hyeok asked with a kind smile still lingering on his lips.

It was strange how he remained so friendly despite answering Yeong-sik’s one-sided questions until now.

“Yes, go ahead.”

“I would like to recruit you all into the Light Shield Guild. Regardless of your level cap, leveling up itself is extremely dangerous. If you join our guild, I promise we will help you level up safely to around level 30.”

“Is leveling up that dangerous?” Yeong-sik asked.

“Yes. There are quite a few methods to level up, but the most common is hunting monsters. Although personal training gives more experience later on, hunting monsters is much faster in the beginning.”

Jeong Chan-hyeok’s expression hardened slightly as he continued.

“But as you might have felt during the tutorial, monsters are extremely dangerous creatures. There are far scarier beings than Orcs all over the place. Hunting such monsters is never easy with individual strength.”

“Can’t we just hunt weaker monsters to level up?” Yeong-sik suggested.

“Haha. If only it were that simple. Once the level difference between you and the monsters becomes too great, you won’t gain any experience points. So that kind of shortcut doesn’t work.”

Yeong-sik nodded at his explanation.

Not gaining experience from monsters with a significant level difference wasn’t uncommon in games.

‘So that means we have to keep hunting stronger monsters.’

Yeong-sik thought deeply, his eyes sinking.

If what Jeong Chan-hyeok said was true, then it was indeed much safer and more efficient to level up with the guild’s help rather than moving around as a group of three.

‘Level 30…’

Thinking of the level Jeong Chan-hyeok mentioned, Yeong-sik smiled bitterly.

It was a level higher than his own cap.

“Once a level cap is set, it can’t be changed, right?”

“Well…”

Jeong Chan-hyeok hesitated, his expression ambiguous.

“Repeated training or obtaining special items can sometimes raise it. For instance, it’s said that Baek Kang-hyeon, also known as the Undying, initially had a level cap of just 60. But such cases are extremely rare. In reality, the level cap rarely changes once set.”

Yeong-sik sighed deeply after hearing this.

It seemed that raising his cap from 15 wouldn’t be an easy task.

‘At least there’s a chance.’

He thought it was fortunate that there was at least some possibility, however slim, and looked at Jeong Chan-hyeok.

Indeed, his proposal was tempting.

For newly arrived summoners, it could be considered a stroke of great fortune.

But.

‘Something feels off…’

Yeong-sik looked at Jeong Chan-hyeok sharply.

He was kind. The problem was that he was too kind.

No matter how much he wanted to recruit guild members, there was no need to be this kind to strangers.

‘Moreover, he didn’t ask about our level caps or classes.’

Through his conversation with Jeong Chan-hyeok, Yeong-sik had come to understand just how important levels were in this world.

Even if he didn’t fully grasp it yet, it was clear that classes were also important.

But it seemed as if Jeong Chan-hyeok had no interest in those details and was only focused on recruiting them into his guild.

It was too suspicious to be considered mere kindness.

‘If there’s a possibility.’

Yeong-sik turned to look at Ara.

If they didn’t care about levels or classes, it meant they were interested in the person themselves.

It made sense that someone would go through the trouble if it was to recruit someone as beautiful as Seo Ara.

“What do the other two think?”

Before Yeong-sik could speak, Jeong Chan-hyeok turned his gaze to Gil-soo and Ara.

They glanced hesitantly at Yeong-sik.

“Haha. Don’t feel pressured. Here’s my contact information. Even if you can’t decide right now, you can come to us later.”

“…Thank you.”

Yeong-sik nodded and took the contact information Jeong Chan-hyeok handed over. It was a card with a golden shield emblem on a white background.

“Show this card at any of our guild branches, and they will guide you to me. I look forward to your positive response.”

After saying this, Jeong Chan-hyeok walked away without any hesitation, heading towards other summoners.

Yeong-sik watched his retreating figure.

“What do you think? I think it’s a good offer,” Gil-soo said, his eyes sparkling.

“But don’t you think the terms are too good? He didn’t ask about our level caps or classes,” Seo Ara said, voicing the same suspicion Yeong-sik had.

Yeong-sik didn’t answer them, instead falling into deep thought.

He stared at the white card he had received from Jeong Chan-hyeok.

‘Strange.’

Yeong-sik’s eyes sank deep with thought.

It was strange.

No matter how much he thought about it, it was too considerate to be mere kindness.

‘Could it be?’

Yeong-sik decided to use his “Structure Analysis” skill.

Ding.
[This item is not a machine, so Structure Analysis cannot be used.]

“Tsk…”

Yeong-sik looked at the white card with a disappointed expression.

At that moment.

A familiar mechanical sound echoed in his mind.

“Do you wish to utilize the level 1 security scan function?”

Yeong-sik nodded.

“Initiating level 1 scan on the item. Scan successful. Trace amounts of energy detected.”

Information about the white card flowed into Yeong-sik’s mind.

Although the card’s appearance was unremarkable, the golden shield emblem held a mysterious energy.

‘Energy in this world…’

Yeong-sik’s eyes sharpened.

In this world, the most basic form of energy was mana.