I Gave Up Being Stronger

Chapter 183

‘He’s refusing the money,’ Cha Jin-Hyeok thought as he looked at Gollum again. ‘I was a bit disappointed, but this will do.’

Jin-Hyeok did not see how Gollum was any better than Pathfinder or Mole Man. If Gollum were Playing as his main character, it would have been a different story, but his alternative character did not demonstrate any particularly impressive qualities.

‘But still, he hasn’t forgotten the basics.’

Gollum’s refusal to accept his daily wage was a form of self-discipline. He did not believe he had earned his keep, so he did not expect any reward for it. This was surprisingly hard for many Players. A lot of Players expected disproportionate rewards for their Plays. Jin-Hyeok believed these Players had no conscience and that they did not climb high on the Ranking Boards. In that sense, Gollum was like a Player who had not forgotten the basics.

His pride slightly wounded, Gollum clenched his fists and took the lead. “Let’s go... Spirits are gathering here, so there must be something.”

Approaching the bridge, the Navigator took out a strange powder from his pocket and scattered it. He hunted the nearby fish monsters, throwing their blood into the air.

Jin-Hyeok could not exactly tell what Gollum was doing. ‘Is that the Arvis method?’

He closely observed Gollum. He did not need to imitate the Navigator, but for a smooth broadcast, it was important to have some level of knowledge. At least, he needed to understand and explain to the viewers what was going on.

‘Ah, so that’s how he is gathering the Spirits.’

Jin-Hyeok was not a Spirit Mage, so he was not aware of the exact details, but this place seemed to be surrounded by Spirits. They were the lowest-grade Spirits without any self-awareness. What Gollum was doing was akin to gathering the essence of these Spirits.

Gollum plucked a strand of his few remaining hairs and muttered some words like an incantation. “By my name, I command. Open the path.”

The hair fluttering in the wind suddenly burst into flames. At the same time, a Gate appeared before them.

[Bridge of Agony Dungeon]

“We found it. The Bridge of Agony.”

***

Gollum had done his best.

‘This is cheating though...’ the Navigator thought.

When Playing as an alternative character, Gollum intended to use only that character’s abilities. However, activating this Gate had been beyond the scope of his alternative character’s abilities; to achieve that, he had used a method known to his main character, Golumberum, with a few activation material recipes known only to the main character.

Still, he praised himself. ‘Well done, Gollum.’

Then, with a triumphant look, he gazed at Jin-Hyeok. ‘I have changed the conditions so that everyone can enter this low-level Dungeon. This is something not everyone can do. What do you think, Kim Chul-Soo?’

“You’re just fooling around as your alternative character, are you?” Jin-Hyeok asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I would appreciate it if you gave it your all.”

“...”

“If it were Pathfinder or Mole Man, they would have found it much earlier.”

Gollum clenched his teeth. Proud of his sharp intuition, he could easily sense that Jin-Hyeok was being sincere.

‘He’s serious...’

Gollum wondered how high Jin-Hyeok’s standards were. As a Level 138 Player, Gollum was Playing exceptionally well.

‘Aren’t I...?’

By the standards of Gollum’s main character, 138 was indeed a very low Level. Just like how not many Players remembered their strengths when they were at low Levels, Gollum could not recall how skilled he had been at Level 138.

‘Maybe I was stronger than this? I’m not sure...’

When he reflected on it, he realized he did not have the same intensity as he had back then. This was not his main character, but an alternative character, closer to a form of entertainment for him.

Having gained some insight, Gollum made a silent vow. ‘Just you wait.’

He had to show Jin-Hyeok how a Great Navigator came to be called a Great Navigator.

‘I’ll earn your recognition sooner or later.’

[You have entered the Dungeon ?Bridge of Agony?.]

[The minimum entry Level for the Dungeon is 30, and the recommended minimum entry Level is 50.]

Gollum decided not to show off how much time it took to lift the entry restriction.

‘Right. I shouldn’t brag about such minor things. I will show him something even more astonishing.’

Gollum thought there was no need to show off with such trivialities to get proper recognition from Jin-Hyeok.

‘Maybe he already knows.’

Gollum looked around. He was standing on a sunny and bright field.

“Wow! Can a Dungeon be this refreshing? Why is the sunlight so warm?” Ji-Soo said, feeling excited.

Ahead of them was a stream, larger than a brook but smaller than a river.

“Look! There’s a bridge made out of rainbows!?”

A bridge made of rainbows stood over the river. In the middle of the bridge sat a child-like ghost. Noticing the visitors, the ghost stood up and said, “Will you play with me?”

***

Bridge of Agony was a low-level Dungeon. Known for being therapeutic and refreshing, it had no notable monsters, just warm sunshine and endless green fields. It was a peaceful Dungeon with a small river and a rainbow bridge. The Dungeon was quite famous among low-Level Players, but Jin-Hyeok’s party, being too high-Level, had missed it.

Ji-Soo suddenly remembered something. “Oh, now that I think about it, I have heard of a therapeutic Dungeon with a rainbow bridge.

Gollum reacted to that a bit sensitively. “You’ve heard about this place before?”

“Yeah, I think it was said to be the easiest Dungeon in the world, located in the Netherlands. You just have to play Rock Paper Scissors with the child on the rainbow bridge and win.”

If they won, they could cross the bridge, and if they lost, they had to go down and come back up again.

“They say you get some experience points for winning the game, and the weather is so nice and warm that Players come here for picnics. I scoffed at the idea of such a Dungeon, but who knew it really existed.”

Gollum’s pride was hurt again. ‘I had no idea!’

Even if it was a Dungeon for low-Level Players, he was a Navigator. Gollum wondered how he could not know something that an Assassin across the ocean knew. In his younger days, he could even recite the names of Dungeons from other Servers.

“Rock Paper Scissors, huh? Let’s give it a try,” Gollum said, hiding his wounded pride.

Gollum went up to the rainbow bridge first and approached the ghost. A [???] symbol appeared above the ghost’s head.

“Rock, paper, scissors! Aww, I lost.”

When the ghost lost the game, raindrops fell on its head.

[You have won at Rock Paper Scissors. You may pass.]

[1/3]

Gollum crossed to the other side and came back.

“Rock, paper, scissors! Aww, I lost.”

[You have won at Rock Paper Scissors. You may pass.]

[2/3]

“Rock, paper, scissors! Aww, I lost.”

[You have won at Rock Paper Scissors. You may pass.]

[3/3]

[You have acquired the Achievement ?Three Consecutive Wins!?.]

[Three Consecutive Wins!]

[You have a natural talent for Rock Paper Scissors.

You now feel happier for the next three hours and find joy in the smallest things.]

Gollum found this absurd.

[You have cleared the Dungeon!]

Far off in the distance, a white door appeared.

[Heartwarming Exit]

It was a Gate with no danger at all. Gollum approached the door and inspected it, but found no signs of danger.

***

The Paper Sorcerer, Makendra, visited Lucia’s bar.

“I cannot disclose information about our guests,” Lucia said.

“But the last time I contacted him, he was staying here.”

“All I can say is that the guest in Room 302 left the room yesterday.”

“I will give you twenty million Dias for the information.”

“I’m sorry.”

Makendra frowned. Normally, Succubi running bars and inns loved money. They usually provided quite a bit of information for a fee, and twenty million Dias was not a small sum.

‘It seems she really doesn’t know anything,’ Makendra thought. Obtaining any information from Lucia seemed difficult.

Makendra started her own investigation and soon found traces of Kayn.

‘Kayn...It’s likely he died here,’ Makendra thought.

This area was also very important to Makendra. It was the most likely location where Picasso’s Brush was hidden. That was why she had been particularly attentive to it and had sent her most trusted subordinate here.

‘Wait a minute... Room 302?’

Makendra returned to Lucia. Her Paper Soldiers surrounded Lucia, pointing their paper spears at her.

“What is this about, Ms. Makendra?” Lucia asked.

“Has Room 302 checked out?”

“Not yet.”

“Then why are you repairing it?”

“...”

“Was the fee I offered too low?”

Makendra took out a leather pouch containing fifty million Dias and threw it in Lucia’s face.

Thud!

The pouch hit Lucia, and golden coins scattered on the floor.

“I will buy information related to Room 302. If it’s good information, I will pay another fifty million Dias.”

“...”

“But first, kneel and pick up the coins with your mouth.”

“Yes.” Lucia knelt and did so.

When she put the last coin into the pouch, Makendra spoke. “Greedy Succubus, you shouldn’t have overstepped.”

A Paper Soldier’s spear pierced Lucia’s back. The chilling blade went through Lucia’s back and came out of her abdomen.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

Spears from the surrounding Paper Soldiers pierced Lucia from multiple directions, and thick blood dripped down. Makendra stepped on her face. “I said I would give it, but I didn’t say anything about taking it back.”

Lucia’s eyes had already lost focus. With her last strength, she reached out toward the leather pouch. “N-No...”

“Yes.”

Another spear pierced Lucia’s neck.

“Even while dying, you’re greedy for money. Truly a despicable race.”

Makendra read the records from the calendar on the wall of Room 302.

‘Gollum and three unknown Players. They have discovered something.’

She did not know who the other three Players were, but she knew who Gollum was.

‘I need to track down Gollum.’

Makendra snapped her fingers, and the Paper Soldiers poured oil over Lucia’s body and set her on fire. Lucia’s bar and inn turned to ash, and Makendra released her Paper Soldiers to track down Gollum’s whereabouts.

***

For Gollum, it was a matter of pride. It was a battle to see whether he would be recognized as a true Navigator or not.

‘No!’ It was not just that. ‘This is a battle to see who is the more competent Navigator!’

Gollum had to acknowledge Jin-Hyeok’s keen perception. It had all started with a remark from Jin-Hyeok. “There are ghosts floating around the river, invisible to the eye. Similar to Spirits, they are not easily noticeable, if not for their aura. It is a similar structure to before the Gate was activated. Well, you must know this already, right?”

“O-Of course, I knew.” Gollum had not seen what Jin-Hyeok did. This was the first moment Gollum felt a sense of crisis.

“And exactly every two minutes and eighteen seconds, the child on the rainbow bridge changes. Is it the soul that’s changing?”

Feeling another sense of crisis, Gollum quickly added, “No, the body changes too. If you look closely, the mole on the right wrist disappeared. The next ghost used the left arm for Rock Paper Scissors. Before that, it was the right arm. The stripes on the clothes of the one who appeared this time are subtly different.”

“Oh, I see.” Jin-Hyeok also admired Gollum’s sharp observation. Gollum had pinpointed differences that average Players would not have found easily.

‘Maybe this is what it’s like to be an alternative character of a great Navigator,’ Jin-Hyeok thought. A peculiar sense of competitive pride arose in him. ‘Why do I want to beat him? Our Jobs are completely different!’

Jin-Hyeok had never felt this emotion toward Pathfinder or Mole Man. But strangely, he wanted to beat Gollum.

‘Even though I am a Streamer, I want to prove I am a better Navigator than him!’

It was an odd feeling. And soon, Jin-Hyeok realized why.

‘Maybe it’s because I think I can win against him?’

That seemed to be why his competitive spirit kept growing. Now that it had come to this, Jin-Hyeok wanted to win. This was a soothing Dungeon, after all. A madness only Jin-Hyeok was unaware of flickered in his eyes.

‘This is a competition.’