A deep violet glow erupted from the roulette. The aura pulsed twice before unraveling into shimmering threads that stitched themselves into form.
Two costume pieces materialized before him.
—————
[ Torso: Butler's Vest ]
A vest that speaks of discipline and order, stitched with quiet authority.
Rarity: Epic
Appearance: Sleek black vest over a crisp white shirt, silver buttons aligned in perfect symmetry, faint violet trim stitched along the seams
Primary Effect: +3 Intelligence, +2 Constitution
Secondary Effect: +70 Max MP, +2% Heal Rate
Character Points: 500CP
Butler Set Bonus Effect (2/5)
● 2 Piece Equipped(Unlocked):
— Primary Effects: +2 Intelligence
— Secondary Effects: +2% Critical Rate, +2% Heal Rate
— Character Points: 200CP
● 3 Piece Equipped (Locked) :
— Primary Effects: +2 Constitution, +2 Psyche
— Secondary Effects: +40 Magical Attack, +50 Max MP, +2% Movement Speed
— Character Points: 300CP
● 4 Piece Equipped (Locked) :
— Primary Effects: +2 Dexterity
— Secondary Effects: +80 Max HP, +2% HP Recovery, +2% Double Attack chance
— Unique Passive: Butler's Poise — Buff durations on allies last 5% longer
— Character Points: 500CP
● 5 Piece Equipped (Locked) :
— Primary Effects: +2 Intelligence, +2 Constitution
— Secondary Effects: +100 Max HP, +70 Max MP, +3% Critical Rate, +3% MP Recovery
— Unique Skill: Loyalty Protocol — Every 10th supportive action (heal, buff, or assist) automatically grants the lowest‑HP ally a shield equal to 5% of the user's Max HP
— Character Points: 1,000CP
—————
[ Pants: Butler's Trouser ]
Every crease is deliberate, every line a statement of control.
Rarity: Epic
Appearance: Slim black trousers with polished lines, silver cufflinks gleaming faintly, subtle violet sheen woven into the fabric
Primary Effect: +4 Dexterity, +2 Psyche
Secondary Effect: +40 Magical Attack, +2% Critical Rate
Character Points: 500CP
Butler Set Bonus Effect (2/5)
● 2 Piece Equipped(Unlocked):
— Primary Effects: +2 Intelligence
— Secondary Effects: +2% Critical Rate, +2% Heal Rate
— Character Points: 200CP
● 3 Piece Equipped (Locked) :
— Primary Effects: +2 Constitution, +2 Psyche
— Secondary Effects: +40 Magical Attack, +50 Max MP, +2% Movement Speed
— Character Points: 300CP
● 4 Piece Equipped (Locked) :
— Primary Effects: +2 Dexterity
— Secondary Effects: +80 Max HP, +2% HP Recovery, +2% Double Attack chance
— Unique Passive: Butler's Poise — Buff durations on allies last 3 seconds longer
— Character Points: 500CP
● 5 Piece Equipped (Locked) :
— Primary Effects: +2 Intelligence, +2 Constitution
— Secondary Effects: +100 Max HP, +70 Max MP, +3% Critical Rate, +3% MP Recovery
— Unique Skill: Loyalty Protocol — Every 10th supportive action (heal, buff, or assist) automatically grants the lowest‑HP ally a shield equal to 5% of the user's Max HP
— Character Points: 1,000CP
—————
Ji‑ho stared at the vest and trousers shimmering before him, the violet glow still lingering like a spotlight he hadn't asked for. His lips pressed into a thin line.
"…this is ridiculous," he muttered, eyeing the polished buttons and faint violet trim, "Do I really have to dress up like Ian?"
Hyun‑soo's ears twitched, tail flicking with delight, "You have to wear that! Look at those stats! You'd be crazy not to!"
Ji‑ho sighed, fingers hovering over the Equip prompt. The numbers were undeniable — +70 Max MP, +40 Magical Attack, critical boosts, and the set bonus already unlocked. His analytical mind screamed efficiency, but his pride whispered humiliation.
With a reluctant tap, the glow surged around him.
[ 'Butler's Vest (Epic)' equipped ]
[ 'Butler's Trousers (Epic)' equipped ]
The garments stitched themselves into place, wrapping him in crisp black and white. The violet shimmer pulsed once before fading, leaving Ji‑ho standing there in full aristocratic elegance.
Hyun‑soo's jaw dropped, then split into a grin, "Pfft—! You look like you're about to scold me for spilling tea on the carpet!"
Ji‑ho adjusted his cuffs stiffly, refusing to meet his gaze, "It's embarrassing… but the stats are optimal. I don't have a choice."
Hyun‑soo grinned, leaning closer. "Efficiency, huh? You're starting to sound exactly like Uncle Ian."
Ji‑ho's jaw tightened as he tugged at the vest, adjusting the fit around his shoulders, "Don't compare me to him like that."
Hyun‑soo smirked, "What, embarrassed? You look like his understudy. All you need is a tray of tea."
Ji‑ho shot him a glance, eyes narrowing, "Ian isn't someone you should badmouth. He's different. He's... reliable."
He straightened the cuffs, pulling them snug, as if the act itself gave him composure, "... unlike you."
Hyun‑soo blinked, ears twitching at Ji‑ho's sudden defense, "Whoa, look at you. Loyal to the end, huh?"
He paused, tail flicking once before settling, "...well, I guess you're right. Uncle Ian is reliable. Even I can't deny that." His grin softened into something closer to acknowledgment, though the teasing lilt never fully left his voice.
"Still doesn't change the fact you look like his butler right now."
Ji‑ho ignored him, focusing on the faint violet shimmer of the costume as he adjusted it to his comfort. The vest sat neatly now, the trousers aligned perfectly, the glow pulsing faintly like a quiet heartbeat.
"Alright, that should do it," he muttered, brushing the fabric flat against his chest.
Hyun‑soo stepped forward, "So… yours is Epic too, right? Purple tier?"
"Yes. Same as yours," Ji‑ho gave a reluctant nod.
Hyun‑soo tilted his head, curiosity sparking, "Hey… if purple's Epic, then what's the highest tier? Is there something above it?"
"Legendary is gold tier. Mythic is crimson. But whether Mythic is the highest… I don't know."
Hyun‑soo tilted his head, ears twitching, "You mean there could be something beyond Mythic?"
Ji‑ho's gaze lingered on the faint violet shimmer.
"Possibly. The system hasn't revealed it yet. For all we know, Mythic might not be the ceiling."
Hyun‑soo's grin faltered into thought, "Huh. So even we don't know the limit. That's, kind of exciting."
Ji‑ho shook his head immediately, "Exciting? No. Dangerous."
Hyun‑soo blinked, "Dangerous?"
Ji‑ho's tone was flat as he replied, "Items beyond Mythic would be game‑breaking. The balance would collapse. I doubt the developers would even consider adding something higher. Mythic is already pushing the limits of what the system can handle. I guess?"
Hyun‑soo tilted his head, ears twitching as he leaned in, "You're not sure?"
"I'm sure enough. The system thrives on balance. Anything stronger than Mythic would break progression entirely. If it exists, it's hidden for a reason."
Hyun‑soo smirked faintly, But you said 'I guess.' That means there's still a chance."
Ji‑ho exhaled through his nose, refusing to meet his gaze, "A chance, yes. But not one worth hoping for. If Mythic isn't the ceiling, then whatever lies beyond it… we may not want to see."
Tired from all the thinking, Hyun‑soo groaned, furiously messing his hair, "Whatever. Just tell me—what's your current CP?"
Ji‑ho opened his system window with a flick and replied, "Thirty‑two thousand, one hundred."
Hyun‑soo's ears twitched, tail flicking in disbelief, "Tch… that's insane. You're already breaking past thirty‑one thousand with just two costume pieces?"
Ji‑ho gave him a sidelong glance, tone calm but firm.
"Don't misunderstand. The costumes added a boost, yes… but most of my CP comes from the skills I received during character creation."
Hyun‑soo blinked, "Skills? You mean all those passives and actives you gained from the start?"
"Exactly. The passives alone gave me permanent stat pools. Then the actives layered on top of that. Costumes are just the icing. Without those skills, I wouldn't be anywhere near thirty‑two thousand."
Hyun‑soo clicked his tongue, smirking, "So basically, you're flexing that you were min‑maxed from the moment you were born."
Ji‑ho's lips pressed into a thin line. "You're the only one thinking like that."
Hyun‑soo leaned forward, tail flicking with amusement.
"Oh, come on. You've got passives stacked like a fortress and actives that make you look untouchable. Don't tell me you don't see how ridiculous that is."
"Ridiculous or not, it's just the system. I didn't choose how many skills were given at creation."
As he said it, a thought struck him — sharp and unwelcome. Alice. That strange administrator with the cryptic smile.
Ji‑ho muttered under his breath, "Unless… it wasn't the system at all."
Hyun‑soo's ears twitched, catching the change in tone, "Huh? What are you mumbling about?"
Ji‑ho's eyes narrowed, recalling Alice's cryptic smile, "There was someone… an administrator. Alice."
Hyun‑soo froze, tail flicking uneasily, "Alice… I remember her too. During character creation. She kept calling me Hyun‑shot."
Ji‑ho's eyes widened, startled. "What did you see in your popup player information?" He abruptly asked.
Hyun‑soo blinked, tail flicking once before answering, "My registered player name. Nothing strange. Just what I typed in."
Ji‑ho's gaze sharpened, "And when you corrected Alice, what happened?"
Hyun‑soo clicked his tongue, frustration bubbling, "She kept repeating Invalid Username like a broken radio. No matter how many times I told her to call me Hyun‑soo, she wouldn't listen."
Ji‑ho leaned forward, tone clipped, "So she ignored you completely. No deviation, no response outside the loop?"
Hyun‑soo nodded, "Exactly. Like a program?"
Ji‑ho fell silent for a moment.
'Strange. Mine was different. Alice spoke my real name. She responded, adjusted… and then she looked at me. It was a scorn. Like she knew exactly what she was doing.'
Ji-ho pressed again, "Did she ever acknowledge your frustration? Any sign she understood you?"
Hyun‑soo scoffed, "Not once. It was like talking to a wall."
Ji‑ho's brows furrowed, his thoughts tangled.
'None of this adds up… why was my encounter so different?'
He turned sharply toward Hyun‑soo, voice edged with urgency. "Then tell me, what did your conversion look like?"
Hyun‑soo blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question.
"My conversion? She asked me directly. Every detail. She prompted me for the information they needed like my school, my height, the sports I played, my health status, and more. It was endless. Like filling out a form."
Ji‑ho's eyes widened, astonishment flashing across his face.
'That's impossible… mine was instant. No prompts, no choices. Just a system window that already knew everything.'
He pressed further, voice tight, "You mean she interrogated you for all of that? Directly?"
Hyun‑soo scowled just remembering that tedious process, "Exactly. She wouldn't move on until I answered every single question."
Ji‑ho's gaze hardened, "And you had to give her all of that before the conversion?"
Hyun‑soo nodded sharply, "Yeah. No skipping. She forced me through it like a checklist."
Ji‑ho fell silent, his thoughts spiraling inward.
'So his Alice behaved like a rigid program, demanding input line by line. Mine was the opposite — no prompts, no choices. She already knew everything. My real name, my stats, even things I hadn't said. And she looked at me with scorn, not neutrality.'
He leaned back slightly, silence stretching between them, 'Was it the same Alice? Or… was mine something else entirely?'
For once, Ji‑ho felt adrift, unable to piece together the logic. 'What in the world is happening?'
Hyun‑soo's ears twitched, catching the shift in Ji‑ho's expression, "Hey… what's going on with you?"
Ji‑ho snapped, "It's nothing."
Hyun‑soo blinked, taken aback, but quickly masked it with a grin, "Fine, fine. Forget it."
He flicked his tail, tone suddenly lighter, "So… how about we kill some monsters together? It might clear your head."
'Monsters… as if that could untangle this mess. But maybe distraction is better than drowning in questions I can't answer,' Ji-ho thought.
He exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing, "Okay."
Inside the game, time flowed twice as fast as reality. Forty‑eight hours compressed into a single day. By the time Ji‑ho and Hyun‑soo logged in at exactly 10 PM, the clock had already begun its relentless march. One in‑game hour slipped away almost unnoticed, wasted in hesitation and conversation. Determined not to squander any more, the two finally formed a party and pushed deeper into the greens. Every step carried urgency as there's only three in‑game hours remained before the domestic and global rankings would be revealed.
The air grew tense as the countdown approached. Minutes before the announcement, the two were locked in combat against a pack of wild boars. Tusks gleamed in the moonlight, hooves tore into the soil, and the beasts charged with reckless fury.
Hyun‑soo barked a laugh, "Persistent little beasts, aren't they?" He pivoted, dual rapiers flashing low to catch the first boar's leg. The creature stumbled, momentum broken, its charge faltering as dirt sprayed from its hooves.
Ji‑ho's eyes narrowed, 'Second one is angling for me. Let's adjust the timing.'
The second boar lunged, tusks aimed at his chest. Ji‑ho sidestepped, staff whipping in a sharp arc. The strike connected with its flank — a clean, piercing blow.
[ You have dealt 116 damage to the target ]
Damage numbers flared again, 'Critical! Good. A few more should finish it.'
The second boar tried to slam at Ji-ho again. Hyun‑soo reacted instantly — holstering his rapiers and drawing his dual pistols in one fluid motion. Using 'Twin Shot', two bullets fired point‑blank into the second boar, staggering it mid‑tackle. He spun his pistols, used 'Switch Strike', switching back to rapiers. His dual slash carved deep, leaving the beast bleeding heavily as he positioned himself between Ji‑ho and the threat.
Ji‑ho steadied himself, eyes narrowing as he turned toward the first boar. The boar was struggling back to its feet. He raised his staff, vines erupted from the ground after using 'Root', coiling around the first boar's legs just as it regained balance. The boar squealed, immobilized, thrashing helplessly against the bindings.
Hyun‑soo pressed the assault on the second boar, his rapiers flashing in a flurry of strikes. He used 'Dual Thrust' and two precise stabs sank into its flank. The beast staggered, HP bar plummeting, before collapsing with a final squeal.
[ You have defeated a Wild Boar! ]
[ You have gained 15 silver ]
[ You have gained 36 experience point ]
On the other hand, Ji‑ho exhaled, grip tightening on his staff and raised it once more. Lightning crackled down as he used 'Shock'. Sparks danced across the immobilized first boar's hide, weakening its strength. For the final cast, Ji-ho used 'Arcane Bolt' and a concentrated blast pierced its chest. Its HP bar emptied, body convulsing before it collapsed into the dirt.
[ You have defeated a Wild Boar! ]
[ You have gained 17 silver ]
[ You have gained 34 experience point ]
Hyun‑soo smirked, dual pistols resting against his shoulder before sliding them back into their holsters, "Guess we make a decent pair."
The forest fell silent again, save for the faint hum of the accelerated clock. Then — a sharper chime rang out, louder, insistent.
[ System Notice: Global Ranking Update Imminent ]
[ Countdown: 00:02:59 ]
Hyun‑soo's ears twitched in excitement, "Three minutes. Three minutes left and we'll see how we placed."