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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Game Master
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"Additional user Ha Yeonsi registered."
['Ha Yeonsi' has been registered as a user.]
[1F Guide is now open.]
The statue disassembles, forming a single antique stone door.
As the stone door opens, the space on the other side comes into view. Even though this place is clearly surrounded by nothing but stone walls.
"Being around you, Oppa, makes it feel like there's nothing left that can surprise me anymore."
"That's some real surprise capital you've got there."
Once Gonghyeok and Yeonsi pass through the stone door, it closes behind them. From the outside, the stone door disassembles and reverts to its original statue form.
In the center of a cavern softly bathed in blue light, a single stone slab floats in the air.
Gonghyeok places his hand on the stone slab.
['Ju Gonghyeok' holds Level 1 authentication privileges.]
[Permission to open the Myriad Goods Store is granted.]
A vast list unfolds before Ju Gonghyeok's eyes.
[1st Floor Special Sale Prices - Prices increase 5x every 10 floors!]
[Avatar SS Thor, 3 yellow coins.
Avatar S+ Hanuman, 5 green coins.
Avatar S+ Zephyrus, 5 green coins.
Avatar S+ Pendulum, 5 green coins.
Avatar S+ ······
·········.
Skill Coinbook SS The Book of the Seven Heroes of the Pezelon Continent, 1 yellow coin.
Skill Coinbook SS The Diary of the Dark King Numezar, 1 yellow coin.
······.
Treasure SS Ruyi Jingu Bang, 3 green coins.
Treasure S++ Myriad Phenomena Chart, 1 green coin.
Treasure S+ Moggley, 20 blue coins.
Treasure S+ Heaven and Earth Fist, 20 blue coins.
······.]
A feast from S-grade down to F-grade. Avatars, skills, items—nothing is missing.
"Oh, Oppa. What on earth is this?"
"Our Yeonsi seems to get newly surprised every time."
Despite Gonghyeok's joke, Yeonsi couldn't close her mouth. It was an enormous list. Most of it was just a picture too pretty to eat, though.
Gonghyeok skips past the thousands of unnecessary listings and finds the item he wants.
[E-grade Avatar Evolution Stone, 10 indigo coins.
F-grade Avatar Evolution···]
The E-grade Evolution Stone. An item that artificially induces 'evolution' to the next stage for avatars with all final abilities unlocked.
'Finally, it's time to upgrade the Game Master (GM).'
Using this will allow the Observer to evolve to the next stage, 'GM'.
Then it leaps to a new level with infinite possibilities and potential.
Gonghyeok counts the coins he has.
400 purple coins and 1 indigo coin from [Bloodstained (4) 1200/1200],
1 indigo coin from [Sewer 1F cleared in 15 minutes!],
150 purple coins and 1 first-clear bonus indigo coin from [Sewer 2F 100 cleared],
Similarly, 450 purple coins and 3 indigo coins from clearing 100 on floors 3, 4, and 5.
500 purple coins and 3 indigo coins as a time reduction bonus from [Sewer Dungeon 500 cleared! 5-hour time attack!].
Adding in the coins earned from defeating monsters, the total is:
1,752 purple coins and 9 indigo coins.
'More than I expected.'
Including the achievements from the field, it was about the same as sweeping every achievement on Earth over three days.
The coins from directly hunting monsters amounted to just around 150 purple ones.
The bulk came from first achievement bonuses and various time attacks, netting several days' worth of coins in one go.
'Still, I'm one indigo coin short. There's a way to get one now, though.'
No need to go outside for another indigo coin. Just as he's about to summon the Observer to handle it, Yeonsi shakes Gonghyeok's shoulder.
"Oppa, look at this. Something weird popped up."
Yeonsi points to one avatar on the list.
[Special sale just for Hunter Ha Yeonsi during this time only!
Avatar C+ Yue Maiden, 5 indigo coins (80% Sale!!!)]
"...."
Gonghyeok is momentarily speechless at the home shopping-style text.
The Avatar Yue Maiden refers to an unnamed female swordsman from the Yue state who served King Goujian of Yue during the Spring and Autumn period.
.
"Um, if I buy this, does that mean I get two avatars? I'm starting to think it wouldn't be so bad to swing a sword coolly up front like you, Oppa."
"Sadly, Yeonsi, it's too much for you."
"···. Is there a reason?"
Gonghyeok silently summons the Observer.
"Observer, covert access to Guide system. Request partial Level 2 privilege release. Measure avatar space."
[Access complete. Measuring avatar space.]
The Observer displays a rectangular window.
[Ju Gonghyeok 1/1, Ha Yeonsi 1/1]
"This is···."
"The number of avatars you and I can hold. We're both limited to 1."
"I see."
As expected, the avatars sold here were just a picture too pretty to eat. Holding multiple avatars often had nothing to do with stats, and there were rumors that avatar space expanded once mental or will stats broke 1000, but even Gonghyeok wasn't certain.
Spare avatar space was strictly tied to talent—people born with multiple avatars or sufficient space were a different breed.
These avatars were prepared for those types.
Gonghyeok had no talent for holding more than one. Yet he carried 12 divine-grade avatars.
His GM had the ability to tamper with Babel's game privileges.
'Hurry and unlock the additional functions.'
"Observer. Generate coin exchanger with Level 2 privileges."
[Temporary privileges. Level 2 privilege limit time remaining: 30 minutes.]
[Coin exchanger generated.]
Ting-a-ling! Ting-a-ling!
Light gathers before his eyes, and a casino slot machine-like device pops out. The markings show coin exchange rates.
250 purple coins : 1 indigo coin
"Expensive. But considering indigo coins' rarity, it's not an unreasonable rate."
Gonghyeok unhesitatingly pours in 1,500 coins.
"Isn't that too many?"
"Purple coins can be farmed as needed depending on hunters' situations. But indigo coins are tough, and we only have 30 minutes left to exchange."
Once security is breached once, it's hard to do it again. Of course, with a grown GM, it'd be possible with time.
Clink clink!
The slot machine devours 1,500 purple coins and spins. Soon, 6 indigo coins drop with a clear chime.
Gonghyeok pockets the coins and grins at the Observer.
"Observer. Time for the new world."
The Observer, sensing its master's resolve, fully opens its abdominal coin slot.
"Purchase E-grade Avatar Evolution Stone."
[10 indigo coins deducted. Remaining indigo coins: 5.]
Light gathers in the air, forming the Evolution Stone. Gonghyeok roughly grabs it and jams it into the Observer's coin slot.
Whirrr!
Light bursts from the screens across the Observer's entire body as its form disassembles.
- New potential sprouts in Avatar 'Observer'.
- Owner 'Ju Gonghyeok's' strong will and traits influence the avatar.
- Observer's new potential is specified.
1. Far Seer. One who sees farther than others.
2. Debugger. One who fixes broken laws.
3. Panopticon. One who grasps everything at a glance.
?. Game Master. ?? ??? ?? ??? ?? ???? ?
The choice is set.
Didn't he say it all along?
"Game Master."
[Yes. Your majesty. As your wish.]
Its sleek metallic body spins like a whirlwind at high speed, then a new form emerges.
A silk top hat like a magician's.
Rippling red glow in the eyes and bizarrely twisted teeth.
A red velvet cape connected to the head.
A white, thick-gloved hand floating in the air like a cursor from an old game.
Beneath the velvet cape, no body—just an abyss of unknowable depth.
A sinister form that looks neither heroic nor demonic.
An avatar radiating an eerie presence stands there.
[Avatar 'Observer' has transformed into 'Game Master'.]
[Grade changes from E-grade to ??-grade.]
It's finally here.
The starting avatar that granted Ju Gonghyeok the seat of the 'Tyrant of the Twelve Divine Seats', leading all stats and skills to top rank. His comrade of 200 years.
"GM."
[Normal operation confirmed.]
[Avatar 'Game Master' (?)] LV.01
Stat growth rate - ???
1st ability unlock '--- Not found.'
2nd ability unlock '--- Not found.'
3rd ability unlock '--- Not found.'
Final ability sealed 'Authority Expansion'
'Just as it was.'
The GM has no 1st or 2nd abilities. Only the first and final ability, 'Authority Expansion'.
"Activate Authority Expansion."
[Authority Expansion list updated.]
[Avatar Space Expansion]
[Skill Space Expansion]
[Skill Devour Privilege Granted]
[Job Space Expansion]
[Class Change Privilege Expansion]
[Title Space Expansion]
[Title Synthesis Manipulation]
[Skill Synthesis···.]
[Skill ······.]
······.
"Check avatar slots."
[Current avatar slots 1/1. Owned avatar 'Game Master (GM)']
[Avatar space expansion requires black coins or white coins.]
Black coins, white coins.
Special coins outside the standard rainbow coin spectrum from red to purple.
Special coins granted for mythical or legendary achievements, or drawing closer to Babel's origin.
[Master. More coins will bring more power.]
"Yeah. For now, I need to have tea time with this dungeon's boss monster."
More coins, more special coins.
Gonghyeok knew all the ways to acquire them. The only issue was choosing what to discard and what to gain in the same timeframe.
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