"B-black leaves?"
The human-faced tree stuttered at those unexpected words. The viewers watching the stream were equally shocked.
-BiscuitIsFuture: What? I thought the reward was just three types of leaves! What are black leaves?
-BaeksuOverTusu: Judging by the tree's reaction, maybe it's a hidden reward?
-SaeYoungEonHwan: Makes sense. Only a veteran would know secrets others don't.
-BiscuitIsFuture: But… why go solo? Wouldn't he join a guild?
-SaeYoungEonHwan: Not necessarily. Some veterans prefer traveling alone, without being tied to anyone.
Right. There was one like that—the strongest player who had cleared the Corridor of the Fallen alone while wearing a mask. But accepting that reality was difficult.
The viewers had been fooled by countless fakes.
But… what if this was the real one? What if they had come to the real player's channel?
-SaeYoungEonHwan: Above all, this makes no sense.
He knew about hidden rewards in the Tower? Only someone like him could.
It was undeniable.
-BaeksuOverTusu: Woooow! Unknown hyung! I'm a huge fan! I watched your Corridor of the Fallen raid video twelve times a day!
-BiscuitIsFuture: First of all, I want to greet you!
The chat turned 180 degrees. Jin-hyuk didn't care—he expected this reaction.
"H-how do you know about the black leaves?"
"It doesn't matter how I know. Just give them to me."
"B-but they're—!"
The tree seemed agitated.
The black leaves carried a 'Decay' effect.
But creating them required drying and destroying all remaining leaves—a process that prevented anyone else from taking the quiz.
"Don't make excuses. You promised I could take whatever I want."
Had the tree already forgotten its oath on the spirit's honor?
"…Kuk. Not that. Please… anything else I can do."
"I need nothing. All I want is the black leaf."
As the stream continued, the secret of the black leaves spread. Soon, more players could have passed the quiz.
'I cannot leave this for them.'
Even after all that, he could not let anyone else acquire a leaf with similar attributes.
'Because they are not allowed to use items like mine, or those I don't own.'
A perfectly normal rule of play. Jin-hyuk held out his palm.
No compromise.
Pss…
The reddish autumn leaves covering the tree began to burn black.
[You have answered all 3 questions asked by the human-faced tree!]
[You have acquired 1,280 Black Leaves!]
Black Leaf
Acquisition Difficulty: AAA
Description: When applied to a weapon or armor, grants Corruption Attribute: inflicts additional damage equal to 1% of the target's total HP every 3 minutes upon attack. The caster takes no damage; only enemies are affected. R𝙖𝐍ȯＢΕṤ
Nice.
Finally, he had all the puzzle pieces.
"…"
Jin-hyuk turned to the temple, leaving the tree behind, now looking a thousand years older.
The temple had a nostalgic aura. Jin-hyuk chose the east entrance among the four temple gates.
-BiscuitIsFuture: East is dangerous… isn't that the hardest one?
-BaeksuOverTusu: Other entrances show the four-story pagoda, but the east is hell.
Why pick the hardest side?
'Because the east is the most fun.'
He had traversed and challenged this temple hundreds of times; his body remembered the path, and he didn't mind it.
How would he reach the boss?
Jin-hyuk drew his reddish dagger.
Kukukuku!
The pillars on both sides of the entrance vibrated violently—a defense mechanism against intruders.
"Oh!"
"Grrrr…"
The stone statues lining the walls moved.
Meter-tall rock statues fixed their gaze on Jin-hyuk.
-BiscuitIsFuture: Damn, they're here too. Those cursed statues.
-BaeksuOverTusu: Terribly tough to destroy.
These statues were formidable because each contained a Life Orb. Destroy it, and the statue would stop. Their attack power and movement speed were terrifyingly precise. Seven surrounded Jin-hyuk.
The statues clenched their fists, closing in.
Kung!
Kwang!
The battle began, accompanied by howling wind. The statues rapidly narrowed the gap.
'Here it comes.'
Jin-hyuk relaxed his stance slightly.
Attacks from above were simple but destructive. He had to avoid them carefully.
Lowering his center of gravity, he dodged a synchronized punch and a precise kick to the back.
Kaaang!
He raised his dagger to block the strike. He knew which moves to avoid and which to defend.
After a series of attacks, the statues gradually cornered him.
-BiscuitIsFuture: Wow! Avoiding all that! Look at those crazy moves!
-BaeksuOverTusu: He memorized every pattern?
-SaeYoungEonHwan: As expected. He's on a completely different level from aggressive players.
At this rate, he might break through the entrance. He still had to destroy the Life Orbs, but the progress was significant.
The viewers were shocked.
-BaeksuOverTusu: No replay function?
The statues froze, falling apart as if sliced.
This only happened when a Life Orb was destroyed.
Clench!
Jin-hyuk pulled his dagger from the shoulder of a statue and examined the shattered orb.
'The Life Orb moves opposite to the direction of an attack.'
Strike from the right? The orb shifts left instinctively, hiding when threatened.
Its exact location could be deduced from subtle shakes in the statue's body.
'It wasn't a waste of past hardships.'
He smiled. A fight that could have taken an hour ended in three minutes.
[Current viewers: 38,350]
Within half an hour, 38,000 viewers had joined—a remarkable start for his first broadcast.
-VeteranIdentification: Creepy… Can he even beat the boss?
-BaeksuOverTusu: Possible. I've been watching from the start. I trust him.
-dead998: Elite guild raids also failed. Solo raiding is meant to overcome that.
-BigPie: True. Roles like tank, heal, and aggro exist for a reason.
-EndingLife: And the monsters haven't appeared yet.
Opinions were mixed; some doubted he could cross the final hurdle easily.
"It doesn't matter if you believe it or not. Stop talking about it."
Jin-hyuk scratched his head, annoyed.
-BigPie: Huh? Did he just say that to us?
-BlandCurry: Would he really say that if he were sane?
-Angermanagement: But he'd lose subscribers if he did…
"I said it to you. Just watch quietly. I own this channel, not you."
Many players bowed to viewers for views, showing whatever image the audience wanted. But then they couldn't pursue their own goals.
'Foolish bastards.'
Jin-hyuk's main audience wasn't outside; the current viewers were irrelevant.
He would follow a veteran-only strategy.
Skills.
If used correctly…
'I don't need to be dragged by viewers.'
High-quality content would retain viewers.
'More important—stick to one concept.'
That was how Unknown operated.
-KangHodo: I get his concept. Lol
-Deadlife: Wow, so chic!
-BaeksuOverTusu: Normally I'd feel bad, but I don't. Pervert vibes?
-SaeYoungEonHwan: Honestly, it feels fresh.
Some viewers grew attached to the tough, uncompromising Unknown.
Then, the chat surged.
'This…?'
Something had triggered Jin-hyuk's senses.
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