[You have entered the 6th Floor.]
As his darkened vision brightened, a dense forest spread out before him.
'Indeed, this is one of the best vacation spots in the Tower of Trials.'
Cool air and warm sunlight. Above all, the beautiful natural scenery was breathtaking.
"Come down here! The barbecue and beer are all set up!"
"I heard the 'Cloud Cotton Candy' on the 6th floor is delicious. Shall we try it?"
"Kuak. The town shop sells so many pretty relics. If we don't use coins now, when will we?"
Firstly, most players who arrived on the 6th floor came in pairs.
It was a short break from the constant battles of climbing the Tower.
To some extent, it was understandable that players wanted to laze around on the 6th floor.
However—
'Playing and having fun can be done later.'
The Elven Forest was not a place meant for leisure. It was a land of opportunity, where skills unobtainable elsewhere could be acquired.
'Only a few would realize that.'
Players who truly sought strength would not be enjoying themselves here.
They would already be wandering deep into the forest in search of elves.
'Then… should I begin as well?'
Jin-hyuk passed by the other players and moved deeper into the forest.
Roughly three hours away from the starting point, the forest began to grow complicated.
This was a form of warning.
Anyone could reach this point freely, but beyond it lay the elves' domain—approach no further.
However, no matter how complex the arrangement of trees was, it meant nothing.
Even if the trees shifted and reshaped the terrain, it would be useless.
Because Jin-hyuk already knew how the elves navigated this forest.
"Hum."
He took a deep breath, drawing in every scent in the air. The freshness of grass and the sweetness of fruit reached him clearly.
Most importantly, there was the scent of earth.
Jin-hyuk detected a faint but distinct earthy smell permeating the air.
'To the left.'
There was a subtle difference in scent to the left, prompting Jin-hyuk to turn.
The positions of mushrooms, grass, and trees all aligned.
Even when the path split again, Jin-hyuk already knew which direction to take and continued deeper into the forest.
And—
From a tree a short distance away, a figure observed everything.
Short hair. Pointed ears.
An elf.
The rulers of this forest.
'How did a human figure this out?'
Silvia, a ranger of the Elven village, could not comprehend the situation.
Multiple defenses had been constructed to keep humans out, yet all of them were being bypassed.
'Distinguishing the scent of earth like that is impossible unless one has lived in the forest for a long time.'
The placement of mushrooms and the shape of the grass were things only forest dwellers would know.
Ordinary humans would never pay attention to such details.
'How… was a half-elf born without us knowing?'
If not for his appearance, she would never have believed he was human.
That was how naturally he navigated their paths.
At that moment—
The human reached the barrier.
'That's it. No matter how impressive he is, it ends here.'
Before him stood an illusion barrier crafted exclusively by the elves.
Anyone caught within the High Elves' Illusion Barrier would inevitably become trapped, exhausted by endless illusions for an entire week.
Once unconscious, Silvia's mission would end with his elimination.
But—
"Ugh. This isn't something High Elves should be doing. 'Ete Tamaros' is passive. You should've used an active form. Tch, tch. Whoever made this must've slept through grammar class. At best, this barrier is only operating at fifty percent efficiency."
The human clicked his tongue while examining the elven words carved into the wood.
He even corrected the inscriptions using a stone he picked up from the ground.
Silvia's face flushed red.
As an apprentice ranger, she couldn't help but feel furious at someone mocking High Elven magic.
'Just… what is this human?!'
'Thankfully, there's a young elf here.'
Jin-hyuk smiled.
From the moment he had reached the forest's edge, he had already sensed the elf trailing him through the branches.
Considering elves were famed for their stealth, he acknowledged her skill.
Thanks to that, he was able to pinpoint her position.
'I've laid out enough bait…'
This should make a strong first impression.
Now it was time to draw her out.
Jin-hyuk opened his subspace inventory and took out the ingredients and cooking utensils he had prepared.
[Lv1 'Restaurant of the New World' is activated.]
This was a skill he had acquired after visiting countless restaurants—a superior version of those obtained through Fusion.
His hands moved with elegance as he sliced vegetables and fruits, his technique bordering on art.
'So… beautiful.'
Silvia, perched in the tree, could only stare.
"N-no…?"
She had forgotten her surroundings, but the scent—
It was unmistakable.
'That's meat.'
Silvia immediately leapt down.
"How dare you cook meat in the sacred Elven Forest! What is this?!"
She shouted as she drew her bow.
Her face was filled with fury and unforgiving intent.
"This is meat?"
"Uh?"
"This isn't meat."
"I saw it with my own eyes. You expect me to believe that?"
"If you don't believe me, come closer and see for yourself."
"N-no…"
Silvia cautiously approached Jin-hyuk.
"What…?"
Her eyes trembled.
It smelled and looked like meat, but upon closer inspection, it wasn't.
The dish was made from beans, nuts, and fresh vegetables.
"It's called soybean. On our side, it's gaining attention as an alternative food."
Alternative food—
A rapidly growing culinary field focused on health, environmental protection, and animal rights.
'Of course, this would appeal to elves who detest meat.'
That was why he prepared it.
A dish tailored even for the most demanding elves.
"Try it. I won't brag, but I'm confident in my cooking."
"It really… isn't meat?"
"I never joke about food. I don't want to fight elves. Why would I force you to eat something you hate?"
Silvia lowered her bow and cautiously took a bite.
Nom. Nom.
Her mouth moved nonstop, and then—
"What… is this taste?"
She gasped in astonishment.
She couldn't help it.
It was the first time she had ever eaten something so delicious.
Soft beans blended with vegetables created a deep, rich flavor. Balanced oil, savory undertones, and a tangy finish completed the dish.
Even the most frugal elf would be tempted.
[Affinity of 3rd-Class Ranger Silvia has increased.]
['Silvia' feels remorse for pointing her bow at you.]
Everything was proceeding exactly as planned.
"I'm sorry. I acted without thinking…"
Silvia bowed her head.
"I'm glad the misunderstanding is resolved. It was also my fault for entering elven territory without permission."
Jin-hyuk gently deepened her sense of guilt.
"No, this was my fault."
Silvia shook her head.
"As an apology, I'll do whatever I can for you."
That was the line he was waiting for.
"Then… may I see the Elven village?"
"O-our village?"
"I'm a sociology student. I'm writing a thesis on understanding other races. Being allowed into a forbidden place would be an invaluable experience."
Participatory observation—
A fundamental sociological research method.
[Lv4 'Communion' is activated.]
Jin-hyuk subtly used his skill.
The effect was immediate.
Silvia hesitated briefly, then nodded.
"In a week, there will be a festival in our village. The elders would love to taste this bean meat."
One week.
Perfect timing.
"Then I'll return in a week."
"Yes."
As Jin-hyuk turned to leave, Silvia suddenly called out—
"Ah! Your name?"
"Kang Jin-hyuk."
Not Captain Teemo.
Kang Jin-hyuk.
"I'm Silvia, an elven ranger."
A third-class ranger—meaning a low elf.
"Remember me, Silvia. Next time, I'll bring something even better."
"Yes! I'll be looking forward to it!"
Jin-hyuk began to walk away.
At that moment—
Woong!
A status window appeared.
[Incoming video call from Player Kim Gitae.]
'Looks like everything's ready.'
Reopening the labyrinth wouldn't have been easy, yet they'd done it quickly.
They were in a hurry.
Jin-hyuk accepted the call.
"Player Kang Jin-hyuk, I have something to discuss. Can you spare a moment?"
"Just tell me the time and place."
"In one hour, at Melta Hill on the 3rd floor. If you send your coordinates, we'll dispatch a mage to teleport you."
This was the chance to obtain both his first job quest and a hidden reward.
Finally—
It was time to begin the Gray Temple Raid.
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