“Yeo Woo-rim… are you really the pro gamer Yeo Woo-rim?”
“If it’s really you, can I get your autograph or something?”
“I’m definitely bringing paper and pen to the meetup. If a pro gamer made it to the final three, then this clearly isn’t just a game of luck.”
“It’s because it’s not a game of luck that Kebab got this far.”
“Ugh, you’re seriously…”
“Now I have to win this round just so I can get Kebab’s autograph for you at the meetup.”
“Oooh, that’s the conclusion we’re going with?”
Half-joking, half-serious banter filled the air.
[System]: You’ve peeked into player ‘KebabGudasaai’s’ inventory.
In a situation where not only my own life but also Kessler’s was on the line, there was no room for fair play. I had already scouted everything the other two were carrying in their inventories.
The final mission was a completely uncharted territory, so it required even more vigilance.
‘Kessler said not to worry, but…’
Ever since I’d been possessed into this game, my life had been nothing but a string of unexpected twists. Except for Jung Da-hoon’s death, all the variables had worked in my favor. But right now, the most critical thing for me was eliminating any more variables.
Besides, my performance up to this point hadn’t exactly been worthy of a pro gamer.
‘I made a lot of strategic mistakes too.’
This last game was more than just a match—it was a turning point in my life. I wanted to give it my all, not just as a survivor, but as a gamer too.
“Well, I’m heading to bed first.”
KebabGudasaai, who until now had slept on bare pavement like it was nothing, was suddenly unfolding a set of high-end bedding. The blanket was made of luxurious wool shaped like an egg white, complete with a fluffy yolk-shaped pillow.
“Ah~ so warm and cozy.”
He even had a chick hat on his head, looking downright adorable as he drifted off to sleep with a blissful grin. Watching him, Bori Noona was sucking her finger in envy.
“Damn, I really want that item. It’s a keepsake left behind by MaekbanseokGrilledEgg when he died.”
“Ah, that explains it. It did look expensive. A death-drop item, huh?”
“Yeah. He couldn’t just die quietly. He had to go beat up a bunch of skeletons and rack up infamy first, so he ended up dropping tons of stuff.”
“He must be crying tears of blood right now.”
“Of course he is. Cash items don’t drop that easily…”
And this wasn’t just any cash item—it was a limited edition with obscenely low drop rates, even among premium loot. Judging by his username, ‘MaekbanseokGrilledEgg,’ he probably spent real money to collect matching items. What a tragic loss.
Still, once the official server launches, getting gear of that level shouldn’t be impossible.
“We played rock-paper-scissors for who gets what, and I lost. Waaaah… he always ends up with the good stuff.”
“Why’d you do that? You could’ve just split it, one for each.”
“I thought I’d win more rounds. I never lose at rock-paper-scissors.”
There was one crucial fact she had overlooked.
The “Scavenge” skill, exclusive to the Beggar class, functioned very similarly to a Thief’s skill set.
That’s how KebabGudasaai ended up with his current class: Strategic Tactician. He had “scavenged” the profession of the deceased expedition leader, PeeledGarlicUnpeeledGarlic, at the Shadow Expo. So if he wanted to, Bori could never beat him at rock-paper-scissors. If anything, he’d let her win a few rounds on purpose, just to avoid suspicion.
“Bori, can we take a walk?”
“Sure, sounds good.”
And in that moment, I was glad I hadn’t shared his class with Bori. This quest had exposed the fact that I now possessed over a thousand Shadow Resonance Pills—revealing my enormous wealth. Kebab likely also figured out that I had become a Dansung Noble after Jung Da-hoon transferred me his stake in the Bone Density Enhancement Center.
Thanks to the rock-paper-scissors loot split, and the seemingly close bond Bori and I shared, he would’ve realized that information about him hadn’t been shared between us. He now likely saw this as a three-way standoff, with everyone keeping each other in check.
“Kebab’s class is Strategist.”
“…Not Beggar? Why are you only telling me now! Ugh, my egg blanket…”
“I’ll buy you that egg blanket when the official server opens, okay?”
“No… I wasn’t asking you to buy it. But wow, I’m surprised. Isn’t that the class Garlic had before he died? That means his proficiency must be rock-bottom, right?”
“Nope. His class proficiency should be maxed out.”
“Why?”
“He scavenged the class and its proficiency…”
“Holy crap…”
Bori’s face registered pure shock.
“So he lazed around as a beggar, then ended up scavenging someone else’s class and their proficiency too…”
“That’s about the size of it.”
“Damn… that class is OP. Anyway, I won’t let on that we’re allies. But what exactly does the Strategist class do?”
As a noble, I could see others’ classes, but not their detailed attributes. Still, based on what we’d seen from PeeledGarlicUnpeeledGarlic—who once led the expedition—I could reasonably assume the class granted insight into optimal strategies or foolproof methods of winning.
‘What a shame.’
Maybe I should’ve stolen it myself. But even when the opportunity presented itself, I stuck with the Thief class—and I didn’t regret that choice.
I had Bori Noona, my reliable ally, and if things went south, there were skeletons all over the place who’d come to help if I transformed into a baby fox.
‘Even considering class disadvantages, I’m still the safest bet to win.’
Before the final quest arrived, I ran some tests. I appeared before isolated skeletons in my human form, then popped into my baby fox form to observe their reactions.
Their responses were typical NPC behavior. They didn’t even blink when I transformed right in front of them. When I was in baby fox form, they adored me; as a human, they lost interest and went about their business; then once I reverted back to a baby fox, they were affectionate again.
There was none of that sudden, awkward silence that happened when I transformed in front of other players.
– Gol gol, cute little fox, loooove <3
– Gol gol, don’t care ‘bout humans -__-
‘So, if I’m ever in a tough spot, I’ll just transform.’
Still, I had to prepare for the unexpected. What if the quest didn’t allow mid-quest transformations? Should I start in fox form, or go with Yeo Woo-rim’s human form for the overall advantage?
And so, I came to my decision on the day of the final event:
[System]: The final quest will be granted shortly. All players, please gather in the chapel.
I had already transformed back into my human self the night before. When I arrived a little late to the meeting spot, the two others teased me playfully.
“Woo-rim! Did you oversleep?”
“Busy schedule, huh?”
“The protagonist always arrives fashionably late.”
I shot back with a sly grin and took my place with them in the hall to await the next event.
The final quest was described as being “bestowed,” which suggested Castle Lord Kessler would personally hand it down. He’d spent the last week passed out in a coffin—about time he got up.
“You who have faced death head-on, thank you for making it this far. Due to the Castle Lord still being asleep, I’ll be giving the announcement in his stead.”
But the one stepping onto the podium wasn’t Kessler—it was the castle steward. He scanned the three of us seated together in a suspiciously chummy line.
“Kessler’s really pushing it. Still snoozing? Heh.”
Bori Noona chuckled, but the steward continued, revealing the quest.
“To become the last one standing, the final task is: Build the Tower of Shadow Atonement.”
As soon as he spoke, a system popup appeared in front of us.
– – –
Final Survival Quest: Build the Tower of Shadow Atonement
The Castle Lord of Shadow Castle must atone for his sins—but for unknown reasons, he refuses to leave the castle.
Using your own unique abilities, construct a temporary prison: the Tower of Atonement.
Once all towers are completed, the Castle Lord will select one as his place of rest.
Whoever builds the chosen tower becomes the final winner.
– You have received the list of Required Features for the Tower of Atonement.
– – –
Bori Noona and I both perked up, while KebabGudasaai’s face darkened. Understandably so—if the completed towers were similar in quality, the final decision could come down to personal preference or subtle persuasion.
“Any questions?”
“Yes. Will the Castle Lord know who built each tower before making his choice? Is it an anonymous vote?”
“Yes, it is anonymous.”
“So we can’t leave identifiers like ‘Built by KebabGudasaai’ or design the tower to resemble a fox or something to tip him off?”
“The structure and design are entirely up to the builder.”
At that, Kebab’s face stiffened into resolve. He raised his hand.
“I object.”
[System]: Player ‘KebabGudasaai’ has activated Objection.
The skeletons spectating tilted their heads. But objections weren’t automatically accepted.
“State your reasoning.”
This was where he had to play it smart. Throwing a tantrum without a solid basis would just get him denied on the spot.
But Kebab didn’t speak immediately. Instead, he began swiping through the air with his fingers, clearly searching for something.
“…Is he trying to use a skill?”
“Seems like it.”
Suddenly, Kebab summoned a Judge’s Baton and began to speak.
“This setup is highly inefficient.”
– Clack-clack?
The skeletons’ heads tilted again.
“The Castle Lord is the one who’s supposed to rest in this place, right? But choosing just one of the three towers means two go to waste. That’s a huge loss. Wouldn’t it be more efficient for all three of us to collaborate on a single, perfect sanctuary, and determine the winner based on contribution? Safety is the priority here. Since this is where the Castle Lord will reside, we should do our utmost.”
The steward gave a nod.
“A valid point. I’ll consult the council of elder skulls.”
“Thank you.”
The Final Survival Quest: Build the Tower of Shadow Atonement has been temporarily suspended.
