Chapter 8
F-rank Arenas came in many varieties, but most provided safe Quests where no blood was shed.
The Players currently inside one such Arena were boasting about those kinds of Quests.
“You know what? I jumped up and smashed a disc out of the air!”
“That's all? I set a new record in my last Arena.”
The Players continued bragging about Arenas they had cleared.
The viewers watching them were just as active in chat.
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What's the target in this Arena?
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Quest hasn't appeared yet.
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Think the Cosmo trainees can handle it? Going straight from F-rank to a top-difficulty E-rank...
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If they pull it off, Cosmo Guild's going to explode in popularity.
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Then another question appeared among the messages.
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Isn't the Necromancer coming?
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Why would he already be here? The chick hasn't even lost its shell yet lol.
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True. It's only been one day since his debut. He'll probably rest for a while.
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The viewers were right about one thing.
Do-jin was nowhere to be found in any ordinary Arena.
But soon, the entire community exploded.
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HOLY SHIT NECROMANCER FOUND
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Where?
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UNDER
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??????
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Players were still human.
Awakening did not instantly turn them into skilled, cold-blooded fighters.
Even so, every once in a while, a Player challenged an Arena far more dangerous than their Level.
Some had been abandoned by their Guilds.
Others were so obsessed with streaming that they would do anything for public attention.
And occasionally...
Some simply overestimated their own potential.
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Dude awakened into a unique Class and finally lost his mind?
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Naturally, Players who attempted such reckless challenges...
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Thought Korea finally got another potential High Ranker... sigh.
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...all paid the price.
Sometimes in ways worse than death itself.
Viewers who knew that quickly flooded into Do-jin's stream after hearing the rumors.
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It really is the Necromancer!
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He's challenging an Under Arena?
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He did well in one F-rank Arena and suddenly lost all self-awareness lololol.
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Of course, the attention was not necessarily positive.
Do-jin had only debuted in the lowest-rank Arena yesterday.
He had not yet built a proper fanbase.
Still, there was one undeniable reaction.
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Either way, I'm curious. Nobody's logged into an Under Arena in over two years!
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I'm going to watch the Under Arena~
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While reading those chats, Do-jin selected his Arena.
[Would you like to log into the Under Arena?]
[Entry Fee: 1,000 Gold]
[Yes / No]
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lol haven't seen a paid Arena in forever.
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More like a money-losing Arena hahaha.
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The viewers laughed when the new window appeared.
Paid Arena.
Loss Arena.
Underground.
The Under Arena had gained all kinds of nicknames.
And despite being mostly abandoned, it remained surprisingly famous among the public.
It was known as an Arena that devoured Players.
As the notification showed, unlike ordinary Arenas, even logging into an Under Arena required an entry fee.
At minimum, Gold.
And for higher-level ones, Magic Stones were required.
The Player already took a financial loss just by entering.
But that was not the biggest problem with Under Arenas.
“Looks like everyone recognizes it.”
Their Quests were considerably more difficult than those of normal Arenas.
But the real reason Players hated Under Arenas was something else.
Penalties.
Ordinary Arena Quests gave no penalty for failure.
A Player could simply try again.
Under Arenas were completely different.
“Confiscation of Gold. Confiscation of Magic Stones. Confiscation of Items. Higher entry fees. Level reduction. Rank reduction.”
“This Arena has practically every penalty imaginable.”
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lol crying emoji.
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Watching that used to be the best part of streaming.
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Nobody does it anymore.
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Cowards~ cowards~ cowards~
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The chat was correct.
During the early days of the Great Transformation, countless Players had challenged Under Arenas.
The penalties created thrilling broadcasts, and people assumed the rewards for succeeding would be even sweeter.
However...
Compared to ordinary Arenas, Under Arenas constantly issued far more difficult Quests.
And the number of Players who successfully cleared one was...
Zero.
That was not all.
Among the early Players who avoided Under Arenas and steadily leveled up, many eventually became Rankers.
Meanwhile, every single Player who took the risk of challenging Under Arenas...
“Ended up becoming a low-ranking Player.”
“Some even lost their Player qualification entirely.”
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Yep.
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That's why they call it the Player Graveyard.
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The Awakening Department literally issued recommendations telling Players to avoid Under Arenas.
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Once a gap opened, it was difficult to close.
Players who suffered Level Down and Rank Down never became Rankers.
Governments desperate to increase the number of high-ranking Players needed for obtaining Magic Stones and Gold gradually came to view Under Arenas as antlion pits.
“That's why these days, Under Arenas are basically old legends.”
For Players frightened of penalties, government warnings gave them the perfect excuse to stay away.
“So!”
Do-jin fixed his gaze on the chat.
“Today, I think I'll bring that old legend back to life.”
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For real?
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No way he's actually doing it lol.
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Without hesitation, Do-jin pressed [Yes].
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CRAZY LOL
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[Attempting Under Arena Login.]
[Target: Player Lee Do-jin]
[Entry Fee of 1,000 Gold Confirmed.]
[Logging into E-rank Under Arena <Wolf Hunting Ground>.]
[Connected Player: Lee Do-jin]
The instant Do-jin logged in, every viewer saw it.
Another Arena.
One that had practically been forgotten by the world.
“...”
Ordinary Arenas maintained the feeling of being inside a stadium.
