Max Level Newbie

An uneasy silence was flowing among those in the Beloong city’s southern field.
Even when Vulcan was tossing the two unconscious players to the back, the uneasy silence continued. Vulcan could feel Berkman’s surprised gaze and Uruo’s stern, controlled gaze at the same time.
Upon looking at Uruo’s gaze, Vulcan felt his presumed image about the leader of Players Alliance being shattered little by little.

‘It doesn’t look like he is just a thug who is only interested in exploiting newbies.’

Uruo’s eyes were those of someone with a purpose, a conviction.
However, Vulcan wasn’t all that curious about it. Vulcan came here to end things once and for all because he was concerned that the Players Alliance will not stop pestering him if he left it be.

“So now, do you feel like having a conversation?”
“Big bro, allow me to……”
“No.”

Uruo stopped Berkman who was stepping forward.

“Did you not feel his power? You are no match for him at your level.”
“That’s……”
“Also, I have something I am curious about. What for a moment.”

Uruo took a step toward Vulcan. Uruo’s face was expressionless as if he was wearing a facemask. Only his eyes were sharp and lighting up.

“Compared to your level, your abilities are quite impressive.”
“…… Thanks for the compliments.”
“I was merely stating a truth in a truthful manner.”
“In that case, I will tell you a truth. Your minions, they are terrible. Their skills are powerful, but everything else is a mess.”
“I acknowledge that. I have them under me just because they are not as bad of garbage as the other Players.”
“…… This mood, it is not right. Didn’t you pick a fight with me on purpose?”

Vulcan thought about the three that he encountered on the east gate. At that time, they were coming at Vulcan with a violent intent, as if they were going to chop off a leg or two for the taking without any hesitation, but the mood here with Uruo was suddenly turning into something different.

“I was wrong about you. I thought you were just a little pig with a pearl necklace on his neck, so I treated you carelessly. For that, I am sorry.”
“I cannot understand what you are saying.”

Vulcan didn’t try to hide the fact that he was feeling uncomfortable.
Instead, he kicked a pebble on the ground, which flew in an arc trajectory, landing and rolling, and finally coming to a stop at Uruo’s foot.

“I want to hear a proper explanation.”
“Of course. But first, I’ll ask you one thing first.”
“What is it.”

A serious voice came out from Uruo’s mouth.

“What do you think of the Players?”
“…… What is this about? Players are Players.”

In fact, Vulcan had no particular opinion about the Players. From the start, Vulcan didn’t have enough to spare for thinking about other people.
It appeared that this was not the case with Uruo.

“You have no opinion after seeing those pigs. You must really be a runt with no interest in other people.”
“I’m in a situation where I’m quite busy, so yeah you are right about that. So, why are you criticizing the Players?”
“Because they don’t put in any effort.”

‘Now what’s this about?’

Vulcan was going to talk right back, to ask him why he is keep spewing out non-sense, but Vulcan suddenly thought about what Anderson said. Anderson said he would be satisfied with just being level 200, and remembering that put a stop to Vulcan.

‘Certainly, people seem to have lost the concept of having goals after coming to Asgard.’

However, that was irrelevant to Vulcan, so he didn’t care about such.
From the start, Vulcan was thinking why he should meddle with other people’s way of lives.

“What you are saying is right, but that’s just result of people choosing to live their lives in their own way. Why are you getting all worked up over that? I don’t get it. Uruo…… is that your name?”
“That’s right.”
“Okay, Uruo. You don’t have the right to criticize them and brand them as pigs.”
“What if I do have the right, then what are you going to do?”
“……What?”
“As the leader who represents the alliance of Players, and as the man with the highest level among all Players, I cannot just sit and watch them taint the dignity of Players.”

‘…… Now what’s this crazy talk for?’

Vulcan was so lost with Uruo’s nonsense that he could not think of a good place to start on questioning Uruo.
Vulcan could not keep his hands and legs calm because of Uruo’s ridiculousness. Vulcan couldn’t quite control his facial expressions well either. Vulcan barely stopped himself from bursting into a belittling laughter. He said,

“I am not getting any of what you are talking about. The dignity of players, what’s this about? Where is such a thing? People are just living the way that’s most convenient for them.”
“I heard you trained under Filder. It looks like you know nothing about Beloong city.”
“……”

Actually, other than locations of the hunting grounds and information about monsters, Vulcan barely knew anything, so he was lost for words at the moment.
Uruo recognized Vulcan’s silence as acknowledgement to his statement, and Uruo continued his explanation.

“Do you know how many people reside in Beloong city?”
“About twenty thousand, isn’t it?”
“That’s right. It is not a lot of people, but it isn’t a small number either. When there are that many people gathered in a city, do you really think it makes sense for everyone to operate independently without belonging to factions?”
“…… Are you meaning there are organizations?”
“There are three factions.”

‘This is the first I heard about this.’

In a way, it was obvious. As Uruo said, there was no way for the people to be not divided into factions when there are twenty thousand people in the city.
Moreover, the const.i.tuent situation in Beloong city was made to be very easy to divide people based on the origin.

‘What was Mr. Anderson doing not telling me something like this.’

Vulcan, who was deep in thought, listened to more of Uruo’s explanation.

“I’m guessing there must be fractions of Murim, Powel, and Players.”
“Incorrect. Players are not considered as a faction.”
“…… For what reason?”

Vulcan stared at Uruo, looking confused and questioning the reason.
At that moment, for the first time, Uruo’s face actually showed what could be considered as an expression.
His expression was reflecting shame and rage.

“Without talent and effort, lacking in abilities, the Players don’t even get to be treated as a faction.”
“Hum……”

Uruo was agitated with his emotions, and he was shaking a little even.
Uruo fell deep into his thoughts and emotions. He was exuding an atmosphere that stated n.o.body should dare to disturb him, but Vulcan was extremely curious about what the last faction was, so he tossed the question anyway.

“If that’s the case, then what is the last faction?”
 “…… People that works under the Beloong City’s Six.”
“Ah, you mean those people.”

In case of Vulcan and Dokgo Hoo, they both went their separate ways after finis.h.i.+ng the training, but some trainees admired the strength of the Six and chose to become members of the patrol, clinic, stables and etc. to help the Six and continue receiving training.

“All right. Now I understand there being factions in the Beloong city. But, so what about it?”
“I told you before. Players are suffering the indignity of not even being recognized as a faction.”
“That’s indeed a shame, but Players are weaker than those from Powel or Murim, so what could possibly be done about that?”
“That’s it. You got to the main point.”

Like a politician taking a long pause before starting his long speech, Uruo took a deep breath and told Vulcan his thoughts.

“The b.a.s.t.a.r.ds called Players do not put in any effort. In light of substantially higher difficulty in Asgard, they threw away long ago their thoughts about returning to their home worlds. Over half of the Players just get by everyday hunting vagrant goblins to make enough to pay for drinks.”
“……”
“Despite Filder emphasizing over and over until his lips turned dry, less than tenth of the Players train for masteries. Say they gave up because it takes ten or a hundred years to rank up? No. These b.a.s.t.a.r.ds only want to chase after easy methods and still be treated like they were in the previous worlds.”

Uruo spat on the ground. It was toward Miluwall who got knocked out from the lightning bolt earlier.

“I was the one that rectified them so they could at least be treated as humans. Therefore, I am more than qualified to call them pigs. It’s nothing.”

After hearing all that, Vulcan talked right back at Uruo.

“No. I don’t think that is right. Even parents that raised the child shouldn’t treat him or her without respect. What you have done for these people is not that big to give you the right to ……”
“It is that great. No, it is even greater.”

Berkman suddenly jumped in and interrupted Vulcan. Vulcan looked at Berkman.
Berkman looked even more agitated than Uruo. Berkman’s entire body turned red in anger.

‘…… I can’t understand this situation.’

Uruo stopped Berkman from stepping forward in his agitated state.
Vulcan could hear Uruo’s voice again, and this time, Uruo was calmer than a moment ago.

“Don’t say such things so easily when you have been in the Beloong city for only 3 to 4 years. You don’t understand the indignity that some people suffered for ten years or over a hundred years. Also, you don’t know how hard I worked to reduce that indignity at least to the level it is now.”
“All right. Let’s just a.s.sume that you have done a great work. I will stipulate to that as a fact. I sincerely express my eternal and deepest grat.i.tude for your incredible and amazing effort and sacrifice in fighting on the frontline for the sake of improving the rights of the Players.”
“Cut your sarcasm.”
“Since you said to cut the sarcasm, I will. So, if that’s the case with you, how are you going to excuse yourself on the fact that you exploited low level Players and intentionally picked a fight with me?”
“I won’t make excuses. I indeed exploited them, and I also tried to drag you here to extract information out of you.”

Vulcan was at lost for words due to the ridiculousness of Uruo’s response. Vulcan stared at Uruo.

“Just why are you so proud?”
“What’s there to be not proud about.”
“You exploited others and tried to harm others, so is it still normal to be proud of such then?”
“For the sake of all Players, it is necessary to sacrifice a few lazy ones.”

The expression on Uruo’s face was that of someone who was trying to stay strong despite all the pain and sorrow he was feeling. Like that, Uruo continued.

“This place has an average level of 200, and there are countless 300 and 400 levels. In a place like this, as a price of being placed inside a fence called a faction, exploitation being the end of it is considered mercy.”
“Looks like you live deep inside a fantasy world of your own. Thunder G.o.d’s Might. Infinite Flame Orb.”

Lightning sparks were generated from Vulcan’s entire body, an incredible amount to the point of blinding those around him. The five Infinite Flame Orbs generated were circling around Vulcan as if they were guarding the caster, exuding violent energies as they zapped around and looked for opportunities for attack.
Uruo also a.s.sumed combat stance. When he made a fist and released his hand, a sphere of energy revealed itself despite Uruo not having cast the skill by words.

“……!”

Uruo noticed Vulcan’s surprise and said,

“There was one thing I didn’t get to say a moment ago.”
“…… What?”

Vulcan responded while being slightly nervous.

“I wanted to have you join the Players Alliance.”
“What?”
“I knew the moment I saw you. Unlike other boneheads, you show signs of having put efforts to increase your masteries. You have worked very hard all this time in this s.h.i.+tty world. It is a great accomplishment.”
“……”
“I took a grand stand and said I rectified the Players, but the reality is, there are still only very few Players that wholeheartedly give their all in to training. A talent like you, I would welcome unconditionally. If you help me along sides with Berkman here for just twenty years…… Players Alliance can rise as the forth faction. Players can finally live without being treated like garbage.”

Uruo, holding the energy sphere on his right hand, stared up at the sky. To Vulcan, Uruo’s slightly intoxicated gaze looked like someone who was indoctrinated into a cult.

‘Looks like his mind got twisted after living in Asgard for too long.’

Uruo’s att.i.tude, acting as if Beloong city is the place he was born and raised in, was creeping out Vulcan.
However, thinking about all the situations Uruo must have faced, Vulcan could understand some of his sentiments.

‘Among Players, some must have lived several decades or perhaps hundreds of years in Beloong city. From some perspective, having his life goal in this place is not unexpected……’

Not being able to clear the Act 1 for so long, it appeared Uruo was encroached by this world and became a part of it.
Vulcan felt a bit of commiseration toward Uruo.
However, Vulcan couldn’t afford to be generous toward him for Uruo’s circ.u.mstances.
Vulcan spent five years in Rubel continent, and another three years now in Asgard.
It had been eight years already since he lived in these new dimensions without being able to set foot on Earth.
Vulcan was in too much of a hurry to operate while minding political circ.u.mstances in Beloong city, a place he thought he would be leaving soon.
Vulcan’s preemptive strike against the Players Alliance’s main force wasn’t for avenging exploited low level players. Vulcan was doing it just to eliminate obstacles in his way.
From the start, there was no need to consider the problem of right and wrong in any of this.
It was just a matter of quickly eliminating all that got in the way.

“My answer is no. My work schedule tomorrow is pretty tight as it is.”
“Is that so…… Berkman.”
“Yes, big bro.”

In response to Uruo’s call, Berkman handed out his right arm. Uruo used his left arm to grab Berkman’s arm and recited the skill command.

“Mana Absorption.”
“KUUK.”

The mana energy that sustained Berkamn’s internals flew into Uruo, strengthening the power of Uruo’s skill.
In front of Vulcan were Berkman on his knees and Uruo holding an even bigger energy sphere exuding intensified light.

“If you are going to refuse, then I have no other choice. You won’t be handing over the information either right?”
“There is no easy method for leveling up, and even if there was, I have no intention of telling you.”
“I see. It is a shame.”

Uruo sighed briefly, lifted his chin and starred at Vulcan with eyes full of arrogance.

“If that’s the case, I should at least extract and consume your skill.”
“It won’t be easy.”

Fearsome and terrifying aura poured out from both Uruo and Vulcan.