Emperor of Solo Play

“The original 10,000,000 won plus interest. Payment has been confirmed.”

At the private moneylender, Park Wuyoung’s words, An Jaehyun turned his gaze towards him. Although it was a mysterious gaze, Park Wuyoung seemed to have figured out what he was thinking, and he smiled lightly.

“Are you suspicious because the trade ended so cleanly?”

“Well...”

An Jaehyun turned around and avoided his eyes. Although he didn’t like the fact that his thoughts were read, it was exactly as Park Wuyoung said. An Jaehyun found it hard to believe that the private loan contract had ended like some bank transfer. That was what private loans meant to ordinary people.

An Jaehyun was expecting them to play tricks on him or ask for more money. He had even walked in after preparing himself for any schemes to come.

Park Wuyoung was quite used to attitude similar to An Jaehyun’s.

“This isn’t a job you can survive in by being nice, but it’s also not a place that tries to screw over customers who pay their dues on time.”

‘I didn’t think you’d be able to do it though.’

Park Wuyoung was interested in something else.

When An Jaehyun first came in to borrow money, Park Wuyoung was sure that he would come begging on his knees to save him. Of course, Park Wuyoung had no intention of doing so. Be it selling his body or taking his room An Jaehyun signed as guarantee, he planned to get his money’s worth.

However, An Jaehyun paid back the money much earlier than it was due.

That’s what caught Park Wuyoung’s attention. As such, he stealthily changed the conversation topic.

“I know Warlord makes money, but you must be quite skilled to earn so much in such a short period of time.”

An Jaehyun did not answer the question. Instead, he asked his own.

“Can I get up now?”

Park Wuyoung also did not answer, and said what he wanted to say. He took out his wallet and gave An Jaehyun his business card. An Jaehyun stared fixedly at the business card.

“I’ll keep it short. If you’re troubled by conversion fees or taxes, feel free to contact me. I’ll take care of it for a much more reasonable price.”

Only then did An Jaehyun take the business card.

‘Does he think I’m some pushover?’

Even as he took the business card, An Jaehyun sneered on the inside.

He didn’t come see Park Wuyoung without doing his research. Although many private loaners used V-Gears for their business, not all private loaners earned their money this way.

Before returning to the past, An Jaehyun worked at a Warlord workshop, and he saw the workshop owner talking with Park Wuyoung multiple times. At the same time that he was a private loaner, Park Wuyoung also made money from illegal VR game money conversion or trade.

It wasn’t a particularly spectacular business.

To change in-game currency to money, a conversion fee had to be paid. As income tax also applied to money earned from games, many people looked for ways to decrease the conversion fee and tax rate.

Of course, An Jaehyun had no intention to do business with Park Wuyoung.

It was obvious.

A kind private moneylender? Maybe such a thing was possible, but Park Wuyoung certainly wasn’t one.

This was a trap. Once An Jaehyun did business with Park Wuyoung to lower the conversion fee or income tax, Park Wuyoung would hold An Jaehyun’s weakness. It was clear what would happen to those whose weaknesses were held by private moneylenders.

An Jaehyun got up from his seat.

“I’ll contact you if I have the chance.”

Those were An Jaheyun’s last words to Park Wuyoung.

★★★

Thwack!

With an intense sound of a watermelon breaking, a Skeleton’s head fastballed towards Hyrkan.

“Whoop.”

After narrowly catching the Skeleton’s head, Hyrkan made a sour face.

“Hey, hey, go easy. Don’t send heads flying everywhere.”

Hyrkan put the Skeleton’s head under his arm and began beating it with his hammer. Meanwhile, his Skeleton Warriors raised their hammers high, then slammed it down at the Skeleton on the ground.

It was terrifying to see up close, but ridiculous if seen afar. Of course, it was a typical scene for Hyrkan. As such, he was expressionless.

‘I can’t do this anymore.’

Hyrkan was currently level 39. Furthermore, he only had 11 percent EXP left to go until level 40.

From level 30 to level 40, he only hunted Skeletons and Skeleton Warriors. The number of Skeletons he had hunted was well over a thousand by now. He had obtained skeleton-related titles long ago. Rather than to say he was hunting skeletons, it was now better to say he was a skeleton-dismantling machine.

Of course, the result was more than satisfactory. Even Hyrkan was surprised by his level up speed. His profit wasn’t small either. Although Skeletons didn’t particularly give a lot of money, every little bit accumulated to a rather large sum.

However, his happy feeling did not last long.

‘So what if I have money? Level 40 items are too much of a luxury.’

If he could, he would have sold his current items and bought the best level 40 Rare items using the money he had saved up. However, he had another place to use the 3000 gold and donation money he had.

With the donation money, he had to pay next month’s V-Gear installment fee and Warlord user fee. As for his 3000 gold, he had to buy Magic Power Switching Set, a core uniform for level 30+ magicians.

That was how bad Hyrkan’s current magic power was. Once he became level 40 and learned Golem Summon, he would have even less magic power. He couldn’t throw away Golem Summon either. Golems changed the entire battle paradigm of necromancers. The existence of a solid tanker was a godsend compared to the brittle skeletons.

In any case, what Hyrkan was doing was nothing short of amazing. Normally, it was impossible to get all the items one needed using the money earned through gameplay. Most players spent their own money to buy things.

Even so, the only thing Hyrkan could feel was sadness on the fact that all the money he earned had disappeared into thin air. It was only natural for him to be bitter about it.

“Tsk!”

After clicking his tongue shortly, Hyrkan angrily chucked the skeleton head he had been holding.

Hyrkan’s Skeleton Warriors ran after the skeleton head like a dog with a new toy ball, then began hammering down at the skeleton head. Watching this, Hyrkan let out a light sigh.

‘Never mind beef. Looks like I won’t even eat pork for a while.’

An unspeakable hunger.

The only thing that could satiate his hunger was Ahimbree, waiting at the Bangtz’s Castle for him to hit level 40.

★★★

When Hyrkan walked into Ahimbree’s office, Ahimbree drew a symbol in the air instead of speaking. Immediately after the symbol was completed, a book flew up from the pile of books spread out like trash heap. Then, it fluttered towards Hyrkan like a butterfly.

It was his reward.

According to Ahimbree’s Teachings (2), Hyrkan would receive 2 rewards upon hitting level 40.

A skillbook and Pursuer of Corruption Ring.

Clearly, the book flying in front of him was his skillbook. Hyrkan quickly snatched the book from the air, then silently read its title.

‘Skeleton Science.’

Hyrkan doubted his eyes.

‘No way.’

Hyrkan read the title once again. Just like he thought, it was Skeleton Science.

Hyrkan’s expression stiffened up.

‘No freaking way.’

Skeleton Science.

It was one of the most desired skill for necromancers using Skeleton Summoning. Although it was only a Rare rank skill, its effectiveness easily made it a Unique rank skill.

Its effect was simple. It was a passive skill that raised the stats of all skeletons, while decreasing the amount of magic power used.

‘It’s not impossible to obtain one... but I didn’t think I’d get it here.’

Hyrkan had learned about this skill from Helgen. When Helgen was explaining good skills for necromancers to have, he gave Skeleton Science 4 stars out of 5. At the same time, he said the reason he was able to stand out among all the necromancers was because he was lucky enough to obtain Skeleton Science. After that, he said to pay for information to obtain Skeleton Science.

‘First Madness Helm, now this. As expected of one of the seven disciples of the Great Sage. Everything he gives is fantastic.’

It was above his expectation.

It was a skill he had to obtain one day. Although it was a skill he could obtain if he had the money, he didn’t think he would get it here as a quest reward.

There was more.

“Come on over.”

Ahimbree called Hyrkan over to his desk. Hyrkan quickly rushed to his desk, after which Ahimbree took something out from his desk drawer.

A ring.

It was a plain ring that had a rock where a jewel should have been.

‘So this is the Pursuer of Corruption Ring.’

Pursuer of Corruption Ring.

Although he didn’t know its specific effects, he knew it had to be similar to the Pursuer of Corruption Necklace he had. Although necklaces usually had better options than rings, it would still be a fantastic Chronical Unique nonetheless.

Above all, it wasn’t easy to get accessories at this point in the game.

“This ring was made using the Corrupted Stone you brought. It’s a ring that uses the Corrupted One’s powers. Since you brought the stone, you have the right to own this ring.”

At this, Hyrkan was all smiles on the inside.

‘After what I went through to get that stone, of course.’

Hyrkan naturally reached out for the ring. He wanted to put it on his finger as soon as possible.

Then.

Swish!

Ahimbree grabbed a hold of Hyrkan’s hand reaching out for the ring. Hyrkan’s froze.

The hell?

Hyrkan asked with his facial expression, and Ahimbree answered immediately as if he had read his face.

“You have the right to own this ring, but it comes with a responsibility.”

“I will do anything.”

Hyrkan answered without hesitation. Currently, he was ready to jump into a pit of fire if Ahimbree told him to. That was how happy he was.

“I lost contact with an agent named Migi who was pursuing the root of corruption. His last report came from Churu Castle. Go there and search for him. Then, you will have to finish his mission.”

[You obtained the quest, ‘Searching for Migi.’]

Hyrkan had no reason to refuse Ahimbree’s quest.

“Sure, sure.”

‘I can even tell you who the Corrupt Count is. What’s to finding a person!’

The moment Hyrkan answered, Ahimbree moved his hand and Hyrkan quickly took the ring in his hand.

‘It’s... my... precious.’

Hyrkan’s face as he put the ring on his finger was exactly like that of Gollum from Lord of the Rings.