You'd expect some kind of strange monster to be inside a glass tube like that.
But what was inside was something rectangular.
"No way, a bug?"
But it was quite different from the bugs he'd seen before.
It looked like someone had turned a state-of-the-art tablet into a tombstone.
How should I put it? It was like a blend of modern design and ancient artifacts.
"What on earth is this? Is it telling me to look at it?"
As the newbie touched it, his status window opened automatically.
[You have discovered an unauthorized code window]
"Code? You mean like a command for a program? So it's not a bug, but code?"
As a newbie who wasn't a programmer, he didn't really know, but he had heard the term before.
"Code is a set of commands designed so that AI or programs can understand them, right? Well, that's roughly how I understand it... I wonder if I'm right. Then again, games are programs too."
After all, the game world of Seeker World was also a collection of countless lines of code.
[Shall I interpret the code?]
"Yeah."
[Code interpretation complete.]
[Code Name: Implanted Code of Conduct]
"Code of Conduct?"
[Fully interpreting the code contents]
Ding!
[Implanted Code of Conduct]
[1. The subject of the implant may never inflict damage on or kill an NPC (referring to internal personnel)]
[2. The subject must absolutely obey the NPC handlers (Codes 73214532, 63234... etc., totaling 120 individuals)]
[3. The subject must...]
...
Just looking at this list gives me a headache.
Isn't this essentially the same as a waiver of bodily autonomy?
But that wasn't all.
Something sticky and black began oozing out of the monument.
The black liquid emitted an endless crackling sound, creating a buzz of static.
"Is this a bug?"
It had been formless before, but now it was liquid.
It seemed that bugs took on a wider variety of forms than I had imagined.
The important thing was the hose connected to that glass tube.
I followed the black bug liquid flowing from the monument along that hose.
At the end of the hose were empty syringes and an injector.
It was obvious to anyone that they were injecting that into some kind of being.
And as for who they were injecting it into...
"Are they injecting this into the city's monsters and pets?"
At that moment, the final entry on the list caught my eye.
[Order 999: When a specific command is entered, the target attacks all designated enemies in the vicinity, killing or incapacitating them]
[For Order 999, only codes 100001, 10002... 10007 (Apostles' Code)]
"..."
He was simply at a loss for words.
That was it.
The Kingdom's people were the kind who would go so far as to try weaponizing monsters.
At the same time, the newbie realized why Wonhyo had been so confident that he had no choice but to help him.
'Is there no way to destroy it?'
He reached out and tried once, but.
[Your permission level is too low]
[Only official staff members can destroy codes]
[Please report illegal codes to the staff. Thank you.]
With the power Newbie currently possessed, it was out of the question.
There was nothing he could do here right now.
He hurriedly left the area.
He thoroughly erased any traces he had left behind, closed the door he had reopened, and entered the pipe.
Someone was watching him from the darkness.
Accompanied by a sinister aura, the masked figure stood motionless.
"...%@$"
The red eyes behind the mask seemed infinitely deep.
*
"You saw it, didn't you?"
"Yeah."
"Then. You know I have no choice but to accept your proposal, right?"
"Right."
Newbie admitted it without resistance.
However, admitting it was one thing; he had a mountain of questions.
"I've actually seen that content before."
"What?"
For a moment, Wonhyo's vacant pupils twisted.
"How?"
"Man, I was going to ask you that first... Anyway, I know how to handle that power you were talking about, at least a little. I've even fixed bugs before."
"I knew it! I was right! Olli will be happy too!"
"Olli?"
"Ah... I'll tell you about that later. You said you had a question, right?"
"Yeah. There was a section in that material about the Sado."
At those words, the guy cracked his neck and nodded.
"Exactly. That's why I'm trying to move as fast as possible."
"So, the fact that the Sado is coming here this time..."
"It's not certain, but you never know. Either way, both you and I are in a rush now."
I just came here thinking the Apostles would be doing some menial work...
The newbie got goosebumps as the situation escalated beyond his expectations.
"What if—just what if—the Apostles who come this time declare that 'Order'? What happens then?"
"Exactly as you imagine, I guess. To put it bluntly, we'd become player-slaughtering machines that've lost our minds. You guys wouldn't be able to survive outside the guild from now on."
"I knew it..."
Sigh... He had no idea what to say.
Just to calm himself down, Newbie changed the subject.
He turned his gaze to Excel, who was sprawled out flat on his back.
"By the way, what on earth did that guy do to end up lying there like that?"
It was a sight he'd never seen before.
At most, he'd only ever seen him like this when he had motion sickness.
Wonhyo gave Newbie a brief explanation.
"You made him feel pain? No, even so... . That's going too far. Did it really have to be like that?"
For a moment, Newbie asked back with a horrified expression.
But Wonhyo was firm.
"Yeah. And the pain will help him grow."
"I know that, but... still."
"Don't worry. He's got grit. You could say he's got potential?"
"That's surprising."
"I was surprised too. Usually, guys with invincible stamina just freeze up and get scared when they feel pain. But... that guy's different. As soon as you mentioned him, he got up no matter what happened, didn't he?"
"Excel..."
For some reason, Excel seemed impressive.
Honestly, every time I saw that guy, it felt like I had a younger brother I didn't even have.
"Anyway, with that kid's grit, he might be worth watching in the Colosseum."
"But do we really have to do the Colosseum? What if it messes up your actual plan?"
"My plan, the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, starts after the Colosseum anyway. It's the city's unwritten rule to hold a grand parade as the finale after all the events are over."
"So that's the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts?"
"Yeah. So for now, just focus on coordinating with him."
"Now that you mention it. How do we coordinate?"
Come to think of it, that was true.
I'm pretty sure they said the Colosseum is a joint battle between pet and owner.
How exactly are we supposed to fight?
"You're just asking that now? Alright, let's try again. Hey! Get up! Break time's over!"
"Hee… hee-ng… hee-ng…"
With a sound Axel had never made before, he barely managed to get to his feet.
"Stop whining. This isn't pain training like before. This time it's joint training. Like I told you."
"Oh! Ooooh! Really?"
At those words, Excel, who had barely managed to get up, shot into the air in an instant.
Wonhyo let out a sigh before speaking.
"First, the two of you stay in the same spot. You need to maintain a certain distance from each other and work well together."
'Is this really like Pokémon or Digimon?'
It was a very familiar style of combat.
The pets fight while their owners cheer them on and provide support from behind.
However, there were a few additional rules.
"First and foremost, the pets will attack their owners before they attack other pets."
"Wait... what?"
For a moment, the newbie couldn't believe his ears.
Usually, in duels or Pokémon battles, it's an indirect confrontation, but in this Pet and Owner Colosseum, attacking the owner was actually the standard strategy.
"Why on earth? Isn't that a rule violation?"
"Think about it. Do all pets have the same stats?"
"Huh?"
Come to think of it...
It's true—pets aren't all the same.
"Besides, while there are ordinary pets, there are also plenty of people who bring around not just regular monsters, but even boss monsters as pets. So wouldn't it be unfair if only the pets fought each other?"
"Well... you've got a point."
"Right? Plus, it's unfair if only the pets get hurt. I mean, pets aren't combat slaves or anything."
'This is kind of hitting a nerve...'
Actually, it felt like all the questions people had when watching this kind of show were finally being answered.
"Of course, but that doesn't mean people can fight. Only the pets can fight. And it's over as soon as one of them goes down."
"These rules are more complicated than I thought."
"They're not complicated. The important thing is that both of you hold out while taking down your opponent. So, the important thing is—first, Excel, you."
Wonhyo pointed at Excel with his finger.
"Me?"
"You. From now on, you'll take down your opponent using the combat techniques I teach you. And you, Newbie."
"Okay."
"You'll practice dodging and running away without getting hit. You're a player, so you should be used to that, right?"
After that, Wonhyo's hellish training began.
The two of them trained at a secret training ground that Wonhyo claimed (at least, according to him) was for training.
Strangely enough, all the training equipment was enormous, but he casually adjusted the devices to fit the two of them as if it were no problem.
The problem was that shrinking the size didn't mean the intensity of the training decreased at all.
"What are you doing! You can't even beat a single rabbit pet with that!"
"Huff! Puff! Why is this weapon so heavy!"
"That's the best you can do right now!"
Even though he said that, Excel, wielding a longsword that an ordinary person might use, looked just like a barbarian swinging a greatsword from the fairy realm.
It was definitely easy when I first got and read that pet-exclusive skill book...
"Just learning swordsmanship from a skill book isn't the end of it! Fill up your proficiency fast!"
"Wah-wah-wah-wah!"
Next, Wonhyo yelled at the newbie who was dodging all sorts of attacks.
"What are you doing! You're so slow, how do you expect to dodge spells! And think a little more—roll in the right direction! What's the point of rolling after you've already been hit by an arrow!"
"Ugh! Ugh! Where the hell are these attacks coming from!"
All sorts of sniper spells and arrows flew in from completely unexpected directions.
Both training methods were excessive.
Back in the day, the old-timers' training was at least tailored to suit you as much as possible.
Wonhyo relentlessly fired sniper attacks without mercy until his HP was down to 1.
The problem was that they still had to keep this up for nearly a week.
Unlike back in the guild, where they used to make sure we got breaks...
" Rest? What are you talking about? You're a player, so you don't need to rest, right? And Excel, you're invincible anyway, so you won't die, right? So don't rest—keep going. And don't forget about the pain-endurance training coming up in a bit."
"Huh-uh! Huuuuh-uhh...!"
For an entire week, the two of them felt all too painfully what it meant to feel like they were truly going to die.
And so, with just one day left in the week.
Ping!
As a sniper spell flew toward him, the newbie rolled in the opposite direction to dodge it.
Zzzzzzzzz!
Under a hail of arrows pouring down like machine-gun fire, he dodged with minimal movement, as if dancing in time with each step.
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Whoosh! Whoooosh!
Excel swung his longsword as naturally as his own arm, slicing through the straw dummies.
Just then, a moving dummy arm swung a mace at him.
Under normal circumstances, Excel would have taken the hit, but he deftly dodged the first strike and blocked the second with his sword.
"Alright. You're doing a bit better now. I've taught you everything I can at my training camp. The rest is up to you. Go out there and have some fun."
With those words, Wonhyo declared their graduation.
*
On the day of the Colosseum tournament, the two entered the arena with a completely different outlook than before.
Participants were guided to an area filled with various artificial structures, and seated above them were spectators who had paid a hefty premium to get in.
While the participants came from all walks of life, they could be divided into two distinct groups.
"Hehe, I'm excited. You too, Happy?"
"Kyu! Kyu-kyu!"
Those who joined with a lighthearted attitude...
"Hahaha! Battle! Plunder! Murder!"
"Heh heh heh heh..."
It was a group whose eyes alone made them look anything but ordinary.
Among them, Newbie and Excel belonged to the second group.
A massive Colosseum arena lay before them, but no one could enter.
[A seat of glory won together by pet and owner!
Who will ultimately claim the Double Crown!]
The emcee, who had been whipping the crowd into a frenzy, continued addressing the participants.
[But! Not just anyone gets to fight in this glorious Colosseum!]
"Ah, Wonhyo was definitely right about that, wasn't he?"
"Exactly. So, from our perspective, this is the most important battlefield."
The Colosseum tournament officially began with the Round of 16; the rule was that everyone had to be eliminated in the preliminary rounds first.
And the start was...
[Alright, then, here we gooooo!!!]
"Eh...?"
"What..."
Those who were about to ask what on earth that was were the first targets.
"Aaargh! Happy, save me!"
"Kewww!"
The werewolf pet and the muscular man, who had just taken down the unfortunate first targets—Happy and his owner—turned their gaze toward Newbie and Excel.
"Hahaha, great! Next targets!"
"Aaaargh!"
Just as the werewolf was about to attack Excel and Newbie at once...
"Slow!"
"I said slow!"
Excel and Newbie moved first.
Newbie instantly moved behind the muscular man, and Excel, wielding a longsword he'd pulled from somewhere, sliced the werewolf in an X-shape with a single strike.
"Eh, eh?"
"Now's your chance, Excel!"
Newbie grabbed the muscular man's arms.
"Ugh, ugh! What the...!"
"I only told you not to attack each other—I didn't say to capture him!"
"Ugh, aaaargh!"
Without hesitation, Excel slashed the muscular man again with his second strike.
"Guh, gah..."
"You're slow. Even when you fall."
Having witnessed the successful completion of the first hunt, the event organizer wrote (1 point+) in the Newbie's record book.