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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Dungeon Replay
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Dungeon Replay.
A game he'd logged into almost every day back in the day, aside from time spent studying.
Even now that auto-hunting had become the norm...
Back then, a game that kept hunting and growing on its own even when you logged off was revolutionary.
He'd been utterly obsessed with Dungeon Replay.
To the point where he'd once wished it could become reality.
"...Who knew that dream would come true right now."
Dreams do come true.
But this was just a dream from ten years ago.
A game turning into reality?
He'd grown too much of an adult to cherish a child's old fantasy.
In the spider den where red glowing stones illuminated the cave.
Leyzon, the half dark elf, stared blankly with his gray eyes.
"...What about the company?"
As the situation sank in, Leyzon felt a profound sense of emptiness.
He'd risen from the dirt-poor slums to live a life singing humanity's praises.
Born into poverty with debt collectors banging on the door, he'd still climbed his way into a major corporation.
'After all the blood and sweat I poured in.'
That reality built on his efforts had vanished.
In its place, the game had abruptly become reality.
Of course, he couldn't welcome this turn of events.
A hollow despair rose within him—everything reduced to bubbles.
Slap!
Leyzon slapped both his cheeks.
The sting cleared his head.
He exhaled deeply, then inhaled just as deeply.
Purging his anxiety and all the negative emotions through his breath.
Replacing them by forcefully filling his gut with positive vibes.
"...You've entered the game you know so well."
He spoke to himself in the third person.
Bad luck?
No.
If anything, he was lucky.
Getting dumped alone in an unknown world would've meant certain death.
But this place? Far from unknown.
Leyzon lifted the corners of his mouth with his fingers.
Forcing a smile still worked wonders.
His childhood dream had become reality.
Could there be a more romantic moment?
'They say fortune favors the smiling.'
Leyzon finished psyching himself up.
His previously dull gaze sharpened into a clear gray.
Time to set new goals.
You need a target to start anything.
'Dungeon Replay is a game with a clear ending.'
Once Leyzon set his mind to something, he was a tenacious 'lone wolf' who pushed until he succeeded.
And that applied to games too.
If clearing was the goal...
He'd mastered every strategy guide.
Though ten years on, some memories had faded.
Still, it was a game he loved, so he remembered more than he'd lost.
A little more time, and he'd have forgotten it all.
Lucky it was just ten years.
"Cheers to my memory."
He voiced it aloud to steel his resolve further.
Could clearing the game send him back to reality?
Unknown for now, but he'd confirm it himself.
'I can go back.'
When setting goals, certainty was key.
That was his hard-earned mindset.
'Based on my trusty memory, this is the Earthhold Layer, Spider Den.'
Ten years ago, when he'd last played Dungeon Replay.
This was the auto-hunt spot he'd left running.
The Spider Den spawned Phantasmal Beasts and Arthropod Beasts on a fixed cooldown.
Phantasmal Beasts.
Monsters that lived only within dungeons.
Beastkin, Dragon Palace Beasts, Arthropod Beasts, and more.
They fell under various classifications, but were collectively called Phantasmal Beasts.
Leyzon hurried to find the path.
His legs ached from all the running.
Pain from the potion lingered too.
'So that's why using items slows characters for a while.'
Who knew there was such a process.
Live and learn.
Even hampered, Leyzon pressed on relentlessly.
His survival instinct burned hotter than most.
Even his peers had ribbed him sometimes.
"You don't get tired living like that?"
He did.
But he'd learned whining about it got you nowhere.
Leyzon strode forward with renewed vigor.
"Found it."
Soon, he spotted the exit.
The path with the most red crystals.
Remembering efficient routes had paid off.
Leyzon advanced along it.
Memories of Dungeon Replay gradually resurfaced.
'Angel Statue.'
First in view: the angel statue.
Wings spread, silently praying—a landmark.
Follow this path to the Spider Den exit.
Bonus: randomly removes one negative debuff.
'Nothing debuffing me right now.'
Spider Den debuffs were mostly poison.
⚙ SYSTEM TIP ⚙ Spider Den debuffs primarily consist of poison effects.
But Leyzon was immune to poison.
As a Poison Necromancer, he had poison-related skills.
Poison was no issue.
'Poison Necromancer was my 65th run character.'
Why choose Poison Necromancer?
It was the main character's class, optimized for auto-hunting.
Studies eating into playtime had forced the choice.
Mob-pulling specialist: Poison Necromancer.
Also why he picked half dark elf.
Dark elves had high affinity for dark magic.
Necromancy was all dark-attribute.
Perfect synergy.
But pure dark elf? No.
'Too high dark affinity risks the Corruption debuff.'
Dark elves had the innate trait 'Evil Vein.'
Corruption boosted stats massively but locked you into a world-war path.
So, the workaround: half dark elf.
Affinity lowered, no debuff.
Plus faster reflexes than humans.
Great for mob-pulling and crisis response.
"Finally trying other races besides human. Quite the experience."
Leyzon chuckled wryly.
In-game, pure performance drove choices.
Now reality?
This form meant facing racial discrimination.
'Worry later.'
Leyzon looked up at the angel statue.
Nearby was a safe zone.
Time to check his status.
'The setup from my last session.'
He'd verify that.
"Status window! Stats! Skills!"
Leyzon shouted eagerly.
No windows appeared, naturally.
This was reality first, game second.
No convenient systems here.
'Fine. Ditching those expectations cleanly.'
Best to confirm and move on.
Leyzon backtracked the path.
'Angel statue path is the Earthhold Layer shortcut.'
But shortcuts have pitfalls.
Right before the exit.
One random Arthropod Beast spawns in the Spider Den.
Usually low-grade.
Rare chance: high-grade.
Leyzon had confidence.
This Leyzon body had been auto-hunting the Earthhold Layer.
⚔ PIONEER ID ⚔ 👤 Class: Poison Necromancer 🧬 Race: Half Dark Elf 🎯 Run: 65th
No way it couldn't handle high-grade Phantasmal Beasts.
'Just one regret right now.'
Dungeon Replay was an auto-hunt game.
Normally, you'd log in and see gains.
'But Dungeon Replay skips standard leveling.'
Unlock growth by meeting conditions.
'Ascension system.'
Fill EXP, meet conditions—then grow.
'Even if auto-hunt ran nonstop...'
Leyzon's EXP had just accumulated.
Still at ten-year-old levels.
No disappointment, though.
This setup was optimized for Earthhold Layer.
'First, check gear.'
No tooltips, obviously.
Memory it was.
Weapon: staff, Fierce Poison Fang.
Armor: Pelox's Spider Silk.
And finally...
'Lord of the Horde.'
🏆 LORD OF THE HORDE 🏆 [World Exclusive] [Unique Craft] [Epic] Crafter: Mage Araria
[Special Effect]
— Activates 'Absolute Ruler' when facing 100+ enemies
[Absolute Ruler]
— Enemies fall into inexplicable fear, unable to meet your gaze.
One-of-a-kind special ability.
Perfect for mob-pulling.
Why the spiders hadn't swarmed: this gear.
'Now, skills.'
Leyzon pulled out the ID he'd checked earlier.
Spotted the six skill sockets listed.
'Pioneer ID, huh.'
⚔ SKILL SOCKETS ⚔ Auto-Growing Undead Creation (EX)Poison Provocation (C)Fierce Poison Spread (C)Bone Broom (D)Fierce Poison Explosion (B)Poisonous Constitution (C)
Leyzon let out a cheer upon confirming.
'Auto-Growing Undead Creation.'
The sole EX-rank, absurd skill.
A 65th-run perk.
Let you craft intelligent unique undead.
Clear drawback, though.
'Freshly made undead are weaker than basic ones.'
Undead are like babies—you gotta protect 'em.
Newborn undead? Pathetically weak.
Make early, raise over time.
'How many did I have?'
Five, roughly.
Problem: none around now.
'All destroyed?'
They couldn't keep up with auto-hunt anyway.
No expectations there.
Auto-hunt should've stockpiled resources.
Remake later.
Half dark elf longevity helped.
Raise well, get something good.
Leyzon tabled it.
'The other five skills.'
Key was their mob-pull focus.
'Always this setup for auto-hunt.'
Seeing it jogged memory.
'Issue: not for solo fights.'
One Phantasmal Beast to face.
Unknown grade.
Leyzon gripped Fierce Poison Fang tight.
'Standing still changes nothing.'
Gear and skills sufficient.
Leyzon stepped forward boldly.
"Let's go."
He advanced into the cave.
Darkness unseen in-game pressed psychologically.
'Visibility's narrow.'
No red crystals midway? Claustrophobia city.
Lucky for the crystals.
Leyzon proceeded cautiously.
Thud!
Suddenly, something dropped ahead.
Earthhold Layer Spider Den shortcut event triggered.
Encounter: one Arthropod Beast in narrow passage.
Leyzon looked up.
Aimed Fierce Poison Fang, swallowed hard.
Then, under red crystal...
A creature emerged.
Golden-glowing fur.
Eight long legs.
Human-like fangs on face.
"... "
Leyzon shut his mouth.
Weekly Arthropod Beast.
Golden Spider.
⚙ SYSTEM TIP ⚙ Phantasmal Beast stages are expressed in rainbow colors.