Strike while the iron is hot.

No sooner had Jhin finished speaking with Tempah than he turned and made his way straight to Ringling.

She was in the middle of inspecting the magic circle used to enforce the current lockdown order.

"…What did you just say?"

"I told you. Tempah seems to know the location of a troll nest. So I'm heading out now to get a Troll Heart."

"I get what you're saying, but, Kyle… you do remember the festival is tomorrow, right?"

It was around 10 p.m. now. With dawn roughly eight hours away.

Jhin completely understood what Bellatris was worried about.

"The main event's in the evening, isn't it?"

"…You think you'll make it back by then?"

"I'll try my best."

"Ha… You seriously have to get Millie on that stage?"

His voice left no room for doubt.

"Only then will the festival be complete."

He thought of the image of Millie singing for the dying Jobe back in Stoneveil city. Of how she had stood on the stage at BeyWorld and sung for the dead—no, for their souls.

If anyone could do it… If anyone's voice could complete the vision he had for this event…

It was her. Idol Millie.

Jhin shrugged.

"And besides, there's another reason."

"…Another reason?"

"This won't do anymore."

He clenched his fist tight—then opened it again. The worn and battered thorn gauntlet from Scarecrow came into view.

It had helped him through countless battles. For something pulled out of an E-rank dungeon, it had lasted remarkably well.

But it wasn't enough anymore.

I'm too weak.

He thought about it—what would things be like if the Kyle from Exodia 1 were here right now?

Would a fake Kyle ever have been allowed to rampage through Ark like that? Would the Company have dared to spread spore viruses or mass-produce Grids?

And what about Tempah?

If it were Kyle, it wouldn't have been such a difficult fight.

Same goes for the dungeon.

The only reason they were able to clear the Lizardman Well was by relying on an NPC's power. That was where he stood now—as just another player in Ark. That was the reality of Jhin's current status.

He shook his head.

Kyle was never that kind of existence.

He was a singular force. An absolute being. A man who didn't understand the meaning of "impossible." Someone who could overcome any obstacle—alone.

Even now, Jhin had become stronger. He could channel the powers of Neil, become a Peculiar, even command a legion of hundred spirits.

But even with all of that…

It's not enough.

Kyle must remain irreplaceable.

And all that power… all that overwhelming might… had begun with one thing.

…I need to complete my Class Advancement Quest.

Perhaps sensing the resolve in his eyes, Ringling pressed her temples firmly and asked,

"You're not thinking of doing something reckless, are you?"

"…Don't worry. I'll be back in time."

And honestly, Bellatris didn't need to worry too much.

"Tempah is coming with me."

Class Advancement Quest.

In Exodia, if a player wanted a certain class, they first had to meet the conditions that corresponded to it.

For a swordsman, they needed a certain amount of Strength. For an archer, it was Agility.

The same applied to mages.

A Class Advancement Quest is automatically triggered once a player's growth meets a particular threshold, specific to each class.

Meaning, there was no need to seek out an NPC. Advancement was based purely on a player's growth trajectory.

And for me, there was only one requirement left.

Jhin's stats were already beyond anything anyone else of his level could reach. He had long satisfied the criteria for virtually every possible class.

And yet, there had been one simple reason he hadn't triggered a Class Advancement Quest before now.

Minimum level: 100.

Jhin turned to Tempah walking beside him and asked,

"By the way… What was your class advancement quest?"

"Me? Hmm… I think it was… Kill 1,000 monsters?"

"That's it?"

"With my bare hands."

Of course.

With skills like Regeneration and Unity of Mind and Body, plus a pure Strength stat build, Tempah had clearly ended up with a pretty unique class.

The Indomitable Infighter.

The time he forced his broken limbs to move—turns out, it wasn't just the power of Unity of Mind and Body at work.

So long as he was conscious, he simply couldn't fall. No matter how shredded his body became.

The class was nothing if not fitting—brutally straightforward, and completely unyielding. As Tempah remembered that day, a wide grin spread across his face.

"Man… That was fun. After that day, I got addicted to the feel of hitting stuff. I can't even enjoy fights if I'm not barehanded anymore."

Definitely a lunatic.

If Jhin had been given the same quest, he probably would've started cursing before even reading the full description.

Kill 1,000 monsters. And it probably didn't mean just any monsters.

You had to kill ones equal to your level.

Barehanded.

A ridiculous quest, really. If the target had been anyone other than Tempah, it wouldn't have been doable.

But the problem is, it's not someone else's problem now.

Having hit level 100, Jhin had automatically received his own Class Advancement Quest.

He had already met all the conditions.

Without using potions, and with Power completely depleted… Hunt continuously for 12 hours.

He had encountered this one before back in Exodia 1, and even then, it had been brutal. If he so much as took a nap or rested in the middle, the quest would instantly reset.

"…Is this the place?"

"Yeah. It's underground here."

"Really chose a fitting spot to turn into a dungeon."

The location Tempah had brought them to was a blood bank in New Capital.

A vital hub where countless packs of blood from around the country were stored. In the world before, hospitals considered it sacred ground.

Now, the place reeked of desolation. No signs of human life remained.

Good thing the dungeon's already been cleared.

If they'd missed the right timing… New Capital would've had yet another nightmare to deal with—trolls that could only be killed by stabbing them through the heart.

Jhin spotted the faint white shimmer of a door deep in the basement. The dungeon had already been conquered, so the entrance no longer radiated any other color.

But inside—it would still be a dungeon.

Trolls would continue to spawn in fixed numbers, and the dungeon's boss—the Twin-Head Troll—would resurrect again and again.

Because it was a game.

"By the way, this does square us even, right?"

"Yes. I won't charge you for the damages to Central Square."

"Nice."

"And if you help me with this, I'll give you another chance to fight me. As you asked."

"…I like that!"

To get Tempah to come along, Jhin had made a few deals.

First: he'd bury the incident at Ark—no punishments, no records.

Second: he'd offer a rematch whenever Tempah wanted. A free duel ticket.

What an incurable battle junkie.

Well, he was an irregular who became a player simply because monsters showed up and he punched them all to death. Judging him by normal logic would be a mistake.