Episode 186

1.

The first update that set 2023 on fire: Dungeon Break.

Countless people—ordinary civilians, not players—had directly experienced the dangers of dungeons, an incident that proved dungeons were no longer mere tools for humanity's advancement.

Of course, it was undeniable that the opportunities for players to grow had increased dramatically.

By hunting monsters that had poured out into reality, they could collect points—a currency unobtainable inside dungeons. These points could then be used to purchase powerful equipment, allowing them to grow stronger even faster.

Thus, players were filled with both anxiety and anticipation.

After all, countless players existed in the world, and not all of them wanted this seemingly endless hell to end.

For some, the title of "player" and their level were more than just labels—they were a business card, a symbol of power.

In reality, no one dared to look down on a player anymore.

So most people saw this as just another trial to be overcome, like all the ones before.

'Whether they're in reality or a dungeon, it's all the same.'

And they speculated.

'If there was a first update, there will be a second and a third. What will they be?'

They tried to imagine the future.

In truth, when the first Dungeon Break happened, such speculation had been impossible.

Monsters were pouring out right before their eyes.

Casualties were mounting.

People and players alike were panicking in the face of a disaster they had never experienced before.

Even though the monsters that burst out were mostly low-level, that fact actually became the main cause of even greater chaos.

Family, friends, lovers.

When you could be ambushed out of nowhere at any time, in any place, countless people and players had no mental space to worry about the future, not even a few hours ahead.

A month later, two months later.

Trying to imagine when the next catastrophe might come was a luxury they could not afford.

The fact that people were now contemplating a second or third update meant they finally had some breathing room.

It was inevitable.

Nearly half a year had passed since the Dungeon Break. It was more than enough time for modern society—and its players—to adapt.

Damage was still occurring worldwide, and several countries had lost the ability to function as states. Dark organizations that took advantage of the chaos were constantly making the news. Yet, with the magic of time, even this became routine.

The world hadn't returned to how it was, but this new reality had become their "everyday life."

Which was why they began to speculate.

In what form will the next disaster arrive?

If the updates are meant to make things harder for players, what could possibly inflict more pain and fear than this?

Countless theories and predictions flooded in.

But no one had the right answer.

[The Second Update is now in progress.]

Or perhaps, some had guessed correctly.

However, the result was far from the simple escalation of disaster that most had expected.

[Dungeon Entry Level Requirements Will Be Relaxed.]

▶ Due to the Dungeon Break, the threads of mana that had been restricting access to dungeons have become tangled. The level required to enter a dungeon will be expanded by +10 to -10 levels, allowing players to make more reckless attempts to protect their homes from invading monsters or to pull their comrades up.

Someone had once asked:

"Is the first update, Dungeon Break, really a prelude to the end of humanity? Or is it just the first step in a scheduled event for players?"

This question began to circulate not only among those who coldly analyzed reality but also among the majority of players as they gradually adapted to Dungeon Break, collected points, and began purchasing better equipment, stacking up specs and various stats that couldn't be raised just by running dungeons.

For ordinary people, it was a cruel thing to say.

"Why does the Dungeon Break feel like a patch for players?"

"Honestly, I leveled up more, and my gear got better after the Dungeon Break."

"The top ranks must be even more insane, right?"

"It feels like an overall buff patch."

Of course, since this was a disaster that had caused a massive loss of life, few players would openly say, "It was a good patch for us," so such conversations remained hushed. But the second update convinced them.

"The additional updates aren't just disasters meant to bring about the apocalypse."

They still couldn't be one hundred percent sure.

In reality, this might still be the road to the end.

However, there was one thing players could agree on.

It was the conclusion they reached after seeing the details of the second update and the benefits it provided.

'At the very least, it's giving us—and ordinary people—a chance.'

They weren't just being driven headlong into despair and annihilation.

Even if annihilation waited at the finish line, they were being given a chance to fight until the very end.

"Is the world of dungeons coming back?"

At the same time, it was news that the dungeon boom—which had cooled off a bit because of the first update—was starting to flare up again.

* * *

Over the course of six years, more than eighty percent of players had given up on breaking through the wall of dungeons. The biggest reason dungeons had become such insurmountable fortresses was the level restriction on entry.

"Please, just raise the entry requirement by five levels."

"We don't need much. Just one level. Let us equip the next tier of gear and go back to the previous dungeon."

"I just want to set foot in an Epic dungeon once in my life."

Once a player's level hit a new tens digit, they were practically forced into the next tier of dungeons, regardless of their wishes.

For players who consistently ran dungeons, farmed properly with decent luck, and had enough combat sense to at least make a living, this wasn't a huge problem.

After all, as dungeon difficulty increased, so did a player's stats. For Normal dungeons, the jump from 1-star to 2-star was rarely an absurd leap in difficulty.

It just became more complicated and time-consuming.

One or two more clear conditions.

The difference was simply whether you could clear those or not.

The players who couldn't even manage that were the ones in trouble.

When players who could barely afford to maintain their survival gear—let alone assemble a proper set—reached the level for the next tier...

There was no solution.

They just gave up.

Someone barely scraping by in their current dungeon had no hope of clearing the next one.

Even among those who ran dungeons just to make a living, there was a cutoff.

For those players, this update was a ray of light.

"Wow, this is insane. Time to farm 1-star dungeons forever."

"I can't believe it. Thank you. This day has finally come."

"I'm going to try a Unique dungeon. Farming is going to get so much easier."

In truth, it might not have been that monumental of an update.

This had always been a topic of discussion, but there were doubts about whether such a change would truly cause a massive shift.

"You think some guy who was struggling in 3-star Normal dungeons is suddenly going to clear Epic and Unique ones just because he can go back to 2-star?"

"Of course not. At best, he'll be able to go up one grade. That's the limit."

"That's not bad in itself, but a lot of people are talking big, like this will break down the wall."

Realistically, the wall between Normal and Rare, or Rare and Epic, wasn't that high.

Some players even claimed that if you chose your clear conditions and penalties wisely, the difficulty was about the same as a Normal dungeon.

If that was all it took, would people who were too afraid to put in even that much effort suddenly find the courage to challenge themselves just because they could re-enter a lower-tier dungeon?

"Either way, it's definitely a good patch for all players."

Even if they didn't challenge themselves, the fact that the entry requirements had been relaxed with no penalties attached was undeniably good news.

Whether they were players who ran dungeons to make a living, or players who wanted to farm better items and level up faster.

Since no one was losing out, the conversation naturally shifted to who would gain the most.

"Who benefits the most from this patch?"

"Who do you think?"

There were countless players.

After the first update, their numbers had increased so rapidly that it was hard to even get an accurate count. Picking out the single player who would benefit most from this update was no easy task.

But players managed it anyway.

The one person who stood out among tens of millions.

The player who was currently at the center of the hottest issues.

"He soloed an 8-star Epic dungeon. If his entire Fly Guild can move up now, how far is he going to go?"

Fly.

All eyes were on his next move.

Relaxing the entry requirements by -10 to +10 levels meant players could enter dungeons one tier lower and one tier higher.

For those who had been worried about how far Fly could climb alone in a level range where a single level could translate into months or even a year of grinding, there could be no better news.

In response to people's expectations, Fly soon released an official statement.

"Once the second update is fully implemented, the Fly Guild will begin strategizing for 8-star dungeons. However, since our guild members' levels are still insufficient, we will not make any reckless attempts and will instead focus on their growth. Furthermore, we must not neglect the ongoing Dungeon Break. This update is not a simple convenience patch; it is an opportunity granted in the face of future hardships. Users must not ignore the present to focus only on the future, lest they invite an even greater catastrophe."

It was a chance to take a step forward.

And it was also a warning not to let their guard down, because a disaster like the Dungeon Break could happen again at any time.

It was a typically levelheaded comment from Fly. And because even his most ordinary remarks became hot topics, his statement quickly spread and was widely discussed.

The second update was soon applied, and players, thrilled by this phenomenon they were experiencing for the first time, came to a conclusion.

"At the very least, no player lost out from this update."

"Unless you were already sneaking into dungeons above your level, you have no reason to complain."

"Do people like that even exist?"

"...They do."

"So what happens to Kim Buja?"

With that, attention naturally shifted to the one victim everyone had briefly forgotten.

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