***
Duke Lucas's fortuitous encounter lay dormant within Chronicle Online, a second-generation virtual reality game now entering its tenth year of service.
Considering that the fortuitous encounter had been known for twenty years prior, the time gap might seem suspiciously large at first glance. But the reason was simple once you knew it.
‘Fortuitous encounters aren't fixed in one place—they move elsewhere when the time comes.’
A treasure hunter with keen instincts or a nation-state with superior intelligence capabilities might have discovered that a fortuitous encounter was hidden within the online game, but blindly searching everywhere wouldn't uncover it.
‘Fortuitous encounters possess a will of their own.’
As long as it was connected to the Hollywood virtual reality system, a fortuitous encounter could go anywhere and breach any security system to establish its own domain.
You could tell just from the fact that the Chronicle Online management system, "Supreme God," served as its intermediary caretaker.
That was why acquiring a fortuitous encounter required a different approach.
It wasn't enough to fixate solely on the location where it was hidden—you had to study the individual known as Duke Lucas himself.
Naturally, knowledge related to Earth was immensely helpful in that process, but that went without saying.
This raised one key question.
‘Leaving aside my stats from the game, how could Chronicle Online's unique features, like the supporter "Arcia," apply to reality?’
If Chronicle Online hadn't had supporters, Arcia would have remained asleep indefinitely.
After all, the real-world Arcia had said that Duke Lucas was the one who created her.
Yet the Chronicle Online system had been built after Duke Lucas's death, making its perfect synergy with the fortuitous encounter he prepared seem far too ideal.
‘This would be impossible without foresight into the future.’
But this was precisely where you could sense the terror of the fortuitous encounter left behind by Duke Lucas.
As mentioned earlier, fortuitous encounters possess a will.
Anywhere connected to the Hollywood system, they could pierce any defenses and carve out their own domain.
But it didn't end with merely implanting the fortuitous encounter system—they even added or modified settings to suit their tastes.
Virtual reality connected the human brain directly to servers via terminals, and the fortuitous encounter exploited this by brainwashing the game developers into following its commands.
In other words, manipulating humans.
‘This is no different from hacking the brain.’
How terrifying was that?
It was the stuff of science fiction movies.
Duke Lucas could probably have manipulated every human using the Hollywood system if he so desired.
* * *
"By the way, Arcia."
"Yes, Master."
A brief moment of respite while hunting orcs for levels and waiting for them to respawn.
I called out to Arcia, who was standing silently, staring into empty space.
"What happens to your real body while you're logged into the game?"
"It switches to eco mode for rest. However, monitoring functions remain active to protect Master."
"So, if something happens outside, you can alert me or respond immediately?"
"Yes."
Far more convenient than I'd imagined.
While logged in, my real body was defenseless.
Now, I had a means of protection.
Even if misunderstandings arose in the future, I needed to keep Arcia in my room.
"Master."
At that moment, Arcia notified me of the monsters respawning.
I raised my magic staff and began casting.
"Magic Missile."
Our combat style was extremely straightforward.
Arcia, the tank supporter, drew the monsters' aggro, and I finished them off with magic.
It was common knowledge that a typical 1st Circle mage's attack power was inferior to a sword, but I had pay-to-win inflated stats and high-performance low-level gear purchased without regard for cost.
Thanks to that, same-level monsters were always one-shot kills.
Ever since getting Arcia, I no longer had to take hits from monsters and feel the pain.
In that sense, I felt fortunate that my class was fixed as a mage.
Ultimately, the toughest period for hunting had been levels 1 through 10, swinging a sword without skills.
[You have reached level 30.]
The ever-sweet level-up message.
I clenched my fist.
[Fortuitous Encounter Quest Stage 2]
Conditions: Reach level 30 (Cleared), Subjugate Orc Warrior Kants
Reward: Manuel Lucas's Magic Tower 3rd Floor Unlocked
Now, I just needed to take down the named monster "Orc Warrior Kants" to clear the quest.
Clearing Fortuitous Encounter Quest Stage 2 would also unlock the magic tower's 3rd floor.
With that, I'd gain access to 2nd Circle realm and even better fortuitous encounters, building anticipation.
With only one named monster left, I'd likely claim the reward before hitting the login time limit.
Combining max-level character training experience with pay-to-win power made growth incredibly fast.
I could probably maintain this pace up to level 100.
"But 'Orc Warrior Kants'... First time hearing that name."
I used the quest window's auxiliary function to track Orc Warrior Kants's location.
The marked position on the map was in an unexpected place.
"It's here?"
It was none other than "Manuel Lucas's Magic Tower 1st Floor."
This meant it wasn't a standard Chronicle Online monster, but one created specifically for the fortuitous encounter.
My lighthearted search for the target furrowed my brow slightly.
Still, I'd proceed as planned.
But what was this...?
This nagging unease?
[You are being transported to a secret area by Supreme God Ariel.]
Following the spatial transfer message, the scenery shifted.
The 1st floor of Manuel Lucas's Magic Tower felt like a waiting room.
An empty space surrounded by marble on all sides.
But this time, something was different.
A green-skinned giant with a glaive slung over its shoulder was glaring at me.
"Kill the human, and I become special."
The creature with "Orc Warrior Kants" above its head approached challengingly, delivering a loaded line.
A normal orc warrior wouldn't stand a chance against a mage backed by a tank supporter, but this one radiated an aura that screamed it wouldn't be an easy win.
[Use of consumable attack items such as bombs or scrolls is prohibited.]
With item use for easy hunting banned as well, I quickly grasped the purpose of this battle.
‘Now I see—this is a setup for real combat experience.’
Was it meant to toughen me up, its disciple in all but name?
I let out a smirk and focused ahead.
"Arcia."
"Yes."
Moments later,
The creature gradually picked up speed into a run.
I urgently ordered Arcia to defend.
She positioned her body-sized shield forward, bracing for the impact.
"Die, human!"
The distance closed in an instant.
Its green-skinned muscles swelled massively, and the firmly gripped glaive swung viciously.
It looked impossible for the slender-looking Arcia to block an attack from a roughly two-meter-tall behemoth, whether by mass or momentum...
-Kwaaaang!
The impact sounded like a bomb exploding, and the one staggering back a step wasn't Arcia—it was Orc Warrior Kants.
As expected of a top-tier unique supporter's defensive power.
"Kuh!"
Kants's face twisted in disbelief at being outmatched in raw strength, its game monster expression shockingly realistic.
-Jiiing.
But that expression didn't last.
My attack spell finished casting the moment they collided.
As Kants was wide open from stumbling back, I pointed my finger at its face.
"Magic Missile."
The blue energy gathered at my fingertip shot out as a beam, destroying its right eye.
-Kwajik!
[Critical Hit!]
"Graaaak!"
Thanks to pay-to-win gear bulking every stat, my Magic Missile transcended 1st Circle level.
It could easily decapitate same-level monsters in one shot.
-Bwoong!
"W-What?!"
But even with its eye— a critical spot—blown out, it showed tenacious will to counterattack.
-Kwaaang!
Arcia thoroughly blocked the enemy's assault again, averting crisis, but seeing the HP above its head made me grimace.
[Orc Warrior Kants]
HP 5,300/5,500
"Huh, insane."
HP total aside, after a critical hit? What kind of ridiculous toughness was this?
-Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
Even in excitement, Kants realized swinging at Arcia's shield after the first clash was inefficient and persistently targeted me behind her.
Arcia protected me impeccably amid the ferocious attacks, but with game and reality senses synced via the fortuitous encounter, the shockwaves felt threateningly real on my skin.
-Ting!
Sparks flew constantly before my eyes.
If that glaive pierced Arcia's shield even once and hit me, the pain would be unimaginable.
I wouldn't be human if I claimed no tension from the fearsome foe's momentum, but including my past life, I'd lived over forty years.
Having experienced death and even ingested poison as a child, this much wouldn't cloud my judgment with fear.
"Dig!"
-Thud!
In swordplay or any bladed weapon, footwork was crucial.
I timed a ground-dig spell with its forward step, robbing its footing. As the green giant wobbled, Arcia's shield charge successfully toppled it.
"Scaredy-cat."
I clicked my tongue briefly and cast Magic Missile.
The flustered Kants tried to rise quickly, but Arcia wouldn't allow it.
-Thud! Thud! Thud!
"C-Cowardly!"
Whenever it tried to stand, she'd bash it down with her shield; when it attempted again, another bash.
Kants swung its glaive, rolled sideways, leaped—putting on all sorts of shows—but couldn't rise easily under Arcia's ironclad marking, like a wall.
"Magic Missile. Magic Missile."
Meanwhile, I casually cast and fired Magic Missiles repeatedly.
No matter how tough, consecutive hits whittled Kants's HP mercilessly.
Only after a long while did it escape the shield hell, by then with barely 10% HP left.
"It would've broken free faster by dropping the sword and attempting grapples."
Even heavily enhanced, could programmed behavior not be overcome?
Its refusal to let go of the glaive until the end only hindered it.
"Gruk!"
Wild-eyed like a berserker, Kants charged headlong, but any pressure it once held was long gone.
Maintaining safe defense and attacks steadily ended the fight soon enough.
[Subjugated Orc Warrior Kants.]
This battle's victory stemmed from wit and unflappable composure.
[Fortuitous Encounter Quest Stage 2 Cleared.]
[Conditions for next magic tower area met. Manuel Lucas's Magic Tower 3rd Floor Unlocked.]
I nodded in satisfaction and headed straight to the 3rd floor.
-Manuel Lucas's Magic Tower 3rd Floor.
Similar to the 2nd but slightly larger and more ornate.
As expected, a massive bookshelf against one wall drew the eye, with an ornate box featuring flashy patterns before it.
[Treasure Chest 2]