Ch.402-1+++

# 40. 2-1+++

[Corrupted Spirit Purification Quest 2nd Page <Find the Picture> Guide]

This is the guide for the 2nd page <Find the Picture>, following the 1st page <Defeat Corrupted Monsters> guide.

Before getting into the guide, I must warn you that this 2nd page <Find the Picture> is an extremely frustrating mission that will likely make you swear profusely.

If you want to clear it on your own without a guide, please press the back button now.

The 2nd page <Find the Picture> must be divided into two types:

1. Find the different picture

2. Find the identical picture

…(omitted)…

Whether it’s type 1 or 2, both are equally eye-straining and frustrating, but what’s even more annoying is how difficult it is to distinguish between them.

You might think it’s type 1 and select just one, only to fail because it was actually type 2.

Or you might think it’s type 2 and select both, only to fail because it was type 1.

While this guide will be quite helpful, even with it, you’ll still be fighting the urge to smash your monitor for a while.

Is there really no solution other than the standard approach?

Actually, there is.

However.

If you have confidence in your physical abilities.

In other words, if you believe you have strengths in peripheral vision, reaction speed, coordination, etc., there’s one more tailored strategy for you.

And that is….

**

“That guide was yours too, Guild Leader?”

“Yeah. I wrote the guide for the Albrant undead elimination quest, so of course I wrote this one too.”

“I understand that guide was written by you and that it works, but… will it work here too?”

Compared to using spirit stone fragments to lure away undead in northern Albrant, this was a strategy so embarrassingly simple it barely qualified as one.

It relied entirely on the individual’s physical abilities.

The strategy was simply ‘Don’t think about finding identical or different pictures—just eliminate any traces of corruption as soon as you see them!’

Saeax’s concern was justified. In the game, you only had to move your cursor across the screen to remove corruption, but here, our bodies themselves were the cursors.

“The time ratio should be adjusted somewhat. For example, if the infection time was 30 seconds there, it might be 30 minutes here.”

“If the infection time remained the same, it would have spread uncontrollably by now, right?”

“Bingo. Basically, we just need to run around super fast and eliminate everything we see.”

In that sense, destroying the first trace we found with holy power was a painful mistake. If we had known it could be removed without holy power, our range of movement would have been much wider.

“I guess I’m getting old—I didn’t recall it right away. Sorry.”

“Guild Leader, if you say that elsewhere, people will scold you.”

“That’s right. It’s good that you remembered now. By that logic, I’ve seen your guide and completed this quest before… but I’m not being helpful at all.”

“That was years ago! It’s normal to forget! Anyway, we need to run really fast—that’s what I’m saying.”

We decided to spread out even further than before.

Cutjukyeora could easily destroy the corruption with holy power, and Saeax had enough raw attack power to destroy it without needing Cutjukyeora’s temporary blessing.

I was the problem—my plan was to keep a pre-blessed sword in my inventory, use it to remove corruption when found, then call Cutjukyeora for another blessing. Until then, I would faithfully serve as a communication relay and buff totem.

After finalizing our plan, we immediately took action. Having seen the traces of corruption once, the two moved forward with much more confidence than before.

We didn’t need to find those tiny traces directly anymore—we just had to examine the ground around us. The difficulty had decreased significantly.

How many minutes had passed as we followed this belatedly remembered strategy?

“Fou-nd-one—!!!”

“I-fou-nd-one-too-!”

“I-al-so-fou-nd-one-!”

As soon as we discovered darkened, lifeless patches of ground, powerful echoes came from both sides.

“Re-port-af-ter-des-troy-ing-!”

“Des-truc-tion-com-plete-!”

“I-des-troyed-mine-too-!!!”

Both Cutjukyeora and Saeax reported the excellent news that they had quickly destroyed their targets. I immediately thrust my sword at the damn trace of corruption I’d found.

‘It’s shallow!’

Since they destroyed theirs easily, I thought maybe I could too? But no such luck. I wasn’t upset though. My sword had holy power but it was only temporarily blessed, and I didn’t have Saeax’s monstrous strength.

Still, if there was one thing I had over them at this point, it was my level.

In other words, I had the most spare ability points!

[Strength: 14][Agility: 10][Endurance: 10][Magic: 10][Will: 14]

[Remaining points: 6]

I had saved these ability points for just such an occasion.

I invested one point at a time into Strength while repeatedly taking my sword in and out of my inventory, and finally, after adding 3 more points to Strength, I was able to destroy the corruption.

‘It’s a shame, but if I don’t use them now, saving them would be pointless.’

Once I could destroy corruption on my own, we swept through the area like a storm. Cutjukyeora seemed exhausted from having to come back and forth whenever the holy power in my weapon faded, but she insisted she was fine and worried about me instead.

‘Being worried about? Not bad.’

Occasionally we witnessed corruption spreading in real-time, but the two would rush in and purify it almost simultaneously. We couldn’t see the entire area, but at this pace, it seemed our purification speed was faster than the corruption speed.

“If-you-get-ti-red-drink-a-po-tion-!”

“I-know-!!!”

“Ye-e-es-!”

We continued our operation, chugging tasteless potions like athletes drinking sports drinks.

‘I am a marathon runner who removes landmines. I am a marathon runner who removes landmines. I am a marathon runner who removes landmines.’

Running, stabbing, shouting, drinking, running, stabbing, shouting, drinking—how long did we repeat this mechanical purification process?

– Humaaaaans!!!

– Impossible!!!

– This can’t be!!!

– It’s impossible!!!

– I!

– I have!

– How long have I guarded this place…? How long? How long? Who? What? With whom? Why?

The corrupted spirit, which had tried to lure us in, toy with us, and gradually corrupt us to make us part of itself, was now expressing agony throughout its body, emitting dark, murky smoke-like substance.

While we were struggling not to lose consciousness, the corrupted spirit was gradually returning to a state of “slight pain.”

– Huh? Huh? Huuuh?

– Who? Who was I? What was I doing? Contract! My contractor? Where did they go?

– When is this? Why am I alone? No? Why are humans suffering before my eyes?

– Ah.

After muttering in agony for a long time, the spirit finally regained its original color. Only very slight black stains remained like scars.

*Zzzzing*

And suddenly we were back at our starting location.

As Cutjukyeora and Saeax, who had assessed the situation like I had, embraced me tightly from both sides, the spirit addressed us.

– You’re the humans who helped me?

“That’s right.”

Its tone had changed completely. And the feeling of something stirring inside my head had weakened considerably. Now it finally looked like a proper forest spirit.

– My contractor called this a “noble deed,” but do you happen to know what I promised?

“You said you’d give us something shiny.”

The spirit had regained consciousness to find its contractor gone, its condition deteriorated, itself in a remote location, and much time apparently passed.

I couldn’t quite grasp the spirit’s feelings, but it seemed very sad.

‘Still, I should get what we’re owed.’

This seemed like an opportunity to receive a reward separate from what the Tower would give us, and I couldn’t miss it.

– I’m glad humans helped me. I can’t fully return to normal and my contractor is gone… but take this. You helped a spirit and saved a spirit. You deserve this.

“Thank you.”

A stone with a pale green glow appeared in the air. I accepted it without hesitation.

It had been a cursed quest, and it was just a fragment within the Tower that resembled a game… but I became sentimental and added:

“I don’t know if spirits have a concept of happiness, but you’ll be happy from now on. As much as you’ve been hurt and suffered until now.”

– …You are a noble human?

With those final words, the spirit’s form began to fade further. I thought I heard laughter briefly.

“Noble? I’m just an ordinary person struggling to get by.”

The word “noble” didn’t suit me at all. I objected, but the spirit was no longer visible.

“It’s over.”

“Whew… I thought we were going to die.”

The two who had been embracing me slumped to the ground as the spirit completely disappeared. I sat down with them, my tension fully released.

Just as I was about to tell them they’d done a great job…

[You have perfectly and swiftly purified the corrupted spirit using momentary and clever wit, outstanding physical abilities to execute it, and strong will, courage, and teamwork to sustain it.]

[Evaluation in progress.]

The evaluation message appeared, and we all stared wide-eyed at the same empty space. Cutjukyeora was already kneeling demurely in prayer, while Saeax gripped my shoulder tightly, muttering “SSSSSSSSS….”

“If we get an S this time, I’m going to kiss Guild Leader oppa.”

“…What?”

“Unni said she’ll join in too! Come on, oppa, pray desperately too!”

Cutjukyeora, horrified, tried to cover Saeax’s mouth, and Saeax twisted her body while insisting on this mutual kissing arrangement I had never agreed to, but we were all united in chanting ‘S’.

And finally.

[Grade – S]

“That’s it!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“Kyaaah!!!!!!!!!!!”

“Saeax!!!!!!!!!!!!”

And that’s how we received our third (consecutive) S grade.

Even if incomplete, Veritas was still Veritas.