《I Woke Up as the Villain》


 Volume 1 - Prologue

    In the middle of a quiet pub, Choi YuSeong quite sharply looked at the man tilting his beer mug who sat across him.


    Not to mention the first impression.


    Handsome.


    Despite obviously man¡¯s, the elegant jawline that couldn¡¯t be called pretty and the deep immersive dark eyes would bring so many women in tears.


    Then how about his body?


    The firm board shoulder, solid chest, and abs from exercise were work of art despite only wore a tight leather jacket.


    But what¡¯s the reason for this much interest toward another man?


    That couldn¡¯t be helped.


    ¡®Kim DoJin¡¯


    This handsome friend just from his name was the main character of The Master Who Return To Modern Times1, a web novel that Choi YuSeong had been reading very interestingly until the night before.


    But the main character of that novel was personified, alive and breathing in front of him.


    It was impossible not to be interested.


    What did this mean, you ask?


    This was also an ordinary common story.


    ¡®I was transferred into the novel.¡¯


    The role was a good-for-nothing that was used and thrown by Kim DoJin, the handsome returnee in front of his eyes, to cooperate in killing his father, with the unlucky fate of being abandoned by his family and became prey to monsters inside the crack in the aftermath.


    That said, it was a pretty obvious story.


    However, he was going crazy because he belongs to that common position.


    ¡®¡­ How should I solve this?¡¯


    Choi YuSeong, who sighed in his heart, recalled a few days ago when he possessed the good-for-nothing body.

 Volume 1 - CH 1

    Choi YuSeong was an orphan.


    Since the beginning of his memory at the age of 4, he was an orphan without any blood relative so the truth of having no parents was not awkward.


    But that¡¯s not mean he didn¡¯t know the reality.


    He rather knew it too well.


    Could it be said the little guy was clever?


    He escaped at the age of 12 from the orphanage because he was fed up with absurdity.


    And he grew up brilliantly. He graduated safely until college with the money he earned alone and he joined NX Soft, a game company that was said to be the cream of the crop in South Korea at the age of 28.


    Those were achievements that were accomplished thanks to the efforts made without concern for the orphan¡¯s disadvantages.


    People who knew Choi YuSeong often referred to him as a strong-tempered1, but it wasn¡¯t wrong.


    At the age of 13 when they were still playing in the arms of their parents, he had already devised how to fight society and put it into practice.


    It was not easy at such a young age.


    Thanks to that, he was able to create a life that would make the title of an orphan felt less burdening.


    It was a life he was proud of.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    In the mirror, an awkward smile emerged from the mouth of Choi YuSeong, who stroked the cheeks of a handsome young man who looked ten years younger than the original image he remembered.


    It was awkward but definitely familiar.


    He wanted to deny it, but the young man he saw in the mirror for the first time seemed to be Choi YuSeong himself.


    ¡°¡­Why did it suddenly change?¡±


    That was the first question that came to mind.


    ¡®Let¡¯s think about it.¡¯


    Choi YuSeong recalled the memories of the night before.


    He was certainly working overtime ahead of the opening of a new game. Because he was so drowsy, he went to the break room for a while then enjoyed coffee together with the latest episode of the web novel ¡®The Master Who Return to Modern Times¡¯ which he usually read after having coffee.


    And, he seemed to have fallen asleep.


    However, when he opened his eyes, it was not the scenery of the familiar company¡¯s break room. It wasn¡¯t even his residence, a studio with a little less than 10 pyeong2.


    Choi YuSeong, who took his gaze away from the mirror, looked back then checked the room once more and his mouth strangely twitched.


    ¡®It would be a decent living room for a middle-sized apartment tho?¡¯


    Just one bedroom was this big.


    It was awkward, but he thought it wasn¡¯t strange.


    ¡®Choi YuSeong. 20 years old. One of the children of Hyesung Group, a leading conglomerate company in South Korea.¡±


    Looked back on his memory, it was easy to know who he was.


    Thanks to this, he experienced terrible pain when he opened his eyes in the morning, but anyway it was better than he could not recognize anything.


    In particular, there would be nothing more difficult than if he did not even know who he became.


    Therefore, Choi YuSeong became the second generation of a conglomerate with the same name that was as different as the heaven and the earth than the background of an orphan that he had just last night.


    ¡°Hmm¡­, life is reversed.¡±


    Choi YuSeong shook his head with a short groan and laughter.


    That was easy to say, but he was bitter.


    It was certainly a lonely life without any family.


    He was hit by the boss every day if there were not enough profit, and he was swept away by overtime so there were many struggles.


    Still, he was confident that he had lived hard in his way, it was also a satisfying life where he achieved his goal.


    But that kind of life had gone in one day.


    Just because the economic environment had improved, he couldn¡¯t just be happy.


    Besides, there were more serious problems.


    ¡®Let¡¯s see. This year is October 21, 2029. 10 years ahead of 2019 that I remembered.¡¯


    Unlike the earth where Choi YuSeong originally lived, being seen in movies or novels such as monsters, cracks, and Awakeners existed in this world.


    In a way, it could be seen as a completely different world, but to Choi YuSeong the worldview including all the words was quite familiar.


    ¡°¡­¡­Because that¡¯s the background of The Master Who Return to Modern Times.¡¯


    It was something that he could know by recalling his memories a little without having to worry for long.


    He thought over and over again while confirmed himself because he wanted to be certain of an unbelievable truth.


    It was something that happened like in novels or movies.


    And the protagonist of the play was Choi YuSeong himself.


    To accept this fact, Choi YuSeong struggled for two hours while sitting.


    ¡°Haha¡­!¡±


    Then he burst into a big smile and nodded his head.


    After he accepted all the facts, the conclusion was simple.


    ¡°It¡¯s a big deal!¡±


    The role of Choi YuSeong in the novel was a villain who harassed the weak as the family¡¯s good-for-nothing, and a pushover who was thrown away after being used by the main character.


    Now he had possessed him, he was really established in a very excellent position.3


    The simplest way to keep all those terrible situations from happening was already in place.


    ¡®Don¡¯t get close to the returnee, Kim DoJin.¡¯


    But what to do?


    This good-for-nothing bastard had already become very close enough to have a good relationship with Kim DoJin a few days ago.


    The incident had already erupted at the instinctive moment itself.4


    ¡®If this is the novel, then in volume 1 episode 15¡­¡¯


    If he had started just 10 episodes before, he would be able to break the relationship, but it was already a spilled water.


    The returnee Kim DoJin wanted to kill the enemy who killed his father as a child, Choi WuJae, the head of the Hyesung group and the father of Choi YuSeong.


    And he chose Choi YuSeong as the bridgehead.


    Choi YuSeong, the good-for-nothing who knew nothing, was excited and fell in love with Kim DoJin¡¯s speech that seemed to understand him.


    ¡®I have to keep the distance with Kim DoJin somehow.¡¯


    He was a dangerous person the more someone gets closer.


    He couldn¡¯t think it lightly.


    Wasn¡¯t it just a life-threatening thing?


    He wanted to hit his head when he remembered that he thought it was a cider5 when the novel¡¯s Choi YuSeong was used like an idiot and thrown away.


    ¡®If you¡¯re easy to control, you will die.¡¯


    That was why he had to somehow cut off his relationship with Kim DoJin.


    How?


    Quite a few ways immediately came to mind.


    The first thing that came to mind was the option of using the money and power of a conglomerate to kill the returnee when he had not yet recovered his power.


    ¡®Someday the Demon King will come to this world.¡¯


    And according to the contents of the original novel, Kim DoJin was given the role of stopping the Demon King and saving the world.


    If he didn¡¯t exist, then who will stop the Demon King?


    ¡®The destruction ending is a no-no.¡¯


    Therefore, the most realistic and the best option for Choi YuSeong had already been decided.


    ¡®You can just turn away.¡¯


    He wouldn¡¯t care whether he called or came to find him.


    It was to widen the distance between Kim DoJin and himself as wide as possible from this time on.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡±


    After his thoughts were sorted out, a sigh flowed out.


    It was Choi YuSeong, who had been criticized for being relatively clever and cold-hearted since his orphanage days, but it was quite difficult for him to think and accept the word of his death.


    ¡®It would be nice if it was the way you want, but¡­¡¯


    If not, the next best way and the third method should be prepared.


    Choi YuSeong thought that he had never been so grateful for his innate calmness.


    ¡°If you¡¯re in a hurry, you won¡¯t be able to get out.¡±


    Kim DoJin, the returnee who appeared to be young on the outside, was actually a snake6 in his 50s who spent more than 30 years in another world.


    If he did something wrong, he would get caught up and backstabbed.


    ¡®Stay calm, let¡¯s back away one step at a time.¡¯


    In addition to that fact, problems were scattered here and there.


    Choi YuSeong, the ninth son of the Hyesung group.


    Even if it wasn¡¯t for Kim DoJin, his position could never be considered safe.


    There were many complicated things in many ways.


    It could have been seen as completely different from the time when he had to work just as much as he needed and received a salary, but the big frame did not change at all.


    To add a little more positive aspect, for some reason the contents of the original novel, ¡®The Master Who Return to Modern Times¡¯ came to mind in fine detail. As if he was reading the novel currently.


    ¡®It can be a temporary phenomenon, so let¡¯s write it down on the handphone¡¯s memo as much as possible.¡¯


    Regardless of what he thought, the greatest weapon Choi YuSeong currently had was the future information known through the original novel.


    He thought that not recording information because he was afraid of someone peeking it was nothing different than not going out on the street because he was afraid of a car accident.


    ¡®Let¡¯s leave a lot of information while most of the memory is still alive.¡¯


    Why?


    ¡®Because I have to survive.¡¯


    Suddenly the circumstances changed, his appearance transformed, and all the lives he knew had disappeared, so he did not want to die.


    In those days when he ran out to society alone at a young age, and even now when everything changed, Choi YuSeong wanted to live.


    ***


    After an hour or so of agony and prepared a plan for his survival, Choi YuSeong called his direct secretaries, no other than the siblings, to the room.


    ¡°Jin DoYun.¡±


    ¡°Yes, young master.¡±


    A young man in his early twenties, with a thick line above his eyes that gave off a manly impression contrasting to his slim body, nodded his head with a blunt expression.


    ¡¯22 years old. Rank B level 70 strength type Awakener. The estimated maximum potential is S rank. He was one of two people who were on the good-for-nothing Choi YuSeong¡¯s side in this family.¡¯


    Jin DoYun was a loyal person like a bamboo who would not bend.


    A talented person who couldn¡¯t bloom and gone while protecting the good-for-nothing Choi YuSeong, who by chance made an accident without even trying, until he died.


    The good-for-nothing Choi YuSeong, who could not recognize Jin DoYun¡¯s loyalty, hated him quite a bit for interfering with his affairs.


    Of course, the current Choi YuSeong looked at him as quite reliable.


    There was no way to stop the very favorable gaze that flowed by itself.


    Next, the gaze turned to the small woman who stood next to Jin DoYun and looked a little over 160 cm tall.


    ¡®Jin YuRi. 20 years old. Rank A level 20 flair type Awakener. Her estimated maximum potential is S-class or higher. Jin DoYun¡¯s younger sister.¡¯


    He raised his head and looked at her eyes twinkled with curiosity about what was the reason for Choi YuSeong¡¯s sudden call, similar to when he looked at Jin DoYun yet with a different feeling,


    ¡®Similarly, although she is a loyal person who protected the good-for-nothing Choi YuSeong until the end¡­ The type is different.¡±


    She was a different person from the upright Jin DoYun and had more potential than her older brother.


    She knew how to bend in moderation and was quite good at handling people.


    Maybe that¡¯s why the good-for-nothing Choi YuSeong, although did not know her well, was inclined to follow Jin YuRi¡¯s words.


    ¡°Jin YuRi.¡±


    ¡°What is it, that you suddenly setting the mood like this?¡±


    She tilted her head, blinked her eyes, and asked back at his call.


    These were what she could do because she knew that Choi YuSeong was somewhat weak to her.


    The other women in the house usually didn¡¯t want to make eye contact with Choi YuSeong.


    Although they were two completely different polar, he thought that their response would be the same after hearing the words of Choi YuSeong that would follow.


    ¡®They won¡¯t believe it, right.¡¯


    Because of that, Choi YuSeong took a break in talking by shifting his breath then conveyed his will slowly and clearly.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of seeing my father.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes?¡±


    At that moment Jin DoYun asked if he thought he had heard him wrong.


    That came out of someone that usually silent, then it was an unimaginable matter.


    ¡°Get prepared, so please send the news to the main family. It¡¯s 10 am now, so around 6 pm would be just right for dinner time?¡±


    ¡°YuSeong oppa7, are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Huh. What would I get for lying.¡±


    At first glance, someone might think it was a normal occurrence of a son going to see his father, but it¡¯s not.


    Parent-child relationships were by no means common in this family.


    Was it because of that? Choi WuJae, the head and father of the Hyesung Group, was an idol that most of his children adored and on the other hand was also a subject of fear.


    Of course, there had never been a case where the good-for-nothing Choi YuSeong, who usually caused accidents, said he would see him first.


    Someone would know he lived with a lot of things to be scolded just by looking at his face.


    However, this time, Choi YuSeong said he would see Choi WuJae first.


    ¡°What kind of wind is blowing suddenly?¡±


    ¡°I want to ask for something.¡±


    Choi YuSeong calmly answered Jin YuRi¡¯s next question, and the faces of the two siblings became harder and stiff easily.


    He would ask for a request from Choi WuJae.


    As already mentioned, this family differs a lot from the normal parent-child relationship.


    He would ask for something without doing anything well to the head that held wealth and honor in both hands, who only distributed some to the children he like when he¡¯s happy? It was better to find the tiger¡¯s den than that.


    The two siblings exchanged eyes in confusion and tried to read the intention of Choi YuSeong, but it was unknown.


    The Choi YuSeong they remember was originally a loose cannon character.


    ¡°What, I asked you to get ready?¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who will call.¡±


    The two siblings, who reluctantly nodded to Choi YuSeong¡¯s nag, went outside the room.


    Choi YuSeong, who remained in the room alone, opened the memo he had written for the last hour on his smartphone.


    How to survive in the novel as the possessed pushover good-for-nothing villain.


    The first way.


    ¡°First of all, I should start by making a lot of people on my side.¡±

 Volume 1 - CH 2

    He was hoping for dinner, but he got a lunch appointment.


    Naturally, the atmosphere in the house was bound to get busy.


    ¡®Even if that¡¯s the case, only me and the Jin siblings will be busy¡­.¡¯


    Since Choi YuSeong skipped breakfast and would eat lunch outside, the two housekeeper aunts who managed his house had less work to do.


    Fortunately, although there were only two hours left, the luxury villa complex in Hannam where Choi YuSeong lives was not far from the luxury house in Yeonhui which could be seen as the main family.


    ¡®Since it¡¯s not the rush hour, about 30 minutes is enough.¡¯


    Still, he shouldn¡¯t arrive right at the appointment time.


    ¡°Then we will depart right away.¡±


    ¡°Please do your best.¡±1


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    After leaving the house at around 11 o¡¯clock, Choi YuSeong, who got on the back seat of the car that Jin DoYoon had prepared in advance, was overwhelmed with a strange feeling as he saw the back of Jin YuRi sitting in the passenger seat.


    ¡®Even if he¡¯s a somewhat neglected child in the house, he lived in a luxury villa priced more than 5 billion won, the car is an official vehicle that the Italian president rides, the driver is a B-rank Awakener, and an A-rank Awakener sticking around as escort just in case.¡¯


    Also, there was more than 5 unit of supercars owned by Choi YuSeong in the villa parking lot.


    There were no other luxuries than this.


    It was a life that had nothing to be lacking except for the fact that he might die if things really go wrong by simple mistakes.


    ¡®Although that is the problem.¡¯


    What could he do even if he had many things?


    They were useless things that disappear when you leave this world.


    ¡®Because I don¡¯t have to keep all of these things as they are, let¡¯s live for a long time.¡¯


    He forgot about his lost past life.


    There was no way to get it back, so what could he do with it?


    As much as he wanted to be faithful to the present state, instead, Choi YuSeong¡¯s priority was survival no matter what.


    Even if he only had half of what he enjoys now in terms of wealth, from the standpoint of the orphan Choi YuSeong, he was very satisfied.


    ¡°By the way¡­ May I ask what kind of favor you are going to ask?¡±


    Did she felt Choi YuSeong¡¯s gaze?


    Jin YuRi, who sat in the front and looked straight, asked carefully.


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s nothing really great. I¡¯m just going to tell him let¡¯s get along well in the future.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah?¡±


    Jin YuRi was embarrassed and asked. Jin DoYun of course couldn¡¯t hide his emotions and his feet on the accelerator stepped a little harder in an instant.


    ¡°It¡¯s a father and a son. Is it weird?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s common¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand enough, about what young master means.¡±


    Jin DoYun replied by cutting off Jin YuRi¡¯s words.


    If Choi YuSeong did not want to reveal anything about his real intention, the two siblings had no right to pry.


    Although Jin YuRi still looked straight ahead, her fine eyebrows frowned and stretched repeatedly. Jin DoYun came out like this because it was not good to talk about it any longer.


    ¡°It¡¯s really nothing and that¡¯s all in it. When I suddenly thought about it, I had lived so carelessly, but what does a father think when he sees a son like this¡­ And I feel sorry too.¡±


    Vrooom-!


    ¡°Oppa!¡±


    The surprised Jin YuRi raised her voice as the engine speed suddenly increased.


    Jin DoYun, whose face turned red in embarrassment, urgently stepped off from the accelerator.


    ¡°I, I am sorry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised¡­ Pay attention a little.¡±


    ¡°I will be very careful.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Replied the similarly surprised Choi YuSeong, who swept down one side of his chest and shrugged his shoulder.


    The eyes of the two siblings once again briefly moved towards each other at the same time.


    ¡®Thanks?¡¯


    ¡®I didn¡¯t misheard it, right. Oppa?¡¯


    That was not a word that would come out of the mouth of a famous good-for-nothing.


    The Jin siblings, who matched their eyes, carefully glanced to look at Choi YuSeong¡¯s state2.


    Today¡¯s Choi YuSeong was very different from the good-for-nothing appearance they knew.


    ***


    Choi YuSeong and his party entered a luxury house with leaves embroidered on a high wall in a land area of over 500 pyeong3.


    ¡°Young master, it has been a while.¡±


    The one who welcomed their visit was the nanny that YuSeong followed like his mother when he was a child.


    She was full of elegance at the age of 60, despite the small wrinkles and white hair everywhere.


    ¡®When I think about it, this good-for-nothing guy didn¡¯t have a mother since childhood too.¡¯


    Unlike his other siblings, Choi YuSeong¡¯s mother left the world somewhat earlier.


    It was engraved in his memory as an accident, but he thought there will be no variable because there was no special point from Choi YuSeong¡¯s point of view, who completely read the novel¡¯s first volume.


    Was that the reason?


    Choi YuSeong¡¯s feeling, seeing his nanny, was really strange.


    ¡°Are you doing well? I am sorry for not being able to see you directly often.¡±


    It was not just empty words.


    Even in the memories of the good-for-nothing Choi YuSeong, the nanny was warm and cozy. She was a person he wanted to protect.


    However, there was no way for the good-for-nothing Choi YuSeong to find the courage to come home.


    ¡°What do you mean with sorry. I¡¯m just grateful that our young master has grown up so well and became good looking4 like this. But what to do? You must want to eat¡­ The chairman said to left the meal and told me to bring you right away to the office¡­ ¡±


    ¡°If father said so, I have to follow it.¡±


    ¡°You must be very hungry¡­ I will start to set up the table, so come to the kitchen after finishing the conversation. Still, you came home so at least have a drink then go back.¡±


    ¡°I will do that.¡±


    Choi YuSeong, who showed a bright smile, entered the spacious house and walked through the long corridor.


    Choi WuJae¡¯s office was located in the quietest and deepest place on the first floor like an attic, but somehow it felt simple for the head of a conglomerate group.


    Of course, there was no such feeling in most of the hearts of those who entered at the call of Choi WuJae.


    The door located in a corner not exposed to the sun felt like a den inhabited by the devil.


    Gulp.


    Even Choi YuSeong who came with his own feet was no different.


    ¡®I thought it would be okay¡­¡¯


    His body hardened when he tried to open the solid wood door with a dark feeling.


    It was due to the fear of his father in the memory of the good-for-nothing Choi YuSeong.


    ¡®Let¡¯s keep going.¡¯


    It was the road he took anyway.


    It was not worth it to come this far if he turned around just because he was scared.


    ¡®Think calmly. Still I¡­ probably knew Choi WuJae better than the original Choi YuSeong.¡¯


    Choi YuSeong, who recalled Choi WuJae in the novel, took a breath and carefully knocked on the solid wooden door.


    ¡°Come in alone.¡±


    As if he had been waiting, a rather concise mid-tone voice came.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be nervous.¡¯


    In this family, no, even in the whole world, there were only a few people as strong as Choi WuJae to make them on his side.


    Volition sparkled in Choi YuSeong¡¯s eyes as he turned the doorknob and entered the room.


    ***


    The chairman of Hyesung Group, Choi WuJae.


    When talked about him concisely, it could be said that he was a weathered5 figure.


    Although he could be called a weathered figure who overcame some difficult circumstances of a conglomerate family, Choi WuJae was a special case.


    During the period when the group was shaken along with the economic crisis, he forcibly took down his uncle, the former chairman, and took office at the young age of 35.


    After that, he arose on top of Hyesung Group at once with strong leadership and charisma then suppressed all the backlash and gossip.


    It was a clear evaluation of the public that the Hyesung Group would not have succeeded to become a conglomerate6 without Choi WuJae.


    And the current Hyesung Group was a super conglomerate with annual sales of 350 trillion and an operating profit of over 30 trillion.


    Because of this, even a good-for-nothing like Choi YuSeong can spend money like water.


    Although that¡¯s what was written in the novel, the fact that he had attained a legendary achievement remains unchanged.


    The most important thing was that Choi WuJae was no longer a character in a novel.


    ¡®He¡¯s real.¡¯


    The moment he entered the office where Choi WuJae mainly stayed, Choi YuSeong felt as if the space inside was completely isolated from the outside.


    ¡®Even the smell was different.¡¯


    Was it because it¡¯s full of books like a library?


    The scent of old paper stimulated his sense of smell right away.


    The next thing that came to his eyes was Choi WuJae, who sat in front of a tall window and lit by sunlight from the back.


    His body was really small7.


    However, his presence was never small.


    From the moment that Choi YuSeong noticed Choi WuJae, it felt like he was in the entire office.


    It felt as if a giant beast was crouching in a small crevice called the office.


    ¡®Let¡¯s stay calm, be calm.¡¯


    Choi YuSeong, who couldn¡¯t even feel the cold sweat, refined his breath.


    ¡°It¡¯s been 3 years.¡±


    It was Choi WuJae who spoke first.


    Choi WuJae told Choi YuSeong to live on his own and be independent when he was 19, and he had never visited him since leaving until he was almost 21 now.


    However, he suddenly came to visit Choi WuJae now.


    Nevertheless, should he be glad because he had spoken first to him?


    Choi YuSeong shook his head in the heart and looked at Choi WuJae¡¯s black eyes.


    YuSeong, who was quick-witted since his orphan days, was barely able to read the emotions inside.


    ¡®Curiosity along with anger.¡¯


    Fortunately, the situation was not worse than he thought.


    Curiosity means that there was some interest, and the meaning of anger can be inferred in two ways.


    One was the disappointment of the good-for-nothing son that created a bunch of bad issues after leaving the house.


    ¡®And perhaps a regret for the son who hasn¡¯t seen his face for a long time.¡¯


    Either of the two was not bad.


    When he thought about it, even in the original novel where he had an unspeakable accident, Choi WuJae did not stop supporting Choi YuSeong until the end.


    ¡®It was a difficult part to understand in terms of logic.¡¯


    The original novel he transferred to, The Master Who Return to Modern Times, actually had a lot of holes in many ways.


    Nevertheless, he read the first volume until the end because it was interesting even if the setting was somewhat incomprehensible and the logic collapsed.


    ¡®What a relief.¡¯


    As he faced the novel¡¯s character Choi WuJae in front of him like this, he thought he did well reading all The Master Who Return to Modern Times to the end.


    He should make good use of that information and throw some words.


    Choi WuJae¡¯s next words continued toward the worried Choi YuSeong.


    ¡°If it¡¯s money, there¡¯s should be no complaint because you can spend as much as you want. If it¡¯s talent, it would be meaningless because you don¡¯t even do anything. Then, did you come to ask for honor?¡±


    Was that throwing a question, or his self-QnA?


    After listening to the unknown words of Choi WuJae, Choi YuSeong chose his first pitch as a fastball.


    ¡°I came here because I wanted to ask for something.¡±


    ¡°I suppose so.¡±


    Choi WuJae, who clicked his tongue, nodded calmly.


    He knew better than anyone else that there weren¡¯t any children that come without asking for anything in the first place.


    ¡°I want to try to help with the company¡¯s work.¡±


    The second pitch was a breaking ball. Honestly, if he just said that he came to improve the relationship, wouldn¡¯t it be no much different from the reaction of the Jin siblings?


    If he frequently stamped his face on company¡¯s matters, things would be better than now.


    ¡®It¡¯s because the 30-minute distance has been put off for 3 years.¡¯


    As there was a phrase ¡®out of sight, out of mind¡¯8, the opposite situation was always applied as expected.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say bullshit, what do you want?¡±


    ¡°¡­ That is really all.¡±


    Out of the two emotions in Choi WuJae¡¯s eyes, curiosity, began to slowly disappear.


    Instead, the emotion that filled the space was the remaining anger.


    Then how could he turn that feeling into a liking?


    ¡®You have to choose and throw it well.¡¯


    In the freezing atmosphere that made his back cold, Choi YuSeong swallowed his saliva and picked a choice he liked the most among the choices he had prepared.

 Volume 1 - CH 3

    Choi WuJae was different from ordinary people in many ways.


    Beyond the fact that he was simply the chairman of a conglomerate group, his thoughts were not bound by the common-sense framework.


    As a representative example, Choi WuJae had more than five wives.


    Of course, not all of them were current wives.


    Five in total, former and current.


    He had six wives, including Choi YuSeong¡¯s mother who unfortunately passed away, and had children from all of them.


    Therefore, there were currently only 10 persons officially recognized as Choi WuJae¡¯s children.


    There were many stories that there might be more hidden children.


    For this reason, one side of the press used to criticize his morality, but Choi WuJae¡¯s attitude was always the same.


    What about being a good person?


    No matter what the media said or insulted, Choi WuJae¡¯s unyielding face was not cracked at all.


    There was no even the slightest change in his behavior.


    Thanks to that, when the death by Kim DoJin came in the distant future, Choi WuJae smiled and said.


    Even if I die, Hyesung will be tied with my blood forever, so you will have to live your whole life in trembling anxiety.


    Kim DoJin dismissed Choi WuJae¡¯s words as the same lines of a third-rate villain and cut his breath at once. Afterward, until the end of the first part seen by Choi YuSeong, Hyesung Group actually remained as one of the rivals that hinder Kim DoJin¡¯s actions one after another.


    ¡®To think that out of the 10 children, except for Choi YuSeong, most of them are guys that have their own expertise¡­ ¡®


    Kim DoJin remembered Choi WuJae¡¯s last words later and tried hard to reach them, but he could not destroy Hyesung Group, which had firmly established its defense after Choi WuJae¡¯s death.


    The biggest reason they could not be completely destroyed was that they were an established company which has become the biggest pillar of the South Korean economy.


    In any case, Hyesung Group¡¯s scenario as the biggest sweet potato1 in the ¡°The Master Who Return to Modern Times¡± caused dissatisfaction from many readers.


    ¡®One way or another, it¡¯s important that Hyesung group is a group that can interfere with the returnee.¡¯


    And the person who could be considered to have laid the foundation of Hyesung Group was Choi WuJae.


    In fact, it would have been impossible for Kim DoJin to assassinate him unless Choi YuSeong was used like an idiot and opened the way to Choi WuJae.


    That was Choi WuJae. The person who all the children of Hyesung Group, that would constantly torment Kim DoJin in the future, feared and respected.


    That kind of Choi WuJae thought the top priority assets was neither money nor corporate influence.


    Talent.


    He said that only excellent humans were assets that cannot be exchanged for anything. That was what he revealed as the reason why he had 10 children.


    ¡®Ten were also too little. He said he would like to have a hundred if his ability permits.¡¯


    With that, he would make his most outstanding children as his successor and wanted him to keep the group.


    There was also the narcissistic aspect of Choi WuJae as the basis of this course of action because he believed that his lineage was the symbol of the most capable human being.


    In a way, it was not completely wrong.


    As mentioned before, except for Choi YuSeong, most of the remaining 9 children boasted a side that bothered Kim DoJin.


    ¡®There is also something in this ugly guy too. Because talents like Jin DoYun and Jin YuRi have been attached to him.¡¯


    Faced with anger, Choi YuSeong, who struggled to ignore the voluntary rampage of his heart, re-established his thoughts on the character of Choi WuJae in his head.


    He likes capable and greedy talent.


    Also with a lot of narcissistic aspects that he thought should be the case for any person born with his lineage.


    So it was not difficult to pick the third pitch.


    ¡°After getting used to the work, I want to follow the chairman.¡±


    To put it, it was a breaking ball.


    However, it was not a ball that went out of the strike zone.


    Rather, it was a ball that hit exactly the center of the zone.


    As if to prove him, Choi WuJae¡¯s thick grayish-white eyebrows wriggled greatly.


    ¡°Ha¡­!¡±


    Choi WuJae clicked his tongue loudly then his mouth twisted.


    At first glance, his distorted expression seemed to express great anger.


    But some of the emotions in his eyes had changed for sure.


    ¡®Anger and¡­ ¡¯


    He could not read it.


    Choi YuSeong gulped his saliva and clenched his fist.


    In the first place, he didn¡¯t think he could read all of Choi WuJae.


    60 years old, a giant of the era, a rank S level 80 Awakener among a few that could be counted in one hand in South Korea.


    From the beginning, he was a different figure from the current Choi YuSeong.


    ¡°You want to follow me? Do you mean to know what it means?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will even risk my life.¡±


    Somehow, it would not have been conveyed lightly.


    ¡®Because I truly risk my life.¡¯


    As previously said, Choi YuSeong was the only person in the family who could be considered incompetent.


    And the majority of the brothers and sisters hate and ignore such Choi YuSeong.


    Given this situation, there were many problems even aside from the returnee Kim DoJin.


    Actually, it was the harassment of the brothers and sisters that caused Choi YuSeong to become more and more skewed in ¡°The Master Who Return to Modern Times¡±. If he just stayed still henceforth, he would suffer it directly himself.


    Of course, Choi YuSeong even now had no intention of being fooled like the character in the work.


    Because of that, he came to Choi WuJae.


    He came to the front of his father, who was feared even by the other brothers and sisters, and showed a desperate will.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Choi WuJae now asked the reason toward Choi YuSeong.


    He could no longer read any emotions in both of his eyes.


    Choi YuSeong could only perceive the fact that the air became much heavier and dull compared to the settled air just before.


    His shoulders could not handle the weight, and his knees seemed to be bent.


    Even now, he was filled with a feeling of wanting to run out of this room immediately, saying it was a joke.


    But it was clear that he should not do that.


    ¡°Because I want to live.¡±


    The fourth pitch was a fastball.


    As a result, Choi WuJae¡¯s eyes were bent strangely.


    ¡°You mean someone will kill you?¡±


    ¡°If I just stay still, will I not die from a mere choke? It was because brothers and sisters will not just wait and watch.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Choi WuJae stroked his chin.


    ¡°And the incompetent me will be overwhelmed, unable to find any way to refute. I had thought about running away for a while¡­ But after all, an ant can not escape from human fingers, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    This was the feeling that the original Choi YuSeong had.


    The reason why he wandered as a good-for-nothing. That was a chance to rely on Kim DoJin who recognized himself as one-of-a-kind, although it was a lie.


    It was the essence of Choi YuSeong, who was not recognized in the house and could not withstand the tightening pressure.


    He thought it was impossible Choi WuJae did not know this.


    But Choi WuJae still had doubts.


    It seemed that he was aware of the fact that the good-for-nothing and incompetent Choi Yooseong, could not easily change. He tried to read through his insides with his deeply sunken eyes.


    ¡°You made the habit of living your own way, and now you want to change it?¡±


    Choi WuJae snorted and shook his head.


    ¡°People don¡¯t change easily. If you are born with the wisdom of an ant, the following is easy.¡±


    In response to the affirmation of the judge made by Choi WuJae, Choi YuSeong¡¯s body hardened like a rat in front of a snake.


    His words were sharp like a viper¡¯s fangs.


    His eyes emitted light like those of a predator with prey in front of them.


    Choi YuSeong was afraid of such Choi WuJae.


    ¡®This is a test.¡¯


    However now he could see the fact that his words weren¡¯t serious.


    He was surprisingly cold-hearted to others, but he has a kind of belief like faith in his blood.


    It meant he was not actually telling Choi YuSeong to live like an ant.


    At this point, Choi YuSeong decided to throw the fifth pitch that he thought was the last.


    He had to completely change the other person¡¯s mind with this.


    If Choi WuJae¡¯s suspicion was the batter, he had to pull him completely out of the batter¡¯s box.


    ¡°Who decided that my destiny is as an ant?¡±


    Choi WuJae¡¯s thick eyebrows wriggled once again.


    ¡°If I¡¯m the one?¡±


    ¡°I will change it.¡±


    ¡°You dar¡­ ¡±


    Choi WuJae¡¯s voice that flowed out unconsciously was not very heavy, unlike the words.


    Rather, it had a deeper sense of fascination.


    ¡°By what means? You are incompetent.¡±


    ¡°For now it is like that. However, there is no reason to be incompetent for life. Chairman, no, father have lent me a lot of things. Among them are soldiers, weapons, and even food. If life was a war, it was only myself that I lacked. It can be changed. I will not live as an ant. And if it¡¯s like this¡­¡±


    YuSeong, who took his breathing somewhat unconsciously, released his feeling with a deep breath before he spoke the words that would follow.


    ¡°I want to become a giant, not an ordinary human.¡±


    Ambition.


    The flames spread unknowingly in the eyes of Choi YuSeong who threw the fifth ball.


    Born as an orphan, he lived with little satisfaction in his heart, but that wasn¡¯t the end of the human being called Choi YuSeong.


    As he faced Choi WuJae and spat out his thoughts one by one, Choi YuSeong felt like realizing himself that he did not know.


    Even in the past, he wanted to fully satisfy big ambitions, not small ones.


    When he thought about it, he had never lived without that obsession.


    However, there was no opportunity.


    ¡°Hh¡­ ¡±


    Choi WuJae laughed.


    It was very low and small, but it was obviously a laughing sound.


    Afterward, the air that seemed pressing down inside the office disappeared in an instant.


    The tight breath and his dizzying head quickly stabilized.


    ¡°Pheew¡­!¡±


    At the same time, a long sigh reaching the floor poured out of the mouth of Choi YuSeong unknowingly.


    He did not know, but his whole body was already soaked as if he had been bathed in cold sweats.


    He never thought that his hair was damp and the clothes were sticking to his body.


    Choi YuSeong, who was surprised after realizing his condition, quickly managed his expressions. But Choi WuJae seemed not to care much.


    ¡°I have no intention of looking forward to empty words. Go out.¡±


    Was it a success? Was it a failure?


    Faced with questions looking for an answer from the dismissal2, Choi YuSeong had no choice but to leave the room with his head down.


    ***


    After washing his sweat-soaked body and eating the rice3 prepared by the nanny, a middle-aged man in a suit approached Choi YuSeong as he was about to leave the front door of the family home.


    Of course, Choi YuSeong knew who he was.


    ¡®Kim PilDu.¡¯


    He was the head secretary of the chairman¡¯s office at Hyesung Group and could be seen as the right arm of Choi WuJae.


    Excluding the children, he was also a person who was judged to resemble Choi WuJae the most.


    He held out a wooden box the size of the palm of an adult male toward Choi YuSeong without any pleasantries or greetings.


    ¡°It is a gift from the chairman.¡±


    That was it.


    Kim PilDu entered the house, Choi YuSeong, Jin DoYun, and Jin YuRi were sent off by the nanny and completely left the family home.


    Choi YuSeong¡¯s heart was beating constantly until he got into the car and on the way back to his house again.


    ¡®Father gave me a gift.¡¯


    Choi WuJae¡¯s praise was very rare.


    And the gift he gave was harder to get than that.


    Choi WuJae was a greedy person, and he did not easily share what he had because they were his child.


    That kind of Choi WuJae gave him a gift.


    It was the first time for Choi YuSeong.


    ¡®In fact, all the things I¡¯ve enjoyed so far can be taken away anytime father wants.¡¯


    Therefore, in his conversation with Choi WuJae, Choi YuSeong expressed that he borrowed what he had.


    However, the gift was different.


    The goods given by Choi WuJae as a gift were completely attributed to Choi YuSeong.


    Even if the worst situation came, Choi WuJae would not take away the gift he gave to Choi YuSeong.


    In short, the wooden box has become the only property of Choi YuSeong at this moment.


    Choi WuJae¡¯s attitude was still cold enough to not see his face even once when Choi YuSeong left the family home.


    However, it was not without any hope.


    The present he received was the proof of that.


    ¡®In that case¡­ I shouldn¡¯t disappoint his expectations, right.¡¯


    Was he confident?


    ¡®If I explained again, my mouth will hurt.¡¯


    A smile spilled from Choi YuSeong¡¯s mouth as he stroked the wooden box he received as a gift.

 Volume 1 - CH 4

    When he left Choi WuJae¡¯s room, Choi YuSeong felt questions.


    Was it a success? Was it a failure?


    In the car on the way home, Choi YuSeong finally knew the answer.


    ¡®I can think of it as half a success.¡¯


    Anyway, he definitely got at least a little bit of expectation from Choi WuJae.


    But then again, his last words were important.


    ¡®Prove that it¡¯s not just empty words.¡¯


    Maybe that was the true meaning of the gift that Choi WuJae gave.


    ¡®No, it¡¯s for sure.¡¯


    Show change through what was given and the received gift.


    If he rejoiced just from the gift he received, the hard-earned Choi WuJae¡¯s expectation would disappear in an instant like a lamp in front of the wind.


    In other words, the gift was also Choi WuJae¡¯s next test.


    ¡®This can¡¯t be the first and last gift.¡¯


    Of course, Choi YuSeong didn¡¯t feel bad at all about Choi WuJae¡¯s attitude.


    It could be said as pushing the start button.


    As there was a saying that starting was halfway to finishing something, the fact that he should go ahead first was also important.


    ¡®Still, I shouldn¡¯t be slowing down. From Choi WuJae¡¯s personality, he won¡¯t give the test directly. Kim PilDu¡­ There is a high probability that he will move.¡¯


    The voices of the two siblings were heard toward Choi YuSeong, who was organizing his thoughts with both eyes frowned.


    ¡°It was very surprising. Young master.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a gift from the Chairman! Amazing!¡±1


    The two people¡¯s facial expressions and eyes had a very similar feeling as if to assure that they were siblings.


    The difference was that Jin YuRi¡¯s cheeks turned red with excitement, and Jin DoYun went further to the point his shoulders were shaking slightly to see if he was thrilled.


    His hand holding the steering wheel2 looks a little cute.


    ¡®Delight¡­ No, is it touched?¡¯


    It was not the moment when a baby just talked for the first time for them to felt that touched. But seeing that appearance, the stiff expression of Choi YuSeong melted like snows melting.


    He thought about many things, that it was a new test, that he should do better in the future. But in the end, Choi YuSeong received a gift from Choi WuJae.


    ¡°Actually, when young master first came out of the room, I thought my heart would stop. Maybe you suffered something unexpected¡­¡±


    The appearance of Choi YuSeong, who walked staggering as his complexion became pale and drenched in sweat, was a difficult situation to even speak to.


    Because of this, Jin DoYun and Jin YuRi chose to go behind and supported him without any words.


    Fortunately, Choi YuSeong¡¯s breathing stabilized at a rapid pace and had the current face complexion even though he had a rather stiff face for about 30 minutes.


    And when they about to left the house, Kim PilDu handed Choi WuJae¡¯s gift to Choi YuSeong.


    It was a feeling that what both were worried about came as a greater reward than their thought.


    ¡°If it doesn¡¯t bother you, can I ask what conversation you have?¡±


    Jin YuRi asked with sparkling curious eyes between her fluttering expressions.


    ¡®She¡¯s indeed different from her brother.¡¯


    She was inquisitive and tried to grasp the situation.


    Thanks to her good insight, Jin YuRi had a high probability of becoming the most reliable ally in everything Choi YuSeong would do in the future.


    ¡°¡­ I said I don¡¯t want to die.¡±


    Because of that, Choi YuSeong answered Jin YuRi honestly.


    A sad look passed by briefly on the siblings¡¯ somewhat excited expressions.


    It was because they knew better than anyone else, the meaning contained in Choi YuSeong¡¯s short words he just spoke was by no means simple.


    The life of Choi YuSeong, who was no other than just a lucky, blessed, profligate good-for-nothing in the eyes of others, was not as sweet as it seems.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious. So, both of you continue to help me out as before like now. I¡¯ll entrust it to you.¡±3


    Choi YuSeong showed a soft smile as he read the sincerity in the eyes of the two.


    If Choi WuJae was still a distant ally, the Jin siblings were already close allies.


    Because of this, Choi YuSeong thought that he should tell them his sincerity without hiding.


    ¡°¡­ Absolutely.¡±


    ¡°I will risk my life and follow you.¡±


    With that, the two showed a reliable look toward Choi YuSeong without much backlash.


    ¡®What a relief.¡¯


    He fell into this strange faraway world, but he was not alone.


    There was no need to carry all of the luggage by himself.


    No matter how much Choi YuSeong was vicious and knows the contents of the original novel, he was not a perfect human.


    ¡®It might not be a problem to rest a little.¡¯


    The tension suddenly relieved and unbearable drowsiness began to come to Choi YuSeong, who found relief in his heart.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ have a nap. Wake me up when we arrive.¡±


    With those words, Choi YuSeong fell into a deep sleep holding the wooden box, the gift from Choi WuJae, in both hands.


    ¡°Take a rest. You¡¯ve worked hard.¡±


    Jin Yuri, who showed a soft smile while watching his appearance, covered the blanket she was holding on to Choi YuSeong.


    ¡°It¡¯s so sudden. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s actually, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I think young master has changed.¡±


    After taking her gaze away from Choi YuSeong, Jin YuRi looked at Jin DoYun and smiles.


    ¡°It feels so good, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­ tell me, what to do.¡±


    ¡°Shall we have a celebration party later?¡±


    ¡°Nice. I¡¯ll pay for it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s cheap, gonna do it alone? It¡¯s the same for me, being happy.¡±4


    It would be nice if Choi YuSeong was exactly the same as today.


    A thick smile appears on the lips of the Jin siblings, who similarly thought this way.


    Until this time, the two had no idea.


    Choi YuSeong¡¯s change had just taken root.


    ***


    The family home of the Choi family, where Choi YuSeong left.


    Choi WuJae, who sat at the desk in the office where the quiet silence fell, brought his nose closer to the rising steam after receiving a teacup handed by the nearby Kim PilDu.


    ¡°The scent is not bad.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a brewed tea from Altain tea leaves harvested in a 6th-grade dungeon. Both taste and scent should be good, but actually, it is below the standard compared to the price on the market.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t need to have a good scent. Because the value of Altain tea leaves is that it¡¯s rare. It¡¯s obvious that¡¯s the minds of those who buy something like this anyway.¡±


    Choi WuJae, who drank tea to lighten his throat, frowned on the taste.


    ¡°Bitter. It¡¯s better to just drink the citron tea available at home.¡±


    ¡°The older you are, the more sweets you seem to be looking for.¡±


    ¡°Thirty years ago, I believed that if you can enjoy bitter tastes, you can mature. But now I think a little differently. If I can only see sweet tastes, do I need to taste bitter?¡±


    Choi WuJae, who laughed low, put the teacup down like throwing it.


    ¡°It¡¯s a contradiction. Did not you just hand a present to YuSeong, sir?¡±


    In response to the ensuing question from Kim PilDu, Choi WuJae¡¯s lips and eyes soared profoundly.


    At first glance he seemed angry, but it looked like a smiling expression in a way.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t him my child?¡±5


    ¡°There are ten of the child.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a boring story. No place doesn¡¯t hurt because of a bite out of ten fingers.¡±


    ¡°It will only taste bitter in the end.¡±


    Like Choi WuJae, Kim PilDu, who brought the brewed Altain tea, put his mouth on the teacup and tilted his head as if he did not understand.


    ¡°Do you want to enjoy the bitter taste again?¡±


    ¡°As I said, I like sweets.¡±


    Choi WuJae shook his head and spoke firmly.


    A faint light poured out of Kim PilDu¡¯s eyes, covered with steam from the tea.


    In fact, he just narrowly crossed the line by repeating and went back to the previous conversation.


    The point of the question itself was a situation in which it could seem to be blaming the majority.


    Choi WuJae did not get angry however.


    Rather, it seemed quite enjoyable.


    Kim PilDu was proud that he had watched Choi WuJae more than anyone else for a long time.


    ¡°¡­ I think that kid will be going beyond my expectations.¡±


    ¡°Heheu¡­¡±


    Choi WuJae smiled and feigned indifference.


    ¡°In the beginning, there can be no one who has no potential. He is a child of me and ¡®her¡¯. In terms of natural lineage, he is no less than JiHo. It¡¯s just his deeds in the meantime are rather incomprehensible.¡±


    It was a name that was mentioned after a long time.


    Choi YuSeong¡¯s mother and the eldest son, Choi JiHo.


    Kim PilDu¡¯s eyes sank coldly.


    Among them, Kim PilDu knew only bits of Choi YuSeong¡¯s mother, who had already left this world.


    On the other hand, he knew quite well about Choi JiHo.


    He was now lying in sickbed due to an accident, but if he had grown steadily, he would surely succeed Choi WuJae.


    His natural character and charisma were so outstanding, that even until now there were quite a few people in the group who supported Choi JiHo when he had completely retired from the succession race.


    Such Choi JiHo was compared to the good-for-nothing Choi YuSeong.


    Actually, Kim PilDu thought it was stupid and did not make any sense.


    Even though it was said that Choi YuSeong showed more than expected, it was impossible to mention Choi JiHo¡¯s name.


    There was only one thing that could be compared.


    ¡®Is it lineage again¡­¡¯


    In particular, it might be the lineage-obsessed Choi WuJae¡¯s selfishness.


    ¡°Be respectful. I can clearly see what you think.¡±


    ¡°¡­I am sorry, sir.¡±


    ¡°Well, I like that about you and so I hold you by my side. Do you still believe that you can beat my lineages and take this place?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it is impossible if the chairman gives me a chance.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to do without giving it a chance. If there is something you can¡¯t handle, you don¡¯t even deserve this seat.¡±


    Whether it was compliment or disregard, Kim PilDu smiled at the unknown words.


    It was because he understood correctly the meaning of words that were not easily understood by others.


    ¡°You flatter me, sir.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, put a few people on YuSeong¡¯s side.¡±


    ¡°Shall we watch him? Or protect him?¡±


    Choi WuJae gave a gift.


    The meaning was by no means small.


    Besides the brothers and sisters of Choi YuSeong, who were paying a lot of attention to Choi WuJae¡¯s actions, would soon get the news.


    There was no way they could stay still.


    Choi YuSeong, who had been looking funny and easy, received a gift.


    Considering that some of the brothers and sisters had not yet received a gift even once, it was a surprise.


    Of course, some of them wouldn¡¯t just watch the situation.


    ¡°Protect? That¡¯s ridiculous. His life is his responsibility. Unlike the old me, shouldn¡¯t that young bastard know how to taste the bitterness of life.¡±


    Choi WuJae, with a smirk, shook his head and got up from the seat.


    ***


    He did not want to taste bitterness.


    Choi YuSeong vowed as he put the gift from Choi WuJae in front of him after returning to his house and went to his room.


    ¡®I want to live by sucking honey properly, an opportunity to reverse my entire life.¡¯


    If someone said that he must know hardships to experience real life, he would have raised a middle finger and shouted confidently.


    ¡®You please work hard.6 Because I will live easily and comfortably all my life.¡¯


    Since he was an orphan, he had already experienced the hardship of hardships.


    Even after possessed the body of Choi YuSeong, who was the third generation of a conglomerate, there were not just flower paths.


    But what was the need to pledge to work hard?


    ¡°Really. I want to live easily.¡±


    Choi YuSeong, who breathed lightly with the wind, opened the lid of the wooden box received from Choi WuJae.


    A smile comes to his lips immediately after he checked the content.


    ¡°I knew it.¡±


    The expected and desired gift was in it.


    A stone with the size of a child¡¯s palm that emitted a purple glow.


    Choi YuSeong was already well aware of the stone¡¯s identity, which was not normal just by looking at it.


    ¡°Awakening Stone.¡±


    In this world, there was a type of crack that was called a dungeon.


    And the creatures living in the dungeon were often called monsters, coexisted by bringing crises and opportunities to the Earth at the same time.


    The reason why dungeons, where monsters that threatened the general human¡¯s life, could be an opportunity was simple.


    ¡®Because it contributes to the development of the earth.¡¯


    It was a miserable story, but wars brought progress.


    The dungeons within the crack, the survival fights with monsters, and the resulting by-products completely changed the life paradigm of human civilization.


    Those who existed at the center of the battlefield were often referred to as Awakeners.


    ¡®Although the majority of cases were natural awakening.¡¯


    About 5 years before the starting story background of ¡°The Master Who Returned To Modern Times¡±, Awakening Stone was discovered for the first time among dungeon by-products.


    As the name suggests, this stone could make ordinary humans awakened.


    It was a revolution.


    Originally, awakened person was an existence who was suddenly born in an abnormal phenomenon that could not be understood after the crack appeared.


    However, in this world where Awakeners were valued high, an object that could artificially create Awakeners was born.


    Many research institutes in each country started the study of awakening stone.


    The main purpose was clear.


    Mass production of Awakening Stones that could artificially create Awakeners.


    If they succeeded, they would be able to acquire military power that never existed until now, which was different from the Awakeners army.


    From the standpoint of countries, it was a big event in which national power could be controlled.


    However even now, 5 years later, there had been no progress in the study.


    ¡®After about 5 years from now, at a research institute in the United States, some genius scientist eventually uncovered the mechanism of the Awakening Stone.¡¯


    And three years later, the United States produced the world¡¯s first Awakening Stones, solidifying its position as the world¡¯s most powerful nation.


    But it was literally a story in the distant future.


    ¡®That¡¯s why it¡¯s stupid to just keep watching.¡¯


    Crisis and opportunity came together.


    There was nothing more appropriate than this expression in Choi YuSeong¡¯s current situation.


    ¡®It may seem a little bad, but if I can just improve, Choi YuSeong¡¯s position is a good side.¡¯


    A third-generation conglomerate.


    And again, Choi YuSeong knew the future.


    ¡®That genius American scientist. Please wait a little bit.¡¯


    He would eat it as soon as he was ready.


    Choi YuSeong¡¯s tongue grazed over his lips.

 Volume 1 - CH 5

    That was the end of the thought about ??the future and the genius scientist who would change the entire history of the world.


    The future, which would be at least 5 years and 8 years from practical use, was literally a distant story.


    ¡®First, I have to survive until then.¡¯


    In the original work, Choi YuSeong would die without being able to withstand the next year, let alone 8 years.


    It meant that he might not even see the future in the first place.


    ¡®You have to be lucky.¡¯


    In the eyes of Choi YuSeong, who picked up the Awakening Stone placed in front of him, laid a strange sense of tension.


    As said before, if there was an Awakening Stone, even ordinary people could become an Awakener.


    But being an ¡®excellent¡¯ Awakener was another story.


    ¡®Starting grade is not a problem.¡¯


    It would be nice if he had the talent to start at rank E, where the starting point was a bit quick. But considering the roots of Choi YuSeong, who was a villain that was thrown away even in the original novel, there was a high possibility that it was too much expectation.


    So it was okay to start with the lowest rank F.


    ¡®Because you can raise the rank anyway if you level up to the max.¡¯


    This was one of the somewhat unique settings of The Master Who Return to Modern Times.


    If someone hit the highest level of the specified rank, they were given the qualification to move on to the next rank.


    Of course it wasn¡¯t free.


    ¡®Because you have to solve the rank up quest.¡¯


    It was a unique setting of the system commonly referred to as Promotion Screening1, but no one knew what the content would be because each individual had different tasks.


    However, even this was a problem for later.


    ¡®The important thing is the skill for sure.¡¯


    The types of skills that were given to the Awakener were so diverse and vast.


    The kind was so wide, there were even cooking or cleaning skills that would be useful in everyday life.


    Of course, it¡¯s up to him to utilize that and he could be an amazing Awakener. But that wasn¡¯t the kind of what Choi YuSeong wanted.


    ¡®I wish for very good skills, but¡­¡¯


    If it¡¯s not possible, it was enough to give him just useful skills to protect his body.


    Choi YuSeong, who stroked the Awakening Stone three times as if stroking a magic lamp, let out an earnest voice.


    ¡°Please, I ask for a favor.¡±


    That prayer was enough.


    He should not take a long time.


    If he hesitated with the precious treasure of the Awakening Stone, his greedy brothers and sisters would not just be watching.


    So without hesitation, Choi YuSeong swallowed the Awakening Stone that wasn¡¯t small with the water he prepared and his eyes opened wide.


    Soon, an unexpected pain came forth.


    ¡°Aaack-!¡±


    A loud scream burst out without his knowledge.


    It felt as if his whole body was stabbed with needles!


    Nevertheless, Choi YuSeong could laugh.


    It might be a bit superstitious, but there was a saying from the setting of The Master Who Return to Modern Times.


    The more painful the awakening, the better the reward.


    Also in the novel, all the very active characters were said to have experienced hellish pain at the time of awakening.


    ¡®Like now.¡¯


    Because of that, Choi YuSeong, who couldn¡¯t stand made a fuss by screaming and rolling on the floor, was able to laugh deeply looking at the stunned faces of the Jin siblings who rushed into the room.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry. Guys.¡¯


    Somehow, it felt like he won the lottery.


    With that thought, Choi YuSeong lost his consciousness.


    ***


    Half a day had passed since Choi YuSeong suddenly screamed while rolling all over the floor and lost consciousness.


    It was an embarrassing and surprising situation, but it looked different in the eyes of the Jin siblings who had already experienced an awakening.


    At the last moment of losing consciousness in the contradictory situation where Choi YuSeong was suffering and joyful inward, bright blue light poured out of his body for a short time.


    It was clearly a sign of awakening.


    So, what the two could do was to wait for Choi YuSeong to wake up after his awakening.


    In front of the door of the room where Choi YuSeong was asleep.


    Jin DoYun stood in place with a restless expression, constantly patting his lips, looking at the firmly closed door, reaching out his hand and putting it down repeatedly.


    ¡°What are you doing? Oppa.¡±


    Jin YuRi, sitting on the side of the window in front of the door and looking at Jin DoYun, opened her mouth with a rather pathetic gaze.


    ¡°It¡¯s been too long since young master does not wake up.¡±


    The time of half a day was too long obviously.


    Generally, most people came to their senses within an hour after awakening.


    However, since Choi YuSeong had been sleeping for several times longer than that, it was not unusual to be worried.


    ¡°Oppa also didn¡¯t wake up for about 3 hours.¡±


    Jin DoYun, who awakened before Jin YuRi, also screamed then lost his consciousness, and he slept for exactly 3 hours without moving.


    ¡°You¡¯re the same. But 3 hours and half a day are different.¡±


    Jin YuRi also knew.


    ¡°It¡¯s different. It¡¯s not common, but some beings are always above average.¡±


    It was nothing strange to say that the time of losing consciousness as the difference in the level of awakened ability.


    ¡°Do you mean young master is an Irregular?¡±


    Jin DoYun asked with round eyes at the cold words of Jin YuRi.


    Irregular.


    It was usually a word used for a rather unusual being, but there had been only one case in which a term like this was used in the world of Awakener, where special people were already gathered.


    The Awakener of the Awakeners, a sense of reverence for those with transcendent power.


    So far, none of those who had survived since revealed to be Irregular had not made a name for themselves.


    ¡°The probability is quite high just by looking at the time he is asleep.¡±


    Jin DoYun bit his lower lip at the cold Jin YuRi¡¯s words.


    An Irregular would surely become stronger once they survive.


    But, the assumption that one survives was difficult.


    As an example of the current situation, the problem was from the first gateway.


    ¡°¡­ 80% of the Irregulars can¡¯t open their eyes forever after awakening.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Jin YuRi was not a fool.


    Rather, she was much smarter than her brother Jin DoYun.


    Jin DoYun, who knew the fact well, clenched his fist and asked.


    ¡°Objectively, what is the probability that the young master will open his eyes?¡±


    ¡°In a probability game with only two answers, the answer is always fixed. 5:5. What to ask?¡±


    ¡°How can you be so cold¡­¡±


    Jin DoYun¡¯s mouth, which continued to talk, closed tightly.


    It was certainly a silly question.


    Jin YuRi¡¯s eyes, who seemed to talk coldly, were trembling so much that it cannot be hidden.


    She was like Jin DoYun.


    How could she just coldly throw away Choi YuSeong?


    They were the two who stayed by his side even in the days when he was called good-for-nothing and human trash in the family.


    Choi YuSeong, who had just started changing, died so vainly?


    It was something they did not want to imagine.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t understand oppa¡¯s feelings.¡±


    Jin YuRi, who apologized while shaking her head briefly, stopped her movement.


    At the same time, the expression of Jin DoYun who turned his head also hardened.


    Two presences suddenly appeared across the long corridor.


    The figures that appeared were too familiar and unpleasant in this family.


    Even currently it went without saying when the stability of Choi YuSeong was the top priority.


    ¡°Bitch.¡±2


    Jin YuRi spat out curse sincerely.


    Jin DoYun also didn¡¯t say anything, but he firmly clenched his fist with a determined expression.


    Looking at these two people, a young man with a relaxed expression and a somewhat arrogant glance drew a smile.


    ¡°Young master Choi MinSeok.¡±


    Jin DoYun stepped forward, called the man, and bowed his head lightly.


    He, who was 21 and had just taken off the label of a minor, lifted his left hand lightly and asked as if he had become Choi WuJae.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, where is Choi YuSeong?¡±


    Choi MinSeok was the person who visited Choi YuSeong more often than anyone else in the entire Choi family.


    It was not in a positive way obviously.


    He was the typical ¡®weak against the strong and strong against the weak¡¯.


    He made Choi WuJae¡¯s feeling uncomfortable because there was a quite common talk about the bully game even in middle and high school days.


    Still, he was scared of Choi WuJae like the other brothers so no incident caught the eye, but the essence was not going anywhere.


    Choi MinSeok was the only one among his family¡¯s blood relatives who enjoyed tormenting Choi YuSeong, who was weaker than himself.


    There was no other reason.


    He was the most troublesome that everyone talked about in the family, besides Choi YuSeong.


    A lump of inferiority that just wanted to make sure that he was not the bottom of this house.


    From the perspective of the Jin siblings, he was also the most resentful person than anyone else.


    Unable to overcome his inferiority, he severely obsessed and tried to torment Choi YuSeong more.


    He tormented, trampled until couldn¡¯t say anything, and got a sense of malicious satisfaction by witnessing the scream of Choi YuSeong, who no one cared about in the house and was less than himself.


    Choi MinSeok who was like that suddenly came to Choi YuSeong.


    He didn¡¯t show up for a while saying he enjoyed college life, but the timing was not good.


    At this time, Choi YuSeong was on the moment he needs absolute stability.


    ¡®Coincidence?¡¯


    Jin YuRi¡¯s stare blatantly faced Choi MinSeok¡¯s gaze toward beyond the door.


    It seemed relaxed, but it was overflowed with desire and greed in his round brown eyes.


    ¡®Certainly.¡¯


    Choi MinSeok had known that Choi YuSeong received an Awakening Stone as a gift.


    The majority of Choi¡¯s family things belonged to the chairman, Choi WuJae.


    But none of the brothers and sisters coveted Choi YuSeong¡¯s properties that Choi WuJae lent.


    It was expected.


    To covet Choi WuJae¡¯s objects meant the same thing as wanting to disappear from this world.


    Then how about the gift from Choi WuJae?


    Completely Choi YuSeong¡¯s possession.


    It didn¡¯t matter if they rob him out of greed.


    Even if the child who took away Choi YuSeong¡¯s item visited Choi WuJae and boasted the Awakening Stone, he would not blame them at all.


    Rather, it was fortunate if he didn¡¯t laugh at Choi YuSeong, who had been robbed of a precious gift.


    Choi MinSeok also came to this point without hesitation because he knew that.


    Of course, someone would have leaked the information.


    It was not Choi WuJae.


    He didn¡¯t like to go directly into these childish pranks.


    ¡®Kim PilDu.¡¯


    Jin YuRi, whose heart fell, opened her mouth.


    ¡°It has been a long time. Young master Choi MinSeok. If you are okay, can I talk to you for a while?¡±


    ¡°Jin YuRi.¡±


    Choi MinSeok, who frowned at Jin DoYun that sneakily intercepted between the door and him, turned his glance to Jin YuRi.


    ¡°When I see you talk to me like this, it seems that the story I heard is true. Where¡¯s Choi YuSeong and the Awakening Stone?¡±


    ¡°Awakening Stone? I hear it for the first time¡­ How do I know what high-ranking people have done?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t put up the pretense. I¡¯ve already heard confirmed information, so how is the Awakening Stone?¡±


    He talked about the subject with conviction rather than doubt as if his guess was correct.


    It was quite annoying, but Jin YuRi calmly continued.


    As Choi MinSeok said, lies were already meaningless.


    Even for just a very short moment, it had done its meaning by dragging time.


    ¡°There is no more.¡±


    ¡°Choi YuSeong that coward already swallowed the Awakening Stone?¡±


    Whether great or small, the moment of awakening came with pain nonetheless.


    Because of that, Choi MinSeok thought that the weak coward Choi YuSeong could not easily make a decision and had the item.


    Choi MinSeok¡¯s eyes changed.


    ¡°I tried to solve it with words, but that¡¯s not the case.¡±


    ¡°There is no way to reverse what has already been absorbed.¡±


    ¡°If you split the stomach, you¡¯ll know for sure.¡±


    ¡°What do¡­¡±


    Jin YuRi¡¯s mouth slightly opened and closed at Choi MinSeok¡¯s cold words.


    What did she expect?


    A negligible little affection3 that might exist between brothers?


    It was nonsense.


    Choi MinSeok was the only one in the family who was afraid that the situation would change due to the awakening of Choi YuSeong, who was worse than himself.


    That was why he tried to take the Awakening Stone, and if he couldn¡¯t take it, he was trying to kill him.


    ¡®No.¡¯


    Jin YuRi¡¯s mind began to rotate rapidly.


    She had to come up with a way to stop Choi MinSeok while not troubled Choi YuSeong.


    Choi MinSeok, who looked at her coldly, approached the door with a light snort.


    Jin DoYun, who blocked the door, shook his head.


    ¡°You can not go in.¡±


    ¡°The dogs raised in the house should not bark at their owner. Move.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You know that if you don¡¯t move away, the results won¡¯t change right?¡±


    ¡°Please go back for today.¡±


    ¡°Pheew¡­ Park JinHyo.¡±


    At Choi MinSeok¡¯s words with a sigh, Park JinHyo, who possessed a large figure standing behind his back, stepped forward.


    He was one of Choi MinSeok¡¯s thugs, a strength augmentation type Awakener similar to Jin DoYun, who was almost 2 meters tall and boasted large muscles.


    ¡°Move away.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an order from the young master.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Park JinHyo, who had a threatening momentum, looked at Jin DoYun and gave strength to his eyes.


    ¡°Dumbass.¡±


    At Choi MinSeok¡¯s words with a deep sigh, Park JinHyo swung a fist the size of a human head.


    Puuck-!


    Jin DoYun¡¯s head turned to the side with a big hit and he wobbled.


    But his firm foot was not pushed by even a millimeter.


    Jin DoYun, who stole the blood flowing through his mouth with the back of his hand, turned his gaze to Choi MinSeok who stood behind Park JinHyo.


    ¡°Currently, young master needs stability.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not your decision. Puppy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Not budging until the end, that¡¯s it? It looks like there¡¯s more body to get rid of. Park JinHyo, it¡¯s okay to kill so don¡¯t look at the circumstances.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    At the words of Choi MinSeok, who smiled coldly, ocher energy from Park JinHyo¡¯s body began to rise like a haze.


    It was a phenomenon that appeared when an Awakener used the skill.


    The fist, which began to make a much louder and harsher noise than before, began to hit Jin DoYun¡¯s whole body.


    The foolish Jin DoYun did not evade any attack.


    Even though he was also an Awakener, he just received them without using any other skills.


    If he evaded, it could affect Choi YuSeong who was sleeping in the room.


    Or, when Choi YuSeong woke up, it might be an excuse for Choi MinSeok to attack him.


    A cold light flowed from the eyes of Jin YuRi who bit her lower lip.


    ¡®If we kill Choi Minseok here¡­ ¡¯


    Big problems would arise.


    It might not be for Choi YuSeong, but at least the two siblings would find it difficult to step into this society again.


    It wasn¡¯t Choi WuJae to just overlook the fact that a dog raised at the home bitten and killed his child.


    But it wasn¡¯t time for them to endure anymore.


    It was better than all of them dying here.


    In the end, just before Jin Yuri¡¯s toes fell with determined eyes.


    There was a sound of someone running urgently.


    The eyes of Jin YuRi and Choi MinSeok went beyond the closed door at the same time.


    From the other side, a loud voice came.


    ¡°Evade, idiot!¡±


    Whoo-!


    At that moment, the continuous hitting sound passed through the air with a low tone.


    A smile flowed through the mouth of Jin DoYun, who leaned over and avoided the attack.


    ¡°Young master.¡±


    The tightly closed door opened rapidly when the low and very small self-talk that couldn¡¯t be heard ended.


    Choi YuSeong.


    He stood in front of the door with messy clothes as if he had just woke up, and looked at Jin DoYun smiling covered in blood.


    Afterward, a burning gaze was shot at Park JinHyo who had a confused expression.


    ¡°You gorilla bastard. Dare to touch my person?¡±

 Volume 1 - CH 6

    In this situation, Choi YuSeong¡¯s harsh remark was unexpected for anyone.


    Honestly, it¡¯s not something that couldn¡¯t be done at all.


    Choi YuSeong showed something different in just one day, but he was Choi YuSeong in the end.


    The family¡¯s good-for-nothing, ruffian, master of abusing power.


    Wasn¡¯t it always Choi YuSeong¡¯s specialty that couldn¡¯t hide, no, didn¡¯t hide anything he should or shouldn¡¯t say?1


    However, the current opponents were the first people to experience Choi YuSeong¡¯s remark.


    Choi MinSeok¡¯s face hardened noticeably.


    There was no difference in the expression of Park JinHyo, the person who was cursed.


    His red face was like an active volcano that was about to burst.


    However, Choi YuSeong¡¯s rough rhetoric did not stop there.


    ¡°Hey, gorilla. Kneel and apologize right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­?!¡±


    In the corridor, everyone¡¯s astonished gaze turned to Choi YuSeong.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you hear? Get down to your knees.¡±


    The voice was strangely small, but the dignity thickens.


    ¡®It feels shit for some reason¡­ ¡®


    Park JinHyo felt that way in the sudden change of atmosphere, but he tried to turn it away.


    The opponent was only Choi YuSeong, who was a fool at best.


    Even so, Park JinHyo should not try to do anything to a Choi.


    His gaze naturally turned to Choi MinSeok.


    ¡°Choi YuSeong, stop being cheeky and come over here.¡±


    As if responding to Park JinHyo¡¯s expectations, Choi MinSeok gestured toward Choi YuSeong with an arrogant expression.


    Then, purple energy that flowed through Choi MinSeok¡¯s palm penetrated Choi YuSeong like vapor.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Jin YuRi, who could not cope with the surprising situation, looked at Choi YuSeong with a short groan.


    His eyes had already been clouded and the purple color warped it like a smeared dye.


    He was caught in hypnosis, Choi MinSeok¡¯s best skill.


    There was no way that Choi YuSeong could get rid of the hypnosis of Choi MinSeok, a rank D level 60 Awakener.


    No, the effect was great for Choi YuSeong who had a weak mental power.


    In the end, as always, Choi YuSeong would be hypnotized with despair from the rising nightmare then kneel in front of Choi MinSeok, begging with tears and a runny nose.


    It was when Choi MinSeok¡¯s lips, who were imagining the near future, were crooked.


    The purple light that had encroached on Choi YuSeong¡¯s eyes disappeared like a lie.


    Choi YuSeong, who had sparkling eyes, stared at Choi MinSeok afterward.


    ¡°Hm¡­?¡±


    Choi MinSeok¡¯s gaze was flustered.


    ¡°Choi MinSeok.¡±


    Choi YuSeong called him in a calm voice.


    ¡°You, what¡¯s just now?¡±


    He was the ass-kisser2 Choi YuSeong, who always called Choi MinSeok ¡®hyungnim hyungnim¡¯3 to look good even just a little.


    But now he called his name so proudly.


    Even if everything was rather bewildering, this couldn¡¯t even be understood.


    ¡°Do you have the confidence to come to someone else¡¯s house like this right now and make a riot?¡±


    Choi YuSeong¡¯s continued voice was low and thick.


    Choi MinSeok tried hypnosis again with shaking eyes.


    Choi YuSeong¡¯s gaze once again glimmered at the illusion, but he forced to ignore it.


    ¡°No way. It¡¯s such a stupid story if you think I got Awakening Stone in my hand was just luck¡­¡±


    Choi YuSeong¡¯s gaze pointed to Choi MinSeok sharply with a fishy laughter4.


    A moment of doubt passed by in Choi MinSeok¡¯s gaze.


    ¡®Yeah, there¡¯s no way this guy can be like this without relying on anything.¡¯


    There seemed to be someone he relied on.


    The problem was that he couldn¡¯t guess who it was.


    It was obvious that he would not answer when asked, looking from the outrage.


    ¡®In the first place, I didn¡¯t even know if it¡¯s a trap¡­¡¯


    Choi YuSeong laughed deeply inside, watching Choi MinSeok¡¯s eyes rolled around. But on the outside, he just shot his gaze and pretended to be cold.


    As if he would not lose to him, Choi MinSeok also glared at Choi YuSeong.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you relied on, but are you really confident? Do you dare to rebel against this hyungnim?¡±


    He didn¡¯t know what Choi YuSeong believed in, but Choi MinSeok also believed in someone.


    Because of him, he thought he had no reason to be pushed into the staring fight.


    Although he was clearly hypnotized, Choi YuSeong¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t shake at all.


    He wasn¡¯t scared or nervous.


    It was like he seemed to not know what was fear.


    Choi YuSeong gritted his teeth as his heart pounding with unpleasantness and terrible pain under hypnosis that disturbed his vision, but he did not express anything outwardly.


    ¡®From the beginning¡­¡¯


    This fight had no victory for Choi MinSeok.


    Why?


    No matter how much Choi MinSeok was a member of the Choi family, who had pretty good growth potential, he was only 21 years old college student at the moment.


    Besides, he had been raised like a flower in a greenhouse even within a dungeon thanks to the singularity of being a mental type Awakener.


    On the other hand, what about Choi YuSeong?


    Although in another world, he grew up as an orphan then went through all different kinds of hardships enough to settle in a corner of society.


    To put it another way, it was a fight between a plant in the greenhouse and a beast raised in the wild.


    Even Choi YuSeong, who had similar feelings, had felt it without having to be caught in the hypnosis skill.


    ¡®Choi WuJae.¡¯


    It was just a day ago.


    Choi MinSeok¡¯s hypnosis was practically ridiculous compared to Choi WuJae¡¯s momentum, which was like a swamp that swallowed up his whole body.


    In the end, Choi MinSeok¡¯s eyes carefully turned to the other direction first.


    His momentum passed.


    At this point, Choi YuSeong decided to use the secret weapon that came to his mind.


    ¡°You are secretly doing a business¡­, what would father or the second nunim5 say if they knew it?¡±


    ¡°¡­!!¡±


    Choi MinSeok and Jin YuRi¡¯s wide gaze turned to Choi YuSeong at the same time.


    ¡®How does this guy?¡¯


    The one who was surprised more than anyone else was Choi MinSeok himself.


    Very few people knew the truth that he was distributing drugs in the Gangnam club area.


    ¡®Who¡¯s it?¡¯


    His head began to spin rapidly.


    The hypnosis that was triggered unaffectedly began to disperse slowly, but Choi MinSeok could not even afford to care about it.


    ¡°Think carefully. Is there anyone else who can tell me this except someone in the family?¡±


    Choi MinSeok, who almost hooked and rebutted Choi YuSeong¡¯s unknown words, bit his lower lip tightly.


    There was only one in the family who knew that he was a drug distributor.


    ¡®No way, the sixth hyungnim¡­? That¡¯s not possible.¡¯


    The sixth of the Choi family, Choi ByeongChan, was the figure that Choi MinSeok followed more than anyone in the family.


    Such Choi ByeongChan betrayed Choi MinSeok.


    He even joined hands with one and only Choi YuSeong.


    He believed it was impossible, but it couldn¡¯t be helped his head got complicated.


    A sneaky smile came from Choi YuSeong¡¯s lips while looking at him.


    ¡®Originally, this took another year after Choi MinSeok¡¯s continued illegal drug distribution and sexual entertainment.¡¯


    This was a fact revealed by the returnee Kim DoJin in the original work of The Master Who Return to Modern Times while dealing with the gangsters that Choi MinSeok secretly handled, and this brought a considerable blow to the Hyesung Group.


    In fact, it was one of the biggest incidents that made Choi WuJae cracked along with the good-for-nothing Choi YuSeong¡¯s act.


    ¡®At this point, he may not have started the sexual entertainment yet.¡¯


    There would be a lot of stabbing just with illegal drug distribution.


    Also, since he even had doubts about Choi ByeongChan, whom he believed in, there was bound to be a limit even if Choi MinSeok tried to pretend to be cool.


    ¡®The hypnosis is released.¡¯


    Finally, all the terrible sights that messing him up in front of his eyes were gone.


    Immediately afterward, Choi MinSeok, whose thoughts were complicated, turned his gaze to Choi YuSeong as if he would do the last struggle.


    Choi YuSeong did not hesitate and raised his momentum once more.


    Their eyes collide intensely in the air.


    In this situation where even the hypnosis was released, there was no way Choi MinSeok could handle him.


    The tension as if he stood in front of a beast.


    ¡®What the hell, what is this?!¡¯


    Choi MinSeok wanted to scream.


    The fact that the other person was only Choi YuSeong, the one he got pride from, did not even allow him.


    ¡°You¡­ who the hell are you?¡±


    Choi MinSeok, who couldn¡¯t even feel the fact that his heart was beating hard and his forehead was sweaty, asked as if he was in denial.


    ¡®You can¡¯t be that idiot Choi YuSeong!¡¯


    Even though it was different from Choi YuSeong he knew, he was too different.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see? If I¡¯m not Choi YuSeong, who is Choi YuSeong?¡±


    Choi YuSeong, who had fully relaxed, shrugged his shoulder and asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie.¡±


    Choi MinSeok tried to deny it, but there was nothing that would change the reality.


    Perhaps he would take this reality as a dream.


    It¡¯s the only best way to tried and suppressed the unbelievable feeling.


    However, no matter what anyone says, there was no reason to doubt the identity of Choi YuSeong.


    ¡®How would he know?¡¯


    Choi YuSeong, a reader of a novel from another world, possessed the Choi YuSeong from this world.


    Choi YuSeong would not have believed it if he had not experienced it himself.


    ¡°Keum¡­¡±


    In the end, at the moment when Choi MinSeok, who shed an empty cough, couldn¡¯t stand the gaze¡¯s momentum and stepped back, Choi YuSeong stretched forward and struck the floor excessively.


    Thud-!


    Choi MinSeok was surprised by the sound and jumped back.


    ¡°Poof¡­¡±


    Jin Yuri laughed.


    Park JinHyo looked at him in confusion.


    What became the climax was a message that emerged from the corridor, clearly visible to everyone¡¯s eyes.


    -The Oldest Hunter looks at the Awakener Choi YuSeong with interest. 5 Karma Points are sponsored.


    -The Oldest Hunter laughs at the Awakener Choi MinSeok.


    The emergence of a god.


    A message sent by the one who could be seen as the greatest supporter that any Awakeners in this world wishes for.


    One of the incomprehensible beings who showed no interest unless they were a quite eye-catching Awakener was interested in Choi YuSeong, who had just awakened and even sponsored him.


    Although it wasn¡¯t a big sum, the meaning itself was incredibly deep.


    This was really, very rare.


    It was not an exaggeration to say that it was worth millions, no, tenths of millions.


    At the same time, he even laughed at Choi MinSeok on the other side, and the message was clearly visible to everyone in this position.


    He also opened his eyes to a different meaning of God.


    When the two situations were overlapped, it was safe to say that it was an unprecedented6 situation.


    Choi MinSeok, whose face turned red, was filled with shame that he experienced for the first time in his life.


    Because of this, Choi MinSeok could not show any more casual appearance.


    He just shouted in anger.


    ¡°Park JinHyo! Catch that bastard and kill him!¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ll be responsible, kill Choi YuSeong right now!¡±


    Park JinHyo¡¯s gaze hesitated for a while.


    If he killed Choi YuSeong, he would take responsibility?


    It¡¯s easy to say.


    It was only from a Choi¡¯s position that he could somehow manage it and would not die.


    However, Park JinHyo killing Choi YuSeong was a different story.


    If needed, Park JinHyo and all people around him might lose their place to stand.


    The bloodshot eyes of Choi MinSeok, who felt the hesitation, got even redder.


    ¡°Park JinHyo! Who is it that made your sister join our company?!¡±


    In the subsequent outcry, Park JinHyo bit his lower lip.


    ¡®That¡¯s right, it¡¯s the same thing to die one way or another.¡¯


    Park JinHyo had not yet experienced Choi WuJae.


    In reality, the person he was most afraid of was Choi MinSeok.


    Choi MinSeok knew everything about Park JinHyo.


    His corruption, sin, family matters. All of it!


    In other words, Park JinHyo also knew most of Choi MinSeok¡¯s weaknesses, but only with such information, he could not confront the Choi family.


    If dying was the same in the end, it was better to avoid the close fist first.


    After such a conclusion, Park JinHyo did not hesitate anymore.


    He turned his waist and swung his fist at once.


    However, even after looking at the fists flew in, Choi YuSeong didn¡¯t even lift his eyebrows.


    He rather raised his head upright and lightly said.


    ¡°You¡¯re killing me? Try it.¡±


    Thud-!


    The widely swung fist was blocked with a blunt sound of hitting.


    ¡°If you can, I mean.¡±


    In front of Choi YuSeong, who spoke with one hand in his pocket, Jin DoYun, who had turned into a fierce wolf, stood with Park JinHyo¡¯s fist blocked with one arm.


    ¡°If you touch even one strand of Young Master¡¯s hair, I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    A voice that sounded like a wolf¡¯s low cry.


    Park JinHyo¡¯s body trembled at his fierce momentum, although he was full of scars and blood.


    ¡®What kind of look¡­¡¯


    It was not just Jin DoYun.


    The eyes of Choi YuSeong, whose eyes were hardened behind him and only his mouth were smiling, was also very cold.


    He was afraid.


    It felt like he could see why Choi MinSeok was scared and resigned.


    Unknowingly, cold sweat started flowing behind his back.


    ¡®This, this is the Choi¡­¡¯


    They were said to be at the level of competing for second or third place in the Korean business world right now because of the management crisis at the time, but it was the dignity of the family that would eventually be evaluated as a king.


    There was a fear at Park JinHyo¡¯s gaze, who experienced a different aspect of Choi YuSeong, that he believed was only a silly good-for-nothing and a coward.


    He wanted to get rid of his hand right now.


    He wanted to dodge and run away.


    ¡°Park JinHyo-!¡±


    Choi MinSeok¡¯s voice shook Park JinHyo¡¯s mind.


    His mind flashed.


    Frightened, but he would die anyway if he withdraws from here.


    ¡°Ahhhhhh-!¡±


    Park JinHyo poured out his power, arousing an ocher aura.


    His muscles swelled and the veins rose thick, but Jin DoYun, who blocked his fists, did not move at all.


    ¡®Because the level is different in the first place.¡¯


    It was expected.


    ¡°You can¡¯t, right? Mr. Musclehead Gorilla.¡±


    Park JinHyo was a rank C level 50 Awakener.


    Considering his age, he was a person with great growth potential.


    It could be said to be the right arm of one of the Choi family members.


    However, from the beginning, he was not even a subject of comparison with Jin DoYun, who also clashed with Kim DoJin, the strongest person in the world¡¯s future at the beginning of the original work.


    ¡®Jin DoYun is a rank B level 70 Awakener right now.¡¯


    Literally, the status was different.


    On the back of Jin DoYun, one of the few real allies in this world, a fierce smile emerged from the lips of Choi YuSeong.


    ¡°Jin DoYun, shouldn¡¯t we return the same thing? Don¡¯t worry, I will take responsibility.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Jin DoYun¡¯s rough palm, who answered with a voice mixed with the cry of a low growling beast, raised Park JinHyo¡¯s chin as if waiting.


    Bang-!


    After rising high into the air then sprawled on the floor, Park JinHyo¡¯s eyes turned over.


    Fainted with a single blow.


    ¡®Because of course, the status is different.¡¯


    Choi YuSeong¡¯s gaze with a comfortable smile turned to Choi MinSeok this time.


    ¡°Choi YuSeong, do you think you will be able to do this? What about the back management7¡­¡±


    A cold energy touched under Choi MinSeok¡¯s neck who had his eyes turned upside down.


    Choi MinSeok, whose body freeze without knowledge, turned his gaze right next to him then locked on Jin Yuri, who brought something cold and hard under his neck.


    ¡°I think you should be the one who worried about the back management. Young Master MinSeok?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ Are you trying to kill me here?¡±


    Gulp.


    The sound of Choi MinSeok swallowed and the sound of pressed button was heard at the same time.


    ¡°Eii, why am I killing Young Master MinSeok?¡±


    A familiar voice comes through after the eye smiled Jin YuRi¡¯s voice.


    ¡¾Park JinHyo! Catch that bastard and kill him!¡¿


    ¡¾Yes¡­?¡¿


    ¡¾Because I¡¯ll be responsible, kill Choi YuSeong right now!¡¿


    The conversation between Choi MinSeok and Park JinHyo was recorded.


    ¡°But the Chairman hates brothers and sisters killing each other openly¡­ Don¡¯t you know what will happen if he heard this?¡±


    ¡°Euh, uuh¡­¡±


    A stuffy groan flowed from Choi MinSeok¡¯s mouth.


    It was not an illusion that the tape recorder felt like a choppy knife.


    ¡°Can you just go through what happened today quietly without anyone knowing?¡±


    Cho MinSeok¡¯s head nodded shortly after biting his lips.

 Volume 1 - CH 7

    After Choi MinSeok¡¯s sudden incident passed.


    Jin DoYun woke up after only one day and returned to his daily life.


    Indeed, it could be said to be the resilience of a physical Awakener with anthropomorphic ability.


    Jin YuRi asked Choi YuSeong¡¯s opinion on what she should do with the recording file she had.


    ¡°First of all, we only have that. It is difficult to get good results if I sloppily go around with just that much. Won¡¯t they call me an incapable adult or silly bastard who can¡¯t solve problems himself?¡±


    Also, to insert a knife, he had to stab it into the heart at once.


    ¡°The punishment for Choi MinSeok for that is a bit scary at best. And although that bastard is not a beast, I know that he will run faster if he gets hurt. So save it first, and collect more information. When it¡¯s the right time, strike with a sharper knife enough to cut out the heart. And lastly, you don¡¯t need to test me like this. You¡¯re thinking about it too, right?¡±


    Jin YuRi sparkled her eyes at the last words of Choi YuSeong and nodded her head silently.


    ¡®He¡¯s definitely different. And also very clever.¡¯


    If it was the past Choi YuSeong, he would have shown a choice between two.


    Excited about the fact that he caught the weakness of Choi MinSeok, who harassed him, he would boast Choi WuJae right away enough to tell his shortsightedness. Or, he would be scared and withdrawn even in this situation.


    However, Choi YuSeong, who showed that something had changed for a while now, was now acting with a distant view of the future in mind.


    This wasn¡¯t something to dismiss as simply a coincidence.


    ¡®Seriously. How far are you going to surprise us¡­¡¯


    In this way, there were times when they had conversations that renewed Jin YuRi¡¯s feelings. But except for such times, Choi YuSeong kept sleeping for quite a while.


    Still, he opened his eyes in the middle and ate meals on his own that relieved Jin siblings¡¯ worries.


    Just that far.


    Choi YuSeong did not dare to overdo it. He tried to forget the accumulated worries after being transferred into the novel.


    ¡®Sufficient rest is also important.¡¯


    On the first day, there had been so many things that had happened since transferring.


    As he had rushed an eventful day like a storm, he needed to resolve the aftereffects to some extent.


    If he kept moving forward, Choi YuSeong would eventually be exhausted no matter how strong-tempered he was.


    3 days passed like that.


    After finishing his self-determined rest, Choi YuSeong made a strange expression looking at the translucent window that only visible to his eyes.


    ¡¸Name: Choi YuSeong


    Age: 20


    Type: All-Rounder


    Rank: E


    Level: 1


    Specialization Skills: Star Quality E, Fusion E


    Normal Skills: Stylish F, Duplication Eye E


    Current inactive skill slots: 5¡¹


    ¡°It¡¯s tough.¡±


    First of all, he was chosen as an all-rounder type among the groups that largely divided into the physical type, the flair1 type, and the all-rounder type.


    This was how the all-rounder type was explained in the original, The Master Who Return to Modern Times.


    ¡®If you do well, efforts paid off. If you can¡¯t, it¡¯s a mixed result.¡¯2


    Oddly speaking, out of the Top 10 rankings in the world, there was only one all-rounder type.


    Even the position was on the bottom.


    Nevertheless, Choi YuSeong was not disappointed.


    Didn¡¯t he think from the beginning that it¡¯s a loss if he just invested in an Awakening Stone?


    Besides, more advantages stood out rather than the type.


    ¡®Two specialization skills and two normal skills.¡¯


    In general, the initial skills of super rookies, the genius Awakeners who often surprised the world, went beyond at least seven.


    In this situation, it could only seem somewhat regrettable that there were only four initial skills.


    However, as mentioned before, Choi YuSeong undoubtedly recognized the merit that stood out from seeing his information.


    ¡®First, there are two specialization skills.¡¯


    No matter how great an Awakener, they only had one specialization skill.


    It couldn¡¯t be helped.


    A specialization skill was literally a skill that expresses the uniqueness of their own human nature.


    Therefore, even if this specialization skill grew or changed, no one possessed 2 skills in the entire original novel.


    However, only Choi YuSeong had two of such specialization skills.


    ¡®Star Quality and Fusion.¡¯


    Considering that even Kim DoJin, the protagonist of the original, had only one specialization skill, it was a very odd situation.


    Originally, his job on Earth was as an employee of a game company. And in a little more detail, Choi YuSeong, who was a leveling designer3, could understand the reason for the current situation without difficulty.


    ¡®A peculiar phenomenon that occurred because of the original Choi YuSeong¡¯s body was possessed with my soul.¡¯


    As a result, the awakening system recognized not one but two natures in Choi YuSeong.


    It was kind of a bug. Or to put it nicely, it was a Hidden Piece.


    Probably because of this, the pain at the time of awakening was also exceptionally terrible.


    It wasn¡¯t something that didn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡®As expected. A novel with many plot holes, The Master Who Return to Modern Times.¡¯


    As he had already thought at the first meeting with Choi WuJae. The Master Who Return to Modern Times, a mass-produced fantasy novel that could be seen from the title, had a huge number of settings that went beyond incomplete or buried roughly except for the main character Kim DoJin.


    Since he was transferred into the world of such a novel, it wasn¡¯t strange if this weird phenomenon occurred.


    ¡°Haha¡­¡±


    A feign laugh came out by itself.


    At the time of reading, it was somewhat ridiculous about such a lax setting, but now Choi YuSeong¡¯s spot had a greater benefit.


    The first of those benefits, at any rate, was that there were two specialization skills.


    There was even a saying in this world that one specialization skill was better than a hundred normal skills.


    As such, the specialization skill was often powerful or efficient.


    In addition to that, secondly, Choi YuSeong undoubtedly recognized the fact that there were gaps in this world.


    ¡®It means that if I use it well, I can get a lot of unexpected benefits.¡¯


    Substantive benefits and useful information were obtained at the same time.


    Laughter was bound to come out by itself.


    Of course, to utilize information in the future, it was important to understand the skill itself in detail.


    Fortunately, this was the most confident field for Choi YuSeong, who was a game designer.


    ¡®First, let¡¯s look at Star Quality.¡¯


    ¡¸Specialization Skill, Star Quality E


    The more you receive people¡¯s attention, the level growth speed is accelerated. If attention exceeds a certain number, additional abilities are unlocked (0/100).


    Current acceleration value +0%¡¹


    Choi YuSeong, who checked the explanation with a confident expression, had a kind of absurd feeling in his eyes.


    ¡®They want me to be an attention whore?¡¯


    Star Quality was a skill that gained effect when he became an attention whore and satisfied the attention-craving.


    Did he have to try to get attention from others?


    As he was busy surviving, it was not something that Choi YuSeong had ever thought of in the first place.


    He was embarrassed because of this, but expectedly of a specialization skill, the effect itself was so good.


    ¡®The original setting says that the higher the Awakener¡¯s rank, the greater the experience required to level up. So, the efficiency will be tremendously better the further I go?¡¯


    Choi YuSeong¡¯s starting rank was E.


    Past the common standard of rank F, so it was a very good starting point.


    However, the rank wasn¡¯t very important.


    ¡®Because if you maxed out the current rank¡¯s level, you can go up to the next rank anyway.¡¯


    Of course, there were many cases in which those with high start rank had excellent skills in the first place, but it was not an irreversible unit.


    And Star Quality completely covered up the shortcomings of such a low starting rank and had the possibility of further development.


    ¡®Only on the conditions if I can get a lot of attention.¡¯


    Choi YuSeong¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    The ways to do it was overflowing.


    To be precise, the position itself was very good in the first place.


    The ninth son of Hyesung Group.


    A good-for-nothing conglomerate.


    How much of an issue people would like?


    For this reason, the spotlight for Choi YuSeong often came without even trying.


    For reporters who wanted gossip, there weren¡¯t many people like Choi YuSeong.


    To put it all, Choi YuSeong was a famous person in the first place.


    And now that he had got Star Quality as a skill, he would be able to use it very well.


    ¡®It¡¯s a little embarrassing, but I can bear it for efficiency. Come to think of it, it does look good. Specialization skill, Star Quality.¡¯


    Was it because he had been shunned and reprimanded at home since childhood?


    The original Choi YuSeong was a child-like character who longed for the attention of others.


    He couldn¡¯t think of it before because there were too many plot holes, but there was a memory about a setting that said he was crooked.


    ¡®That dream of attention whore, I will make it come true.¡¯


    And the second specialization skill, Fusion.


    Choi YuSeong¡¯s eyes looking at this shined even more than when he looked at Star Quality.


    ¡¸Specialization Skill, Fusion E


    Excluding the initial skill, fusing 2 normal skills and transform it into a new skill.


    The content of the resulted skill may change slightly depending on luck.


    The skill cannot be reused once used as a fusion material.


    Provides 5 additional inactive skill slots.


    Each time the skill ranks up, an additional skill slot is provided.


    Only skills that listed as possible to fusion in the additional inactive skill slots can be deleted or overwritten.¡¹


    ¡®Isn¡¯t this taking advantage of my original characteristics?¡¯


    The possibilities were endless.


    It was a skill that Choi YuSeong, who was a leveling designer while working at a game company, couldn¡¯t be helped but to like it.


    The downside was this Fusion alone had no meaning.


    After reading the detailed explanations of the 2 normal skills, Stylish and Duplicate Eye, Choi YuSeong¡¯s face was full of anticipation.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t my skill composition really good?¡¯


    When he thought about it, he could start right away.


    How to survive as a loser good-for-nothing villain in the novel.


    The second way.


    ¡®In this world full of threat, become strong enough to endure.¡¯


    Choi YuSeong immediately left his seat and headed out of the door.


    ***


    What Choi YuSeong did outside the room was to announce a job posting.


    [FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED. 100 AWAKENERS TO SHOW E-RANK OR LOWER SKILLS. 1 MILLION WON PER DAY.]


    In the background of the announcement with somewhat provocative phrases, Choi YuSeong¡¯s face was stuck.


    Then this announcement was hung as an advertisement on the portal site with the most users in South Korea.


    In less than an hour after that, stimulating articles just from the titles burst out from each media outlet.


    ¡ù Hyesung Group Ninth Son, Choi YuSeong, Job Posting With Unknown Purpose?


    ¡ù Choi YuSeong, What He Is Up To This Time?


    ¡ù Choi YuSeong, There¡¯s A Lot Of Money So How I Spent It Is Up To Me


    ¡ù Now I¡¯m An Awakener Too! Interview with Choi YuSeong?


    It didn¡¯t matter if the content of the article was real or not.


    The most important thing was the reality seen before the eyes. That you would get 1 million won to show the skills below the E rank once, the provocative phrase that it would receive 100 people on a first-come, first-served basis, and that such a job posting was posted on the main billboard of the largest portal site.


    As said before, the name Choi YuSeong was no less than a star by now.


    However, there were overwhelmingly more antis than fans.


    Such Choi YuSeong did something that could not be understood with common sense.


    Of course, the reaction was not very good.


    ¨C Choi YuSeong always drinks and messing around, and now he is doing all the star shows.


    ¨C Job posting suddenly? Hyesung Group just watching that from the side?


    ¨C Tho it¡¯s probably the company¡¯s money not his own money, isn¡¯t that embezzlement?


    ¨C But its easy money4. There¡¯s no word it must fighting skills to show right? If you just go without any threat and show your skills, it¡¯s a million won?


    ©¸ That¡¯s why I apply directly.


    ©¸ Honestly, I agree5 it¡¯s a cinch.


    ©¸ What easy money, it¡¯s either a con or joking.


    ©¸ There¡¯s people deceived over here?


    ¨C But there¡¯s an article saying that Choi YuSeong became an Awakener, is it real?


    Various complex emotions quickly passed by on the face of Choi YuSeong, who sat down on a chair and looked at the comments posted on the internet article.


    ¡®Seriously world these days, even the chimney also smokes.¡¯6


    In the first place, it was true that he made a job posting and poured in advertising expenses. But in the meantime, Choi YuSeong never met anyone and talked anything about himself.


    In other words, the story that he became an Awakener or that he would use money however he wants were stories that reporters made up.


    There were a lot of other stories according to those, but Choi YuSeong didn¡¯t care.


    ¡®It¡¯s a fact I knew because their perception of me isn¡¯t good anyway.¡¯


    He just had to change it gradually.


    Choi YuSeong, who grew up as an orphan and rooted in a harsh society, was strong enough to not be scared of malicious comments.


    Rather, Choi YuSeong focused more on the translucent window that appeared in front of his eyes.


    ¡¸Specialization Skill, Star Quality E


    The more you receive people¡¯s attention, the level growth speed is accelerated. If attention exceeds a certain number, additional abilities are unlocked (20/100).


    Current acceleration value +30%¡¹


    In just one day, there was a noticeable change in numbers.


    ¡®The unlocking of additional ability is filled by 20%, and the experience point acceleration was also increased by 30%. Totally a cinch7.¡¯


    Wasn¡¯t that proof that he was getting attention just for himself?


    As such, it didn¡¯t matter whether they swore or demean him more.


    Choi YuSeong was having so much fun with the actual figures in front of him.


    ¡®I don¡¯t have to ignore it.¡¯


    Anti-fan was also a fan.


    Celebrities didn¡¯t say that for nothing.


    On the other hand, the expressions of the Jin siblings who were looking at the article comments together were not very good.


    ¡°Young Master, this cannot be like this. I will request information from the portal and sue all of these people¡­¡±


    ¡°Because Oppa is slow, don¡¯t. I¡¯ll do it myself. Now, I¡¯m in a very bad mood.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, so leave it alone. You just decided to trust and leave it all to me.¡±


    Choi YuSeong swished his hand.


    There was also a plan of its own.


    Since he was a person, it was better to listen to praise rather than swear.


    ¡®It will be fun to change the perceptions.¡¯


    To do that, he needed to be patient even if he was feeling bad right now.


    ¡°All right. First of all, there are already more than 200 applicants. Do I cut 100 people according to the advertisement, first come, first served?¡±


    Choi YuSeong shook her head to Jin YuRi¡¯s question.


    ¡°No, just call all 200 people.¡±


    The more skills he saw, the more advantageous it was to make a good leveling graph.


    There was no need to save money.


    ¡®Because there¡¯s a lot of money anyway.¡¯


    There were many comments on the internet saying it was embezzlement or household money. But to make this announcement, Choi YuSeong did not borrow the power of his father, Choi WuJae.


    ¡®They can¡¯t even imagine.¡¯


    Choi YuSeong had to question his eyes for a moment when he checked the balance of his personal bank account to figure out how to organize his plans.


    He had too much balance than he thought.


    It was too much to say that it was the allowance that Choi WuJae gave to his child.


    Would it be enough to give up after counting the number of zeros?


    There must be a reason why Choi YuSeong had so much money.


    However, even in the original novel, they simply skipped it without explaining properly.


    ¡®I told Jin YuRi to find out, so I¡¯ll know sooner or later.¡¯


    When asked why, it was said that the Jin siblings, who were as close as one¡¯s closest ally, knew for the first time that Choi YuSeong had such a lot of money in his personal bank account.


    It was an opportunity to remind himself of how much the main settings missed in the original novel.


    In any case, Choi YuSeong posted a job posting because there was no reason not to use the weapon of his own tremendous money, and it was very effective.


    ¡°When should I tell them to come?¡±


    In response to Jin YuRi¡¯s question, Choi YuSeong answered calmly as he stood up from his seat.


    ¡°Tell them to come tomorrow.¡±


    What was already started, was there any reason to drag it on?


    Those who couldn¡¯t come because they didn¡¯t have time of course were forced to drop out.

 Volume 1 - CH 8

    There were some empty rooms left in Choi YuSeong¡¯s spacious house.


    Inside one of them were a long desk and three chairs, and Choi YuSeong sat in the center.


    Unsurprisingly, Jin YuRi sat on the left and Jin DoYun stood with folded arms on the right.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re not sitting?¡±


    ¡°If I sit down, the reaction will be delayed.¡±


    Jin DoYun said with a determined expression as if the person who came to the interview shoots a gun, he would block the bullet with his bare body.


    Choi YuSeong looked at such Jin Do Yoon and tried to say something, but closed his mouth.


    Because he knew very well that he wouldn¡¯t listen to anything he said.


    ¡°By the way, YuSeong Oppa. How is your condition?¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡±


    Choi YuSeong raised his thumb.


    ¡°Active-type skills appear as if there is no limit, but it definitely consumes mana. You probably don¡¯t feel that yet, but if it¡¯s too much, you have to give up in the middle. Got it?¡±


    All skills basically used mana.


    And until the absolute amount of this mana was measured, he couldn¡¯t figure out the standard limit he had.


    ¡®Even if I measure it, it doesn¡¯t mean that I will get perfectly accurate results.¡¯


    It was understandable that Jin YuRi sent a worried gaze toward Choi YuSeong.


    Choi YuSeong had already told Jin siblings honestly what skills he gained and how he would use them before any incident happened.


    There was nothing difficult.


    As said before, if there¡¯s anyone in the world that Choi YuSeong could trust and rely on upon without a single doubt, there were only Jin siblings.


    Knowing the truth that they didn¡¯t betray him even at the moment of death, what¡¯s the need to hide it?


    Rather, it was better to reveal things properly and get their help.


    Therefore, despite Choi YuSeong¡¯s misbehavior, which was difficult to understand, the two siblings came to this point together without opposing much.


    The strict Jin YuRi couldn¡¯t have just let it go if Choi YuSeong couldn¡¯t properly explain the reason, no matter how much money he had.


    ¡®Because I don¡¯t have a never-ending inheritance.¡¯


    It¡¯s good if to had a lot of money.


    Somehow it would be used.


    Although right now he could spend about 200 million won in a day without batting an eye, but if he spent it recklessly without countermeasures, he would see the end someday.


    Therefore, it should be used very efficiently.


    In that sense, neither Choi YuSeong nor Jin siblings thought this matter was a losing business.


    ¡®Rather, it¡¯ll be a very profitable business.¡¯


    Before Choi YuSeong¡¯s delightful smile was the floating translucent Awakener Information Window that displayed his skill contents.


    Among them, it was the second specialization skill Fusion and Duplicate Eye, followed by Star Quality that caught his gaze strongly.


    Star Quality was also a very good and wonderful skill, but from Choi YuSeong¡¯s point of view, he thought these two abilities were closer to his nature.


    To be precise, should he say that he was confident that he would utilize them more skillfully than Star Quality?


    ¡®Let¡¯s check it out again.¡¯


    Choi YuSeong¡¯s gaze quickly looked through Fusion then settled for Duplicate Eye.


    ¡¸Normal Skill, Duplicate Eye E


    Fusion is not possible.


    Duplicate a skill with a lower rank than the skill¡¯s rank.


    The number of uses and ability coefficient of the skill duplicated are applied differently by grade.


    Once duplicated a skill from someone, Duplicate Eye cannot be used for 3 months on the same person.


    Reduplicate a skill with the same name also requires a 3 months free period. ¡¹


    In fact, when Choi YuSeong first saw his skill composition, he wasn¡¯t that curious about Duplicate Eye.


    ¡®Because it¡¯s a skill I originally knew.¡¯


    Duplicate Eye was the ability of a villain, Jack the Clown, which appeared in the early and mid-second parts of the original novel. The readers at that time called it an unlucky skill that could not become an OP1 due to the excessive penalty.


    ¡®It¡¯s certainly a cheat to duplicate the opponent¡¯s skills as they are.¡¯


    Especially when dealing with strong players like Kim DoJin, the effect was doubled.


    The problem was, as mentioned, that it was such a cheat skill that too many penalties were imposed.


    There were too many problems, including the limitation of the number of uses, the limitation of the ability coefficient, and the difficulty of using Duplication Eye to one person.


    ¡®The Duplicate Eye used by Jack the Clown was a grade B.¡¯


    The coefficient to duplicate the same B-rank standard skill was 70% and could be used up to 10 times.


    In the case of Choi YuSeong¡¯s E-rank skill, it would not be much different.


    ¡®Fusion and Duplicate Eye.¡¯


    The two skills were somewhat similar.


    Looking at it, those had great potential but also had as many disadvantages.


    In a way, it was a wild apricot with good color.2


    After confirming both of those skills, Choi YuSeong made a plan.


    ¡®You can¡¯t do anything with Fusion alone. The assistance of other skills is essential. And fortunately, I have Duplicate Eye.¡¯


    However, skills duplicated by Duplicate Eye were imposed with a big penalty, such as limiting the number of uses, weakening the coefficient, and inability to reduplicate.


    To put it another way, the essential problem of Fusion was solved by Duplicate Eye.


    But how to solve the shortcomings of Duplicate skill?


    The principle was simple.


    ¡®Put together duplicated skills with penalties by Fusion.¡¯


    What if this eliminated all of the various weakening and limiting penalties that the Duplicate skill had?


    There was nothing to say.


    ¡®It¡¯s very amazing.¡¯


    The ultimate combination that even the OP protagonist Kim DoJin might admire and applaud would be born.


    Choi YuSeong called Jin siblings right away yesterday morning for confirmation.


    Afterward, he asked them to show two skills that remained in the grade E, which were abandoned because they were not used often.


    And the result.


    Choi YuSeong¡¯s eyes finally turned to the ¡®fifth¡¯ skill that did not exist until yesterday morning.


    ¡¸Gorgeous Dance F 3


    Fusion is possible.


    After the skill is activated, a flash of light is added to all movements for 5 minutes.¡¹


    ¡®I hit the jackpot!¡¯


    The reward of the hellish suffering he had tasted at the time of awakening was certain.


    ¡®There is no limit on the number of uses.¡¯


    Also, there was no information that the skill coefficient had been deducted.


    Even re-fusion was possible.


    In other words, all the shortcomings of Fusion and Duplicate Eye had disappeared.


    Choi YuSeong had acquired infinite possibilities through this.


    Because of that, he unwittingly clenched his fists and even cheered on the spot where Jin siblings were watching yesterday.


    ¡°I was really surprised yesterday. I didn¡¯t know there was such a gap in the awakening ability¡­¡±


    As Choi YuSeong smiled and stared into the air, Jin YuRi smiled a little miserably next to him as if reading his actions and thoughts.


    Her gaze at Choi YuSeong was full of admiration.


    ¡°I was lucky.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not luck. If it were me, I would not have thought the same things as Young Master.¡±


    Choi YuSeong shrugged his shoulders and tried to shake the humility of embarrassment due to the subsequent praise by Jin DoYun.


    Along with the sound of careful knocking on the door, the voice of the housekeeper lady who prepared Choi YuSeong¡¯s meal every day was heard.


    ¡°All of the applicants have gathered, sir.¡±


    ¡°Oh, tell them to come in.¡±


    Today, the housekeeper lady¡¯s role was the guide.


    ***


    The interview, no, the work of duplicating the Awakened Skills of grade E or lower began at 10 am.


    ¡°Welcome. I look forward to your cooperation.¡±


    Choi YuSeong firstly greeted the incoming Awakeners in a calm, but moderately friendly manner.


    Most of the Awakeners who walked into the room with a somewhat worried and tense look on their faces looked a little embarrassed at the greeting and soon showed a small smile.


    It was going to be like that.


    Originally, the Choi YuSeong they know was a snob.


    They didn¡¯t know what caused such an odd incident, let alone polite greetings, they thought it would be fortunate if he didn¡¯t criticize with a sarcastic tone.


    Still, the thoughts of those who came to this place were consistent.


    You could easily earn 1 million won without any trouble and hard work.


    It¡¯s cheap to get cursed once.


    Therefore, those with high pride and strong abilities did not even come.


    In the first place, it was meaningless for Choi YuSeong, who needed grade E or lower abilities.


    And, for the Awakeners who came to visit after putting down their pride, today¡¯s Choi YuSeong was someone whose appearance they saw a lot in news and newspapers.


    ¡°Thank you so much for showing your valuable skills.¡±


    Choi YuSeong greeted once again when they left after showing their grade E or lower skills, which were not that difficult.


    Even if they thought it was a really insignificant skill, Choi YuSeong¡¯s attitude was not different.


    People¡¯s reactions differed individually.


    ¡°It was nothing.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s something that is paid.¡±


    ¡°If you want to see it again, please call anytime.¡±


    If there was anything in common, it was that they showed favor toward Choi YuSeong even in a small way.


    By the end of the morning, Choi YuSeong met many people, and very few of them grumbled or looked doubtful as they went back out of the room.


    ¡°Everyone please have lunch, then continue after that.¡±


    Said Choi YuSeong.


    His house was very spacious and even had a yard. It was also not difficult to prepare a buffet with hotel chefs there.


    The Awakeners who gathered since earlier had questions at the appearance of the chefs early in the morning, but they did not pay much attention.


    To be precise, the majority thought he was crazy spending4 on useless things from the morning.


    In conclusion, that wasn¡¯t wrong.


    ¡°You can have lunch in the yard. Young Master said you won¡¯t be charged for meals, so please eat comfortably.¡±


    Laughter blossomed on the faces of the Awakeners who were bored waiting for their turn to come and gathered at the words of the housekeeper lady, who was fully in charge of the role of a guide today.


    ¡°These crazy spendings are all for us?¡±


    ¡°Oh my gosh, how long has it been since I can binge like this.¡±


    Nobody complains about the meal prepared in consideration of taste as many people gathered, including barbecue that was sizzling on the fire, grilled shrimp, grilled skewers, sweet yet stimulating kimchi stew, and well-cooked seafood.


    Many of them came here together to show their skills first and wait for their colleagues¡¯ turn next, but after a light beer, their mouths became busy.


    ¡°Hey hey. Choi YuSeong, didn¡¯t he just like suddenly turn a new leaf?¡±5


    ¡°Turn new leaf bullshit. It¡¯s awkward because that¡¯s out of nowhere when he usually does foolish things.¡±


    At the remarks of young man A who was in his early 20s, young man B who was similar in age and stood next to him responded with a slight sneer.


    ¡°For that, there¡¯s a different feeling from the person himself. I went in first, right? Should I say that the atmosphere has changed from what I saw before. Ah, what should I call it. Charismatic?


    ¡°Poof, what charismatic.¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s real tho.¡±


    ¡°Why are you being over. Even if you praise like that after enjoying a free meal, you won¡¯t get paid more. Well, I like it too though. Showed my insignificant ability once, get paid, and eat delicious things like this. Heuheu¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, you make me so frustrated.¡±


    Conversations similar to above were unfolded all over the place throughout the mealtime.


    Most of the former were the ones who came out after seeing Choi YuSeong in the morning, and the latter were the ones who still waiting.


    Of course, as similar stories were heard everywhere, strange doubts arose in the minds of the people who were still on standby.


    ¡®Seriously, something has changed about Choi YuSeong?¡¯


    No way.


    Young man B, who smirked, poured a cool draft beer into his throat.


    ***


    Right after the lunch break.


    Young man B was the fastest turn in the afternoon schedule to enter the room where Choi YuSeong was waiting.


    The feeling when he entered was somewhat strange.


    ¡®Did something in Choi YuSeong really change?¡¯


    Half anticipated, half worried.


    ¡®Ei, if it¡¯s overreacting what¡¯s there to it.¡¯


    In the first place, it¡¯s where he came to get cursed once and earn 1 million won.


    The expression of young man B, who entered the room with a light heart and showed his ability, was somewhat blank when he went out.


    Young man A, who came to his side naturally, asked.


    ¡°Hey hey, how¡¯s it. Am I right? Isn¡¯t something different?¡±


    Young man B slowly walked forward and nodded his head, as if something possessed him.


    ¡°Is it because he¡¯s handsome? To the extent hardcore fans will fell just by looking at his face. Maybe the reason is something about that.¡±


    Young man A eagerly explained the feeling that was quite different from the good-for-nothing seen on TV and news.


    However, young man B had already summarized the identity of the atmosphere emanating from Choi YuSeong in one word.


    ¡°¡­Elegance.¡±


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why either. Anyway. I can feel the elegance¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°In simple terms¡­¡±


    Young man A and B.


    The two friends looked at each other¡¯s gaze and said with strange laughter.


    ¡°He¡¯s cool even to the same man.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s dope.¡±6


    Even though small, there were goosebumps on the skin.


    ***


    After the afternoon schedule began.


    Jin DoYun¡¯s mouth twitching as he listened to the conversation that took place outside the door with his arms folded.


    ¡®Feeling good that much?¡¯


    A smile was also drawn on Jin YuRi¡¯s mouth that looked sideways toward Jin DoYun who had a rather silly-looking expression.


    Choi YuSeong, who was still in grade E, might not be able to hear it but the conversations of the applicants who were going out the door were heard vividly again and again in the ears of the two quite high ranks.


    Naturally, their ears were tilted one after another.


    Actually, it was not a big deal. But sadly, Jin siblings had never heard of praise for Choi YuSeong.


    Until yesterday, no, until this place was created, what others said to Choi YuSeong were always the same.


    A good-for-nothing ruffian.


    An incompetent snob who had the backings of his family.


    It was understandable.


    They didn¡¯t dare to count the bottles that Choi YuSeong broke.


    The same goes for the number of quarrels with bars, clubs, and police officers that had been thrown upside down.


    One day when anti-Japanese sentiment reached its peak, he suddenly smashed a Japanese car with a baseball bat saying it¡¯s unlucky while passing the road.


    ¡®Is it strong patriotic or is it just venting out.¡¯


    Someone called it cider because it was a good act, but it was hard to say that it was a sane act.


    Thanks to him, Jin siblings suffered hard times.


    Such Choi YuSeong began to show changes.


    Jin siblings, who were closer than anyone else, were feeling the change greatly. And now it was being passed on to others.


    The perceptions changed.


    It was a big difference not only for Choi YuSeong but also for Jin YuRi.


    ¡®If it goes like this¡­ I think I can revise the plan a bit.¡¯


    A light smile emerged from the lips of Jin YuRi, who was drawing a picture of the future with Choi YuSeong¡¯s survival as a top priority.


    It seemed like a peaceful day.7


    ***


    Was it the calm before the storm?


    An incident occurred when everyone was somewhat excited, drunk in a peaceful and pleasant atmosphere.


    Inside a spacious room like an interview room.


    A man with an unparalleled atmosphere, who was no match for other Awakeners who gathered together in three or five, came into the room with his head raised.


    Thick but long black eyebrows and double eyelids.


    A cold, calculating gaze analyzed the surroundings quickly.


    He opened the captivating red lips that twitched slightly in the end, despite belonged to a man.


    ¡°Choi YuSeong.¡±


    Not in memory or delusion. Although it was the first time he saw the appearance and heard the voice tone in person, it was impossible to not know who he was.


    ¡°¡­Kim DoJin.¡±


    The Master Who Return To Modern Times, the original work¡¯s protagonist and a handsome returnee from another world.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering my calls?¡±


    He looked at Choi YuSeong and asked with a sharp voice.

 Volume 1 - CH 9

    Why didn¡¯t answer his calls?1


    Rather, it was Choi YuSeong who wanted to argue.


    ¡®I know very well that you¡¯re trying to lure me into killing Choi WuJae, but to crazily answer you?¡¯


    Of course, he didn¡¯t just spit out his inner thoughts.


    ¡°I was busy.¡±


    Rather, he replied with a smile. But even if he said it himself, he thought it was a lame excuse.


    ¡°You¡¯re busy?¡±


    Kim DoJin slightly twists his red lips and throws his gaze out the door.


    He didn¡¯t say anything.


    But it was obvious what he would think.


    ¡®He¡¯d want to ask if a busy guy has time to gather people and meet them.¡¯


    That didn¡¯t mean Kim DoJin could say that thought out of his mouth.


    ¡®In any case, Kim DoJin finally followed me all the way here. That¡¯s how much he needs me.¡¯


    Choi YuSeong thought calmly.


    Choi YuSeong was a necessary figure for Kim DoJin to kill Choi WuJae, the target of revenge.


    With this in mind, it was not difficult to go out rather brazenly.


    In fact, Kim DoJin did not express any extreme emotions even though the ends of his eyebrows wriggled without him realizing it.


    ¡°It could be.¡±


    His voice that followed was rather soft, on the contrary.


    ¡°But¡­ I¡¯ve said it over and over again, Choi YuSeong. I like you quite a bit. If you don¡¯t answer my call for such a long time, it¡¯s quite¡­ disappointing.¡±


    Choi YuSeong poured out a sigh of relief in the conversation that was flowing as expected.


    ¡®As expected¡­, I can¡¯t just push himself away.¡¯


    In a way, this was one of the scary parts of Kim DoJin, the main character of the original novel.


    Kim DoJin had sharp eyes and an atmosphere that overwhelms the surroundings, and his pride was extremely strong. But he did not only have a repressive personality.


    A personality that could casually cut off any feelings of pride or other emotions for purposes.


    And at least so far, Kim DoJin currently had the first goal of getting closer to Choi YuSeong somehow.


    ¡®No matter how he¡¯s a returnee, it takes time to get back his strength¡­ ¡®


    Even if he recovered all his strength, it was not easy to reach Choi WuJae, who lived in a Demon King¡¯s Castle with high and stacked iron walls.


    He didn¡¯t know well, but the things that Choi WuJae had stacked weren¡¯t just what was visible.


    And it was clear that Kim DoJin felt such a fact somewhat instinctively.


    The reason why he chose to use Choi YuSeong, who was rather stupid and had a strong pride, as his top priority was the instinctive intuition of the protagonist who led the easy path.


    ¡®Of course, if that doesn¡¯t work, he¡¯s someone who¡¯ll turn that upside down and make a new way¡­ ¡®


    Another scary thing about Kim DoJin.


    When the original plan was broken, he had both the determination and the ability to twist it and make a new version without hesitation.


    Because of this, Choi YuSeong should still crouch himself.


    He somehow drew a line in the urgently difficult situation, but the conversation cannot end with this.


    The situation where Kim DoJin showed enough obsession to came to Choi YuSeong¡¯s house.


    It was obvious that he would not withdraw easily until he heard the answer he wanted.


    ¡®I¡¯m at loss. The answer shouldn¡¯t be flowing naturally¡­ ¡®


    Originally, tricky things were not that easily solved as intended.


    Choi YuSeong glanced over the dark eyes of the returnee, who was quiet and no idea what he was thinking, and swallowed up a bitter smile.


    ¡®Can¡¯t you just let me step back quietly? It¡¯s not possible, right?¡¯


    In a way, it would be an advantageous situation for sure. But strangely enough, Choi YuSeong felt like a rat who had been chased and cornered by a cat. Then, when he suffered in agony.


    Jin DoYun blocked Kim DoJin¡¯s gaze which seemed to search through Choi YuSeong.


    Kim DoJin, whose gaze blocked, slightly frowned and then unfolded back.


    ¡°Kim DoJin, there would be no reason for you to come to a place like this?¡±


    Jin YuRi, who did not miss the gap, uttered words full of caution.


    It was something others won¡¯t understand.


    It was famously known that Kim DoJin had a different meaning to Choi YuSeong, although it hadn¡¯t been long since he returned to Earth after serving as a warrior in another world.


    Good-looking appearances, a gentleman with manners (only in public), obtained E rank as soon as awakening and had 10 initial skills.


    Not long ago, he was even recognized by the world¡¯s top ranker, Sword Star2.


    There were already many press and media paying attention to him both domestically and abroad. The Korean government also expressed their positive support for Kim DoJin¡¯s growth.


    To put it in perspective, he was a super rookie and a top star.


    The difference was that not only the general public but also Awakeners adored and liked him.


    Because of this, Kim DoJin¡¯s few words of praise and attention with indifferent eyes turned the idiot Choi YuSeong¡¯s attention.


    From the perspective of the attention seeker Choi YuSeong, he never thought he would have a brotherly relationship with such great Kim DoJin!


    It was a moment when there was more to show off.


    Of course, Jin siblings appealed for the need to be wary of Kim DoJin, who showed incomprehensible favors, but Choi YuSeong at the time only snorted.


    Of course, the current Choi YuSeong was different.


    Because of this, he was very grateful to Jin siblings who came forward.


    ¡®Give me a little more time.¡¯


    From the various point of view, Kim DoJin was not an easy man.


    A master of all kinds of hardship who had spent more than 30 years in another world.


    ¡®It¡¯s more dangerous if I consider the protagonist buff.¡¯


    While Choi YuSeong briefly regulated his breathing, Jin YuRi¡¯s words continued toward Kim DoJin, who was closing his mouth as if he was agonizing over something.


    ¡°If you have nothing to do, please step back for now. There are a lot of people waiting.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like there must something to do just to meet.¡±3


    ¡°Why are you so stubborn, like a little kid. That is why I don¡¯t understand you.¡±


    ¡°I want to talk with Choi YuSeong.¡±


    ¡°I have heard a lot of similar words lately.¡±


    The frustrating confrontation seemed to continue quite a bit.


    ¡°¡­Choi YuSeong, did you just awakened?¡±


    But Kim DoJin¡¯s following question was quite sharp.


    It should be a flustering situation, but Jin YuRi showed no change in her expression.


    Rather, it was Jin DoYun who was not participating in the conversation that expressed his feelings even though for a moment.


    And even while Kim DoJin was looking at Jin YuRi, he did not miss the change.


    ¡°I¡¯m right.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    There was a short silence in the hall.


    It was different from Choi MinSeok¡¯s case.


    No one had a reason to give Choi YuSeong¡¯s information to Kim DoJin.


    He was convinced of Choi YuSeong¡¯s awakening only with clues and sense4 of the flows.


    ¡®A monster-like person.¡¯


    Jin YuRi had to calm her trembling heart.


    ¡°The other brothers not coming? For example¡­ Right, Choi MinSeok.¡±


    Kim DoJin¡¯s next question was also surprisingly sharp.


    It seemed as if he were watching Choi YuSeong with a secretly installed camera.


    Jin YuRi thought it would be bad if the conversation was dragged in this state.


    ¡°¡­ But why do you keep talking informally?¡±5


    As the result, she frowned as if it was a little unpleasant and pointed out Kim DoJin¡¯s tone.


    ¡°Because I wasn¡¯t talking to ¡®you¡¯6. You heard everything, Choi YuSeong?¡±


    ¡°¡­I heard it.¡±


    Choi YuSeong participated in the conversation.


    ¡°Both of you please step back. I¡¯ll tell him something.¡±


    ¡°However¡­¡±


    Jin Do Yoon sent a worried look to Choi YuSeong briefly, but soon he slowly nodded his head and stepped back.


    On the other hand, Jin YuRi looked at Choi YuSeong with a somewhat apologetic feeling, but she had a gaze full of trust.


    ¡®Did she noticed that I wanted to drag the time?¡¯


    Choi YuSeong, who was admired by Jin YuRi¡¯s gaze, smiled inwardly.


    Instead, Jin DoYun looked at Choi YuSeong with an apologetic expression whether his mistake was bothering him, but it wasn¡¯t a big problem.


    ¡°Anyway, the fact I became an Awakener will soon be known¡­¡±


    Choi YuSeong, who deliberately said loudly to all three, Jin siblings and Kim DoJin, stroked his chin.


    Kim DoJin began to searching through for Choi YuSeong again when the disturbing obstacles disappeared.


    It wasn¡¯t bad.


    ¡®The fact that he¡¯s looking through me this openly means that he¡¯s still taking me easy.¡¯


    Kim DoJin¡¯s appearance was really unexpected.


    But, was he a scarier opponent than Choi WuJae?


    A warrior who had returned from saving another world. A hero who not only killed Choi WuJae but also killed countless villains and monsters that threaten the earth.


    Looking at the sentences listed, Kim DoJin was definitely a great figure.


    ¡®Of course. He is the main character.¡¯


    And that was why Choi YuSeong thought that Kim DoJin might be easier than Choi WuJae.


    ¡®I know Kim DoJin very well.¡¯


    Came to think about it, Choi YuSeong was a person who watched Kim DoJin for a long time more than anyone else in this world of The Master Who Return To Modern Times.


    The initial surprise and nervous feeling eased a bit as he sought a break.


    In the future, Kim DoJin would overcome tougher and harsher crises than his days as a warrior in another world, becoming stronger and colder to the point that he felt perfect.


    However, the current Kim DoJin was not that perfect yet.


    Rather, perhaps due to the aftereffects from experience in another world, he sometimes showed gaps on the Earth.


    It was obvious that he was a difficult person to deal with, but it was not mean that it was impossible.


    ¡°I ask again. Why didn¡¯t you answer my calls? And¡­ It would¡¯ve been nice if you let me know you become an Awakener.¡±


    ¡°I told you. I was busy.¡±


    ¡°But at least contact me once¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the second day since I awakened.¡±


    In fact, it was four days, but Kim DoJin didn¡¯t actually look through his mind, and such a trivial lie couldn¡¯t be caught.


    ¡°I had to check the abilities and planned what to do. Isn¡¯t it normal to be busy?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ made a plan?¡±


    Kim DoJin asked again.


    It was a slipup.


    Choi YuSeong laughed inwardly, but he asked at the end of his words with a straight face outwardly.


    ¡°Hey, what that¡¯s mean? I¡¯m someone who can¡¯t plan anything, something like that?¡±


    Someone might swear at him for being childish, but what could he do?


    The opponent was the returnee Kim DoJin, anyway.


    And, as Choi YuSeong had already experienced, the only weapon he could wield against Kim DoJin was the mysterious relationship between the two.


    ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re looking at me like that too, right?¡±


    He didn¡¯t raise his voice, but it contained unpleasant feelings.


    Kim DoJin¡¯s expression had become harder than before.


    In those cold eyes, there couldn¡¯t be felt any emotion anymore.


    It was dull.


    That said, looking at Kim DoJin¡¯s pitch-black eyes, Choi YuSeong hoped in his heart.


    ¡®¡­Please, I ask. Don¡¯t be angry.¡¯


    Choi YuSeong¡¯s neck might fly away if Kim DoJin, whose eyes turned around here, run wild.


    Of course, Kim DoJin himself would have to risk his life in return.


    Because Kim DoJin was still in the process of recovering his lost power after returning from another world.


    But, weren¡¯t the protagonist guys like that originally?


    ¡®He¡¯ll get away with it somehow.¡¯


    Fortune and opportunity7 were always on the protagonist.


    Of course, even if the clever Kim DoJin got angry, he would seek a chance when Choi YuSeong was alone, rather than aiming his life when Jin siblings were guarding his side.


    In any case, it was a bad move8 for Kim DoJin to get angry and turned his back in this state.


    Despite his reluctance, Choi YuSeong thought that he should maintain a proper relationship with Kim DoJin at this point.


    ¡®I have no power yet¡¯


    That¡¯s why he had to go out like this.


    He had to say it.


    His heart was scared, but his eyes couldn¡¯t relax.


    Like when he was dealing with Choi WuJae, he forcibly pressed his heart as if it would burst.


    There was only one thing he believed.


    As much as he intentionally approached Choi YuSeong, he would not turn his back that easily.


    ¡®Really?¡¯


    As mentioned, it wouldn¡¯t even be strange if Kim DoJin overturned the plan and made a new one.


    Choi YuSeong swallowed his saliva and let out his hidden trick.


    ¡°I heard a compliment from father a while ago. I told him it might be because of you¡­¡±


    It was a downright lie.


    However, it wasn¡¯t a story that didn¡¯t exist at all.


    It was because Choi WuJae acknowledged Choi YuSeong to some extent, that he gave a gift.


    Probably by now, Kim DoJin¡¯s mind was running horribly.


    Was Choi YuSeong¡¯s sudden awakening a mere coincidence?


    There was a high probability that Choi WuJae was involved.


    It wouldn¡¯t take long before he concluded that it was Awakening Stone.


    At this point, the Awakening Stone was not something that could be obtained with just money.


    As truths and lies intertwined, a quite plausible scenario would be drawn in Kim DoJin¡¯s mind.


    Arguably, the name of the scenario was ¡®Hope¡¯.


    At this point, there was only one thing Choi YuSeong had to do.


    He had to go all out like the good-for-nothing Choi YuSeong.


    Rather than calculating rationally because he knew what he wanted, he should act like someone highest in the sky and spoke as if he were standing on the head of the returnee Kim DoJin.


    ¡°So it¡¯s an illusion. You¡¯re just a liar who looked at me as trash just like everyone else. Fuck off. You¡¯re no different from other bums who are interested in my money and family.¡±


    The voice trembled loudly.


    It was actually because he was a little scared even though he uttered it out himself. But it sounded completely different to Kim DoJin and Jin siblings.


    ¡®So Young Master is really angry.¡¯


    It was when Jin DoYun and Jin YuRi looked at Choi YuSeong with surprised eyes.


    Kim DoJin, who calmly looked at Choi YuSeong without revealing his emotions, turned his back silently and moved to the outside.


    Choi YuSeong¡¯s mind became complicated at once.


    ¡®What, just go? He accepted that?¡¯


    It couldn¡¯t be.


    If it was like this, it might be safer to stay away and not be separated from Jin siblings from now on.


    By the time a great confusion shook his head.


    ¡°Huu¡­¡±


    With a sigh, Kim DoJin loosened his hand from the doorknob he was holding and turned his back again to look at Choi YuSeong.


    His eyes were still indifferent.


    ¡°I apologize. I didn¡¯t understand your situation too much.¡±


    Then, the hardest words to hear from the returnee¡¯s mouth came out.


    At that moment, Choi YuSeong almost cheered.


    Of course, he did not express that feeling outwardly.


    ¡®With the most fearless feeling as possible. Right, just like Kim DoJin.¡¯


    He raised his head arrogantly and imitated the cold gaze.


    He dug deep the gap between Kim DoJin¡¯s eyes that were looking at him.


    Choi YuSeong thought.


    ¡®Yeah kiddo, I¡¯m the good-for-nothing Choi YuSeong.¡¯


    Even though it wasn¡¯t originally, the body remembered it.


    It should be natural to be confident when going all out.


    ¡°I¡¯ll contact again next time. I hope you answer it then. If you don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Kim DoJin didn¡¯t talk back for a while.


    Instead, he looked back at Choi YuSeong and drew a deep eye smile.


    He said nothing, but Choi YuSeong hardened his body like prey in front of a snake at that moment.


    ¡®That bastard, that¡¯s really angry.¡¯


    In this world possessed by Choi YuSeong, The Master Who Return To Modern Times, the following phrase appeared like the writer¡¯s habit.


    [Eye smile came out from the enraged Kim DoJin.]


    Kim DoJin, who was really angry, did not frown or showed his emotions.


    He did not even give an indifferent glance.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll be very disappointed. Choi YuSeong.¡±


    Choi YuSeong, who recalled the way Kim DoJin expressed his disappointment, swallowed his saliva without realizing it.


    ¡°I see what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    In the meantime, it was fortunate that the tongue rolled like a water stream.


    Kim DoJin, who lightly snorted, turned his back.


    ¡®Damn, I didn¡¯t want to show I was scared.¡¯


    Did he saw it?


    Such worries were brief.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Instead, he quickly held on to Kim DoJin, who wanted to go out.


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s it?¡±


    Kim DoJin turned his head, still frowned.


    ¡°Because I want to see you doing it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what that means.¡±


    ¡°What is it. Like an amateur. At least you come knowing what kind of place is here, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    A question flew inside Kim DoJin¡¯s eyes.


    But soon, a big earthquake occurred in his pupils as he realized something.


    Choi YuSeong smiled widely and shouted in his heart.


    ¡®Give me the protagonist skill, dude.¡¯


    He was the good-for-nothing Choi YuSeong and a complete reader of the original novel.


    Even if it came to petty tricks, he won¡¯t lose anywhere.


    That was how Choi YuSeong ate the spine9 of the returnee who came back from saving another world.

 Volume 1 - CH 10

    After Kim DoJin¡¯s return, Choi YuSeong had a bleak smile.


    During the morning before he came, Choi YuSeong saw the skills of about 60 people, and only duplicated those skills that were not overlapped and seemed quite useful among them.


    The fusion proceeded more carefully.


    He said he was in good condition, but as Jin YuRi said, he didn¡¯t know when his mana will drop.


    It would be nice if the mana values were visible like in the game, but that wasn¡¯t the reality.


    There were many cases where Awakeners lost consciousness or died in severe cases due to excessive exertion of power without knowing their limitations.


    There was nothing bad about being careful.


    So, there was only one skill gained in the morning.


    ¡¸Normal Skill, Spark E


    Fusion is possible.


    Instantly inflicts strong static electricity on targets within 2m distance.


    The closer the distance is, the greater the power.¡¹


    Spark, created by the fusion of F-grade skills Friction and Flash, wasn¡¯t an inadequate ability because it completely occupied one of the only five skill slots of Choi YuSeong.


    First of all, the skill itself was too efficient. Such as the fact that it had a big advantage of having a 2m visibility distance, and even if it was not giving an impact, it could have a short paralyzing effect due to the nature of static electricity.


    But in the end, it was difficult to escape the limitation of the attack skill.


    What Choi YuSeong needed were more useful kinds of abilities to survive.


    For example, an instantaneous evasion or mental barrier.


    These kinds of skills were highly evaluated just for having them even if they had a low grade.


    Because of this, those who came did not want it to be seen by others even for just showing off.


    It was a world where it was widely believed that any Awakeners should hide at least a few cards just in case.


    However, it was this kind of skill that Kim DoJin showed insignificantly as if it were bothersome.


    ¡¸Normal Skills, Insights E.


    Fusion is possible.


    When activated, you will not be swung over with illusions of a level below Insight skill.


    When activated, tension is relieved.


    When activated, concentration is increased.


    When activated, you can focus your mind and see some information of Awakener with a lower grade than the caster. Depending on the grade, the range of content that can be viewed is widened. You can be defended against the opponent¡¯s mental defense skills.


    Penalties are applied for copy skills.


    The available number of the ability uses is 8 times.


    You can only resist illusions of grade F or lower.


    The efficiency of tension relief and concentration degree decreases to 70%.


    There are restrictions on viewing information. ¡¹


    What else could be said?


    As the skill of the protagonist it was, the function itself was overwhelming among grade E.


    Despite being weakened by the penalty of Duplicate Eye, it was so amazing that he didn¡¯t want to fuse it with other skills.


    ¡®He has this ability, so it makes no sense to hide the fact that I have become an Awakener.¡¯


    Insight was one of the skills which Kim DoJin frequently used in the original novel, The Master Who Return To Modern Times.


    Through this, if the opponent had mental defense skills, it wasn¡¯t possible to confirm the exact contents of the ability, but at least could confirm if that person had awakened.


    That meant Kim DoJin could do it if he wanted to confirm Choi YuSeong¡¯s awakening from the beginning.


    However, in the case of Insight, a flame-like shape would bloom in the eyes when the skill was activated, so it was bound to be noticeable to some extent.


    Kim DoJin noticed Choi YuSeong¡¯s awakening without triggering this Insight.


    Perhaps it was to avoid developing hostility through useless skill activation.


    And when Choi YuSeong asked for skill, he showed Insight as if it was an opportunity.


    ¡®Let¡¯s see what kind of abilities I have.¡¯


    It meant that he didn¡¯t just suffer until the end like a shrewd returnee he was.


    In the end, Kim DoJin now knew some information about Choi YuSeong¡¯s awakening abilities.


    ¡®How far he had seen it? Though he hasn¡¯t seen all of them as the ability grade is low¡­¡¯


    In any case, it was not particularly pleasant to learned that something was revealed to Kim DoJin, a dangerous character for Choi YuSeong.


    ¡®But thanks to that, I was able to duplicate Insights. I guess I am drunk with what to give and what to take.¡¯


    It was somewhat regrettable that it was an active skill, not a passive or continuous skill1, but there were only these kinds of abilities that could be obtained with Duplicate Eye from the beginning.


    Besides, Insight was a skill that could be very useful even under penalty.


    ¡®From my point of view, if a skill similar to that of Insight comes out later, it can be fused.¡¯


    Rather than fusing it with lame skills and lowering the level, it was necessary to endure even if it¡¯s regrettable for now.


    ¡®If Fusion works properly and the performance of Insight improve¡­¡¯


    He couldn¡¯t even imagine how good it would be.


    Actually, it was a ridiculous expectation.


    As Insight itself was a protagonist skill, it was already full of cheat abilities.


    Still, shouldn¡¯t he dream big if it¡¯s like this?


    Thanks to the sudden appearance of Kim DoJin, Choi YuSeong gained a versatile cheat-grade skill, including the mental defense he wanted, and he was able to decide the third skill candidate within an hour later.


    As a result, there was no time for the smile to disappear from his mouth.


    ¡®If it¡¯s like this, I might be filling all 5 slots with only the things I really like.¡¯


    In just one day, Choi YuSeong acquired all 5 essential skills for leveling mapping that he drew in his head.


    This was something he didn¡¯t even expect.


    However, as the progress speed increased during the afternoon, such a kind of greed arose.


    As always, the problem was that the world was ready to laugh at the excessive greed.


    5 pm.


    With only 3 Awakeners left who visited Choi YuSeong¡¯s house, he was showing a depressed expression unlike the beginning of the afternoon.


    It¡¯s because he had useless expectations, so his excitement cooled as the empty hopes fell.


    ¡®In the first place, I was expecting too much.¡¯


    To put it into perspective, he thought that getting 3 skills a day would be more than his goal.


    Among them, he gained Kim DoJin¡¯s skill, Insight, which was an unconditionally profitable business.


    Choi YuSeong decided to relax and called the last three applicants at the same time.


    Soon, a man in his 50s who couldn¡¯t believe to be an Awakener, a young woman whose face half-covered with glasses and long hair, and a young man wearing a shirt and tie as if he had a real job interview came into the room at the same time.


    He had a weak hope until the end, but no skill stood out.


    The skill that the man in his 50s showed was an F-grade Gluttony that somewhat eliminated the limit of his stomach, while a woman whose face couldn¡¯t be remembered well had an F-grade Sweat Glands Contraction2, and a young man like an office worker had an E-grade Clean Maintenance skill.


    ¡®If the grade of Gluttony is increased, it can become a legendary food fighter. Sweat Glands Contraction and Clean Maintenance seem similarly different¡­ Anyway, those aren¡¯t skills that I will use in my standards.¡¯


    Choi YuSeong, who sent them back after saying ¡°It was a disappointing finish, but you had a hard time waiting with a smile until the end¡±, opened a notepad with the skills shown by the Awakeners and the names of the applicants today written down.


    It was in case there might be some great skill combinations that he might miss now, but come to mind later.


    It didn¡¯t matter if he visited in person or paid more money at that time, so he had listed all of them in case.


    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡±


    ¡± Thank you for your hard work. Young Master.¡±


    Jin YuRi and Jin DoYun greeted in turn toward Choi YuSeong, who looked at the notepad once again.


    ¡°You both also struggled from the morning.¡±


    As he looked away from the notepad to answer Jin siblings with a smile, something passed through the eyes of Choi YuSeong like a lie.


    ¡°Chae YeRyeong?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    Having left Jin DoYun¡¯s question behind, Choi YuSeong¡¯s gaze quickly moved back to the notepad.


    The tip of the index finger, which moved in a hurry, touched the bottom line of the notepad.


    ¡®F-grade Sweat Glands Contraction, Chae YeRyeong.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t see it wrong.


    A no big deal awakening skill, a hidden face as if she wasn¡¯t confident, and behavior that didn¡¯t stand out.


    Because the concentration that lasted all day was blurred, he inadvertently threw it away.


    ¡°Oh my gosh.¡±


    But it shouldn¡¯t be.


    ¡®Chae YeRyeong, the Witch of Flood!¡¯3


    A unique name he had seen not only once in the original novel.


    And episodes related to her were never small.


    Originally a somewhat incompetent Awakener, Chae YeRyeong was reawakened due to some circumstances and a few years later became a powerful disaster that threatened the world.


    The content after that was simple.


    Kim DoJin and his colleagues fought and killed the Witch of Flood to protect the world.


    As always, no matter how powerful a villain, they couldn¡¯t face the protagonists.


    Chae YeRyeong appeared only after the second half of the original novel, as she was described as one of the most powerful villains in the world.


    Therefore, the original work had never mentioned where and what she was doing now.


    But now, Chae YeRyeong appeared in front of Choi YuSeong.


    Of course, the world was wide and there were many people, so she could be someone with the same name.


    But what if it¡¯s true?


    ¡®I¡¯m a fool if I miss her.¡¯


    Chae YeRyeong in the original novel was a so-called ¡®fallen¡¯ character.


    A breadwinner good girl who raised her younger siblings alone even in a difficult environment.


    The case of her depravity was only dealt with standard and light narratives in the original novel.


    ¡®It¡¯s something that can be prevented.¡¯


    If Choi YuSeong came forward, it might not happen in the first place.


    Therefore, there was only one important fact to Choi YuSeong.


    ¡®It means that Chae YeRyeong is still a good person.¡¯4


    Only a few skills and an incomparable treasure were in front of him until just now.


    It was a dangerous future disaster, so let¡¯s just wait and watch Kim DoJin take care of it?


    That was ridiculous.


    ¡®I can win her over.¡¯


    There was Choi YuSeong in this world that¡¯s different from the original.


    Countless things could be changed.


    ¡°How long have the three people from before gone?¡±


    Choi YuSeong jumped up from his seat and asked, putting on his outerwear.


    ¡°About 5 minutes, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I have to find her.¡±


    ¡°Yes? Suddenly?¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Unlike Jin YuRi who asked back, Jin DoYun threw his body out of the house first.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think she has gone far yet.¡¯


    As he left the room, Choi YuSeong shouted at the flustered Jin YuRi.


    ¡°If you find her, call me at once.¡±


    Then, before she could say anything, Choi YuSeong ran out of the door, panting.


    ¡®You can just simply call, though.¡¯


    Jin YuRi, who was left alone in the room, soon erased her flustered expression and picked up her cell phone.


    ***


    Choi YuSeong ran out of the house while gasping.


    His head was full of thoughts about Chae YeRyeong.


    ¡®When I saw her name, I should have thought of it¡­¡¯


    He took the right road at the crossroads of the three-way intersection under the hillside of his house.


    And whether if it¡¯s luck, Choi YuSeong was soon able to encounter a young woman with a half-covered face who happened to be walking in his direction.


    ¡®Chae YeRyeong!¡¯


    Choi YuSeong tried to suppress his feelings that he almost shouted and then approached her.


    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±


    Rather, Chae YeRyeong opened her eyes wide and raised her voice when discovering him.


    ¡°I heard you looking for me. I was just on my way back over there.¡±


    At her following words, Choi YuSeong¡¯s face was full of questions.


    He looking for her was correct.


    But he had no memory of calling her.


    Whether she had read the emotions on Choi YuSeong¡¯s face, Chae YeRyeong explained the situation with a smile on her mouth.


    ¡°I got a phone call. It said YuSeong¡­-nim5 is looking for me. Her voice was like the older sister who was next to you.¡±


    ¡°¡­ to make this kind of mistake.¡±


    Choi YuSeong, who had been said to be thoroughly prepared and quite planned since before the time of transferring, very rarely made this mistake.


    Should it be said he admits to being a sloppy6 person himself?


    Came to think of it, it was a very simple story.


    In the first place, Chae YeRyeong was an Awakener who visited Choi YuSeong¡¯s house to show her ability today, and of course he received her contact number just in case.


    If he thought it a little bit, Choi YuSeong would have made the same choice as Jin YuRi.


    ¡°But, what is the matter?¡±


    Was she barely about 160cm?


    Chae YeRyeong asked with a tilted head, while her height was much shorter than Choi YuSeong.


    Her voice was clear.


    He thought she wasn¡¯t confident because she covered her face halfway, but it seemed he was been mistaken.


    Chae YeRyeong¡¯s question hardened Choi YuSeong¡¯s head for a moment.


    ¡®Should I say I came to win her over?¡¯


    The order was wrong.


    Before that, he had to make sure the woman in front of him was the real Witch of Flood, Chae YeRyeong.


    But how?


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    The head of the flustered Choi YuSeong turned quickly.


    And soon, one skill he gained today passed through his mind.


    ¡®Insight!¡¯


    Insight, originally the skill of Kim DoJin, the protagonist of The Master Who Return To Modern Times, was activated.


    Choi YuSeong¡¯s eyes were flashing blue will-o¡¯-the-wisp.


    As if frightened by the sudden change, Chae YeRyeong flinched and stepped back.


    But Choi YuSeong had no time to care about that.


    ¡¸Name: ???


    Age: ??


    Inclination: ??


    Status: ??


    Skills possessed: ???


    There is an unknown powerful latent skill.


    Information is limited due to low Insight¡¯s skill grade. ¡¹


    Unknown powerful latent skill.


    With limited information, only one sentence was actually confirmed, but that was enough.


    Since it could see through the truths of the world, it was very rare for Insight to describe a skill with the expression of ¡®powerful¡¯.


    It went without saying if she was still only an F-rank Awakener.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure. This woman¡­ the Witch of Flood.¡¯


    A great disaster that was confirmed in the original future worldview.


    And what was her current state?


    She was still a breadwinner good girl.


    It was obvious what to do.


    ¡®I can do it, let¡¯s make her my own people.¡¯


    Choi YuSeong, who made up his mind, smiled as bright as possible at a small and slender girl who looked somewhat frightened.

 Volume 1 - CH 11

    The image many people living in South Korea had about Choi Yu Seong was quite negative.


    A good-for-nothing sociopath, impudence1 incarnate, and a national disgrace.


    It¡¯s full of insults, but there was one positive side that everyone couldn¡¯t deny when thinking of Choi Yu Seong.


    It was his appearance.


    He boasted a proportional body of 183cm tall with long limbs and a small face that would slap the cheeks of decent models.


    His white skin without blemishes didn¡¯t get damaged and stayed smooth even after drinking alcohol every night. So Choi Yu Seong, who¡¯s a man, was once offered cosmetics advertisements.


    He wasn¡¯t muscular but he wasn¡¯t too thin nor too fat, so there¡¯s no complaint about it.


    Although he frowned every day, there was still an aloof prince-like atmosphere present.


    Looking at Choi Yu Seong, the public said he was like a thorny rose or an incubus.


    Originally, demons appear before us in a more fascinating appearance than gods.


    Chae Ye Ryeong saw Choi Yu Seong smile brightly for the first time today.


    Choi Yu Seong who came out in news articles or on TV was always frowning.


    And Choi Yu Seong, who smiled when she saw him at home earlier, had a stronger feeling of a somewhat tired face with a businesslike attitude.


    Was it because of that?


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s appearance right in front of her felt fresh.


    ¡®¡­He¡¯s really handsome.¡¯


    Without realizing it, there was a slight redness on the cheeks hidden under her hair.


    She was surprised when the blue will-o¡¯-wisp suddenly flickered in Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes, but she dismissed it at once.


    ¡®So the rumor that Yu Seong-nim awakened is real.¡¯


    She just understood it so easily.


    When Chae Ye Ryeong was feeling various emotions for a while, Choi Yu Seong thought about how to make her his person and came up with a wonderful plan without difficulty.


    ¡°Chae Ye Ryeong-ssi, are you looking for a job, by any chance?¡±


    It felt strange when he asked the question.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s voice was somewhat tense without realizing it, as it was the first time he made such a suggestion to someone in the first place.


    But he didn¡¯t think she would refuse.


    Did she become a breadwinner girl for no reason?


    She just turned 19 and had three younger siblings to take responsibility for.


    Of course, she couldn¡¯t go to school.


    In this situation, she wouldn¡¯t mind if she worked.


    Visiting Choi Yu Seong¡¯s house today must be because she could easily make a lot of money.


    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m already working part-time.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    Chae Ye Ryeong easily crushed such a confident thought, and Choi Yu Seong answered insignificantly.


    ¡®¡±Oh, really?¡± What did I just say? What a fool.¡¯


    Chae Ye Ryeong put her hands together and bowed her head towards Choi Yu Seong, who thought of hitting his own head.


    ¡°Yes. Thank you for the offer. I¡¯ll call you next time if I quit my part-time job.¡±


    In terms of character settings, he knew that all her parents had disappeared since the age of 10, but she was very polite despite not receiving proper home education.


    ¡°So, are you done with the business?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Oh, well, I mean¡­ I¡¯m asking if you¡¯re interested in working full-time instead of part-time.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°A part-time job is not a full-time job. If you accept my offer, you¡¯ll be hired as a full-time employee with all the insurance coverage.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    He thought it was a good proposal, but Chae Ye Ryeong¡¯s response was still lukewarm.


    However, Choi Yu Seong was not disappointed.


    ¡®There is¡­ something else.¡¯


    He thought it was just polite, but the feelings that he saw in the eyes covered under her hair were quite interesting.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you won¡¯t be disappointed with the salary.¡±


    ¡°How much is it?¡±


    As expected, the answer went this way.


    ¡°Yearly¡­ Would 80 be enough?¡±


    In this era, 80 million2 was a considerable amount of money.


    It was an amount of money that could only be received by being at least a deputy team leader of a large company.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t the kind of salary of someone who¡¯s an F-grade non-combat Awakener and a 19-year-old who didn¡¯t attend school, deserves. You¡¯re not trying to make me do anything illegal, are you?¡±


    As Chae Ye Ryeong tilted her head once again, her hair flowed down.


    The big round eyes mixed with curiosity and vigilance reflected in them were quite cute.


    ¡°I guarantee you won¡¯t do anything illegal.¡±


    Later, he might ask something for the re-awakening.


    However, there was no need to bring up anything meaningful now.


    Choi Yu Seong decided to start from the stage of building trust with her first.


    ¡°That seems suspicious.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to write a formal contract that has legal force. If you want, you can hire a lawyer to review it. I¡¯ll support the employment cost.¡±


    ¡°Ridiculous.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong did not respond to the flustered Chae Ye Ryeong¡¯s directness.


    There was no change in facial expression.


    Even if he thought it himself, the conditions he said were generally hard to understand.


    At a time like this, he thought it was more persuasive to just show a somewhat businesslike and reliable expression than to make a colorful statement.


    ¡°I can¡¯t trust you at all even with that look.¡±


    ¡°Alas, what a shame.¡±


    ¡°Why are you trying to be so nice to me?¡±


    As expected, it¡¯s greedy to just finish it in moderation.


    Choi Yu Seong decided to express his honest feelings after much consideration.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll believe me if I tell you the truth¡­, but Ye Ryeong-ssi has a very special ability that you don¡¯t even know about.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Chae Ye Ryeong¡¯s eyes became thinner under her hair.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t look at me with that gaze. It is true. I¡¯ve actually become an Awakener as you predicted. Didn¡¯t you see the blue flames in my eyes earlier?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ is that spark an ability like foresight?¡±


    Chae Ye Ryeong asked with her eyes wide open.


    ¡°It¡¯s not perfect, but it can be considered similar to that.¡±


    As always, deceits should contain more than half the truth.


    ¡°When I see it with my eyes, Chae Ye Ryeong-ssi is very special. No one recognizes it right now, but it¡¯s like an unpolished gemstone? If you think of it as an opportunity to grab the possibility in advance, 80 million won a year is not a waste.¡±


    Considering the original story where she was not pushed back by fighting alone with the main character Kim Do Jin, Chae Ye Ryeong was a talent who did not waste 100 times the money.


    As he spoke his true feelings, it naturally contained sincerity in his voice.


    Chae Ye Ryeong also received his feelings this time.


    ¡®You think I have that possibility?¡¯


    However, there was still no perfect trust.


    She was lucky enough to be awakened, but only got strange skills that would be harmful to the body if used the wrong amount of F-grade ability, even the Sweat Glands Contraction.


    It was unfortunate, but she didn¡¯t feel sorry.


    Had she ever been lucky in her life?


    It was enough because after she became an F-grade Awakener, her stamina and strength had improved, and the frequent minor illnesses had disappeared.


    She couldn¡¯t be a great person and do amazing things, but she just thought things got better because she could reduce sleep and increase work.


    But now, Choi Yu Seong said there was a hidden possibility in her.


    Choi Yu Seong did not rush Chae Ye Ryeong who was in agony this time.


    There was still suspicion on her face, but the subject changed.


    ¡®This time it¡¯s not me she¡¯s doubting, but herself.¡¯


    Wasn¡¯t it natural that Choi Yu Seong, who didn¡¯t have much trust here, could seem like a scammer if he tries hard to talk about it?


    The choice was up to Chae Ye Ryeong.


    Actually, it wasn¡¯t that urgent yet.


    He had enough time to keep an eye on her and aim for the next opportunity.


    Chae Ye Ryeong, who had been contemplating without saying anything for more than five minutes, bowed her head deeply.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Did that mean no?


    Choi Yu Seong tried to nod, thinking that there was nothing he could do.


    However, Chae Ye Ryeong¡¯s words continued before he could do so.


    ¡°My response was late because I have a lot on my mind.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Was that what her apology meant?


    She was very polite in many ways.


    Naturally, a smile came to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°You mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t give you a definite answer yet. However, my heart is indeed leaning positively. You said there was a possibility in me, but I¡¯m not aware of it at all and¡­¡±


    She seems to be quite smart, but she was a kid in an unexpected situation.


    Even if she thought about it in a good way, she couldn¡¯t organize her words well, and it would be difficult to organize her flustered thoughts in an instant.


    Choi Yu Seong did not rush her.


    ¡®She must be very flustered.¡¯


    In the meantime, he was grateful that she answered positively.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t give me a definite answer right now. I¡¯ll give you my number, so please feel free to go home and tell me. If you let me know your email, I will send you the contract first. Please contact me after reviewing and considering it enough.¡±


    ¡°Ah, can I do that?¡±


    Chae Ye Ryeong¡¯s long bangs, whose head raised with a bright voice, moved to the side and the whole face was reflected for a moment.


    Her eyes full of will shined like jewels.


    Choi Yu Seong, who thought the scene was quite cute, nodded with a smile without selfishness this time.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Please send me an e-mail and I¡¯ll check and reply as soon as possible!¡±


    Chae Ye Ryeong bowed her head several times to express her gratitude.


    Choi Yu Seong could smile inwardly at the sight.


    ¡®That¡¯s enough.¡¯


    Why? Wasn¡¯t there a time when you got the hunch even though things haven¡¯t been done yet?


    Perhaps she would agree to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s contract.


    And two days after sending the contract, he heard a positive answer from Chae Ye Ryeong, who came back to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s house in person.


    It was the moment when Choi Yu Seong hired the Witch of Flood, which could have been called the future rank EX and disaster.


    ***


    A giant monster with a head that might be three times bigger than a typical adult man¡¯s, made a ferocious roar then swung an iron bat and hit the ground.


    A part of the ground was dug up with a loud sound.


    It was a speed that didn¡¯t match the big size, but the monster wielding the bat couldn¡¯t achieve its goal.


    This was because it tried its best to crush an annoying human who appeared in front of it, but his figure disappeared without a trace from where he had just stood.


    If he had been crushed to death by a bat, there would have to be a cold corpse on the sunken floor that spills blood with a terrible skeleton.


    It was weird.


    ¡°Where are you looking?¡±


    A cold voice that reminded of the blade of a sword.


    Recognizing the target, the giant monster frowned and raised his head.


    On the ceiling inside the central place3.


    Kim Do Jin, a man standing upside down with two feet on a fairly high ceiling, was aiming his sword like an arrow.


    ¡°Orc War Chief, Krutak.¡±


    Kuaa-!


    The Orc War Chief, nothing comparable to a normal orc, screamed at the ceiling.


    Kim Do Jin¡¯s expression did not show any signs of shaking, even though he went on a solo hunt for the so-called Raid Monster, which could only be caught if more than 10 people at level 80 or higher formed an attack team based on D-rank.


    There were two reasons.


    First, Kim Do Jin¡¯s confidence in his fundamental skills.


    He thought he could do enough by himself to act the part of 10 hunters of the same rank and level.


    Also, there was a second reason.


    Kim Do Jin had already experienced a battle against the named monster Orc War Chief, Krutak, in another world.


    It was even from a time when he was much weaker than now.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know how the dead from that world came to appear as dungeon monsters on Earth, but¡­¡¯


    It was not a big problem for Kim Do Jin, a returnee who had already fought and returned to Earth after he won against them.


    Rather, the opponent was just a level-up victim of the system, a well-established new ability.


    It was at that moment that Krutak threw the bat it was holding at Kim Do Jin.


    Kim Do Jin took his foot off the ceiling and ran forward.


    Swaeeek-!


    The bat barely missed Kim Do Jin, causing burning pain under his feet, and hit the sturdy ceiling.


    It was natural that the ceiling collapsed with a thunderous sound and stones fell like hail.


    Krutak frowned at the sudden hail of stones spread his palms wide and covered his face.


    Small shocks continued to be inflicted, but that much could not scratch the hard  palm of Krutak.


    In such a short time, the moment Krutak, who had been struck by a pile of stones falling like hail and rain, lowered his palm, a silver light flashed in front of its eyes.


    With a cold touch and the hot pain followed, the world in front of Krutak¡¯s eyes was quickly stained with darkness.


    Kuaaa-!


    Kim Do Jin jumped to the floor to avoid Krutak¡¯s attack, which had blood spilling from its wounded eyes, and licked his lips.


    Blue will-o¡¯-wisp rose in both of his eyes.


    ¡®It¡¯s over.¡¯


    For Kim Do Jin who could read the opponent¡¯s movements through Insight, Krutak that loses sight and reason was just a strong and big target.


    First of all, struck the Achilles tendon, which has a rather thin muscle under the ankle, and nibbled the cartilage of Krutak who fell on his knees.


    If Krutak, who lost all support, fell to the floor in vain and took a fatal blow that runs to the brain on its thick nape, that¡¯s the end.


    It was the moment when Kim Do Jin, who lightly wiped the blue blood staining his face with the back of his left hand, breathed out and sat down on the head of the dead Krutak as a chair.


    ¨C The Overlord of Western Chu is deeply moved by the battle of Awakener Kim Do Jin. 350 karma points are sponsored.


    ¨C Friend of Thunder and Hammer laughs out loud watching Awakener Kim Do Jin. 700 karma points are sponsored.


    ¨C Witch Who Cries Tears of Anguish is watching Awakener Kim Do Jin. 200 karma points are sponsored.


    ¨C Blue Spring of The East shining its eyes. 380 karma points are sponsored.


    ¨C Cool Head Wind of The West lighting its pipe while looking at Awakener Kim Do Jin. 350 karma points are sponsored.


    God¡¯s message poured endlessly over his head.


    From the big gods who were too high to call their name recklessly to the small gods who were too low to make themselves known. Everyone was paying attention to Kim Do Jin.


    ¡®Gods, huh.¡¯


    For a moment, Kim Do Jin snorted at the thought of the somewhat heterogeneous beings.


    ¡®There were gods on the Aliod continent too.¡¯


    They were rather clumsy, incompetent, powerless, and idiots who could not solve things on their own.


    That¡¯s why Kim Do Jin was called into that world.


    He had to fight against the Demon King who had invaded beyond the dimension, and he was able to win with scars.


    Of course, those gods and those who sent messages just now were completely different.


    However, this did not mean that Kim Do Jin had a significant change in his view of Gods.


    Gods were not so omnipotent as people thought.


    Also, they were extremely insensitive to human wishes and cherish their comfort more than anything else.


    For example, the evidence was that they didn¡¯t do much to help Kim Do Jin kill Choi Wu Jae, who he wanted to tear and kill right away.


    ¡®I¡¯d rather have Choi Yu Seong¡¯s help.¡¯


    Kim Do Jin¡¯s mouth was twisted when he recalled the face of Choi Yu Seong, who he had chased home and met personally a few days ago.


    ¡®He made fun of me.¡¯


    It was ridiculous to think that he blew up because of a child who had lived for just a little over 20 years, but he could bear it.


    If he could use him to achieve his family¡¯s revenge, he would endure any disgrace.


    That was the driving force that led Kim Do Jin to survive in the distant world and come back here.


    One of the gods who helped bring Kim Do Jin back from another world said.


    He said that revenge would be nothing but futility to heal another grudge, and hoped he would return to his original world and live happily ever after.


    Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t understand the meaning.


    ¡®Because I can¡¯t stand it¡±


    Whenever he saw the face of Choi Wu Jae in the news that he suddenly encountered on the street or in newspaper articles, his heart ached.


    His dead father¡¯s face came to mind, and the voice he remembered all his life became the voice of a vengeful ghost in his ear.


    ¡®Kill that bastard.¡¯


    Kim Do Jin wished.


    He hoped that the future would come where he could imagine a comfortable life by looking at the red blood of Choi WuJae flowing in his firm hands.


    He was eager.


    ***


    A month has passed since Chae Ye Ryeong was hired.


    Surprisingly, the job she got, which she went with considerable tension and expectation in mind that she would run away if he made her do something she didn¡¯t like, was a helper like the housekeeper ladies.


    She was flustered, but it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    In the original work, Chae Ye Ryeong gained the powerful ability enough to be called the Witch of the Flood.


    And this re-awakening literally happened only on special occasions, which was a very lucky situation.


    Of course, Choi Yu Seong had no reason to give up the re-awakening of Chae Ye Ryeong by relying on information from this ¡°current time.¡±


    No secret was revealed about the re-awakening right now, but the method would be known in the future.


    Choi Yu Seong, a complete reader of the original novel, clearly remembered.


    However, the problem was that forced re-awakening was a very dangerous procedure that was close to gambling, which was not even a secret in the first place.


    The conditions of re-awakening itself were simple.


    It must primarily shock the mind strongly, and also must be exposed to powerful mana that occurs when a dungeon break occurs.


    There were too many factors that would cause problems if they¡¯re not mentally or physically stable.


    It was said that Chae Ye Ryeong was confirmed to have the talent to overcome all such hardships and become Witch of Flood, but Choi Yu Seong did not want to increase the risk of gambling.


    If his greed destroys or kills a person, wouldn¡¯t he be too faithful to his role as a good-for-nothing villain?


    It was never what the current Choi Yu Seong wanted.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong left Chae Ye Ryeong tasks that were easy and hoped that Chae Ye Ryeong would find stability as much as possible.


    If there was a compulsory task, 15 days after she went to work, she was forced to consume a drink made from a gray-colored mana stone that costs 10 million won per piece every day?


    Chae Ye Ryeong seemed to feel burdened because of the price, but Choi Yu Seong drank a mana stone drink first in front of her and threatened not to give her salary if she didn¡¯t have it too.


    In fact, Choi Yu Seong was slightly scared that Chae Ye Ryeong would quit her job, but fortunately it didn¡¯t happen.


    Not a small salary, stable living, and healthy Mana Stone drinks were investments from Choi Yu Seong¡¯s point of view, and the quality of life was greatly improved from Chae Ye Ryeong¡¯s point of view.


    As such, the eyes of Chae Ye Ryeong, who was suspicious of Choi Yu Seong at first, began to show favor and gratitude little by little.


    However, it was Choi Yu Seong¡¯s life that changed more than anyone else during that one month.

 Volume 1 - CH 12

    First of all, the view around him had somewhat changed.


    The closest thing Choi Yu Seong felt something had changed was the peace on the faces of the housekeeper¡¯s ladies, who were half anxious about his mood swings.


    The women, who had been forced to endure and smile due to their high salaries, now treated Choi Yu Seong with heartfelt smiles.


    Far away, the Awakeners who visited Choi Yu Seong¡¯s house made word of mouth.


    The good-for-nothing Choi Yu Seong had changed.


    The foolish Choi Yu Seong spent his money well.


    Anyway, he was handsome.


    It seems he got better, so it didn¡¯t seem like a crime for a rich person to spend his money well.


    Various kinds of stories had spread quite a lot.


    Among them was a story about Kim Do Jin, the (still) super rookie who visited Choi Yu Seong¡¯s house.


    The evaluation of Choi Yu Seong rose once again, with rumors circulating out of nowhere ¨C that the two were close enough to be brothers.


    No matter what anyone says, Kim Do Jin was the rookie everyone paid attention to in South Korea.


    As a result, to Choi Yu Seong, who tried to attract attention by sneakily making rumors confirming his awakening through news articles to raise the level of his Star Quality skill, it was like being a fish in troubled waters and killing two birds with one stone.


    That was because the leveling speed that could be achieved with Star Quality skill had risen from 30% to 50% in a month.


    In other words, the skill¡¯s proficiency had increased.


    And, it was a very rapid development considering the diagnosis point that the higher the value, the harder it was to grow like the usual case of stats.


    If this was a somewhat external change, the second change was a more personal part of Choi Yu Seong.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s goal was not simply to be a rich conglomerate Awakener.


    ¡®It is to be able to ensure my survival in the future.¡¯


    First of all, he needed to have the ability to survive so that he could find happiness by sucking honey.


    Therefore, it was not difficult to revive the present somewhat.


    Choi Yu Seong was quite familiar with making efforts to survive from the beginning.


    ¡®Even so, I thought I was really dying for the past month.¡¯


    He had lived his life so far for the purpose of practice, reducing sleeping time more than when he was working at a game company full of overtime on Earth.


    He gained an ability through awakening.


    If you could be strong with just that, then all Awakeners with the same grade of skills should be at the same level.


    However, there was a clear gap even within the same rank.


    In addition to the number of skills, compatibility, and fundamental strength of the skills themselves, there were countless variables such as individual proficiency and experience.


    And this gap gets worse as you get higher rank.


    Choi Yu Seong thought that one of the really important points in creating the gap was the foundation.


    ¡®The skills that have been steadily used and strengthened since the majority of the rank are low will become the abilities that represent the Awakener in the future.¡¯


    Such statistics were not there for no reason.


    It was the first skill you had learned, so you should not ignore it because it looks low and weak right now.


    Anyway, skills would naturally rise as Awakener¡¯s rank and invisible proficiency rise.


    So what¡¯s important was to clearly and fully understand your skills, and skillfully use them without any preparation or thoughts.


    In the last month, Choi Yu Seong rented a whole Awakener training gymnasium to master this process and stamped his daily attendance with Jin Do Yun.


    The result was quite satisfactory.


    Choi Yu Seong, who laid down on the floor of the gymnasium and roughly threw off his sweat-soaked uniform1, roughly breathed out his breath endlessly but a smile flowed from his mouth.


    ¡°How¡¯d I do? Not bad, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­To say that it¡¯s not bad is an understatement.¡±


    Right in front of Choi Yu Seong, Jin Do Yun¡¯s expression was weird as he answered without sweating a drop.


    His gaze was on the end of his uniform¡¯s arm sleeves.


    Surprisingly, the end of it was burning black, breaking and fluttering into the air.


    It was nothing to make fun of even though it was just the hem.


    Jin Do Yun was a physical type Awakener at rank B level 70.


    It was normal that E-rank all-rounder type Awakeners could not even touch his collar with just a slight movement.


    However, today, when Choi Yu Seong filled the promised month, that ridiculous thing happened.


    ¡®The talent is different.¡¯


    As Choi Wu Jae said, it¡¯s the blood of the Choi family.


    Had the bloodline¡¯s special ability finally manifested?


    It¡¯s just the beginning, but it wasn¡¯t hard to see Choi Yu Seong side by side with himself in Jin Do Yun¡¯s mind.


    ¡®I should try harder.¡¯


    From the perspective of Jin Do Yun, who vowed to live his entire life protecting Choi Yu Seong, it was a moment when he was joyful and greatly motivated to self-grow at the same time in his heart.


    But he could put it back a little longer.


    Under the current situation, Jin Do Yun wanted to somehow express the joy of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s growth.


    ¡°At least, among the E-ranks I know, Young Master is the best.¡±


    ¡°The only E-rank you know is me.¡±


    ¡°Of course currently¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough. You don¡¯t have to lie to me like that.¡±


    He was Choi Yoo Sung who finished reading the original.


    Choi Yu Seong got up thinking there was no way that he would have known if Jin Do Yun had other relationships, checked his cell phone¡¯s calendar.


    Finally, the day he was looking forward to was just a day away.


    A breath of excitement that could not be hidden flowed under his nose.


    From Choi Yu Seong¡¯s perspective, it was not an exaggeration to say that he had actually lived the past month for tomorrow.


    ¡°Maybe everyone will be surprised.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve to make it like that.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong was also hoping.


    ***


    How do Awakeners grow?


    There were many, but the very first of them was increasing rank through level-up which the majority would pick as their first choice.


    As long as you became an Awakener, your level went up just by using your skills consistently.


    However, the speed was too slow.


    Based on Choi Yu Seong¡¯s standard, he did not even rise to level 1 on the day he used Duplicate Eye all day. And he had used his skills constantly over the past month while training, but he had risen only 8 levels.


    This was only possible because of the effect of Star Quality skill was added, but if it was a general standard, level 5 to 6 would have been the limit.


    It was still difficult to level up even though he was still low in rank and level.


    After all, the fastest way to level up was to hunt monsters through dungeon exploration, no matter who said it.


    However, exploring dungeons was not something any Awakener could do.


    Because there were many non-combatants Awakener, the country also set a standard point with the aim of not killing their lives recklessly.


    To enter a dungeon, you must become a licensed Dungeon Hunter.2


    The hunter exam could be officially taken three times a month, with the schedule on the 10th, 20th, and the last day of each month.


    Choi Yu Seong took the test date on November 20 among them.


    Because the past month¡¯s training was for this day from the beginning, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s expression toward the Korean Awakener Association was mixed with excitement and tension.


    The faces of Jin Do Yun and Jin Yu Ri in the driver¡¯s and passenger seats were not much different.


    When Choi Yu Seong first declared that he would become a Hunter, Jin Do Yun wanted to dissuade him more than anyone else.


    There were many benefits in being a Hunter, but there was also a clear risk that you would have to carry on your own.


    Death.


    Dungeon Hunters must always be prepared for death as they fight monsters.


    From the standpoint of wanting the Young Master he served to be safe, there was no choice but to be worried.


    But he couldn¡¯t refute Choi Yu Seong¡¯s statement ¨C that it was better than getting hit here and there helplessly before eventually dying by the pestering of his family members.


    As Choi Min Seok did, the members of Choi¡¯s family did not feel much at odds with taking lives even though they were siblings.


    Jin Yu Ri did not even oppose it as if she had guessed it from the beginning.


    From the perspective of Choi Yu Seong, with Choi¡¯s family and Kim Do Jin in mind, he had no choice but to work harder and finally confirm the results today.


    Perhaps because of the mixed emotions, the unusually quiet vehicle crossed the Gangbyeon Expressway in Seoul, reached Yeouido, and entered the entrance of the Korean Awakener Association building in no time.


    When Choi Yu Seong arrived, the entrance to the association building was already quite crowded.


    Because it was dangerous, Hunters received the most attention and respect among all Awakeners.


    It was inevitable that the public¡¯s attention was pouring in as it was the day to take the exam to become a Hunter.


    There was no reason not to be crowded, including wannabes who prepared for today like Choi Yu Seong, scouts from each guild who came to recruit those who stood out in advance, in addition to reporters who were crazy about issues.


    ¡°Did we call reporters, too?¡±


    Jin Yu Ri nodded at Choi Yu Seong¡¯s question.


    ¡°For now, I¡¯ve mobilized a little network I know.¡±


    For some reason, Choi Yu Seong was very hungry for attention these days.


    Although Jin Yu Ri did not know why, she followed his intentions and gathered reporters without any questions.


    ¡°Is that them? It¡¯s not a little. There are a lot more than I thought, right?¡±


    At the main entrance of the association leading to the examination center.


    Choi Yu Seong asked with his eyes wide open to a group of reporters who suddenly stood out over the window of the car.


    ¡°No, the people I called said they were waiting at the parking lot entrance.¡±


    ¡°So who are they taking pictures of?¡±


    The answer to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s question was answered by a familiar face that appeared smiling among the reporters.


    ¡°Choi Min Seok¡­?


    The faces of Choi Yu Seong and Jin siblings were distorted at the same time when an unexpected figure appeared.


    ***


    In the quite chilly weather, the face of reporter Park Jin Hwan of the Minguk Daily, who gathered a group of reporters to shoot Choi Yu Seong at Jin Yu Ri¡¯s call, was irritated.


    ¡°Why is Choi Min Seok here all of a sudden?¡±


    The question of a fellow reporter standing next to him was the same as Park Jin Hwan¡¯s question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know too.¡±


    If he knew, he wouldn¡¯t have made this situation.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t think there could be a bigger issue than Choi Yu Seong¡­¡¯


    Today¡¯s big issue was Choi Yu Seong.


    He definitely thought so, so he responded to Jin Yu Ri¡¯s call, but more reporters appeared than they did and Choi Min Seok appeared.


    ¡®I wish it was just eye-catching¡­¡¯


    However, it was hard to keep like he didn¡¯t care. So he knew from listening around, that it was not at the level of ordinary public attention.


    ¡°It said the appearance of a new Irregular?¡±


    ¡°Lee Jin Wook?¡±


    It was news to him and there was a name he hadn¡¯t heard of.


    The gazes of the reporters, who gathered together at the call of Park Jin Hwan, were both flustered and shaken at the same time.


    Irregulars would achieve tremendous growth if they survive.


    There were a total of 12 people designated as Irregular in the whole of South Korea.


    Eight of them were Hunters who ventured into dungeons.


    Of course, no one had a light name.


    In other words, the emergence of a new Irregular was as much, no, perhaps even a more spectacular story than the ninth son of the Hyesung Group, Choi Yu Seong, taking the Hunter exam.


    ¡°Reporter Park. I don¡¯t think Choi Yu Seong will be the biggest issue today?¡±


    ¡°So what, are we supposed to turn the camera around?


    Park Jin Hwan let out a nervous voice at the words of his close colleague reporter and glanced at a man in his mid-20s who was coming up next to Choi Min Seok.


    ¡®That guy is Lee Jin Wook? He¡¯s young.¡¯


    Irregular, add to that he¡¯s young.


    The fellow reporter, who had first asked the question about the teeth grinding situation, once again spoke.


    ¡°No. I mean, why don¡¯t we shoot both?¡±


    Of course, he would shoot both.


    However, the focus of the article was a separate matter.


    There were already some reporters around who sneaked out of their seats.


    Park Jin Hwan thought they were stupid.


    ¡°It¡¯s late over there anyway.¡±


    Before there were any defectors, there were many reporters who took pictures with their cameras and put them into their media mail and held their phones.


    He would just be a latecomer if he took pictures now after wasting time arguing.


    For that reason, it was better to take pictures of Choi Yu Seong, who was like an issue even if he stays still.


    Of course, the number of views would not be better than shooting a new Irregular that appeared with Choi Min Seok, a member of Choi¡¯s family like Choi Yu Seong, but what should they do?


    ¡®It¡¯s already spilled milk.¡¯


    As Park Jin Hwan sighed inwardly and turned his eyes, the door of the elevator that came up from the underground parking lot opened.


    ¡°It¡¯s Choi Yu Seong!¡±


    Someone shouted.


    ¡°Are you really here to take the Hunter exam?¡±


    It was intentional yelling and questioning.


    Choi Yu Seong, who appeared while absorbing the pouring sunlight as if it was his own light, showed a smile.


    Park Jin Hwan, who looked at him, instinctively put his hand on the shutter quickly and thought.


    ¡®Bastard, he looks like he came from a painting. He¡¯s even better than most actors.¡¯


    A fellow reporter standing next to Park Jin Hwan opened his mouth and expressed admiration.


    ¡°Wow, reporter Park. If I just pick the best picture, won¡¯t the view count be amazing? I think the picture is 10 times better than over there.¡±


    ¡°Reporter Kim. You don¡¯t have eyes. What do you mean by 10 times¡­¡±


    Park Jin Hwan shook his head from side to side with a smirk.


    ¡°It¡¯s 1000 times better.¡±


    ¡°Agreed. Kekek.¡±


    As always, being handsome was useful in many ways.

 Volume 1 - CH 13

    Choi Yu Seong exited the elevator and walked leisurely.


    It wasn¡¯t just to look composed.


    There were a lot of reporters in the area.


    Which means there were a lot of talks. If he walked slowly and kept his ears open a little bit, he could know about the situation without actually having to face Choi Min Seok.


    ¡®Irregular, Lee Jin Wook.¡¯


    He turned his gaze briefly and looked at a young man next to Choi Min Seok.


    Unlike Choi Yu Seong, he was a man who opened up everything about himself from the beginning.


    His appearance was mediocre. Yet, strangely, it felt like he resembled the ugly Choi Min Seok objectively.


    Why was that?


    As soon as Choi Yu Seong, who felt suspicious, turned his eyes from Lee Jin Wook and made eye contact with Choi Min Seok for a moment.


    ¡®Ah, the obnoxious1 eyes are similar.¡¯


    The gaze that¡¯s naturally looking down at people.


    Somehow, he felt arrogance from Lee Jin Wook.


    ¡°There he is. My little brother Choi Yu Seong is here too!¡±


    Choi Min Seok, who did not miss the moment, waved his hand and raised his voice.


    ¡°He¡¯s doing something really childish.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri, whose judgment seemed a little twisted, talked to herself and pouted.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s already like this, we can¡¯t ignore him. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The meeting of Choi brothers, and the Irregular in between them.


    The eyes of reporters, filled with the desire to take pictures they wanted, were sparkling.


    ¡®I think I roughly know what¡¯s under your sleeve¡­¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong walked toward Choi Min Seok and Lee Jin Wook.


    Reporters spread widely to the left and right naturally as if they were the parted sea.


    In the center, Choi Min Seok waited for Choi Yu Seong and spread his arms wide.


    If there was only a red carpet on the floor, it would be believed to be some movie award ceremony.


    ¡®Is this also a directed show?¡¯


    If Choi Min Seok wanted, it could be.


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong, my little brother.¡±


    As Choi Yu Seong approached the center, Choi Min Seok, who seemed to have waited for him, spoke loudly and held Choi Yu Seong in his arms.


    ¡°What¡¯s this bullshit?¡±


    On the other hand, Choi Yu Seong whispered in Choi Min Seok¡¯s ear with a very small voice.


    Choi Min Seok, who couldn¡¯t control his expression for a moment, hardened his face, but soon smiled and patted Choi Yu Seong on the back.


    ¡°Work hard and do well.¡±


    Choi Min Seok, who left an ambiguous remark, separated from Choi Yu Seong.


    Afterwards, he smiled brightly and continued to talk to the reporters.


    ¡°Today is a very joyful day. It¡¯s the day when my dear friend and beloved little brother take the Hunter qualification exam together.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s said Lee Jin Wook-ssi is an Irregular, so we are really looking forward to the result!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve only known Jin Wook-i for about 15 days. But I think this friend will definitely give us a great record that everyone expects.¡±2


    ¡°Do you have anything to say about your younger brother?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I. Yu Seong-i is also from our Choi family. There were many brothers and sisters in the family who took the Hunter Exam, and no one was eliminated.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you believe that Choi Yu Seong-ssi will pass too, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Choi Min Seok did not respond and showed the brightest smile he could make.


    From the standpoint of strangers, it was a positive attitude no matter who saw it.


    Choi Yu Seong thought it was very absurd when he saw the conversation between the reporters and Choi Min Seok.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t it obviously a written script?¡¯


    It was not surprising how he knew when Choi Yu Seong would take the exam .


    All kinds of illegal activities that Choi Min Seok could commit were widespread.


    Since then, the questioning session of reporters had continued.


    Interestingly, no one asked Choi Yu Seong any questions.


    The focus was solely on Choi Min Seok and Lee Jin Wook.


    From time to time, someone asked a question towards Choi Yu Seong, but they quickly got buried among other questions that followed like waves.


    In the meantime, not only Choi Min Seok but also Lee Jin Wook did not even look sideways at Choi Yu Seong.


    Choi Yu Seong seemed to have a rightful role, standing next to them like a folding screen.3


    Of course, it didn¡¯t suit Choi Yu Seong¡¯s personality to just suffer.


    For the sake of Star Quality skill, today¡¯s main character should be Choi Yu Seong himself.


    The easiest way to do this was to reveal that he was an Irregular too.


    The Irregular awakening of the Choi family¡¯s good-for-nothing.


    This was bound to turn attention.


    ¡®But I¡¯m going to use this until the very end.¡¯


    Choi Min Seok was just a small hill to climb over.


    There were too many eyes to pay attention to, from the other Choi brothers and sisters, Kim Do Jin and even Choi Wu Jae.


    Above all, although it was somewhat late, he remembered who Lee Jin Wook was.


    ¡°Lee Jin Wook-ssi for this qualification exam¡­¡±


    ¡°But it must be heartbreaking if the victims¡¯ families know about the news of Lee Jin Wook-ssi.¡±


    At the time when questions continued toward Lee Jin Wook, Choi Yu Seong spoke with some power in his voice.


    He didn¡¯t know if it even went into the ears of the reporters, but it must have been heard by Lee Jin Wook, who was not far away.


    Lee Jin Wook, who was smiling calmly, swung toward Choi Yu Seong.


    The small eyes opened wide and the brown pupil reflected an unconcealed tremor.


    ¡®What a simple man.¡¯


    Surely Lee Jin Wook was still inexperienced.


    It was easier to deal with him than Choi Min Seok.


    Naturally, all the reporters who were looking at Lee Jin Wook  turned their gaze to Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong-ssi, we could not hear you clearly. Could you please say that again?!¡±


    Park Jin Hwan, who kept asking questions but was buried, shouted with veins stuck out on his neck as if he had been waiting for the right time.


    ¡°I felt touched today. I didn¡¯t know Min Seok hyungnim would have prepared a place like this for me. Seriously, I¡¯d like to thank him from the bottom of my heart.¡±


    Choi Min Seok¡¯s gaze seemed to question Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®When did I say I prepared this place for you?¡¯


    The main character of today¡¯s exam stage was Lee Jin Wook.


    It was before Choi Min Seok, who was flustered inside, even lifted his lips.


    ¡°You asked me what I said earlier, right?¡±


    ¡°Albeit I think I heard the words ¡®the victims¡¯ families¡¯.¡±


    A reporter with good ears, who was listening carefully, asked a question in the meantime.


    Several people who received money from Choi Min Seok quickly asked other questions with bewildered expressions. But most hyena-like reporters, who were already hungry for scoops, were only looking at Choi Yu Seong¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Although I¡¯m saying this carefully because it¡¯s said he¡¯s a close friend of hyungnim¡­¡¯


    ¡°Wait, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a question to deal with here.¡±


    Lee Jin Wook hurriedly cut Choi Yu Seong¡¯s words and came in.


    ¡®He¡¯s really an amateur. To think that can prick his conscience.¡¯4


    The stare of the hungry hyenas turned more fierce.


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®the victims¡¯ families¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Lee Jin Wook-ssi, the public has the right to know the truth.¡±5


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong-ssi, how did you know that?!¡±


    ¡°Answer it, please! Choi Yu Seong-ssi.¡±


    Questions poured out like downpours and sweat began to flow down Lee Jin Wook¡¯s forehead and back like rainfall.


    Choi Yu Seong would find issues without saying anything and naturally dig into Lee Jin Wook¡¯s weaknesses.


    ¡°Since I should also consider hyungnim¡¯s position, I think I need some time to think about the answer.¡±


    Instead of answering questions from the reporters, Choi Yu Seong looked at Choi Min Seok with a very worried look.


    Choi Min Seok, who was smiling awkwardly, nodded his head slightly.


    ¡°I hope there is no problem.¡±


    The grinning Choi Yu Seong turned his head again toward reporters who were clamoring for questions.


    ¡°Ah, also about today¡¯s exam, I am actually not confident.¡±


    An irrelevant answer.6


    However, reporters opened their eyes wide to the equally interesting question, pressed the shutter and pushed the recorder closer.


    ¡°I¡¯m not confident in failing. Top-notch results are to be expected.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong quoted some words of a very famous Go player from the world he originally lived in.


    The reporters could not help but gasp at the overflowing confidence like an explosion.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    ¡°What did I hear just now?¡±


    With admiration coming from behind him, Choi Yu Seong passed by Choi Min Seok with steady steps.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you have to choose your people well. Hyungnim.¡±


    The whisper made Choi Min Seok shake.


    Jin Yu Ri, who was beside Choi Yu Seong, passed by and burst into small laughter as if she heard.


    Camera shutters snapped crazily behind Choi Yu Seong as he entered the main gate of the association building where the exam was being held.


    The handsomely tall feeling of the figure neatly dressed in a black suit, made someone admire it without realizing.


    In the meantime, anger rose in Choi Min Seok¡¯s heart, whose face turned red without knowledge.


    The timid greenhorn little brother was very confident in himself now.7


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong seems a little arrogant, but somehow it¡¯s a little cool.¡±


    ¡°Is it true that he has changed, then?¡±


    ¡°He speaks pretty well, too.¡±


    ¡°I think the words he said are still somehow rude but it feels different.¡±


    ¡°By the way, what¡¯s going on with Lee Jin Wook? Any news yet?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think Choi Yu Seong and Lee Jin Wook were related¡­¡±


    Even reporters continue to talk about Choi Yu Seong¡¯s name, expressing their favor.


    ¡°Choi Min Seok-ssi, don¡¯t you know anything about it?¡±


    ¡°Lee Jin Wook-ssi, please answer!¡±


    ¡°What does it mean by ¡®the victims¡¯ family¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Do you have any criminal background?!¡±


    ¡°It is not good to fool the public.¡±


    On the other hand, the reporters bared their fangs toward Choi Min Seok and Lee Jin Wook.


    ¡®Choi Yu Seong. Choi Yu Seong!¡¯


    Choi Min Seok, who gritted his teeth and tried to manage his expression, turned his back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Lee Jin Wook.¡±


    Choi Min Seok and Lee Jin Wook, who forcibly swallowed harsh swear words that could lead to backbiting, followed Choi Yu Seong into the building.


    ***


    Park Jin Hwan, who had drawn a chuan character(´¨) on his forehead and crumpled his nose until earlier, had a small crescent shape at the end of his lips.


    ¡°Reporter Park. Isn¡¯t Choi Yu Seong the real deal?¡±


    A fellow reporter caught up with Park Jin Hwan, who finished talking to his media company, and said with an excited face.


    ¡°What, it¡¯s just enough.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see that the atmosphere shifted to Choi Yu Seong at once?¡±


    ¡°I can see it well.¡±


    ¡°He killed the camera, too8. Did you see the taken pictures? To be honest, there¡¯s nothing to throw away from when he walked between the splitting reporters like Moses¡¯ miracle to when he turned his back and entered the exam room. Isn¡¯t he better than most actors? When everyone sees the photos, they¡¯ll be in awe. Why don¡¯t you be more excited too, Reporter Park?¡±


    He was right. It was a good situation in many ways.


    Choi Min Seok fell out of the spotlight, which was only directed at both Choi Min Seok and Lee Jin Wook.


    Choi Yu Seong filled the position instead.


    Lee Jin Wook occupied the place together, but it was not a good one.


    ¡®I think he committed some kind of crime¡­¡¯


    The media was also saying that they were looking into it quickly, but the information was not easily available.


    This means that someone had covered up the information before coming here in the first place.


    ¡®It¡¯s Choi Min Seok¡¯s.¡¯


    It¡¯s obvious.


    Perhaps it would take about a few days to reveal the truth.


    In the end, Choi Yu Seong had only crossed over one small hill.


    ¡®It¡¯s meaningless if he doesn¡¯t get good results on the exam after all this ruckus.¡¯


    It was clear to Park Jin Hwan that Choi Min Seok had prepared today to piss off Choi Yu Seong, looking at the circumstances so far.


    Then, was there anything else that Choi Min Seok prepared other than Lee Jin Wook?


    What if Choi Yu Seong was unlucky and failed here?


    ¡®He¡¯ll end up being called the pretentious good-for-nothing.¡¯


    The gaze on Choi Yu Seong was changing.


    As if each one of his words exerted some influence, they were shaking people.


    In the end, Choi Yu Seong had to take responsibility for his actions as much as he swept away attention and raised the stage.


    ¡®The heck. Why would I worry about Choi Yu Seong?¡¯


    Park Jin Hwan soon erased his thoughts and shook his head.


    After all, he and Choi Yu Seong were men.


    Whether he was cursed, knocked down, and no matter if something broke, it was nothing for him to worry about.


    ¡®Because I¡¯m a reporter.¡¯


    It¡¯s enough if he picked up issues about Choi Yu Seong that could hit the views.


    Park Jin Hwan, who concluded his thoughts, packed up his equipment and moved to enter the exam site.


    ¡®You have to move diligently to get a good seat.¡¯


    Unlike the entrance, only a small number of reporters can enter the inside of the exam site.


    Park Jin Hwan was lucky enough to be allowed to enter.


    ¡°Go in and text me if there¡¯s a good issue!¡±


    It was after Park Jin Hwan, who lightly waved at the words of his fellow reporter, entered the building.


    Vroo-m!


    With a rather harsh exhaust sound, an obviously expensive sports car entered the Korean Awakener Association and headed for the underground parking lot.


    Journalists who naturally turned their gaze to check the vehicle, attracted by the sound, opened their eyes wide and stopped trying to withdraw.


    A fellow reporter, who asked Park Jin Hwan for internal work, also picked up his cell phone and quickly sent a message.


    It could not be helped.


    ¡®Hey. Kim Do Jin¡¯s here!¡¯


    The currently most anticipated Awakener in South Korea had visited the exam site.

 Volume 1 - CH 14

    Unlike the entrance where reporters gathered, the inside of the association building was quiet.


    The further they went, the quieter it became, and no small chatter from the association¡¯s staff was heard from some point on.


    As they passed through the first security door, Jin Yu Ri asked a question.


    ¡°How exactly did you know about Lee Jin Wook. I thought we met for the first time today.¡±


    ¡°Will you believe me if I say it¡¯s just a feeling?¡±


    ¡°If Yu Seong oppa wants to, I should do that.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri said with a slightly absurd look.


    ¡°I have my ways. Just think about it like that.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who showed a smile, shrugged his shoulders.


    Jin Yu Ri did not ask any more questions.


    Choi Yu Seong wanted it, so she decided to believe it as she said.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to deceive her, but how can I say I knew after reading the novel.¡¯


    Although they were now alive, breathing, speaking, and showing emotions vividly in front of his eyes, the characters of this world were originally fictional beings in a novel for Choi Yu Seong.


    Would they believe him just because he told the truth?


    If they believed it, how would they deal with the shock?


    He didn¡¯t even want to imagine it.


    ¡®The important thing is that this world before me is real.¡¯


    He shouldn¡¯t act like he was trapped in a novel¡¯s fictional world and destroy himself by treating the surroundings like a mess.


    Now, this world was real for him.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong recalled the contents of the novel as if he was using future information.


    It was often said that the number of Irregulars was extremely rare even in the original novel, The Master Who Return To Modern Times.


    If limited to a small country like South Korea, the number would be further reduced.


    As such, Lee Jin Wook was also likely to be an active figure in the original novel.


    Nevertheless, there was one reason why it took Choi Yu Seong a long time to think of him.


    ¡®Villain, Storm.¡¯1


    A notorious person more commonly called with the villain name over the real name.


    So he couldn¡¯t immediately think of the identity after just hearing the name.


    ¡®While working as the head of the villain organization which supports drugs, gang violence, and illegal prostitution, he ended up being arrested then killed by the Vigilance Warrior Force.¡¯2


    Vigilance Warrior Force were police dedicated to Villain subjugation.


    Of course, they were composed of the same Awakeners, and their members were kept confidential.


    Since it was an organization dealing with villains, it had no choice but to be more sensitive to the safety of those around them.


    Anyway, Lee Jin Wook was quite related to Choi Min Seok if you thought about it a little bit.


    Wasn¡¯t the majority of his illegal business related to what Choi Min Seok was doing now?


    In other words, the relationship between the two would have continued.


    However, the case concluded without any link connecting the two in the original novel.


    But the time of Lee Jin Wook¡¯s appearance was quite faster. And the fact that he was known to be a villain wearing a mask without revealing his face to the public was different from today, where he made a splendid appearance that attracted reporters.


    ¡®The future has changed.¡¯


    Butterfly effect.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s change caused an unexpected quarrel with Choi Min Seok, and Lee Jin Wook appeared in an unexpected way at this point.


    After thinking about Storm like that, his head was spinning in an instant.


    As Storm was a character who was selected as a villain from the beginning, there was a description that he committed countless evil deeds even in his school days.


    That means it was not strange to commit any crime.


    ¡®The novel¡¯s setting is so sloppy that it doesn¡¯t give details of what happened, but¡­¡¯


    Looking at Lee Jin Wook¡¯s reaction today, it was clear that he caused a minor incident.


    So, to be honest, it wasn¡¯t that Choi Yu Seong did not want to answer the questions asked by reporters, but he couldn¡¯t.


    ¡®I need to know first to tell.¡¯


    However, even with some conscience, he threw the prey at the hyenas.


    Perhaps even now, he was still struggling with his head covered, worrying about how Choi Yu Seong knew his past.


    Maybe he was being cursed by Choi Min Seok.


    ¡®Anyway, Lee Jin Wook is definitely a powerful Awakener that made the S-rank Awakener leader of the Vigilance Warrior Force come forward himself to catch him in the future.¡¯


    Even though the character was awful, Irregulars were like that.


    In many ways, the stage prepared by Choi Min Seok was profitable.


    He made issues and put off the spirit of the person who might have been a rival in today¡¯s exam results.


    Choi Yu Seong was planning to take the exam nicely and spectacularly for his Star Quality and his own greed.


    In front of the second security door.


    An association staff blocked the three people who came together and spoke in a businesslike tone.


    ¡°From here, only the exam participant is allowed to enter.¡±


    He looked confident, as if there were no exceptions whether he was Choi Yu Seong or a Choi.


    There was also pride in working as an employee of the Awakener Association.


    ¡®That¡¯s because the Awakener Association in this country is quite powerful.¡¯


    In addition to external organizations, the Awakener Association also had several private secret organizations such as the Vigilance Warrior Force.


    The nation knew but tolerated it, and the people also trusted the Awakener Association.


    Even though the inside was somewhat full of rotten people, it was such an Awakener Association that guilds and villains could not face recklessly.


    ¡°Alright, sir.¡±


    ¡°Good luck on your exam.¡±


    Said Jin Yu Ri who took a step back and waved her hand when Choi Yu Seong nodded.


    ¡°You will get good grades, sir.¡±


    Jin Do Yun¡¯s cheering was also on his back.


    Choi Yu Seong smiled at them and passed the second security door.


    ***


    Beyond the second security door, the written exam site was noisier than the outside, where the association¡¯s staff had firm impressions.


    ¡°Hey, did you see the article?¡±


    ¡°He said he¡¯s not confident he¡¯ll fail, that Choi Yu Seong.¡±


    ¡°In the first place, top grades are basic.¡±


    ¡°So crazy.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m going to fall either. Kekek.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go out and say that? That you have confidence, too.¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy? Eat some shit.¡±


    The security door opened amid the noisy conversation, and Choi Yu Seong, with dark black hair, attractive tall height, and neat suits, entered.3


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong is here.¡±


    ¡°Hey, so handsome.¡±4


    ¡°Wow, he is such a masterpiece.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong didn¡¯t know that the gaze of about 30 exam participants would  pour and fall on him in an instant.


    ¡®Well, this is awkward.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong wore a wry smile, found an empty seat and attached his butt there.


    Even then, it¡¯s unknown when those gaze on Choi Yu Seong would be gone.


    ¡°Look at his smile. He looks so pure. Is it because his skin is completely like porcelain?¡±


    ¡°He looks better than Tymos oppas. I think I¡¯ll just be Choi Yu Seong¡¯s fan.¡±


    ¡°Just suck on the idol who does something right like your favorite Tymos or Thanos. Choi Yu Seong looks like an angel, but his personality is a devil. Let¡¯s not forget it, guys.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s said he changed these days.¡±


    ¡°How will people just change?¡±


    In particular, the voices of the female exam participants were small but clearly penetrated Choi Yu Seong¡¯s ears.


    ¡®This is definitely embarrassing.¡¯


    In fact, it was this appearance that was the most definitely touching thing since he became Choi Yu Seong.


    Everyone who passed by threw their gaze at him and sometimes even yelled, so it¡¯s impossible to act as he didn¡¯t care.


    Fortunately, the gazes were quickly cut off by the appearance of Lee Jin Wook, who soon followed.


    ¡°It¡¯s Lee Jin Wook.¡±


    ¡°The Irregular.¡±


    ¡°What kind of criminal is he?¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s his ability?¡±


    Lee Jin Wook, who had a red-face at the topic of a criminal, sharply directed his gaze at Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°What, whatchu gonna do?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong answered Lee Jin Wook with a snort.


    Lee Jin Wook looked gloomy at the words, but he didn¡¯t go off as silly as he did outside.


    ¡®I guess he does have the ability to learn. Or in the end, he is worried that I¡¯m a Choi.¡¯


    Lee Jin Wook, who stole attention whether he¡¯s this or that, sat the farthest away from Choi Yu Seong.


    Once again, the security door opened, and a man dressed in a black suit with dark black sunglasses and a briefcase entered.


    His gaze was no different from others and briefly scanned Choi Yu Seong then Lee Jin Wook.


    ¡®So he is today¡¯s examiner. Who is it?¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s question was naturally answered by the man standing in front of the blackboard.


    ¡°Park Cheol Ho. I¡¯m in charge of the exam today.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    There were about three S-rank Awakeners externally in the Awakener Association.


    It was a very high number considering that the most famous guild in South Korea generally only had as much as two S-rank awakeners.


    Park Cheol Ho was one of the three S-rank Awakener and was more famous for his nickname, Iron Wall.5


    ¡®Iron Wall huh¡­, it must be hard to do cheap tricks.¡¯


    It was fortunate for Choi Yu Seong.


    Even if Choi Min Seok played another prank on the exam, it would be very difficult to avoid the gaze of Iron Wall, who was known to be strict and stubborn.


    ¡®Let¡¯s just do with what I¡¯ve studied.¡¯


    While Choi Yu Seong was clearing his mind, Park Cheol Ho took out a bunch of papers from his briefcase, calmly said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start the exam.¡±


    ***


    In general, there are three kinds of Hunter exams.


    The first one was the written exam.


    As Hunters enter the dungeon themselves, they need various alternative experiences, know-hows, and information in addition to simple combat power.


    The written exam was a place to find out if you had knowledge beyond the basics.


    The passing criteria were 70 points, which was quite stupid unless you came without studying at all, this part was easily skipped.


    After finishing the exam in 15 minutes, Choi Yu Seong got over from his seat and stood up.


    ¡°Are you done already?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    When asked by Park Chul Ho, Choi Yu Seong nodded calmly and handed an exam paper with the answers marked.


    Park Chul Ho, who received the exam paper, handed it to the scoring officer sitting right next to him.


    In a short time less than a minute, the scoring officer who confirmed it looked at Choi Yu Seong and gave him a light smile with a somewhat surprised look.


    ¡°Pass, it¡¯s a perfect score.¡±


    At the words, participants who were still taking the exam looked up at Choi Yu Seong.


    The passing score of the written exam was 70 points, so surely he would pass somehow, but a perfect score was another different story.


    In particular, the last five subjective questions were often absurdly difficult to solve, and there were many times when it was at the level that could only be solved by dungeon scholars.


    Wasn¡¯t there a rumor that the real perfect score for the hunter exam was 90?


    ¡°Cool. I hope that boastfulness is not a bluff, but a skill. Approved.¡±


    Park Chul Ho nodded his head in praise of Choi Yu Seong, and Choi Yu Seong looked down lightly, opened the door next to the blackboard and moved on to the next exam site.


    ¡®I¡¯m lucky. I didn¡¯t expect a perfect score.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who came to the second exam site pretending to be calm, sighed.


    He was also quite nervous as the subjective questions were known to be difficult, but fortunately, several problems related to near-future information he read in the original novel were solved smoothly.


    Nevertheless, the perfect score was also attributed to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s own ability.


    For a month of training, he tried to quickly learn the theory besides practical training. In the first place, for Choi Yu Seong, who grew up in South Korea on another earth, it was one of the easiest subjects to memorize.


    ¡°Welcome. This is the exam site for measuring the ability coefficient.¡±


    A female employee of the Association, wearing a clean white shirt and formal pants, spoke to Choi Yu Seong first, as if she thought he was nervous as he moved a little slowly after sighing.


    Compared to the written exam site, only one employee was sitting at a desk and holding a pen in a small space.


    Instead, next to her was a punching machine that was usually seen in the arcade and a tank half filled with purple water that he had never seen before.


    Surprisingly, both were devices that measured the power of Awakener¡¯s current abilities.


    ¡®First is written, second is the measurement, and third is practical.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who recalled the order of the Hunter exam, naturally warmed up by taking off his suit.


    ¡°You must be relaxed now. You wrote ¡®all-rounder type¡¯ in the application, so are you going to do the physical hit? Or are you going to manifest your ability?¡±


    The physical hit was the score of the punching machine, and ability manifestation was scored by the way the mana solution of the tank was inflating and moving.


    Of course, as it was an exam that granted Hunter qualifications, it was useless no matter how good the figures were if it was an ability that was useless for combat or combat assistance.


    ¡°I will do both.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re an all-rounder type, so you can do that.¡±


    However, no one had good grades for an all-rounder type who said so.


    ¡°In general, we recommend all-rounder type Awakeners to immerse themselves in either side.¡±


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to?¡±


    First of all, Choi Yu Seong, who lightly turned his arm in front of the punch machine, asked.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯re only recommending, not forcing.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll do both. ¡°


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The association staff nodded lightly.


    It was only a formality written in the manual, so she was no longer obliged to dissuade him from overdoing it.


    ¡°When you¡¯re ready, you can start.¡±


    Exactly one minute has passed since then.


    The eyes of the association staff, who were watching the figures floating on the punch machine and the form of the transformation of the mana water tank, grew bigger and bigger.


    ¡°Is this enough?¡±


    In response to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s question, who breathed out a rather short breath, the association employee who swallowed once shook her head.


    ¡°I am sorry, but it could be a machine error¡­ Can I ask you for a remeasurement?¡±


    ¡°Okay. Well. It¡¯s not something hard.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who smirked, stood in front of the punch machine again and the same, or rather a slightly higher result which came out the second time was written next to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s name.


    ¡®It¡¯s hard to believe even with my own eyes¡­¡¯


    It was difficult to write the numbers because the tip of the pen cannot stay still due to her shaking hands.


    She was famous for being composed and calm throughout the association, but she can¡¯t control her emotions this time.


    If she did not hold her wrist with her opposite hand and exhaled a sigh, she would have accidentally recorded a typo in the important Awakener measurement.


    ¡°Well, can I move on?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who had been watching the scene, asked.


    What else did she need to say?


    ¡°You pass, passed the exam.¡±


    She stammered slightly, but fortunately, her voice did not shake much.


    ***


    The candidates¡¯ written exams were all over.


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work. I¡¯ll see you on the next exam.¡±


    Park Chul Ho, who came into the measurement room with the last participant, patted the man¡¯s shoulder who was eliminated due to lack of measurement results.


    Afterwards, Park Chul Ho tilted his head while holding the record book written by the association staff.


    This was because he felt suspicious of the evaluation scores of the physical type and the flair type next to the name of Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t measure it wrong. I was surprised at first and asked for a remeasurement.¡±


    Park Chul Ho¡¯s mouth was strangely twisted by the tone of the female staff that was somewhat pretending to be calm.


    ¡®Look at this guy.¡¯


    Originally, he was also one of the representative figures who disliked Choi Yu Seong.


    But today, that thought was completely overturned.


    A rough breath came out from the mouth of Park Chul Ho.


    It was one of his habits when he was in a good mood or excited.

 Volume 1 - CH 15

    After completing the measurement test, Lee Jin Wook came over to the private waiting room before the practical test, sat down, clenched his fist, and glared at the name written on the monitor.


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong.¡±


    The voice that called the name was low.


    Lee Jin Wook was a troublemaker.


    It could be said that it was inevitable, considering his family situation.


    His father was a third-rate gangster, his mother was a prostitute.


    In such a situation, it was a great job to go through from ordinary elementary and middle schools to high school by himself.


    However, Lee Jin Wook caused many accidents in the process.


    It started to worsen in elementary school.


    He hit friends who he didn¡¯t like at school, and when he got into a quarrel, he just bit back and fought. When he needed money, he chose a rather easy guy and took it away.


    The level had changed since middle school.


    His mother left the house, and his father became a violent drunkard.


    Lee Jin Wook decided to leave the house by then.


    Of course, he needed money.


    It¡¯s a lot of money, incomparable to before.


    It was money that could no longer be solved by picking on a child¡¯s nose.


    He called a friend whom he had been bullying since elementary school and asked him to steal from his parents¡¯ wallet.


    There were rejections and rebellions, but it was also fun.


    The resistance of his powerless and fearful friend only served as fuel for Lee Jin Wook¡¯s violence.


    When he couldn¡¯t communicate with his fist, he threatened the victim with his family, parents, and younger sister as the excuse.


    The pleasure of seeing a friend of the same age, covered with tears and a runny nose, gathering his hands together and pleading!


    Lee Jin Wook felt as if he became the king of a small world.


    He got quite a lot of money.


    At that time, he learned what it meant to have money in a capitalist society. He had solved several requests of his friends who had a lot of money at school but wanted to live quietly.


    Around the third year of middle school, one of the friends he beat ended up dying.


    Lee Jin Wook, who thought of himself as a king, was frightened and visited the rich friend who had asked him to beat the dead friend.


    The friend called someone as if he couldn¡¯t be bothered, and the incident, which seemed terrifying, passed quietly.


    From that day on, Lee Jin Wook became a servant, not a king.


    Lee Jin Wook who had ran away from his father and started living alone.


    When he became high school student, a friend who had played the role of his wallet since elementary school had committed suicide.


    His suicide note was filled with sorrow, anger, and things he had suffered from Lee Jin Wook.


    The suicide note catalyzed the outpour of different testimonies. Other students, who had been victims to Lee Jin Wook, allegedly talked about his evil deeds.


    He was scared, but wouldn¡¯t it be better than when he killed someone himself? He thought so, but this time the king did not help him.


    The king looked as if he was annoyed and told him to solve his problems on his own.


    He went to a juvenile detention center, which was a place he didn¡¯t even go when he caused someone¡¯s death, and he was already an adult when he was released.


    It was a snowy day.


    What should he do now?


    School days were over.


    Agonizing about it, he fell into the backstreet life and made a name for himself.


    And one day a few years later, he became an Awakener.


    When he was moved by a miracle he didn¡¯t believe in the past, his king came to him.


    ¡®Hey, there¡¯s something you need to do.¡¯


    A king?


    He thought he was no longer a servant as an Awakener.


    He rushed.


    It¡¯s time to change his position.


    However, he understood his position from the overwhelming power of another Awakener, who came out from the side of the King, and he knelt in front of him with his head buried on the stone floor.


    ¡®Your head is a bit big. The dog doesn¡¯t even recognize his owner.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t even have a grand position like a servant.


    He was just a hunting dog that follows its owner¡¯s every whim.


    After several days of terrible mental torture, he fully understood his situation.


    And he knew what he had to do.


    He had to destroy the king¡¯s younger brother.


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong.¡±


    He must be either killed or crippled within this exam.


    As the practical exam of the Hunter exam itself was the last test before the actual hunting in the first place, the degree of serious injuries was so intense that it was considered ridiculous.


    If broken or fractured limbs happened, the examiners did not intervene much.


    This was because they think it¡¯s better than going out in the actual battle and losing their life.


    Of course, if someone intentionally caused excessive injuries or took another¡¯s life, the story would be different.


    The examiners who were watching won¡¯t stay still.


    Therefore, he should inflict fatal injuries as if he was trying to defeat Choi Yu Seong, between the examiners¡¯ ambiguous line of intervention.


    The automatic door of the waiting room opened when Lee Jin Wook hardened his resolve and ran a simulation in his head.


    ¡°Hey, Jin Wook-i.¡±


    His owner, Choi Min Seok, who appeared with swaggering steps, called his name as if he was a neighborhood puppy.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°You will meet Choi Yu Seong unconditionally as planned. You know, right?


    If the owner said so, then so be it.


    He personally showed him that there was nothing that money couldn¡¯t do in this world.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to fail the hunter exam. You didn¡¯t forget what you had to do, right?


    ¡°I will do a good job.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to lose to that brat Choi Yu Seong, but¡­¡±


    Choi Min Seok smacked his lips lightly and took something shiny out of his arms.


    ¡°That¡­?


    ¡°Use this in case you think you¡¯re going to fail.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Are you worried about something?¡±


    ¡°Will it be all right?¡±


    Lee Jin Wook talked in a small voice as if he was talking to himself then shook his head.


    ¡°Nothing, sir.¡±


    Choi Min Seok was not the king of a small world like Lee Jin Wook in the past.


    At least as far as Lee Jin Wook knew, he was a real king with enough power even in the vast world of society.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about useless things and focus on your work. What¡¯s your purpose?


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong¡¯s death or irrecoverable injury.¡±


    ¡°This time, don¡¯t be as stupid as before and do well. Jin Wook-i.¡±


    Choi Min Seok, who patted him on the shoulder lightly, turned outside the automatic door.


    ¡®What a moron.¡¯


    Lee Jin Wook¡¯s thoughts were as obvious as seeing the fire.


    He believed that Choi Min Seok would help somehow even if the situation grew bigger.


    Choi Min Seok brainwashed him to think that way.


    Therefore, he didn¡¯t even know how stupid he was thinking.


    ¡®Whether he¡¯s an Irregular or whatever, to believe that he can be safe after touching a Choi. Tsk, tsk.¡¯


    Lee Jin Wook was still a child who didn¡¯t know what the world was like.


    If Choi Yu Seong was ruined, chances are,Choi Wu Jae would step in.


    At that time, Choi Min Seok had to act like he never imagined that Lee Jin Wook would do that.


    A piece of back alley organization and a wandering Awakener?


    It wasn¡¯t even a work to bury it.


    It might be a bit of a fuss in many ways, but if he acted with tears and snots, even Choi Wu Jae would end the situation with only an appropriate punishment as if it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    After crippling Choi Yu Seong, the next would be Jin Yu Ri.


    ¡®How dare you grab my weakness and threaten me? I¡¯ll make you never think about raising your head again.¡¯


    After finishing the same family member, Choi Yu Seong, he thought it would not be too difficult to bury Jin Yu Ri by asking the sixth, Choi Byung Chan.


    Of course, Jin Yu Ri seemed to have held many of his weaknesses, so it wasn¡¯t without risk.


    Choi Min Seok would definitely catch the fire himself.1


    ¡®But it¡¯s a hundred times better than to keep being humiliated by someone like Choi Yu Seong in the future!¡¯


    What he believed was that Choi Min Seok, who could still do his part, would be much more useful to Choi Wu Jae than Choi Yu Seong, who had already been ruined by then.


    Choi Yu Seong, who failed to protect himself even though he was posed with a small threat, could bury everything due to his own mistake and Choi Min Seok would not suffer the same disgrace as before.


    Of course, if the case of using Lee Jin Wook to kill Choi Yu Seong was revealed, it would be more difficult than expected, but he thought that would never happen.


    As mentioned before, killing Lee Jin Wook who entered Awakener Prison?


    ¡®It¡¯s easier than lying down and eating a rice cake. Kekek.¡¯


    Lee Jin Wook, who was left alone in the waiting room without knowing what Choi Min Seok was thinking as he walked out, stared at the monitor again.


    ¡®Choi Yu Seong.¡¯


    It was a name imprinted on the mind.


    ***


    Among the starting 30 applicants, 22 had come for the last practical exam.


    ¡®That¡¯s even. There won¡¯t be any trouble with the number of heads.¡¯


    Sitting in a private waiting room given to candidates who passed the written and measured exam, Choi Yu Seong nodded after looking at the names and numbers of successful candidates through a monitor hanging from the ceiling.


    The practical exam also called the highlight2 of the Hunter exam, consisted of a battle between the examinees.


    In the case of odd numbers, one of the active Hunters would serve as an examiner, and whether or not someone passed was not simply divided into winner and loser.


    ¡®It¡¯s literally to see if you¡¯re capable enough to get into the dungeon and survive.¡¯


    Even if you lose, a license would be issued if they think you were sufficiently qualified to act as a Hunter.


    Then, why was this practical exam called the highlight of the Hunter exam?


    As known previously, there were no other external figures at the written exam site and the measurement exam site except for the examinees and examiners.


    Until the exam was over, others couldn¡¯t even know the results.


    However, the practical exam had a very different story.


    The practical exam would be held in a 1v1 match at a large circular stadium made of glass that was surrounded by mana barriers above the high walls, so everything could be seen from both ways.


    Beyond the glass walls were Association officials, guild scouts, as well as a handful of selected reporters and renowned hunters who occasionally come due to curiosity or for some other personal reason.


    Examinees would fight in their presence as if they had become monkeys inside the zoo, but this was not actually a bad thing for each other.


    ¡®For the examinees¡¯ side, there¡¯s no reason to refuse if they can grow up by receiving scout offers from not only Association but also renowned guilds.¡¯


    If someone is recognized by figures such as the top ranker Sword Star who came unexpectedly, like Kim Do Jin¡¯s case, their fame would soar to the sky.


    Anyone in South Korea knew that the offers for Kim Do Jin, who was still working alone without belonging to any guild, were far beyond the level of a super rookie.


    ¡®¡®China, for example, is willing to give Kim Do Jin a house or anything if he immigrated.¡¯


    Any examinees who were aware of this phenomenon wanted to be seen here and receive a lot of attention to raise their ransom.


    In the first place, the reason why they risked their lives to become a Hunter was because of money and fame.


    As a result, it was beneficial for the guilds to witness and scout talented people first, as well as for the Association that received some profits while giving the right to observe various organizations and individuals, and finally for reporters who were searching for issues.


    Since no one hated and wanted to be here, that was the reason why the practical exam was called the highlight of the Hunter exam.


    The reason why the association gave individual waiting rooms to examinees for the practical exam in the first place was that if there was any guild who had paid attention to someone even before the sparring, there was already a prepared place to approach first.


    After or before the sparring. Everyone knew that it was rather advantageous to mark as soon as possible if they were sure.


    Unfortunately, however, no one came to see Choi Yu Seong.


    Is it because they think he¡¯s not good enough?


    Of course not.


    ¡®There¡¯s the desire for sure. If they can somehow get me into their guild, they can carry the capital of Hyesung Group on their backs.¡¯


    Hyesung Group was one of the groups that did not add a Hunter guild to their affiliates even though they had a large number of quite powerful Awakeners.


    In this situation, it was very meaningful to hold Choi Yu Seong, the ninth of the Choi family.


    Even if his ability as a Hunter was infinitely insufficient, Choi Yu Seong would be a coveted talent for the guild, especially if they¡¯re short of money.


    However, they also know that the sweeter and the prettier the flower was, the more dangerous it was.


    ¡®Because it hurts so much if you get stabbed with a thorn while trying to pick it up.¡¯


    In particular, if Choi Wu Jae moves directly, it would not be just a thorn.


    A huge monster might swallow the guild whole, so they couldn¡¯t reach out even if they¡¯re scared.


    Therefore, no one would come to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s waiting room.


    ¡®Because I told Jin Do Yun and Jin Yu Ri to tell them not to come here too.¡¯


    This was because he thought there was no need to come when they wouldn¡¯t meet each other again after the practical exam was over.


    Thinking so, while he was maintaining some tension and comfort, the door of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s waiting room opened.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The expression of Choi Yu Seong, who turned his head and confirmed the person beyond the door, changed into a mysterious look.


    ¡°Kim Do Jin?¡±


    ¡°Why, am I not welcome?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡­ There¡¯s no reason for you to be here.¡±


    At the end of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s words, creases were formed between the two eyes of the heartless Kim Do Jin.


    ¡°I came here to see if I could help, but it was a waste of time.¡±


    The moment Kim Do Jin turned his back without hesitation, Choi Yu Seong called him.


    ¡°Ah, maybe can you show me another skill?¡±


    ¡°¡­So you think I¡¯m a clown, huh.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Kim Do Jin, who did not know Choi Yu Seong¡¯s ability, might think so. But of course, he wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°Or do you have the ability to copy skills?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I was right.¡±


    ¡°No, I really don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I think you do, though.¡±


    ¡°I said I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Righ-, no, that¡¯s enough. I just need to believe what I want to believe.¡±


    Kim Do Jin concluded with a deep sigh as if he thought the current situation was somewhat embarrassing while continuously responding to each other.


    ¡®A sharp bastard.¡¯


    It was only from Choi Yu Seong¡¯s perspective that his heart was in an eerie situation.


    He deduced up to there with just a few words.


    ¡®It¡¯s scary since I shouldn¡¯t be seen getting goosebumps. Protagonist bastard.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who thought Kim Do Jin was too much without using predictive ability even though he was the main character, pouted his lips.


    ¡°We are supposed to see each other after this exam. Seriously, why are you here?¡±


    Since the last meeting, Choi Yu Seong had not completely ignored Kim Do Jin whenever he reached out.


    This was because he made promises and he felt that he could not cut off this relationship with him just by looking away.


    Kim Do Jin was a tough returnee who survived and returned even after falling into another world and did not easily miss his prey.


    From the beginning, it was natural that widening the distance would not work.


    Kim Do Jin, who had a rather curt expression, painstakingly closed his lips but then spoke out.

 Volume 1 - CH 16

    ¡°¡­Someone manipulated the list of matches.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably your older brother¡¯s doing.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mind turned quickly.


    It was just a fragment of information, but he knew what it meant.


    ¡®He dares to match me with Lee Jin Wook.¡¯


    A dangerous foreboding came up coldly behind his back.


    In fact, it wasn¡¯t unpredictable at all.


    ¡®Yeah, it¡¯s not Choi Min Seok if he did not prepare this show to kill me at once.¡¯


    He had a grudge against the previous incident, so he just wanted to humiliate him in the Hunter exam.


    Even if Choi Yu Seong thought about it, this was a very naive idea.


    Choi Min Seok¡¯s personality was not cute enough to end it just like that.


    ¡®Because he tried to kill me in the first place.¡¯


    There was no reason he wouldn¡¯t do it again this time.


    He would have ordered to crippled him at least.


    It was not something that could not happen at all due to the nature of the fierce sparring exam.


    No matter how tightly someone defended themself, Hunter exam would have a death or disability case once every 2 to 3 years.


    Just in time, the lights on the monitor hanging from the ceiling changed and the match list began to be revealed.


    ¡°The eighth turn.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, Lee Jin Wook.


    Choi Yu Seong, who confirmed his turn, strangely twisted his mouth.


    In the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity.


    The sparring with Lee Jin Wook would be dangerous, so it would attract attention in many ways.


    Not only would the proficiency of Star Quality skill increase, but perhaps he would receive the same attention from the Gods as before.


    ¡®High risk, high return. Low risk, low return.¡¯1


    That was how the majority of the world works.


    The question was whether he was confident in getting through this.


    ¡®I have to believe in myself.¡¯


    The time, sweat, and effort he spent. There was no way to avoid it anyway.


    The moment when Choi Yu Seong¡¯s lips were about to form a subtle smile unconsciously.


    ¡°What are you gonna do?¡±


    Kim Do Jin asked.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It would be easier if you told Iron Wall about this.¡±


    Kim Do Jin¡¯s eyes sharply glanced at Choi Yu Seong.


    It was like a snake¡¯s gaze looking at its prey.


    ¡®Ah. I know for sure now.¡¯


    Unsurprisingly, Kim Do Jin did not simply come to help Choi Yu Seong with the information he had found.


    He had already felt some changes from Choi Yu Seong and he wanted to confirm it.


    It was something expected.


    Choi Yoo Sung was also a Choi for sure.


    He was a member of the same family as Choi Wu Jae, whom Kim Do Jin was trying to kill.


    ¡®???? ????(jipijigi baekjeonbultae)¡­¡¯2


    If you know your enemy and understand yourself, you will never be in jeopardy even if you fight a hundred times.


    There was no way that Kim Do Jin didn¡¯t know Admiral Yi Sun Sin¡¯s wise saying.3


    He was arrogant because he was full of confidence, but he never fought recklessly.


    If he was like that, he would not have used Choi Yu Seong to approach Choi Wu Jae from the beginning.


    Perhaps Choi Yu Seong was the careless one.


    Kim Do Jin was seen through too easily because he had been surprised once in the previous meeting.


    ¡®What should I do?¡¯


    He should also take care of his own interests by showing appropriate actions and speech at a level that won¡¯t fall under Kim Do Jin¡¯s watch list.


    Kim Do Jin snorted at him who hesitated.


    ¡°You¡¯ve changed a lot. Choi Yu Seong.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing. Did someone else¡¯s soul enter your body?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong almost screamed in front of him.


    ¡®He¡¯s not a protagonist, but a shaman.¡¯


    Even if the title of the original novel was actually ¡®The Returnee Who Can Read Divination¡¯ he would¡¯ve believed it.


    ¡°Stop it with the nonsense. I just don¡¯t want to show myself flustered by that little prank. Do I look so funny to you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Whether they tampered with the draw or not, I¡¯m going as it is. I am Choi Yu Seong. No matter how hard hyungnim tries, isn¡¯t it natural that there are only a limited number of things he can do to me, who is also a Choi?¡±


    Kim Do Jin gazed with the eyes of a scary snake, but Choi Yu Seong glared back as if he would not lose.


    He seemed to be eaten by the rising fear of that gaze immediately, but he did not draw back his gaze.


    ¡°If you¡¯re here to see me for nothing, get lost. You¡¯ve been pissing me off lately.¡±


    And he gave a cold and rough dismissal.4


    Of course, he couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous.


    Jin Do Yun and Jin Yu Ri weren¡¯t here.


    What if Kim Do Jin, who lost interest in him, decided to kill him?


    ¡®I don¡¯t even want to imagine.¡¯


    So, he hoped that Kim Do Jin wouldn¡¯t get angry.


    Sincere feelings flowed out of his eyes without realizing it.


    Kim Do Jin¡¯s expression, which was looking at Choi Yu Seong without saying a word, changed strangely.


    Whether it was smiling, frowning, or something else. It was unreadable.


    Did Choi Yu Seong¡¯s hope come true?


    The snake-like eyes quickly disappeared.


    ¡°Interesting. Not bad.¡±


    Kim Do Jin said so then turned his back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡±


    What he left before leaving was a very encouraging cheer.


    ***


    The eyes of Kim Do Jin, who left Choi Yu Seong¡¯s waiting room and walked alone in the hallway, went cold.


    ¡®He has become quite smart.¡¯


    He was only given a piece of information, but it took less than three minutes to make an inference in his head and reach a conclusion.


    Everything he showed was a pretense, but he also clearly recognized that Choi Min Seok was aiming for his own life.


    Nevertheless, Choi Yu Seong did not back down.


    ¡®That guy used to say he wants to die.¡¯


    On the day Choi Yu Seong got very drunk and promised to be a brother with Kim Do Jin, he shed tears and said that he would rather die.


    He blamed the world, saying that it would be more comfortable.


    He shouted about hating his family who made him like this.


    Was that still the case?


    There was definitely something different.


    ¡®Now he wants to live.¡¯


    He was even passionate and full of energy.


    It was certainly mysterious.


    How could a person change in such a short time?


    It was unbelievable but interestingly it was true.


    ¡®Choi Yu Seong.¡¯


    Originally, Choi Yu Seong was an expendable piece in his plan.


    But was it necessary?


    It didn¡¯t matter if he wanted to live.


    If he still blamed his family, there was nothing bad in keeping the now smarter Choi Yu Seong.


    In fact, the acting was pretty good.


    The way he talked arrogantly without knowing the subject wasn¡¯t much different from the image of Choi Yu Seong that Kim Do Jin knew.


    ¡®In the meantime, the eyes that secretly wanted my attention were exactly the same.¡¯5


    Especially considering the loneliness hidden in his eyes while telling him to get lost.


    Choi Yu Seong was raising his sharp thorns, but there was no way he didn¡¯t know.


    In their first meeting, Choi Yu Seong was not able to push Kim Do Jin, who was digging into his loneliness even though he spat out harsh curses.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be bad to have him as a subordinate.¡±


    If Choi Yu Seong knew, he wouldn¡¯t be that freaked out thinking about Kim Do Jin.


    ***


    Kim Do Jin left the waiting room and Choi Yu Seong took a long breath.


    Kim Do Jin¡¯s psychological warfare, which came between the gap of carelessness, was breathtaking.


    ¡®Let¡¯s not forget, Choi Yu Seong. Kim Do Jin is the most dangerous protagonist in this world.¡¯


    Additionally, he was a poor(?) villain6 who was thrown after he was used by Kim Do Jin.


    It was the worst, considering the relationship between them in the original novel.


    He watched the battles of the earlier rounds through the monitor while regulating his breath for a while.


    Fortunately, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s round was the eighth and it was quite late, so he was relaxed.


    ¡®As expected, it would have been easy to win if it weren¡¯t for Lee Jin Wook.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong was convinced after he confirmed this fact from the battles of the previous five matches.


    His own ability was a cheat.


    It was not that Irregulars would be strong just by surviving.


    The experiences and efforts he had made with Jin Do Yun over the past month were by no means shallow.


    About 3 hours.


    Choi Yu Seong even watched the battle of the seventh match, which was right before his turn, but his mind did not change.


    However, there was one Awakener that stood out.


    ¡®Was it participant number 12?¡¯


    He was a flair type who could convert the earth into metal, but from Choi Yu Seong¡¯s point of view, he could have passed the exam if his practical ability was a little better.


    Of course, he unfortunately failed due to the lack of practical ability.


    And it was finally Choi Yu Seong¡¯s turn.


    ¡®Shall I go out?¡¯


    He had already finished preparing his mind.


    As soon as he got up from his seat, one of the waiting room¡¯s walls moved, unfolding various types of weapons like a scene from a movie.


    Choi Yu Seong took a big step and grabbed the weapon that he had already decided in his heart.


    It¡¯s just a weapon for a mock battle, but it didn¡¯t feel bad in his hands.


    Choi Yu Seong licked his lips unknowingly and left the waiting room through the automatic door.


    ***


    He went through the hallway and arrived at the battle exam site.


    The first impression Choi Yu Seong felt inside the colosseum-shaped building, which was popular in the Middle Ages in the West, was that there were many more eyes than expected.


    ¡®It¡¯s totally different from when I watched it on the monitor.¡¯


    As expected, knowing and experiencing were different.


    Still, it didn¡¯t take long for him to adjust ¨C perhaps it was because he had some preparation and expectations.


    Lee Jin Wook, who entered from the opposite direction, also did not seem to be much different.


    Their eyes quickly glanced at each other.


    The supervisor, ¡®Iron Wall¡¯ Park Cheol Ho, opened his mouth with arms crossed at the edge of the stadium.


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong, Lee Jin Wook. I think both are ready.¡±


    He seemed to speak quietly, but his voice rang throughout the huge colosseum.


    ¡®This is an S-rank Awakener.¡¯


    He also felt it from Choi Wu Jae, but it seemed safe to assume that S-rank was basically not a human.


    ¡°It¡¯s just sparring, but think of it as no different from actual battle and fight for your life. Monsters have no mercy at all. Any questions?


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°None, sir.¡±


    The former was Choi Yu Seong and the latter was Lee Jin Wook.


    Likewise, it was a small voice, but it seemed to be heard clearly in Park Cheol Ho¡¯s ear. As proof of that, Park Cheol Ho wriggled an eyebrow and looked at Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®Why. Can¡¯t I speak informally to you, too?¡¯7


    Whether because he was an S-rank, the examiner, or whatever so it¡¯s usual to speak informally. Honestly, he didn¡¯t feel particularly good toward him from the start


    ¡®This isn¡¯t the army. Everyone is an adult so you shouldn¡¯t be like that.¡¯8


    He was the good-for-nothing Choi Yu Seong anyway.


    There was nothing special just because he was going this much.


    ¡°Hm¡­¡±


    Park Cheol Ho lightly sighed then nodded.


    ¡°Get started.¡±


    Lee Jin Wook was the one who moved first as if he had waited.


    His weapon of choice was a sword.


    Of course, the edge was dull because it was for sparring.


    But it would definitely hurt if it hit.


    And the real dangerous weapon from Lee Jin Wook was not the sword.


    He, who was far away, jumped into the air at some point and quickly came to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s front riding the Wind¡¯s Flow.


    ¡®So fast!¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong unknowingly gasped inwardly then also lifted his weapon, a long spear9, and turned it outward.


    During the past month, Choi Yu Seong had been sparring against Jin Do Yun and the most used weapon was the staff.


    And how to deal with this long spear was no different from the staff technique he practiced.


    ¡®Block.¡¯10


    The natural movements that were familiar to the body flowed like water, blocked and bounced Lee Jin Wook¡¯s falling sword.


    Although Lee Jin Wook, who struck from above, was much more loaded, Choi Yu Seong showed his technique and covered the gap.


    Lee Jin Wook wasn¡¯t flustered by the situation, fell to the floor, and stretched out a hand.


    Then a strong wind, that was enough to push at least a person, poured out from his palm.


    Choi Yu Seong didn¡¯t resist but naturally lifted his body to fly away, rotated in the air, then stretched out his spear.


    The sharp wind formed from a distance was caught at the end of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s spear and caused vibrations.


    It was impossible to get rid of it with simple physical power unless you have a very strong physical type ability.


    Of course, Choi Yu Seong loaded mana at the end of his spear.


    It wasn¡¯t easy to put mana on a weapon, but it could be done instantly like a part of the weapon although for just a moment.


    Eventually, the center of The Wind¡¯s Blade thrown by Lee Jin Wook was cut off and scattered to both sides of Choi Yu Seong, hitting the wall of the sparring field.


    Kwakwang-!


    Along with the explosion, a cloud of dust rose on part of the wall.


    ¡®If my neck was slashed by that, I¡¯ll surely die, right?¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong gulped at the sharpness felt when The Wind¡¯s Blade passed by.


    On the other hand, Lee Jin Wook frowned at the situation that did not come his way.


    From the beginning, he held a sword as a kind of bluff.


    It was a trick to hide that he was a flair type with wind ability.


    However, Choi Yu Seong responded with the spear reinforced with mana, as if he knew Lee Jin Wook would shoot The Wind¡¯s Blade.


    ¡®Villain, Storm.¡¯


    It was actually a little dangerous if he didn¡¯t know.


    Choi Yu Seong, who thought like that inwardly, smiled and provoked Lee Jin Wook.


    ¡°If that¡¯s all you got, I think Choi Min Seok will be disappointed?¡±


    ¡°¡­!!¡±


    Lee Jin Wook, who had a pissed-off expression, rushed again.


    The Wind¡¯s Blade needed a lot of time to prepare.


    Eventually, he rushed recklessly to earn that time.


    Choi Yu Seong smiled at the scene.


    In no time, blue will-o¡¯-wisp burned in his eyes and Insight was activated.


    As he focused Insight on the battle, Lee Jin Wook¡¯s movements unfolded before him like some afterimage.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mental strength was strengthened and tension was relieved to a moderate level.


    At first, he was flustered because Lee Jin Wook was faster than he thought, but there¡¯s no reason to be beaten up the second time.


    Even before it came closer, he used the long reach of the spear to stab from afar.


    ¡®Pierce.¡¯11


    As if it was obvious, Lee Jin Wook avoided him by spreading The Wind¡¯s Rebound behind his back.


    His way of dealing with the sword itself was nothing more than sloppy swings that couldn¡¯t be called swordsmanship, but his other senses were definitely good.


    The number of skills seemed to be quite a lot.


    He wasn¡¯t an Irregular for nothing.


    However, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s Insight was even reading the movement.


    Therefore, he lifted his body sideways and continued his next attack without panic.


    ¡®Seize.¡¯12


    The tip of the spear bent like a snake, turned back at once, and the shaft hit Lee Jin Wook on the shoulder.


    Ddaak-!


    It was the moment when Lee Jin Wook¡¯s body hardened with pain along with the light sound.


    ¡°This is gonna hurt more.¡±


    Since it was someone else¡¯s situation, Choi Yu Seong spoke lightly and showed his skill.


    ¡®Spark.¡¯


    The static electricity from the shaft that came in contact with Lee Jin Wook began to strike his whole body.


    ¡°Aaargh-!¡±


    Screams echoed inside the spacious sparring stadium.

 Volume 1 - CH 17

    There were two main reasons why Park Cheol Ho, the Association¡¯s S-rank Hunter, was nicknamed the Iron Wall.1


    First, his representative ability to convert some or all of his body into steel material or further, Reinforcement¡¯s Effect.


    Second, Park Cheol Ho¡¯s personality was completely cool-headed and cold that he¡¯s called Iron Wall.


    Therefore, Park Cheol Ho was able to see the eighth match, the exam of Choi Yu Seong and Lee Jin Wook which everyone was looking forward to, without much emotion.


    Even though both Choi Yu Seong and Lee Jin Wook showed quite surprising results on the measurement exam, the contents should not be any indicators for looking forward at the sparring exam.


    He¡¯s an examiner and only needs to give the results with a fair judgment that suited his position.


    Geniuses existed in any field of the world.


    Awakeners were no different.


    There was no need to yearn or envy them.


    Originally, this world was created unfairly.


    But there was no need to give them more preferential treatment.


    After all, what matter was how much you can utilize such talent.


    It was quite common for geniuses to fall without even knowing what kind of talent they were.


    It was not long after the sparring began that Park Cheol Ho¡¯s eyes changed under sunglasses, which were calmly watching before.


    ¡®Choi Yu Seong. Physical type measurement score of 0.8 points.¡¯


    The perfect score that an Awakener could get with the measuring machine prepared for the Hunter exam was 1 point.


    Also, it was very rare for an all-rounder Awakener to have a score greater than 0.7 points in the physical measurement results.


    Was it the lucky level of one in a thousand people?


    In addition to that, however, Choi Yu Seong had the same score of 0.8 points for the flair type measurement.


    Of course, it was extremely rare for an all-rounder type to score that high in both.


    It was the first time in South Korea and was even a record within three fingers internationally.


    As a result, even Park Cheol Ho, who looked at geniuses rather bluntly, couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.


    Later, he even concluded that although he was an all-rounder, his flair type ability was enhanced and that he would have physical training himself.


    Even so, the huge score had not changed his opinion.


    However, when he watched the sparring, it was not just physical training.


    ¡®He has learned martial arts.¡¯


    The posture of holding the spear and looking at the opponent. The restrained operation and sophisticated movements.


    It was hard to say all of that came from someone ordinary.


    In particular, he stood out even more in front of Lee Jin Wook, who just recklessly wielded his sword.


    ¡®At least 3 years or more. Maybe about 5 years. Choi Yu Seong. I thought he was just running around like a kid who doesn¡¯t know much about the world¡­¡¯


    Park Cheol Ho¡¯s eyes changed as he thought before that Choi Yu Seong was just a flower growing in a greenhouse from news about his accident whether when sober or drunk came up at least once to twice a month on TV and news articles.


    Choi Yu Seong was definitely a genius in terms of Park Cheol Ho¡¯s standards.


    But, he was not just simply a genius.


    ¡®A genius of effort. And a sleeping dragon who had the wisdom to hide until he awakens.¡¯


    Why didn¡¯t Choi Yu Seong show his skills even though he was practicing martial arts that much?


    All children of the Hyesung Group seem to be well off on the surface, but underneath, they live with very great risk.


    They might be stabbed in the back at any time so he had hidden until the moment of awakening when he could have the power to protect himself.


    ¡®He is surprisingly calm and deep-minded at a young age.¡¯


    Park Cheol Ho, who was said to be colder than anyone else in judging other people, expressed his admiration inwardly.


    It was a thought that might be filled with embarrassment if he found out that Choi Yu Seong¡¯s martial arts were the result of training for only a month, not years.


    Although Choi Yu Seong¡¯s effort was also an effort, it was because he also had tremendous talent in martial arts.


    However, Park Cheol Ho had no idea about such a situation, so he had no choice but to make a judgment with the results before his eyes.


    ¡®Hand-to-hand combat2 will only lead you to the death bed3.¡¯


    Looking at the results so far, Lee Jin Wook was lamentable enough to waste the title of Irregular.


    He did not recognize the difference between his opponent and his skills in close-quarter combat, rushed recklessly, and was unable to utilize the advantages of a flair type at all.


    It was obvious that Lee Jin Wook¡¯s various skills of the wind type ability were effective in close combat, but his opponent was too mean.


    ¡®If he can¡¯t realize that, he is just a powerful idiot.¡¯


    If they give him a license and send him to the dungeon, he would only be killed.


    Park Cheol Ho sighed inwardly as he saw Lee Jin Wook being hit by the spear and scorched by Spark in the end.


    That was what he expected.


    Nevertheless, Park Chul Ho did not stop the sparring.


    There was no need to declare Lee Jin Wook¡¯s elimination either.


    ¡®Lee Jin Wook. Wind type ability user. Flair power score, perfect.¡¯


    A score of 1 for a measurement exam was, in some sense, more difficult to get than a perfect score for a written exam.


    In other words, there was a level gap of different dimensions between the scores of 0.8 and 1.


    As if to prove him, Lee Jin Wook gritted his teeth amid the pain and pushed Choi Yu Seong¡¯s spear roughly with Wind Pressure ability.


    It was a bonus that Choi Yu Seong¡¯s body, which couldn¡¯t stand it, rotated in the air several times.


    ¡°Choi Yu Seo-ong!¡±


    Lee Jin Wook, who seemed angry, raised his voice but did not chase after him hastily.


    Instead, his most powerful weapon, the Wind¡¯s Blade, began to form around him.


    ¡®It¡¯s gonna get a little bit more intense.¡¯


    Park Cheol Ho unfolded his arms, just in case, to intervene at any time and his eyes shone under his sunglasses.


    ***


    The moment when his body was greatly pushed into the air by Lee Jin Wook¡¯s Wind Pressure, was bewildering even for Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®Why is he so strong?¡¯


    He thought Lee Jin Wook was just fast, but even his power was enormous.


    The Wind Pressure was so thick that it felt as if a gigantic giant curled up and then suddenly stretched out.


    ¡®Did he preserve his strength?¡¯


    He also thought that he might¡¯ve looked down on him and adjusted his strength.


    In conclusion, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s thought was only half right.


    ¡®He¡¯s waiting for an opportunity to cut off my throat at once by pretending to be weak¡­¡¯


    Lee Jin Wook tried to deal a fatal injury when a gap occurred after controlling his strength to induce his opponent¡¯s carelessness. But he was flustered by Choi Yu Seong¡¯s better-than-expected skills, completely deprived of his momentum and almost defeated in an instant.


    ¡®Abandon close combat. He¡¯s an all-rounder Awakener, but he¡¯s a guy closer to physical type.¡¯


    Lee Jin Wook, who did not know that Choi Yu Seong¡¯s measurement score was 0.8 on both sides, made a judgment inwardly and began to create Wind¡¯s Blade.


    Choi Yu Seong tried to get into position as fast as possible after feeling the sign while rotating in the air.


    The scariest thing about the flying Wind¡¯s Blade was that it was hard to recognize the shape.


    ¡®There¡¯s a flashing green light, but it¡¯s hard to see if you don¡¯t concentrate.¡¯


    There was a reason that Lee Jin Wook would become a Villain at the level that the leader of Vigilant Warrior Force had to come forward to catch him in the future.


    The Wind¡¯s Blade, which formed faster than Choi Yu Seong¡¯s thought, crossed the air.


    Choi Yu Seong, who had not yet to land on the ground, confirmed it and invoked mana.


    ¡®Although it¡¯s a little bit of a waste to use it already¡­¡¯


    It was better than just getting cut off somewhere or losing a neck.


    ¡®Skill, Wind¡¯s Step.¡¯


    As soon as it was activated, Choi Yu Seong, who was rotating in the air, felt something solid yet soft energy condensing under his feet.


    Choi Yu Seong leaped with it as the support and flew to the side.


    The Wind¡¯s Blade, which narrowly brushed under the soles of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s shoes, crossed the air and struck the wall of the colosseum, causing an explosion once again.


    ¡°How can you do Wind¡¯s Step?!¡±


    It was also at that moment that Lee Jin Wook screamed.


    ¡°What? You¡¯ve never seen anyone with similar skills before?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who escaped the crisis by utilizing the skills copied when Lee Jin Wook first approached, corrected his posture.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re an all-rounder type, so you have a variety of ski-¡°


    Before Lee Jin Wook finished his speech, Choi Yu Seong suddenly leaned his arm back and threw the long spear.


    ¡®Spear throw?!¡¯


    Lee Jin Wook, who was dumbfounded by the unexpected technique, jumped using Wind¡¯s Step.


    Choi Yu Seong quickly narrowed the distance, grabbed the long spear again, and chased Lee Jin Wook.


    Similarly, he was using Wind¡¯s Step.


    It was surprisingly a meticulous strategy.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t he too different from what the king said? I only heard he¡¯s a dull cowardly idiot!¡¯


    He was clever, cunning, and knew to apply tactics.


    Lee Jin Wook opened his eyes wide and put his hands together to shoot Wind Pressure once again.


    Wind¡¯s Blade was good to inflict the fatal injury which Lee Jin Wook wanted, but it required time to prepare.


    Wind Pressure, on the other hand, was able to adjust the preparation time according to the power.


    Kwang-!


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s heart thumped after he rotated the spear and invoked mana to block Wind Pressure.


    The battle continued, but he didn¡¯t think he was tired.


    Rather, his movement became lighter and his mind felt clearer.


    Choi Yu Seong could easily figure out the reason.


    At some point, some of his mana was constantly consumed and another skill seemed to be triggered.


    ¡®It¡¯s here. Stylish!¡¯


    It was the last of the four initial abilities Choi Yu Seong gained at the time of awakening.


    ¡¸Normal Skills, Stylish F


    Can¡¯t be fused.


    Additional effects are applied when they look gorgeous and cool.¡¹


    It was a skill that likely generated for the original Choi Yu Seong, who was an attention whore, along with Star Quality.


    Because of that, Choi Yu Seong chose spear among numerous weapons.


    The spear was gorgeous for the viewer as it had a long reach and a large movement.


    So Stylish was easier to invoke than with other simple weapons just by continuing the battle.


    He had felt this way several times when he used the staff technique to spar with Jin Do Yun.


    When Stylish was activated, the concentration of combat increased and the body movement became light and nimble as if it had forgotten the fatigue.


    Also, sometimes unexpected random effects were triggered.


    As the movement became lighter, it became much easier to chase Lee Jin Wook.


    The mana consumption increased significantly with the launch of Stylish, but he did not worry much.


    ¡®That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been spending crazily for a while.¡¯


    Would Choi Yu Seong have been still when he asked Chae Ye Ryeong to drink a gray-colored mana stone drink that costs 10 million won per cup every day?


    Rather, every day he drank a dark gray-colored mana stone drink with thicker concentration, which costs 30 million won per cup.


    He literally spent money like water.


    As a result, he recorded a huge number in mana capacity score, the second item of the flair type measurement score.


    ¡®Not measurable within the rank.¡¯


    This means that a higher level measuring instrument should be used that could determine for E-rank or higher.


    In fact, the mana solution in the tank was full and overflowing.


    The other scores might have been surprising, but this surprised the association staff more and asked for a remeasurement.


    It was an incident where he felt the importance of money.


    In any case, Choi Yu Seong was able to chase Lee Jin Wook without any lack of mana thanks to that, even though Stylish activated and used various skills.


    The problem was that Lee Jin Wook was also good at running away quickly, proving that he was not a pushover.


    In the meantime, he even created another Wind¡¯s Blade and blew it away.


    ¡®If it keeps like this, the number of copied Wind¡¯s Step is going to run out.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong thought that he had to play the odds.


    There was a caution in case Lee Jin Wook and Choi Min Seok prepared something, but he could overcome it before they used it if he could get a chance.


    By around this time, Lee Jin Wook was also similar to Choi Yu Seong but he was thinking somewhat differently.


    ¡®If he is dragged around in this state, he will run out of mana and lose. I have to play the odds.¡¯


    He used up his mana to avoid the fierce chasing of Choi Yu Seong and a cold sweat began to flow over his forehead to sign if the limit was coming little by little.


    His impatience grew even more frightening because he didn¡¯t know that there was a limit to the number of uses of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s Wind¡¯s Step.


    Lee Jin Wook eventually predicted the worst situation.


    ¡®If I don¡¯t solve the mission¡­¡¯


    It was easy to see how angry Choi Min Seok would rush to him.


    Frightening.


    He could feel a cool chill behind his back as he recalled the mental torture and violence that would pour out of those purple eyes.


    In the end, Lee Jin Wook thought of an item in his arms that he received from Choi Min Seok.


    While thinking about it, he could clearly see Choi Yu Seong¡¯s spearhead had narrowed the distance without missing a gap and was flying around his chest.


    ¡®This is the last chance.¡¯


    Lee Jin Wook¡¯s eyes were filled with spite.

 Volume 1 - CH 18

    Lee Jin Wook, who had been busy widening their distance since realizing there was no chance of winning the close combat, suddenly rushed into Choi Yu Seong¡¯s arms.


    At this moment, Choi Yu Seong had a hunch.


    ¡®Something is coming.¡¯


    And that something could be the threatening kind, which was enough to take Choi Yu Seong¡¯s life.


    The chilly feeling arose and his back was covered with cold sweat.


    In Choi Yu Seong¡¯s nervous eyes, Lee Jin Wook can be seen grinning while taking out a diamond-shaped orange mana bomb from his arms.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mind began to spin faster than the world¡¯s flow when looking at him.


    ¡®My gosh, an orange-grade mana bomb!¡¯


    As its name suggests, the mana bomb was a kind of bomb made by processing mana stone.


    The destructive power and portability were no less than the common military grenades from red-grade or higher, and most of all, what was contained inside was pure magical power. It was difficult to distinguish accurately with an X-ray machine when carried by an Awakener. So, the production itself was a violation of international law due to its dangers.


    In Korea, where security was relatively good, it was hard to get even the lowest grade of gray. But Lee Jin Wook, no, Choi Min Seok decided to get an orange grade from somewhere and use it to kill Choi Yu Seong.


    Lee Jin Wook fearlessly pulled the safety device of such a mana bomb in front of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s nose. He then used a series of Wind¡¯s Steps to fly into the air and shot Wind Pressure so Choi Yu Seong could not follow.


    Choi Yu Seong pushed back his body intentionally with the Wind Pressure and moved using the last remaining Wind¡¯s Step.


    He tried his best, but there was not enough time to completely get out of the area of the explosion.


    However, he was not without any preparation either.


    In an instant, Spark spread like a spider¡¯s web in Choi Yu Seong¡¯s every direction and enveloped his body, sparring spear, and the surrounding area.


    Subsequently, the spear in his front released Spark and began to spin like a pinwheel.


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe he still has enough mana left! I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t waste the time.¡¯


    Lee Jin Wook stuck his tongue out at the feast of Spark bursting from Choi Yu Seong. Suddenly Lee Jin Wook saw Iron Wall Park Cheol Ho, who felt the crisis, running in his field of view.


    It was indeed an amazing move expected from an S-rank.


    While Lee Jin Wook blinked once, Park Cheol Ho reached the back of Choi Yu Seong and stretched out his hand.


    Although it was a quick judgment and he took action as soon as he felt strange signs in the sparring, Lee Jin Wook did not worry much.


    ¡®It¡¯s too late.¡¯


    In an instant, a burst of orange light swirled around as if it were swallowing a part of the sparring field.


    The light was followed by an explosion, rough wind rose, stones and dust fluttered in all directions, messing up wildly everywhere.


    Lee Jin Wook, who was barely out of the explosion area and was looking at the ground while floating in the air, soon opened his mouth to the incredible scene.


    ¡®What nonsense is that¡­?!¡¯


    In the center of the swirling burst that slowly died. The spear, which Choi Yu Seong spun in front of him, was splitting the mana pouring out from the front with Spark wrapped around it.


    The burst of orange light was divided into two then scattered in all directions with Choi Yu Seong in the center as if he were mimicking the Red Sea miracle.


    ¡®That¡¯s just a grade E Awakener?¡¯


    Lee Jin Wook wanted to ask Choi Min Seok, who was staring at Choi Yu Seong with his face distorted like the evil devil1 which sticks close to the window in the upper floor of the sparring field.


    ¡®Didn¡¯t I hear he¡¯s a stupid, wimpy, and incompetent younger brother?¡¯


    Although he already felt it somewhat after the sparring began, it had gone far beyond that.


    It was not just the two, Choi Min Seok and Lee Jin Wook, who was shocked by the situation.


    ***


    The reporter Park Jin Hwan opened his mouth and swore as he watched the incident in the sparring field.


    ¡°Crazy¡­!¡±


    Was it because the Irregular Lee Jin Wook, who might be a criminal, triggered an orange-grade mana bomb?


    Of course, that was also a surprise.


    However, the reason why he even cursed was none other than Choi Yu Seong¡¯s performance.


    ¡®An E-rank Awakener is blocking an orange mana bomb?¡¯


    Of course, it was not something that could never be done if thoroughly calculated.


    ¡®Whether Choi Yu Seong is actually also an Irregular even though he¡¯s an E-rank Awakener, or if his skills itself are ridiculously cheats. It¡¯s not far-fetched if he has been constantly training himself.¡¯


    Even so, it would have been impossible if it was not for Park Cheol Ho, an S-rank Awakener who stood by him immediately with his quick wit.


    This could happen if you add low probability with another slim chance, then miracles and luck to it.


    If so, he had no choice but to ask again.


    ¡®How many times in my life can I capture an incident like this?¡¯


    No, he wondered if he could go through this again.


    The hand pressing the shutter became busy naturally.


    ¡®I must not miss a single scene.¡¯


    He was looking at a miracle now.


    ¡°What the hell is that ability¡­¡±


    In fact, not only Park Jin Hwan but all of the people who were in the prepared stands were buzzing as well.


    Those holding cameras were busy taking videos or pictures.


    The rapid fall of South Korea¡¯s promising Irregular had already become a foregone conclusion.


    If so, they¡¯re not sure what the hell to describe Choi Yu Seong, who made up his mind and prevented such an Irregular.


    While Park Jin Hwan¡¯s head was spinning, thinking the headline he should hang at the homepage of the media¡¯s website, he heard a voice.


    ¡°Reporter Park, Choi Yu Seong is that incompetent good-for-nothing of Hyesung Group, right?¡±


    Reporter Hwang from a rival media company, who was right next to him, asked Park Jin Hwan.


    ¡°Uh.¡±


    ¡°Just in case. But, is the meaning of incompetent and good-for-nothing I know wrong?¡±


    He answered indifferently, but Park Jin Hwan smirked at the words that followed.


    ¡°No way. It¡¯s one of the two. Either Choi Yu Seong was cheating on us, or the Hunter Exam was a real variety show.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re spewing bullshit.¡±


    ¡°Reporter Hwang too, don¡¯t blame me for not being much different. It¡¯s such a strange situation that there¡¯s no choice but to say bullshit.¡±


    At the same time, an idea flashed in his mind.


    ¡®The World Was Deceived by A Good-For-Nothing.¡¯


    Not bad.


    However, he felt something was lacking to draw attention.


    Park Jin Hwan¡¯s gaze suddenly saw a handsome man leaning against a wall.


    ¡®Kim Do Jin.¡¯


    Despite being able to use a rather private space, he entered the general audience seats, same as the reporters, and was twisting his mouth strangely.


    ¡°Pretty good. Choi Yu Seong.¡±


    Kim Do Jin left a short message and then turned his back with a snort.


    Park Jin Hwan was able to smile brightly as he witnessed that attitude as if he had seen everything.


    ¡®The Good-For-Nothing Who Fooled The World, Setting Fire on Super Rookie Kim Do Jin¡¯s Desire To Win!¡¯


    It was a very awesome feeling.


    ***


    When the audience seat was in a state of chaos.


    Facing an orange explosion, Choi Yu Seong trembled throughout his whole body, feeling the mana escaping like an ebb tide.


    ¡®That was a close call.¡¯


    He had already predicted a trap to some extent from the conversation with Kim Do Jin before the battle.


    Of course, he thought which way would be the safest if he fell into the trap.


    First of all, Choi Yu Seong had to maintain his combat condition.


    It won¡¯t mean anything if he didn¡¯t have enough power in an emergency.


    Because of this, he triggered Stylish.


    However, he did not draw all of his power even in the midst of this.


    Choi Yu Seong should not use his mana to the limit as the opponent was hiding something.


    They were watching the situation while hiding their last card from each other.


    Nevertheless. He was obviously flustered when the orange mana bomb, which wasn¡¯t just red but even a step higher than that, exploded.


    But he didn¡¯t forget what to do.


    He spun the spear, poured out all the mana he saved to create a spectacular production, and activated Stylish to the fullest.


    And secondly. He remembered Park Cheol Ho¡¯s position, which he kept checking with side glances, and moved toward him with the received Wind Pressure poured by Lee Jin Wook.


    The moment the mana bomb exploded in front of his eyes, amid dizziness, Choi Yu Seong was convinced by a certain sense of touch against his back and the sensation of mana pouring into his body.


    ¡®I made it.¡¯


    And the flashing golden letters that appeared between the orange explosion in front of him, made him full of joy.


    ¡ºNormal Skills, Stylish F ¡ú E


    Can¡¯t be fused.


    Additional effects are applied when they look gorgeous and cool.


    Many additional effects are currently being applied.


    Mana increase, concentration increase, endurance increase, stamina increase, strength increase, resilience increase, vision increase, sensory increase, poison resistance increase, mental control resistance increase, flame resistance increase, cold air resistance increase, defense increase.When the rank-up action ends Stylish effect, one of the additional effects is permanently applied.¡»


    He felt mana leaking like crazy with the application of Stylish tremendous additional effects, but he didn¡¯t worry about it.


    No matter how much mana Choi Yu Seong had, he would have collapsed after not being able to withstand 3 seconds if he were alone.


    However, behind Choi Yu Seong was Park Cheol Ho, who was supporting mana with his palms that produced a silver light.


    ¡®This is the mana of an S-rank Awakener.¡¯


    As Park Cheol Ho was not a supporting flair type but a capable physical type, it was not easy for him to transfer his mana.


    It was rather stiff, rigid, and clumsy.


    Compared to what he was consuming, the mana delivered to Choi Yu Seong was also minimal.


    Nevertheless, the mana of an S-rank Awakener differed in its density.


    Even a very small amount had the same effect as Choi Yu Seong¡¯s entire mana tank.


    ¡®I can¡¯t wait to rank up.¡¯


    Time passed quickly between the joy of skill rank-up and the thrill of pure mana of an S rank Awakener inside the explosion that lasted about 10 seconds.


    Eventually. The raging explosion, which could not find a place to pour out its power, swept the ground roughly and extinguished by hitting the wall surrounded by mana field.


    During that time, Choi Yu Seong was not completely fine either.


    The rough wind caused by the explosion¡¯s aftermath and the scattered stone fragments tore his shirt almost like a rag and blood flowed like a small solid line between the rips.


    Part of his handsome face was also scratched and blood flowed from his cheeks, soaking his lips red.


    It was just that much.


    A state full of minor trauma without any deep wounds.


    ¡°Phew¡­ Choi Yu Seong, are you okay?¡±


    Asked Park Cheol Ho, who breathed a light sigh while regaining the silver energy he was pouring out.


    ¡°Except for being a little dizzy, I¡¯m very fine. That was nice support.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The expression of Park Cheol Ho, who was nodding his head to the ensuing response, changed strangely.


    ¡®What did I just hear from a grade E Awakener?¡¯


    It¡¯s true that the distance was ambiguous and time was running out, so he suddenly started to give support.


    However, there were no E-rank Awakeners in the world who have praised an S-rank Awakener as if he were his subordinate.


    What was even more absurd was that the whole process of the actions was so natural that Park Cheol Ho instantly understood him.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to put off the story until later. I think I should solve this first.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who perhaps felt Park Cheol Ho¡¯s gaze, shed a rather bleak smile and raised his arm holding the spear toward Lee Jin Wook, who was flustered in the air.


    Zazazazap-!


    Spark with Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mana and the leftover power created by Park Cheol Ho¡¯s support, no, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s flair ability, which was almost like lightning, wrapped both his right arm and spear.


    ¡®Lee Jin Wook is out anyway¡­¡¯


    Although he wanted to say that the match was just a test, Park Cheol Ho couldn¡¯t stop Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®I can¡¯t stop him from venting his anger.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who had a firmly angry look, swung his arm wide and threw out his spear.


    The thunderbolts outstretched from the spear that quickly crossed the air tore the shoulder of Lee Jin Wook, who was barely dodging.


    ¡°Aargh-!¡±


    A scream blew up.


    However, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s goal from the beginning was not Lee Jin Wook.


    The spear, which was wrapped with thunderbolts, flew frighteningly to the forehead of Choi Min Seok who wore an unpleasant expression on the glass wall overlooking the sparring field.


    Baam-!


    A powerful shock that shook the glass wall with a mana field spread along with an explosion sound, and Choi Min Seok, who was right in front of it, jumped back like a frog and shouted as if he was frightened.


    Then, Choi Min Seok, who realized his own ugly behavior, immediately pointed his finger at Choi Yu Seong and said something.


    Of course, Choi Yu Seong could not hear him because it was blocked by the glass wall.


    Instead, he smiled and waved at Choi Min Seok over the glass wall.


    ¡°Sorry, hyung. My mistake.¡±


    Of course, his heart was completely different.


    ¡®A guy worse than a dog. He¡¯s going to come out like this until the end.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t think he was going to put up with it anymore.


    Choi Yu Seong turned his back, thinking about how to handle Choi Min Seok to let out his anger.


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong pass.¡±


    Park Cheol Ho declared the result while lightly suppressing Lee Jin Wook, who fell to the floor ¨Cunable to bear the pain on his shoulder caused by thunderbolts.


    But that wasn¡¯t the end.


    Messages that any Awakener could see were spread above Choi Yu Seong¡¯s head like a feast.


    -Red Fangs Through The Dark Night said he will watch Awakener Choi Yu Seong. 15 karma points are sponsored.


    -Sacred and Divine Empress likes Awakener Choi Yu Seong. 18 karma points are sponsored.


    -The Noble of Magnificent Beard is clapping in his seat, looking at Awakener Choi Yu Seong. 20 karma points are sponsored.


    -The Oldest Hunter raises his thumb at Awakener Choi Yu Seong. 35 karma points are sponsored.


    -[Private] The Father of Magic Songs shines an eye at you. He¡¯d like to grant a skill. Y/N


    ¨C The attention of many gods and humans is attracted at once. ¡®Leading Attention¡¯ is formed in the History of Awakener Choi Yu Seong.


    Not only Park Cheol Ho, who declared Choi Yu Seong¡¯s qualification, but also those who watched the end of the situation rather leisurely were surprised to the attention of Gods that any Awakeners desire, to the point where they stood up from their seats.


    However, it was Choi Yu Seong himself who was more surprised and excited than anyone else at this moment.


    In fact, it was also important to make his debut stage with the attention of the incredibly famous Gods that the majority of people would recognize.


    So, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s Star Quality would increase further.


    However, the most noticeable of the countless Gods¡¯ attention was the private message that was only visible to Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®The Father of Magic Songs¡­¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who read until the end of the first part of the original novel, had a vague idea of his identity, although he was a confusing figure who used numerous titles.


    ¡®The Chief God of Germanic Mythology, Odin!¡¯


    He was saying that he would give a skill to Choi Yu Seong.


    No matter how he did something quite eye-catching, the attention of a Chief God was unexpected because they did not fully reveal their strength and appearance even when Choi Yu Seong read it to the end of the first part.


    It was a situation that they did not dare to take to be exact.


    However, the name that appeared before Choi Yu Seong was definitely Odin¡¯s.


    Even proposing to grant a skill than just karma point sponsorship?


    The power would have been guaranteed as it was a skill given by Odin, a Chief God.


    So it was a very, very desirable reward, but he had to judge it carefully.


    As commonly known in Norse mythology, Odin was hard to be regarded as a Good God.


    In a good way, he was wise. In a bad way, he was crafty.


    Wasn¡¯t one of his nicknames ¡°The Masked One¡±?


    He wanted to think for a longer time, but the following message urged him.


    -[Private] The Father of Magic Songs says this opportunity is rare. Judgment is urged. Y/N


    ¡®Right. This is a chalice¡­ ¡®


    But it could be a poisoned chalice.


    Choi Yu Seong bit his lower lip in excitement, fluster, and agony. Then he concluded Odin¡¯s urging and responded to the message.

 Volume 1 - CH 19

    Choi Min Seok spent a lot of money to be assigned a private room that could be used alone.


    The reason was to prevent others from witnessing the joy he would express unknowingly when Choi Yu Seong died or became crippled.


    Although he didn¡¯t get the desired results, Choi Min Seok thought it was good that he was using a private room.


    ¡®Fucking shit, my face was too easy to sell it out.¡¯


    He was scared without even knowing as he imagined the quite threatening lightning spear thrown by Choi Yu Seong would crumble the mana field, which was hard to penetrate even for grade-A Awakeners.


    If there were other people around, the embarrassment of that moment could not be expressed by anything.


    No. If thought carefully, people who could see it would have seen Choi Min Seok¡¯s unsightly face.


    The only people with good vision would be the invited reporters that couldn¡¯t see through the glass wall of a faraway room.1


    ¡®Yeah, the talkative and tricky reporter guys haven¡¯t seen anything.¡¯


    He was angry, but there¡¯s nothing to gain from being swayed by that emotion.


    Choi Min Seok tried to get out of the association building with quick steps, restraining himself as much as possible.


    ¡®Since that bastard Lee Jin Wook failed, I have to get out before the tail bites back.¡¯


    Anyway, the troublesome follow-up was going to be handled by people under his command.


    Moving fast now was never to avoid Choi Yu Seong.


    He thought so, but Choi Min Seok implicitly felt that one emotion he didn¡¯t really want to admit in a corner of his heart was tickling.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s gaze at him the moment he threw out the spear!


    He was shivering with chills just as it came to his mind in an instant.


    ¡®I¡¯m scared of that guy Choi Yu Seong?¡¯


    That was ridiculous.


    In front of Choi Min Seok, who walked alone while snorting, a figure intervened and blocked the road.


    ¡°What¡¯s it?¡±


    Angry Choi Min Seok raised his voice without realizing it and stared at the other person.


    ¡°Jin Yu Ri?¡±


    Choi Min Seok¡¯s eyes narrowed upon her unexpected appearance in the secret corridor where he was walking alone.


    But the following word was the kind he really couldn¡¯t imagine.


    ¡°Hey.¡± 2


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Do you really wanna die?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Choi Min Seok¡¯s motion had hardened overall.


    It was not simply because he was frightened by the savage force exuded by the A-rank Awakener who appeared before him.


    More than that, there was a fundamental emotion.


    ¡®Did I hear it wrongly?¡¯


    He couldn¡¯t believe it. It would have been right to say that he was speechless and his brain momentarily frozen because it was so absurd for him.


    The emotion that followed was of course anger.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gone crazy. I¡¯ve given a bit of good care to the dog raised in the family and now it¡¯s crawling up to its owner?¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t you answer the question? I asked if you really want to be killed.¡±


    ¡°Impudent! Jin Yu Ri, do you think you¡¯re a Ch¡­ Ack-!¡±


    Choi Min Seok screamed without even being able to determine what happened at the moment.


    Just as the back of his head was suddenly pulled and a knee seemed to be seen in front of his eyes, he felt something breaking in his mouth with a huge shock that shook his brain.


    ¡°Keugh-!¡±


    Choi Min Seok, lying on the floor, shook his body, coughing violently at the sensation of blood filling his mouth.


    ¡°Answer it. Choi Min Seok. Wanna die?¡±


    In front of Choi Min Seok whose entire face was swollen like a toad in a single blow, Jin Yu Ri spoke in a dreary voice.


    Choi Min Seok gritted his teeth while looking at Jin Yu Ri with swollen and red eyes.


    ¡°You, you¡­ Do you think you can be safe like this?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯ll just kill him.¡±


    When Jin Yu Ri stretched out her finger, jet-black energy rose above it and took the form of a sharp sword.


    ¡°Wha, what are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°I guess you haven¡¯t figured out the situation yet. Just die, you scum bastard.¡±


    It was the moment when Jin Yu Ri¡¯s hand-blade was about to pierce Choi Min Seok¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°S, stop-!¡±


    Choi Min Seok, who closed his eyes tightly and blocked his front with both hands, shouted urgently.


    Jin Yu Ri, who stopped stabbing the blade right in front of Choi Min Seok¡¯s palm, tilted her head.


    ¡°So, so, sorry! I said I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    Choi Min Seok, who didn¡¯t want to miss the opportunity, shouted out loud.


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°First of all, Jin Yu Ri. Let¡¯s talk calmly. You know that Yu Seong will get in trouble if you just go out like this, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I want to hear. Forget my question?¡±


    As if he couldn¡¯t understand for a moment, Choi Min Seok rolled his black pupils and soon shouted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die! Of course, I don¡¯t want to die!¡±


    Only then did Jin Yu Ri, who showed a cool smile as if she had heard what she wanted, slowly removed the jet-black sword surrounding her hand.


    ¡°¡­But why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°Wha, what happened to Yu Seong¡­ It¡¯s not my order.¡±


    ¡°Bah, shameless as well.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    Choi Min Seok, whose shoulders shook and dropped his eyes to the ground, carefully hits his lips, as if he was scared of Jin Yu Ri¡¯s eyes staring at him.


    ¡°Seriously. I didn¡¯t even know Lee Jin Wook would do that. I was so surprised that my heart almost dropped.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri looked at Choi Min Seok¡¯s face, which was clearly lying, with a cold gaze.


    Then she nodded lightly.


    ¡°Do, do you believe me?¡±


    If it¡¯s up to her, she wanted to rip off Choi Min Seok¡¯s mouth, which asked back.


    However, Jin Yu Ri knew the limit where Choi Yu Seong would not be in trouble.


    Just until here.


    ¡®You¡¯re being fooled.¡¯3


    This fact was known by both Jin Yu Ri and Choi Min Seok.


    Anyway, there was only one thing that Jin Yu Ri wanted to tell.


    ¡°Last warning. If you threaten Yu Seong oppa like this once again¡­¡±


    Jin Yu Ri gritted her teeth and gently pressed down on Choi Min Seok¡¯s legs with the high heels she usually wore.


    ¡°Keaaargh-!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you even if I have to leave my name, face, voice, and everything behind. Understand?¡±


    ¡°Aaaagh-!¡±


    ¡°If you want to live, do it right. Answer.¡±


    As Choi Min Seok nodded up and down like crazy, Jin Yu Ri loosened the strength of her feet with a sigh, turned her back with a cold breeze, and walked down the hallway in the dark.


    Click-clack, click-clack.


    As the sound of the shoes grew farther and smaller, anger flames burned on a corner of Choi Min Seok¡¯s heart.


    ¡®Jin Yu Ri, this crazy girl. Did you think you¡¯d be safe when you made me like this?¡±


    It was when he raised himself hard from his place after a harsh cough.


    A cell phone message was delivered with a notification sound.


    Choi Min Seok¡¯s expression hardened instinctively when he opened his cell phone to check the message and the saved number.


    From. Jin Yu Ri.


    Ah right, this is a gift. ^_^


    Attachment (1)


    Choi Min Seok¡¯s face turned pale when he looked at the attached file with trembling hands in a somewhat incomprehensible situation.


    ¡®How, how could this bitch?¡¯


    The attachment was a short video.


    The scene showed Choi Min Seok meeting and shaking hands with a full-bearded white man.


    The content itself looked normal, but the problem was the white man in the video.


    He was none other than an American broker who sold an orange mana bomb to Choi Min Seok.


    Was it possible that Jin Yu Ri, who sent the video herself, didn¡¯t know that fact?


    It was obvious what would happen if Jin Yu Ri gave the video to Choi Wu Jae and pushed about the broker.


    This was also a threat.


    Don¡¯t mess with Choi Yu Seong.


    And don¡¯t come forward unnecessarily and stay quiet.


    ¡°Kehe, kehehe¡­¡±


    Choi Min Seok, who raised his head, looked at the dark corridor where Jin Yu Ri disappeared and his body shook with a crazy smile.


    He tried to regain balance, but it was hard to even stand properly with powerless legs.


    He couldn¡¯t believe it even though he thought about it several times.


    ¡®How the hell did I end up like this?¡¯


    It¡¯s distressing and devastating.


    Choi Min Seok, who stumbled through the corridor, felt the most miserable feeling since his birth.


    ***


    The test results were immediately announced the day after Choi Yu Seong passed Hunter¡¯s exam and received the license.


    As expected, he was accepted as a top rank, or to be exact, as a top honor.


    Naturally, the press and mass media were in an uproar.


    ¡ùHyesung Group¡¯s Good-For-Nothing, Choi Yu Seong, Becomes Top Honor Hunter


    ¡ùChoi Yu Seong. Is He An Irregular?


    ¡ùAwakener Association and Prosecution Are Co-Investigating Lee Jin Wook¡¯s Incident


    ¡ùIrregular Lee Jin Wook Is Not The Hope Of The Nation, Just A Criminal


    ¡ùSpecial Feature, S-Rank! Iron Wall Park Cheol Ho Hated Choi Yu Seong Very Much, Now Rooting For Him


    ¡ùThe Good-For-Nothing Who Deceived The World Lit The Super Rookie Kim Do Jin¡¯s Desire To Win!


    ¡ù Hyesung Group¡¯s Stock Price Soared After Choi Yu Seong Passed With Top Honor


    Sitting in his own office at home, Choi Wu Jae¡¯s mouth twisted sharply as he slowly looked over the newspaper articles that his secretary, Kim Pil Du, had saved.


    Whether he was smiling or angry, he soon threw the newspaper away with a strange expression.


    ¡°Such a very big deal, everyone is making a fuss.¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s a big deal, as you say. You look the happiest right now in the past year. Chairman.¡±


    Choi Wu Jae stroked his chin at the words of Kim Pil Du, who stood in front of him.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to feel bad about. It¡¯s about my own son anyway. He proved his worthiness after making such a boastful promise. The company¡¯s stock price has gone up a lot.¡±


    ¡°Chairman have taught me not to be easily swayed4 because the stock price is like a freak who always fluctuates.¡±


    ¡°So now you¡¯re going to lecture me?¡±


    ¡°¡­No way. How dare I.¡±


    Choi Wu Jae, who coughed for nothing at the sight of Kim Pil Du avoiding his gaze, shook his head.


    ¡°I can¡¯t stand your guile anymore. Let¡¯s see. More than 30 years? When I first met you, I thought no one could be seen through so clearly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like the saying of practice makes perfect.¡±5


    ¡°If what you saw and learned was craftiness, it¡¯s not bad either. Anyway, Yu Seong, I¡¯m going to give him a present.¡±


    ¡°Again, sir?¡±


    ¡°I have to give carrots when it¡¯s time. Hasn¡¯t he been whipped quite a bit already? That brat Min Seok was already very struggling alone. Kekeul.¡±


    Choi Wu Jae¡¯s face, which was smiling comfortably like an old man in the corner of the neighborhood, quickly hardened.


    Following him, the air around him twisted as if it were also shaking.


    ¡°Anyway that guy, is it Lee Jin Wook?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since Chief Geum worked.¡±


    ¡°¡­I will pass your words, sir.¡±


    If Kim Pil Du was Choi Wu Jae¡¯s right-hand, the person called Chief Geum was a shadow of the underworld.


    Due to the nature of his duties, he couldn¡¯t be by Choi Wu Jae¡¯s side, but he was never far away.


    Although it was ambiguous to say that he was a competitor, he was a figure to be cautious of from Kim Pil Du¡¯s point of view.


    ¡°Tell to tear him to pieces and throw him as food for the dungeon monsters. Let that guy know who he dared to touch.¡±


    ¡°I will do it, sir.¡±


    Choi Wu Jae said with an expression that his anger would not be relieved even if he did so, and Kim Pil Du nodded lightly.


    A short conversation had determined the life and death of a person.


    ¡°You said he was the bastard brought by Min Seok. So who gave him the mana bomb?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Kim Pil Du already knew the answer but did not answer.


    First, he didn¡¯t think Choi Wu Jae was asking because he didn¡¯t know. Secondly, he thought he was not supposed to intervene.


    Choi Wu Jae, who sank his eyes while looking at Kim Pil Du, said.


    ¡°Tell him to be cautious for a while. It¡¯s a little over the line this time. Ah, also tell Min Seok what happened to his foolish friend as soon as Chief Geum¡¯s work is done.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    There was a short silence.


    It had become clear that Lee Jin Wook¡¯s planned brutal death was not just Choi Wu Jae¡¯s resentment.


    ¡®He¡¯s a scary old man.¡¯


    This was because he got goosebumps at a corner of his heart when he thought about the temper of using a person¡¯s death as an example for his children.


    ¡°No one else has noticed, right?¡±


    ¡°It still seems like that so far.¡±


    ¡°It has to be like that. I want Secretary Kim to take care of any unknown variables.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    By the time Kim Pil Du lowered his head lightly and lifted it again, the chairman of the Hyesung Group with a scary look had disappeared again.


    Instead, there was Choi Wu Jae, who had a warm smile on his lips, like a neighborhood old man.


    The fluctuating air also naturally subsided.


    ¡°Fighting can be the driving force for growth, but it¡¯s better to keep the line between brothers. Oh yes, like that.¡±


    Looking at Choi Wu Jae speaking calmly, Kim Pil Du didn¡¯t know what expression to make at the moment.


    Didn¡¯t Choi Wu Jae, who said so, not only take the blood of his brothers but also other relatives to come to his current position?


    Fortunately, Choi Wu Jae did not seem to have seen Kim Pil Du¡¯s expression change somewhat mysteriously.


    In a moment, his eyes were already on Choi Yu Seong, who was in the newspaper he threw.


    ¡°Gift, a gift¡­ By the way, that guy. Maybe because he resembles me, he has a very outstanding character.¡±


    Choi Wu Jae, whose mouth was curved once again, muttered to himself.

 Volume 1 - CH 20

    Choi Yu Seong returned to his daily routine after taking a well-spent rest for his exhausted body and mind. He woke up early in the morning and recalled the day before that he had something to do after the exam while drinking coffee that Jin Do Yun had brew himself.


    Odin¡¯s suggestion that had to be solved first.


    Choi Yu Seong still had no regret about his answer.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but not yet.¡¯


    There¡¯s only one reason why Gods granted skills that were no different from a part of their abilities.


    ¡®To increase their stake in the activities of their favorite Awakener.¡¯


    Then why was it important to increase their stake?


    This was almost the only part of the original novel, The Master Who Return To Modern Times, that was explained in detail.


    Choi Yu Seong clearly remembered the setting thanks to that.


    In other words, God ultimately wanted only one thing.


    It was to accumulate Karma count that they sponsor so hard.


    So why sponsor away their Karma count when they want them?


    It was incomprehensible at first glance, but this also had a reason.


    ¡®Gods also want to grow.¡¯


    And the resources they need to grow were retribution, that¡¯s Karma.1


    The problem was that it was not easy to build Karma as a God.


    This was because the accumulated Karma count was ridiculously low due to the expression of penalties for the position of God and the influence of the name when a considerable amount of actions or miracles were revealed.


    For example, something like this.


    Thor hunted a dragon with the nickname such as Thunder of Battlefield, Hammer and Victory, God of Lightning, etc.


    It was a huge matter, but the Karma count that Thor could get would be about 1,000.


    But what if Choi Yu Seong, an ordinary human, hunts a dragon?


    With the record of such a legendary event, the Karma count would accumulate about a million, which was nearly a thousand times more than Thor¡¯s. Maybe even more than that.


    And whenever a human being they sponsor recorded outstanding achievements, Gods received a part of the Karma count divided by the sponsorship ratio.


    It was like the relationship between an investor and a joint-stock company.


    However, there was one thing that differed greatly from the general concept of stock investment on earth. It was safe to assume that there was little loss for the stock company(Awakener) in making this deal with the investor(God).


    ¡®Because Karma points are equally earned by Gods and humans in the original novel setting.¡¯


    In other words, this deal does not divide the Karma count accumulated by human achievements but is copied and transferred to Gods.2


    It is a win-win trade relationship.


    Therefore, Gods do not mind sponsoring Karma counts, transferring skills, or fully handing over one of their representative abilities and trying to increase their stake as quickly as possible when they see an Awakener with outstanding potential.


    Then why are Gods in such a hurry to fight for the stake?


    Similarly, compared to stocks, making it is difficult to have as many stakes as you want with simple investments if the upper limit is too high.


    In other words, Awakeners who have grown to a certain extent and have a high stake preoccupied by other Gods, have considerably less room for new Gods to intervene.


    Of course, as is the case in modern society, it could be a part that was not a problem for Gods that have a lot of capital, like karma points or powerful skills by the standards of Awakeners.


    In modern¡¯s stock investment concepts, although sellers can only trade if they release goods, the Gods¡¯ share ratio fight can take away the position with low shareholding as if someone with plenty of time has beaten up the sponsorship.3


    However, no matter how much capital available, its investors desire to secure stakes when it is cheap.


    Therefore, it was natural for Gods to draw attention to Awakener belonging to startups with a lot of growth potential, or small and medium-sized companies with potential that commonly referred to as a super rookie.


    In the end, finding talented Awakeners quickly and not sparing investment is one of the virtues of becoming an outstanding God.


    Choi Yu Seong, who summarized the settings for Gods in The Master Who Return To Modern Times in his head, thought Odin¡¯s proposal was surprising and coveted, but he could not join hands recklessly as there was a risk.


    ¡®There are many Gods in this world who are pure or have a favor for humans compared to Odin.¡¯


    It is inevitable that Karma, which is shared through human achievements, is coveted by Gods.


    Therefore, he had no intention of cursing the greed itself.


    In addition, it is not like the entire accumulated karma taken away, and the sponsors that Gods give to the Awakeners just by distributing a portion of theirs is also not small.


    Above all, humans could not use Karma directly in the first place except for being sponsored unless they became Gods.4


    So, if you think of distributing some of the resources that you can¡¯t even use right away and receiving currency exchange in a useful form, there is nothing bad about each other.


    And that¡¯s why he thought it would be a foolish choice to join hands with beings like Odin who is so complicated that he couldn¡¯t figure out what was the inside.


    What if Odin randomly gave a skill and that was an S-grade skill that Choi Yu Seong couldn¡¯t even use right away?


    Skills of grade S can only be utilized if the Awakener¡¯s ability rank reaches S.


    It would take at least a few years before E-rank¡¯s Choi Yu Seong, who just acquired a hunter¡¯s license, became an S-rank.


    The grade S skill Odin handed over would remain completely sealed like old paper in that case.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be good when it¡¯s available.¡¯


    But in the meantime, will there be another God who can support enough to counter Odin¡¯s stake in grade S skill?


    It was a matter of random luck.


    If you¡¯re lucky, another God of Chief God grade may appear and sponsor, but it may not.


    Perhaps most of the Gods were likely to give up their investment early and withdraw due to the presence of skills given by Odin.


    What if Odin turns off his mind in this situation, telling him to grow on his own since he¡¯s increased his stake in Choi Yu Seong after throwing a skill?


    Choi Yu Seong will become a black sheep5 for a while.


    There is no need to close one possibility of growth that way.


    Fortunately or not, the once rejected Odin did not whine and sent another message to Choi Yu Seong.


    A God other than Odin sent a message instead, which was another interesting situation.


    -[Private] The Prankster Who Likes Jokes likes you. He¡¯d like to assign a skill. Y/N


    At first glance, he used a rather insignificant nickname, but the identity of this God that Choi Yu Seong knew was never a person to be looked down on.


    ¡®Loki Laufeyarson.¡¯


    One of the most famous Gods in Norse mythology along with Odin and Thor. A presence that can be considered as the main culprit of Ragnar?k, sent a message.


    He¡¯s not a Chief God like Odin, but he¡¯s never below him.


    Didn¡¯t Loki¡¯s son, Fenrir, even devour Odin to death in Ragnar?k¡¯s story?


    What¡¯s interesting was that Loki¡¯s message came shortly after he rejected Odin¡¯s offer.


    In other words, it was a rather slow response which was not like Loki in mythology.


    Choi Yu Seong made two hypotheses about this situation.


    One was Loki, who hated Odin, sent a message because he was happy with Choi Yu Seong¡¯s refusal.


    ¡®It¡¯s actually close to impossible.¡¯


    In the original novel, there was an explanation that even the same Gods cannot see private system messages in the first place.


    Of course, it was such a sloppy setup that there might also be gaps.


    Even if the opponent was Loki, there would be nothing more to say.


    The second hypothesis was that Odin might not have sent the first message from the beginning.


    ¡®I fought quite remarkably, but it¡¯s not to the level enough for a Chief God to put interest in.¡¯


    Would the Chief God be called the Chief God for nothing?


    It is literally the god that is the focus of a mythos.


    Those beings that are even harder to even look up to with those existing power and position which rising to an infinitely high place with the karma share that humans accumulate!


    Not only it is not easy to stand out in the eyes of such beings, but it is also even more difficult to be given skills, not just a mere sponsorship.


    Unlike the Lower Gods who confront each other through sponsorship to increase their stake from the bottom up, it is not too late for Chief God to give a proper skill to a guaranteed figure, not just a super rookie.


    Of course, if there is a person they like very much, sometimes the petty trick Choi Yu Seong thought of, that is completely occupied the stake first. But this is very rare.


    Even returnee Kim Do Jin, the main character of the original novel, received an offer of Chief God only after he went up to the B-rank.


    In that sense, Odin¡¯s proposal to Choi Yu Seong was too early.


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t make any difference for Loki¡¯s case.¡¯


    In the first place, Loki is an enterprising and fast-moving God compared to other Gods.


    But how could Odin, who even revealed his nickname, be a fake?


    ¡®That¡¯s also possible if it¡¯s Loki.¡¯


    Perhaps because one of the things Loki likes and loves is disguising, no, transforming, it was quite common for Loki to use other Gods¡¯ nicknames.


    In fact, Loki was the one who put Kim Do Jin in trouble again and again through such nickname transform pranks in the original novel.


    There is no reason not to do the same thing to Choi Yu Seong.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong did not reject Loki¡¯s offer as quickly as he did when it was Odin.


    ¡®If Odin¡¯s proposal I received was also Loki¡¯s, he would have reached out to me again after being rejected once.¡¯


    In other words, it meant that there was nothing urgent for Choi Yu Seong.


    Loki¡¯s proposal can be decided a little more carefully and slowly, considering the various situations mentioned earlier.


    It was a situation where Loki was proving that there was a great interest in him.


    Loki is showing interest in Choi Yu Seong even at this moment in fact.


    -[Private] The Prankster Who Likes Jokes winks at you. 20 karma points are sponsored.


    In many ways, Choi Yu Seong had no choice but to put more weight on his second guess.


    So there is nothing wrong with putting this problem back a little bit.


    Instead, he remembered not being able to catch Choi Min Seok, who he decided to take care of the previous day.


    ¡°Seriously, I should have warned him properly this time¡­¡±


    Choi Yu Seong went to his house but he couldn¡¯t even see his face as if he had realized it and ran away.


    He might have seen Choi Min Seok if he had waited in front of the door until the end, but he did not do so.


    ¡®Let it slide first. Let¡¯s see if he dare to come out.¡¯


    There were two reasons for this decision.


    First of all, is the fact that Choi Minseok is avoiding Choi Yoo Sung by himself.


    There¡¯s no reason to step up, make a fuss and get stressed if he¡¯s taking care of his tail on his own.


    Secondly, it is the most important part, Choi Yu Seong had a lot of room now.


    ¡®Now I¡¯ve got a hunter¡¯s license and I¡¯m starting to see the results of training.¡¯


    Time is on Choi Yu Seong¡¯s side.


    Unlike Choi Min Seok whose natural talent is not bad but rather lazy and arrogant, Choi Yu Seong will continue to grow with gritted teeth from now on.


    In other words, Choi Min Seok will not even be noticeable from Choi Yu Seong¡¯s position soon.


    ¡®I have to look ahead more. ¡®


    To settle down stably and safely in this life, there is no need to pay attention to obstacles around Choi Min Seok¡¯s weight.


    There is no intention to be arrogant about the subject he just took the first step into.


    ¡®Come to think of it, I finally got over 100 Karma points.¡¯


    Until yesterday, Choi Yu Seong had 93 karma points sponsored by the Gods.


    But just now Loki added 20 and it became 113.


    Karma point that can be used for quite a several purposes for Awakeners, but the most frequently used place was decided.


    Choi Yu Seong recalled that purpose and recited the words to himself.


    ¡°Summon, Dimensional Merchant. The condition is Lionbear clan.¡±


    ¨C You have requested to summon Dimensional Merchant for the first time. 100 karma points required for the contract will be spent. Do you want to proceed? Y/N


    The kind Mr. System always asks for Awakener¡¯s opinion.


    ¡°Yes. If you please.¡±6


    The other party is a mechanical system, but it was kind anyway so Choi Yu Seong smiled and used honorifics.


    Among the settings that were roughly overlooked in the original novel, it was written that someone had obtained a hidden piece for the tone used toward the system, but did not tell who it was until the first part was completed.


    So he didn¡¯t know what kind of hidden piece is it.


    But if there¡¯s something, there¡¯s nothing bad about getting it right?


    -Looking for a Dimensional Merchant who wants to contract. Please wait a moment.


    Looking at the system message that still responds mechanically whether it understands his thoughts or not, Choi Yu Seong got up slowly from his seat. He went to the kitchen and rummaged through a box of lollipops he bought from a convenience store last night, took out some flavors then headed back to his room.


    Jin Do Yun and Jin Yu Ri, who encountered him in the middle, said a few words to Choi Yu Seong. But he said ¡®later¡¯ and put off the conversation with the two.


    As soon as he came back to the room and closed the door, the system message flashed as if it had been waiting.


    -Dimensional Merchant who wants to contract has been matched. 100 karma points are deducted. After 10 seconds, the Dimensional Merchant is summoned. 10, 9, 8¡­


    ¡°The timing is good too.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong responded to the system message with a smile. He sat on a teatime table in the room and roughly put the lollipops he had prepared.


    After exactly 10 seconds, along with the flashing light and the scene as if a part of the space was distorted. A cute pink door, which looked like it would be hanged in a toy doll¡¯s room where children played in, was created.


    The handle of the pink door turns with a small sound.


    And from beyond that, a pink bear toddling on its two feet walked out majestically.


    It then began to look up at Choi Yu Seong, who wondered how it wrapped its doll-like short arms as if crossing arms.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. Human. I am Pingpong of the great Lionbear clan. It¡¯s an honor to sign a contract with this body.¡±


    It was a truly charismatic appearance.

 Volume 1 - CH 21

    Dimensional merchant, Lionbear clan.


    The role of them whose name is not sure whether they are bear or lion is literally a merchant.


    Why someone like that is so cute and arrogant like this?


    ¡®I think these guys are peculiar.¡¯


    The cute appearance of the Lionbear clan is also reflected in the original setting.


    Although each individual has a different color of fur, many aspects resemble teddy bears that are common on Earth, so some female Awakeners considered this cute friend like a pet.


    There is only one thing to be careful about.


    They should not be referred to as a single animal of a bear or a lion.


    The Lionbear clan had a very high pride in their own racial identity, so you had to recognize and call them as a third race called ¡®lionbear¡¯ as its name suggests.


    Anyway, it¡¯s the Lionbear clan who was cute, chatty and had a good service spirit if you were careful about just that one thing.


    That¡¯s why Choi Yu Seong chose the Lionbear clan as a dimensional merchant.


    ¡°What are you staring blankly like that after summoning this great body?¡±


    There was never existed a high-nosed setting like Pingpong in front of him.


    ¡®¡­but I can¡¯t get angry.¡¯


    Pingpong¡¯s short limbs, soft-looking pink fur, and two eyes like glossy black spots gathered together. He had no choice but to look at it as cute even if it had a rather cheeky personality.


    ¡°Uhm, first of all, nice to meet you. Pingpong-a.¡±


    Ping Pong shook its head with its small forefoot open toward Choi Yu Seong, who opened his mouth with a warm smile unknowingly.


    ¡°Call me Pingpong-nim.¡±


    No, but informal speech doesn¡¯t matter?


    Choi Yu Seong opened his mouth carefully and asked a question just in case.


    ¡°Alright, Pingpong-nim.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, human. Name?¡±


    That¡¯s it. Informal speech doesn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°It¡¯s Choi Yu Seong. Pingpong-nim.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong roughly grasped Pingpong¡¯s personality and said with a smile.


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong, that¡¯s a great name!¡±


    Ping Pong, who exclaimed admiration, let out a snort.


    Its butt, which resembles a teddy bear¡¯s, had a round tail shaped like cotton candy, which somehow puffed up to the fullest.


    ¡®Oh right. Come to think of it, the Lionbear clan had a setting that the better they felt, the more their tail puff.¡¯


    It was surprising that just sharing the names made it felt so good that its tail puffed, but it was a good situation for Choi Yu Seong in many ways.


    Once the contract was signed, it meant that the relationship with the merchant on a better level was a green light from the start without much dissatisfaction.


    ¡°Right. First contract gift.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong peeled and handed over one of the lollipops he had placed on the table as he had prepared previously.


    ¡°Is this¡­?¡±


    ¡°I heard Lionbear clan liked it, so I prepared it. Since it¡¯s our first meeting, there¡¯s no harm in having good impressions of each other.¡±


    Pingpong, who had a bewildered look without any answer as if he could not hear Choi Yu Seong¡¯s words or was attracted by the sweet smell of the lollipop, soon loosened its arms and held out its arms as if to hug the stick.


    Subsequently, the only white-furred nose and lips flinched and a pink tongue popped out, licking a strawberry-flavored lollipop.


    It was shortly after that the black round pupils sparkled more than the stars in the night sky.


    ¡°It, it¡¯s delicious-!¡±


    A great exclamation burst out enough to fill Choi Yu Seong¡¯s room.


    ¡°It¡¯s incredibly delicious-! It¡¯s just as rumored. A thoroughly prepared human being, this body is so impressed by you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to drool. Eat carefully.¡±


    Whether Choi Yu Seong says something or not, Pingpong licked the lollipop for a while and soon shed a faint look at the white stick left alone.


    ¡°Wonderful. It¡¯s a man-made treasure of the Earth.¡±


    It felt strange that the Lionbear clan, which sells countless items, treasures, and even divine items in all dimensions hidden in the vast universe, even gave the title of treasure to lollipops.


    ¡®Is there no lollipop in the other dimension?¡¯


    This may also be a setting error or another reason.


    Choi Yu Seong shrugged then lifted five more lollipops he had prepared in advance.


    ¡°Ooh-!¡±


    ¡°One is service, but it¡¯s not free from now. You know, right?¡±


    Karma points used for the contract alone are 100.


    Currently, Choi Yu Seong had to have about 20 more points right away to buy the item he wanted to buy.


    ¡°You¡¯re a man of great business sense. I heard that lollipops aren¡¯t of much value in this world. So, 1 point for each.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong makes a gesture of putting the lollipops back on the table as if it were too bad.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make it 2 points. More than this is impossible.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong smiled and handed over the lollipops. At the same time system, a message came in front of his eyes.


    ¨C Pingpong of Lionbear clan¡¯s Golden Mane gives you 30 points.


    ¡°I put together the price of lollipops and points to celebrate the first contract.¡±


    This is why Lionbear clan is said to have a good service spirit.


    Choi Yu Seong, who spent 100 points on the summoning, smiled as he secured the necessary points at once when Pingpong refunded 30 points to him, saying it was a contract commemoration.


    ¡®I got 10 points more than I thought.¡¯


    The original explained that the refund point to commemorate the contract was about 1/10.


    Excluding the price of candy, Pingpong gave Choi Yu Seong 20 points, which is twice as much.


    It didn¡¯t say anything, but it was a token of its gratitude for the lollipops he had prepared.


    ¡®By the way, Pingpong of Golden Mane?¡¯


    While Choi Yu Seong was wondering about the almost bear-like Lionbear clan without any mane that could be seen, Pingpong was dissatisfied with the deal and once again opened its mouth.


    ¡°Peel and give it. Choi Yu Seong. You lack service spirit.¡±


    ¡°Oops, sorry.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who just handed over the items without thinking, peeled all five wraps, and Pingpong ate all the candies in less than 10 minutes.


    Then it looked at the empty table with a regretful look.


    ¡®It eating so well.¡¯


    Thinking about bringing more from the kitchen for a while, Choi Yu Seong soon shook his head.


    It was so cute that he almost fell for it, but he has to be careful.


    ¡®Precious items(?) shouldn¡¯t appear too often.¡¯


    Although it is a known fact, it is good for future transactions to put some restrictions on the lollipops that Choi Yu Seong supplies.


    ¡°Such a pity. It would be nice if we could take this treasure back to our dimension. Somehow it breaks down while crossing over the dimensional wall.¡±


    This was something he couldn¡¯t read in the original novel.


    However, there was a content that the Lionbear clan was crazy about the Earth¡¯s lollipops and ate them in place, but now he thought he knew the reason.


    ¡®But why are only lollipops broken?¡¯


    It seemed that it could be a special service limited to Earth.


    Choi Yu Seong, who roughly let over the original¡¯s many holes, called Pingpong instead.


    ¡°Pingpong-nim.¡±


    ¡°Did you call me, Choi Yu Seong.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you release the dimensional bundle first? I have a few things I want to buy right now.¡±


    ¡°Oh right, I almost forgot my job because I was so distracted by the treasure. Let¡¯s see. As you know, the dimensional bundle you can use now is Level 1. To level up¡­¡±


    ¡°First of all, the purchase price should be over 1,000 karma points.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a human who has studied a lot. Huh, you should do this at least if you¡¯re a contractor of this body.¡±


    It was just reading a novel interestingly.


    In front of Choi Yu Seong, who swallowed his words, Pingpong pushed its hand into its stomach.


    ¡®Is it a kangaroo?¡¯


    It was called the Lionbear clan but it even has a belly pouch.


    Pingpong, who has a truly mysterious setting, unfolded a pink bundle that resembles its fur color from the belly pouch.


    ¡°Yadda. There¡¯s everything except the ones that don¡¯t exist. So choose them, human!¡±


    Pingpong threw it out and by the time the pink bundle was in front of Choi Yu Seong, it was spreading as large as his height.


    ¡®Ooh, it¡¯s amazing to see it with my own eyes.¡¯


    It was something he read in the novel, but he couldn¡¯t hide his admiration when the scene unfolded into reality.


    Inside the bundle, the name, effect, and price of the item were written in dark letters. But since the amount of the item was quite large, there was even a scroll bar and search system.


    It¡¯s a bundle, but it feels like putting the product¡¯s data in it?


    ¡®That¡¯s exactly what I heard. As expected, a dimensional merchant must be around level 5 to release a good product one by one.¡¯


    As it was a Level 1 bundle, most of them were miscellaneous and useless, but there were definitely some useful items such as the lowest-grade recovery potion.


    Choi Yu Seong picked out the items he had already thought of and made a quick shopping.


    ¡®5 bottles of alchemist¡¯s empty flasks, half a bunch of troll¡¯s muddy blood, two bunches of Calash¡¯s body fluid, a bunch of Harlenu¡¯s petals.¡¯


    When he quickly purchased the products through search, 40 of the 43 points he barely had were gone.


    Choi Yu Seong nodded while pointing his finger as if there was no other way to use the remaining 3 points and thinking it would be better to save them.


    ¡°I bought it all.¡±


    At Choi Yu Seong¡¯s words, Pingpong stretched out both hands, pulled the dimensional bundle, rolled it back into a small form, put it back in its belly pouch, then crossed its arms again with an arrogant gaze.


    ¡®I was wondering where I saw it. Its eyes are similar to Kim Do Jin.¡¯


    It was when Choi Yu Seong sighed inwardly, thinking for a moment, ¡®What fate is this where there is a lot of twisted style like this around me?¡¯.


    ¡°The options are quite interesting, human. Empty flasks are somehow like that too, but where are you going to use Calash¡¯s body fluids.¡±


    ¡°Secret.¡±


    ¡°Huhuh, you¡¯re a human with good business skill as I thought. Okay. If you tell me the secret, this body will reveal a secret in reply.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who wanted to bother Pingpong for some reason at that cute look, replied with a smirk.


    ¡°N.A.N.C.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°Not asking, not curious.¡±1


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who saw a teddy bear¡¯s shocked face for the first time in his life, almost burst into laughter without realizing it.


    ¡°What are you doing. Go back if you¡¯re done. See you later. Cutie Pingpong-i.¡±


    ¡°Di, disgusting human being. And this body is Pingpong-nim! Huff!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too upset. Next time I see you, I¡¯ll give you 2 lollipops for free.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need that. Naughty Choi Yu Seong!¡±


    Pingpong, who answered with a snort, somehow had a quite puffy tail.


    ***


    After Pingpong opened the small pink door and returned with angry toddler steps, left alone Choi Yu Seong unfolded the miscellaneous items he had bought on the table.


    One by one, it¡¯s definitely miscellaneous.


    Looking at the description of most items, it was like this.


    __________


    [Calash¡¯s Body Fluid]


    It¡¯s the body fluid of Calash, a two-legged walking animal that inhabits Altar dimension.


    [Troll¡¯s Muddy Blood]


    It¡¯s the blood of a troll. It¡¯s so muddy that it¡¯s hard to use as a potion material.


    [Harlenu¡¯s Petal]


    It¡¯s pretty.


    __________


    Not only was there no effect was written, but even the explanation was also insincere in the case of Harlenu¡¯s petals.


    Naturally, no Awakener buys such goods in a transaction with a dimensional merchant.


    It was a waste of Karma points to spend on useless items.


    ¡®But if you use this, the story changes again.¡¯


    These seemingly useless items create a quite fun effect when combined with occasional purchases of Earth¡¯s Awakeners which are somewhat interesting.


    [Alchemist¡¯s Empty Flask]


    If you put ingredients following the formula, potions are created through alchemy.


    All ingredients will disappear upon failure.


    The price of Alchemist¡¯s Empty Flask is 5 karma points each, which is the same as the lowest-grade healing potion.


    Of course, most people choose the lowest-level healing potion when buying this, but some crazy guys sometimes challenge themselves because the explanation itself attracted a sense of adventure.


    And 9 out of 10. No. 99 out of 100 drink bitter water of failure while looking at the ingredients that suddenly disappeared, stealing away tears and cursing their spirit of challenge and never look at Alchemist¡¯s Empty Flask again.


    Among the people who were lucky enough to find the formula, another 99 out of 100 shook their heads because they could not even reach the value of the raw materials.


    In other words, Alchemist¡¯s Empty Flask was a mighty2 inefficient thing if used without knowing.


    On the contrary, Alchemist¡¯s Empty Flask was a very efficient product if you know exactly what you use.


    ¡®And I know the information from the original novel. Whoohoo.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong took off the lid of Alchemist¡¯s Empty Flask with a cunning smile.

 Volume 1 - CH 22

    Early morning of the next day, Choi Yu Seong stopped by a store dedicated to Awakener in Yeouido and went outside after buying equipment for him to use.


    The items purchased were a spear for the main weapon along with a suit and walker for hunters.


    Of course, he decided on the best product among the ones available by mass production.


    Choi Yu Seong didn¡¯t need the concept of too good equipment is still a luxury as a beginner.


    He was the ninth of Hyesung Group and somehow had a lot of money in his private bank account.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong paid 3.5 billion won in a lump sum for very rare equipment designed by French and Italian craftsmen, manufactured by German and American machines, created from research by magic engineers, with the standard of Made-In-Earth, including a setup box to safely transport and store them.


    He just paid the price of the best apartment even in Gangnam area of Seoul in an instant, but it did not feel like a waste.


    ¡®If I die, everything is meaningless.¡¯


    So, the price doesn¡¯t matter.


    He had to buy efficient and good items.


    In the meantime, why did he need the more expensive French and Italian craftsmen design?


    ¡®It¡¯s because of Stylish and Star Quality.¡¯


    To fight coolly. The more eye-opening, the better.


    Dungeon hunting is sometimes conducted by individuals, but party play is often required.


    It was a common and widespread story about Awakeners holding action cameras to shoot the activities of famous hunters and paparazzi reporters chasing after them using magic-engineered special drones that can also be used in dungeons.


    Choi Yu Seong even has the use for gorgeous and cool designs that seem somewhat unnecessary.


    Choi Yu Seong finished his morning schedule so quickly like that then the place he headed for was none other than a dungeon.


    The entrance to the dungeon created in the middle of downtown Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, was of course not in the form that anyone could see directly.


    The dungeon created in downtown is surrounded by a large square-shaped one-story building with soldiers and combat Awakeners belong to association always on standby inside. Basically, only people with a hunter license can enter the building.


    If there are other circumstances, one or two reporters with special permission to shoot are the most.


    Even in the case of hunters, it was not possible to allow all of them in.


    Choi Yu Seong glanced at the hunters belonging to the association who were strictly guarding the entrance to the building. He looked back and spoke.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    ¡°Phew¡­¡±


    Jin Yu Ri sighed without being able to answer his question.


    In fact, she wanted to follow Choi Yu Seong¡¯s first hunt more than anyone else now.


    Many things bothered her in many ways because Choi Yu Seong¡¯s first dungeon path was alone.


    However, the two cannot follow Choi Yu Seong.


    The reason was the law.


    It has been about 20 years since a bill was proposed that prevents high-ranked Awakeners from entering low-level dungeons.


    It¡¯s not just monsters and traps that are dangerous in the dungeon.


    Since it¡¯s such an enclosed space and there are many places to avoid eyes, isn¡¯t it perfect for accidents to happen even between the same humans?


    In such a place, the fight between hunters of the same or similar rank and the participation of a high-rank with overwhelming power was completely different.


    At least there¡¯s time to run away if it doesn¡¯t work when fighting against a similar level.


    It can also be avoided before being fatally wounded.


    But what if the opponent is a high-rank Awakener with an overwhelmingly high level?


    If the number is twisted, it is not even a job to break the neck of a low-rank Awakener.


    Before the bill was proposed, many Villains used it in the past.


    There are incidents in which a high-rank entered a low-rank dungeon, dominated the interior space with overwhelming power, became a ruler, and raged like crazy.


    Thus, a bill was created to limit the rank of entry to the dungeon.


    This was a law that had to be observed for the least security of each other.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll go somewhere and get a counterfeit license.¡±


    ¡°And then you¡¯ll be taken away.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong laughed at Jin Yu Ri¡¯s words and replied with a joke.


    Three Awakeners of the association, who were fully armed with combat suits to enter the dungeon right away, were giving a stern look at the entrance.


    As soon as he approached the entrance, they would check and compare the hunter¡¯s license. If any abnormality was seen, they would suppress and arrest first.


    And even if the two were able to enter, Choi Yu Seong would have rejected them.


    The limitations of a plant in the greenhouse are clear.


    Choi Yu Seong was convinced that he could not survive the danger coming to him in the future by only taking the easy path.


    That¡¯s why he also rejected their proposal to spend some money on people of similar grades.


    ¡®Anyway. It could be a burden in the end if it¡¯s similar level.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who had his own leveling plan, didn¡¯t want to pay attention to the gaze of useless people.


    ¡°I believe Young Master will do it well.¡±


    Jin Do Yun said with a look of trust.


    ¡°Hide the trembling hands and talk.¡±


    Jin Do Yun quickly took a stance at Choi Yu Seong¡¯s point.


    His face turned red to the ears at once.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry both of you. I¡¯ll be right back. You should also grow up without paying attention to me.¡±


    Jin siblings are both talented enough to be considered as S-ranks or higher based on their future growth potential alone.


    At some point, they couldn¡¯t hunt properly as they were reluctant to leave behind Choi Yu Seong, who was always in trouble. But it was obvious without saying how explosive their growth would be if they were free.


    ¡°Phew¡­ Maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s the first time sending to a dungeon. Why my heart is like this.¡±


    The gaze of Jin Yu Ri, who spoke like a mother sending her son to the army, was full of worry and concerns that can be recognized without talking.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s only a first-grade dungeon. Besides, even if there is a variable. Will it be more dangerous than Choi Min Seok?¡±


    The eyes of the two siblings rose sharply at Choi Yu Seong¡¯s bad joke.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have put up with it then¡­¡±


    Jin Do Yun, who recalled the situation at the time of the hunter¡¯s exam, trembled with his face turned red in a different sense.


    Thinking about that day, blood still seemed to flow upside down.


    Jin Yu Ri wasn¡¯t much different either.


    However, she paid back Choi Min Seok in her way.


    ¡®He won¡¯t be able to do anything else for a while.¡¯


    Nevertheless, Choi Yu Seong smiled as he watched Jin Yu Ri and Jin Do Yun shivering.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to become strong so that such dangerous things don¡¯t happen in the future. You two please cheer for me.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, we won¡¯t go far today and will be waiting here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s reassuring.¡±


    If Choi Yu Seong doesn¡¯t come out of the dungeon for too long or if something goes wrong, the two will move.


    Is there anything bad to have an arrangement just in case?


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    ¡°You have to be careful.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down, Young Master. If anything happens, just run away.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful so I won¡¯t get hit.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who smiled and responded to the nagging of the two, silently headed into the building.


    ***


    When he entered the building after showing his license, several figures recognized Choi Yu Seong and threw their eyes at him.


    Choi Yu Seong, who did not pay attention to the following chatter, gulped when he saw a burrowing underground tunnel not far from the entrance.


    ¡®So that¡¯s the entrance to the dungeon.¡¯


    The dirt-covered entrance to the dungeon, which was enough for four or five people to enter with their hands wide open, was rather bizarre to be in a bustling downtown area.


    Therefore, it was inevitable to build such a building around the exterior to hide the sense of disparity, regardless of obstructing traffic.


    The original novel explained that when the first dungeon was created on Earth, the ground popped up with an earthquake, and a large dangerous-looking black pupil was created, surprising many people.


    And the majority of those who entered it out of curiosity never came back.


    Now everyone knows that passing through that huge pupil shows a completely different landscape of a real dungeon than we thought, but it was bound to cause a huge shock and fear at the time.


    ¡®It would be crazy if something like that appeared on my original earth.¡¯


    Most of the dungeons in downtown have been conquered currently.


    Conquer here is whether or not Boss Monster is defeated.


    If a dungeon is created and the boss is not defeated within a month, that large cave swells as if it will explode in an instant and sends countless hordes of monsters to the ground.


    It was the so-called dungeon break.


    The rather cumbersome thing was that, like most monsters in the dungeon, the boss was regenerated once a month.


    In other words, every dungeon must hunt the Boss Monster once a month.


    The downtown area which failed to solve this problem was already abandoned or devastated, so it was okay to consider it as a territory that was taken away by monsters.


    Choi Yu Seong, who was looking at the entrance of the dungeon with such a daze, loosened his shoulders and neck.


    ¡®It¡¯s real inside.¡¯


    Reporters who have been granted special permission to enter the building cannot enter the dungeon.


    In rare cases, Awakeners with hunter license chase after them by acting as paparazzi, but of course it is not common.


    Then what¡¯s the point of ordinary reporters chasing inside the building?


    This is because there are a few reporters who can handle special drones equipped with mana stones, which are more common than the previous cases although still rare.


    Of course, it is very rare for such magic-engineered drones to be deployed.


    The unit price of the product itself is expensive as it is difficult to make and the fuel cost is enormous as the driving device is mana stone.


    It even can be called money-consuming hippos because drones are often destroyed in the dungeon environment.


    ¡®So, it¡¯s said those very few reporters who are very skilled at drone control use it¡­¡¯


    Many things are bothering, so of course, there is no case to chase a general hunt except for a boss raid with a special event.


    After all, it is okay to say that the world inside the dungeon belongs to hunters in most cases.


    ¡®You shouldn¡¯t expect law, order, and morality on earth in there.¡¯


    People also can be dangerous as much as monsters.


    There are many threats to bear in many ways, but it was also a way to eventually move forward for growth.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong clenched his fist tightly and stepped forward.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t come here to see the entrance.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel a little nervous looking at the black pupil, which clearly resembles a beast¡¯s mouth.


    Choi Yu Seong of the original novel is thrown in there and turned into a monster prey.


    ¡®It can¡¯t be the same.¡¯


    As nervous as he was, he was also looking forward to it.


    ¡®It¡¯s the real beginning now.¡¯


    The dungeon is full of rewards as there are many risks.


    Level up, mana stones, and sometimes even hidden treasures that are rarely available on Earth!


    Choi Yu Seong also knew information on treasures that others have not or cannot be occupied.


    It¡¯s an of course matter but his chances of survival increase if he takes the treasure.


    Growth is essential even for him.


    ¡®It¡¯ll progress.¡¯


    In fact, he didn¡¯t even need the position of chairman.


    Just for the future honey-sucking life as a rich unemployed conglomerate!


    It is to cheer himself up even if it is a bit difficult.


    Choi Yu Seong inhaled deeply and stepped into the darkness of the dungeon.


    As Choi Yu Seong¡¯s whole body disappeared into the pupil, the darkness spreads around like paint and his whole body becomes heavy as if submerged in deep water.


    It was the moment when Choi Yu Seong, who was an ordinary game company employee, took a big step as a hunter fighting for his life.


    ***


    Dungeon!


    It is a word that refers to an unknown world full of indescribable threats, such as life battles against violent monsters or the dangers of hidden traps and confined spaces.


    Firstly, many Awakeners want to somehow get into this dungeon with a hunter¡¯s license.


    And the public admires, envies, or even jealous of these hunters.


    Someone says.


    The dungeon has adventure and romance.


    It¡¯s bullshit of course.


    The reason why dungeon is in the spotlight as said because it is full of rewards like sweet honey.


    Obviously, the more powerful the hunter, the more the rewards. And by building a reputation, they can accumulate the wealth and honor that many people envy on Earth.


    Even public power cannot treat them lightly if they keep the basic line as long as they have strong power.


    The opportunity to enjoy the life everyone dreams of in a capitalist society is open to hunters.


    Therefore, those who want to change their environment, or those who have more desires, want to become a hunter.


    Choi Yu Seong was a little different.


    There is no such thing as great wealth and honor in his desire.


    He wants to survive.


    Choi Yu Seong threw himself into the dungeon for only one goal. A Kobold, a small monster as tall as Choi Yu Seong¡¯s knee, rushed in front of him.


    Kobold, the monster living in this dungeon, is actually weak enough for an Awakener to hunt two or three by themself even at grade F Level 1.


    There is only one tricky point.


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t know fear like a monster.¡¯


    Watching Kobold running recklessly without even being afraid of its own death raised the tension to the point of swallowing dry saliva without realizing it.


    A monster that is threatening in a way, but eventually appears in a first-grade dungeon.


    Choi Yu Seong didn¡¯t even have to invoke Insight skill to catch such a Kobold.


    ¡®Sight Enhancement F.¡¯


    It is a common and low-grade skill, but there was no skill that was more helpful to Choi Yu Seong.


    Kieek-!


    Choi Yu Seong dodged the swarm of a jumping Kobold by just three steps. He used his polished spear skills to stab, push, beat five Kobolds, and swept them away in a few blinks. Then as a silver light from the tip of the toes swirled, rose to the tip of the head, and scattered into powder, Choi Yu Seong cheered inwardly.


    ¡®Level up!¡¯


    In just a short time of one hour after entering the dungeon, Choi Yu Seong experienced much more joy than he thought in raising his level.


    ¡®There¡¯s no romance in Dungeon? Bullshit!¡¯


    Naturally, his voice was energized.


    ¡°Dungeon is full of romance.¡±


    If there¡¯s any difference, the romance he speaks of here was rewards.


    ¡®Oh my gosh. I expected it, but it¡¯s really effective.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong had no choice but to open his mouth while checking the system window in front of him.


    ¡ºName: Choi Yu Seong


    Age: 20


    Series: All-rounder type


    Rank: E


    Level: 16


    History Possessed: 1


    Specialization Skills: Star Quality E, Fusion E


    General Skills: Stylish E, Duplicate Eyes E, Spark E, Insight E, Sight Enhancement F, Muscle Enhancement F, Lazy Donkey Roll1 F


    Current Inactive Skill Slot: There is no space left. You can delete or overwrite normal skills other than initial skills if necessary.


    ¡ùHunting Experience Increase Potion is being applied. 200% increase in hunting acquisition experience. The current remaining duration is 300 minutes. ¡»


    When Choi Yu Seong entered the dungeon with a mixed mind of tension and expectation, he was Rank E level 9.


    This was because the level raised was only 8 when he worked hard for a month to prepare for the hunter exam.


    He only hunted Kobold, one of the weakest monsters, when he entered the dungeon for about an hour but his level rose by 6.


    As it grew rapidly, he realized that the physical ability and mana grew little by little as the reward.


    ¡®Won¡¯t I shoot to E-Rank max level in a month if it¡¯s like this?¡¯


    He can even slap Kim Do Jin, who grows several times faster than an Awakener with a cheating specialization skill and the setting of ¡®genius¡¯.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t a figure that could be generally obtained by hunting.


    ¡®I love you Star Quality skill, and¡­¡¯


    Shortly after entering the dungeon, Choi Yu Seong took out a flask full of yellow liquid that he had packed in his battle suit and drank it straight away.


    ¡®Experience Increase potion!¡¯


    This potion was the secret weapon made through items purchased by summoning the dimensional merchant Pingpong after consuming as much as 100 karma points yesterday.


    Thanks to this, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s system window had the effect of hunting experience increase.


    Experience increase potion is made by putting the main ingredients, including Calash¡¯s Body Fluid, Troll¡¯s Muddy Blood, and Harlenu¡¯s Petal in Alchemist¡¯s Empty Flask with the right amount of water and completed by waiting 12 hours. Originally, it was the world¡¯s first secret recipe discovered by the Midas¡¯ hand of alchemist world, Oh Ji Hoon, who soon became a colleague of the main character Kim Do Jin.

 Volume 1 - CH 23

    And Kim Do Jin, the main character who received it for free, uses this Experience Increase potion to achieve much faster growth than others.


    In other words, the writer arranged it to be made for Kim Do Jin first, but there was nothing to worry about.


    ¡®It¡¯s not like it¡¯ll run out because I try it first, why can¡¯t I use it?¡¯


    The difference is that Choi Yu Seong had to spend his Karma points himself, but this was inevitable.


    That¡¯s all because he didn¡¯t have a main character idolizing and pushover colleague like Oh Ji Hoon.


    ¡®Colleague, colleague huh¡­¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong was still thinking very deeply about this part.


    That¡¯s why the first way to survive in this world is to make a lot of his own people.


    And the answer to the easiest way to use this method was clearly set.


    ¡®It¡¯s most convenient to take away Kim Do Jin¡¯s colleague first.¡¯


    Like the main character in the novel, the way Kim Do Jin recruit his colleague is generally simple.


    He overwhelms and fascinates his future colleagues with strong power and charisma, giving them some proper dealing.


    With that alone, this world is overflowing with characters whose loyalty and affection for Kim Do Jin rise rapidly.


    Of course, Choi Yu Seong was able to imitate this method somewhat.


    But he never intends to take that easy path.


    ¡®If I take away Kim Do Jin¡¯s colleagues, who will stop the dungeon break or disaster in the future?¡¯


    The returnee Kim Do Jin himself of course could do it all alone without the bridesmaid colleagues, but there is a matter of possibility.


    Just as Choi Yu Seong¡¯s actions accelerated the appearance of Lee Jin Wook, there may be some change in Kim Do Jin¡¯s life.


    What if Kim Do Jin, who went out alone, dies in the fight against disaster? The hero who will save this world will disappear.


    Afterward, Choi Yu Seong may have to run around sweating his feet to prevent disasters and dungeon breaks that would threaten the Earth and even deal with the Villains.


    It did not fit his view of life that he would live sucking honey after solidifying his survival conditions.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong was scared of Kim Do Jin but didn¡¯t want to him die either.


    Kim Do Jin must somehow persistently live to protect this world and become a hero.


    There is only one future that needs to be changed there.


    ¡®The survival of myself.¡¯


    Choi Wu Jae¡¯s death?


    He actually agonized over that part.


    Anyway, he was also the father of Choi Yu Seong himself in this world.


    However, Choi Yu Seong has yet to have any affection toward Choi Wu Jae.


    He thought so. But at the moment when Kim Do Jin takes the opportunity to kill Choi Wu Jae, will Choi Yu Seong be able to ignore the situation even though he knows if he is the only one who can be safe?


    You never know.


    ¡°Eii, that¡¯s enough.¡±


    Complex and difficult problems require a little more thought.


    Choi Yu Seong, who lightly dismissed his thoughts by thinking so, thought again about his first colleagues.


    ¡®From Jin siblings to Chae Ye Ryeong¡­¡¯


    It is not considered a bad combination from the two siblings with high growth potential, Chae Ye Ryeong who were originally destined to be a disaster, along with Choi Yu Seong himself.


    It¡¯s a bit disappointing though.


    ¡®One more person¡­¡¯


    Which useful colleague is at the level that does not interfere with Kim Do Jin¡¯s future?


    Choi Yu Seong recalled the original novel and the list of characters while walking around the field without hesitation.


    30 minutes.


    The monsters that were quite visible at the entrance when he first entered, are not seen well as time passed.


    During the time after Choi Yu Seong first entered about an hour, he realized that he was quite lucky.


    ¡®There are a lot of hunters around.¡¯


    There are surprisingly many hunters in South Korea who are at rank F~D than expected.


    So, there are inevitably many competitors who hunt monsters in low-level dungeons.


    It was a natural procedure for those who obtained the hunter¡¯s license to visit the dungeon for experience points, monster¡¯s by-products, and even mana stone if they were lucky.


    ¡®Come to think of it, there are more people after lunchtime.¡¯


    Unlike the boss that takes a month, monsters regenerate every hour. But in the wide field dungeon, the wide distribution of them also made it difficult to hunt.


    Some of them recognized the passing by Choi Yu Seong and cast their eyes or questioned.


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong?¡±


    ¡°Did he come hunting alone?¡±


    ¡°Crazy, what¡¯s with that equipment.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Choi Yu Seong. He has a lot of money.¡±


    There were quite a few whispers from behind, but no hunter approach Choi Yu Seong directly.


    No matter how it is at the lowest level, it is located inside the dungeon.


    It is a dangerous area where you could be fatally injured by a monster attack from somewhere if you let your guard down. You can¡¯t be distracted for a long time by the appearance of a famous person if you¡¯re not a fool.


    Choi Yu Seong walked the dungeon for another 10 minutes. He found and hunted only one more Kobold during that time, so had a thought.


    ¡®It shouldn¡¯t be like this.¡¯


    The current situation is not good, even if he pulls out the advantage of the Experience Increase potion.


    ¡®I need to figure out a way. How to¡­¡¯


    The eyes of Choi Yu Seong, who had been thinking for a while in place, suddenly turned to the History Possessed located in his system information window.


    ¡®Come to think of it¡­!¡¯


    He struggled with the answer in front of his eyes.


    Choi Yu Seong hurriedly looked at the History Possessed.


    History was a kind of reward that gave a suitable name from the analysis result of the system that was watching the Awakeners.


    Usually, a separate phrase was given rather than a completed sentence, but there was an effect of using it as it was called a reward.


    And this is the history Choi Yu Seong got from the practical evaluation of the hunter exam.


    ? Leading to Attention


    Awakener Choi Yu Seong secured the attention of many humans and gods at once in sparring, which was held in Yeouido, South Korea, on November 20, 2029.


    When using the effect, it draws the gaze of a hostile being.


    Application time ¨C 60 minutes


    When first checked this history, Choi Yu Seong thought it was a kind that he didn¡¯t need.


    The effect of the History ¡®Leading to Attention¡¯ is a provocation skill that attracts the opponent¡¯s aggro to explain it easily with the game analogy. He thought there was no need for such ability because he is not a physical type with defensive ability.


    He forgot about it, but now he saw that he was mistaken.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t it a match made in heaven for this situation?¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong applied History ¡®Leading to Attention¡¯ without hesitation.


    At the same time, red letters that were only seen in Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes appeared above the head.


    ¡®Leading to Attention.¡¯


    After confirming that the effect was directly applied, Choi Yu Seong no longer walked leisurely.


    He ran through the field.


    He wasn¡¯t scared.


    He knew because he experienced the battle himself.


    ¡®For Kobold, about ten of them aren¡¯t a problem.¡¯


    It was not his cup of tea to lose strength while holding to catch one or two small fish.


    And before long, Choi Yu Seong ran leading the Kobold troops and shouted inwardly.


    ¡®After all, dungeon is full of romance!¡¯


    High-speed level-up through drive-hunting1, the so-called power leveling2 that was a wonderful romance to anyone who ever played RPG games knew.


    ***


    Park Hyuk Jin had a new dream after awakened half a year ago.


    ¡®Make a name as a hunter and become a superstar.¡¯


    He liked receiving other people¡¯s attention since childhood, liked to step up since school days, and as an adult, he wanted to attract the attention of people around him until he became what commonly referred to as a keyboard warrior in the internet world.


    In the house, there were parents and a younger sibling who sighed and clicked their tongues as if they were pathetic looking at Park Hyuk Jin sitting in front of a computer every day and hitting the keyboard in his room, but there was nothing they could do.


    He was in a dilemmatic situation in many ways. He failed to get a job at the company he wanted, said he would study to build up spec, but he was doing something that didn¡¯t fit his age which he didn¡¯t even do when he was younger.


    Then a system message came to him like a miracle, sending the news of Awakening.


    The skill composition consists of Strong Physical E, Shout F, Shield Mastery E.


    Although it was skill configuration to be a tanker from a glance, there was no reason not to choose the hunter¡¯s path.


    As could be seen from the skill composition, even the first Awakening rank was E.


    Park Hyuk Jin finally obtained a hunter license last month after proudly boasting his Awakening to the family, get support for academy fees, and building his own efforts.


    And after a few hunts, he confirmed that he had the qualities of a tanker.


    He stands in front with a shield, blocks attacks from monsters, and occasionally hits some small attacks by enduring with Strong Physical.


    On top of that, there is the high-pitched skill gained from fighting with his parents to put off the computer was optimized for pulling the monster¡¯s aggro.


    When he went on his first hunt, the party he struggled to find wanted to hire such Park Hyuk Jin as a fixed tanker and chaser.


    It was the first time in a long time that Park Hyuk Jin, who was treated like cold rice every day at home, was recognized by others.


    In fact, the position of a tanker is called the party¡¯s leader in a good way but called a meat shield in a bad way.


    He comes to the front and gets beaten. He runs alone to drives monsters. And throws himself instead if he thinks the dealer is going to get hurt.


    He suffered a lot in many ways and was scared of the pain he suffered for the first time, but Park Hyuk Jin never neglected his position.


    He didn¡¯t want to go back to that time when he was helpless and stupid as he was left alone, alienated from his family.


    Now, when he returns home in the evening after hunting, his parents are all welcome to Park Hyuk Jin.


    They said that safety is the most important when hunting, asked about his well-being and served a good meal.


    ¡®It can change. Become a superstar, raise your family, and be recognized by everyone.¡¯


    Park Hyuk Jin firmly remained faithful to his role while recalling his changing future.


    Park Hyuk Jin, who suddenly became the center of the party, no longer had trouble with the party members.


    ¡°What you doing, can¡¯t you attack it right! Where¡¯s the buff! It¡¯s damn hurt!¡±


    Except for Park Hyuk Jin, the party where everyone is rank F.


    As they literally just started dungeon hunting, their limbs were a bit twisted, and often could not use their abilities properly.


    In addition, the hunting tempo was somewhat slow.


    Park Hyuk Jin wanted to catch more monsters for a little longer, but the party members wanted to rest for more than an hour after just a hunting spree.


    While doing so, the total hunting time is less than 4 hours.


    Park Hyuk Jin was not satisfied with such a situation.


    ¡®I¡¯ll hunt a lot even if left alone, then move on to the next level soon.¡¯


    He was grateful that they took him out hunting and hired him as a tanker, but that was just about it.


    ¡®I can¡¯t be tied up here forever. I have to work harder to become a superstar.¡¯


    Park Hyuk Jin started with E-rank, and he also had the conceit that he did not get along with other party members as he obviously had a great skill composition.


    And that thought was often expressed in words.


    ¡°Hey. We got two attackers here, but does it make sense that it takes 30 minutes to kill 5 Kobolds? There¡¯s even buff support in our party. But why are you all so bad like this? Can¡¯t you get your act together? Dungeon is not a joke.¡±


    When the hunt just over, Park Hyuk Jin¡¯s complaint began immediately and raised the frowns of the party¡¯s members who gathered together from hunter exam mates to form a party.


    ¡®Ah. Let¡¯s just get a new tanker.¡¯


    That thought suddenly came to everyone¡¯s mind, but Park Hyuk Jin¡¯s drive and attract aggro ability due to Shout skill was special power that other low-rank tankers did not have.


    Even unlike the first time he went stupidly, his tanking skills are increasing rapidly day by day.


    Despite this and that, Park Hyuk Jin¡¯s ability was recognized inwardly, so they could not speak out easily even if they were dissatisfied.


    ¡°Wow¡­ What kind of person is he?¡±


    At the sudden words of someone, the eyes of as many as 5 party members turned to the middle of the field at the same time.


    A man dressed in a cool battle suit that looks expensive at first glance is running across the field.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Choi Yu Seong?¡±


    Someone recognized his face and asked a question.


    ¡°Right. That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Wow shoot, he¡¯s really handsome.¡±


    Is it because of the luxurious equipment or is it literally because of his handsome face?


    The way he was running in the field under the sun looked like a prince in a fairy tale scene.


    ¡°Awesome¡­ He¡¯s so cool.¡±


    Park Hyuk Jin¡¯s eyebrows wriggled at the casual words of the only woman in the party.


    ¡®¡­ Why don¡¯t I have that kind of feel? I think I¡¯m also someone myself.¡¯


    The truth was told by the mirror.


    Anyway, he thought so, but Park Hyuk Jin himself can¡¯t take his eyes off Choi Yu Seong.


    It wasn¡¯t just that.


    In fact, all the party members paid attention to Choi Yu Seong as if they were somewhat possessed.


    Therefore, they were able to realize rather late that what chasing the fairy tale prince were grotesque-looking monsters.


    ¡°Tho, those are¡­!¡±


    ¡°Wow, how many are there?¡±


    At least eight or more.


    Even if Park Hyuk Jin used the Shout skill, it is not easy to lure aggro of more than 3 at once.


    However, Choi Yu Seong was running with twice as many monsters as him.


    The monsters chased after Choi Yu Seong, screaming as if they were possessed by something without looking around.


    As he was running, even more monsters were chasing him.


    With that jaw-dropping ability, someone in the party asked Park Hyuk Jin.


    ¡°Park Hyuk Jin. You also can¡¯t do it like that, right?¡±


    At the question, Park Hyuk Jin¡¯s expression frowned.


    The inferiority complex he had was touched.


    ¡°Hey. What do you think I am. If monsters are gathered, I can bring them all.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah?¡±


    A rather unsatisfactory response.


    That fact turned Park Hyuk Jin¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Hey, wanna bet?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Just wait here.¡±


    The red-faced Park Hyuk Jin breathes in a long breath.


    The party members opened their eyes wide, knowing that he was about to use his skill, Shout.


    ¡°Hey, Park Hyuk Jin. Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Choi Yu Seong. If you steal¡­!¡±


    They tried to stop belatedly, but it was already too late.


    ¡°Keaaargh-!¡±


    Park Hyuk Jin, who screamed at the sky, closed his eyes, shook his arms, and beat his chest.


    As much as he came out with guilty conscience, he tried his best to demonstrate his skills.


    Does he remember putting all of his energy and shout it out before?


    At least there hasn¡¯t.


    So, he was confident in his own way.


    Now, all the monsters chasing Choi Yu Seong will look at him.


    ¡°A little more than eight?¡±


    There are many, but he will be able to catch them if he can endure it.


    ¡°Did you see? This is the real tanker¡¯s ability with different foundation¡­¡±


    Park Hyuk Jin, who put a shield to block the monsters running from the front, had no choice but to stop spitting out his words as soon as he opened his eyes.


    A vast field where only leaves of grass are dancing in the wind.


    Choi Yu Seong and the monster horde chasing him were already moved so far away that they could be seen blurry.


    Not a single monster chasing after him looked at Park Hyuk Jin.


    A quiet silence.


    ¡°Ha, haha. That¡¯s weird. What¡¯s this?¡±


    It was when Park Hyuk Jin, who had a red face at the end, shed an awkward smile.


    ¡°¡­ Poof.¡±


    There was a sneer that someone might unknowingly utter.


    ¡°Who¡¯s it?!¡±


    Angry Park Hyuk Jin looked back, but it was already after all the party members started talking among themselves.


    ¡°Wow, but Choi Yu Seong really has a different foundation.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s really no joke to say that he even passed the hunter exam which had an Irregular. I¡¯m jealous. He¡¯s handsome and has a lot of money. His ability is also good.¡±


    ¡°If he has that level of luring ability and even solo hunting ability, he¡¯ll be up there in no time.¡±


    ¡°Fricking awesome. It¡¯s dope.¡±


    Park Hyuk Jin clenched his fists tightly and turned his back to the cold front of the same party members.


    It hurt his pride too much.


    Still, he was going to go with them until he graduated from rank E, but there was no reason to be with them anymore.


    ¡°Good luck with yourselves. As of today, I¡¯m out of this party.¡±


    He strode by himself after saying so, but there was no voice or touch from behind.


    ¡®Seriously, these guys?¡¯


    He thought the party members might hold him back, to be honest, but no one responded.


    It was absurd, but they hurt his pride and he didn¡¯t intend to go back.


    ¡®That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s be independent now.¡¯


    First of all, he can hunt by himself and find a new party when he reached a higher level.


    One of Park Hyuk Jin¡¯s strengths is to quickly admit inevitable situations.


    The anger was quickly forgotten.


    Park Hyuk Jin, who was walking alone in the open field, was able to find Choi Yu Seong fighting with the Kobold horde alone within his sight.


    He was ashamed of his attempt to steal the monster out of a sense of entitlement for a moment, but soon the thought turned into admiration.


    ¡®Wow¡­¡¯


    It seems monotonous in a way, but it optimizes the motion with neat movements and neutralizes the monster.


    On top of that, the ability to avoid a crisis by using skills in the right places at the right time is also excellent. Park Hyuk Jin could tell because he was who fought at the forefront of the party after becoming a hunter.


    ¡®Really. The foundation is different.¡¯


    It¡¯s not just dependent on skills or equipment.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s movements were so good that even him with the skill of Shield Mastery E could not imitate it.


    A certain desire burned in Park Hyuk Jin¡¯s eyes as he looked at him.


    ¡®I¡¯ve decided. From today, my goal is you. Choi Yu Seong.¡¯


    Park Hyuk Jin clenched his fists tightly.


    ***


    Choi Yu Seong, who raised another level 5 after an hour of a drive-hunting with the effect of History ¡°Leading to Attention¡±, laughed while sitting with his butt stuck somewhere in the wide field.


    ¡°Cooldown time for History Leading to Attention is about 20 minutes. It¡¯s perfect for a break.¡¯


    In a way, the effect of the Experience Increase potion has been abandoned, but Choi Yu Seong did not regret it.


    Variables can arise at any time in dungeon battles.


    Therefore, the dungeon manual appeared in the hunter written exam, also listed the arrangement of rest time as an essential element.


    It wasn¡¯t bad to review an hour¡¯s worth of drive-hunting during the break.


    It seems like he did a good job, but Choi Yu Seong is a human so he also made mistakes.


    He recalled those points and correct them so he does not repeat them next time.


    In the process, Choi Yu Seong recalled several parties he had met for an hour.


    ¡®There¡¯s definitely a lot of parties in the dungeon.¡¯


    A party may be an obvious choice as it reduces risks in many ways.


    It is not that no one hunt alone like Choi Yu Seong, but it is rare.


    He also thinks that a party was rather a burden right now, but it was safe to say that solo play was impossible as the dungeon difficulty increased.


    ¡®Well. Kim Do Jin also gave up solo from A-rank.¡¯


    Even the main character, the cheat character of the original novel, couldn¡¯t make any other choice like Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°Uh, that person¡­¡±


    As he sat down and thought about various things, he saw a figure who was leading monsters alone, pushing them with a shield and fighting from a distance.


    It was Park Hyuk Jin.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure he was with the party members earlier.¡¯


    Why he is alone now?


    He questioned for a moment but soon stopped thinking.


    ¡®He¡¯ll do it on his own.¡¯


    From the perspective of Choi Yu Seong, Park Hyuk Jin was truly a stranger.


    Up until this point, Choi Yu Seong had never imagined that his relationship with Park Hyuk Jin would continue like that.

 Volume 1 - CH 24

    A hotel suite of a building called a landmark of South Korea located in Jamsil.


    The hideous cut wound on the left cheek of Min Young Hun, who sat alone on a wide sofa and grabbed a bottle of strong whiskey, wriggled greatly.


    ¡°Ha-!¡±


    Anger rose to the tip of his head thinking about the absurd situation that had happened in front of him just now.


    ¡°Most of the Big 10 guild bosses are such cowardly bastards¡­¡±


    Min Young Hun, whose tongue stuck out, casually called the Big 10 guild bosses that had a high reputation in Korea and belittled them.


    In fact, Min Young Hun had his own confidence.


    It was his position and ability as the Vice President of Cheonsang(celestial) Guild, the second among Big 10 guilds in South Korea, and an Awakener of Rank S Level 30.


    He sent an e-mail to all Big 10 guilds a week ago.


    Hyesung Group was recently preparing to jump into the hunter guild market and it was necessary to gather opinions to prevent it.


    For the meeting, he rented a suite of over 10 million won per night and prepared his own plans. But none of the heads of the important Big 10 guilds came out here.


    He found out that everyone, except for Oh Hyeon Woo, the president of Cheonsang Guild where Min Young Hun currently away, had no special schedule and even contacted them.


    At least, six guilds sent someone about director-level1 considering Min Young Hun, who was called a crazy dog in the guild industry.


    But none of them showed any interest in the gathering.


    To be more precise, they came to the place but were busy avoiding Min Young Hun¡¯s gaze with a face that wanted to escape quickly somehow.


    He already knew the answer to why things turned out this way.


    ¡®So, Hyesung Group, no. Choi Wu Jae is that scary.¡¯


    Min Young Hun, who was struggling with this, strengthened his hand holding the bottle.


    ¡°What¡¯s so scary about a geezer who¡¯s about to die¡­¡±


    No matter how much the myth of Hyesung Group was rewritten by awakened at a late age and achieved incredible growth, isn¡¯t he just an old man after all?


    Min Young Hun could not understand the current situation at all.


    ¡®If hyungnim2 was here at a time like this¡­¡¯


    No, there was nothing different.


    Rather, Min Young Hun had moved now because it would be easier to proceed with the work even without Oh Hyeon Woo.


    In the first place, Min Young Hun¡¯s own problem was bigger.


    He wanted to prevent Hyesung Group from jumping into the guild market somehow, but that didn¡¯t work out.


    It was when he was holding his sore head to think of a way.


    The hotel room door opened naturally and a young woman with long wavy hair came in with a proud step wearing high heels.


    ¡°What, are you drinking? I guess things didn¡¯t go as planned.¡±


    Even the presidents of Big 10 guilds clicked their tongues at Min Young Hun, who most people felt burdensome to deal with.


    ¡°¡­cking.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t curse. What happened?¡±


    The woman, who sat with crossed legs across from Min Young Hun, frowned at his low-sounding last word and asked.


    Min Young Hun slowly raised his head and looked at her, showing a gaze filled with burning heat.


    ¡°What you expect. Everyone was scared and ran away with their tails curled. Choi In Young, they would even bark if your father asked them to. Like woof woof, woof woof. Kekek.¡±


    ¡°Do it moderately. Cause it¡¯s ugly.¡±


    Choi In Young, the fifth of the Choi family, scolded and stared at Min Young Hun.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    It was when Min Young Hun, who once again put a strong whiskey bottle into his lips, tilted his head.


    Choi In Young jumped up from her seat and took away his bottle.


    ¡°Why¡­!¡±


    Before Min Young Hun could say anything, the tongue of Choi In Young, who lowered her head and kissed him at once, penetrated the gap like a snake.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    The moaning Min Young Hun¡¯s movement slowly became calmer.


    Slowly sweeping her hair behind ears, Choi In Young took off her lips and her eyes shone fiercely.


    ¡°Calm down, Min Young Hun. Calm down and think about it. Even if it¡¯s frustrating, we have to stop it somehow. You know, right? When my father establishes a guild, he¡¯ll surely entrust the second sister as the president. If that happens, my chance would be gone completely.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You said you want to marry me. You said you¡¯d give me the position of chairman of Hyesung Group as a gift. Aren¡¯t you going to keep your promise?¡±


    ¡°Am I not doing this to keep my promise.¡±


    Choi In Young, who sat on his lap watching Min Young Hun sighing deeply, smiled with her eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s why don¡¯t get carried away thinking about flipping it over. Take your time. Got it?¡±


    Her soft touch gently passed over Min Young Hun¡¯s hair.


    When the hands of Min Young Hun, who had burning eyes, were near her chest.


    Choi In Young pushed out his hand away casually and lit her eyes.


    ¡°More than that. I¡¯m telling you as this one didn¡¯t go well, but I just received a good information source.¡±


    ¡°What source?¡±


    Min Young Hun licked his lips with pity and asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s about Yu Seong. Our ninth.¡±


    ¡°¡­Choi Yu Seong?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I heard that guy has been hunting alone lately.¡±


    ¡°Why is that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Although father pretends not to, he quite cares about our Yu Seong. It seems he adores him more recently.¡±


    ¡°There were many talks that he was quite protecting even when the punk was acting like a good-for-nothing.¡±


    ¡°Yu Seong himself doesn¡¯t know. My father¡¯s personality wasn¡¯t like that originally.¡±


    ¡°I know it well.¡±


    Isn¡¯t that why most of the Big 10 guild presidents curled their tails out of fear in this incident today?


    ¡°Is there anything comes to your mind after hearing this?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    At Min Young Hun¡¯s counter-question, Choi In Young smiled and sat opposite him.


    ¡°Yu Seong is a bit big-headed as he just awakened not long ago. I¡¯m a little worried about it.¡±


    ¡°Then how to do it. Kill Choi Yu Seong?¡±


    Min Young Hoon opened his eyes round.


    ¡°Hey. When did I say such a scary thing?¡±


    ¡°Or kidnapping? Let¡¯s threaten that geezer to stay calm if he wants to save his son, like that? Do you think it¡¯s gonna work?¡±


    No matter how much he cared about Choi Yu Seong, the opponent was the cold-blooded Choi Wu Jae.


    He was going to snort and tell her to do as she pleases.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s gonna work.¡±


    However, Choi In Young thought differently.


    ¡°You guys don¡¯t know it well. How much the sly geezer cares about that brat Yu Seong.¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s a bigger no. If I mess with Choi Yu Seong, I¡¯ll be gone too.¡±


    Although he cursed other guilds, it didn¡¯t mean that Min Young Hun wasn¡¯t scared of Choi Wu Jae at all.


    ¡°Who told you to do it yourself? We have a lot of people to order. And¡­ You have me.¡±


    Choi In Young pointed at herself with her index finger as if she was frustrated.


    ¡°Not as much as Yu Seong, but our geezer also quite cherishes me.¡±


    ¡°And there¡¯s no need to kill or hurt him somewhere. You don¡¯t have to lock him up somewhere. Still, he is my younger brother. Would I want to do that far? Take him to a place where he can¡¯t be reached for a while. Just make sure father focused his attention on it.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s like that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Do you guys have a different purpose than me? Let¡¯s work together to create a guild business, roughly.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s just dragging some time anyway.¡±


    With a smirk, Choi In Young put the taken bottle on a low table and got up from her seat.


    ¡°That¡¯s something I have to do. You don¡¯t have to do it if you don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s just¡­ Maybe that¡¯s how much you feel about me. You can think about it.¡±


    Choi In Young smiled brightly and left the suite as if she had no regrets.


    She really looked like she had nothing to pity.


    Min Young Hun staring at the closed door after she left and muttered as he lifted the bottle again.


    ¡°¡­B**ch.¡±


    His hand found and picked up the phone that was thrown somewhere on the sofa.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s me. There¡¯s work to do. The risk is quite high. The target is one of the Choi family members of Hyesung Group.¡±


    Min Young Hun, who unknowingly tapped the back of his phone with his index finger, looked somewhat nervous.


    ***


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s achievements from the last 5 days of hunting were by no means small with the combination of drive-hunting, the effect of Experience Increase potion, and Star Quality.


    ¡ºName: Choi Yu Seong


    Age: 20


    Series: All-rounder type


    Rank: E


    Level: 38


    History Possessed: 1


    Specialization Skills: Star Quality E, Fusion E


    General Skills: Stylish E, Duplicate Eyes E, Spark E, Insight E, Sight Enhancement F¡úE, Muscle Enhancement F¡úE, Lazy Donkey Roll F


    Current Inactive Skill Slot: There is no space left. You can delete or overwrite normal skills other than initial skills if necessary.¡»


    Early in the evening, Choi Yu Seong, who returned home and finished taking a shower, sat in front of the table and checked his abilities with all smiles that didn¡¯t leave.


    ¡®If keep going like this, I¡¯ll be able to get D-rank in a month.¡¯


    Levels, as well as skills, rose in grade as the experience increased.


    Compared to the first day, the rate of level increase was slower as time went by, but he didn¡¯t care much about that part.


    Growth is a structure that is bound to slow down as time goes by no matter what.


    Moreover, the most surprising of these results was the fact that only two of the last five days had used Experience potions.


    In fact, it was also an unavoidable choice.


    Choi Yu Seong had no Karma points left at the moment and had only 5 bottles of Experience Increase potions.


    He didn¡¯t worry too much, though.


    A few people had been dispatched to get the ingredients needed to manufacture the Experience Increase potions.


    Those were items that Awakeners didn¡¯t often buy. Items purchased with Karma point at the Dimensional Store were sometimes traded at very high prices even though seemed insignificant, but it was not at the level that could not be obtained at all. So, he thought he could supply the necessary amount soon.


    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t eat away the Karma points of Jin siblings.¡¯


    Karma points accumulated by the two siblings could also be used if he asked, but it was out of the question from the beginning.


    There were so many things that Karma points could be used directly to strengthen Awakeners.


    And of course, it was not urgent to get Experience Increase potion to the point he ate away the growth of Jin siblings, who would continue to be a strong supporter by Choi Yu Seong¡¯s side.


    The way it is now is not bad either.


    No, it¡¯s fast enough.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mood got better day by day as he thought so.


    ¡®Now I just have to solve the colleague¡¯s problems roughly.¡¯


    Suddenly, Choi Yu Seong found Chae Ye Ryeong, who was getting ready to leave work.


    And just in time, Choi Yu Seong made eye contact with her who was looking at him.


    She smiled awkwardly and bowed her head with a startled look on her face.


    ¡°Then, I will get off work.¡±


    ¡°Yes, see you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Good job for today.¡±


    ¡°Have a safe trip home.¡±


    Chae Ye Ryeong smiled and waved at the continued greetings of Choi Yu Seong, Jin Yu Ri, and Jin Do Yun. As she headed out of the door with a jumpy walk, she turned around.


    ¡°Oh, that¡­ Boss.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Chae Ye Ryeong, who was expected to leave work right away as usual, looked at Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°My younger siblings want me to say thank you to Boss and both of you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t have any parents. I have three younger siblings.¡±


    The unexpected confession of Chae Ye Ryeong shook the eyes of Choi Yu Seong and Jin siblings.


    However, the feelings felt by the three were somewhat different.


    First of all, Jin Do Yun suddenly remembered Chae Ye Ryeong¡¯s age and couldn¡¯t hide his trembling eyes at the fact he just knew.


    Naturally, compassion rose first in his heart.


    Meanwhile, Choi Yu Seong and Jin Yu Ri were already aware of Chae Ye Ryeong¡¯s family situation, although in different ways.


    Therefore, the two did not expect Chae Ye Ryeong would say such a fact with her own mouth.


    It was because they thought she was still too young and had a lot on her shoulders to say that easily.


    ¡°Thanks to Boss and the two of you, our lives have improved a lot. This time, we¡¯ll be able to get out of the shantytown and move to a small villa3. So, by the way¡­ Did eonni4 come and ask the real estate lady to lower the monthly rent on our new house?¡±


    This time, Choi Yu Seong looked at Jin Yu Ri in surprise.


    He wondered what Chae Ye Ryeong meant by saying thank you to the two, but when one of the questions was solved.


    ¡°It¡¯s Do Yun oppa who asked the aunts to give me some leftover side dishes when I go home.¡±


    This time, Jin Do Yun¡¯s face turned red.


    As explained, Jin Do Yun actually didn¡¯t know much about her situation.


    However, he was just guessing that there would be a story because she was working at a young age, so he tried not to needlessly nosy at someone else matter.


    ¡°Well, no need to be like that. That lady said something useless.¡±


    ¡°Cough, cough.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri turned her eyes to the ceiling vainly while Jin Do Yun looked at the ground.


    ¡°Both of you¡­¡±


    It was when Choi Yu Seong looked at the two with an absurd but pleasant smile.


    ¡°And boss.¡±


    Chae Ye Ryeong called Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°Huh, huh?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I thought boss might be as bad as rumors.¡±


    ¡°¡­As you¡¯re thinking it¡¯s not like that now, so why not listen to good things?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Chae Ye Ryeong bowed her head while answering in a loud confident voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m really grateful right now. Thanks to that, my younger siblings¡¯ faces got brighter and their physique got much better. It¡¯s all thanks to Boss and my younger siblings are so thankful. They wanted to say hello, but I¡¯d deliver it instead. Because Boss is busy.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong scratched his cheek.


    ¡°I¡¯m rather grateful to hear that from you.¡±


    He knew well because he was originally an orphan.


    At such a young age, it¡¯s not easy to have that gentle heart without a parent.


    However, not only Chae Ye Ryeong but also her younger siblings were all so nice.


    It had no choice but to warm his heart.


    ¡®I¡¯ve only given a small salary at most¡­¡¯


    It also had a strong strategic aspect of future investment but came back this way made his emotions even more strange.


    ¡°Thank you very, very much. I¡¯m not good enough, but I¡¯ll do my best. Then, please take care of me again tomorrow5!¡±


    The eyes hidden between the hair drew a bright smile.


    There¡¯s no way it wouldn¡¯t be nice to see that clean and innocent figure.


    Choi Yu Seong and Jin siblings laughed together and Chae Ye Ryeong bowed once again and ran out with a bright red face in embarrassment.


    Only three of us were left.


    ¡°In fact¡­ I was wondering why oppa hired that kid.¡±


    ¡°So, you even went all the way to the housing agency and tried to help the kid?¡±


    ¡°Curiosity is curiosity, but I feel sorry for the kid.¡±


    She did not ask how he knew about Chae Ye Ryeong¡¯s family situation.


    Since Choi Yu Seong decided to hire her, she must have tried various investigations due to the thorough nature of Jin Yu Ri.


    And fortunately, Chae Ye Ryeong herself didn¡¯t seem to felt very unpleasant about it.


    ¡°So anyway?¡±


    ¡°Just. I thought it wouldn¡¯t be bad if it was such a good deed, even if it was meaningless sometimes.¡±


    ¡°It turns out Young Master already knew all the facts.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Som, somewhat?¡±


    At Jin Yu Ri¡¯s words, Jin Do Yun looked at Choi Yu Seong with sparkling eyes that seemed to shed tears right away.


    ¡°I am really¡­ So proud of you¡­ Young Master¡­¡±


    ¡°No way, oppa. Are you crying now?¡±


    ¡°No, I was just a little emotional.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what crying is about. Dummy. How old are you¡­¡±


    Jin Yu Ri¡¯s scolding and Jin Do Yun with an emotional look.


    Looking at the two, Choi Yu Seong could not say that he hired her because he knew she would become an Awakener with outstanding abilities in the future.


    And there was definitely something Choi Yu Seong also felt from this.


    ¡®Good deed, huh¡­¡¯


    It was the day when he learned the virtues of giving and the satisfaction of it, which he had never thought of because he had never had much.

 Volume 1 - CH 25

    Next day.


    Choi Yu Seong went hunting again as usual.


    There was no need for a break because the will to achieve the E-Rank Max Level within a month of the goal was burning.


    After following Choi Yu Seong for several days, Jin siblings sent him off with a more stable appearance than the first time.


    It must have been a bit reassuring as he returned safely after going hunting alone several times.


    ¡®Even so, they always don¡¯t forget to say never let your guard down.¡¯


    The gazes of Jin Do Yun or Jin Yu Ri at Choi Yu Seong were always full of sincere worries and goodwill.


    It was surprising truthfully.


    The two were not actually Choi Yu Seong¡¯s family.


    And before possession, Choi Yu Seong was a person who clearly showed signs of annoyance, if not openly ignoring the two.


    Why do the two of them care this much about Choi Yu Seong when all that was there is likely to fall apart?


    He didn¡¯t know much about Choi Yu Seong, who had little weight since the beginning except for the murder of Choi Wu Jae, due to the poor setting of the original. Even if there was a story, he couldn¡¯t even know what it was about.


    ¡®If there was a story, it wouldn¡¯t be an ordinary story¡­¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong also had a normal social life, so he knew well that human relationships are not that simple.


    Giving a favor does not necessarily mean the return is beautiful.


    When a new employee who just joined the company seemed to be having a hard time, he gave support and kindness. Yet one day, made Choi Yu Seong a pushover.


    Of course, it may be due to their characteristics as humans are so complex, but it was obvious that passionate support like the two was not simple.


    Especially for those types with a lot of doubts and cold-hearted emotions like Jin Yu Ri.


    ¡®It would be easier to understand if it was a rational emotion.¡¯


    There is no such emotion in the relationship between Jin Yu Ri and Choi Yu Seong, to put it bluntly.


    On the contrary, Jin Yu Ri¡¯s feelings toward him seemed somewhat close to motherly love as he once recalled.


    ¡®Should I ask directly later?¡¯


    Why on earth do the two of them cherish the person called Choi Yu Seong this much?


    When trying to ask, their face may turn red at something embarrassing, and may not be able to talk properly.


    ¡°¡­ Maybe we should have a drink.¡±1


    Choi Yu Seong, who entered the dungeon now familiarly while talking to himself, closed his eyes and opened them.


    A rather dizzy sensation passed by and a long dark underground cave unfolded in front of him.


    Probably because it¡¯s the entrance. There will be a lot of tunnels in a complicated and tangled form if proceed a little further.


    From today, the hunting ground has been changed to a second-grade dungeon located in Mokdong, instead of the first-grade dungeon that was used until yesterday.


    He must have gotten used to the hunting itself and gained confidence. It was the first time he came to a higher-grade dungeon, which gives him even a little more experience to accelerate his level up.


    ¡®I¡¯ve heard about it, but it¡¯s the real dungeon atmosphere. It¡¯s humid, wet, a bit sticky.¡­¡¯


    The feeling itself was not particularly pleasant compared to the plain field.


    Choi Yu Seong checked the portal to return to the earth emitting blue light behind his back and opened the map that Jin Yu Ri had prepared in advance, which he had put in the deepest part of the battle suit.


    ¡®In case it gets ripped off in combat.¡¯


    He was going to start by memorizing the shape of the road as much as possible.


    There was no harm about it just in case.


    ***


    Jin Yu Ri, who was sitting in a chair near the ¡®Dungeon Square¡¯ building made by the Awakener Association, looked up at her cell phone.


    It was not noticeable because many people were passing by as it is located downtown. But surprisingly, there were quite many hunters entering the Dungeon.


    ¡°The people are definitely increased than our time, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Because the number of Awakeners is increasing every year.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri¡¯s question was answered by Jin Do Yun with a nod.


    Even about eight years ago, when she was just awakened, news often reported that the number of Awakeners was increasing. Time passed again in that status, so it might have been an apparent result.


    But the world still wants more Awakeners and hopefully, the number of hunters among them will increase.


    It was an obvious matter.


    A hunter is a combatant who can fight a fully armed platoon unit with just a rank D.


    Also, only hunters can fight monsters that use bizarre magic that modern firearms don¡¯t work with.


    The presence of outstanding hunters on both attack and defense regardless of time and situation is an important resource that determines the status of the nation in this era.


    ¡°It¡¯s already about 3 hours since he has been in.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll also fill half a day today, right.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing to think about it again. I didn¡¯t expect Yu Seong oppa to change this quickly.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he had a big intention from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s naive words like you, oppa.¡±


    ¡°Well. As you also remember, Young Master was originally a big vessel.¡±


    Jin Do Yun refuted Jin Yu Ri¡¯s cynicism.


    The sentimental him had eyes glimpsed as if he was reminiscent of the past.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that Yu Seong oppa was standing out compared to his peers when he was young. But if he was really a big vessel, he wouldn¡¯t have been crooked.¡±


    ¡°Originally, a sleeping dragon crouched down and waited for the right time. Young Master must have had some big plan that we don¡¯t know about.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s absolutely not that. Rather, it¡¯s correct to say that some psychological change has come. But recently, someone who might have a new influence on Yu Seong oppa¡­¡±


    Jin siblings, the two of whom simultaneously recalled the best rising star of this era who had somewhat arrogant eyes.


    ¡°No way. Because of Kim Do Jin?¡±


    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t want to admit it.¡±


    ¡°Agree.¡±


    From the first time Kim Do Jin approached Choi Yu Seong, the two felt unknown anxiety.


    And even now, that feeling wasn¡¯t much different.


    There were too many doubts about Kim Do Jin.


    A genius of the era who suddenly appeared like a comet.


    A personality that is highly regarded, though also arrogant, with beautiful swordsmanship that makes everyone admires.


    The perfectionist, who seemed to had no blemish anywhere, first wanted a relationship with Choi Yu Seong.


    In fact, it was strange to like Choi Yu Seong so much.


    But what if Kim Do Jin caused Choi Yu Seong such a positive change like now?


    ¡®Did that cheeky bastard make some kind of miracle?¡¯


    It was when Jin siblings, who knew Kim Do Jin¡¯s true face to some extent, shook their heads at the same time.


    ¡°Jin Yu Ri, Jin Do Yun.¡±


    Two men in dark sunglasses and black suits approached the two.


    ¡°What¡¯s this. Are you doing Iron Wall cosplay?¡±


    The words spouted leisurely, but Jin Yu Ri was somehow feeling uneasy.


    ¡®Where are these guys from?¡¯


    Tempered body shape, eyes shining cold under sunglasses.


    It could be seen by looking at it.


    They never came with a favorable feeling.


    It was a moment when the hand of Jin Yu Ri, who showed a smile on the outside, tried to grab the collar of the man on the left secretly but quickly.


    The tip of Jin Yu Ri¡¯s jaw also filled with a cold and cool sensation.


    Jin Yu Ri, who quickly stopped her outstretched hand, had her mouth twisted.


    ¡°A good sense, huh?¡±


    ¡°That side is the same. You¡¯re a lady with bad hands.¡±


    With hands in his pocket, a blue haze rose from the man¡¯s eyes looking at Jin Yu Ri¡¯s face.


    A very small blue light that could be mistaken for a dot was piercing under Jin Yu Ri¡¯s chin.


    ¡®The skill is not usual?¡¯


    She is an A-Rank flair-type Awakener.


    She was even confident at speed within the same rank.


    However, the opponent¡¯s ability followed at a speed comparable to that.


    He was not just a decent amateur, unlike the appearance.


    ¡®Who¡¯s it really? What¡¯s the purpose?¡¯


    It was when Jin Yu Ri¡¯s eyes filled with strange tension and doubts.


    ¡°Do you want to save Choi Yu Seong?¡±


    As soon as the name came out, Jin Do Yun¡¯s shoulders twitched.


    The eyes of Jin Yu Ri, who raised her hand to block him, also sank coldly.


    Questions and calculations had been left behind.


    Heat-filled anger rose instead.


    ¡°Think carefully and talk. From now on, what you¡¯re spitting out is talking at the risk of your life.¡±


    The man didn¡¯t budge even a single expression despite the harsh threat said.


    ¡°We¡¯ve secured Choi Yu Seong by releasing people in the dungeon. If you want to save his life, follow me quietly.¡±


    ¡°Did you touch the Choi family? You seem to have quite a few lives.¡±


    The man didn¡¯t care about her sneer and turned his back.


    Since then, Jin Yu Ri¡¯s brows have been dug deep, looking at the back of the two people who walked away without hesitation.


    ¡®It could be a trap.¡¯


    No, she was pretty sure it¡¯s probably a trap more than 50%.


    It¡¯s foolish to believe and move on the word of a man who suddenly appeared.


    It may be the right decision to run into the dungeon right away even if she becomes a criminal, rather than chasing after them.


    However, there was too little information.


    Jin Yu Ri had to make a rational judgment in such circumstances.


    It would be better if those big men¡¯s words were false.


    ¡®After all, Yu Seong oppa will be able to come out of the dungeon safely.¡¯


    If that happens, there is another way.


    In her pocket, Jin Yu Ri pressed the emergency call button on her cell phone then pressed the call end button after feeling the tone going about 3 times.


    With this, she was lessened of great anxiety on the premise Choi Yu Seong would return safely from the dungeon.


    What¡¯s left is if at least one of the things the men in suits said were true.


    Even though the possibility was extremely slim, Jin siblings could never ignore their concerns.


    ¡°Let¡¯s follow.¡±


    Said Jin Do Yun.


    ¡°F**k.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri, who spitted out a curse, nodded and raised her body.


    In fact, the answer that the two would take was already set.


    As long as Choi Yu Seong is at stake, this trap is bound to be deceived even though they knew it.


    Even if the men in suits were higher-ranking Awakeners than Jin siblings, the two could not come to a different conclusion even if their lives were at risk.


    ¡®If they hurt even the tip of Yu Seong oppa¡¯s hair¡­¡¯


    A-rank Awakener? Or some giant organization?


    Everything didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡®I¡¯ll kill them all even if I need to chase to the end of hell.¡¯


    Jin Yu Ri, who was grinding her teeth and taking steps to chase after two suit men, turned her eyes wide.


    ¡®Just now¡­?¡¯


    Jin Do Yun also looked away with Jin Yu Ri and looked surprised.


    Then they look at each other and frown on whether they had the same thoughts in their heads.


    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t like it, yet there¡¯s no way but to believe.¡±


    ¡°Agree.¡±


    At Jin Do Yun¡¯s words, Jin Yu Ri nodded.


    ***


    About 3 hours since entering the dungeon.


    In the meantime, Choi Yu Seong tried to adapt to the underground cave-type field that he experienced for the first time.


    The restrictions on movement that he was worried about were not significant.


    The passage was wide enough for four or five monsters to rush at the same time.


    The fact that it was darker than the wide field was also adapted in less than 10 minutes thanks to the effect of Sight Enhancement E.


    There were only two problems.


    The expected complicated road and the unique moisture and discomfort of the underground.


    The difficulty of the road could be solved somehow through the map, but the latter was a little different.


    ¡®It¡¯s definitely more uncomfortable than when in the wide field.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong pulled out the spear blade that penetrated the head of a Noll, the monster in the underground cave encountered while walking through the passage. He thought that the spear was unusually heavier than usual.


    After shaking off the blue blood flowing on the spear blade, he put the spear in the back holder attached to the combat suit and opened the map to check the location.


    ¡®There¡¯s an empty lot if I walk about 20 minutes from here.¡¯


    Looking at a blue star drawn and marked by Jin Yu Ri, it was clear that it was a resting place where monsters did not appear well.


    Choi Yu Seong first set his first target there.


    ¡®Since I¡¯m slowly getting used to the dungeon, so let¡¯s take a short break then activate History to drive-hunting.¡¯


    Still, it was a decision that could be drawn because it was not that difficult to deal with the second-grade monster Noll, perhaps thanks to his hard work leveling up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who took steps with a rather light and powerful voice to shake off the dampness of the dark cave, stopped in place in less than 3 minutes.


    Choi Yu Seong thought if he could hear the sound of people¡¯s footsteps from the direction of the empty lot he was heading to. Then three hunters appeared.


    Generally speaking, those are the number of people who make up a party.


    The problem is that they were silently walking down the passage without talking to each other, but suddenly stopped walking when they found Choi Yu Seong. Choi Yu Seong felt his back cold with unknown tension and looked at his opponent in place.


    The three people seemed to mumble something among themselves and then suddenly started running toward Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®What the hell is it?¡¯


    With some doubts, Choi Yu Seong turned his back and ran without hesitation.


    ¡®To think that I didn¡¯t feel so good¡­¡¯


    Sure enough, the men who didn¡¯t say a word raised their voices.


    ¡°Catch-! It¡¯s Choi Yu Seong!¡±


    And two men, who were walking from the front in the direction where Choi Yu Seong was running, took out their respective weapons and ran as if they were responding to him.


    Both front and back were blocked in the straight passage.


    ¡®¡­ Stuck between rock and hard place, huh.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who had no place to escape, clicked his tongue then reached behind his back and grabbed the spear.


    He was surprised but quickly regained his composure.


    In fact, people who could target Choi Yu Seong were all over the place.


    The Villains who want money, the siblings who don¡¯t like him, and even Kim Do Jin.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know what is it, but I can¡¯t just give it away.¡¯


    It was something he was prepared for when he entered the dungeon for the first time.


    As human sight cannot be easily reached, the world inside the dungeon often loses a lot of the power of law.


    In the end, there is only one perfect rule in the dungeon.


    ¡°Survival of the fittest.¡±


    Thinking back, it was a familiar situation for Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®From birth until now transferred to a novel¡­¡¯


    The guy called life never let Choi Yu Seong live a smooth life.


    ¡®It¡¯s no different.¡¯


    Nothing has changed.


    So, he was not afraid.


    ¡°Caught him-!¡±


    Already in close distance.


    At the sword raised by a close opponent with a bright expression, he bounced it off with the spear.


    And he shocked another opponent who had been attacking from the back by stabbing a spear by avoiding.


    ¡°Ho, how?!¡±


    ¡°They said he¡¯s E-rank!¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who broke through the blocked road with short movements, leaped forward and thought.


    ¡®They say that this world is better even if you roll in a dog poop field.¡¯2


    Therefore, even the suddenly unfolding world was inside a novel that was believed to be fiction, even if a terrible death worthy of a villain extra awaits at the end, he will not choose an easy and comfortable rest.


    Even if he gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and crawled on the floor!


    ¡®I¡¯m going to survive. Never giving up.¡¯


    That was the way of life chosen by human Choi Yu Seong.

 Volume 2 - CH 1

    Three from the back, two from the front.


    The enemies that looked like only five in total quickly increased to eight.


    ¡®Not long after I broke through two, three showed up again from the side road.¡¯


    The second-grade dungeon, Noll¡¯s Cave, is so complicated that it is inconvenient to navigate without a map.


    Therefore, it was not unusual for new enemies to suddenly appear in the direction Choi Yu Seong was going.


    However, it was certainly difficult as the number was higher than expected.


    That means the eight currently seen may not be all of them.


    ¡®The highest rank limit to enter the second-grade dungeon is D.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, whose path was blocked again, looked at his opponent and gulped.


    Unlike the two who were caught off guard for the first time, the three of them had a quite serious expression.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down!¡±


    ¡°If we miss him, we¡¯ll all die!¡±


    It was probably because of the shout of the chasers running from the other side.


    ¡°Maybe because it¡¯s a cave? You heard it just from a little buzz?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong spoke to his opponent first.


    It is more disadvantageous as time drag on, but it is easier to deal with it if you know what the opponent is thinking.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about pulling some tri¡­¡±


    And a conversation is easy to induce distraction.


    Choi Yu Seong cut off the opponent¡¯s words and started attacking by aiming his spear at the opponent¡¯s collar.


    At that moment, the man on the left stretched his arm forward then a transparent barrier appeared and bounced off Choi Yu Seong¡¯s spear.


    ¡®Flair type! It seems he¡¯s a defensive barrier skill user.¡¯


    In simple terms, flair type is more difficult to deal with than the physical type that can directly fight against.


    It¡¯s because it¡¯s hard to know what kind of ability they have and how useful it is until you experience it yourself.


    ¡°Cocky¡­!¡±


    The man, who almost got stabbed by Choi Yu Seong¡¯s spear while trying to talk, had a red face and swung his fist.


    Seeing the arm that had turned to stone at one point, Choi Yu Seong bowed down his body.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes could see something was wriggling below the ground at once.


    ¡®Something¡¯s coming.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong quickly drew his spear sideways and jumped slightly into the air.


    Paah-!


    A little later, tree roots sticking out from the ground covered the spot where Choi Yu Seong had just stood.


    ¡°Tch.¡±


    One of the three men on the right side clicked his tongue.


    Choi Yu Seong felt a chill in his spine.


    If he did it wrong, his ankle would have been caught, could not move, and was captured in place.


    ¡®Now five times. I wanted to save it because there¡¯s not much left¡­¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong was forced to show his skill, Insight.


    There were just too many people to deal with and the skills were also pretty good.


    In an instant, blue will-o¡¯-the-wisp rose in his eyes and he felt that his field of vision was relatively broadened.


    ¡®This¡­¡¯


    Is it because of the increase of Sight Enhancement skill from F to E?


    The radius of Insight itself felt wider than before.


    Choi Yu Seong peeked at the opponent¡¯s system stats in between thanks to that, but his lips became crooked.


    ¡®All three are D-rank?¡¯


    If so, those who were chasing from behind were also more likely to be D-rank.


    ¡°What are you doing with a bunch of D-Ranks to get one E-Rank. Do you know that you use a knife for a cow just to catch a chicken?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The three men couldn¡¯t hide their surprise at the discovery of their skills, but their bodies moved quickly apart from him.


    Choi Yu Seong, who bent his head to the side and avoided the stone-fisted man¡¯s punch that was approaching him in an instant, quickly rolled down the floor.


    ¡®Lazy Donkey Roll F!¡¯


    He rolled the floor quickly to avoid the opponent¡¯s attack. There was no way to use better evasive maneuvering skills than this in the current situation, even though it was a poor skill that did not match Choi Yu Seong¡¯s Stylish.


    Because of that, Choi Yu Seong was able to get close to the most difficult shield skill user among the opposing members.


    ¡°Humph!¡±


    The man snorted and spread his shield.


    Choi Yu Seong rolled the floor even after seeing him and got up quickly then immediately threw the spear without hesitation.


    The spear bounced off with an impact sound and Choi Yu Seong, who dashed forward, picked up the spear.


    At the same time, tree roots rise in a good place for Choi Yu Seong to settle down and spread its arms like a hungry demon.


    ¡°Got you, bastard!¡±


    ¡°Humph.¡±


    A translucent shield was created under the feet of Choi Yu Seong, who snorted.


    The soaring tree roots were blocked by the shield and permeate back into the ground.


    ¡°That guy, how he used shield?!¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t in the information!¡±


    Choi Yu Seong left behind the bewildered voice and his spear quickly struck the shield in front of him.


    A single attack that struck more than five times in an instant caused cracks in the shield of the D-rank Awakener.


    ¡°This jerk!¡±


    When the stone fist Awakener, who came after him, swung his arm wide.


    ¡°Hey, crazy!¡±


    ¡°Huuh?!¡±


    Choi Yu Seong used Lazy Donkey Roll once again without hesitation, and thanks to that, his fist slammed hard to his teammate¡¯s shield.


    Boom-!


    ¡°Keugh-!¡±


    There was a sound of the shield breaking along with the sound of coughing up blood.


    Choi Yu Seong, who got up in an instant with the spear as a cane, dashed forward and strongly kicked the jaw of the shield Awakener with his toes.


    ¡°Keagh!¡±


    The shield Awakener poured his broken teeth into the air along with blood then his eyes turned over.


    He wouldn¡¯t have died, but he was definitely out.


    ¡°Got one guy. D-rank, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who smiled leisurely on purpose, dashed forward and started running away again.


    The more excited the opponent is, the better.


    The more you lose your reason, the more difficult it is to show your true skills, and the more inconvenient it is to connect with each other.


    The five people, who arrived at the battlefield of Choi Yu Seong and the three, raised their voices.


    ¡°What are you doing! The three of you can¡¯t catch a single Choi Yu Seong!¡±


    ¡°That bastard is just fell, tho?¡±


    ¡°Throw away! Whether he¡¯ll be eaten by monsters or not!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, Choi Yu Seong!¡±


    Between the conversation mixed with indifference and aggressiveness, Choi Yu Seong started running away while provoking his opponent and recalled the map he remembered in his head.


    It was blurry, but when he concentrated, he remembered the current location and appearance at least.


    ¡®It¡¯s not good, tho.¡¯


    Of course, no matter how good Choi Yu Seong is, there is no such thing as a way to fight and beat seven D-rank Awakeners.


    He had to run for the exit, but the location was not very good.


    There were even three places where there are different paths in the direction of him running.


    ¡®But I can get closer to the way out if I change the direction from the first one.¡¯


    Once out of the dungeon, the unidentified enemies can no longer attack Choi Yu Seong.


    They are outright Villains if they can do that when the association¡¯s Awakeners are watching. If so, they would not have been aiming for the special situation inside the dungeon from the beginning.


    And at the first crossroads that Choi Yu Seong thought.


    Choi Yu Seong frowned as he saw the two men running out of there.


    ¡°Found him!¡±


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong!¡±


    He thought it would be just an ordinary general party if he was lucky, but the current situation seemed to be not so easy.


    ¡®There¡¯s no end. Are they some kind of Chinese army.¡¯


    He couldn¡¯t even predict how many people actually were out there.


    Bow and sword.


    The two took out their respective weapons and the seven yelling were chasing from behind.


    There were already 10 people if Choi Yu Seong added the number of people he defeated.


    Choi Yu Seong opened his eyes wide when he saw the opponent pulled the bowstring and was aiming with the bow.


    ¡®This¡­!¡¯


    He was careless.


    An arrow that flew quickly hit Choi Yu Seong on the shoulder in one go.


    But surprisingly, it was the arrow that bent and bounced into the air after the impact.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s shoulders were shaking for a while, but it was just that much.


    The pain was just a numbing on the back of his neck.


    There was a slight groove on the shoulder steel plate of the thick combat suit, but there seemed to be no other major impact.


    ¡®As expected, luxury item!¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong exclaimed in joy inwardly.


    There is a reason why there is a saying that over-geared is good.


    ¡°He¡¯s still fine even after blocking my arrow?¡±


    Looking at the surprised opponent, Choi Yu Seong pierced his long spear at the bowman.


    At the moment when the sword-wielding opponent stepped forward and tried to block it, except for the outstretched spear, he floated his body into the air and spread the shield under his feet.


    Then, he threw his body to the front using the shield as an aid.


    ¡®Although it¡¯s a downgrade version of Wind Step¡­!¡¯


    Anyway, the plan was a success.


    In no time, the jaws of the two who missed Choi Yu Seong¡¯s movement were about to fall off.


    ¡®Done. I can get out.¡¯


    All he had to do was run with all his might to the way out.


    Fortunately, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s running speed was slightly faster than the D-rank hunter pursuers due to the activated Stylish in the middle of the combat.


    If he kept going like this, he can safely escape out of the dungeon.


    ¡®Just have to work a little harder.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong was moving a little bit away. The man with the sword, who was at the forefront of the chase following him, raised his arm.


    ¡°Enough. Damn it. What kind of E-rank has a terribly fast foot.¡±


    ¡°Gasp, gasp.¡±


    ¡°Shit, my crotch will tear apart while chasing!¡±


    Two flair-type hunters, who were less physically capable than the physical type Awakeners, exhaled harsh breaths and shook their heads behind him.


    However, there was no big shadow on the faces of the pursuers despite they had missed the target.


    ¡°If you run this way anyway, it¡¯s definitely the exit. Choi Yu Seong will run like crazy without even knowing what¡¯s there. How much energy would he lose if the guy found out that he was a rat in a jar. Hehe.¡±


    At the sword-holding man¡¯s words, all the pursuers lit their eyes and smiled insidiously resembling each other.


    ***


    Choi Yu Seong felt that the traces of the pursuers who were chasing him had clearly moved away.


    Even since then, no new ones had appeared in the way.


    ¡®Almost there.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong did not easily slow down his steps even though he was in a situation where he could be relieved enough.


    ¡®Why? I still feel uneasy about something.¡¯


    The incomprehensible sixth sense continued to push his back, pumping his heart strongly as if not to stop.


    In the end, not far before the escape portal. Choi Yu Seong hardened his face and had to stop running which he had given all of his strength for.


    ¡°That Choi Yu Seong had arrived, huh?¡±


    ¡°Wow, he must have passed everyone that he came all the way here.¡±


    ¡°Still, he¡¯s a top passer of the hunter exam.¡±


    A narrow passage to the escape portal.


    Eight men were blocking the road as if they had waiting for Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®18 D-rank Awakeners were sent to catch me alone? Such a shit.¡¯


    No matter who it was, it meant that the opponent didn¡¯t think this was easy either.


    A curse came out of nowhere.


    When he stopped running like crazy, his breath became harsher and the world seemed to be floating in white.


    His head was pounding and ringing seemed to spread in his ears.


    ¡°Haa¡­ Haa¡­¡±


    It was also inevitable that rough breathing poured out of the mouth, not from the nose.


    ¡°But that, isn¡¯t it on the verge of limit?¡±


    ¡°If you go and touch it, won¡¯t he just collapse. Kekek.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave your position. If you accidentally let him go to the portal, it¡¯s over.¡±


    Contrary to the ridicule, those who blocked the exit stood still and stared at Choi Yu Seong.


    Nine Awakeners, who chased him, finally arrived a little late from the back. When they found Choi Yu Seong, who had stopped, they cursed and burst into laughter.


    Now that they had succeeded in chasing and thought all they had to do was catch the prey.


    ¡®People around who might ask for help from¡­¡¯


    It was clear that they had already taken over and kicked everyone out.


    Then, the miracle Choi Yu Seong could hope for now was that someone appeared beyond that portal to help.


    ¡®Bullshit.¡¯


    Whoever comes in, it is such a lucky situation if they don¡¯t pass by pretending they didn¡¯t see it


    Choi Yu Seong gritted his teeth and wiped the sweat in his head.


    Still, he got time to catch his breath because the opponent didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°Who sent you here? Is it the guild side? Or my siblings?¡±


    Those who blocked the exit shrugged their shoulders at Choi Yu Seong¡¯s question.


    It was a question to see the reaction and Choi Yu Seong was convinced that they knew nothing.


    Otherwise, all eight people could not help but change their facial expressions.


    ¡®These guys are tails. It doesn¡¯t matter if they get cut.¡¯


    A more meticulous figure than expected was behind.


    The pursuers who have chased Choi Yu Seong to the very back took out their weapons or showed off their abilities and smiled slyly.


    Enemies on all sides..1


    Choi Yu Seong could not give up even in an extremely dangerous situation.


    The option of backing out does not exist.


    So, he ran forward and raised his mana with all his might to wrap Spark all over his body and the spear.


    The roots that had secretly wrapped under his ankles were the first to burn and wriggled like earthworms.


    The body felt lighter as if the effect of the already activated Stylish skill was amplified.


    ¡®Stylish, please.¡¯


    Even if he had confidence in stamina because he had an excessive level of mana compared to the rank, the opponents were D-rank hunters and there were also a lot of them.


    In other words, the probability of multiple opportunities was low.


    He has to break through the road at once.


    Choi Yu Seong erased his thoughts as soon as he kicked the ground.


    It wasn¡¯t a situation where he could do some calculation in his head anyway.


    It¡¯s just instinctive head-on.


    ¡°Coming!¡±


    The opponents were eight D-Rank Awakeners.


    Choi Yu Seong swung his spear as if he were trying to catch a gap and Spark, that jumped out after him, swallowed the man who was at the forefront at once.

 Volume 2 - CH 2

    ¡°Aaargh-!¡±


    The man, who screamed but did not back down, reached out to Choi Yu Seong with eyes wide open.


    Choi Yu Seong had no intention of fighting head-on for a long time, as he was obviously a defense type physical Awakener.


    He lowered his body forward and rolled the ground by using Lazy Donkey Roll.


    Following that were several weapons which pierced the ground at close intervals.


    ¡°Everyone, stab carefully!¡±


    ¡°If really killed, we¡¯ll all die too!¡±


    Those who wielded their weapons without any hesitation turned pale at the urgent cry of their colleagues.


    ¡®Yeah. Not mean to kill me, that¡¯s it?¡¯


    He guessed it to some extent, but Choi Yu Seong¡¯s action became more aggressive as soon as he was certain.


    He stood up fast from the ground and threw his neck to the opponent who wielded a dao sword.


    ¡°Waa-! Fu**!¡±


    The cursing opponent quickly turned around, but the blood spurted into the air with a long cut from the neck to the face.


    Still D-Rank.


    He thought he could not avoid injury because the opponent¡¯s skills were somewhat lacking.


    Instead, he just took the opportunity.


    Unlike his opponent, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s spear hit the opponent¡¯s neck bone without hesitation.


    Crackack-!


    The sound of a broken bone. The opponent was perhaps, no, almost certainly likely to be dead.


    However, Choi Yu Seong couldn¡¯t afford to pay attention to it currently.


    ¡®Just because they don¡¯t mean to kill, they didn¡¯t come to me with good intentions.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong couldn¡¯t afford to take care of such an opponent¡¯s situation.


    Choi Yu Seong, who gritted his teeth, applied strength to his thighs and hit the ground toward the portal not far away.


    ¡°No!¡±


    At that moment, a huge shadow sticking out in front of Choi Yu Seong opened his arms and blocked Choi Yu Seong.


    It was the defense type physical Awakener who first blocked his way.


    ¡®Spark, maximum output.¡¯


    It must not be with clumsy force.


    Choi Yu Seong stretched out his spear with a determination to end it this time.


    Thunderbolts bounced in all directions and dispelled all flair type and ranged attacks that approaching to restrain Choi Yu Seong.


    At the same time, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s spear was stuck in the opponent¡¯s shoulder.


    The gruesome sensation of digging out the flesh.


    It was different from monsters.


    Choi Yu Seong had turned away from the situation as if he was possessed by something at the sensation he felt for the first time. Now he deeply frowned after beating and piercing person bodies consecutively.


    ¡°Keaargh-!¡±


    In that short gap. The unmoved man gave up his own shoulder, dashed forward with wide-open arms, and hugged Choi Yu Seong¡¯s body even as his whole body was charred.


    ¡°Urgh!¡±


    Choi Yu Seong tilted his head with his eyes wide open in the sudden great pain that came with the sound of a broken bone.


    ¡°Khaha-! Got him!¡±


    The defense type physical Awakener, who exhaled white steam from his mouth, cheered loudly.


    ¡°Keuugh-!¡±


    Choi Yu Seong twisted his body to get out from him, but the more he did, only more pain he suffered from the broken arm.


    ¡°That¡¯s terrific. Kim Jae Hyuk.¡±


    ¡°As expected, there should be a tanker.¡±


    ¡°By the way, what kind of catching E-rank Awakener that takes damage¡­¡±


    They breathed a sigh of relief as if they thought the situation was over then praised Kim Jae Hyuk and on the other hand clicked their tongues at Choi Yu Seong.


    18 D-Rank Awakeners came out to catch only one early-mid E-Rank Awakener.


    The goal was not to kill but to capture alive, but the damage was unexpectedly great.


    ¡°Park Sung Hyung is dead.¡±


    ¡°The neck is bent completely reversed.¡±


    Those who checked the condition of the Awakener, who swung dao sword at Choi Yu Seong and fell by the spear, shook their heads.


    There was pity in both eyes, but there was no emotion such as anger or sadness.


    This is originally the fate of those who become dungeon hunters.


    It¡¯s not strange when, where, and what happens even if you die.


    In the case of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s abduction, the variable was just bigger than expected.


    ¡°We won¡¯t kill you, but don¡¯t think about resting well. Or I¡¯ll also break your limbs one by one.¡±


    Kim Jae Hyuk threatened in a low voice.


    Choi Yu Seong had relaxed with his head down as if he had given up or fainted.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do with just limbs one by one. I can¡¯t stand the fact that I was teased by that guy earlier.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough to keep him alive? Let¡¯s pull out all the nails.¡±


    ¡°Torture is my specialty. I¡¯ll make him suffer enough to not let him die.¡±


    It was when they were having a bloody conversation like criminals who thought nothing of kidnapping.


    ¡°¡­ bolt.¡±


    ¡°What is he saying? This guy.¡±


    Kim Jae Hyuk tilted his head when Choi Yu Seong muttered like self-talk.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it one million volts?¡±


    It was when Spark swirled up from the body of Choi Yu Seong, who raised his head and lit up his eyes.


    Kim Jae Hyuk, who was engulfed in thunderbolts once again, gave strength to both his arms.


    ¡°This body¡¯s pain tolerance is D-rank, you know!¡±


    Kim Jae Hyuk grinned with yellow teeth then tilted his head because he could not hear Choi Yu Seong¡¯s scream.


    Soon, Kim Jae Hyuk widened his eyes after confirming that Choi Yu Seong had spread a thin translucent shield in the gap of his captured arm.


    ¡®He used and made the shield this thin?¡¯


    Even without any signs or feelings.


    At the moment when Kim Jae Hyuk was surprised for the ability to operate the shield which seemed to be better than the original user, Choi Yu Seong threw his head back and hit Kim Jae Hyuk¡¯s chin.


    ¡°Kurgh-!¡±


    Kim Jae Hyuk who frowned with a scream slightly relaxed his arms.


    There was no reason for Choi Yu Seong to miss the opportunity.


    He quickly pulled his body down and rolled to the side.


    Lazy Donkey Roll F ¡ú Lazy Donkey Roll E


    As soon as the skill level-up message was heard, Choi Yu Seong plunged the spear into the ground and jumped into the air like a pole jump.


    ¡°Catch that guy!¡±


    Kim Jae Hyuk, who boasted D pain tolerance, ran out to catch such Choi Yu Seong.


    No, he tried to run.


    Something caught his ankle and blocked his movement.


    Thanks to that, Kim Jae Hyuk plunged face first and a nosebleed burst out.


    ¡°Kurgh-!¡±


    Kim Jae Hyuk¡¯s eyes opened roundly as he saw the tree roots that were holding his ankles.


    Looking at Choi Yu Seong, he was seen winking and raising his hand toward somewhere.


    ¡®Betrayer?¡¯


    Kim Jae Hyuk and everyone else thought of that in an instant.


    Attention was naturally directed to Park Min, Awakener with the ability to summon tree roots and branches.


    Being misunderstood, he quickly shook his hands and head.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. Am I crazy!¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who had completely surpassed the Awakeners who were blocking the way using the pole jump method, sighed in the meantime.


    ¡®Now, if I just run about 500m straight¡­¡¯


    It¡¯s the finish line, the portal.


    He overcame the biggest barrier with a moment¡¯s wit and grit.


    Run.


    ¡°This is not the time to argue, stop him!¡±


    ¡°If this fails, it will be a great disgrace!¡±


    A scream-like roar chased Choi Yu Seong from behind.


    A smile of relief flowed from Choi Yu Seong, who ran like the wind.


    ¡®300m.¡¯


    The finish line is just around the corner.


    The moment he thought so, the ground of the dungeon shook.


    ¡°¡­?!¡±


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s body, which had little strength left in his legs, staggered.


    At the same time, some of the ground rose like a wall in front of his eyes.


    The earth-type flair Awakener, who had been gathering strength during the not-too-short confrontation, demonstrated his skill.


    ¡®If I fall here¡­¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong did not have enough stamina to escape if the road was blocked again.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Therefore, he spoke to himself and flew his body again with the spear as a pole.


    It was a spear that cost nearly 2 billion won in cash, but it was not a waste.


    Money was no more precious than life.


    It was for the best.


    The best choice Choi Yu Seong can make.


    As a result, Choi Yu Seong slammed his shoulder against the wall of soaring ground.


    Bam-!


    With the shock, his whole body filled with pain and trembled.


    ¡°Khoff, khooff-!¡±


    Choi Yu Seong trembled as he vomited blood.


    However, it was something else that bothered Choi Yu Seong more than that.


    ¡®I couldn¡¯t get over it.¡¯


    Blocked.


    He failed with only 300 meters left.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Be careful, the opponent isn¡¯t just an E-rank Awakener.¡±


    The group of Awakeners who approached Choi Yu Seong had become less talkative than before.


    Their eyes were also different from before.


    Choi Yu Seong slowly raised his body, crawling on the floor with both hands even as he was coughing up blood and suffered.


    The bloody eyes remained vigilant against the approaching Awakeners.


    His physical strength was low and his body condition was a mess, but his mental strength was not over yet.


    Choi Yu Seong was still looking for an escape opportunity and was staring at them with a look that would kill any one of them at the very least.


    Maybe because of that?


    Despite the obvious fact that Choi Yu Seong was captured, the pace of the kidnapper group was much slower than expected.


    ¡®Is this the best thing to do?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯d rather kill him here¡­¡¯


    ¡®In the future, after releasing Choi Yu Seong¡­¡¯


    Gazes mixed with awe and fear surrounded Choi Yu Seong.


    Choi Yu Seong could read such an atmosphere.


    ¡®If only I could use it¡­¡¯


    But how?


    There is no means.


    Unlike his unbroken spirit, Choi Yu Seong clearly aware that he had reached a certain limit.


    ¡®If I had more power¡­¡¯


    No, he should have been a lot more thorough.


    He should have been aware and guarded that a dungeon is a place that anything is not strange no matter what it is.


    You can¡¯t grow if you can¡¯t get over this kind of crisis alone?


    Choi Yu Seong admitted that he was somewhat careless.


    His enemies were more cunning and meticulous than he thought.


    They don¡¯t wait for the opponent to grow up and offer chunks of experiences like the bad guys in novels, manhwas, and movies.


    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have thought them the same as the greenhorn Choi Min Seok¡­¡¯


    He was complacent.


    He thought it was easy, as he handled Choi Min Seok who messed with him.


    His enemies are monsters who don¡¯t mind using a cow knife to catch chickens.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s powerful will leaked out of his body. The group of kidnappers walked little by little even when they were engulfed by their emotions and soon came to the front of Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°Sorry, but we can¡¯t help it because it¡¯s our job. I hope you don¡¯t take it too seriously.¡±


    Kim Jae Hyuk.


    Unlike his initial attitude, he reached out his hand and gave an apology to Choi Yu Seong for some reason.


    Just before the wounded thick hand touches Choi Yu Seong¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t touch carelessly.¡±


    A voice was heard from the air and a silver streak fell like a thunderbolt along with a figure of someone.


    A dark black combat suit, short hair, a broad back, and a cold atmosphere.


    Choi Yu Seong undoubtedly recognized who suddenly appeared despite his blurry vision.


    ¡®Kim Do Jin.¡¯


    With a sly smile, he said.


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong is mine.¡±


    ***


    Gong Seong Jin, Gong Wu Jin.


    The two men, also known as the Gong brothers, were quite rumored in the Korean mercenary industry.


    Their main duties include kidnapping, murder, intimidation, robbery, and even escort.


    They were not designated as Villains as they work hand in hand with powerful people, but they were practically brutal criminals, and both brothers were A-rank Awakeners.


    Because of that, the mission success rate was 100 percent so far.


    The achievement was accomplished because they did not receive anything they could not afford in the first place, but the Gong brothers were recognized enough to actually rise to the Top 10 in the industry.


    There were two reasons why the Gong brothers received the task to kidnap Choi Yu Seong.


    Firstly, it was a bit risky but the amount of commission was as large as that.


    Secondly, they could guess the identity of the client to some extent.


    It was dangerous, but their safety could be guaranteed if they succeed.


    The worst consequences of failure were not even in mind.


    As always, they wouldn¡¯t have started working if they were going to produce poor results in the first place.


    The trickiest thing in kidnapping Choi was his two guards who were by his side, the Jin siblings.


    Each of them proved their skills with A-rank and B-rank, but they rarely leave Choi Yu Seong¡¯s side except for sleeping time.


    So, they waited for Choi Yu Seong to enter the dungeon.


    Humans are most afraid of unknown situations.


    With Choi Yu Seong not in sight right now, even a little stimulus would force them to follow.


    So far, it was as planned.


    They weren¡¯t too concerned about the situation inside.


    They hired 18 D-Rank Awakeners who were quite involved in this kind of work through five agencies they familiar with.


    No matter how Choi Yu Seong passed the hunter test as top honor, he was still an E-rank.


    There was no reason to be concerned about failure.


    While the two were away, those inside who succeeded in kidnapping Choi Yu Seong would leave Dungeon Square and move to the meeting place while hiding him.


    The Gong brothers would receive Choi Yu Seong at that place then leave the country for a while, that¡¯s it.


    The mission was in a situation where it would end neatly.


    However, there was an unexpected miscalculation.


    The first was about Jin Do Yun.


    They already had the information.


    Lycanthrope Jin Do Yun.


    A hunter with more defensive power than most defensive ability users and the ferocity of a beast.


    It was a standard theory within the industry that an Awakener of physical type and transformation ability could be viewed a half level above the original rank.


    But even so, he was only B-rank.


    There was no reason for Gong Seong Jin, a curse-type flair Awakener, to lose.


    Originally, the biggest counters for simple and ignorant physical type Awakener were those with curse-type abilities.


    The advantage of physical type Awakeners is that battle with both sides1 is superior to the average. The downside is there is nothing else of a threat except that.


    If you decrease the opponent¡¯s ability and rank to block direct combat abilities, beat him moderately at mid-long distances, they would fall out of exhaustion.


    Obviously, at the beginning of the battle at an abandoned construction site, it seemed to be going as planned by Gong Seong Jin.


    But, how come?


    ¡°Awooo-!¡±


    Gong Wu Jin could not understand the scene of Jin Do Yun howled on top of Gong Seong Jin, whose entire hair dyed red and whole body and face thoroughly ruined.


    ¡®Hyung lost?¡¯


    This was obviously out of the calculation.


    There was even a second problem.


    ¡°My oppa is the type that doubles his combat power when he¡¯s angry. Rank isn¡¯t everything, you know.¡±


    Gong Wu Jin, whose face was swollen all over, opened his eyes round with surprise. Jin Yu Ri, who trampled on his head with the shoe¡¯s heel, struck the floor with a black whip she formed on one hand and said.


    ¡°For reference, I¡¯m the type to be three times crueler.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Just kill me.¡±


    Said Gong Wu Jin after biting his lips.


    He was prepared enough to die one day in this kind of work.


    The time just came at an unexpected point, nothing special.


    ¡°What the? Who let you die in peace. You take my words as a joke, huh.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri snorted and the whip slowly climbed up like a snake from the tip of Gong Wu Jin¡¯s foot to his ankle.


    ¡°From now on, you better answer my questions as honestly as possible.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let it go your way¡­!¡±


    It was when Gong Wu Jin, who flinched, opened his mouth and tried to bite his tongue.


    Jin Yu Ri swung the other hand and the black energy generated in the air turned into a curled snake then stuck in Gong Wu Jin¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Mph¡­?!¡±


    Gong Wu Jin¡¯s body trembled at the sensation of sticky and cold fluids filling his mouth.


    Meanwhile, Jin Yu Ri¡¯s whip was sweeping up Gong Wu Jin¡¯s thigh and slowly digging into his crotch.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think anything else. Blink once if it¡¯s right and blink twice if it¡¯s not.¡±


    Soon, Gong Wu Jin¡¯s eyes widened as he felt the whip between the legs slowly wrapped the private place.


    ¡°Mph¡­ Mmph¡­!¡±


    ¡°Should I rip it off or should I crush it. If you want to die neatly¡­ It would be better if you¡¯re honest. You know that, right?


    ¡°Mmmph¡­!¡±


    Gong Wu Jin¡¯s head shook violently from side to side.


    Both eyes were filled with deep fear.


    ¡°Huhu. Why. Don¡¯t be pitiful. So, why did you touch someone you shouldn¡¯t. Yup, the first question. Is Yu Seong oppa around here now?¡±


    ¡°Mnmmmph¡­!¡±


    ¡°Huhuhu¡­¡±


    Inside the dark abandoned construction site, the cries of a wolf, the laughter of a snake, and the screams of a human were mixed.

 Volume 2 - CH 3

    In fact, Kim Do Jin was able to help Choi Yu Seong much earlier.


    He entered the dungeon even before Choi Yu Seong appeared, leading nine D-rank Awakeners near the portal.


    Kim Do Jin had been watching the fierce battle between Choi Yu Seong and a kidnapper group from a distance with his presence erased.


    Nevertheless, there were two reasons for not helping Choi Yu Seong quickly.


    First, the reason Kim Do Jin came to this place because he was appalled by Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure he checked the contact, but he ignored it.¡¯


    Kim Do Jin sent a message and Choi Yu Seong read it, but there was no reply.


    It was different from the one who replied as promised even if not sincerely.


    There could be a reason.


    Choi Yu Seong had definitely changed and become more active.


    So, he waited for over a week silently.


    Because he was really busy, because he was bothered to care, or because he was literally burdened to meet. He thought of several cases but those didn¡¯t matter either way.


    What was important was that there was no way for Kim Do Jin to reach Choi Wu Jae as easily and quickly as using Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®If I choose a different method, I have to watch it for at least two more years.¡¯


    The resentment against Choi Wu Jae, who squeezed his heart every day, is too deep to show patience.


    But apart from that, it was certainly true that the current situation was different for Kim Do Jin.


    ¡®Choi Yu Seong. You know how to piss people off. That¡¯s too appalling.¡¯


    When he was in a world other than Earth, Kim Do Jin had never been hung up to meet anyone from a certain point.


    Regardless of identity, the other side struggled to make even a small contact with Kim Do Jin, and most of the time, he also tried to endure annoyance at unavoidable situations.


    It hasn¡¯t been much different since he came back to Earth.


    From the perspective of Awakeners and hunters, he was only at the starting point now. But his experiences and swordsmanship polished in another world had astonished many people on Earth and his record of rapid growth made them even in awe.


    That¡¯s why there were already quite a few big names in the political world, entertainment industry figures, and famous hunters who wanted to line up for Kim Do Jin.


    At the time when even the gods were courting him, only Choi Yu Seong looked at him like a stone and ignored him.


    Obviously, the first meeting was no different from the others.


    This was because Choi Yu Seong knew the truth and was scared. But no matter if it was Kim Do Jin, he had no way of knowing that far.


    It¡¯s been a really long time since he has been in a somewhat disadvantaged position in relation.


    In the meantime, what was interesting was the changed appearance of Choi Yu Seong.


    At first, awkward and unpleasant feelings took precedence. But to be honest, based on the results of secretly watching today¡¯s fight, he actually liked it more.


    From the wisdom and wit to search for means in overwhelmingly unfavorable situations, the persistence and grit to never give up, and even the desire for life to the last. None of them were the Choi Yu Seong that Kim Do Jin and the world knew.


    As a result, Kim Do Jin had no choice but to reach one conclusion.


    ¡®He was a tiger with hidden teeth.¡¯


    It was something he had predicted to some extent since he watched the hunter exam.


    But seeing him fight in action confirmed that idea.


    ¡®Choi Yu Seong had to crouched inside the family for some reason.¡¯


    There have been such people among the ancient princes in history.


    Those scary people who admitted that they were powerless, lowered themselves with lies, crouched, and waited for the right time while sharpened their claws.


    It is not incomprehensible if the Hyesung Group is viewed as a nation and Choi Wu Jae as the king.


    None of the members of the Choi family who is not afraid of Choi Wu Jae.


    And the main causes of fear are his wealth, power, and influence.


    ¡®One thing is important. Fear is a feeling that with a slight twist¡­ it turns into anger.¡¯


    Not to mention even Choi Yu Seong, who was originally in a position of being despised and ignored in the family.


    It was somewhat appalling that he even deceived Kim Do Jin, but rather it made him give enough generosity to understand the current situation.


    If Choi Yu Seong had been vaguely clever, Kim Do Jin would have chosen another route to kill Choi Wu Jae, even if he had to step back somewhat.


    There was a chance that the plan would be revealed and everything would be overturned if he moved sloppily.


    But if it¡¯s enough to deceive Kim Do Jin then it could work for Choi Wu Jae as well.


    It could have led to a more perfect situation if done well on the contrary.


    Eventually, it changed a little, but there was no significant change in Kim Do Jin¡¯s plan.


    ¡®Just as it was. Using Choi Yu Seong to kill Choi Wu Jae.¡¯


    However, he intended to completely make Choi Yu Seong, who he had thought to abandon after revenge, into his person.


    To do that, several prerequisites were necessary. The first was to create trust in Kim Do Jin himself.


    Anyway, Choi Yu Seong was strangely staying away from him. So, even if he was not awed like others, he should instill the image that he was someone trustworthy.


    That was the second reason.


    Wait until Choi Yu Seong is in extreme crisis.


    Human beings naturally have no choice but to feel various favorable emotions as they see the savior who appeared in the worst situation.


    Not to even mention being a lifesaving benefactor, right?


    If possible, it is not bad to even shake the heart with plausible words.


    At times like this, every word he spat out had no choice but to stick to his heart.


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong is mine.¡±


    The more sincerity is mixed, the more effective it is.


    Therefore, Kim Do Jin was sure that his words would have shaken Choi Yu Seong quite a bit.


    Choi Yu Seong felt his heart tremble as he heard Kim Do Jin, who suddenly appeared as a relief pitcher.


    ¡®Dreadful guy! Killing me is your responsibility, so don¡¯t touch, that¡¯s it?¡¯


    It was an inevitable thought from the perspective of Choi Yu Seong, who assumed Kim Do Jin had a grudge for the entire Choi family.


    ¡°Kim Do Jin¡­!¡±


    ¡°Is he still not going up to C-rank yet?¡±


    The highest limit for entering the second-grade dungeon is up to D-Rank.


    In other words, Kim Do Jin could not be able to come in if he was a C-rank Awakener.


    As rumors were circulating that Kim Do Jin would soon rise to C-rank, the kidnappers¡¯ response was not unexpected.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Are you going to interrupt our work?¡±


    Kim Jae Hyuk, who lay on the ground with the back of his hand skewered to the ground by Kim Do Jin¡¯s sword, said lines like a third-rate villain with a dagger-like gaze.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking a stupid question. I wouldn¡¯t have come up if I didn¡¯t want to interrupt.¡±


    Smirking Kim Do Jin spun the sword on the back of Kim Jae Hyuk¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Keaaargh-!¡±


    Kim Jae Hyuk, who boasted D pain tolerance, screamed and tumbled on the ground.


    He tried to counterattack by swinging his opposite arm in the meantime. But rather, Kim Jae Hyuk¡¯s fingers were crushed by the defense of Kim Do Jin, who lightly raised his knee.


    ¡°Kheaargh-!¡±


    Inside the dungeon where silence fell except for the scream of Kim Jae Hyuk, who almost cried.


    Feeling the naturally cooling atmosphere, Kim Do Jin pulled out the sword that was on the back of Kim Jae Hyuk¡¯s hand.


    He then cut Kim Jae Hyuk¡¯s neck without hesitation.


    A clean sword skill without splashing a drop of blood.


    ¡°Too loud.¡±


    At the cold words, the already cool atmosphere was now completely frozen.


    Some called this atmosphere fear, but it belonged to a familiar atmosphere for Kim Do Jin.


    ¡°Cra, crazy¡­¡±


    ¡°Murderer!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not something to be heard from criminals. Is that a will?¡±


    Afterward, Kim Do Jin ran forward without hesitation.


    ¡®Maybe currently Kim Do Jin is¡­ D-rank Max Level.¡¯


    It must have been paused right before the C-rank promotion evaluation.


    Although it was such Kim Do Jin, it was still burdensome to deal with more than 15 Awakeners of the same D-rank alone.


    Even in terms of the original novel setting, there were only about 10 D-rank Awakeners that Kim Do Jin could face alone in an all-out war.


    But the battle unfolded as a one-sided slaughter.


    There was no such thing as comparable confrontation or crisis.


    There was only one reason.


    ¡®This is absolutely Kim Do Jin¡¯s pace.¡¯


    The situation might have been a little different if the group of kidnappers had fought with as much composure as they did against Choi Yu Seong. No matter how strong Kim Do Jin was, he was alone and even had Choi Yu Seong to protect.


    However, Kim Do Jin pushed Kim Jae Hyuk as his first goal and showed the cold side of hitting his neck at once, completely pulling the atmosphere toward him.


    Kim Do Jin¡¯s reputation, outstanding skills, and heavy atmosphere erased the idea of ¡®rebellion¡¯ against the group of kidnappers.


    In an instant, more than three kidnappers¡¯ throats flew away and those who lost their reason rushed ignorantly but died helplessly.


    The remaining ran away with tears and runny nose to survive. But Kim Do Jin didn¡¯t want to miss any of them. So, he threw his sword and weapons dropped by the chasers who had become corpses. Nevertheless, he pursued those who missed and shoot them with a bow.


    The entrance to the dungeon was filled with only blood and corpses in an instant.


    Choi Yu Seong, who was left alone in it, trembled.


    ¡®Lunatic killer. That is Kim Do Jin¡­¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong fought for his life in order not to be captured by the kidnappers.


    In the meantime, he killed a man and there were certain emotional ups and downs in his mind.


    However, there is no such trembling or hesitation in Kim Do Jin¡¯s hands.


    They didn¡¯t show hostility to himself, he simply killed peoples who had lost their will in fear without any emotion.


    Kim Jae Hyuk¡¯s death was only a part of Kim Do Jin¡¯s process to create his own pace.


    Kim Do Jin was such a person.


    ¡®A monster in the novel. Psychopath.¡¯


    Ethical consciousness, moral conscience?


    For Kim Do Jin, who fell in another world alone and had to survive, such feelings would have been abandoned in the evening of a very long time ago.


    Such Kim Do Jin may one day try to kill Choi Yu Seong.


    Isn¡¯t it bound to make the heart feel creepy and spine cool by just thinking about it?


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong couldn¡¯t close his eyes even though his consciousness was hazy.


    This was because the person who came to help him was Kim Do Jin, so his heart couldn¡¯t relax.


    Tap, tap.


    Before long. Kim Do Jin, who was taking relaxed steps beyond the cave in the dungeon while wiping blood off the cheek, approached Choi Yu Seong.


    Kim Do Jin, who stood right in front of Choi Yu Seong, sat with his knees bent then looked at him and said with a calm look.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯re all dead.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Choi Yu Seong could not answer anything.


    ***


    Kim Do Jin carried Choi Yu Seong on his shoulder, went out of the dungeon, and called the emergency services.


    And he confessed that they confronted criminals who targeted them inside and were forced to murder because they were outnumbered.


    Choi Yu Seong had a bitter smile as he heard that.


    His sharp eyes stabbed Kim Do Jin in the cheek without realizing it.


    Even though he must have felt the gaze, Kim Do Jin only lightly tapped Choi Yu Seong on the shoulder.


    ¡®What a madman.¡¯


    At the end of the thought, Jin Yu Ri was seen running among the group.


    It was not until then that Choi Yu Seong was able to close his eyes comfortably and could not open his eyes for three days.


    And by the time he opened his eyes again, somehow the complex mind was organized quite clearly.


    ¡°For now, it¡¯s true that Kim Do Jin saved me.¡±


    There were some behaviors that he didn¡¯t like in many ways. But if he thought about it a bit, Kim Do Jin¡¯s judgment was quite reasonable.


    If any of them survived, they would report on Choi Yu Seong¡¯s combat capabilities or situations, and the opponent might prepare a more threatening weapon than now and target him.


    Perhaps, with the current situation in mind, they might even prepare for Kim Do Jin¡¯s part.


    In other words, Kim Do Jin decided to kill all enemies in order not to create a bigger crisis for Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®Actually, a reasonable judgment.¡¯


    To put it bluntly, it could be said he acted like a main character in the novel.


    Perhaps lackadaisical thoughts like Choi Yu Seong could be rather poisonous in a world like this.


    If you don¡¯t like Kim Do Jin¡¯s behavior, you can prepare so that the same situation doesn¡¯t happen again.


    ¡®And if it¡¯s murder, I¡¯ve done it too.¡¯


    It¡¯s just an excuse for himself that it was an inevitable situation.


    The result does not change.


    ¡®Get your act together. Choi Yu Seong. You already knew it was this kind of world.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who looked at the mirror with his face soaked in cold water in the bathroom of the hospital room, clenched his fist tightly.


    He survives.


    Choi Yu Seong didn¡¯t have enough time to think about anything else.


    ¡®Sympathy and mercy belong to the strong.¡¯


    He realized once again from this incident.


    He believed that he had grown up well through hard work with a good leveling system and felt himself talented.


    He thought easily that if he walked on the solid road in this state, only flower road1 would unfold soon.


    ¡®There¡¯s no way I can only prepare on a solid base in this world.¡¯


    In a sense, this incident definitely awakened Choi Yu Seong.

 Volume 2 - CH 4

    In need of a colleague.


    ¡®Let¡¯s not be conceited. Don¡¯t overestimate yourself. There¡¯s a limit to what I can do alone.¡¯


    He kept thinking about it, but it¡¯s not something he would put off until the time was right.


    However, he did not intend to bring mercenaries as Jin siblings first suggested.


    No matter how reliable they may be, they¡¯re mercenary after all.


    People who are controlled by money. You never know when a traitor will arise.


    Choi Yu Seong thought he needed someone much more faithful and reliable than that.


    For example, a person who can grow up together but can be relied on like Jin siblings.


    But it was also impossible to bring Jin siblings along.


    It¡¯s not a matter of not being able to enter the dungeon simply because of the rank.


    ¡®Jin Yu Ri and Jin Do Yun should be given more time to hunt.¡¯


    He heard that Jin Do Yun also suffered considerable injuries in this incident.


    His resilience was good as he was a physical type, a werewolf, but it was not good to suffer such injuries every time.


    ¡®I¡¯m not the only one who needs to grow up. We all need to grow up together.¡¯


    As Choi Yu Seong grows, so does Kim Do Jin.


    No, he will almost certainly grow faster.


    Other enemies will also be stronger.


    Some people are already waiting with almost full growth.


    ¡®I know all about the future?¡¯


    No.


    Choi Yu Seong had already entered the world of this novel and changed many things.


    And as a result, there were many different courses from the original content.


    Lee Jin Wook¡¯s fast appearance, the situation such as this attack.


    Of course, there will be more unexpected risks in the future.


    It was a mistake to think that Jin Do Yun and Jin Yu Ri, who would leave with Choi Yu Seong after the first half of the novel, could continue to stay safe by his side.


    He has to look far away.


    Choi Yu Seong, who he knows, is no longer there.


    The same is true for other figures.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong organized his list of colleague candidates based on the original novel he had kept on his cell phone¡¯s memo while he was hospitalized.


    ¡®I just need one more person.¡¯


    Too much is a burden.


    It might be different if it¡¯s after Choi Yu Seong has grown even more, but too many heads could be problems from the perspective of growing up together.


    You shouldn¡¯t be relaxed, but you shouldn¡¯t overestimate your own capacity.


    If the reference point is not clearly set, the ship may go to the mountain.


    Not only himself, but he also should consider Jin siblings, Chae Ya Ryeong, and others.


    Of course, humans are fundamentally not on the bad side.


    After all these considerations, Choi Yu Seong was able to choose the most suitable person.


    ¡®Honestly, although it may be a bit dangerous to contact now¡­¡¯


    No matter how many times he looked at it, there¡¯s no one but him.


    Thinking so, Choi Yu Seong handed over the name of the person he had chosen and the characteristics he knew to Yu Ri.


    ¡°Where he lives and how he¡¯s doing currently. Please do a detailed look about him.¡±


    ¡°Understand. The name is¡­ Yoo Jin Hyuk. You won¡¯t tell me who it is, right?¡±


    ¡°A person I want to be my colleague.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°What¡¯s the basis? Feelings again?¡±


    ¡°To tell you the truth¡­ There¡¯s something like future foresight among my abilities. Sorry I didn¡¯t tell you before.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, like the first young master¡­?¡±


    Jin Yu Ri asked with her mouth wide open.


    ¡°Not to that extent.¡±


    Choi Ji Ho, the first child of the Choi family, truly had the skill of future foresight.


    Since he was excellent as a hunter with martial art talent and possessed the ability of future foresight, it was no wonder most people were convinced that Choi Ji Ho would succeed Choi Wu Jae and inherit the Hyesung Group before he was injured.


    But even he couldn¡¯t get to know all the exact future.


    Therefore, Choi Ji Ho was seriously injured and had to retire as a hunter. And it was heard that he was living quietly alone now in a secluded area where no one in the family knew except Choi Wu Jae.


    In a nutshell, Choi Yu Seong may say that he has similar future foresight skills, but he could not say so recklessly as he did not know what the future would bring with the butterfly effect.


    ¡°If that had been the case, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. Just think of it as roughly similar.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a similar. Everyone knows that foresight skill doesn¡¯t mean you can see all futures.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri, who was speaking to Choi Yu Seong with surprised eyes, soon nodded as if she understood.


    ¡°Anyway, it would be better to keep this kind of ability a secret. I agree. But can I borrow your power when I need it?¡±


    ¡°As far as possible.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri¡¯s eyes sparkled like jewels.


    It was because countless things that could be done through Choi Yu Seong¡¯s undisclosed ability came to her mind.


    ¡°Ah. And I think I¡¯ll have something to report in a few days.¡±


    ¡°Something to report?¡±


    ¡°The guys who attacked recently.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri¡¯s eyes narrowed as she recalled that time.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve been doing some investigation?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s almost up to the body, but I can¡¯t see the head. I¡¯ll let you know when I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°Then do me a favor. The time needed to find out about Yoo Jin Hyuk¡­¡±


    ¡°At most 2 days will be enough.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±


    It may not be as easy as you think.


    Choi Yu Seong, who didn¡¯t bother to say the latter, nodded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    Although he was feeling sure of it recently, there was a certain private organization that Jin Yu Ri did not even reveal to Choi Yu Seong.


    She would probably let him know if he asked directly, but he didn¡¯t have to.


    Jin Yu Ri implicitly showed herself, so she would reveal it when the time came.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go out for a while and make a call.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong nodded and looked out the window of the hospital room.


    Since it was a VVIP room located on a fairly high floor, the panoramic view of Seoul was quite good.


    Perhaps because of this, he developed a habit of looking far away when he organized his thoughts while he was staying.


    ¡®What I can do. What I can¡¯t do. What I have to do.¡¯


    Jin Yu Ri, who was appreciating Choi Yu Seong¡¯s back for a moment, suddenly stopped as she was about to head out of the hospital room.


    It was because someone had opened the door to the hospital room first.


    ¡®Kim Pil Du?¡¯


    Chairman Choi Wu Jae¡¯s right arm.


    Kim Pil Du, who had glanced at her, stepped aside without saying a word before she could even think deeply at the appearance of an unexpected person.


    At the same time, Jin Yu Ri¡¯s eyes became incredibly wide.


    Appearing from the back was someone dressed in a modernized hanbok. Choi Wu Jae.


    Choi Wu Jae, who fixed his gaze on Choi Yu Seong¡¯s back, put his index finger on his lips and pointed out with a wink before she uttered anything in surprise.


    None of the two were fools who didn¡¯t know what that meant.


    Jin Yu Ri went outside silently then Kim Pil Du closed the door of the hospital room without making any sound.


    ***


    Choi Wu Jae was the only one left with Choi Yu Seong in the hospital room. He killed his presence, put his hands on the back, and looked at Choi Yu Seong¡¯s back somewhat absent-mindedly.


    ¡®Only his body grew up big, but it reminds me of his mother.¡¯


    Unfortunately, there was a feeling of sadness in Choi Wu Jae¡¯s eyes as he reminded of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mother who passed away.


    ¡®If only there were more time¡­¡¯


    Perhaps a lot has changed?


    Choi Wu Jae, who was filled with sorrow in his heart, shook his head.


    It¡¯s been too long to turn it back now.


    Although it was not easy to say that it¡¯s thanks to that, he was somewhat more generous in many things to Choi Yu Seong than other children.


    There was a crooked side because of that, but now he also wanted to get up on his own rather than think about how to use his own hands anymore.


    Choi Wu Jae thought that if it was Choi Yu Seong he remembered, he could do it and had recently shown quite a bit of meeting expectations recently.


    Amid a large number of children, looking at an exceptionally good child will inevitably look at him better.


    Choi Wu Jae¡¯s eyes showed a moment of satisfaction and then disappeared.


    ¡°Keheum, keum!¡±


    ¡°¡­ Chairman?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who then turned his head to the deliberate cough, found Choi Wu Jae and opened his eyes wide.


    Why did Choi Wu Jae come to this place now?


    He was stiffened by the sudden unexpected situation.


    ¡°Be clear about public and private matters. If I were just a chairman to you, a lot of things you enjoy now are things you could not have¡­¡±


    Choi Wu Jae, who spoke sharply, walked with his hands behind his back and sat on the attendee¡¯s chair.


    Choi Yu Seong was quite quick to notice.


    So, he could easily understand the meaning of the words.


    ¡®It¡¯s a reminder telling me to tell the place and time.¡¯


    That¡¯s right.


    Choi Wu Jae¡¯s visit to the hospital was certainly not a visit as the chairman of the company.


    If you just set the line too carelessly, the distance can be farther away.


    Of course, that was not what Choi Yu Seong wanted.


    ¡°Yes, Father.¡±


    Choi Wu Jae, who did not change a single expression at Choi Yu Seong¡¯s words, nodded and pointed to the bed with his chin.


    ¡°What are you looking at? Not coming here.¡±


    At that moment, Choi Yu Seong felt that Choi Wu Jae¡¯s atmosphere was a little different from usual.


    ¡®Why is it?¡¯


    It¡¯s hard to understand.


    It was a rather rough tone, but it was certainly less heavy than usual.


    The atmosphere was somewhat awkward for Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®Although I¡¯m sure he had a similar look like this some time ago¡­¡¯


    While Choi Yu Seong¡¯s confusion was growing due to the sudden sensation of being stimulated somewhere in his memory, Choi Wu Jae was falling into the nostalgia of memories as he watched that appearance.


    ¡®The more I see him, the more he resembles his mother.¡¯


    Old nostalgia.


    Choi Wu Jae felt emotions that stimulated his humanity after a long time, but there was no reason to tell Choi Yu Seong such a situation.


    ¡°Are you not listening to me now?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who was somewhat startled by the low voice, headed to his bed in surprise.


    He didn¡¯t lie down comfortably of course.


    He just sat upright on top of it.


    ¡°Lie down.¡±


    ¡°I am comfortable with this.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Your body seems better than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is fine. Maybe because I became an Awakener, but the recovery is faster than I thought.¡±


    ¡°I heard you passed the hunter exam with top honors.¡±


    ¡°¡­ That is all thanks to Father.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who brought up the word ¡®father¡¯ which has not yet stick to his tongue, smiled awkwardly.


    In the meantime, no emotion could be read from Choi Wu Jae.


    ¡®It¡¯s hard as expected.¡¯


    Even with the appearance of throwing his heaviness, it was hard to deal with the figure of Choi Wu Jae.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s body continued to harden even as he tried to relieve the tension.


    ¡°Enough with those words. Not all of them can do as well as you just because they¡¯re handed an Awakening Stone.¡±


    All of them obviously means some of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s other blood relatives.


    ¡°You¡¯re the third.¡±


    What do you mean?


    Choi Yu Seong was quick to think and immediately understood the meaning.


    ¡°Ji Ho hyungnim and Mi Na noonim passed the exam with top honors too.¡±


    ¡°Right. Ji Ho was 16 years ago¡­ The most recent Mi Na was 10 years ago.¡±


    It was roundabout words, but now Choi Wu Jae was praising Choi Yu Seong.


    Choi Yu Seong accomplished something that had not been done for 10 years following the two.


    Choi Yu Seong was not someone who could not notice that.


    ¡°I will work harder.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be watching. Ah, by the way, there are some very reprehensible guys. How dare they touch a Choi.¡±


    In a brief moment, Choi Wu Jae¡¯s eyes changed.


    He did not smile or frown, but Choi Yu Seong felt goosebumps rising behind his back as he met the gaze briefly.


    ¡®Although I don¡¯t think me nor Jin Yu Ri will have to step up¡­¡¯


    He didn¡¯t know exactly what Choi Wu Jae thought, but he could predict what terrible consequences the opponent would face.


    ¡°And¡­ I heard that Kim Do Jin helped you.¡±


    The moment an unexpected name came out of the mouth of Choi Wu Jae, who stroked his beard. Choi Yu Seong¡¯s body, which had been already stiff, became even tenser.


    ¡°We should arrange a table sometime soon. It¡¯s good to have useful talent somehow. It was about 35 years ago. If I hadn¡¯t gotten that guy Kim Pil Du, I would still have had a lot of work to do with my own hands. You should hold on to people while you can. Do you understand what I mean?¡±


    So, what Choi Wu Jae just said was that he would help Kim Do Jin become Choi Yu Seong¡¯s person.


    In a normal case, he would hurray and raise his hands, but it was slightly different from the perspective of Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®¡­ That¡¯s really dangerous.¡¯


    Kim Do Jin and Choi Wu Jae. And Choi Yu Seong between them.


    It¡¯s the worst combination with an obvious outcome.


    Choi Wu Jae dies, Choi Yu Seong also dies, and it is a catastrophe.


    ¡°Why are you making that face? I said I¡¯ll take care of it, but it seems you don¡¯t really like it.¡±


    The quick-witted Choi Wu Jae read Choi Yu Seong¡¯s feelings and asked.


    Choi Yu Seong gulped.


    ¡®What am I gonna do about this?¡¯


    Rejection for no reason will not work.


    Choi Wu Jae¡¯s stubbornness is tougher than iron.


    So, it was really hard to undo a decision once made.


    ¡°It¡¯s no use even if you don¡¯t like it. I¡¯ll see him and decide myself, so make an appointment within next week.¡±


    As his worries got longer, Choi Wu Jae said clearly as if he were declaring it.


    ¡®This is a situation that Kim Do Jin can¡¯t help but wish for.¡¯


    It can¡¯t be.


    Although Kim Do Jin is not good enough to reach Choi Wu Jae yet, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s position is that it is unstable to create an opportunity.


    ¡°Oho, this guy. Why aren¡¯t you talking?¡±


    Choi Wu Jae asked again.


    He got the feeling.


    This question is his last chance, there is no next time.


    If he took more time, he will only get the angry Choi Wu Jae¡¯s scolding.


    Due to Choi Wu Jae¡¯s personality, it is an amazing thing that he had asked three times.


    The atmosphere, which had become very favorable compared to the first meeting, began to subside slightly.


    It¡¯s going back.


    That¡¯s what relationships are like.


    The sooner it builds up, the easier it will collapse.


    In a way, it means that Choi Yu Seong¡¯s risk increased as the opportunity to get closer to Choi Wu Jae unexpectedly came.


    A fast-established relationship is twice as difficult to reverse once it collapses.


    You shouldn¡¯t be dragging any longer, you should talk well.


    The expectations and trust accumulated by risking life can be destroyed at once with a single answer given here.


    ¡°Father. Do I have to make Kim Do Jin my person?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who finished his thought, gave strength to his eyes and said.

 Volume 2 - CH 5

    ¡°Yu Seong, you punk. Are you feeling even shallow envy and jealousy toward the guy named Kim Do Jin?¡±


    Choi Wu Jae frowned deeply and asked.


    Considering Choi Yu Seong¡¯s image full of inferiority he had shown, Choi Wu Jae¡¯s guess was not strange.


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    After Choi Yu Seong shook his head, Choi Wu Jae quietly swept down his beard.


    A small but not hidden sign of anger began to dwell in his black eyes.


    Before the anger grew any further, Choi Yu Seong had to convince Choi Wu Jae.


    ¡°Father, there are two problems to get Kim Do Jin under me.¡±


    Choi Wu Jae¡¯s black eyes were penetrating through Choi Yu Seong.


    Watching Choi Yu Seong gulped without realizing it, Choi Wu Jae moved his rough lips.


    ¡°Interesting. Let¡¯s listen to it. But. If you can¡¯t convince me when the talk is over¡­¡±


    Choi Wu Jae tapped the end of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s bed with his index finger as if in trouble then he nodded.


    ¡°Yeah. That would be great. I will take away one of the children under you.¡±


    He tried to give a person, but he refused. And now that it came to this point, he would take a person away.


    When it comes to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s person, there were only two people Choi Wu Jae could think of.


    ¡®Jin Yu Ri, Jin Do Yun.¡¯


    Jin siblings are figures that Choi Yu Seong believes the most.


    And as much as the two cares about Choi Yu Seong, there were enough situations where they had to give in to Choi Wu Jae¡¯s pressure and had to make inevitable choices.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Choi Wu Jae, who had a calm but heavy look reminiscent of a tiger, leaned on the chair in silence.


    Choi Yu Seong licked his dry lips with the tip of his tongue and made his body stand more upright.


    ¡®If you don¡¯t do well, they¡¯ll be taken away.¡¯


    It¡¯s felt as if he were on a single rope above a ground full of sharp spears.


    ¡®Although it¡¯s scary to cross¡­¡¯


    The way back was already blocked as well.


    Choi Yu Seong, who had cleared his mind, took the first step on a thin single line.


    ¡°First, it is not the time yet. I have just become a hunter and at the starting line of chasing other brothers and sisters. It is too risky to have a talented person like Kim Do Jin at this point.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t get anything good without a struggle. The more precious thing is, the more people want it. That¡¯s why you shouldn¡¯t have it if you don¡¯t have the power and wisdom to protect it. Apparently, you don¡¯t have the courage.¡±


    ¡°Courage and reckless boldness are different. If I don¡¯t know the subject and just grab it recklessly, what¡¯s the difference from a brute? I said I would risk my life, but that doesn¡¯t mean I want to die in vain by sticking out my neck to an approaching knife. I am not capable to embrace Kim Do Jin at the moment.¡±


    ¡°You understand the subject and quietly lock yourself in the corner of the house. Is it right I interpret it like this?¡±


    ¡°That is not it. To connect it directly to the second reason, I do not know Kim Do Jin¡¯s capabilities yet.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s another interesting thing to say.¡±


    ¡°I have investigated Kim Do Jin. His birth, his growth environment, his family relationships. I found something strange between those. An orphan born in Russia. He was naturalized in Korea and got a new identification card. But no acquaintances who knew him well. Whether in Korea, Russia, or anywhere else in the world.¡±


    In fact, he had never investigated Kim Do Jin since he possessed Choi Yu Seong.


    Is it necessary to do so?


    Kim Do Jin¡¯s circumstances were already fully known through the original novel.


    Kim Do Jin was sent to another world while he stared blankly at the monster¡¯s tide in the chaotic Dungeon Break caused by the failure to clear the Boss Monster. So, the first thing that Kim Do Jin did after returning was of course to find out the passage of time and investigate the life and death of his family.


    31 years in another world was 8 years in current reality. And fortunately or unfortunately, it was said his family survived the Dungeon Break.


    However, his mother fell ill with an unknown disease and was continuing her life in a semi-vegetable state. And his only younger brother, who worked day and night to cover hospital bills, died just the day before Kim Do Jin returned, unable to avoid rebar that fell overhead at the construction site.


    A desperate situation in which it was impossible to dream of a hopeful future with his family.


    Kim Do Jin despaired but did not fall into place.


    Instead, he recalled back revenge.


    When he was a child, the company owned by Kim Do Jin¡¯s father was destroyed by Hyesung Group¡¯s riot.


    Naturally, the family was ruined at once. And his father, unable to bear the disappointment of himself not being able to play the role of head of the family, finally chose to commit suicide.


    That would not have happened had it not been for the aggressive mergers and acquisitions of Choi Wu Jae, who stood at the forefront and led the Hyesung Group at the time.


    In Kim Do Jin¡¯s memory, it was then that everything started to go wrong.


    Therefore at the beginning of the novel, Kim Do Jin made a new identity by pouring out all the money he had earned from selling some of the treasures he had brought from another world.


    He also became an anonymous donor for his mother, who had no one to pay for her hospital bills due to his brother¡¯s absence.


    He hid as much as possible to deal with the monster Choi Wu Jae.


    Knowing this situation, Choi Yu Seong also read the original novel and cheered for Kim Do Jin¡¯s revenge.


    Of course, it is different now.


    Now that his life is at stake, he could not have hoped for Kim Do Jin¡¯s revenge.


    Choi Yu Seong picked up his breath and continued talking again.


    ¡°So going back to the first one, I thought it was not the right time. It is right to embrace a talent. It is a waste to give it to others, so I have to keep it. But I still know very little about Kim Do Jin. I cannot let him in without knowing whether he is a wild dog or a wolf, is not it?¡±


    Choi Wu Jae¡¯s eyes, which had been calmly sinking, changed.


    ¡°I thought you were close without knowing anything.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong swallowed his saliva.


    ¡®As expected, he knew it already.¡¯


    Choi Wu Jae is a greedy figure about talent, just as he always says.


    Wouldn¡¯t he have paid great attention to Kim Do Jin, whom the world is paying attention to?


    Perhaps he investigated immediately after a super rookie named Kim Do Jin appeared like a comet.


    ¡°In a way, it¡¯s neat. I can¡¯t see a speck of dust even if I shake it off. That¡¯s why it¡¯s suspicious. I mean, there¡¯s definitely something to it. And by nature, those who have a lot to hide are dark inside.¡±


    Choi Wu Jae¡¯s lips drew a scornful smile.


    At that moment, Choi Yu Seong felt goosebumps all over his body.


    ¡®That¡¯s why he wanted to keep Kim Do Jin by my side!¡¯


    It¡¯s hard to see what¡¯s inside if you keep it far away.


    But if you watch closely, there will be a gap somewhere.


    That¡¯s why Choi Wu Jae tried to keep Kim Do Jin in Choi Yu Seong¡¯s arms and monitor him.


    That could put Choi Yu Seong at risk, but it was obvious that Choi Wu Jae would think that Choi Yu Seong was just that if he couldn¡¯t handle it.


    This is a possible idea because he doesn¡¯t know that Kim Do Jin is a returnee who had been rolling in another world.


    If Choi Yu Seong was caught as the victim, chances were high that he would have ended up with the same end as the original novel.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯re going to get closer anyway, so I just tried to stick him more.¡±


    ¡°¡­ It was not a bad thought.¡±1


    If Choi Yu Seong hadn¡¯t read the original novel, or if he hadn¡¯t noticed, he would have faced a terrible situation. But what to do?


    As mentioned, that¡¯s where the Hyesung Group is, and that Choi Wu Jae had ten children.


    ¡°If you know the situation, you must have your own thoughts.¡±


    It was clear what Choi Wu Jae¡¯s subsequent words meant.


    ¡°I won¡¯t ask because it sounds fun. Kim Do Jin¡¯s side, try to take good care of it.¡±


    ¡°Phew¡­ I understand.¡±


    Done.


    Choi Yu Seong, who felt he was barely come down from the rope, let out a sigh of relief without realizing it.


    Meanwhile, Choi Wu Jae was in another dilemma.


    ¡®Shall I give a big gift or a small gift for the quick-witted Ninth?¡¯


    It was originally a seat for him to give gifts.


    Though, the answer that came out was so unique that he was worried.


    However, it feels a little too much to give a big gift that just came to mind.


    ¡®Small gift is not enough, a big gift is too much¡­ I¡¯d better do this.¡¯


    Choi Wu Jae, who decided after much consideration, opened his mouth once again.


    ¡°Do you know where the guys who attacked you came from?¡±


    At the sudden question, Choi Yu Seong looked at Choi Wu Jae.


    ¡®It¡¯s different from the sloppy novel with a lot of setting holes.¡¯


    Choi Wu Jae, who lives and breathes in front of his eyes, is the chairman of a meticulously large corporation.


    Why did someone like that suddenly ask such a question?


    ¡°Father already knows who is it.¡±


    ¡°I know. If you want, I¡¯ll call that wicked guy to this place right now. And I¡¯ll make that guy bow and apologize to you. Think of it as a special gift for what you¡¯ve done recently.¡±


    Gift.


    Choi Yu Seong did not act rashly, although Choi Wu Jae once again said something difficult to hear from him.


    The reason is unknown, but he felt a strange atmosphere in the conversation with Choi Wu Jae.


    Strictly speaking, it is a feeling.


    However, Choi Yu Seong did not want to ignore it for some reason.


    So, he asked a question.


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ Is it one of the older brothers or sisters?¡±


    Choi Wu Jae did not answer anything.


    It was silent, but it was no different from affirmation.


    ¡®It¡¯s not Choi Minseok. Because it wasn¡¯t an immature act. If I get an apology from older brothers or sisters¡­¡¯


    An apology right in front of Choi Wu Jae.


    As a result, one of his siblings will lose their rights to Choi Yu Seong.


    Considering how important the rights would be in the upcoming succession battle, it would be no exaggeration to call it a gift as Choi Wu Jae said.


    His heart is beating.


    Rights can be a debt.


    Countless ways to use it came to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mind.


    He was happy with the choice that made him laugh inwardly for a while.


    Choi Yu Seong shook his head.


    ¡°I¡­ I am fine.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because it is my problem. If I cannot get through it myself and just lean on Father, then I am still spoiled by the family.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go find them myself and take the price for what they have done to me. Like a Choi should do.¡±


    In an instant, a scene from the distant past unfolded in front of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes.


    A middle-aged man with a small child sitting on his lap is talking.


    ¡®This?¡¯


    It¡¯s not a memory from the original novel.


    More vivid than that, it felt like an old memory that he experienced.


    ¡®The real Choi Yu Seong¡¯s memory?¡¯


    As if it was a memory from a long time ago, it was scattered blurry as if not on the right frequency of the black and white TV.


    Before the questions and confusion were gone, Choi Wu Jae suddenly stood up from his seat and turned his back.


    ¡°If that¡¯s that your will, then I¡¯ll respect it.¡±


    ¡°Are you going?¡±


    ¡°I should go. I¡¯m busy, but it took more time than I thought.¡±


    Although it could not be seen by Choi Yu Seong, his lip-twisting smile seemed to be quite pleasant for speaking like that.


    ¡°Ah, then¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get up and just sit down! Cumbersome.¡±


    Choi Wu Jae, who shook his hands as if annoyed, strode out of the hospital room before Choi Yu Seong could do anything.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    ¡°As I said, I¡¯ll be watching.¡±


    Choi Wu Jae, who bluntly answered Choi Yu Seong¡¯s urgent voice leaving the bed, quickly went out of the hospital room.


    Left alone in the room.


    ¡®He really just left. It felt like a test somehow, so I just came out¡­ Was it a mistake?¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong smacked his lips with a strange expression as he looked at the closed door.


    ***


    Choi Wu Jae¡¯s lips continued to twitch while he leaned comfortably in the back seat of the Maybach sedan, often called the world¡¯s top three luxury car, leaving behind several officials from the prestigious university hospital rushing out and bowing their heads.


    Kim Pil Du, who sat passenger seat right in front of him, looked at Choi Wu Jae and asked.


    ¡°The Ninth Young Master must have made Chairman feeling great again.¡±


    ¡°That obvious?¡±


    ¡°The corners of the lips constantly crooked like this. How about just laugh comfortably? There¡¯s no one watching.¡±


    ¡°Why there¡¯s no one. You¡¯re here, the driver is also here.¡±


    Choi Wu Jae, who spoke bluntly, leaned his arm against the window frame.


    Choi Wu Jae, who felt awkward looking at his face reflected through the splendid cityscape of downtown Seoul, slightly pulled the cheek with his index finger.


    ¡°Awkward.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t even smile well. I have to force it but it looks bad. Rather than that. When Yu Seong will be discharged?¡±


    ¡°December 13th¡­. I have confirmed that there¡¯s about a week left.¡±


    ¡°About that time¡­¡±


    Choi Wu Jae¡¯s voice became smaller.


    To be exact, the voice was sent only to Kim Pil Du¡¯s ears by skipping the space inside the vehicle.


    It was quite familiar for the chauffeur.


    Choi Wu Jae¡¯s voice always gets smaller in this way when talking about secrets between the two.


    As both of them were high-ranking hunters, he could tell by the fact that they were communicating in a special way.


    ¡®It¡¯s always amazing when I see it.¡¯


    And today, the chauffeur had to have another mysterious experience.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    Kim Pil Du, who was known for his cool-headedness as he resembled Choi Wu Jae, raised a rather foolish question.


    ¡°What pardon. Did you not hear me?¡±


    ¡°However¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    Choi Wu Jae raised his voice and Kim Pil Du quickly bowed his head with trembling eyes.


    ¡°I will follow that, sir.¡±


    He thought it was a rather exaggerated gift, but what to do?


    It was Choi Wu Jae¡¯s order.

 Volume 2 - CH 6

    3 days later.


    Jin Yu Ri, who entered Choi Yu Seong¡¯s hospital room with a very upset look, sighed lightly and bowed her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t find them.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°The real culprit of the assault incident a few days ago. We need to find the mastermind, but¡­ It¡¯s blocked by the Mercenary Exchange.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯ll be harder to pursue.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Jin Yu Ri, who bit her lips slightly, bowed her head deeper.


    Choi Yu Seong smiled and patted her on the shoulder.


    ¡°You said the opponent is Mercenary Exchange, so we can¡¯t help it. Don¡¯t be so upset.¡±


    The Mercenary Exchange was a global organization frequently used by Awakeners who did not belong to any particular group.


    The commissions they responsible for ranged from very petty errands helping with housework, large guild wars, to country local wars.


    As the scale was so large and the fund management was so vast, many countries wanted to operate the role of Mercenary Exchanges as government agencies, but none of them achieved that goal.


    Although it was not clear whether trafficking or other similar things existed, most of the world¡¯s leading countries allow the existence of Mercenary Exchanges.


    Even China, which is no different from a dictatorship, has accepted Mercenary Exchange. So, that¡¯s the end of it.


    Choi Yu Seong also does not know how Mercenary Exchange independently took root in this world.


    This is because the novel did not describe the details of it in the first place.


    However, he knew who the real owner of Mercenary Exchange was, which had not been revealed until this point.


    According to current rumors, it was someone from the UK¡¯s SS-rank hunters.


    ¡®It¡¯s not entirely wrong.¡¯


    The owner of the Mercenary Exchange future revealed in the future is a British named James Rothschild, not an SS but an EX-Rank hunter, and was in fact one of the giants controlling the world¡¯s underground economies.


    ¡®I remember that he and Kim Do Jin had a pretty bad relationship, but¡­¡¯


    This is also something of a distant future.


    ¡°Just because it¡¯s Mercenary Exchange, doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s impossible to track at all. There are several factions inside and there are parts that are being kept in check by the country. But I can¡¯t find it. After the Mercenary Exchange, the traces have disappeared as if something had been completely cut off. There must be a helper. Otherwise, this speed is just ridiculous.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri clenched her fists tightly as if she was angry and Choi Yu Seong roughly guessed the helper.


    ¡®Fath¡­ No, Choi Wu Jae.¡¯


    In any case, if she dug all the way through, the name of one of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s siblings would be revealed.


    It was not to keep Choi Yu Seong in check but to make it difficult for anyone to approach.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t like to just lie back and got some spit.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Let¡¯s put that aside for now. It¡¯s such a waste of time and energy for a trivial thing.¡±


    ¡°What you just said is right.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri, who was somewhat calm with Choi Yu Seong¡¯s words, hit her forehead then nodded.


    Instead, she took a file out of the briefcase she was carrying.


    ¡°As what you said. Yoo Jin Hyeok, born in 2009 at Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. There are several people with the same name, so I collected the data. I¡¯m sorry. I was concerned about the other one, so this one took longer than I thought.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong received the file and looked at the names, faces, family relationships, and characteristics of the people inside. Then he shook his head with a bitter smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s not.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°None of the people here is Yoo Jin Hyeok I¡¯m looking for.¡±


    He thought it would not be easy from the start.


    If it¡¯s Yoo Jin Hyeok from the original story, he won¡¯t reveal his traces easily.


    ¡°But they are the only people based on the information of Yoo Jin Hyeok that oppa mentioned.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what makes it tricky. Is he using an alias? Or¡­¡±


    Choi Yu Seong briefly tapped the closed file with his index finger then opened his mouth.


    ¡°Find out if there is any Yoo Jin Hyeok whose resident registration has been revoked within the last 1 year. No. 3 years.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Yes. I will look for it.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri, who looked serious, received the file that Choi Yu Seong handed back.


    ¡°These days, Do Yun oppa is stamping his attendance to work in Dungeon. I think he has been thinking a lot since the last incident.¡±


    ¡°Tell him not to overdo it.¡±


    ¡°Is he someone who listens when told? And by the time he gets back, I might be away for a while.¡±


    What did Choi Yu Seong think, couldn¡¯t the two also think?


    Choi Yu Seong was not the only one who was awakened by this incident.


    ¡°Okay. And I have another favor to ask.¡±


    ¡°You just have to say it. Whatever it is.¡±


    ¡°I need some mana stone, at least orange. So¡­ More than 50 pieces.¡±


    ¡°¡­ That much?¡±


    Jin Yu Ri asked back in surprise.


    ¡°Huh. Is it possible?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of possible or impossible. It¡¯s about the money.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong recalled the remaining balance in his bank account for a moment.


    ¡®It¡¯s a little over 130 billion.¡¯


    130 billion won of personal assets in cash alone.


    He thought it was a lot, but when he tried to get an orange-colored mana stone with a ridiculous price of 300 million won per piece, about a sixth of it would fly away.


    But what can he do?


    ¡°It¡¯s necessary. I would like to get some yellow colors mixed as well if possible.¡±


    Yellow-colored mana stones are more than twice as expensive as orange ones as they are many times harder to get.


    It was safe to say that the minimum transaction was around 800 million won.


    ¡°Oppa, then you¡¯ll be penniless in no time.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s money, you can make more of it.¡±


    But not people.


    Jin Yu Ri nodded after seeing Choi Yu Seong¡¯s strong will.


    ¡°Who am I to say no to. But I still want to save some money, so it might take a while.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to rush.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve let you down twice, so now I¡¯ll show you how truly good I am.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been disappointed.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri, who was slightly embarrassed by Choi Yu Seong¡¯s sincere voice and avoided looking, scratched her cheek.


    ¡°Ah, by the way. Chae Ye Ryeong asked if she could come to visit.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to forbid. Rather, I had something to say, which is good.¡±


    ¡°Then the time¡­¡±


    ¡°Tell her to come any time. It¡¯s not like I have a big problem somewhere.¡±


    Seeing Choi Yu Seong opened his arms wide, Jin Yu Ri smiled and nodded.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell her that.¡±


    When she put her mind in order, she had a lot to do.


    ***


    Afternoon next day. Chae Ye Ryeong, who took a half-time break, came to Choi Yu Seong and talked for a short time before going back home.


    There was a certain determination on her face under her long hair as she left the hospital room.


    And three more days later, December 13th.


    It was when Choi Yu Seong, who had officially gone through the discharge process, left the front door of the hospital.


    ¡°Chairman said it was a gift.¡±


    Kim Pil Du, who had a blunt expression, approached Choi Yu Seong and handed him a round barrel.


    ¡°To tell you honestly, I really do not know.¡±


    Then, unlike usual, he left with words that left questions.


    ¡°Something is different from usual.¡±


    Said Jin Do Yun, who took a day off from dungeon and training he used to go out every day according to the discharge date, while looking at Kim Pil Du¡¯s back.


    ¡°What the hell is this, that made the cold-blooded guy doing that.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri also shrugged as if she did not understand and looked at Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°I don¡¯t expect anything, though?¡±


    In fact, Choi Yu Seong only knew what is the gift and had been thinking about it after that day.


    But, it was true that he never imagined that this would happen.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get in the car first then check it out.¡±


    Whatever it is, there¡¯s a lot of eyes.


    As Kim Pil Du showed unusual appearance, it was difficult to open the barrel casually.


    Jin Do Yun went out first to find the car that had been parked by proxy, then Choi Yu Seong got into the back seat.


    The car started and Jin Yu Ri, who was in the passenger seat, quickly looked back.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to rush me like that. I¡¯m also curious.¡±


    The smirking Choi Yu Seong slowly pulled out the lid of the barrel.


    ¡°At least it¡¯s not a bomb. Let¡¯s see.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong joked and put his hand into the barrel before taking out the contents.


    A rolled-up paper.


    ¡°Map?¡±


    Asked Choi Yu Seong, who opened it while tilting his head.


    Jin Yu Ri, who turned her head back from the passenger seat to take a look, sparkled her eyes.


    ¡°Is it a treasure map?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I think it¡¯s similar.¡±


    The map, which clearly depicted South Korea, had a circle in a location slightly outside of Seoul, and letters were also written in rough and hard handwriting.


    ¡°Asking to go here? And the writing¡­ It looks like Chairman¡¯s handwriting.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong nodded at Jin Yu Ri¡¯s words.


    ¡°It¡¯s not far. Goyang city. Shall we go?¡±


    ¡°Right now?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong nodded at Jin Yu Ri, who asked back.


    ***


    The car that was supposed to return to Hannam Apartment changed direction, got on the Gangbyeon expressway, and speeding to the freeway.


    The map was not detailed.


    It was drawn awkwardly enough to say that it was rough and the circle marked the location was quite large.


    Thanks to this, they wandered for more than 3 hours over a distance that would have taken an hour and a half to arrive.


    That¡¯s how the three arrived at their destination and got out of the car.


    ¡°No matter how hard I look at it, this is the right place¡­¡±


    Said Choi Yu Seong, who looked at the map handed over to Jin Yu Ri, with a wry smile.


    ¡°Does Young Master really want to go on a treasure hunt?¡±


    ¡°Suddenly it¡¯s a mountain. I have never even heard of a mountain here.¡±


    Jin siblings¡¯ reactions were also not much different.


    ¡°To say it¡¯s an unknown hill¡­ But it¡¯s too big for that kind of thing.¡±


    The bushes are also dense.


    ¡°First. We need to check it out a little bit, but¡­¡±


    It was when Choi Yu Seong, who tilted his head, approached the mountain to take a look.


    ¡°Young Master!¡±


    Jin Do Yun rushed to take away the map in Choi Yu Seong¡¯s hands.


    Soon the sparked map was engulfed in a huge flame and burned up.


    ¡°Are you all right, Young Master. Your hands?


    Asked Jin Do Yun, who held the blazing fire with one hand and did not budge, while looking at Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m fine. You¡­¡±


    In response to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s question, Jin Do Yun stretched out his hands.


    The hard hands full of calluses showed no scratches.


    ¡°As soon as it got near the mountain, a special ability was suddenly activated on the map.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri, who followed behind, spoke with a serious expression.


    ¡°So, it seems this is really the right place?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­ Then what else can we do. We have to go up there.¡±


    Jin Do Yun prevented Choi Yu Seong, who stroked his chin, from walking ahead.


    ¡°I will take care of the front. Yu Ri will take care of the back.¡±


    ¡°Please take care of me.¡±


    In a potentially dangerous situation, Choi Yu Seong did not refuse the protection of the two.


    ***


    It was a quiet hanok1 mansion.


    Considering that there are several buildings inside, there are not many signs of people.


    Precisely, most of them were moving quietly while pressing down their presence.


    In the backyard of such a mansion, a man was sitting on a seat in front of a pond where carps were swimming.


    The man had tightly closed eyes, long flowing black hair, and wearing a neat white improved hanbok. Then a man in a black suit approached and lowered his head in front of him.


    ¡°Master, intruders have entered the mountain.¡±


    The long-haired man shook his head without opening his eyes.


    ¡°Not intruders. Rather, they are guests.¡±


    ¡°Ah, perhaps. Whom Master spoke of before, the fate¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°No. It is not him.¡±


    The man shook his head and scratched his cheek.


    ¡°Even so, it is true that it is a guest with a deep fate with me.¡±


    ¡°Is it possible¡­¡±


    ¡°It is my sibling. Father probably sent him here.¡±

 Volume 2 - CH 7

    The eyes of the man, who was bowing, trembled greatly at the words of sibling and father.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. It¡¯s not the time to be concerned.¡±


    The man with closed eyes faced the distant sky.


    He looked only at the sky for quite some time. There was no way he can something high up there, but the tips of the man¡¯s closed eyelashes trembled.


    ¡°However¡­ It is an unexpected sibling that has arrived.¡±


    ¡°Did you see it?¡±


    Baek Cheol swallowed his saliva and asked.


    His master is a man who can see and feel many things even with his eyes closed.


    ¡°He is a pitiful child. Of all things¡­¡±


    ¡°Then what about the test?¡±


    ¡°For the first hurdle, please do as Captain Baek wants. The second one¡­ Let¡¯s wait and see for a few days. I will make a decision later.¡±


    Baek Cheol pondered about the confused appearance of the man he had seen after a long time, but he did not express it.


    ¡°I will follow anything, sir.¡±


    Baek Cheol, who bowed, slowly retreated. The man who remained alone in his seat swept down his long hair and dropped his head with a deep expression.


    ¡°The Ninth, Choi Yu Seong¡­¡±


    His much-talked, much-troubled young brother had grown up and came to this place.


    Choi Wu Jae¡¯s intention was clear, but his agony was bound to deepen.


    ¡®Of all things, you are the first who came here.¡±


    A sigh came out of the man¡¯s mouth.


    He felt his heart somewhat weakened, but he couldn¡¯t change his decision.


    In the future he saw, the harm that the wrong choice would cause was too great.


    ¡°How can fate be so cruel¡­¡±


    The man who sighed continuously was the first child of Hyesung Group¡¯s Choi family, once called Korea¡¯s greatest New Star 10 years ago. His name was Choi Ji Ho.


    ***


    Choi Yu Seong and his group did not climb the mountain in a hurry.


    They climbed the mountain as carefully as possible, as there might be some crises or traps.


    Because of that, Choi Ji Ho¡¯s hanok mansion was found after climbing the mountain for an hour.


    ¡°So, there is a house in this place.¡±


    Said Jin Do Yun with a surprised look.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit disappointing, but¡­ First of all, we should see this as the destination that Chairman pointed to, right?¡±


    Jin Yu Ri, who was talking while looking around, suddenly stretched her hand and pulled out a whip that was condensed with energy.


    It was at the same time that a black figure suddenly appeared from the air in the front of the party.


    Jin Yu Ri¡¯s whip flew as if dancing and the fist of Jin Do Yun, who instinctively rushed forward, also hit the black figure.


    No, it looked like it was hit.


    Baek Cheol, the man who grabbed Jin Yu Ri¡¯s whip with his left hand and Jin Do Yun¡¯s wrist with his right hand, smiled.


    ¡°You have pretty good skills and senses.¡±


    Naturally, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡®He blocked Jin Do Yun and Jin Yu Ri¡¯s join attack effortlessly. Who is he?¡¯


    Although neither of them showed their full power, it was a surprise attack.


    However, Baek Cheol seemed to have prevented the two¡¯s attacks quite leisurely.


    For this thing to be possible, a minimum condition is set.


    ¡°S-rank hunter.¡±


    Baek Cheol nodded gently at Choi Yu Seong¡¯s small self-talk then shook off both hands.


    Jin Yu Ri¡¯s whip bounced and flew into the air. Jin Do Yun was also pushed back greatly.


    ¡°Master did not specifically instruct, but to enter this house you have to prove your skills. It can be said that I am the gatekeeper. For your information, the two of you passed. But the other one¡­¡±


    Baek Cheol¡¯s gaze turned to Choi Yu Seong, who was standing still.


    Choi Yu Seong, who was watching him silently, stepped forward with a faint smile.


    ¡°You two stay put.¡±


    When Jin Do Yun and Jin Yu Ri naturally tried to follow, Choi Yu Seong stopped them.


    ¡°Are you trying to show off your skills once?¡±


    ¡°If I may say so?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who shed a laugh, slowly approached Baek Cheol.


    ¡°For reference, my standards are quite harsh. It means that it takes at least as the two people in the back.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Choi Yu Seong stood near Baek Cheol, who was smiling, without saying anything.


    ¡®One step.¡¯


    As if a line had been drawn, he was convinced that Baek Cheol¡¯s attack would come in if he crossed a certain space.


    He even thought he might die, to be exact.


    The place Choi Yu Seong¡¯s step stopped was right at the end of that area.


    ¡°Likewise, you also have a good sense. It hasn¡¯t been long since you became a hunter, right?¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re confident. I like your posture. Especially, if you avoid my attack just once, I will open the way.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean I, who is only an E-rank, had to avoid the fist of an S-rank hunter once?¡±


    ¡°If you are not confident, you can turn your back and go home now.¡±


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who shed a smile, stepped in.


    Line.


    He put in his toes to cross the area that literally can only be described as that.


    Goosebumps grew all over the body by a mere imagination of entering the space where intense pressure was felt, but Choi Yu Seong did not hesitate for long.


    ¡®Going in.¡¯


    As soon as he stepped forward, something split the air with the sound of a shot exploding.


    Choi Yu Seong thought it was probably Baek Cheol¡¯s fist.


    And actually, a big fist tore through the air as it grazed Choi Yu Seong¡¯s ear.


    His cochlea ached from the intense strange sound.


    All of that happened in the nick of time.


    Baek Cheol, who stopped his fist right next to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s face, burst into laughter.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t mean to avoid it from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, you didn¡¯t really mean to attack me from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°I can feel it. From the eyes and the momentum.¡±


    His words were plausible, but in fact, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s courage was a conclusion that he came up from his thoughts.


    ¡®It¡¯s too much of an exaggeration to have father¡¯s gift in a place he can¡¯t get in unless he¡¯s recognized for fighting an S-rank hunter.¡¯


    It was not about that it was difficult for Choi Yu Seong to show the performance of Jin Yu Ri or Jin Do Yun, but an issue in the realm of impossibility.


    Of course, going beyond that may be Choi Wu Jae¡¯s test.


    He is so eccentric and unique in personality, so it was not unlikely to happen.


    But even so, he thought it did not matter.


    ¡®After all, if it was Father, there¡¯s no way he could kill me.¡¯


    It was a simple conclusion.


    Therefore, he was able to move forward even though his heart was frightened by the death threat if he crossed the line.


    ¡°Even so, crossing the Death Line is not an easy task. It is not something that can be solved by strength and wisdom. Only this heart. It is something that only people with courage in their heart can do.¡±


    It seemed that Baek Cheol called the line which Choi Yu Seong felt was dangerous as Death Line.


    It was certainly a plausible name.


    If Baek Cheol had really made up his mind, Choi Yu Seong would have died the moment he crossed that line.


    ¡®Honestly. When the fist passed by, my legs were weak and I almost fell.¡¯


    Fortunately, he was able to withstand it by giving strength to his thighs with strong willpower.


    ¡°It is late to introduce myself. I am Baek Cheol who is currently managing this mansion. Please forgive me for daring to judge a descendant of a great family. It is hard to say thanks to that, but this Baek is very impressed.¡±


    Seeing Choi Yu Seong who was like that, Baek Cheol deeply bowed.


    Jin Yu Ri and Jin Do Yun breathed a sigh of relief, but Choi Yu Seong was greatly shocked at this moment.


    Baek Cheol is a person who is not yet known to the public.


    He was originally one of the secret guards directly under Choi Wu Jae, with only about five people in the entire Hyesung Group who knew their existence.


    However, Baek Cheol that Choi Yu Seong remembers was slightly different from that.


    ¡®Baek Cheol? He is Lion King, Baek Cheol?¡¯


    The strongest of the physical strengthening type hunter who later became Kim Do Jin¡¯s colleague and in charge of the party¡¯s vanguard!


    And Choi Yu Seong, who knew how Kim Do Jin became a colleague with Baek Cheol, turned his gaze to the tightly closed door of the hanok-style mansion.


    ¡°Then this is Ji Ho hyungnim¡®s hiding place¡­?¡±


    Baek Cheol, who bowed his head, could not hide his inner feelings of surprise at the very small self-talk.


    ¡®Feeling? Or did he have any information from those related to me?¡¯


    He realized who the owner of the mansion was without revealing it directly.


    It seemed like he did not know anything until Baek Cheol revealed his name.


    He doesn¡¯t know whether it is sixth sense or intelligence, but it is not an ability that can be ignored.


    ¡®It is said that there is no dog under wealthy man1¡­ He is indeed Master¡¯s younger brother!¡¯


    Naturally, Baek Cheol¡¯s lips were filled with smiles. And goosebumps came up with a shudder in his back.


    ***


    Based on the original novel, The Master Who Return to Modern Times, Kim Do Jin who climbed an unnamed mountain on the outskirt of Seoul will meet Choi Ji Ho about three years from now.


    Choi Ji Ho knew the truth that Kim Do Jin had killed Choi Wu Jae, but he doesn¡¯t resent him much about that.


    It was described in the novel as possible forgiveness because Choi Ji Ho, who stepped down from the front line anyway and went into hiding, deeply trained his mind like a hermit. But it was obviously an episode with many things that were hard to understand.


    Of course, Choi Yu Seong had slightly different thoughts now.


    ¡®There must have been some specific circumstances.¡¯


    Unlike the sloppy original novel, the characters of this world had quite a variety and rich side, as can be seen from Choi Wu Jae¡¯s case.


    But did Choi Ji Ho forgive Kim Do Jin without thinking?


    ¡®Maybe Choi Ji Ho knew that Kim Do Jin was the warrior who will save this world.¡¯


    One of Choi Ji Ho¡¯s abilities that highly talked about in the novel is Future Foresight.


    Choi Yu Seong thought this was much more likely.


    Anyway, what is important at this point is that Choi Ji Ho orders Baek Cheol to follow Kim Do Jin in that episode.


    Baek Cheol is somewhat reluctant. But it is Choi Ji Ho¡¯s order, so he follows, clears dungeons together, prevents disasters, and develops respect for Kim Do Jin along with his comradeship.


    In the final battle of the first part, he blocks the crowds of the demon¡¯s army and the commander alone. Then he bravely sacrifices himself by becoming one of the stairs that Kim Do Jin climbs to insert a sword into the heart of one of the seven demon kings.


    Therefore, Baek Cheol was not lacking to be called the strongest physical strengthening type Awakener in terms of the contents that Choi Yu Seong read.


    Such Baek Cheol voluntarily guided them to the inside of the mansion.


    There were other people in black, who followed behind, but they were all told to back off.


    The reason was that he wanted to personally serve the brilliant and courageous Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°This Baek was really surprised. Not only courage but also wisdom. You only take a look around and with a few clues you realized that it is Master¡¯s home¡­¡±


    ¡°It is more of a feeling, without any wisdom. It is just that he was famous for being so laid back when even when he was in Seoul. So, there is a thought that it wouldn¡¯t be strange if he settled in a place like this.¡±


    ¡°Huhu¡­ Let¡¯s go with that.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong tried to make excuses, but Baek Cheol only nodded with a meaningful expression.


    ¡®I felt it when I read the original novel. But Baek Cheol, this man. He was the type who misunderstood so badly once he got stuck.¡¯


    Although his personality is quite different from his heavy-looking image, Choi Yu Seong decided not to point out such misunderstandings anymore.


    ¡®Anyway, there¡¯s no harm in getting a favorable score from Lion King Baek Cheol.¡¯


    And actually, Baek Cheol¡¯s thoughts were getting bigger and bigger after Choi Yu Seong kept his mouth shut

 Volume 2 - CH 8

    Ninth Young Master¡¯s voice clearly contained conviction, not a prediction. He said it was a feeling, but he probably read speculative evidence at a glance even in the moment of crisis.¡¯


    There were only bad rumors about Choi Yu Seong in the public, but it occurred to him that he really doesn¡¯t know how to see people.


    ¡®If he grows up well like this, he might be in the same level as Master, but¡­¡¯


    The Ninth.


    The too-late start and the accusations accumulated in society to the point it was impossible to understand the problem were creating a somewhat disadvantageous position.


    Baek Cheol had the thought he wanted to help him, but he couldn¡¯t.


    ¡®My duty is to protect Master.¡¯


    No matter how much he liked Choi Yu Seong, he couldn¡¯t leave Choi Ji Ho¡¯s side.


    ¡°But unfortunately, Master is not present at the moment. If he had known that Ninth Young Master was visiting, this would not have happened¡­ He said he wanted to be alone recently and left to somewhere.¡±


    ¡°I see. So, should I wait a few days?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He may be away often, but it won¡¯t take long, so it will take about that long.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Although he answered calmly, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s thoughts were going differently in the meantime.


    ¡®It¡¯s probably a lie about not being here, right?¡¯


    According to the original novel and known incidents, it was said that Choi Ji Ho became paralyzed with his limbs that could not be moved.


    It would not be impossible to move at all considering his awakening ability, Wind Stance1, which deals with the wind. But even so, it did not make sense that Baek Cheol, who was no different than a guard, had completely left his side.


    ¡®He is in the house, but he won¡¯t see you yet.¡¯


    The reason is not known.


    However, Choi Yu Seong did not quibble over all of it.


    ¡®Because there must be a reason why he doesn¡¯t want to meet yet.¡¯


    Choi Ji Ho of the original novel was initially a rather laid-back character.


    But he¡¯s not bad-tempered or wicked, so waiting won¡¯t do much harm.


    Of course, that did not mean they should let their guard down completely.


    ¡®I¡¯ll wait 3 to 4 days and then go back if he keeps silent.¡¯


    Just finding out Choi Ji Ho¡¯s hiding place is a gift from Choi Yu Seong¡¯s point of view.


    There were still many people in the group looking for Choi Ji Ho and there were also people who wanted his help.


    Knowing the location alone was tantamount to one more plan that Choi Yu Seong could make.


    ¡°We can help you not to feel bored while you are waiting. First of all, you can choose to train through sparring with the people in this mansion. And there is also a 2nd-grade dungeon in this mountain that would be perfect for Ninth Young Master. Of course, if you don¡¯t like both, you can just rest comfortably.¡±


    ¡°Oh, those are some good news.¡±


    At Choi Yu Seong¡¯s sincere exclamation, Jin Yu Ri, who was listening to the story with her arms folded, smiled and said.


    ¡°I will refuse both. I want to rest a little.¡±


    ¡°Then I would like to ask for sparring. If it is possible¡­ I want to be taught directly by Baek Cheol sunbaenim2.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri chose observation without showing her ability and Jin Do Yun chose his own devotion.


    Choi Yu Seong, who had guessed the thoughts of the two, asked Baek Cheol.


    ¡°Ah, are there any hunters about E-Rank among the people here?¡±


    ¡°Not many, but there are a few trainees.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong nodded at Baek Cheol¡¯s confirmation. He had been secretly observing the movements of people in the mansion who killed their presence yet moved well from before.


    ¡®No matter how I look at it isn¡¯t it something like Footwork3 technique?¡¯


    And seeing that everyone was using it as one, it seemed to be a rare handed-down skill that could be passed on to others.


    Of course, they won¡¯t tell how to do it at the request of an outsider even though it¡¯s Choi Yu Seong.


    But what does it matter?


    ¡®I have Duplicate Eye for it.¡¯


    It¡¯s time to say goodbye to Lazy Donkey Roll that needs to rolls on the floor with a rather sloppy appearance.


    ¡®I also have Stylish skill, so it¡¯s better to have a cool skill.¡¯


    A big smile appeared on Choi Yu Seong¡¯s lips after he finished thinking.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. Then I¡¯d like to ask to spar with people who match my level. As you know, I¡¯m still an E-rank.¡±


    The luck that rolled in unexpectedly.


    It was an opportunity to learn skills by stealing them naturally.


    ***


    Although it was short sparring for about three hours, Choi Yu Seong gained a lot.


    ¡ºGeneral Skill, Flow of Eight Steps, The First Three Steps (F)


    Fusion possible.


    Inheritance possible.


    At the end of the eight steps that flow like a wave, there is a path of wind flowing through the clouds.


    This is a skill that has not been completely inherited.


    If there is no next inheritance, the skill grade will not increase.


    You can only use three out of eight steps.


    You can kill some of your presence.


    For three steps after skill activation, you can instantly accelerate your movement.


    Penalties are applied for duplicated skill.


    The number of times ability can be used is 10.


    You can only use two out of three steps. ¡»


    There were also some small skills, but Choi Yu Seong abandoned them all.


    This is because he thought there was nothing better if he had to give up his current skills and gain them.


    However, Flow of Eight Steps he had been aiming for from the beginning was different.


    ¡®It¡¯s only the first three steps, but it¡¯s a different level evasion technique than Lazy Donkey Roll that need to roll on the floor to dodge.¡¯


    It was a real evasion technique he had been hoping for so much.


    ¡®Ah. But Flow of Eight Steps itself is awesome. What to do if something strange comes out after Fusion.¡¯


    It was also the same as the remaining Insight skill that he had not yet attempted for Fusion.


    Although the ability produced by Fusion is partly affected by the base skills to some extent, there is no guarantee that it will only improve.


    Rather, it is important to keep in mind that it can be downgraded.


    After a short deliberation, Choi Yu Seong made a decision.


    ¡®Let¡¯s try.¡¯


    Unlike the highest-grade Insight that can only be obtained by nagging at Kim Do Jin again, Flow of Eight Steps can be copied whenever he visits this mansion.


    Of course, there is a three-month waiting time if he duplicates a skill with the same name, but it is safe to say that he can get it again someday.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong was able to decide to merge Lazy Donkey Roll (E) and Flow of Eight Steps, The First Three Steps (F).


    Shortly after Fusion skill was activated, Choi Yu Seong felt a certain intuition when he saw the gorgeous golden light covering his eyes.


    A light of a different grade from that of normal fusion covered his field of vision.


    Considering the Awakener System that resembled a game to some extent, the more spectacular the effect the higher the probability of a better reward.


    ¡®This is definitely a jackpot!¡¯


    And the prediction was not far off.


    ¡ºSpecial Skills, Wind Stance (E)


    Fusion not possible.


    Inheritance not possible.


    At the end of 18 steps that flow like a wave, a dragon that catches the wind travels through the clouds.


    This is a skill that has been completely inherited.


    You can only use five out of eighteen steps due to low grade currently.


    You can kill some of your presence.


    For five steps after skill activation, you can instantly accelerate your movement.


    Immediately after skill activation, you can instantly create a short illusion using all five steps.


    If you use illusion 2 or more times in a row, re-use waiting time (30 minutes) will occur. ¡»


    ¡°Oh my gosh.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong sat in place with his mouth wide open.


    ¡®Wind Stance¡­!¡¯


    There are some penalties, such as not possible to fusion and not possible to inherit, but what about it?


    He gained one of Choi Ji Ho¡¯s signature abilities, who was once convinced to be the successor to Hyesung Group.


    It was truly like a mega jackpot.


    ***


    A new dungeon appeared near Unjeong, Paju of Gyeonggi.


    The emergence of a new dungeon, which took place after a long time, put emergency orders throughout the country in a short time.


    This is because it is too close to Seoul, the capital city, and the internal ecosystem condition was not known at all.


    An investigation team was dispatched led by Iron Wall Park Cheol Ho, S-rank Awakener from the Association, and sighs of relief erupted everywhere after the dungeon was found to be grade 6.


    It is common sense that grade 6 dungeons can be cleared easily if they are attacked by 10 or more people with rank B level 80 based on general hunter standards.


    It is a dungeon that is not much to be afraid of from the perspective of South Korea, which has many Awakeners of the S-rank and even SS-rank.


    When these stable facts are revealed, the system was set so that the first boss is usually assigned to a person who fits the rank and level or to rookies pushed by the country.


    Because of this manual, it is understandable that Kim Do Jin, who just climbed up to the C-rank, belongs to the attack squad since he will get a lot of experience if he attacked a boss first appeared on Earth. But it was also a factor that could inevitably cause dissatisfaction.


    ¡®C-rank means he just comes up and not even at level 10, right?¡¯


    ¡®We¡¯re not babysitters and no matter how promising he is, it still feels bad to take a greenhorn on the bus.¡¯


    ¡®If someone gets hurt or dies from a hole while hunting the Boss Monster, they will give a few bucks at the very least. But they¡¯re going to send just anyone like this?¡¯


    There were many thoughts, but none of them expressed their dissatisfaction out loud.


    Anyway, Kim Do Jin is currently a promising prospect that the world is paying attention to and he has recorded no less hunting performance than that.


    Even not so long ago, he solo cleared Orc War Chief, a named boss monster of a grade 4 dungeon.


    He did alone the job that usually required 10 people at rank D level 80, so it is safe to say that he already has the combat power of a high-level C-rank at that point. But the problem was that the dungeon that appeared now was as good as grade 6.


    That¡¯s how the dungeon raid started.


    The attack squad, which includes at least rank B level 30 up to level 90 at the highest except for Kim Do Jin, attacked the dungeon with crushing force.


    It is a party with enough prospects to support the first clear of the dungeon in the country, even if they are dissatisfied inwardly.


    No one could not do their part even if they were slightly below the normal threshold.


    Kim Do Jin did not really stand out in it.


    It¡¯s felt like he¡¯s doing his part?


    In that sense, it was certainly somewhat extraordinary.


    Although he has just climbed to rank C, he has shown movements and performance that are not lacking compared to the top-ranked B-rank prospective hunters.


    Naturally, most of them nodded, thinking that he would not be a burden. But on the other hand, there were many instances of worrying.


    ¡®He definitely has high tier ability, but he is still a C-rank, right? It won¡¯t be easy to follow this pace.¡¯


    ¡®If he went all out already, it¡¯s going to be hard when facing the elite monsters.¡¯


    As you break through the dungeon and approach near the boss room, powerful enemies called ¡®elite¡¯ appear in addition to normal monsters.


    Elite is not as powerful as the boss but is considered 3 times more powerful than average monsters.


    However, 3 times here doesn¡¯t mean simply dealing with 3 normal monsters.


    As one monster is as strong as three normal monsters, so the actual feeling is much higher than that?


    In fact, all of them gathered here were conserving strength little by little in consideration of the fierce battle against elite monsters.


    But what about Kim Do Jin, who is still only at the beginning of C-rank?


    These thoughts of the attack squad¡¯s members changed somewhat as they fought some elite monsters they encountered near the boss room.

 Volume 2 - CH 9

    It was widely believed that the elite monsters, which usually appear in grade 6 dungeons, could be easily hunted when a Rank B Level 50 Awakeners stuck together with at least 3 people.


    However, Kim Do Jin appeared to hunt elite monsters in a pretty relaxed manner, even though there were only two, not three, flair-type support Awakeners.


    ¡®Yeah, Kim Do Jin. He is not just a typical prospect.¡¯


    ¡®Certainly, we underestimated him.¡¯


    Although they were surprised by the change in perception, the majority thought that it should be like this if he was called a super rookie and the country pushed benefits.


    So, the 10-person attack team reached the Boss Monster room in a relaxed and easy manner. And while continuing the good fight against the Knight of Darkness, they succeeded in putting the sword into its neck.


    In the midst of this, Kim Do Jin also did more than enough for one person.


    Naturally, the gaze full of complaints at first was completely resolved.


    ¡°Good job. Kim Do Jin. It¡¯s better than I thought. I understand why the country expects you.¡±


    It was when a man in his 30s, who played the role of the attack team leader and tanker, spoke to Kim Do Jin first.


    ¡°Coming. Everyone defends.¡±


    Said the sharp-eyed Kim Do Jin. Even though they felt doubt, the majority of the attack squad took a defensive stance expected from a veteran of B-rank or higher.


    At that moment, the Knight of Darkness, who they thought was dead, rose and blew red sword energy all over the place.


    The inside of the boss room was filled with dust along with an explosion sound and the attack squad screamed in confusion.


    ¡°What is this?!¡±


    ¡°It was definitely dead, right?¡±


    In fact, Knight of Darkness died and experience points came in.


    However, the amount was somewhat small for the first attack of the Boss Monster.


    That question was just for a moment. The dust clouds disappeared and the faces of the attack squad members, which were originally made up of 10 people, hardened by the revealed landscape.


    ¡®Three are dead?¡¯


    The three attack squad members, who did not respond to Kim Do Jin¡¯s words and ignored him, were falling on the floor as cold corpses.


    And in the front, Kim Do Jin was fighting the resurrected Knight of Darkness alone.


    Seeing the Knight of Darkness scattering its sword energy randomly everywhere, everyone had one thought in their minds.


    ¡®Is that the level of Grade 6 Boss Monster?¡¯


    ¡®¡­ Does Boss Monster also have its own elite?¡¯


    The momentum emanating from the Knight of Darkness, who died and resurrected, became stronger than before.


    It wasn¡¯t up to the Grade 7 level, which is a higher wall than generally thought, but it¡¯s certainly overwhelmingly strong among the Grade 6 Boss Monsters they have ever seen.


    The word elite, which is considered three times stronger than normal monsters, did not come to mind for no reason.


    For the first time in history, a different pattern from the investigation team¡¯s prediction occurred.


    It was a situation that could lead to annihilation if things go wrong, but the confusion did not last long.


    ¡®Kim Do Jin. He¡¯s not pushed fighting with that Boss Monster.¡¯


    Kim Do Jin was drenched in blood with minor injuries in the continuous fierce battles, but he was unbelievably calm as he continued to attack.


    Equal match.


    ¡®That Knight of Darkness and a hunter who just reached Rank C¡­¡¯


    They are fighting at an almost equal level.


    From here on out, it wasn¡¯t just a matter of remarkable.


    It is something that doesn¡¯t make any sense.


    However, it is unfolding right in front of their eyes.


    ¡®Did that guy save his skills all the way up to the boss?¡¯


    Kim Do Jin showed pretty good skill after entering the dungeon, but it was not as good as what could be seen right now.


    Kim Do Jin even had a smile on his lips with a red will-o¡¯-wisp blooming in his eyes.


    Defeat or death seems to be the last thing on his mind.


    That surreal appearance ignited the word hope in the minds of all attack squad members.


    ¡°Healer, what are you doing! Get a grip! Give Kim Do Jin a Heal!¡±


    A man in his 40s, who was the least pleased of him joining, clenched his fist and shouted.


    There was little admiration and awe in the eyes of him who drew his main weapon, the bow, and pulled the bowstring.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming forward.¡±


    The man in his 30s, who took the role of the leader, also ran out screaming to play the role of a tanker.


    The sword facing Kim Do Jin¡¯s heart momentarily bends towards him.


    He felt a heavy shock from the raised shield and his body was pushed back.


    ¡®Even a tanker like me is pushed this far¡­¡¯


    Attacker Kim Do Jin did not take even a step back although after facing the sword.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t he a real monster.¡¯


    Of course, that didn¡¯t mean anything bad.


    He rather felt glad.


    Obviously, Kim Do Jin had a different foundation.


    The future New Star that will lead the Republic of Korea, which is somewhat ignored among the great powers!


    ¡®I¡¯ll protect you somehow.¡¯


    The man, who shouted again, ran forward and burned his will.


    The 30-minute battle ended.


    Kim Do Jin¡¯s sword stuck in the neck of the Knight of Darkness, which first created the word Phase 2, and black blood poured down to the floor.


    The knee of the Knight of Darkness, who had blooming black will-o¡¯-wisp similar to Kim Do Jin inside the helmet, was bent.


    The Boss Monster, which drove the entire attack squad into fear of death, was completely dead.


    ¡°Whoo¡­¡±


    Kim Do Jin, who let out a short sigh amid countless level-up notifications and messages from the Gods, pulled back Insight skill.


    Simultaneously, the surviving attack squad members around him shouted along with cheers.


    ¡°Kim Do Jin!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the best. It¡¯s really over!¡±


    ¡°Thanks to you, I survived. I¡¯ll never forget this grace.¡±


    ¡°How the hell did you know about the change in Boss Monster! You¡¯re a great guy!¡±


    It was just a feeling.


    A different flow of air than usual.


    The intuition that it would be dangerous if he didn¡¯t spare any strength.


    Kim Do Jin only believed in his skill ¡®Sixth Sense¡¯ but did not bother to explain it.


    He didn¡¯t even listen to the cheers of others.


    From the beginning, Kim Do Jin was originally a leader who knew how to lead and make people follow him.


    Among the people who naturally came around his shoulders and rejoice, Kim Do Jin did not reject them and thought with a smile.


    ¡®Choi Yu Seong. I¡¯ll make you like this soon.¡¯


    There was another person he has been most coveted lately.


    ***


    Grade 2 dungeon located in a mountain.


    Somewhere in the desert field entered through a surged crypt with Baek Cheol¡¯s guidance, Choi Yu Seong scratched his ear.


    ¡®Ah, my ears are itchy. Is there someone swearing at me?¡¯


    Although he felt so itchy that his nerves were on edge, it was just for a moment. Choi Yu Seong grinned at the level-up message window floating in front of him.


    ¡®It feels like I¡¯ve already received all the presents, though.¡¯


    The surrounding area was filled with corpses of Grade 2 monsters, Tusks Moul, but there was no other hunter except Choi Yu Seong.


    Hunting ground monopoly!


    Choi Yu Seong is facing the situation any low-rank hunter, who is struggling to level up, wishes for.


    ¡®I should enjoy it now. It¡¯ll be hard to monopolize by myself like this when I get to high rank.¡¯


    You have to go to a higher-grade dungeon as the rank goes up, but you can get as much experience as you want.


    The problem is that the difficulty of dungeons rises sharply every time they cross certain boundaries.


    Therefore, the higher the rank, the more the number of people hunting alone decreased dramatically.


    In fact, except for some of the world¡¯s leading monsters, it was safe to say that they had to organize with parties or attack squads.


    Anyway, the current situation was somewhat unexpectedly sweet from Choi Yu Seong¡¯s point of view.


    It happened that there was a Grade 2 dungeon in the mountain that matches Choi Yu Seong¡¯s level. So, he came to try out Wind Stance and level up. But now he gained more than he thought from monopolizing the hunting ground where no one came.


    ¡®Maybe they didn¡¯t even register this to the association.¡¯


    You have to report to the Association if you find a dungeon and it¡¯s originally illegal if you don¡¯t register it.


    However, from Choi Ji Ho¡¯s point of view, if he informs the Association of the location of the dungeon, his hiding place could be revealed.


    Since it is a Grade 2 dungeon, it is not difficult to manage it. So, they may have concealed its existence.


    Of course, it was a bit tricky to catch Tusks Moul crawling underground. But it wasn¡¯t that disappointing as he monopolized the hunting ground.


    ¡®I think I¡¯m going to get drunk on the romance of dungeon monopoly.¡¯


    There was nothing to talk about for a long time.


    The results were telling all the indicators.


    ¡ºName: Choi Yu Seong


    Age: 20


    Series: All-rounder type


    Rank: E


    Level: 60


    History Possessed: 1


    Specialization Skills: Star Quality (E), Fusion (E)


    General Skills: Stylish (E), Duplicate Eyes (E), Spark (E), Insight (E), Sight Enhancement (E), Muscle Enhancement (overwrite) ¡ú Protective Shield (E)


    Special Skills: Wind Stance (E)


    Current Inactive Skill Slot: There is no space left. You can delete or overwrite normal skills other than initial skills if necessary.¡»


    Choi Yu Seong drank Experience Increase Potion without hesitation because he thought he was monopolizing the dungeon. And as a result, he was able to level up more than 20 times in just 3 days.


    Of course, there was also a risk of being alone that there would be no one who would save him in case of him being attacked by the monster.


    So, Jin Yu Ri entered the dungeon together and was watching Choi Yu Seong from a distance.


    It is not impossible for her to enter together as it is not exactly a dungeon registered with the Association.


    ¡®She was a bit disappointed that it was a bit far away, but it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯


    In fact, she was told to watch nearby at first, but she hastily used her hands and intentionally pushed it away even if Choi Yu Seong looked a little dangerous.


    So, there were as many as 20 Tusks Mouls killed by Jin Yu Ri at the beginning of the hunt.


    ¡®Because while I was catching about 20, Jin Yu Ri handled it similarly.¡¯


    It is not very good for growth in many ways.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong made Jin Yu Ri keep her distance, pretending not to know her disappointment.


    And he warned sternly not to step up until he gave a signal.


    ¡®If it¡¯s not to the point of really dying, it¡¯s good to be in a situation where I can feel a certain degree of danger even for the sake of real-life experiences.¡¯


    Of course, he did not kick Jin Yu Ri out completely because he had already experienced a big incident once with the above feeling.


    ¡®It would be difficult for criminals or other power influences to affect the dungeon that Ji Ho hyungnim is managing, but¡­¡¯


    No one knows what¡¯s going on inside the dungeon.


    Inside this, Jin Yu Ri was a strong safety device that could replace the role of a colleague who can be trusted and leave each other¡¯s back, which Choi Yu Seong hopes so much.


    Anyway, except for such large variables, a moderate threat to monster hunting is essential for maintaining and developing a sense of battle.


    Of course, Choi Yu Seong did not like pain either.


    And he didn¡¯t want to feel the thrill of risking his life.


    However, he thought he had no choice but to carry the minimum risk considering the various threats ahead.


    ¡®Although it would be nice to have skill similar to Sixth Sense like Kim Do Jin¡­¡¯


    Not long ago, he got Wind Stance that was as good as Kim Do Jin¡¯s protagonist grade skills.


    Although he clicked his tongue in regret, he decided not to be too greedy.


    In fact, it was much easier to dodge attacks by Tusks Mouls that suddenly popped out of the ground than ordinary hunters thanks to Wind Stance.


    After about 20 more minutes immersed in hunting, Choi Yu Seong achieved another level rise and checked the watch that worked even in the dungeon.


    ¡°Shall we call it a day?¡±


    It¡¯s about time for the sun to set soon.


    It was at that moment that strange movements were observed in the eyes of Choi Yu Seong, who was about to return from hunting at a similar time as usual.


    ¡®Just now¡­?¡¯


    Some of the dungeon landscape, which had been familiar after seeing it for a few days, was distorted.

 Volume 2 - CH 10

    It was a pretty big change, so it wasn¡¯t hard to notice even if he didn¡¯t pay close attention.


    And in a blink of an eye, part of the space curled up like a swirl and spread out wide as if it were vomiting something.


    The first thing that popped out from the mysterious phenomenon was a sand statue in the shape human that looked about 2m tall.


    The sand statue with red gem-like eyes was holding a spear and a thick shield made of sand. It moved its head in a rather awkward manner and looked at Choi Yu Seong.


    Then it opened its rather small-looking mouth.


    As the attached lips fell, and dust crumbled and flew around. Soon, a shriek that shook the earth¡¯s core broke out.


    Screeeech-!


    Choi Yu Seong used Wind Stance to quickly widened his distance and his eyes lit up.


    A sudden mysterious phenomenon.


    And a monster that appeared for the first time in a hunting ground where everything was Tusk Mouls.


    There¡¯s nothing to say.


    ¡®Boss Monster!¡¯


    The guy kicked the sandy ground and rushed toward Choi Yu Seong.


    The finest spear worth over 2 billion won made by craftsmen collided with the sand spear wielded by the Boss Monster and claang-! created a thundering noise.


    Choi Yu Seong, whose body trembling slightly from the impact of the shaken cochlea, immediately wrapped Spark around his right foot and turned his waist to hit the head of the Boss Monster, Sand Officer.


    The head of the Sand Officer, who tried to lift the shield and attack Choi Yu Seong, exploded and the sand scattered everywhere.


    The acrid sense of sand being sucked into the lung made him want to cough it up, but Choi Yu Seong did not even have time to do so and used Wind Stance at once.


    ¡®The First Step.¡¯


    The shield of the Sand Officer, whose head exploded, hit the spot where Choi Yu Seong was standing until a moment ago.


    Then some of the scattered sand returned to its proper place again and formed the Sand Officer¡¯s head.


    ¡°Cough, cough. Owh, my throat.¡±


    Of course, Sand Officer had no manner to wait while he was coughing.


    Sand Officer¡¯s spear, which came directly from the ground, once again aimed at Choi Yu Seong¡¯s head.


    Choi Yu Seong fend off the attack by using Block that rebound the spear, used the recoil to turned his body to the side, and used Seize to pressed the shield that was coming from below.


    Looking at the red eyes of the Sand Officer located in the front, Choi Yu Seong unfolded Wind Stance to the back, stretched out his spear long forward, and used Pierce to stab.


    The red eyes of the Sand Officer, whose one side of the chest near the heart was stabbed, glared at Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®So, it won¡¯t die even if I smash the head or stab the heart.¡¯


    In a way, it may be a natural result since it¡¯s made of sand.


    Fortunately, he did not eat sand this time because he was quite far away.


    Choi Yu Seong then calmly performed Spearmanship while distancing himself from the attacking Sand Officer.


    When the opportunity came, he fired Spark to stop the Sand Officer¡¯s movement and even cut off all four limbs.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes glistened when he found a fist-sized stone wrapped in red light in the gap.


    ¡®That?¡¯


    There is no scene of hunting Sand Officers in the original novel.


    Therefore, he was thinking about how to knock it down because he didn¡¯t have any information. But the moment he saw the red stone, he felt it strongly as a maniac of games and genre novels1 for a long time.


    ¡®It¡¯s definitely the Core!¡¯


    In general, the only weakness for that kind of monster is the Core.


    The assumption was made in no time that it was enough if he breaks that thing because even if all the other parts could be regenerated, the core could not be restored.


    He tried to stab the spear once again quickly. But when the Sand Officer with the severed limbs screamed, a sudden gust of sand blew, blocked his view, and pushed Choi Yu Seong¡¯s body away.


    Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t end it. But Choi Yu Seong, who stepped back, calmly promised for the next time.


    His heart is beating.


    ¡®It¡¯s okay. I still have time.¡¯


    He is doing well.


    He is fighting well against the Boss Monster of Grade 2 dungeon alone.


    It is usually would be a hunt based on a 5-member party above level 50 on the E-rank.


    The fact made Choi Yu Seong delighted.


    A smile came to his mouth.


    It could not be helped.


    Originally, Choi Yu Seong was an ordinary man, an employee of a game company.


    There had been some changes since he possessed the novel, but to be honest, he never thought that he was particularly outstanding.


    However, he knew the information and thought that he had achieved the results so far thanks to his unique spite and tenacity.


    But now he feels a little different.


    The body moves naturally guided by the flow of the air current and the tip of the spear is shaking.


    As he immersed in that feeling, he pushed back the rushing fully regenerated Sand Officer and swung his spear down to cut off one of its legs.


    Then, as Choi Yu Seong pulled his spear upward and thrust it forward that pierced even the shield set by the Sand Officer, he thought.


    Something is different.


    Now he was not the ordinary game company employee Choi Yu Seong.


    However, he was also not a villain belonging to a conglomerate family in the novel.


    ¡®It¡¯s like¡­¡¯


    It feels like Kim Do Jin, the main character he read in the novel.


    Sweat drenched his hair and ran down all over his body, but he didn¡¯t think his body was heavy.


    His whole body was filled with thrill.


    ***


    After confirming the appearance of the dungeon¡¯s Boss Monster as the space distorted, Jin Yu Ri immediately kicked the ground with the thought that she had to save Choi Yu Seong.


    It¡¯s a short time, but the risk may be greater than expected as it¡¯s a Boss Monster.


    ¡®I should¡¯ve been closer as I thought.¡¯


    It was just a moment when her heart filled with regret.


    Jin Yu Ri felt her heart beating loudly at the scenery unfolded before she arrived at the battlefield.


    ¡®Yu Seong oppa is¡­¡¯


    Alone, he was fighting an equal, no, advantageous battle with the Sand Officer.


    The emergency situation is avoided by widening the distance using the acceleration skill that was seen for the first time recently. Spark is used to block the opponent¡¯s movements or to give a powerful blow that leading to fatal opportunities.


    But most of all, it was none other than Choi Yu Seong¡¯s Spearmanship that surprised her.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s Spearmanship was as if transparent water was flowing through space.


    But it wasn¡¯t just as docile.


    Rather, it was sharp.


    The spear tears, cut across, and penetrates through space.


    When the body of the Boss Monster was blown off by a direct hit and the sand dust scattered away, drops of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s sweat sprinkled through them and soaked the surroundings.


    Jin Yu Ri had no choice but to open her mouth and express admiration at the strange phenomenon of the battle itself as if she were looking at a piece of art.


    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±


    Irregular.


    The abnormal of the Awakener world, that who is said will surely be strong if they survive.


    Today, once again. The fact that Choi Yu Seong is that Irregular hit her heart greatly.


    But Jin Yu Ri thought that wasn¡¯t the end.


    ¡®It¡¯s not all just luck.¡¯


    He is strong not simply because he is an Irregular.


    Spearmanship, which Choi Yu Seong uses now to balances the battle, was just the basics.


    Block Seize Pierce.


    Push it out, grab it inward, stab it.


    Choi Yu Seong was practicing these 3 basic things in Spearmanship by day and night every day without skipping.


    Despite the infinite repetition of the same movements, he didn¡¯t even look tired of it.


    Of course, it was not that Jin siblings did not ask Choi Yu Seong if he would want to learn more advanced Spearmanship.


    It would be nice to have a strong spear skill, but it is literally the realm of luck to hope for this. So, the intention was to develop martial arts itself even by hiring a master.


    But Choi Yu Seong turned that down.


    This is because he thought he is not that good in martial arts yet.


    Many people, including Jin sibling, said he had quite a talent, but Choi Yu Seong said he didn¡¯t want to forget that his position was the starting point.


    And the results were evident in the battle against the Boss Monster Sand Officer.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s Spearmanship was beautiful even though it wasn¡¯t fancy, and although it couldn¡¯t be special, it was authentic.


    Jin Yu Ri thought Choi Yu Seong¡¯s choice was right.


    ¡®Just because it¡¯s basic doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s weak.¡¯


    If you can use it as well as that, it¡¯s better than any other skill.


    For a moment, she was looking at the battle as if she was lost in thought.


    Jin Yu Ri formed a whip in one hand just in case and took out the action cam she brought lest needed with the other hand.


    ¡®I have to shoot this of course!¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s battle was too beautiful to be seen alone.


    ***


    After falling into a bit of trance repeatedly stabbing, cutting, and breaking the Sand Officer with Spearmanship, Choi Yu Seong was able to check the core of the Sand Officer several times.


    The problem was the sandstorm that erupted with the scream of the Sand Officer every time.


    Because it was so tough and powerful, it was hard to imagine breaking through it and destroying the core.


    Eventually, he must pierce the core at once after confirming the location.


    ¡®I have to use all five steps of Wind Stance this time.¡¯


    The remaining mana is not known numerically, but about one-third is left in terms of feeling.


    As Wind Stance had good power, the mana consumption was quite high once used.


    ¡®Perhaps 2 times are the limit with the remaining mana.¡±


    He needs to seize the opportunity this time.


    Choi Yu Seong avoided the Sand Officer¡¯s attack without seeing it, thanks to the sharp rise in his senses, and immediately used Wind Stance.


    Afterward, he immediately launched the ultimate move.


    ¡®Illusion Creation.¡¯


    An illusion can be created by activating Wind Stance and using all five steps currently available to Choi Yu Seong.


    When he activated the skill, a strange feeling came as if the body was splitting into two. The spear of the Sand Officer, who was running crazy looking at Choi Yu Seong, stabbed the illusion¡¯s head.


    Although it seems unreasonable, the Sand Officer tilted its head as if it had some kind of sense because it was a Boss Monster. At that moment, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s spear wrapped in Spark, which popped out from under the illusion that dispersed like smoke, cut through the air scarily.


    Choi Yu Seong, who thrust the spear out between the crotch under the abdomen of the Sand Officer, was convinced.


    ¡®Got it.¡¯


    Along with the noise jjajak-! that sounded to his ears, the Sand Officer¡¯s red eyes turned to the end of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s spear.


    The Sand Officer opened its mouth wide as if to scream, but there was no shriek or sandstorm like before.


    Instead, the body of the Boss Monster, which had returned to its original form despite any attack, was blown away by the wind and spread throughout the desert as real sand.


    Hunting success.


    ¡°I got it-!¡±


    It was the moment when the assured Choi Yu Seong, who had lost strength in his legs, was about to sit down.


    Your level has risen.


    Your level has risen.


    Your level has risen.


    Your level has risen.


    Your level has risen¡­


    The level-up notifications he liked so much were constantly heard.


    Choi Yu Seong couldn¡¯t bring himself to count them all.


    It was fastest to just check the system information window and see how much his level had risen with his own eyes.


    ¡ºName: Choi Yu Seong


    Age: 20


    Series: All-rounder type


    Rank: E


    Level: 88


    History Possessed: 1


    Specialization Skills: Star Quality (E), Fusion (E), Spearmanship Prodigy (E) (additional)


    General Skills: Stylish (E), Duplicate Eyes (E), Spark (E), Insight (E), Sight Enhancement (E), Protective Shield (E)


    Special Skills: Wind Stance (E)


    Currently Inactive Skill Slot: There is no space left. You can delete or overwrite normal skills other than initial skills if necessary.¡»


    ¡°Oh my gosh¡­¡±


    After checking, there was a burst of shock.

 Volume 2 - CH 11

    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s level was 61 before hunting the Boss Monster, which means he has risen by as many as 27 levels.


    There were only 12 levels left until the E-Rank Max Level.


    Even that was not the end.


    ¡®I have one more specialization skill?!¡¯


    He was already surprised when it was two, but now there was a third one.


    ¡®Is it a bug?¡¯


    Of course, it was ridiculous because it¡¯s a reality, not a game. But it was not strange to have thought like this at this point.


    ¡°Yu Seong oppa, Yu Seong oppa¡­!¡±


    When Choi Yu Seong was about to collapse due to his relaxed legs, Jin Yu Ri ran straight to his side trying to support him, and raised her voice.


    ¡°Uh, uh?¡±


    ¡°Can you hear me now?¡±


    ¡°Aah, yeah. Sorry. I¡¯m a little out of my mind.¡±


    Due to the pleasure of hunting the Boss Monster alone and a great reward far beyond expectations, he could not hear her at all even though she kept calling by his side.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I said that¡¯s incredible! So amazing. I¡¯m not really the type who gets carried away like this, you know. But this is so, seriously, very great. What the hell is this. Why didn¡¯t I ever know that Yu Seong oppa is such a great person?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Stop it. So embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°You can be embarrassed! I¡¯ve been surprised like this really, really, really only twice in my life. What¡¯s this. Why do you keep showing more than expected? Seriously, you make someone weird!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Just as Choi Yu Seong had not heard her voice for a while, Jin Yu Ri also did not seem to be in a state to communicate with.


    Throughout the way out of the dungeon, Jin Yu Ri repeated similar words and continued to talk excitedly while Choi Yu Seong checked other messages and rewards in the meantime.


    ¡®Let¡¯s look at the new specialization skill first.¡¯


    ¡ºSpearmanship Prodigy (E)


    Has a very good understanding and proficiency in pole weapons, spears.


    Get the effect of the normal skill, Cold Headed (E), when using the spear.


    Attack power increases when using the spear.


    When learning techniques related to spear, you learn it at a faster rate.


    When acquiring skills related to spear, you start at a rank that is a level higher than the benchmark.¡»


    The effect was significant as expected of a specialization skill.


    Except for several immediate additional effects, the specialization skill itself includes a normal skill Cold Headed (E).


    Cold Headed skill was one of the skills that were much highly regarded by high-ranking hunters because it increasing concentration and composure, lessening agitation in combat.


    ¡®I was thinking that it would be good to get it someday¡­¡¯


    It was easily acquired as it melted into the specialization skill.


    Its ability to control various emotions overlapped with Insight (E) from Kim Do Jin, so it was not any worse.


    ¡®Now, the penalty will ease to some extent even if I use all Insights.¡¯


    Of course, the real great ability of Insight lies in the part that literally sees through some of the world¡¯s data, but what Choi Yu Seong needed most at the moment was the part about mental power.


    He already felt it during his first murder, but the crisis will soon lead to death if he can¡¯t control his agitation properly. One day, such agitation may be inadvertently passed without the help of skill, but at least it was impossible right now.


    Until then, he definitely thought it was good to borrow the power of the skill.


    ¡®By the way¡­ I guess I really had a talent for spears.¡¯


    In the first place, a specialization skill is an ability that is close to someone¡¯s essence.


    Therefore, it would not have happened like this without the talent that was imprinted on the soul or perhaps the body.


    ¡®Wait, even so, what¡¯s up with the 3 specialization skills?¡¯


    It could be simply because of the sloppy setting of the original novel, but Choi Yu Seong thought he wanted to know the clear reason for this situation if possible.


    That didn¡¯t mean there was an answer, though.


    ¡®There¡¯s no way to know right now, but it¡¯s just a curious stance. And it¡¯s really good for me just by looking at the results¡­¡¯


    It is inevitable to bury it until the opportunity comes.


    Other than that, the message from the Gods was also full.


    -[Private] The Prankster Who Likes Jokes sends you a seductive haze. 50 Karma Points are sponsored. They are asking for you to learn the skill quickly. Y/N


    -The Oldest Hunter smiles at Awakener Choi Yu Seong. 60 Karma Points are sponsored.


    -The Noble of Magnificent Beard wants to transfer a skill to Awakener Choi Yu Seong. 50 Karma Points are sponsored. Y/N


    -Sacred and Divine Empress has the thought of want to have Awakener Choi Yu Seong. 30 Karma Points are sponsored.


    -Red Fangs Through The Dark Night is smacking lips, looking at Awakener Choi Yu Seong. 10 Karma Points are sponsored.


    -Culann¡¯s Hound sponsored 100 karma points to Awakener Choi Yu Seong.


    Jin Yu Ri¡¯s eyes twinkled when she together checked the pouring messages.


    ¡°Even the Gods have completely fallen for Yu Seong oppa. By the way, The Noble of Magnificent Beard that wants to give skill is¡­?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s the person you think.¡±


    ¡°The Chinese God of Martial Arts1¡­¡±


    Guan Yu.


    He is more famous as a general of the Three Kingdoms period and is called a God of Martial Arts in Chinese culture as Jin Yu Ri said, but Choi Yu Seong, unfortunately, intended to reject that offer although he enjoyed that upturn.


    ¡®In the first place, there are so many gents called God of Martial Arts in China that their influence is not perfect. And that gent weapon is guandao2, right?¡¯


    He seemed to have admired Choi Yu Seong¡¯s spearmanship and even wanted to transfer his skills. But guandao and spear have quite different ways of handling although they are basically the same pole weapons.


    Maybe it could be said that spear is a little sharper and guandao is heavier?


    In any case, Choi Yu Seong decided to reject later, thinking that he and Guan Yu were not very compatible.


    ¡®There are a lot of Gods watching right now, so I have to think about saving his face.¡¯


    He was also still thinking of ignoring Loki¡¯s side, who urged him with seduction or whatever.


    Rather, a new name appeared in the message of the Gods, sponsoring many Karma Points.


    ¡®Culann¡¯s Hound. Cu Chulainn.¡¯


    He is a more popular hero than King Arthur in Ireland. He was such a handsome man enough to be nicknamed the Prince of Light and was also a genius in spearmanship who dealt with a magic spear called Gae Bulg.


    In fact, his spearmanship was one of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s coveted abilities. But he seemed to have no intention of transferring skills, so he had to be satisfied by confirming his presence for now.


    Anyway, it could be said that Choi Yu Seong¡¯s battle was significant enough to attract the attention of Cu Chulainn.


    ¡®By the way, there are already six Gods watching.¡¯


    Cu Chulainn was originally a hero like Guan Yu, but he became a god after his death.


    He was not the only one.


    The background of ¡®The Master Who Return To Modern Time¡¯ was that those who achieved great achievements or left their names deep in history became gods, supporting Karma Points and raising their status as they are now.


    The problem is that it is up to five gods who can share karma figures by sponsoring one human.


    In other words, from now on, the gods who want to support Choi Yu Seong have no choice but to be cautious.


    Since there are Gods who already settled and supporting him, it is difficult to win the preoccupation.


    Even though the other five gods don¡¯t know, but there is also Loki.


    ¡®The seats are full actually, but I can see some Gods who are not good enough.¡¯


    Those who are called gods, but rather low in name-value or status.


    Choi Yu Seong had already noticed the identity of all the Gods who were supporting him.


    ¡®I can¡¯t help it. It¡¯s not like I will choose a God.¡¯


    Rather, humans are in a position to be chosen.


    And considering the situation just a while ago, it was a very hopeful situation that six high and mighty Gods supported him.


    Because it was when Choi Yu Seong was still growing.


    When he got out of the dungeon completely with the support of Jin Yu Ri, he could see the scenery of the mountain that was completely darkened.


    Thanks to that, Jin Yu Ri, who seemed to have come to her senses quite a bit, looked at Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°Can you walk alone?¡±


    ¡°Huh. But I¡¯ve used up too much stamina. Tonight might be a little dangerous, though¡­¡±


    Choi Ji Ho¡¯s hiding place has been kind to Choi Yu Seong and his companions so far, but he could not be completely off guard.


    Therefore, Jin siblings took turns to stand on duty every night.


    Choi Yu Seong himself said he would be on duty too, but he had nothing else to say when they said that he was excluded because he had less sense than the two.


    ¡°Both of us won¡¯t sleep and stand on duty tonight.¡±


    ¡°Uhm, that would be great. And if Ji Ho hyungnim doesn¡¯t come back tomorrow morning, let¡¯s just go home.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know what gift that Choi Wu Jae prepared, but Choi Yu Seong has already come here with satisfactory results.


    Therefore, he thought it was okay to receive the gift a little later.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s try to be safe and aim for the next time.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri agreed with Choi Yu Seong¡¯s thought, and the two went back to Choi Ji Ho¡¯s house to spend the last night.


    ***


    And late at night.


    Choi Yu Seong felt a noise awaken him while he was asleep and instinctively got up and picked the spear he had placed next to him.


    But there was no other reaction.


    That moment when he thought he saw long straight black hair fluttering, a pure white hand strongly touched his nape and his eyes blurred in an instant.


    ¡®Who¡­?¡¯


    Bam-!


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s body collapsed to the floor, unable to even utter a question out of his mouth.


    Above the head of the fallen Choi Yu Seong.


    A bitter smile appeared on the lips of Choi Ji Ho, the long-haired man floating in the air.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel like giving you the ordeal, but I can¡¯t help it. Please, I hope you don¡¯t hate me too much.¡±


    Complex emotions were mixed indiscriminately in the face that settled very deep.


    ***


    In a severe headache, Choi Yu Seong slowly felt the sensations of his body return with his consciousness.


    First, the fingertips moved and after a while, the eyes opened.


    He thought he could feel something cold and hard to the touch, but he was actually lying face down on the stone floor.


    For a moment he felt a little eerie trembling. Choi Yu Seong quickly got up and looked around.


    ¡°¡­?!¡±


    Soon, Choi Yu Seong found something and had his eyes opened so wide.


    The room looked like a square that would be spacious even if ten people lay down on the ground.


    However, the ceiling was so high that it felt dark because it could not be seen and only a few lights were shining inside the room.


    The problem was the rooms on either side of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s room.


    In both rooms, where he could see beyond since it was blocked by glass walls rather than stone walls, Jin Yu Ri and Jin Do Yun were hung on the wall with their arms and legs tied to chains like tortured prisoners.


    While a mixture of bewilderment and anger wrapped his mind.


    [You¡¯re awake.]


    A tampered voice was heard from a speaker somewhere.

 Volume 2 - CH 12

    Choi Yu Seong, who clenched his fist strongly, shouted toward the endless ceiling.


    This is because the voice came from above.


    ¡°What did you do to them, you bastards?!¡±


    It was a sharp cry, but the opponent beyond the speaker continued to speak calmly.


    [At least they¡¯re still alive. And it¡¯s about time for them to wake up.]


    Choi Yu Seong bit his lower lip and took a deep breath.


    It felt like his reason was about to be paralyzed and his mind would be blown away in anger, but that shouldn¡¯t happen.


    ¡®Calm down. Choi Yu Seong. You need to think of a solution to the situation now.¡¯


    You cannot find the answer while being swayed by emotions.


    [But you are more rational than I thought. I thought you¡¯d run to break the wall at any moment.]


    ¡°I don¡¯t even expect that will be at the level where I can swing my fist to break it. Maybe there¡¯s a mana barrier. It¡¯s not a good time to use power stupidly.¡±


    [Exactly right. The mana barrier on the glass wall is at the level that even an S-Rank Hunter cannot break. So, it would better not to think uselessly.]


    ¡°Now answer my question. Who are you and where is this? Why did you kidnap us? Is this also Father¡¯s test?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong asked several questions, but he had already found answers to some of them.


    First, the identity of the culprit who kidnapped Choi Yu Seong and his companions.


    ¡®Choi Ji Ho or Baek Cheol. Or even both.¡¯


    Other than that, third-party intervention is almost impossible.


    Choi Yu Seong stayed at Choi Ji Ho¡¯s mansion.


    No matter how many teeth are missing, a tiger is a tiger.


    Even Baek Cheol, an S-Rank Hunter, was in the mansion.


    The probability of a third party intervening in this situation and kidnapping three people was extremely low.


    This also made it easy to find the answer to the third question.


    ¡®If Choi Ji Ho and Baek Cheol are related, it must be Father¡¯s test.¡¯


    But the situation is very different from before.


    ¡®I don¡¯t feel good.¡¯


    A voice came in response to him.


    [This is The Room of Sacrifice]


    ¡°Did I ask just one question?¡±


    [Also, a test is correct. However, many things are different from before. What have you come to get from the place you came to?]


    ¡°Don¡¯t know! No one even told me in the first place.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who was somewhat deliberately angry, nibbled his lower lip.


    This is to induce the opponent¡¯s carelessness by showing his nervous and anxious appearance.


    ¡®Maybe they would be relaxed and leave some clues without realizing it.¡¯


    And in fact, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s heart was feeling quite anxious and threatened.


    If this is the test of Choi Wu Jae or someone else from the family, it won¡¯t be a big threat to Choi Yu Seong.


    At least they don¡¯t mean to kill or maim him.


    However, it is different for Jin Yu Ri and Jin Do Yun.


    Choi Yu Seong cares about them a lot, but the Jin siblings were one of the most common soldiers from the perspective of the entire family.


    ¡°The name of The Room of Sacrifice and the situation¡­ It feels nasty as expected.¡¯


    The fact that this happened on the last day of the decision to go back was also very annoying.


    The voice was heard continuously toward the frowning Choi Yu Seong.


    [The value of the treasure you will get is considerable. It is too precious to be obtained without any sacrifice or price.]


    ¡°Do we need to talk about the price? That¡¯s what Father was supposed to give me as a present in the first place.¡±


    [There¡¯s no law that I have to follow Chairman¡¯s words. The value of the thing is determined by me, the owner.]


    ¡°Therefore, who are you?¡±


    [¡­ You seem to have understood the situation roughly, so let¡¯s begin the test. Choi Yu Seong. You can choose only one of the two people behind the glass walls in this room.]


    They answered other questions quite sincerely but did not reveal who they was until the end.


    This means that they are very reluctant to reveal their identity.


    Even the other party is trying not to have unnecessary conversations with Choi Yu Seong.


    He felt a willingness to prevent any possible situations in advance.


    In any case, it was a teeth-grinding situation from Choi Yu Seong¡¯s point of view.


    [You have three chances to open the glass wall. It is a number that allows you to open both doors once to discuss and then make a choice.]


    The voice continues toward Choi Yu Seong.


    Around that time, Jin Do Yun slowly raised his head whether he had come to consciousness first.


    However, he seemed busy figuring out his situation and location, as if Choi Yu Seong could not be seen through the glass wall.


    [It is okay not to use all three chances. There is a key on the left wall inside the room. And the moment you pick it up, poison gas is sprayed in the other room you did not choose. It is so strong that even an elephant dies in 3 seconds after one breathe.]


    As if responding to the voice, Jin Do Yun raised his head and looked at the ceiling.


    ¡®Even if he can¡¯t see me from the other side, he can hear it.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong was in deep agony while standing in place.


    [Choi Yu Seong. Through the sacrifice of one person who follows you, you get a very valuable treasure. So, it can be said that the gift from Chairman to you is delivered safely. That is all. Is there any rule you don¡¯t understand?]


    ¡°I understand everything. In short, it¡¯s like this.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong looked at the ceiling in a rather crooked manner and shouted in a slightly agitated voice.


    ¡°Choose someone¡¯s death with my own hands now! On the other side, they¡¯ll die.¡±


    [Exactly right. It can be said cold-hearted, but this level of determination is essential to protect the treasure and also to stand beside Chairman.]


    ¡°Is there no option to give up? Those two are more precious than gifts for me.¡±


    [Chairman has already decided to give you a present. It¡¯s one of those rules that can¡¯t be reversed.]


    ¡°¡­ Such a shit.¡±


    The smirking Choi Yu Seong asked with both hands in his pockets.


    ¡°By the way, why do you hate to identify yourself?¡±


    [Let¡¯s start the game.]


    ¡°I guess years are really fleeting.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong murmured as if talking to himself and first approached the room on the left where Jin Yu Ri was with slow steps.


    ¡°Since Ji Ho hyungnim thatI know wouldn¡¯t enjoy this kind of cruel game. Right?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, biting his lips tightly, stared at the high ceiling sharply.


    ***


    A bitter smile appeared on the lips of Choi Ji Ho, who leaned against the chair while pressing the mic¡¯s power button.


    He couldn¡¯t see it, but he felt it.


    Beyond the monitor, his younger brother is looking at himself with great resentment.


    ¡°Is this alright, sir?¡±


    Baek Cheol, who was watching the situation from the back, asked in a worried voice.


    ¡°It is enough. Because it is something I have decided to take on and afford for.¡±


    ¡°Young Master Yu Seong¡­ is very different from what I had heard.¡±


    ¡°Originally, he was a brilliant child when he was young. It seemed a bit crooked as he got older, but it was not strange when he found his place. Still, I didn¡¯t know though. I never thought Yu Seong would be the first child to come here.¡±


    Baek Cheol¡¯s gaze passed by Choi Yu Seong then turned to Jin Yu Ri and Jin Do Yun, who were captured in different rooms.


    ¡°The relationship between the three seemed quite strong.¡±


    ¡°That is why I prepared for this test.¡±


    ¡°Young Master Yu Seong will¡­¡±


    ¡°He will resent me a lot.¡±


    ¡°He will understand that it is an inevitable choice.¡±


    ¡°I think that is unknown. However¡­ I can¡¯t stop here even for the sake of Yu Seong.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°The place called Hyesung Group. I also belong to it, but it is a really terrible place. The people who will sell their souls to the devil if they can take over Father¡¯s position are not just the siblings, right? To survive in such a place, he has to throw away the clumsy mindset that he can choose everything.¡±


    The evidence were two eyes that could not even be opened carelessly and his limbs that would not work no matter how hard he physically tried.


    ¡°Master¡­¡±


    ¡°It is fine if Yu Seong doesn¡¯t understand me. Now that it¡¯s come to this point, I hope that Yu Seong will survive to the end in this family.¡±


    Choi Ji Ho¡¯s face turned to the monitor again.


    ¡°Captain Baek. So, Yu Seong chose the woman side first.¡±


    ¡°She is clever, sir. All the sparring requested to find out her abilities in advance were also rejected. Therefore, she was quite difficult to suppress. I am thinking that maybe she can play some tricks.¡±


    ¡°Well. Perhaps that will make it easier for her to understand and give up on the contrary.¡±


    In the monitor which the two were facing, Choi Yu Seong and Jin Yu Ri began to talk while looking at each other.


    ***


    Entering through the thick glass wall that opened slowly, Choi Yu Seong first explained the situation to the surprised Jin Yu Ri.


    ¡°¡­and became like this. I¡¯m sorry. I should have judged a little sooner. I told you to stay alert and we have been here too long.¡±


    Looking at Choi Yu Seong who lowered his head, Jin Yu Ri shook her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s not Yu Seong oppa¡®s fault. We were in a situation where we had to wait and there wasn¡¯t much of a threat here. We were was just worried and preparing just in case. Rather, I and oppa were suppressed without fighting back¡­ It was pathetic. We¡¯re disqualified as escorts.¡±


    With a deep sigh, Jin Yu Ri raised only her head from the hanging wall and looked around.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible to break through the glass wall. The ceiling¡­ is a level where the end looks blurry even with my own eyes. Perhaps, it¡¯s going to be over 30m? Even if Do Yun oppa jumps, he can¡¯t jump over it at once. It¡¯s not just a stone wall. It¡¯s also covered with steel, so it¡¯s impossible to go over there. Digging this ground would be the fastest way? Did you bring a spoon, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°You can still joke in this situation.¡±


    ¡°What can I do. Crying doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll get a solution.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri, who seemed to be grinning, pulled the chain that tied her arms greatly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not an ordinary restraint, it¡¯s a seal that blocks the ability itself. You said that the first brother is the culprit, but the whole family has a lot of money as expected. Hyesung Group. Huhu.¡±


    ¡°Of course it is. Besides, there¡¯s no way they use ordinary restraints to bind an A-Rank Hunter.¡±


    ¡°Yu Seong oppa. No. Young Master.¡±


    ¡°Why are you like that suddenly?¡±


    ¡°Please choose Do Yun oppa.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it. I think there must be a way to escape somehow if I¡¯m alone.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie. The moment I release Jin Do Yun, a poisonous gas that can kill an elephant instantly will come out. How can you do it?¡±


    ¡°I also have a knack at holding my breath, you know.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think ridiculously and just wait. There¡¯s got to be a way to save both of you somehow.¡±


    ¡°Probably not. I think I know why the First Young Master made a room like this.¡±

 Volume 2 - CH 13

    Jin Yu Ri showed a slightly sad smile.


    ¡°I thought I was going to properly serve our very cool Young Master from now on, but it turned out like this. Please open my e-mailbox when you get out of here. Do Yun oppa knows the ID and password. If you look there, there will be a sender named Jenny. Please contact that friend¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop. Did you think that I come here to hear your will?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong interrupted Jin Yu Ri with a quite annoyed voice.


    ¡°Figure it out. If you can¡¯t think of anything, it can¡¯t be helped. Surprisingly, Jin Do Yun might have an idea. Even if it isn¡¯t, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll find the answer on my own. So don¡¯t give up. Never think about dying. Got it?


    ¡°Yu Seong oppa.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri, whose hair hanging down, shook her head.


    ¡°Jin Yu Ri. I actually still don¡¯t know why people like you and Jin Do Yun care so much and follow such a drunkard idiot like me. So, you can¡¯t be killed until I know the reason.¡±


    ¡°What, that stupid-like¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough, just remember one thing. Don¡¯t give up. Because I¡¯ll do the same.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong gritted his teeth and turned around back to his room.


    Jin Yu Ri watched his back with a strange gaze and smiled.


    ¡°Seriously. What am I going to do if he keeps getting cooler? This will make it difficult to choose a woman when Yu Seong oppa get married¡­¡±


    In this somewhat helpless and dispirited situation, Jin Yu Ri¡¯s eyes began to be filled with will as she came up with the best choice she had thought of.


    ¡°I¡¯m not anyone else, so I¡¯ll believe because it¡¯s Yu Seong oppa¡¯s words! You have to save me! Okay? You shouldn¡¯t kill me!¡±


    Jin Yu Ri put strength to her stomach and shouted.


    Beyond the slowly closing glass wall, Choi Yu Seong turned his body as if he heard her voice then looked and nodded hardly at Jin Yu Ri.


    ***


    Choi Yu Seong, who returned to his room with Jin Yu Ri¡¯s support on his shoulder, fell into a brief thought.


    He was very flustered by the unexpected situation that was not even in the original novel, but it was natural when he thought about it.


    ¡®Because I¡¯m not Kim Do Jin, but Choi Yu Seong.¡¯


    And walked in a completely different direction from the original Choi Yu Seong.


    As many things are changing, this will happen more and more frequently in the future.


    There was nothing more foolish than being confused and flustered every time it happened.


    Choi Yu Seong believed that he could do well.


    Isn¡¯t the Sand Officers he met yesterday monsters that didn¡¯t appear in the original novel?


    ¡°The transparent glass wall is about five meters high. Above it is a stone wall, but there must be some mana barrier on it.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong started talking to himself.


    He said it out of certainty that someone was listening.


    ¡°The ground¡­ Well, can¡¯t be dug unless I can summon a real excavator.¡±


    He intentionally lay on the floor, put his ears on the ground, beat them with his fingers, and spat out self-talk.


    ¡°Why is the ceiling so high? Won¡¯t it be too much even for a grade S physical type hunter to jump at once?¡±


    [You talk a lot. It¡¯s foolish to tell the enemy a lot of information.]


    ¡°After all it¡¯s a trap that the enemy made.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who smiled at the returned answer, looked at the ceiling.


    ¡°Where did you hide the camera? It looks like it¡¯s beyond the wall, but you can¡¯t break through the Mana Barrier, so there must be a gap.¡±


    [I don¡¯t deny it.]


    ¡°Then there¡¯s a small gap that can fit a camera and a microphone.¡±


    [Are you not going to see the man¡¯s room?]


    ¡°I shall go, open the door.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong smirked and headed for the glass wall where Jin Do Yun could be seen this time.


    With the sound of the ground rumble, the huge glass wall lifted slowly into the air like a blind.


    ¡°You are safe as expected, Young Master!¡±


    Jin Do Yun, who was looking around with his head up, uttered a cry of relief.


    ¡°Huh. But things aren¡¯t so good. To explain it¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand roughly. When I concentrate and listen, I hear a tampered voice.¡±


    ¡°Yet you didn¡¯t hear my voice?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Of course, the voice coming out of the microphone is much louder than Choi Yu Seong¡¯s voice.


    Still, being able to hear it means that they hid the microphone closer to Jin Do Yun.


    ¡®Although it may also be because Jin Do Yun¡¯s ears are sharp.¡¯


    Anyway, it was more likely that the eyes and ears of the transformation type Jin Do Yun would be much sharper than the implementation type Jin Yu Ri although he ranked lower.


    ¡°This room is exactly the same as Jin Yu Ri¡¯s room. Couldn¡¯t see my side and the tall rectangular stone walls. On the ceiling¡­¡±


    ¡°It is steel. It¡¯s quite thick. I¡¯ve developed my own lethal move recently, but I honestly don¡¯t have the confidence to jump that far.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s information you should have been a little careful. They¡¯re listening from over there.¡±


    Jin Do Yun, who looked surprised by Choi Yu Seong¡¯s words, closed his mouth tightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s a height too high to reach as you said. Now that we¡¯re at it, let¡¯s check the situation. If you can reach it, can you break it?¡±


    Instead of answering, Jin Do Yun glared intensely at Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®You think it¡¯s worth a try, is it?¡¯


    However, it will have to use up considerable power.


    It was also an unreasonable move when thinking about rescuing Jin Yu Ri after escaping.


    ¡°Perhaps do you have any ideas?¡±


    ¡°I am sorry.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong continued to talk with Jin Do Yun then checked around Jin Do Yun¡¯s room.


    ¡°Please save Yu Ri and not me. She pretends to be strong, but she is a weak-hearted kid.¡±


    ¡°I heard the same thing in the other room. To put it the same way, I refuse. I¡¯m gonna save you both.¡±


    ¡°There is no appropriate way, Young Master.¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t have it, we have to make it.¡±


    ¡°However¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop. Aren¡¯t I here to think about it?¡±


    ¡°¡­ I believe in you.¡±


    The smirking Choi Yu Seong went around the room and approached Jin Do Yun.


    ¡°How is your condition?¡±


    ¡°It is not bad.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t just break it off by force, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Jin Do Yun showed a deep smile instead of answering.


    ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it. What to do if you get seriously hurt while doing what I was told? Lower your head a little bit.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong scratched his own cheek and whispered something in Jin Do Yun¡¯s ear.


    ¡°¡­ I understand.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who smiled slightly, stepped back from Jin Do Yun.


    [I want you to know that if you pull out a useless trick, both persons may be sacrificed.]


    ¡°Alas, the rules are getting tougher as time passes by.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who replied gruntingly, moved his steps again farther from Jin Do Yun.


    Then he stood on the lower-left corner side of the room and muttered lowly.


    ¡°Dimensional Merchant, summon.¡±


    Space is distorted and a small pink door is formed.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the lollipop for this body?¡±


    Pingpong of the Lionbear clan, who walked out from the door, asked the first question while looking at Choi Yu Seong.


    ***


    Baek Cheol frowned and looked at the monitor where Choi Yu Seong¡¯s figure had disappeared.


    ¡°It seems Young Master Yu Seong has found the camera¡¯s blind spot, sir.¡±


    ¡°It seems he has noticed that there¡¯s no blind spot in his own room. That¡¯s why he chose the room with Jin Do Yun in it.¡±


    ¡°How did he know it?¡±


    ¡°Instinctive sense. Or he might have felt the camera¡¯s gaze. After all, Yu Seong is also a hunter.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t even know it¡¯s a trap¡­ It is a foolish thought since he doesn¡¯t know that Master doesn¡¯t see with eyes.¡±


    Choi Ji Ho nodded at Baek Cheol¡¯s words.


    ¡°He summoned a Dimensional Merchant. I think he is buying something, but I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s for.¡±


    ¡°I heard that it is not been long since he just becomes a hunter. Even if he received a lot of attention from the Gods, what he can do with Karma Points will be limited.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s limited, but it can be tricky.¡±


    ¡°He should not be permitted to use Wisdom Eye.¡±


    Baek Cheol quickly hit the initiative.


    The use of Wisdom Eye is also a big burden for Choi Ji Ho.


    Although the test was important, it was Baek Cheol¡¯s wish for Choi Ji Ho not to overdo it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he thought that far. But¡­ Shall we try to surprise him once?¡±


    The grinning Choi Ji Ho took the microphone to his lips.


    ***


    [I suggest you cancel the summon of Dimensional Merchant right now. Choi Yu Seong. This is the last warning.]


    Choi Yu Seong, who summoned Pingpong to buy some items quickly, shuddered.


    ¡°¡­ Isn¡¯t here a blind spot?¡±


    [That could be your misunderstanding. I¡¯ll count from three. Three.]


    Choi Yu Seong shed a bitter smile.


    ¡®There wasn¡¯t much information about Choi Ji Ho in the original novel. It¡¯s not strange that there¡¯s a skill I don¡¯t know.¡¯


    While he was thinking hard, Choi Ji Ho¡¯s voice was heard once again.


    [Two.]


    Choi Yu Seong sighed deeply and looked at Ping Pong.


    ¡°Next time you come, I¡¯ll give you three lollipops for free. Thank you for helping me when I¡¯m in a hurry. Pingpong nim.¡±


    [Two.]


    ¡°That¡¯s a very grateful story. I hope to see you again alive. Choi Yu Seong.¡±


    [One.]


    Ping Pong, who saluted with its short arm, reopened the door and returned to its original world.


    Choi Yu Seong, who was left alone, shrugged.


    ¡°I definitely thought this was a blind spot, but I guess my feeling was wrong.¡±


    [What did you buy?]


    Instead of answering, Choi Yu Seong took out a palm-sized square box and waved it upward.


    He walked naturally to Jin Do Yun.


    Of course, Choi Ji Ho would not watch him to the end.


    [Stay in place. No further move is allowed.]


    ¡°Alas, so cruel.¡±


    [What¡¯s in the box?]


    ¡°I will show you. It¡¯s enough to show it, right?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong held the bottom of the box with his left hand and slowly opened the lid with his right hand.


    Inside the box was a strange tree root that resembled a human in a way.


    [What is that¡­?]


    Before Choi Ji Ho even asked a question, he wondered if the tree¡¯s roots were trembling then a hard ringing burst out.


    Beeeeep-!


    Power outage and the state of energy discharge.


    ¡°Jin Do Yun!¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who covered his ears tightly, raised his voice and Jin Do Yun turned around along with the sound of the chains breaking.


    At the same time, the light in the room began to light up again.


    It was also at the same time that Jin Do Yun clenched his fist and punched hard the wall where he was tied.


    A part of the wall collapsed like a lie with great vibration.


    Choi Yu Seong, who confirmed him after rushing to get the key, shouted.


    ¡°Run!¡±

 Volume 2 - CH 14

    This method, the so-called Mana Resonance, was a shocking phenomenon that was revealed in the original novel about two years later when the Pandemonium, the largest villain camp in the US, collapsed.


    The ingredients are the roots of Mandrake sold by Dimensional Merchants at 200 Karma Points and mana vibration to stimulate it.


    It is not enough to simply infuse mana.


    Mana must be infused accurately to shake up the roots of Mandrake and bring out the resonance in its soul.


    This technique, discovered in an experiment of a certain lunatic villain, is surprisingly very brief. But it temporarily disables the function of the not many magical engineering items that humans have developed in conjunction with scientific civilization, such as powerful mana barriers and sealing restraints.


    To put it bluntly, the power breaker is turned off for a very short time.


    Of course, the effect is much better and maximized when using the main body and not just the root. But the current Choi Yu Seong could not purchase it because the price was ridiculously high.


    Above all, the nearby Choi Yu Seong would vomit blood and die if he heard the real Mandrake scream.


    In conclusion, the range of Mana Resonance made using mana and the Mandrake root, which Choi Yu Seong can use, is about 5 pyeong1 and 1 second at most.


    He had to work in that short gap.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong asked Ping Pong to put it in a box and then hand over the Mandrake root to him.


    This was because he thought that the quick-witted Choi Ji Ho might impose sudden sanctions if he saw what the item was.


    Ping Pong with good service granted his request. And thanks to that, Choi Yu Seong was able to quickly move to where his Mana Resonance could reach Jin Do Yun.


    Knowing the plan through Choi Yu Seong¡¯s whisper, Jin Do Yun broke the chain without hesitation and hit the wall where he was tied.


    The reason was simple.


    ¡®Because that¡¯s the entrance.¡¯


    High ceiling. Rooms that were blocked on all sides.


    Did they just throw people into a place like this?


    It couldn¡¯t be.


    Choi Yu Seong obviously thought there would be an entrance and tried to find the location by looking around the room while pretending to have a conversation.


    It wasn¡¯t on the floor nor was it anywhere on the wall in Choi Yu Seong¡¯s room.


    The same was true of Jin Do Yun¡¯s room, where he looked around with all his attention.


    Only belatedly did Choi Yu Seong think of the wall where Jin Do Yun was tied up.


    He knocked and checked the walls here and there. But there was nowhere he could feel the gap beyond the space, which is the characteristic of the entrance or exit.


    Then where did they hide the entrance?


    After much consideration, Choi Yu Seong approached Jin Do Yun pretending to whisper, and carefully checked the wall behind. He became convinced that it was the entrance and exit.


    It would be better to be able to rescue Jin Yu Ri in a short time when Mana Resonance occurred, but there is not enough time to run to the other room.


    Thus, they should not just ignorantly break down the wall but find the entrance accurately, escape, then rescue Jin Yu Ri.


    The plan so far has been quite successful.


    ***


    As this was before Mana Resonance was revealed, Baek Cheol was confused by the sudden power cut-off.


    The incident happened because even simple lights were made using mana just in case, so he could not know the internal situation at all even though the monitor was connected by regular electricity.


    Although his vision could penetrate the darkness, the cameras and monitors connected by regular electricity could not do so.


    However, Choi Ji Ho¡¯s side was much worse considering the big of the confusion.


    To him, the situation in the dark was being read as if he could see it exactly.


    Jin Do Yun broke off the sealing restrain, accurately found the entrance, and destroyed it.


    Choi Yu Seong grabbed the key and ran to escape.


    The series of actions took place so quickly that while he watched without saying anything, all mana supply that had been turned off was restored.


    ¡°No way¡­ Master. They have escaped.¡±


    Baek Cheol, who confirmed the broken entrance with the disappearing Choi Yu Seong and Jin Do Yun, opened his eyes wide and expressed a short exclamation.


    But it was just for a moment.


    ¡°It was a stupid choice. At this rate, we have no choice but to spray gas.¡±


    Choi Ji Ho nodded calmly, pressing the gas spray button with one hand and turning up another monitor for Baek Cheol with the other hand.


    There, Choi Yu Seong and Jin Do Yun were seen panicking by the towering spiral stairs in the dark passage.


    ¡°I understand your choice well. Choi Yu Seong. You must have realized this. Even if you try to resist clumsily, you can¡¯t change the outcome.¡±


    After a short sigh, Choi Ji Ho spoke through the microphone.


    ***


    [¡­ Even if you try to resist clumsily, you can¡¯t change the outcome.]


    Choi Yu Seong, who escaped through the entrance and used the key to quickly dismantle the sealing restraint that was binding Jin Do Yun, bit his lips at that voice.


    ¡®It was an urgent one second, though.¡¯


    It was to buy time while Choi Ji Ho was surprised that he even used the unknown Mana Resonance to cause mana discharge.


    Given that the room is clearly bright but the location of the lighting is nowhere to be seen. He thought it was a good move to even predict that it could also aim for the blackout effect.


    However, his face became stiff the moment he saw the spiral stairs twisted like a snake outside the entrance.


    ¡°It is a structure that makes it impossible to jump. Even if you just run and go alone, it takes a minute.¡±


    Said Jin Do Yun, clenching his free hands.


    They thought it might be underground looking from the high ceiling, but they didn¡¯t know that the entrance was made of stairs.


    ¡®What era is this? There¡¯s not even a lift¡­¡¯


    If it was an elevator, there would have been a lot of places to grab or step on such as ropes or connecting parts. So, it would have been much faster to go up.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes flashed when he thought that far.


    ¡°Jin Do Yun, didn¡¯t you say you made something like a lethal move before?¡±


    ¡°Destroy it. The whole thing.¡±


    At Choi Yu Seong¡¯s words, Jin Do Yun nodded hardly as if he understood the situation.


    After that, he rushed forward with only one hand covered with thick fur.


    It was in an instant that mana was not wrapped around Jin Do Yun¡¯s whole body, but condensed into a clenched fist.


    A simple blow of a fist is sometimes heavier than a huge mountain.2


    ¡°Great Mountain Strike! So, he gained this ability throughout the novel.¡¯


    The lethal move that Jin Do Yun said was a powerful ability that even blew away the fully rushing Kim Do Jin by about 2km in the original novel.


    There was no explanation in the novel, so he thought it was Jin Do Yun¡¯s original ability. He didn¡¯t know it would be something new.


    ¡®That¡¯s not it. Is it a lot faster than the original novel, perhaps?¡¯


    He thought that it might be the case.


    His thoughts were short and the results came quickly.


    The Great Mountain Strike that Jin Do Yun threw hit hard the thick pillar holding the center of the spiral stairs. The ceiling and stairs began to collapse like hail.


    Choi Yu Seong no longer needed to raise his voice.


    Jin Do Yun, who had already understood the intention, grabbed Choi Yu Seong¡¯s waist at once and jumped toward the pouring debris.


    Jin Do Yun used those falling pieces like stairs and quickly soared toward the ceiling.


    Five run-ups in total.


    Each was raising quite a wide space, but Jin Do Yun¡¯s face hardened.


    ¡®Not yet¡­¡¯


    There was still quite a distance to the ceiling.


    But there¡¯s no more falling debris.


    He has to jump at once.


    It¡¯s a critical moment, but it¡¯s not the time to think of impossibilities.


    ¡®From the start, I¡¯m not the type who thinks like Young Master.¡¯


    Jin Do Yun emptied his head and flew off with strength in his thighs to do his best.


    Then, he wrapped Choi Yu Seong with his right arm and stretched out his left arm with all his might to grab the end of the collapsed ceiling.


    ¡°Caught i¡­¡±


    Jin Do Yun, who thought he had barely caught the edge, had a hardened face in an instant.


    With a cracking sound, the edge held by Jin Do Yun broke down like sand.


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Shield! Jump, Jin Do Yun!¡±


    At that moment, Choi Yu Seong raised his voice and created a protective shield under the feet of Jin Do Yun who was about to fall.


    Jin Do Yun put strength on his legs without hesitation at the feeling of support on his feet amid the panic.


    It was like a bullet.


    ¡®About 10 seconds.¡¯


    It took a short time to get above the ground after escaping.


    However, it¡¯s already a dangerous time in the room where deadly poisonous gases are being sprayed.


    ¡®Now I can only use the shield ability just once more.¡¯


    The duplicated ability by Duplicate Eye has a limit on the number of times unless combined by fusion.


    The same was true of Shield that was stolen not long ago during Dungeon Battle.


    It¡¯s a trump card of its own, but the number of times is only 1 left after he used it just now.


    Choi Yu Seong thought quickly as he climbed the ceiling and rolled on the floor, turning his eyes away.


    ¡®The entrance to the room where Jin Yu Ri is confined is¡­¡¯


    Fortunately, there were unusually bulging floorboards inside the huge hanok room.


    ¡°There!¡±


    Choi Yu Seong shouted and Jin Do Yun ran.


    At that moment, the closed-door shattered open and someone jumped inside.


    The black figure, who showed a wind-like movement, swung its arm. Jin Do Yun stretched out his hand to counter it, but the result was clear.


    ¡°¡­?!¡±


    Jin Do Yun, who couldn¡¯t even scream, floated into the air and caught on the ceiling.


    The creaking sound of the truss was heard and Jin Do Yun poured down along with part of the ceiling.


    ¡°Cough-!¡±


    Looking at Jin Do Yun vomiting blood and Baek Cheol appearing in front of him, Choi Yu Seong nibbled his lower lip.


    ¡°Baek Cheol.¡±


    ¡°Please give up. Young Master Yu Seong. You can¡¯t go any further.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were a good person.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry. I cannot be a good person for everyone.¡±


    Baek Cheol, who apologized, blocked in front of the bulging floor and clenched his fist with a stance.


    It meant that he had no intention to be sloppy.


    ¡°Grrr¡­¡±


    Jin Do Yun, who has completely become a werewolf, let out the low cry of a beast.


    ¡°You already know that form doesn¡¯t work, right? It¡¯s nothing but helping me to hit comfortably.¡±


    Baek Cheol¡¯s eyes turned to Jin Do Yun¡¯s shoulder, which was turned back by his fist.


    The recovery speed was so fast that it was clear to the eye that the swollen shoulder had subsided and returned to its proper place.


    Jin Do Yun leaned down his body with deep anger and a fighting spirit in his brown eyes.


    A strong momentum rising sharply from his whole body.


    The fighting spirit made Baek Cheol smile bitterly in his heart.


    ¡®Was it not his best strength the last time we fought? Or does he change depending on the situation? He has become much stronger.¡¯


    Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean that he is an opponent for the hard-boiled S-Rank Hunter, Baek Cheol.


    ¡°It will only be painful if you try to rush. Give up.¡±


    ¡°Both of you stop.¡±


    The assertive Baek Cheol¡¯s gaze suddenly turned beyond Jin Do Yun to Choi Yu Seong.

 Volume 2 - CH 15

    Baek Cheol had missed Choi Yu Seong¡¯s movement while focusing on Jin Do Yun. He just found that Choi Yu Seong stood at the end of the entrance of Jin Do Yun¡¯s room, which had collapsed.


    Naturally, Baek Cheol¡¯s face hardened.


    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see it? I¡¯m risking my life.¡±


    With those words, Choi Yu Seong stared at Jin Do Yun as if it could pierce him.


    ¡®How can I¡­¡¯


    Jin Do Yun¡¯s mind after reading Choi Yu Seong¡¯s thoughts became complicated, yet for a moment.


    ¡°This is an order. Jin Do Yoon. Forget about me from now on. Your only purpose is to rescue Jin Yu Ri.¡±


    At the somehow coercive words, Jin Do Yun nodded as if he was possessed by something.


    To point it out, that would have been dignity.


    It¡¯s not the physical power or any superpower, but the essential presence of a person.


    From his voice and expression, Jin Do Yun gained sure conviction and ran toward Baek Cheol without hesitation.


    At the same time, Choi Yu Seong falls back toward the darkness like the mouth of a terrifying monster, into the bottom of the abyss.


    Baek Cheol had his eyes wide open. Then he stared at the running Jin Do Yun.


    He, who had turned into a wolf beast appearance, was not looking back as if there was no room for it.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Baek Chul spit out a curse and ran forward.


    It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t feel that something was weird, but he didn¡¯t have time to deal with Jin Do Yun.


    Except for many other reasons, Baek Cheol had two big reasons why he could never let Choi Yu Seong die.


    ¡®Master will be very sad if Young Master Yu Seong dies.¡¯


    Above all, Baek Cheol himself liked Choi Yu Seong very much.


    He is a talent too precious to let him die at this moment in a place like this.


    Baek Cheol hurriedly threw himself into the dark pit. His gaze was fixed on Choi Yu Seong, who was fluttering as if he had lost consciousness yet kept falling to the ground quickly.


    Baek Cheol was suspicious as he tried to hold Choi Yu Seong¡¯s back to relieve the shock as much as possible by reaching out his hands while falling with all his might.


    Then like a lie, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s figure is blurred, shattered, and disappeared.


    ¡®Illusion? It¡¯s¡­ Master¡¯s Wind Stance?¡¯


    Surprised for a moment, Baek Cheol witnessed Choi Yu Seong was holding a stone beak that barely protruded then he jumped into the air by forming a transparent shield as a foothold.


    He looked back for a moment and saw Choi Yu Seong smiled mischievously. Baek Cheol, who stably landed on the ground while, had no choice but to laugh.


    The underground is a height that even an S-Rank Awakener can¡¯t jump at once.


    Of course, it¡¯s not impossible if he hit the wall several times, but by then Choi Yu Seong and Jin Do Yun would have reached Jin Yu Ri¡¯s room.


    At this moment, Baek Cheol had no choice but to admit it.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve been beaten.¡±


    ***


    Baek Cheol is completely unaware of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s abilities.


    Just as Jin Yu Ri thought at the time about sparring, Choi Yu Seong also did not show his full strength just in case.


    It was obvious since the purpose itself was to collect skills from the beginning.


    Therefore, Baek Cheol did not know about Choi Yu Seong¡¯s shield.


    The Wind Stance that was obtained later would have been really unpredictable.


    ¡®That¡¯s fortunate. Baek Cheol didn¡¯t turn back his gaze in the middle.¡¯


    It could be because his peripheral vision was buried in the darkness that it was difficult to judge momentarily. But it must have been thanks to the fact that his whole mind was focused on Choi Yu Seong¡¯s fall.


    This means that Baek Cheol is worried about Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®He should have been more thorough if he was going to play a bad guy.¡¯


    Unfortunately, Baek Cheol was a good person, as he could tell when he read the original novel.


    Even so, it would have been impossible to fool Baek Cheol in such a neat manner if it had not been for the illusion of Wind Stance.


    Luck and circumstances were good in many ways.


    Meanwhile. Jin Do Yun, who believed in Choi Yu Seong through the last exchange of glances, ran straight ahead. He opened the entrance, broke the stairs, and fell straight down.


    Choi Yu Seong did not chase after him.


    ¡®I¡¯m not Jin Do Yun. I¡¯ll die if I jump down there.¡¯


    Isn¡¯t that why Baek Cheol came to save Choi Yu Seong?


    Choi Yu Seong took a quick breath and thought.


    ¡®Will Baek Cheol come up faster? Or Do Yun?¡¯


    The result was once again told by Jin Do Yun, who once again jumped through the collapsing pillars, stairs, and gaps in the ceiling.


    In his arms was the unconscious Jin Yu Ri still tied to the sealing restraint.


    ¡°Awooo-!¡±


    Jin Do Yun settled safely on the ground much more stable than at first, perhaps because he already had experience. He cried a loud howling.


    His face quickly returned to its human form.


    His eyes were full of relief as he saw the unharmed Choi Yu Seong.


    On the other hand, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mind was all poured to Jin Yu Ri, who had just been rescued.


    Approximately 20 seconds to escape to above the ground.


    ¡°What about the gas?¡±


    Jin Do Yun shook his head at Choi Yu Seong¡¯s question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she drank anything herself. However, it¡¯s probably absorbed through the skin¡­¡±


    ¡°She needs to get treatment, huh.¡±


    Jin Yuri may be immune to some extent since she is an A-Rank Hunter, but she cannot last long.


    Choi Yu Seong rose to his feet in an urgent situation.


    It was when Jin Do Yun was carrying Jin Yu Ri and trying to follow him.


    There was a huge roar like the ground collapsing.


    ¡°Baek Cheol is coming.¡±


    Maybe soon, Choi Ji Ho will also appear.


    Although he has lost a lot of power, his abilities will still be threatening for Choi Yu Seong.


    Can they get rid of them all and run away?


    Choi Yu Seong grabbed a sharp stone from the collapsed ceiling.


    ¡®I don¡¯t really want to, but¡­¡¯


    As it is the most effective way, he had no choice but to provoke the opponent again with this.


    ¡°Jin Do Yun. You take Jin Yu Ri and escape. Because they can¡¯t kill me. I¡¯ll try to threaten as much as I can.¡±


    ¡°Young Master.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it even if I don¡¯t want to! If you don¡¯t like it, get stronger to stand up for me in the future. Train, hunt. Don¡¯t let anything like this happen again. Okay?


    Jin Do Yun, who bit his lower lip strongly, had his eyes red as if he was about to burst into tears and nodded.


    ¡°There are a lot of shortcomings¡­¡±


    Bam-!


    At that moment, Baek Cheol jumped to the ground.


    As if proving that he is an S-rank Hunter, he eventually overcame the height that even Jin Do Yun couldn¡¯t guarantee.


    Baek Cheol, who is covered with clouds of dust, smiled fiercely.


    ¡°Thanks to Young Master, I had a hard time.¡±


    ¡°Go.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong spoke low and brought the sharp stone knife to his neck.


    ¡°Does Young Master think I will be slower than you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Choi Yu Seong did not answer anything.


    He may miss the time to pretend to slit his throat even in the middle of speaking.


    This is because Baek Cheol¡¯s thoughts were clearly read.


    Jin Do Yun lowered his head and slowly began to step back.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s that easy to escape? My team members are waiting outside the building.¡±


    Baek Cheol shook his head at Jin Do Yun.


    ¡°Call everyone here.¡±


    At that moment, Choi Yu Seong opened his mouth.


    The moment Baek Cheol¡¯s shoulders twitched, red blood flowed down his neck.


    ¡°Young Master!¡±


    The surprised Jin Do Yun raised his voice.


    However, Choi Yu Seong had no time to care about Jin Do Yun.


    Even a tiny gap will make Baek Cheol rush in like a fierce tiger and subdue Choi Yu Seong.


    It¡¯s not just that.


    Maybe Choi Ji Ho is coming here now.


    He managed to rescue Jin Yu Ri, but there are still so many mountains to overcome.


    ¡®I have to draw all the attention to myself. Can I do it?¡¯


    The eyes of the gulping Choi Yu Seong and Baek Cheol collided in the air.


    ***


    The moment he witnessed Choi Yu Seong and Jin Do Yun break down the stairs and escape, Baek Cheol lightly pressed the surprised Choi Ji Ho¡¯s shoulder and ran outside without delay.


    Left alone Choi Ji Ho pondered for a short time, no longer looked at the monitor, and headed out in a wheelchair.


    But it was not urgent to follow Baek Cheol.


    Baek Cheol even pressed Choi Ji Ho¡¯s shoulder and stopped him because he had such concerns.


    He didn¡¯t mean to behave on his own, ignoring that gratefulness.


    ¡°I will take you, sir.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡±


    As he left the room, an aide left by Baek Cheol tried to follow behind, but Choi Ji Ho refused him and led the wheel out of the building.


    It was a rather chilly and windy December night.


    Choi Ji Ho, who came out of the building alone, did not want to be disturbed by anyone.


    He concentrated through Flowing Wind, he could see Choi Yu Seong¡¯s movements from quite a distance and listen to his voice in detail.


    The wind told Choi Yu Seong¡¯s story much clearer than when he was underground.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    In the dire situation, Choi Yu Seong used Illusion to fool Baek Cheol and Jin Do Yun rescued Jin Yu Ri. A bitter smile burst out.


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong. You clever guy.¡±


    Choi Ji Ho looked at his younger brother with a feeling of not knowing whether to laugh or cry.


    To be honest, Choi Ji Ho hoped that Choi Yu Seong would get a stronger and more firm heart in this test.


    The fragile and gentle Choi Yu Seong that he remembers cannot endure the typhoon created by greedy people.


    He was going to get hurt a lot.


    Perhaps a shocking death awaits him, like the future he saw in the distant past.


    ¡®Death. His death¡­¡¯


    Choi Ji Ho saw the death of Choi Yu Seong.


    It was a terrible future, but Choi Ji Ho had no power or ability to change it at that time.


    He could give a little help, but it is also possible only when Choi Yu Seong listens.


    The current Choi Ji Ho?


    It doesn¡¯t make much difference.


    As said, it¡¯s up to the person to change his own fate in the end.


    In that sense, it was surprising that Choi Yu Seong came instead of the person who should have come here first.


    ¡®Maybe it can change his death.¡¯


    Choi Ji Ho was surprised and sincerely hoped so.


    However, this disgraceful younger brother kept playing with his life without knowing such thoughts.


    For Jin Do Yun and Jin Yu Ri to escape, he shook Baek Cheol recklessly with a stone knife in his neck.


    He knew.


    This is because Choi Yu Seong is in a desperate situation with the fainted Jin Yu Ri behind him.


    ¡®I think it¡¯s time to tell them that it¡¯s not poison gas, it¡¯s just a little bit of a strong sleeping gas.¡¯


    From the beginning, Choi Ji Ho had no intention of killing any of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s people.


    The test in the Room of Sacrifice was literally just a test.


    A test that should have been taken no matter who came and wanted the treasure. Everyone will have different ways of finding answers in the process.


    Of course, Choi Ji Ho¡¯s mind could not be at ease throughout the process.


    It was also true that he felt even more uncomfortable because his opponent was Choi Yu Seong.


    It would have been much easier if it had been the majority of other siblings with spiteful nature to produce results.


    ¡®Because the original answer to the Room of Sacrifice is a proof of trust or dignity¡­¡¯


    To explain it, it¡¯s like this.


    The person chosen to be sacrificed will not blame the person who abandoned them even in death.


    When they wake up from the drug effect and show confidence that their choice is not wrong, the person who took the test can receive the treasure.


    Perhaps Choi Ji Ho guessed that most siblings took this direction and proved that they were not only worthy of the treasure but also worthy to be at the heart of the company.


    Even if it was a somewhat coercive loyalty, Choi Ji Ho intended to respect that.


    Therefore, he created the Room of Sacrifice that forced a rather terrible choice.


    However, Choi Ji Ho hoped that the person who would take the treasure would naturally be trusted and respected by those around them, rather than those who gained coercive loyalty if possible.


    There must have been such a person among the Choi family¡¯s siblings.


    It was just that much.


    Nevertheless, Choi Yu Seong chose a different method than the fixed answer.


    ¡®I thought it was impossible to escape in the first place¡­¡¯


    After the Magical Resonance that yet appeared in the world and the option of breaking down the stairs, he even gambled with his life.


    There was nothing that he could have guessed.


    ¡®I think we should stop at this point. I lost.

 Volume 2 - CH 16

    Choi Ji Ho wanted to stop and clear up the situation.


    Judging from the choices already shown by Jin Do Yun and Jin Yu Ri, along with Choi Yu Seong¡¯s actions, his test has long gone beyond the passing level.


    In addition to the originally planned reward, it is still not enough to even give a gift of apology.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t think that Choi Yu Seong would forgive him.


    He shook people¡¯s hearts like this and made them desperate.


    It would have been a good thing if he didn¡¯t pour out his anger.


    Thinking so, Choi Ji Ho began to lead the wheelchair with his quick hands.


    For some reason, the appearance of Choi Yu Seong pushing a stone knife into his own neck made him feel somewhat uneasy.


    ¡®He must not really want to die. However¡­ What if things happen?¡¯


    Choi Ji Ho¡¯s always closed eyes suddenly opened.


    In the pure white pupils where no black spots are left, the scenery that only he can see is reflected.


    A lake of red blood covers the view and Choi Yu Seong who fell beside it in vain.


    Surprised Baek Cheol roared as if screaming and blood tears flowed from the eyes of the wolf who jumped over the moonlight.


    ¡°¡­?!¡±


    Choi Ji Ho¡¯s body trembled as he closed his eyes quickly.


    ¡®Oh, my gosh.¡¯


    Choi Ji Ho¡¯s Future Foresight is not an ability that can only be activated when he wants to.


    Sometimes when he thinks deeply about someone, it shows such a short and intense future like this. The process is completely unknown, but the results revealed were so terrible.


    ¡®Choi Yu Seong. This dratted brat really!¡¯


    In the aftermath of activating Future Sight, the painful and chilly cold wind brought a chill that was colder than the north wind, but there was no time to hesitate.


    ¡°Cough¡­!¡±


    Choi Ji Ho threw up blood and stained his white clothes with red blood. He activated Wind Stance and lifted his body into the air.


    There wasn¡¯t enough room in his options to roll the wheelchair.


    ¡®There¡¯s¡­ not much time left!¡¯


    For Choi Ji Ho, it was an unusually cold night with a body that was not the same as before.


    ***


    For Jin Do Yun to get out of the building safely and quickly, Baek Cheol¡¯s men must retreat.


    ¡°That threat no longer works. Young Master.¡±


    However, Baek Cheol remained somewhat relaxed despite Choi Yu Seong¡¯s threats.


    ¡°Put the knife down. I know Young Master doesn¡¯t intend to die anyway. Haven¡¯t I been fooled once already?¡±


    Instead of answering, Choi Yu Seong showed a smile on his lips.


    Then he brought the sharply pointed stone knife deeper into his neck.


    A burning pain began to be felt and it wasn¡¯t just a sting. But he couldn¡¯t hesitate.


    For Choi Yu Seong, who was trying to save Jin Yu Ri, there is no such thing as ease now.


    ¡®Skill, Insight activate.¡¯


    Because of that, a blue will-o¡¯-wisps bloomed in his eyes.


    It would be foolish to save skills because there is a usage limit when facing an S-rank Hunter like Baek Cheol.


    Baek Cheol, who wriggled his thick eyebrows, looked directly into Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes lit with blue flames.


    ¡°It¡¯s a skill called Insight. It allows me to predict the opponent¡¯s movements in advance. It¡¯s a level that can¡¯t even be compared to Vision Enhancement Skill. I hope you don¡¯t judge recklessly.¡±


    Originally, it was rare for Hunters to tell their own abilities in a fight.


    Most abilities inherently have strengths and weaknesses.


    And an excellent Hunter can predict movements and behavior patterns just by knowing their opponent¡¯s abilities.


    Therefore, it was a taboo that should not be done for a Hunter to reveal their abilities unless having a good enough relationship to entrust life.


    However, Choi Yu Seong revealed some about the blue will-o¡¯-wisps, Insight¡¯s abilities, that Baek Cheol had doubts about.


    This is to somewhat limit the movement of Baek Cheol.


    ¡®In fact, there¡¯s no way I can predict an S-rank Hunter who¡¯s determined to move at my level no matter how cheating Insight is.¡¯


    Importantly, it is actually possible when Choi Yu Seong¡¯s rank and abilities develop.


    Deceit as always is a mixture of truth and lies.


    ¡°Do Young Master Yu Seong think I¡¯ll believe your words?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything useless. Just now you tried to hit me by kicking the rock on the floor with your foot, right? This is the first and last warning. Your men, call them back.¡±


    And fortunately, movements that move carefully and slowly can be read.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    A smile appeared on Baek Cheol¡¯s lips.


    At that moment, Choi Yu Seong was convinced that his deceit had worked and smiled together.


    ¡®What an amazing man.¡¯


    Baek Cheol admired in his heart while quickly rolled his eyes and confirmed the location of Jin Do Yun, who was ready to jump up at any time, taking a step back from the two.


    ¡®How should I do this?¡¯


    Baek Cheol¡¯s worries deepen.


    With a small test, he realized that Choi Yu Seong¡¯s Insight is as powerful as he said.


    On the other hand, however. The fact that Choi Yu Seong had no intention of dying now became a certainty in Baek Cheol¡¯s head.


    ¡®There¡¯s no way someone so thorough like this would take his own life easily.¡¯


    Now he seemed to know a little bit about Choi Yu Seong¡¯s style.


    It¡¯s cool-headed, calculating, and never suffers loss.


    Baek Cheol has experienced several people like this.


    A common figure in Hyesung Group.


    If there were some differences between them and Choi Yu Seong, it would be the innate bloodline and the inherent charisma, namely dignity.


    ¡®The villainous hero of the era.¡¯


    But he can¡¯t help but be prepared for one thing.


    As if he had concluded after contemplating, Baek Cheol loosened his stance that¡¯s ready to run away at any time.


    Then he puts his hand into his inner pocket.


    Choi Yu Seong wriggled his eyebrows when he saw Baek Cheol¡¯s movement, but no longer gave strength to his hand with a stone knife.


    Baek Cheol, who pulled out the wireless communicator with a smile, pressed the reception button and opened his mouth.


    ¡°Ah ah, this is Alpha. Omega, withdraw everyone.¡±


    ¡ªOmega, proceed to withdraw.


    ¡ªWithdraw.


    Several voices were heard one after another over the communicator.


    As if to confirm him, Baek Cheol raised both arms toward Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°Is this enough?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong nodded instead of answering. At the same time, Jin Do Yun, who was standing back, jumped high into the sky.


    It was that moment.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s Insight showed Baek Cheol throwing the communicator in his hand.


    It must have been a surprise attack while he was relieved.


    ¡®Where¡­!¡¯


    It was when Choi Yu Seong frowned at that.


    A small piece of stone flew violently from under his vision.


    ¡®Fake¡­!¡¯


    It was a trick to wriggle shoulders like throwing the communicator.


    It was a trick from the beginning which took advantage of the fact that a person¡¯s eyes had no choice but to see what was flying towards the eyes first, which was exactly right at this moment.


    Choi Yu Seong looked at the flying stone piece and thought.


    ¡®If I get hit by that stone here¡­¡¯


    He would lose the stone knife he was holding.


    The result after that was obvious.


    He will be overwhelmed by Baek Cheol and the escaping Jin Do Yun will also be surrounded.


    Everything is over.


    ¡®It can¡¯t be like that.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong promised to save Jin Yu Ri.


    He can¡¯t give up.


    If so, would he really risk his life and stab the knife deep into his neck?


    Of course, he didn¡¯t want to.


    ¡®I want to live.¡¯


    He wants to live somehow.


    That¡¯s why he has been enduring all this time.


    He has to come up with a way in a short time.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mind spun wildly.


    Baek Cheol will be truly so panic if Choi Yu Seong dies.


    This is a confirmed fact.


    That means that pretending to be dead can also be effective.


    Time will stretch naturally then Jin Do Yun and Jin Yu Ri can run away.


    Of course, never in a clumsy way.


    ¡®I¡¯ll be in quite a pain, but¡­ I think there might be a way.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who spun his mind at a crazy speed, decided to hit the flying stone piece first.


    Of course, this will also be very painful.


    But it could be nothing compared to the pain that would follow.


    At the end of the decision, a small stone piece thrown by Baek Cheol hit Choi Yu Seong¡¯s wrist.


    Choi Yu Seong instinctively and deliberately turned his right wrist with the stone knife down to the left. He used the force of the blow to exert superhuman endurance, endured the pain, and managed to turn the knife against his neck toward the top of his left chest.


    ¡®Because the human heart is lower than expected. I¡¯m not actually going to die.¡¯


    However, there will be a lot of blood.


    And from the standpoint of the observer, it is bound to be a big surprise.


    Of course, Choi Yu Seong also will be in great pain.


    The knife is stuck in his left chest.


    He even prepares to bite the tip of his tongue, ready for the sensation of burning flesh.


    ¡®It¡¯s no good if there¡¯s not enough blood¡­¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong made his own meticulous plan in the meantime and was about to disguise a proper form of death.


    When Baek Cheol was running with a surprised look and Choi Yu Seong with eyes ready to die while hiding his plan. Harsh energy swirled up with the sound of the wind tearing through the gap of them.


    ¡°¡­?!¡±


    In no time, the wind shattered the stone knife held by Choi Yu Seong in such a vain manner that it became a powder.


    ¡®My gosh!¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong was surprised even in that brief moment.


    There was definitely strong wind energy, but it destroyed only the stone knife precisely without any effect or injury on his body.


    The skill of handling the energy is surprisingly precise and made him feel goosebumps.


    ¡®Who the hell is it?¡¯


    It was not necessary to search for the answer to the question.


    A hand whiter than white jade flew in from where the wind had gone and snatched Choi Yu Seong¡¯s wrist.


    The owner of the hand, a young man with his eyes closed, is facing Choi Yu Seong with an angry look on his face.


    The opponent had his eyes closed, but Choi Yu Seong felt that he was clearly looking at him.


    ¡®Choi Ji Ho.¡¯


    It was the first meeting, but Choi Yu Seong could easily tell who he was.


    This is because his softly smiling face, unlike now, came to mind so clearly in a very vague memory of the past.


    Between the strange sensations of the overlapping image of the caring and tender Choi Ji Ho in memory on top of his red face with anger.


    ¡°You dratted guy. Who told you to take your life so cheaply!¡±


    Choi Ji Ho yelled loudly.

 Volume 2 - CH 17

    Watching Choi Ji Ho screaming angrily, Choi Yu Seong didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡®Why are you angry?¡¯


    In fact, he wanted to ask first.


    He didn¡¯t really mean to die, but it was Choi Ji Ho who pushed him so desperately that he decided to pretend to be like that.


    However, it was not easy to do so when he saw Choi Ji Ho¡¯s tears flowing under his closed eyes and his sincere expression.


    ¡®What the hell is it?¡¯


    Rather, confusion came.


    Are the owner of the voice that was tormenting him in the room of sacrifice and Choi Ji Ho in front of him really the same person?


    Actually, when thinking of the character in the original novel, this one was more right.


    Choi Ji Ho is a righteous, good, and upright character.


    He was like a pretty flower that he was forcibly cut by someone¡¯s hand even before he fully bloomed. But he was a person whose heart was not twisted even though he was buried in ashes.


    ¡®Rather, the one in the room of sacrifice was weirder.¡¯


    Therefore, it was quite shocking that Choi Ji Ho had changed a lot from the original novel.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t think it was impossible.


    The butterfly effect of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s possession into the novel was already spreading everywhere.


    But, what if Choi Ji Ho¡¯s change was impossible?


    ¡®Maybe I was deceived from beginning to end.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s gaze suddenly turned to red blood, soaked in the pure white front of the modern hanbok.


    ¡°If you take your life like that, how dare I, your hyungnim continue to simply live this life. Why on earth did you make that choice? How come!¡±


    As Choi Ji Ho shouted harshly, a solid red line flowed from the corner of his mouth.


    He was holding it in, but it was clear that his body was in pretty bad shape.


    ¡°Master!¡±


    Baek Cheol runs to Choi Ji Ho with a surprised look.


    ¡°Captain Baek, please wait. This is what brothers have to say!¡±


    Choi Ji Ho with an angry face waved his hand and looked at Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°Why, why did you choose to die? Did you think you¡¯d be satisfied if your death saved them? It was a foolish choice that others couldn¡¯t even think of. You stupid brother.¡±


    Except for pouring out what he had to say, Choi Ji Ho coughed continuously.


    ¡°Cough, cough, blaargh-!¡±


    Baek Cheol quickly caught him, as he vomited blood and fell from the air.


    ¡°If you die¡­ You must not die. Yu Seong-ah¡­ Please, do me a favor¡­ Please¡­¡±


    Choi Ji Ho seemed half unconscious as his body was trembling and was talking by himself.


    ¡°I am sorry. Young Master Yu Seong. I cannot afford to explain the situation in person, so I will send someone soon. Please trust me and wait here for a little bit.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Choi Yu Seong nodded lightly instead of answering.


    If not exactly, his mind was already drawing a picture of the situation to some extent.


    ¡®It looks like I¡¯ve made a useless fuss.¡¯


    Still, he was relieved.


    Now that the situation is like this, one thing is certain.


    ¡®Jin Yu Ri will be fine.¡¯


    If she goes down this mountain on Jin Do Yun¡¯s back, she will not die.


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who spoke quietly to himself, collapsed in place as if pouring out his tired heart and body at once.


    ***


    Next day.


    Choi Yu Seong, who woke up in the afternoon when the sun rose high, could hear all the explanations of the situation that he had not heard last night.


    The only difference was that other people were by his side, not the expected Baek Cheol¡¯s men.


    ¡°¡­ After all, the gas I tried not to inhale was just a sleeping drug.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri, who returned to the mansion in the morning, scratches her cheek as if embarrassed as she finished explaining to Choi Yu Seong by repeating what she heard earlier.


    ¡°Is it a placebo effect? If I had known it was a sleeping drug, I could have opened my eyes in an emergency.¡±


    ¡°I heard it¡¯s a pretty powerful sleeping drug, so it couldn¡¯t be helped.¡±


    Spoke Jin Do Yun as if to comfort Jin Yu Ri.


    Choi Yu Seong, who was lying on the bed looking at the two sitting on the left and right, slowly raised his body and smiled.


    No matter how many times he thought about it, there was only one thing he wanted to say now, putting aside various problems.


    ¡°Jin Yu Ri.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I believed that Yu Seong oppa would save me.¡±


    ¡°If I couldn¡¯t save you, you¡¯d blame me a lot, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I want to say that, but no.¡±


    Jin Yu Ri was definitely ready for her death at that moment.


    Jin Yu Ri, who hid that feeling quite deep inside her eyes, smiled.


    ¡°I will never blame Yu Seong oppa, probably until the moment I die. This is for sure.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, why?¡±


    ¡°That is because if it was not for Young Master¡¯s help, neither of us would be alive until now.¡±


    The answer came from Jin Do Yun, who gave a strong gaze with a strong will.


    ¡°You mean I saved you two?¡±


    Then, it may remain in his mind in some form as in the case of Choi Wu Jae and Choi Ji Ho.


    There was a high chance that memories would come to mind if there were small clues from past experiences.


    ¡°That¡­ When was it?¡±


    Likewise. Choi Yu Seong was curious about the story of the two which did not appear in the original novel and asked a question.


    It was something he was very curious about.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? When Young Master was young¡­¡±


    But should it be said that he was out of luck? Of all things, a big presence came over the closed door at that time.


    Naturally, the two people on alert turned around and raised their momentum.


    ¡°Keum, keheum¡­ Can I come in?¡±


    It was Baek Cheol.


    It¡¯s too bad he didn¡¯t hear the story, but it was very expected for the two to react sensitively to his appearance.


    Even Choi Yu Seong was stiffened for a moment.


    ¡°You can come in.¡±


    Baek Cheol carefully opened the door when the permission fell. He looked around at the three people then knelt and bowed his head to Choi Yu Seong, who was in the center.


    ¡°First of all, I would like to offer my apologies to Young Master Yu Seong.¡±


    ¡°Get up, please.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong no longer sharpened his blade toward Baek Cheol and spoke politely. 1


    He knew very well that he moved out of loyalty for Choi Ji Ho.


    Even if he resented someone, the target was not Baek Cheol.


    ¡°Master is not the one to blame. It is rather my side that suggested the test. I thought it was that much necessary to qualify for the treasure.¡±


    ¡°Alright. That¡¯s enough and get up now.¡±


    ¡°Jin Do Yun-ssi, Jin Yu Ri-ssi. I apologize to both of you. I understand you¡¯ve been hurt a lot by this Baek.¡±


    Baek Cheol continued his apology still with his head bowed.


    However, neither Jin Yu Ri nor Jin Do Yun opened their mouths to answer.


    Unlike Choi Yu Seong, they seemed to have a much stronger sense of vigilance and hostility toward Baek Cheol.


    ¡®Perhaps it¡¯s obvious?¡¯


    Clearly, the two people think that the situation like Room of Sacrifice happened because they couldn¡¯t handle Baek Cheol.


    In other words, the anger of the two is quite deep feelings that are intertwined with themself and Baek Cheol.


    Perhaps Baek Cheol is now a goal for the two people.


    ¡®A and S. It can¡¯t be seen as just one rank difference.¡¯


    Even Baek Cheol, who later will be called the Lion King, is the strongest physical type Awakener.


    Jin Do Yun and Jin Yu Ri have excellent talents, but they are definitely half step below Baek Cheol.


    As such, it would not be difficult to grow with Baek Cheol as the goal.


    Of course, it¡¯s a good thing from Choi Yu Seong¡¯s point of view.


    ¡®It¡¯s great if the two do as well as Baek Cheol. And even if they can¡¯t, they¡¯ll get stronger very quickly.¡¯


    It¡¯s a mutually beneficial thing in many ways.


    ¡°And¡­ The crime of daring to judge Young Master Yu Seong with my own eyes. If you are going to punish me, I will accept it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The moment Young Master Yu Seong really wanted to take your own life, I felt like the sky was falling. How great is my judgment and insight to dare to grasp your large vessel? If it weren¡¯t for Master, I would have lived with irreparable regret.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    Baek Cheol is now talking about Choi Yu Seong¡¯s suicide attempt.


    Come to think of it, this fact seemed to make Jin Yu Ri and Jin Do Yun¡¯s anger and resentment against Baek Cheol stronger.


    Then, should he confess now that he was just trying to pretend to be dead?


    Of course, it was impossible.


    ¡®Anyway, I was really prepared to feel pain like dying.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who made excuses in his heart, waved his hand.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. I¡¯ve forgotten about it.¡±


    At those words, Baek Cheol¡¯s body shuddered with his head down.


    ¡®Ah¡­! Young Master Yu Seong is a man of virtue, a truly great man.¡¯


    When Baek Cheol was admiring inside, Jin Do Yun and Jin Yu Ri also looked at Choi Yu Seong and sent out surprised eyes.


    ¡®What, why? Is this such a big deal?¡¯


    He didn¡¯t want to say that he tried to pretend to be dead, but it seems what he said caused quite a stir.


    It was when the embarrassed Choi Yu Seong was scratching his cheek.


    ¡°And I beg you. I hope you do not resent Master too much.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    Choi Yu Seong was just about to say that he needed time to think.


    One more presence came over the door.


    The sound of the wheel pulling. A quiet and indifferent presence.


    Everyone, including Choi Yu Seong, was just feeling the presence over the door, but it was not difficult to guess who came.


    ¡°May I come in for a moment?¡±


    A small but serene voice.


    ¡°Yes, hyungnim.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong also replied in a calm voice to Choi Ji Ho¡¯s appearance.


    ***


    In the room where everyone left except only two people.


    The brothers, who sat facing each other, remained silent for a long time.


    It was Choi Ji Ho who broke the long silence first.


    ¡°¡­ You can forget what Captain Baek said. Most of what he said was just made up for me.¡±


    ¡°Well, he didn¡¯t say much though.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that the Room of Sacrifice was built by me. And it¡¯s my choice to call you, Yu Seong, to that room.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who already knew that Baek Cheol¡¯s words were lies from his heart, nodded insignificantly.


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°If you want to resent someone, you can resent me. If you really hate me enough to kill, I¡¯m ready to accept even that.¡±


    ¡°You told me not to die like that, but I guess your own death is so light.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Choi Ji Ho¡¯s face hardened at the end of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s words.

 Volume 2 - CH 18

    ¡°I don¡¯t resent hyungnim very much. But that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t hate you. Honestly, I thought it would be okay, but I get angry when I see hyungnim¡¯s face.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    A slight sadness passed by the face of Choi Ji Ho, who kept his mouth shut as if he had nothing to say.


    ¡®As expected. He can¡¯t be such a harsh person as in the original novel.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who had guessed Choi Ji Ho¡¯s innermost thoughts, continued his words after a short sigh in his heart.


    ¡°Nevertheless. I thought about it, looking for the reason, and after making my own guess, I could understand why this happened. I don¡¯t know what gift Father will give, but it must be a great guy that can be called a treasure, and many people are after it. In case such an object is brought recklessly and makes a problem. So, let¡¯s not give it to an unprepared person that will pose a useless danger.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong drank the tea brought by Choi Ji Ho and wet his throat.


    The scent is quite deep and clear, so to be honest, it feels like his shaky mind is being corrected.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably what you were thinking.¡±


    ¡°¡­ You¡¯re right. But that doesn¡¯t mean that I can say I¡¯m correct. I can¡¯t just refuse Father¡¯s orders, so it¡¯s an agreement I got with struggle.¡±


    Originally, Room of Sacrifice was an unprepared test for obtaining the gift arranged by Choi Wu Jae.


    However, Choi Yu Seong thought somewhat differently.


    ¡®Perhaps Father thinks Ji Ho hyungnim might prepare for such a test?¡¯


    If you couldn¡¯t pass this test, you don¡¯t even deserve to have the treasure.


    Isn¡¯t it a thought truly like Choi Wu Jae?


    Choi Yu Seong, who laughed inwardly, threw out doubts and questions that he had in his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask straightforwardly. Does hyungnim hate the fight between our siblings?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Choi Ji Ho held a brief silence then lifted the teacup.


    After drinking tea quietly, he soon nodded heavily.


    ¡°Right. What Father wants is to grow through strife between siblings, but I didn¡¯t want it. I¡¯ve been thinking since I was young and I¡¯ve tried a lot to make it come true. But in the end¡­¡±


    Someone who shook Choi Ji Ho¡¯s weak heart caused his downfall.


    ¡°Who is it? The one who made hyungnim like this.¡±


    The original novel does not tell the story in detail.


    ¡®There¡¯s a lot of missing information.¡¯


    This was actually the result of the Hyesung Group¡¯s scenario being pushed out of the center of the novel with the death of Choi Wu Jae.


    Therefore, even Choi Yu Seong could not complain about it as a setting hole.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll tell you?¡±


    ¡°I asked just in case.¡±


    ¡°Even if the result is like this, my heart is no different than before. I think it would be nice if we stopped fighting meaninglessly without anyone getting hurt or hurting each other. You could say it¡¯s silly. That choice eventually made me like this¡­ But it looked like your choice last night was the same as mine.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­¡±


    He couldn¡¯t say that he didn¡¯t really mean to die.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re different from me. In addition¡­¡±


    Choi Ji Ho also wanted him to be different from other siblings, but he couldn¡¯t add anything more.


    Choi Yu Seong shouldn¡¯t follow after him. And he also didn¡¯t want Choi Yu Seong to change into a cold-hearted like other siblings.


    So, what to do?


    It is unreasonable and excessively greedy to expect Choi Yu Seong to find the answer to a problem he does not know.


    ¡°My goal is just to live a moderately good life, but¡­¡±


    Speaking of which, it also makes no sense to think about what he saw last night.


    Choi Yu Seong had no choice but to keep making awkward faces.


    ¡°No. It seems I nag a lot as a sinner.¡±


    ¡°As I said, I hate hyungnim. But I don¡¯t resent you. Of course, I don¡¯t even think about the scary word ¡®sinner¡¯.¡±


    As they face each other like this, he could understand better about a person called Choi Ji Ho, who did not appear in the original book.


    ¡®A weak but strong person.¡¯


    He has a weak heart. He is so soft and good that he hurt himself, but he has no regret about his choice.


    Perhaps he still wanted to change the family¡¯s atmosphere if he had a chance.


    However, he is afraid that someone else like himself will be created.


    He considers the sacrifice of himself is enough.


    In a different sense, Choi Ji Ho looked great.


    ¡®He¡¯s more like a bamboo than a flower.¡¯


    It may break, but it doesn¡¯t bend.


    Even yet, a bamboo named Choi Ji Ho has not been completely broken.


    ¡°Thank you for saying that. But before I give you the treasure, can you promise me one thing?¡±


    ¡°Can I hear it first and decide?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong asked, and Choi Ji Ho smirked.


    ¡°Still. You seem smarter than me. Seeing that you don¡¯t recklessly make decisions.¡±


    ¡°Please tell me what you want first.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t handle your life recklessly. That thing should never happen again by any means.¡±


    Should I say it?


    Choi Yu Seong, who had no intention of dying from the beginning, smiled brightly and answered with sincerity.


    ¡°Of course. I never want to die, so I¡¯ll live a long life.¡±


    ¡°You speak well.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something I hear quite often. So, where is the gift?¡±


    Looking at the urging, Choi Ji Ho also thought Choi Yu Seong resembled a bit like Choi Wu Jae.


    ¡®If he is a child like this, maybe I¡¯ve been worrying too much.¡¯


    He has a good and upright heart, a personality that can be trusted by people around him, and also knows how to calculate and make bold decisions like Choi Wu Jae.


    Now he can understand why Choi Wu Jae sent Choi Yu Seong here first than anyone else.


    ¡°The treasure is not far away. It¡¯s right here.¡±


    Choi Ji Ho stretched out and extended his hand to Choi Yu Seong.


    Choi Yu Seong initially had a rather skeptical face, but soon became surprised and looked at Choi Ji Ho.


    ¡°This¡­ Is this real?¡±


    The asking voice was unconsciously filled with trembling.


    ***


    Awakener¡¯s equipment in this world is broadly classified into three categories.


    The first is Made in Earth items that are generally the easiest to obtain.


    Of course, even this varies in price depending on performance and in the case of handmade products made by the craftsmen of equipment production type Awakeners, the price soars to an enormous level.


    The equipment currently worn by Choi Yu Seong belonged to this category.


    The second is the treasures of another world that are purchased from Dimensional Merchants.


    Although there are also many items which roots or origins are unknown, their ability often exceeds those of Made in Earth items.


    It can only be purchased with Karma Points, cannot be transferred to others, and even has a wear rank restriction.


    In fact, the scariest thing about owning the treasure of another world was that it was impossible to transfer but possible to rob it.


    And the rob in here was not a possibility for a living person.


    A treasure with powerful power that can be stolen by killing!


    It¡¯s like a double-edged sword.


    Therefore, those who actually use the treasures of another world were known to be at least A-Rank or higher.


    And third and the last, there were pieces of equipment called ancient relics.


    It is found very rarely in Earth¡¯s old remains, ruins, or dungeons but it is known to be as rare as the treasure of another world and as good as its performance.


    However, there is a great advantage that is very distinct from the treasures of another world, which is that equipment transfer is possible.


    ¡®Other kinds of equipment will also appear as time goes on, but¡­¡¯


    It was a rather distant story for now.


    However, the ring on the ring finger of the right hand that Choi Ji Ho reached out was none other than that rare ancient relic.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong couldn¡¯t be helped but be surprised. And Choi Ji Ho had an odd face when he saw the reaction.


    ¡°From your reaction, it seems that you already know what this ring is.¡±


    At Choi Ji Ho¡¯s words, Choi Yu Seong came to his senses as if cold water poured on his head and his face turned red.


    ¡®Oops.¡¯


    He made a mistake because he was so excited as the doubts led to some degree of certainty.


    ¡®When it¡¯s at the end like this, one by one¡­¡¯


    Like Chae Ye Ryeong did, it seemed like a habit to make mistakes one by one while doing well.


    ¡°No need to panic. Rumors have circulated in the family that I have had this ring for a while, so a clever kid like you might already know it.¡±


    It¡¯s the first time Choi Yu Seong has ever heard of such news.


    As said, his information is as scrappy as the story from the original novel.


    Even so, many things go wrong due to the butterfly effect.


    ¡®At first, I thought it was worth it because I knew the future¡­¡¯


    In this state, the advantage of knowing the future seemed to soon disappear as time passed.


    Therefore, it is necessary to secure maximum safety requirements before too many things change.


    The ring in Choi Ji Ho¡¯s right hand, now in front of Choi Yu Seong, also belonged to such items.


    ¡°Your prediction is right. The ring is one of the ancient relics that our entire Hyesung Group officially only owns about 10, Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice.¡±


    Choi Ji Ho revealed its identity with a calm voice, whether he read Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes with confidence or thought it didn¡¯t matter because it was something to give anyway. He took the ring out of his right hand and put it on his own palm.


    ¡°I was in charge of it for a while and now it¡¯s yours.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong swallowed his saliva and looked at Choi Ji Ho with trembling eyes.


    He could understand anew why Kim Pil Du spoke so sharply and why Choi Ji Ho even prepared a trial separately to test whether he deserved the gift.


    ¡®Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice! It comes out as Choi Mi Na¡¯s treasure in the original, but this was received from Ji Ho hyungnim.¡¯


    Enigmatic Choi Mi Na, the second of the Choi family, is a woman like a beam who will succeed the Hyesung Group after Choi Wu Jae¡¯s death.


    Her personality is simply fussy.


    Even Choi Wu Jae, who can be regarded as the absolute ruler of the family, cannot easily control her due to her unpredictable fickle personality.


    Nevertheless, there is only one reason why Choi Wu Jae does not particularly suppress her.


    ¡®Too strong.¡¯


    Although it has not been revealed at this point, Choi Mi Na was already a Hunter who rose to the same level as Choi Wu Jae who is considered the strongest in the family.


    Not as a business owner, but just purely as a hunter with more than Choi Ji Ho.


    Choi Wu Jae might have already fully recognized her as his successor and put his hands off if it wasn¡¯t for her reckless unpredictable personality.


    ¡®Because originally she¡¯s a monster whose growth potential is within five fingers of the entire worldview in the novel.¡¯


    When the entire Hyesung Group was busying themself to catch Kim Do Jin, who killed Choi Wu Jae, there was only one time she went into the battle herself.


    And in the battle, Kim Do Jin surprisingly faces a near-death crisis which is a rare thing in the novel.

 Volume 2 - CH 19

    Of course, the final winner was Kim Do Jin.


    No matter how powerful Choi Mi Na was, she could not even surpass the main character of the returnee adjustment.1


    From Choi Yu Seong¡¯s perspective of a reader, there is a small question left. Whether Choi Mi Na perhaps could really defeat Kim Do Jin.


    ¡®Because it didn¡¯t seem strange even if Choi Mi Na won, based on the descriptions or narratives at the time.¡¯


    Kim Do Jin¡¯s rank was A when he killed Choi Wu Jae, and Choi Mi Na was described as a high-leveled S-Rank already even at the beginning of the novel.


    As it is the story of the future about two years later, maybe Choi Mi Na has reached SS-Rank.


    Of course, the original novel doesn¡¯t mention this part at all.


    Perhaps it was a choice to eliminate the readers¡¯ sense of discrepancy.


    Of course, Choi Yu Seong was not the only one who felt the doubt. Many readers questioned whether the main character¡¯s adjustment was excessive.


    ¡®Yeah, it was a little weird at that point.¡¯


    Five years later, Kim Do Jin is definitely stronger than Choi Mi Na.


    Because after overcoming many crises and growing even after that experience, he surpassed SS-Rank from A-Rank, became an EX-Rank that belongs to the realm of the perfect superhuman, and regained all the power he had accumulated in the other dimension before returning.


    However, a thought suddenly came to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mind.


    ¡®Possibly, Choi Mi Na heard something from Ji Ho hyungnim?¡¯


    In the novel¡¯s scenario in which Hyesung Group mainly hindered Kim Do Jin¡¯s move, there are only two people who somewhat have taken a step back unusually.


    Choi Ji Ho and Choi Mi Na.


    And ancient relics such as Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice, the symbol of Choi Mi Na.


    A picture came to mind at once, but it is too blurry.


    As Choi Yu Seong shook his head inwardly, Choi Ji Ho, who brought Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice closer, tilted his head.


    ¡°Are you feeling burdened as you¡¯re going to actually take it?¡±


    ¡°That is not it. It¡¯s my stuff, so I have to take it of course.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong no longer hesitated and quickly grabbed Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice and put it on his right palm.


    The cool yet cold touch of metal seems to cool his excited heart.


    ¡®Forget the uncertainty and enjoy it for now. Anyway, this precious thing is really in my hands.¡¯


    Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice was an item rated B-Rank as an ancient relic.


    In a way, it seems to be rather low-grade, but it is no exaggeration to say that it is the best treasure that can be obtained right now from the perspective of Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®Because Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice has at least three functions.¡¯


    The first is the transmutation function.


    Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice is basically in the form of a ring, but it can be anything that belongs to inanimate objects according to the will of the wearer.


    It can be merely changed into a book or glasses, or even significantly changed into a weapon or clothing.


    ¡®Additionally, it also can save the appearance I imagined.¡¯


    Then here comes the second ability, the self-repair ability.


    Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice never wears out or breaks completely.


    As it is an ancient relic, its durability is much higher than that of the general Made In Earth item and it does not take long to return to its original form even if it is damaged.


    From these two abilities alone one can conclude that Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice is actually a piece of very good equipment, but the most important thing for Choi Yu Seong was the third ability.


    ¡®One of the few ancient relics with no wearing limit.¡¯


    The problem with most of the equipment of both another world¡¯s treasure and ancient relics was that the wearing limit rank was quite high.


    It was the most difficult part for Choi Yu Seong, who is only Rank E Level 80.


    ¡®As far as I can remember, the lowest ancient relic¡¯s wearing limit is around Rank C Level 60¡­¡¯


    It¡¯s not even close to the current Choi Yu Seong.


    But there is no such limit on Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice.


    The value of Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice was already enough with just the mere attachment of such merit to an ancient relic with powerful performance.


    Choi Yu Seong picked the ring with a slightly shaky hand and slowly inserted it into his right ring finger like Choi Ji Ho.


    The strange trembling sense of mana wrapped around his whole body like scanning and quickly disappears.


    There was no doubt about it.


    This sense was proof that the ancient relic was genuine.


    Choi Yu Seong was somewhat lost in the thrill. Choi Ji Ho looked at his appearance with a satisfied gaze and opened his mouth.


    ¡°If Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice is Father¡¯s gift, I also prepared a few more gifts as an apology.¡±


    This isn¡¯t the end?


    Choi Yu Seong, who thought he had received a full and overflowing reward with Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice alone, opened his eyes wide.


    ¡°I will gratefully receive it. Hyungnim. Thank you.¡±


    He had no intention of rejecting it of course.


    ***


    Since the solo encounter between Choi Yu Seong and Choi Ji Ho began, the three who got kicked out of the room were standing inside the chilly atmosphere.


    If they had to pick the most uncomfortable person here, it was definitely Baek Cheol.


    He was literally confused whether to look at the two people in front of him or to worry about what would happen inside the room.


    There was just a wish.


    It is alright for him to feel a little uncomfortable.


    ¡®I hope Young Master Yu Seong is not too angry with Master¡­¡¯


    Fortunately, there was no loud voice in the room yet.


    Perhaps the talk continues well quietly.


    He could eavesdrop on the talk if he concentrated his mind actually, but he didn¡¯t want to.


    This is because he thought it was rude behavior to both Choi Ji Ho and Choi Yu Seong.


    Baek Cheol struggled to suppress his desire to stamp his feet and talked to the two persons calmly blowing the cold wind.


    ¡°Young Master Yu Seong, the more I know, the bigger his vessel is.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    There is no answer coming back obviously.


    Baek Cheol continued to talk alone even in a rather awkward situation.


    ¡°I know these words will not comfort both of you. However. Sadly, there is not much time left in Master¡¯s life. On the day the end comes, I will go to Young Master¡¯s side and serve him for the rest of my life no matter what happens. Please understand that I can only apologize in this way because this Baek only has this one body that I can give.¡±


    Baek Cheol bowed his head deeply and clenched his fists.


    It doesn¡¯t matter how it sounds to them.


    Baek Cheol sincerely felt sorry for the two and Choi Yu Seong, and greatly admired his vessel.


    ¡®The way he said nonchalantly that he had forgotten it even though I almost drove him to death¡­¡¯


    It was almost ashamed of the word ¡®villainous hero¡¯ that he came up with no matter how many times he thought about it.


    At least to Baek Cheol, Choi Yu Seong is a hero with a noble personality with great cause he cannot dare even to imagine.


    A real man of virtue who knows how to sacrifice himself for others.


    Baek Cheol wanted to be with Choi Yu Seong for the rest of his life if Choi Ji Ho left.


    If he did so, he could be confident that he lived an unashamed life on the day he died.


    He can¡¯t console them with a few words.


    Contrary to expectations that it would eventually be a silent answer, Jin Yu Ri opened her mouth.


    ¡°¡­ Do not forget.¡±


    As she turned her eyes, she looked at Baek Cheol¡¯s firm brown eyes.


    ¡°The promise you made just now, you must keep it. When that time comes, you must definitely become Yu Seong oppa¡®s confidant no matter what.¡±


    ¡°This Baek has never broken any promise before.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll believe you.¡±


    As Jin Yu Ri nodded her head with a strange smile on her lips, Choi Ji Ho came out from the tightly closed door with a more comfortable expression.


    The first thing Choi Ji Ho did after opening the door was to bow deeply toward Jin Yu Ri and Jin Do Yun.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I want to apologize to both of¡­¡±


    Before everything was said, the flustered Jin siblings hurriedly gestured to stop him.


    ¡°There is no need to do this.¡±


    ¡°Apologizing to Young Master is enough, sir.¡±


    The fluster did not just belong to Jin siblings.


    ¡°Master.¡±


    Baek Cheol also has his eyes wide open in the unexpected situation.


    ¡°It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t stop me. How much heartache have you two suffered to merely overcome my standards?¡±


    ¡°However, First Young Master is Yu Seong oppa¡®s older brother. How can we receive your bow?¡±


    Jin Yu Ri shook her head in front of Choi Ji Ho with a flustered expression.


    ¡°As my brother said, the apology to Yu Seong oppa is enough.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Please raise your head, sir.¡±


    Choi Ji Ho, who sighed deeply at Jin Do Yun¡¯s request, slowly raised his body.


    ¡°Cough.¡±


    At the same time, blood splattered between the coughs that came out.


    ¡®A bony body.¡¯


    Jin Do Yun suddenly looked at Choi Ji Ho¡¯s shoulder.


    The skeleton without any flesh was indicating that there is not much time in his life as Baek Cheol said.


    ¡®It was said that he had lost most of his abilities after the incident¡­ Is it the aftereffect?¡¯


    Although Choi Ji Ho¡¯s representative abilities were Wind Stance and Future Eyes, he had many more abilities that supported him until that position.


    However, many of them disappeared on the day Choi Ji Ho got into an accident in a dungeon.


    Choi Ji Ho, who suffered limb muscle vein loss, vision loss, and even mana reflux, disappeared from the Choi family and the entire Hyesung Group.


    It was also surprising that he was hiding in such a remote place, but it was even more shocking to look at the reality that he had only heard of.


    ¡°Cough, I am sorry. I am truly sorry.¡±


    Choi Ji Ho, who delivered his heart as much as possible while coughing with blood, slowly leaned on the wheelchair.


    It was because he moved directly again when the aftermath of last night¡¯s excessive movement still remained.


    Baek Cheol wanted to dissuade Choi Ji Ho, but he didn¡¯t dare.


    ¡®He won¡¯t even listen to it anyway.¡¯


    Choi family¡¯s stubbornness is not just the property of Choi Wu Jae.


    When Baek Cheol was sighing inwardly, Choi Yu Seong came out as if running at the sudden cough and looked at Choi Ji Ho.


    ¡°Hyungnim, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°A little. After resting¡­ It¡¯ll be fine. You don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡±


    ¡°However¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day. It¡¯s not a good place to stay for a long time.¡±


    Choi Ji Ho waved his hand and left as if running away.


    Baek Cheol hurriedly bowed his head deeply to Choi Yu Seong and Jin siblings then quickly followed him.


    ¡®Is he really alright?¡¯


    Choi Ji Ho of the original will die three years later.


    But looking at his back now, he was worried that the time might be sooner than he thought.


    Choi Yu Seong had to go through a big test and hardship, but he thought it was not easy to hate Choi Ji Ho when he saw his tearful face in front of him.


    Though it seems that it was not simply just that.


    ¡®¡­ The only person in the family who thinks of me with a pure heart.¡¯


    The weight of that is by no means shallow.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want him to die¡­ Is there any way?¡¯


    It seems that one more concern will increase from today.


    Choi Yu Seong seemed didn¡¯t hate that fact at all.

 Volume 2 - CH 20

    On the way home, Choi Yu Seong thought in an unusually silent and quiet car.


    ¡®I¡¯ve gained a lot from this journey.¡¯


    Choi Ji Ho¡¯s gifts and stories, which continued after handing over Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice, were quite surprising enough to make the ancient relic feel somewhat supplementary.


    Choi Ji Ho said that he will make sure that no one in the family can hinder Choi Yu Seong¡¯s growth or play tricks for some time in the future.


    To be precise, it will be Choi Mi Na¡¯s help rather than Choi Ji Ho himself.


    Choi Ji Ho was the only one in the family except for Choi Wu Jae to maintain his connection with Choi Mi Na.


    And Choi Mi Na had promised to unconditionally grant just three requests from Choi Ji Ho.


    It was the moment when the rough relationship between the two in Choi Yu Seong¡¯s head became detailed.


    Anyway, if the second oldest Choi Mi Na stepped up in some way and blocked the arrow toward Choi Yu Seong, other siblings wouldn¡¯t dare to step out.


    As mentioned, she has a fairly powerful force yet it is unknown how and when she would act.


    In a sense, she was a more difficult existence than Choi Wu Jae, so none of his siblings wanted to confront her directly.


    As a result, Choi Yu Seong was able to overcome the penalty of starting later than other siblings.


    ¡®Although he said a year at the most would be the limit.¡¯


    Even that could be said that she held up for a really long time considering Choi Mi Na¡¯s unpredictable personality.


    And with that, Choi Yu Seong was as confident as other brothers in building the ability and infrastructure.


    ¡®I think that Jin Yu Ri has already prepared to some extent.¡¯


    With the picture from Choi Yu Seong¡¯s ability as a game designer of leveling mapping, the direction to move beyond is starting to be quite detailed.


    Secondly, he received one more ring as a gift.


    Surprisingly, the second ring received was also an ancient relic.


    It was a hidden trump that Choi Ji Ho personally had, not belonging to the family nor Hyesung Group. The type without rank wearing limit like Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice.


    ¡®It¡¯s actually more valuable than Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice.¡¯


    The name is Jump Ring.


    Its grade as an ancient relic is S+, which allowed the wearer and person within a 10cm radius to jump through space up to 1km, but the number of uses is limited to two times.


    ¡®And hyungnim said one of them was used to escape from that dungeon accident.¡¯


    Only once time left.


    It can be seen as a mere one, but it can also be used as a means to save one¡¯s life at a really dangerous moment.


    This was Choi Ji Ho¡¯s gift of apology that expressed his apology in his way.


    And in fact, the last gift that shocked Choi Yu Seong the most was information about the future that Choi Ji Ho saw.


    ¨C Kim Do Jin. That person will kill Father. And I also saw the future of your terrible death. It¡¯s a very sad thing, but I don¡¯t dare to stop him. Yu Seong-ah. A great threat is approaching this world. And the person who can stop it is¡­


    ¡°Kim Do Jin.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? What about him all of a sudden?¡±


    Asked Jin Yu Ri, who was surprised by Choi Yu Seong¡¯s sudden self-talk.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    It¡¯s a known story.


    It was originally destined to be that way.


    It is a scenario written in the original novel.


    Will it still be the same now?


    ¡®Maybe it¡¯s different.¡¯


    However, there is no certainty that the large stem has changed.


    What if Kim Do Jin kills Choi Wu Jae without Choi Yu Seong¡¯s help?


    Just thinking like this means that Choi Yu Seong¡¯s death can also come from an unexpected direction.


    Of course, he wanted to ask Choi Ji Ho.


    The future may have changed now, so he wanted to ask him to check it out.


    But he couldn¡¯t do that.


    Choi Ji Ho said he lost most of his already limited life in exchange for seeing the distant future that he didn¡¯t want at the time.


    If he sees another distant future like that, Choi Ji Ho may die at that moment.


    It was not what Choi Yu Seong wanted.


    ¡®Let¡¯s not dwell on it. Knowing the future that was supposed to happen is just part of my weapon anyway.¡¯


    It would be nice to use that weapon as much as possible to create the future he wants, but he doesn¡¯t have to hold on as if that¡¯s everything.


    To do that, he has to make sure he has a relationship with someone really important.


    ¡®It would be nice if I could quench his resentment.¡¯


    It¡¯s been a long time since he gave up on the comfy thought at the beginning that he should just stay away.


    He needs something more certain than that.


    ¡®Kim Do Jin.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong recited that name once again inwardly and opened his cell phone.


    He can see Kim Do Jin¡¯s message from a week ago but has not yet been read.


    Choi Yu Seong checked and sent a message.


    ¡®Do you have time tomorrow? Let¡¯s have a light drink.¡¯


    He won¡¯t be able to find an answer unless they two talks to each other.


    ***


    B-Rank Hunter Baek Ah Rin was the talent that everyone wanted, not only by parties but also by guilds and the Association.


    Some guilds even wanted her more than the currently hottest rookie, Kim Do Jin.


    In a way, it was a matter of course.


    Baek Ah Rin was a person with both healing and support-type abilities which are rare even among flair awakeners.


    Even Hunters who risked their lives to go to the dungeon do not mean they are not afraid of death or unable to feel pain.


    Of course, the existence of healing-type healers and support-type buffers is inevitably valuable.


    Healers who not only heal minor injuries but also can reattach even just a single hand if cut off. Buffers who provide a protective shield or leading strong ability improvement that increase the stability of the attack. Those are considered indispensable for both parties and the raid team, but Baek Ah Rin can do both of those functions alone.


    Someone even described her as a Saintess because her beauty was enough to slap any celebrity in the face.


    Whether her beautiful image or her ability. Baek Ah Rin¡¯s existence is fascinating enough to be coveted by anyone.


    ¡°But why the hell don¡¯t you like me?¡±


    Baek Ah Rin cried out while looking at the back of Kim Do Jin, who just slaughtered five sixth-grade Great Ants alone, with a face full of dissatisfaction.


    Even though it was quite a fierce battle, there was no single tarnish in his outfit.


    Such appearance became more attractive to Baek Ah Rin.


    ¡°Why are you chasing someone who doesn¡¯t like you like this?¡±


    Kim Do Jin sighed deeply and said with a frown as if he was annoyed.


    ¡°That¡¯s because I like you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re casually saying something that will make your fans cry when they hear it.¡±


    Baek Ah Rin frowned at Kim Do Jin¡¯s cold words and pursed her lips.


    ¡°Who asks you to date? I¡¯m just asking to set up a guild together.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s noisy. That¡¯s all for today.¡±


    Kim Do Jin, who shook the blood off the sword and put it in the sheath, walked toward the dungeon exit.


    ¡°Hey, can¡¯t you hear me? Let¡¯s make a guild together. I¡¯ll let you be the vice president.¡±


    Chattered Baek Ah Rin who quickly chased after him.


    This part.


    Kim Do Jin frowned once more and said.


    ¡°No need.¡±


    ¡°Why the hell is it?¡±


    Kim Do Jin stopped walking for a moment. His eyebrows wriggled then he showed a grinning smile.


    ¡°How many times have I told you? Because I¡¯m not the president.¡¯


    ¡°Ah, what¡¯s important about that. Hey hey, Kim Do Jin. How about a co-representative?¡±


    ¡°I refuse. I¡¯m not the type to collaborate with anyone.¡±


    ¡°Wow, are you really going to be like this? It¡¯s already confirmed that we can be good partners.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet.¡±


    Unlike the cold-hearted Kim Do Jin, Baek Ah Rin felt fate the moment she came across him in a dungeon a few days ago.


    ¡®It¡¯s this person.¡¯


    A suitable person for the guild she was trying to create while ignoring the pouring love calls from all over the place.


    A charismatic figure who can take the center of the guild instead of her, who is somewhat lacking in experience and discerning eyes!


    She liked him a lot more than what she heard on the grapevine.


    However, Kim Do Jin heartlessly rejected her proposal.


    She showed her abilities that forcibly possessed numerous guilds and the association chairman to chase her, but the results did not change.


    On the contrary, Baek Ah Rin seemed to be the one falling for Kim Do Jin as time went by.


    Eventually. Baek Ah Rin, who wanted to preserve the position of the guild president, had no choice but to declare her surrender.


    ¡°Ah, fine. President! You become the president. Instead, grant me one request.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Kim Do Jin stopped walking.


    ¡®It¡¯s needless to say that she is at the top among the same rank as a support type user. Besides, the reaction speed and self-defense ability are pretty good. Much better than a decent D-Rank physical type Awakener. She¡¯s useful.¡¯


    It was a reaction because he, who did not easily acknowledge others, thought Baek Ah Rin¡¯s ability was pretty good.


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s after the guild was built¡­¡±


    Baek Ah Rin, whose face was completely loosened at Kim Do Jin¡¯s response, spoke quickly.


    ¡°What a useless conversation.¡±


    Kim Do Jin, who blew the cold wind, soon found the escape portal.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not a big request, seriously. I mean, it¡¯s just there are things I really want to do after creating a guild.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever think it could be a useless nuisance?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a nuisance! Just buy the guild¡¯s office building I want! I¡¯ll pay for it.¡±


    Again, Kim Do Jin stopped his steps.


    ¡°Office building?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a place I really want to buy, you know. But it¡¯s in an unauthorized area unless it¡¯s a guild¡­¡±


    Baek Ah Rin sighed deeply and continued to talk.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to do it under my company¡¯s name if possible. That¡¯s why I suggested a co-representative. If not, I¡¯ll be satisfied as vice president. But I just want you to use the office building that I have chosen, not anywhere else.¡±


    Kim Do Jin finally understands why she didn¡¯t move even at the love calls of numerous guilds and the Association.


    ¡°Office building, huh¡­ Any other cost of creating the guild?¡±


    ¡°When I buy the company building, I don¡¯t have that much money. Above all, you¡¯re the representative. You¡­ Are you a robber?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it a little bit. Text me the location of the office building.¡±


    ¡°Oh, hey?¡±


    With that, Kim Do Jin went out of the portal.


    Baek Ah Rin chased him out of the dungeon, but Kim Do Jin was already entering the storage room quite far away.


    ¡°So fast!¡±


    Kim Do Jin moved his feet quickly ignoring Baek Ah Rin¡¯s shout from behind. Kim Do Jin¡¯s expression changed strangely as he opened his locker and took out his cell phone.


    There was a message.


    ¡®Choi Yu Seong, asking to meet tomorrow?¡¯


    After pulling out so much, he finally got the time for rendezvous.


    A rare opportunity.


    At that moment, an idea flashed through Kim Do Jin¡¯s mind.


    ¡®Guild, huh¡­ It might not be bad if it went well.¡¯


    Kim Do Jin was already looking forward to tomorrow.

 Volume 2 - CH 21

    Late dawn. A crocodile man covered with thick leather and scales was running along the Gangbyeon Expressway.


    He moved in haste. From running on the road with his two feet, crossing the big Han River bridge with a single leap, and even sometimes jumping into the river to hide. But the movement was much faster than ordinary vehicles running at around 100 km/h because it was late at night.


    After running like that for a long time. The crocodile man, who was submerged in the dark shade under the bridge with only the tip of his head and eyes floating, thought.


    ¡®At this point, he can¡¯t chase me anymore, right?¡¯


    Fear, trembling, and anger was mixed in the eyes that should have resembled those of a wild predator.


    ¡®Fricking Korean Martial Guard Corps1 bastards!¡¯


    The crocodile man was not Korean.


    His real name is Yevgeny, a Russian mafia and at the same time listed as an A-Rank Villain by the WPA2.


    He had fled to Korea after a mass murder case due to friction between organizations in Vladivostok fifteen days ago.


    He tried to stay quiet for a while in Korea as he entered through a disguised identity and false visa.


    A lot of troublesome things will happen the moment he gets caught by the Russian Militia3 because of unnecessary friction.


    A problem took place at a small lounge bar in Itaewon¡¯s commercial district to flirt a woman to the bed as always.


    The boss was quite a beauty, so Yevgeny was engulfed in a desire to embrace her somehow as soon as he saw her.


    Although Yevgeny has traveled to quite a few countries, including his home country Russia, Italy, France, United States, Japan, etc. But he could bet there are only a handful of women as beautiful as her.


    A whole bottle of vodka was injected into the body and his lower part began to exert strength. The conflict in his head intensified and soon decided to have an accident even if he had to leave Korea.


    It wasn¡¯t a difficult task.


    Yevgeny unusually ignored the women who were looking curiously at blond blue-eyed himself and tried to wait until the bar¡¯s boss left work.


    By the time the store closes, there are always dark alleys no matter how bright downtown is.


    Yevgeny, hiding deep in it, was having gloomy eyes waiting for the beautiful boss to leave work.


    However, a variable occurred in an unexpected place.


    From the back of the dark alley where Yevgeny was hiding. A presence quietly approached, swinging a huge Claymore to cut his head in half.


    ¡°What is this?!¡±


    Asked Yevgeny, who avoided the attack somewhat instinctively, with his eyes wide open. But the mystery man wearing a mask of a rabbit character with large eyes that could only be seen in old animations did not answer.


    Just simply swung the great sword out of nowhere once again. Yevgeny was frightened by the movement he couldn¡¯t even follow and had no choice but to transform then flee without thinking about anything else.


    He couldn¡¯t understand it at first, but as he ran, he could soon guess that the identity of the mystery man was from the rumored Korean¡¯s Martial Guard Corps.


    ¡®Although I heard they act while wearing a strange mask to hide their identity¡­¡¯


    Yevgeny trembled.


    This is because the big eyes of the rabbit mask, which would seem cute to some, remained creepy in his head.


    ¡®He must have given up by now, right?¡¯


    The attack was fast, but the pursuit was slow as the opponent¡¯s presence disappeared from the middle of the run.


    Still, he killed his presence just in case. But even after 10 minutes, he couldn¡¯t feel the presence of the bizarre rabbit mask anymore.


    ¡®Since I¡¯ve been caught, I have to leave Korea.¡¯


    The fact that Hunters in charge of Villains, Martial Guard Corps, chased him means that both his identity and situation have already been known to the Korean Association.


    Lastly, it was very regrettable that he couldn¡¯t do anything about the lady boss seen in Itaewon, but the pleasure of the lower part was not more precious than his life.


    ¡®I just have to hide for another five minutes and then go out slowly.¡¯


    He was going to run straight to Incheon Airport right after.


    Because he didn¡¯t want to see the terrible rabbit mask ever again.


    ¡°The water temperature must be quite low, but you¡¯re holding well. Is it because you¡¯re a cold-blooded animal transformation type? Aren¡¯t you cold?¡±


    A rather low-pitched female voice was heard above Yevgeny¡¯s head.


    ¡°Damn!¡±


    Yevgeny hurriedly rushed to the water and the river he had been hiding just now soared like an explosion.


    The thick claymore split the river.


    Yevgeny, who swallowed saliva inwardly at the tremendous strength, burst into laughter pretending to be relaxed.


    ¡°Puhaha! Zayats §Ù§Ñ§ñ§è. Shall we see if you can play well in the water too?¡±


    ¡°This is Korea. Speak Korean. You trash.¡±


    As Yevgeny spoke a mix of Russian and English, the rabbit mask once again swung the sword, grumbling as if she didn¡¯t like that.


    Along with a loud bang, rain showers poured down on the roofs of cars running on the bridge of Banpo Bridge.


    In the meantime. Yevgeny, who chose to dive deep into the Han River, cursed inside as he saw the impact of the water splitting in half right in front of his nose.


    ¡®I expected it, but he was truly a monster.¡¯


    His animal instinct did not choose to escape in vain.


    But wouldn¡¯t it be a different story if it¡¯s underwater?


    Yevgeny is a crocodile man.


    To be more precise, he inherited the power of the sea crocodile Porosus that can even swim in the sea.


    Except on land, he didn¡¯t think he would lose no matter how great the monster is if it¡¯s in the water.


    The fearless rabbit mask followed such Yevgeny and plunged into the water of the Han River.


    ¡®Cheeky!¡¯


    Yevgeny, who thought of fleeing through diving, changed his mind.


    A predator¡¯s anger was reflected in the eyes of the sea crocodile trembling with fear.


    Either way. The rabbit mask, who jumped into the water with Claymore on his back, spread out her hands.


    ¡®Although I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to do¡­¡¯


    Yevgeny¡¯s wide crocodile mouth drew a cruel smile.


    The bite force of sea crocodiles is considered the most naturally occurring predator in the ecosystem.


    What would happen if an A-Rank Hunter dealt with that biting force, which is several times more powerful than a hippo that is generally thought to be terrifying? Once bitten, even an S-Rank Hunter cannot escape.


    ¡®I¡¯ll chew and swallow him whole.¡¯


    It was the moment when Yevgeny, who rushed through the water, opened his mouth wide.


    The rabbit mask clapped her outstretched hands.


    It was just that.


    The water fluctuated like a lie, causing waves, and soon a vacuum space large enough to see the bottom of the deep Han River water was created.


    Yevgeny was also nearly swept away by the immense monstrous strength, but the rabbit mask quickly reached out and grabbed his unique crocodile long snout.


    The surrounding area was still flowing with the water of the Han River, but it was a strange situation as if only the two were on the ground.


    The rabbit mask threw the crocodile toward the park at once and ran.


    The split water of the Han River quickly finds its original place and fills it.


    Yevgeny flew through the darkness of the night in the short gap when the water was filled back, smashing the stone wall stairs in the park and got stuck between them.


    ¡°Keheok-!¡±


    The rabbit mask scattered her wet long black straight hair and thrust a fist into Yevgeny¡¯s abdomen as he vomited blood.


    ¡°Kueeek-!¡±


    With a scream, the entire thick stone wall stairs collapsed as if they had been hit by an earthquake.


    Even if he was a physical type A-Rank Awakener, he had no way to withstand such monstrous strength directly hit on his abdomen.


    Yevgeny, whose transformation has been released, rolled back his eyes and pulled out his tongue.


    The rabbit mask, who waved the stone powder and dusty clouds in all directions as if it was annoying, grabbed Yevgeny¡¯s head with her left hand and lifted him.


    ¡°What? Are you dead?¡±


    The rabbit mask with her head tilted strongly slapped Yevgeny¡¯s cheek from side to side.


    ¡°Keok, kekeok¡­!¡±


    ¡°Still alive, huh.¡±


    Along with those words, when the right hand of the rabbit mask slapped Yevgeny in the face once again.


    Crackack-! Along with the sound of bones breaking, the A-Rank Villain¡¯s neck turned widely to the other way.


    ¡°Just how nice it would be if you were obedient when I tried to kill you in one shot without pain. You Villain Crocodile punk.¡±


    The rabbit mask, who casually adorned the death of the notorious A-Rank Villain, looked around.


    Utter chaos.


    After such a fuss was made, rumors must have already spread here and there.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get a call soon.¡±


    With a frown, she scratched the back of her damp hair as if she was annoyed, took off the cumbersome rabbit mask, and threw it into the Han River.


    Surprisingly. The face revealed under the mask was the beauty boss from the Itaewon lounge bar who Yevgeny harbored lewd feelings for.


    Speaking of the devil, her cell phone rang just in time.


    ¡°Uh, why?¡±


    -A disturbance around Banpo Bridge, Han River Park has been reported. The Villain Crocodile is¡­


    ¡°I had no choice but to kill him due to excessive resistance during the process of suppression.¡±


    -¡­killed again, huh. Myo4, what do you think of my words as a leader?


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I had no choice? Although like that, he¡¯s still an A-Rank.¡±


    -It doesn¡¯t make sense that you had no choice with your skills. Myo. I respect you a lot and fully understand your situation. However, this Crocodile was a special request from the Militia. He should have somehow been alive and sent to Russia.


    She looked at the grotesque corpse of Yevgeny, who hung loosely on one hand with his neck turned around, with indifferent eyes. She showed her annoyed feeling while sweeping her wet and heavy bangs.


    ¡°Ah, so what? If you¡¯re calling to nag me, I¡¯ll hang up.¡±


    -The Banpo Bridge¡­


    ¡°I didn¡¯t break it. Just broke down some stone stairs in the park. I¡¯ll cover the repair cost on my own. You know, right? I have a lot of money.¡±


    -Myo, accepting you into the Martial Guard Corps was also a very dangerous adventure for me. It¡¯s even going on right now.


    At the somewhat threatening remarks, the woman called Myo frowned greatly.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re getting a lot of money from me in the name of that risk allowance. Leader. Don¡¯t be mistaken. Our relationship is clearly unfolding out of a thorough business interest. If you say something like you¡¯re making a sacrifice¡­¡±


    Myo clicked her tongue shortly and her gaze headed toward the crowds who heard the commotion in the dark.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop here. People are flocking. I¡¯m going to withdraw.¡±


    -¡­Got it. Myo, I¡¯m just asking. But can you listen to me at least once a year?


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. And this guy, he called zayats to me.¡±


    -Zayats?


    ¡°It¡¯s Russian. Don¡¯t be a finger prince5, search it on your own. The corpse will be at the usual place.¡±


    Myo jumped naturally into the air to avoid the crowds and hung up the phone.


    Myo was grumpy for nothing and hit the hanging Yevgeny¡¯s head once more. Then she looked at her chest, which was somewhat flat because(?) she was wearing a battle suit.


    ¡®XXck. Still, treating me like a man is too much.¡¯


    Zayats is a noun for male rabbits in Russian.


    She felt quite nasty.


    But in the meantime, her cell phone rang again.

 Volume 2 - CH 22

    Myo, who answered the phone without checking who the opposite was, raised an annoyed voice.


    ¡°I told you to stop this! Damned mongrel bast¡­¡±


    -Choi Mi Na. It¡¯s me.


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    The swearing Myo quickly let down her voice.


    It¡¯s been a while since she heard the other person¡¯s voice over the phone, but she couldn¡¯t help but know who it was.


    ¡°Choi Ji Ho?¡±


    -Although delighted, you still have no manners.


    ¡°Kikik, why? Want to be called oppa?¡±


    -I refuse. I get goosebumps just thinking about it.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    The smiling Myo, Choi Mi Na, sat with her butt attached on a towering pillar above Banpo Bridge for a comfortable call.


    -I think you¡¯re still the same with the Martial Guard Corps Leader.


    ¡°Never mind. Just because you helped doesn¡¯t mean you deserve to meddle. You know, right?


    -Mi Na. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t know how much you hate villains¡­


    ¡°Are all these guys called men the same? I¡¯ll hang up the call if you¡¯re going to nag. Main point. In 3 seconds. Three.¡±


    -I¡¯m thinking of using one of the three wish coupons.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. Tell me.¡±


    Choi Mi Na calmly continued the call with Choi Ji Ho and increasingly frowned her face.


    After cutting off the short call, she hit another blow on the head of the innocent Yevgeny¡¯s corpse and sighed.


    ¡®My gosh, you asked me to act as a nanny for that no-good ninth brat?¡¯


    Her head was already dizzy just thinking about it and felt like she was going to throw up.


    ***


    Choi Yu Seong made an appointment with Kim Do Jin the next day, late in the afternoon.


    And around noon, Jin Yu Ri headed to the dungeon to grow up.


    Even though she made a schedule in a hurry, any Hunter of her level is welcomed with open arms in any party or raid team.


    Jin Yu Ri, who was going to leave the house first, gave Choi Yu Seong the contact information of the so-called ¡®Jenny¡¯ that she told when they were trapped in the Room of Sacrifice.


    ¡°When I¡¯m away, feel free to contact her if you need anything. She¡¯s a smart kid, so she¡¯ll do a good job for a lot of things.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she the friend you tried to keep secret?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s when Yu Seong oppa is too turned on about women. Jenny is quite a beauty, you know.¡±


    ¡°How about now? I still don¡¯t hate women.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not like you¡¯re flirting with anyone. And, you¡¯re clever enough.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong shrugged at the smiling Jin Yu Ri¡¯s words.


    She said quite a bit, but the reason why she finally gave Choi Yu Seong Jenny¡¯s contact information was obvious.


    ¡®That I can be trusted now.¡¯


    A secret organization is not secret for nothing.


    It should be as untraceable as possible even to those with the same influence as Choi Wu Jae.


    To do that, the fewer people know, the better.


    Also, don¡¯t tell the information of a secret organization to stupid people who could easily expose them.


    If it was the original Choi Yu Seong, there was a high probability that he would quietly brag to a barwoman that he knew a plausible secret organization.


    It¡¯s a secret, but it¡¯s a secret that everyone knows.


    Why, isn¡¯t it common?


    Jin Yu Ri didn¡¯t want her hidden move to be revealed like that.


    And as mentioned, now that she believed in Choi Yu Seong, she let him know of their existence.


    He felt good emotionally as he was proud somehow and practically as it was like he had one more secret weapon.


    And in the afternoon, he headed to the meeting place, Itaewon, with escort and driver Jin Do Yun.


    He thought it wouldn¡¯t take long because it was close to home in Hannam-dong, but when they got close to the downtown area, there was so much traffic that he thought it would take longer than expected.


    Choi Yu Seong took out his phone and texted Kim Do Jin that he would be a little late.


    ¡°It would be faster to just walk from here.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I forgot it was a busy weekend.¡±


    Jin Do Yun, who took the steering wheel, spoke with a helpless look at Choi Yu Seong¡¯s words.


    ¡°What, is that your fault? I didn¡¯t know today was Saturday either.¡±


    After living without the concept of date for a while, he forgot even the day of the week.


    Choi Yu Seong looked at the streets of Itaewon street full of green and red decorations with strange eyes outside the car window and smiled.


    ¡°Come to think of it, it¡¯s Christmas soon.¡±


    ¡°This year is coming to an end. Time seems to go pretty fast. There¡¯s been a lot of things recently¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be even busier in the future. By the way, don¡¯t you want to date someone?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I am qualified yet.¡±


    Jin Do Yun had his face hardened to the half-light question and grabbed the wheel tightly.


    This is because the fight with Baek Cheol just a few days ago came to mind.


    ¡®¡­I think I have just uselessly woken up a sleeping wolf. Jin Do Yun is actually the type that gives too much strength into things.¡¯


    It was the same for himself who had no intention of dating, but it felt like he was swept away by the word and atmosphere of Christmas and asked a pointless question.


    ¡°Too much is as bad as too little. There¡¯s nothing to worry too much about all the time.¡±


    ¡°I will keep it in my heart.¡±


    It is unknown what he thought inside, but he speaks so well.


    That doesn¡¯t mean he can be persuaded by long talk, so Choi Yu Seong decided to shut up.


    Just in time, a text notification came on his phone.


    -Already 5 minutes late. You¡¯re not kidding me, right?


    -I¡¯m not kidding, the car is really stuck.


    -¡­I¡¯ll go that way. Where is it?


    Choi Yu Seong closed the message window of his phone and looked at Jin Do Yun.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be like this. Stop on the side road when you get this signal.¡±


    ¡°Are you going alone?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a downtown evening. It¡¯s hard to cause trouble in this kind of place unless they¡¯re really crazy. In all probability, perhaps the Martial Guard Corps is also dispatched just in case.¡±


    It was common for Martial Guard Corps, Hunters in charge of Villains, to be on standby in downtown areas hiding their identity in case of sudden events or terrorism.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    There are many talented people in the Martial Guard Corps.


    And in fact, it was quite rare for big incidents and accidents to take place in these downtown areas.


    ¡®Now I¡¯ve decided not to let my guard down, but¡­¡¯


    It doesn¡¯t mean to just curl up and hold breath without doing anything as if I were scared.


    With that mindset, you can¡¯t even hunt dungeons.


    The important thing is to be always aware of the fact that accidents can occur and have insurance.


    Before getting out of the car, Choi Yu Seong confirmed that the position tracker attached to the pocket inside his coat was working properly and nodded.


    ¡°The location will be known in real-time anyway, so park and come.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Jin Do Yun, who stopped the car on the side road and dropped off Choi Yu Seong and left. Choi Yu Seong, who went out to the street alone after a long time, was enveloped in a somewhat strange feeling.


    ¡®Now that I think about it, I was always with Jin Yu Ri and Jin Do Yun.¡¯


    How long has it been since we¡¯ve been so far apart like this?


    It felt awkward, but he wasn¡¯t afraid.


    ¡®First, since it¡¯s Itaewon.¡¯


    There may be various insurances, but there was a separate thing he believed in the most.


    ¡®There is the lounge bar that Choi Mi Na is using as a hiding place.¡¯


    The reason why the second daughter of Hyesung Group, also famously known as a monster, is hiding in Itaewon was simple.


    ¡®Because she belongs to the Martial Guard Corps and hates Villains.¡¯


    She, who is called the incarnation of a finical and terrifying personality which seems to have no one to stop at this point, also had her pain.


    It happened when Choi Mi Na was about 5 years old.


    Villains invaded the mansion where Choi Wu Jae with a different mother and Choi Mi Na lived together.


    As Choi Wu Jae was abroad at the time, he had no time to deal with it. So, it was an incident that resulted in many victims.


    Above all, the memory that remained intensely in Choi Mi Na¡¯s mind was the death of her mother, while she had to hide behind the closet and watch in secret space.


    Choi Mi Na, who couldn¡¯t even burst into tears and crouched down holding her breath, was too young, weak, and miserable.


    It is a rather natural step for her to enter the Martial Guard Corps.


    Surprisingly, Choi Wu Jae does not know that Choi Mi Na is currently in the Martial Guard Corps.


    If he had known, he would have strongly opposed it, saying not to do useless things. And no matter how Choi Mi Na, who is famous for doing whatever she wants in the whole family, she would not be able to completely go against Choi Wu Jae¡¯s will.


    Accurately, Choi Mi Na¡¯s position was like this.


    She wants to catch Villains, but they are so clever and vicious that it is too much to pursue without any information.


    However, if she runs a private organization that can roll such information, it will certainly be seen by Choi Wu Jae.


    Therefore, Choi Mi Na joined the Martial Guard Corps.


    The identity and affiliation of each individual within the Martial Guard Corps are known only to one person in the country, the Leader of Martial Guard Corps.


    The information of Martial Guard Corps members is strictly abided by the principle of confidentiality even to the chairman of the Awakener Association just in case.


    The problem is why the Leader of the Martial Guard Corps accepted Choi Mi Na.


    Even though it is clear that if Choi Wu Jae finds out about this, the risk of the Leader of the Martial Guard Corps will be not simple.


    As always, there is no detailed description of this setting in the original work.


    ¡®Choi Mi Na is the last move anyway.¡¯


    Fortunately(?) Choi Yu Seong was not very curious about what the truth would be.


    In fact, it¡¯s better not to bump into her.


    Choi Mi Na, who hates evil people, didn¡¯t like Choi Yu Seong who usually used to act like a good-for-nothing, and she did not think that it would have changed much just because it is now.


    ¡®Rather, it¡¯s a relief if she doesn¡¯t think I¡¯m worse because she thinks I¡¯m managing image.¡¯


    Anyway, the last bastion is Choi Mi Na.


    Just in case the future has changed, he also investigated the lounge bar run by Choi Mi Na which appeared in the original novel last night.


    ¡®Fortunately, nothing has changed here.¡¯


    Both the Lounge Bar and Choi Mi Na are still in Itaewon.


    No matter how much she hates Choi Yu Seong, she will not let him die when a dangerous situation comes.


    That¡¯s the reason why he dared to choose Itaewon as the place of appointment.


    ¡®By now, Ji Ho hyungnim would have asked for that. Ah. Come to think of it, how much does Martial Guard Corps have to do with hyungnim?¡¯


    His thoughts wander here and there in his mind while walking on the street.


    No one recognized Choi Yu Seong because he deliberately wore a hat, glasses without lenses, and even a mask to confuse his image.


    ¡®It feels like a celebrity for some reason.¡¯


    In fact, few people don¡¯t know about Choi Yu Seong in Korea of this world, so it¡¯s not wrong.


    ¡®I indeed have an attention seeker skill, but I don¡¯t need to draw useless attention for a day like this.¡¯


    The important thing is the conversation with Kim Do Jin.


    Choi Yu Seong thought probably Kim Do Jin was thinking the same.


    It was a thought he had until he faced Kim Do Jin who proudly appeared on the other side of the crosswalk with a huge crowd behind him.


    ¡®That crazy guy. If I look closely, he¡¯s also a bit of an attention seeker.¡¯


    Come to think of it, Kim Do Jin never hid or hid his appearance when heading somewhere even in the original novel.


    Thanks to this, there were always accidents and incidents but Kim Do Jin did not care at all.


    Rather, he just used all of those things as a stepping stone for his growth.


    ¡®If it¡¯s like this, isn¡¯t it meaningless for me to cover my whole face?¡¯


    Will Kim Do Jin recognize him in this state?


    It was when he was worrying because it was burdensome to approach and talk to him.

 Volume 2 - CH 23

    Standing exactly in front of the crosswalk, Kim Do Jin stared at Choi Yu Seong, who was confident that he had disguised completely with his burning eyes.


    ¡®Did he recognize me?¡¯


    The answer to the question was easy to know with the green light.


    Kim Do Jin, who approached Choi Yu Seong without hesitation with big strides, faced him directly and said.


    ¡°Follow me, Choi Yu Seong.¡±


    ¡°You have good eyes. How did you recognize me at once?¡±


    ¡°It can be seen that it¡¯s you even from a kilometer away.¡±


    ¡°¡­It wasn¡¯t such a sloppy disguise, though.¡±


    In the first place, no one except Kim Do Jin recognized Choi Yu Seong.


    Even now, most of the crowds taking pictures after them naturally questioned who was the masked man beside him.


    From Choi Yu Seong¡¯s point of view, he could only think that it was as expected from the main character of the original novel.


    ¡°It¡¯s noisy. Why did you have to schedule the appointment on the weekend?¡±


    ¡°I just asked yesterday and you said okay. You also didn¡¯t know it was the weekend, right?¡±


    At Choi Yu Seong¡¯s words, Kim Do Jin paused his steps for a while and his earlobes turned red.


    ¡®This. He¡¯s flustered.¡¯


    When Kim Do Jin is flustered, the tip of his earlobe turns red.


    It was a description that appeared about three times in the original novel, but it just came to mind at that moment.


    ¡°Right. You didn¡¯t know either.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re bad at lying.¡±


    ¡°I just said not.¡±


    ¡°But where are we going now?¡±


    ¡°Eating place. I made a reservation.¡±


    ¡°You?¡±


    Even in the original novel, there is no scene where Kim Do Jin makes a reservation.


    Because even places that needed reservations were often ordered by others.


    Come to think of it, there is a possibility that the reservation he just mentioned was also ordered by someone who followed him.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s an important seat.¡±


    Kim Do Jin, who turned back and spoke to Choi Yu Seong, smiled lightly.


    It wasn¡¯t an angry smile, but Choi Yu Seong flinched without realizing it.


    ¡®¡­Oh dear, it¡¯s bloody.¡¯


    The place they arrived through the crowds was a franchise budae-jjigae1 house.


    ¡°Here?¡±


    ¡°Why, do you hate budae-jjigae?¡±


    ¡°¡­No. Come to think of it, you really loved food like ham.¡±


    ¡°Have I ever said that to you?¡±


    Kim Do Jin tilted his head and climbed the stairs with an indifferent look.


    It is an ordinary franchise house, but there were no customers inside.


    Also, the following guests were not allowed to enter.


    ¡°Did you reserve the entire budae-jjigae house?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s easier to talk, it¡¯s better that way.¡±


    Kim Do Jin and Choi Yu Seong talked lightly and sat face to face with a round table with a burner in the center.


    After a while, a budae-jjigae with a lot of ham went up on it and the owner said to enjoy the food with a wide smile then disappeared to the kitchen.


    How should I start the talk?


    ¡°Kim Do¡­¡±


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong.¡±


    The moment Choi Yu Seong smacked his lips after much contemplation, Kim Do Jin interrupted him.


    ¡°Ah, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t refuse.¡±


    Kim Do Jin, who had more burning eyes than the blue flame heating the boiling budae-jjigae, said in a confident voice.


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong. I¡¯m thinking of making a guild.¡±


    So what?


    Choi Yu Seong, who tried hard to filter the words that came to mind, took off his mask and hat then scooped the soup of budae-jjigae.


    It means to continue the talk.


    ¡°Come into my guild. I promise you the best treatment.¡±


    ¡°Cough-!¡±


    At the ensuing words, he had no choice but to vomit a rough cough mixed with soup on Kim Do Jin¡¯s face.


    Choi Yu Seong rejected Kim Do Jin¡¯s offer firstly.


    He thought there could be a problem, but surprisingly, Kim Do Jin took it lightly by wiping the soup splashed on his face with a wet tissue.


    ¡°Considering your family situation, it may be a difficult offer. However, although I say this often, I like2 you that much. To the point where I want to be together for a very long time.¡±


    Changed.


    There is a thought that it could be, but Kim Do Jin also felt somewhat different from how he treated Choi Yu Seong in the original.


    He looks much more relaxed and calmer.


    Precisely, should it be said that he tries to look like that?


    If Choi Yu Seong was a woman, he might have thought he was seducing.


    ¡®No, it¡¯s right that he¡¯s trying to seduce me.¡¯


    However, the direction is just slightly different.


    Anyway, due to this situation, Choi Yu Seong thought of Kim Do Jin that he knew and thought he shouldn¡¯t continue the conversation.


    ¡®If he even said this to me, who belongs to his enemy¡¯s family, wouldn¡¯t it be easier to resolve this guy¡¯s grudge than I thought?¡¯


    Of course, he thought it was too complacent.


    If you think a little deeper, it was highly likely that this process itself was a trap from the beginning.


    ¡®Because I¡¯ve changed, so he¡¯s trying to seduce me in a different form. Let¡¯s not forget. For Kim Do Jin, I¡¯m just a bridge to Choi Wu Jae.¡¯


    If Choi Yu Seong is placed within his field of view in a group called guild, there will inevitably be many comfortable sides in Kim Do Jin¡¯s point of view.


    ¡®It¡¯s easy to get close.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes sparkled at the word that suddenly crossed his mind.


    ¡®By the way, Father tried to keep Kim Do Jin by my side.¡¯


    This is because it is easier to look at the opponent by watching him closely.


    Isn¡¯t there a saying that you have to go into the tiger¡¯s den to catch a tiger?


    In terms of it, joining Kim Do Jin¡¯s guild was not just bad for Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®Since Kim Do Jin doesn¡¯t know that I know his goal.¡¯


    Of course, it¡¯s dangerous.


    Kim Do Jin, who is quick to catch on and has good execution skills, will quickly establish evidence and circumstances if any doubts arise about Choi Yu Seong¡¯s actions then will slash his throat at once.


    Isn¡¯t that why I tried to keep my distance from Kim Do Jin at first?


    ¡®It¡¯s a high risk high return.¡¯


    He refused right now, but there is room for consideration.


    After the meal at the budae-jjigae house, the two went outside for a drink.


    It was also an appointment to drink from the beginning and it was necessary to think more about Kim Do Jin¡¯s feelings.


    He asked Jin Do Yun, who came nearby, to keep an appropriate distance.


    ¡®If Jin Do Yun is too close, I think this guy will try to hide his feelings even more.¡¯


    Kim Do Jin and Choi Yu Seong roamed Itaewon streets for a longer time than expected.


    Fortunately, it was late and the number of people chasing Kim Do Jin decreased a lot, so there was no significant inconvenience.


    Originally, it was said that there was a bar that Kim Do Jin had picked just like the eating place.


    However, Choi Yu Seong, who confirmed the sign of Lounge Bar Luna from afar, firmly refused.


    ¡®Even if you choose, why does it have to be the store which Choi Mi Na owns.¡¯


    Choi Mi Na has never appeared in public, so the general public does not know her face well.


    Thanks to this, she quite proudly acts as the owner of the lounge bar and roams around the store.


    What if she and Choi Yu Seong accidentally bumped into each other in the store?


    A fairly difficult situation could have occurred.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you don¡¯t like.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t feel good.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already put 500,000 won to reserve.¡±


    No matter how it is on a weekend, it costs 500,000 won to rent an ordinary bar room for a night?


    Choi Yu Seong, who was originally an ordinary citizen, smiled bitterly inwardly.


    ¡®Just how well is the business that there are a lot of customers even if they get it that expensive?¡¯


    Of course, the present Choi Yu Seong belongs to a conglomerate family.


    Like what has been shown, the wall was big enough to spend much more money than that if it was meaningful to use.


    ¡°Give up. I¡¯ll give you that money. Don¡¯t be grumpy and let¡¯s go anywhere except for there.¡±


    ¡°I think your celebrity disease will be quite hurt if we just go anywhere, though?¡±


    Kim Do Jin snorted when he saw Choi Yu Seong wearing a mask, a hat, and even sunglasses.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not a celebrity disease. It¡¯s because a lot of people recognize me, seriously.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s usually called celebrity disease. And even if it¡¯s not you, the eyes will still be drawn because of me anyway.¡±


    Kim Do Jin pointed to his back with his index finger.


    Although it has decreased, there are still crowds chasing the two.


    However, they rarely come close enough to be bothersome.


    ¡°That¡¯s why if you also cover your face, will they follow?¡±


    ¡°Why me? I didn¡¯t commit any crime. They are all adults who know manners. Rather, you¡¯re who is sensitive.¡±


    Kim Do Jin shrugged.


    ¡°You want to befriend me, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing this because I want to befriend you. I don¡¯t pretend in front of my friends.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you¡¯re very kind when you¡¯re on a magazine or TV.¡±


    ¡°Because we¡¯re not friends. Again, I like you quite a lot. Choi Yu Seong.¡±


    Kim Do Jin smiled at Choi Yu Seong.


    Many people exclaimed or screamed at his appearance, but it is always a bloody smile from the perspective of Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°Don¡¯t smile. It¡¯s scary.¡±


    ¡°Why? Afraid to get attached?¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    In the end, Choi Yu Seong sighed and took off his uncomfortable hat, sunglasses, and mask.


    At that moment, the number of surrounding gazes doubled.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    ¡°Crazily handsome. Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Looks like Kim Do Jin.¡±


    ¡°No no. Look at the person next to him. Wow¡­¡±


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong? It¡¯s Choi Yu Seong!¡±


    It was a moment of question and conviction through confusion.


    A burst of exclamation mixed with lamentation came from here and there.


    The voices of people who picked up their phones and made calls right away were also heard.


    ¡°Hey, Kim Do Jin and Choi Yu Seong couple appeared in Itaewon!¡±


    ¡°Seriously, this view is a masterpiece. Masterpiece. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have any regrets if I die today.¡±


    ¡°My gosh. I¡¯ll sleep without washing my eyes today.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong was added next to Kim Do Jin, who has a standing out handsome appearance even when he is alone, so it was truly eye-catching for those who look at them.


    Amid the fuss, a smile bloomed on Choi Yu Seong, who checked the skill window with his expectations.


    ¡°Kyaak, flowers just bloomed!¡±


    ¡°Crazy. Choi Yu Seong, truly very handsome¡±.


    ¡°Hey hey, I¡¯ll hang up, so hurry up and come here. If you miss this, you¡¯ll regret it.¡±


    People¡¯s voices couldn¡¯t even be heard.


    ¡ºSpecialization Skill, Star Quality (E)


    The more you receive people¡¯s attention, the level of growth speed is accelerated. If attention exceeds a certain number, additional abilities are unlocked (35¡ú48/100).


    Current acceleration value +50% ¡ú +70%¡»


    This is because of the explosive growth of Star Quality skill, which had been slow for a while.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look uncomfortable and it¡¯s better to see.¡±


    At Kim Do Jin¡¯s words, Choi Yu Seong nodded without hesitation.


    In other words, Choi Yu Seong is an attention seeker in the essence itself.


    He was rather suppressed by paying attention to gazes and thinking too much.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go to the nearest pub.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong led Kim Do Jin with a light heart.

 Volume 2 - CH 24

    Lounge bar Luna is actually one of the most famous hot places in the entire Itaewon.


    It has the disadvantage of having to climb a fairly steep hill road, but many advantages can be listed.


    First of all, because it was built on the hillside with 8 stories high, you can see the scenery of downtown Itaewon at a glance when you stand by the window.


    Desserts and snacks were made by a Patissier brought from a 5-star hotel in France, and the bartenders were also made up of handsome men and beautiful women.


    Nevertheless, if you only use the lounge, not the room, the price is not that expensive.


    It¡¯s great to take pictures to post on social media and it¡¯s very exciting just to come and have a look.


    There were even rooms with interior designs worth hundreds of millions won for VIPs, so there were inevitably many guests regardless of weekdays or weekends.


    It wasn¡¯t for nothing that Kim Do Jin tried to lead Choi Yu Seong to Luna.


    However, from the standpoint of Choi Mi Na, who did not open a store to make money, she did not care much about how many customers there were.


    Itaewon has many foreigners.


    As such, it was one of the places where foreign Villains who hid in Korea hid the most.


    ¡®Well, she¡¯s just looking for Villain guys here.¡¯


    The reason the store flourished unexpectedly was thanks to the enthusiastic work of the professional manager hired with a lot of money.


    Choi Mi Na did not put any direct energy or mental strength in composing the lounge bar Luna.


    She was not so different even now when she goes to work almost every day with the position of president unless when things are busy at home or in the group.


    Most of the time, she just stands like a folding screen to see if there are any Villains in the store or looks outside the window to look for Villains in Itaewon.


    ¡®Who will be today¡¯s Billy?¡¯


    It was when she was sitting on a window stand thinking of ¡®Where¡¯s Billie?¡¯ she enjoyed it as a child and looked away.


    ¡°Hey, Choi Yu Seong and Kim Do Jin are in Frozen Pub right now!¡±


    She heard a disturbing name.


    ¡°They two are together?¡±


    ¡°I heard the view is no joke.¡±


    ¡°Any pictures?¡±


    ¡°I just got it from my friend¡­ But, are you going?¡±


    ¡°Are you asking!¡±


    Rumors spread in an instant.


    The store, which was full of guests, was emptied at a high speed.


    The employees seemed bewildered by the situation experienced for the first time. But although looking out the window as if she was not interested, Choi Mi Na¡¯s head was several times more complicated than that.


    ¡®Choi Yu Seong. That rascal is here now?¡¯


    She remembered the request received on the phone from Choi Ji Ho last night.


    She doesn¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong but feels like she¡¯s worried about something.


    ¡®Should I go once? At least see the face directly.¡¯


    Choi Mi Na leaned against the window, nervously tapping a fairly high heel on the floor, and soon shook her head.


    ¡®Annoying.¡¯


    Originally, Choi Yu Seong is not the Billy she was looking for.


    ¡®Is there any Villain that stands out today?¡¯


    Looking out the window, Choi Mi Na yawned.


    ***


    Humans were indeed animals of adaptation.


    At first, Choi Yu Seong was a little burdened by the gaze and interest pouring from the pub.


    Therefore, he couldn¡¯t bring out the thoughts in his head through conversation.


    However, as he talked to Kim Do Jin, who speaks quite calmly, he was able to easily bring up what he wanted to say.


    For example, talk like this came and went.


    ¡°Why are you making a guild suddenly?¡±


    ¡°A certain woman keeps asking me to do it.¡±


    ¡°Certain woman?¡±


    At that moment, a name passed by Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mind.


    ¡®Baek Ah Rin.¡¯


    Even in the original novel, she has a big role in pushing Kim Do Jin to make a guild.


    She will play a pivotal role among Kim Do Jin¡¯s colleagues along with Baek Cheol in the future. So it¡¯s needless to say that her potential is EX-Rank.


    ¡®By the way, Baek Ah Rin and Kim Do Jin are already in contact?¡¯


    Time flies faster than he thought.


    It felt like something was moving forward, but it passed insignificantly because there was no big loss from Choi Yu Seong¡¯s point of view.


    Other than that, the talks were not that deep.


    The process of getting to know each other slowly.


    Those words were right.


    ¡®Because you can¡¯t poke in too deep from the start.¡¯


    Kim Do Jin¡¯s grudge is depicted quite deeply in the original novel.


    As he didn¡¯t think it would be easy to solve from the beginning, Choi Yu Seong tried to find the answer slowly rather than being impatient.


    The first process is to open the door to Kim Do Jin¡¯s heart so that he can show the truth.


    ¡®Somehow, I¡¯ve come to a position where I need to get a little closer to Kim Do Jin.¡¯


    The conversation flow became more and more comfortable as each other¡¯s goals were aligned.


    When they finished drinking at the pub and went back to the street to walk for a while, this thought came to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mind.


    ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for the original novel, he might have been a really good friend¡­¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong had such a thought in his heart, but he shook his head vigorously.


    ¡®Let¡¯s not forget. That guy is a reaper who will drive me to death if I make a mistake.¡¯


    The conversation continued even while walking through the bustling Itaewon streets, which seemed to explode due to overflowing people even though it was quite late at night.


    ¡°I actually thought you were quite a dummy.¡±


    ¡°Is that a confession? It¡¯s quite unpleasant.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter because I don¡¯t think so now.¡±


    ¡°No, it matters. Why did you come to befriend me who you thought was a dummy at first?¡±


    ¡°Because you have a lot of money.¡±


    Of course, he knew Kim Do Jin¡¯s real purpose was not that, but it was a pretty plausible answer.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re hiding inside, but I¡¯ll trust you to tell me someday.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it when the time comes.¡±


    ¡°**cking.¡±


    Is it because of alcohol?


    Or maybe it was thanks to the change of heart.


    Choi Yu Seong was already talking quite comfortably to Kim Do Jin.


    Even though he was surprised to say it himself, Kim Do Jin also seemed to be no different.


    He looked at Choi Yu Seong with surprised eyes and soon hardened his face.


    The silent and deep black eyes looked straight at Choi Yu Seong as if they could see through him.


    Kim Do Jin¡¯s red lips twisted slightly crookedly.


    ¡°¡­It would be good if you weren¡¯t a Choi.¡±


    At the end of the words, a heavy, strange, short silence passed between the two.


    ¡°Why are you setting the mood? Do you have any grudge against the Choi family?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong tried to calm down the atmosphere with an awkward smile.


    ¡®Dangerous.¡¯


    He crossed the line too naturally.


    ¡®I¡¯m crazy. Why do I always make mistakes while things are going well like this.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong continued to smile awkwardly to calm his beating heart.


    However, Kim Do Jin¡¯s stiff face does not loosen.


    The two black eyes feel darker than the night.


    A question suddenly passed through Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mind as he was trying to get out of this situation.


    ¡®¡­Why is it so quiet?¡¯


    He can¡¯t feel the many presences around.


    Although they entered a somewhat deserted road, a crowd passing by from time to time was obviously present until a minute ago, but it disappeared completely.


    Kim Do Jin, who still had a stiff face, reached out his hand to the air.


    Then a phenomenon appeared that part of the space seemed to collapse.


    ¡®Subspace!¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong recognized what skills Kim Do Jin used at a glance.


    As the name suggests, the Subspace skill to create one¡¯s own secret space was an ability created for the convenience of the main character Kim Do Jin.


    So that Kim Do Jin, who appears to be unarmed, can be equipped at any time.


    ¡®By now, he would be a C-Rank, so is it going to be a space of 3 pyeong1?¡¯


    Later, when he goes beyond the S rank, he will keep food, drinking water, other supplies as well as installable bunkers purchased from Dimensional Merchants in that subspace.


    In any case, Kim Do Jin does not show his subspace ability recklessly except for his colleagues.


    As much as it is invisible, the more fatal it is when more people don¡¯t know about it.


    Choi Wu Jae is also caught off guard when he sees the unarmed Kim Do Jin and is killed by a weapon he took out from the subspace.


    It was a pity to see that ability in person.


    ¡®Ha, I want it.¡¯


    I want to duplicate it.


    Even if there is a limit to the number of uses, subspace ability can be quite useful.


    The problem was that Kim Do Jin¡¯s subspace is a C-Rank as mentioned and was not a skill that could be obtained with Choi Yu Seong¡¯s Duplicate Eye, which was only an E-Rank.


    And in fact, there was a separate fact that he had to focus on now.


    Kim Do Jin does not show Subspace except for his colleagues.


    To be precise, there is one more exception.


    ¡®Just show it to the enemy who¡¯ll be killed anyway.¡¯


    Of course, he won¡¯t kill someone just by swearing once.


    Even Kim Do Jin seemed to want to get along with Choi Yu Seong.


    At least for Choi Yu Seong, this feeling is a clear truth.


    But a quiet road with no one around.


    Kim Do Jin, who had a hardened face, drew a sword and pointed at Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°Why do you become scary suddenly?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who asked the question, looked directly at Kim Do Jin.


    Momentum seems to rise from the tip of Kim Do Jin¡¯s sharply forged sword.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple, aimed by the sword, trembled greatly.


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong, trust me.¡±


    The cool winter wind passes between the two.


    ¡®Hey, you nutcase. What kind of madman would trust you while being pointed with a knife?¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong struggled to swallow what he wanted to say then a silver light flashed in front of him.


    ¡®Very fast.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t a matter of believing or not in the first place.


    It can be seen obviously, but it can¡¯t be seen into shape perfectly.


    A silver flash passed right next to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s neck and dug into the air.


    A close gap between a sheet of paper.


    ¡°Gasp¡­!¡±


    Along with the voice of someone swallowing the air, there was a long tearing sound.


    At that moment, Choi Yu Seong used Wind Stance to create an illusion and fly his body sideways.


    A disorganized human figure, as if popped out of old television, leaned back and stabbed the heart of the illusion with a hidden blade rising from the tip of his toes.


    If Choi Yu Seong was still there, he would have died immediately without knowing anything.


    ¡°The response is fast.¡±


    Said Kim Do Jin after moistening his lips with the tip of his tongue. He cut off the toes of an unidentified figure, who split Choi Yu Seong¡¯s illusion in half, just before.


    In that short time, the opponent who seemed to be counterattacking in a precarious position completely hid his appearance.


    Silence.


    Between that Choi Yu Seong frowned at the sticky yet stinging sensation felt from his left hand, which swept the side of his neck.


    ¡®Blood.¡¯


    His palms are stained with dark red.


    This is because Kim Do Jin¡¯s sword that was expected to narrowly pass by actually injured Choi Yu Seong¡¯s neck as well.


    ¡°You told me to trust you. Bad bastard.¡±


    He tried not to swear, but it can¡¯t be helped.


    ¡°Ah, slipped.¡±


    Kim Do Jin calmly spoke and looked around with a cold gaze.


    Although cannot be seen, he is convinced that the person who attacked is still here.


    Then, he suddenly ran toward somewhere and swung his sword again.

 Volume 2 - CH 25

    It just looked like a madman cutting the air because the opponent was not hit, but the movement itself is elegant and antique.


    Taking advantage of the gap, Choi Yu Seong breathed out and swept up his messy hair due to the sudden movement.


    ¡®I really thought I was going to die.¡¯


    To be honest, if he couldn¡¯t recall the conversation Kim Do Jin had to secretly raid the enemy that appeared behind Baek Cheol from one of the original novel scenes, he would have flown to another place even before Kim Do Jin moved.


    And the most dangerous thing was the fact that the opponent who appeared from behind definitely tried to kill Choi Yu Seong.


    There was no hesitation in the enemy¡¯s move wielding the hidden blade protruding from the tip of the shoe.


    ¡®So, I¡¯m even more upset.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong had already guessed the invisible opponent¡¯s identity through his ability and weapons.


    ¡®Demon King Worshipper, Ghost.¡¯


    The Demon King Worshipper is the name for the evil organization that appears expectedly in the novel. Ghost is the nickname of Villain, who is probably currently listed as B-Rank Max Level.


    What they are aiming for is none other than Kim Do Jin.


    Strictly speaking, the goal is to convince Kim Do Jin.


    Kim Do Jin had a natural talent and level-headed cold reason. One of the figures with everything that Demon King Worshipper wanted.


    Finally, the reason why Ghost, one of Demon King Worshipper, came here now is to convince Kim Do Jin, and in the process tried to kill unnecessary Choi Yu Seong.


    This wouldn¡¯t have happened if Choi Yu Seong hadn¡¯t met Kim Do Jin in the first place.


    Although he survived, the fact that the situation itself felt unfair is inevitable.


    What¡¯s more absurd is that even in the meantime, admiration for Kim Do Jin arose.


    ¡®Besides, how does he find and follow someone that can¡¯t even be seen? Proving that he¡¯s the main character. That¡¯s too much.¡¯


    Ghost¡®s invisibility ability will not be able to be penetrated even with Insight, the burning will-o¡¯-wisp that Kim Do Jin has in his eyes.


    The reason was simple.


    ¡®Because Ghost is a B-Rank Hunter.¡¯


    With C-Rank Insight, it is impossible to identify the higher B-Rank invisibility ability.


    That¡¯s why one of the nicknames of flair type Villain Ghost, whose main talent is invisibility, is Yakjamujeok(ÈõÕߟo”³)1.


    There is no way for a lower-rank Hunter to find Ghost, as even the main character¡¯s skill, Insight, cannot see through it.


    However, Kim Do Jin was fighting Ghost not through Skill¡¯s ability but his sense as a returnee or some subtle changes and sounds around him.


    Of course, Kim Do Jin was not fine either.


    It was a close call to be exact.


    He is avoiding fatal injuries, but it is visible that the number of injuries is increasing.


    In a way, it was a matter of course.


    Basically, Ghost is a B-Rank Max Level Hunter who is one step above Kim Do Jin and the invisible enemy is difficult to deal with no matter how good his senses and skills are.


    Ghost, who was bewildered by Kim Do Jin¡¯s first surprise and not able to show his skill, is looking for his own pace.


    ¡®It¡¯s dangerous over time.¡¯


    It is not the time to watch with admiration.


    Choi Yu Seong bit his lower lip slightly.


    In fact, the current situation was definitely a variable.


    ¡®Originally, Demon King Worshipper should have appeared only after Kim Do Jin reached B-Rank Max Level.¡¯


    Therefore, Ghost that appeared in the original novel is much easier than now and more easily overpowered by Kim Do Jin.


    In other words, it was Ghost¡®s role as an extra to show the strength of the main character.


    But now Kim Do Jin is C-Rank.


    ¡®Variables created by me.¡¯


    Nothing more to say.


    Choi Yu Seong has changed too many things since he possessed into this world.


    And that change even affected Kim Do Jin.


    This situation was not good in any form.


    ¡®If Kim Do Jin is overpowered or killed by Ghost here¡­¡¯


    It could lead to a completely different story from the original novel.


    It is very unlikely, but in the worst case, Kim Do Jin may be reborn as a Villain after being brainwashed by the Demon King Worshipper.


    This is a very terrible case.


    ¡®Heukhwa(ºÚÑ¥)2 Kim Do Jin¡­¡¯


    How much faster would Kim Do Jin, the main character who has yet to burst his potential, grow if he gets stronger without feeling any moral and conscience by being mixed with Villains?


    ¡®It would be better to make enemies with the Demon King.¡¯


    And as always mentioned, Kim Do Jin should not die in that sense.


    ¡®If Kim Do Jin dies, who¡¯s gonna stop those crazy cults and Demon King?¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong himself?


    That¡¯s nonsense.


    The Demon King who will appear in this world in the coming future is a terrifying existence that even made Kim Do Jin, who has such deceptive abilities, has to fight desperately.


    Those guys wield cruel and terrible power to ravage humans and destroy their minds.


    It is something that should be avoided absolutely for Choi Yu Seong, whose goal is to eat well and live well moderately, live to the point where he won¡¯t die, then enjoy life in peace and die as the ninth son of a conglomerate family.


    There should be Kim Do Jin.


    ¡®That damned guy. Is a hero who will save this world.¡¯


    Therefore, you have to think soberly.


    It would be stupid to step in between and attack Ghost together.


    Choi Yu Seong, who is still only an E-Rank from the beginning, has no help in the fight between Ghost and Kim Do Jin.


    It is fortunate if he is not a burden to Kim Do Jin, who is already struggling.


    ¡®Jin Do Yun is¡­¡¯


    Not coming yet.


    It should have been said that there was a problem.


    Weekend Itaewon street where people suddenly disappeared.


    Jin Do Yun, who would have been the first to run if he had seen a crisis, was missing.


    Choi Yu Seong quickly found the answer.


    ¡®It¡¯s a barrier.¡¯


    The question is how the barrier activated?


    The first is to hire one of the flair-type users, Barrier Master, and the second is to use the Barrier Scroll produced by that Barrier Master.


    Barrier Master is not common even among Awakeners throughout the world.


    About 10 people at most.


    Thanks to that, the price of Barrier Scroll is also at an enormous level.


    ¡®There are 2 Barrier Masters among Demon King Worshipper.¡¯


    It¡¯s still too early for those precious talents to move.


    Even in the original novel, Barrier Master of Demon King Worshipper appeared only after the middle of the fifth volume.


    Therefore, the possibility was inevitably tilted to Barrier Scroll.


    ¡®If they used the Barrier Scroll, there must be a Gate of Life somewhere.¡¯


    Among the contents of The Master Who Return To Modern Times, there is a setting that says Barrier is a kind of Battle Formation and that it can be broken up if you find the Gate of Life.


    Currently, it was clear what Choi Yu Seong had to do in a situation where external help was desperately needed.


    ¡®I have to find the Gate of Life.¡¯


    Having decided what to do, Choi Yu Seong threw off his heavy coat and began to run.


    ***


    There are several laws in the Barrier.


    First, Barrier is a virtual space to begin with.


    The entire building and objects that existed in Barrier seem to be moved, but they are all ¡®fakes¡¯.


    In other words, it is a plausible form of illusion.


    If you are aware of this fact and have the ability to see through the phenomenon, it is not difficult to find the Gate of Life.


    Most of the fakes will be passed through like holograms and you will be able to find the actual force, the Gate of Life, at a rapid pace.


    Unfortunately, Choi Yu Seong could not use this method.


    If it is a Barrier Master that can produce Barrier Scroll, it means that he is an Awakener who is at least B-Rank.


    ¡®It can¡¯t be found even with Kim Do Jin¡¯s Insight, so of course not with my duplicate Insight.¡¯


    Then you should focus on the second law.


    There is a limited number of people and space that can be accommodated by the Barrier.


    Also, it is impossible to pinpoint and lock-on only one person precisely.


    This is also why the nearby Choi Yu Seong was involved when the target was Kim Do Jin.


    It is a penalty that can be taken for granted as the Barrier itself has such a complicated structure, but some parts could be guessed through this.


    ¡®There are at least three people, there may be more but that¡¯s it for now. Then the size of the space itself is not that big either.¡¯


    If the scale of the Barrier was quite large, people other than Choi Yu Seong and Kim Do Jin would have been caught up.


    However, there was no disturbance or miracle from the surroundings.


    And Gate of Life is the starting point of the Barrier, it will be located in the center basically.


    Therefore, what Choi Yu Seong had to do was decided.


    ¡®First of all, I need to figure out the exact size and shape of the Barrier.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong transformed Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice into a form of a spear while running and left traces of different forms everywhere.


    There is always a wall at the end of the Barrier.


    An invisible wall that can¡¯t be crossed!


    And exactly 2 minutes later.


    In front of the traces of his spear, Choi Yu Seong was sure.


    ¡®This block is the end of Barrier.¡¯


    Any step forward will lead to another space inside the Barrier.


    After repeating the process over and over again, Choi Yu Seong was able to roughly grasp the scale and shape of the Barrier.


    ¡®Circular shape, the scale is within a 2km radius.¡¯


    It is just the right level when compared to the number of people.


    This allows Choi Yu Seong to enter the work of finding the center, a process for the actual breaking of the Barrier.


    It is not that difficult to draw a map and shape in your head.


    ¡®Can I say it¡¯s around that building.¡¯


    The error range of several buildings located on both sides and front-back may occur, but the perimeter is certain anyway.


    Choi Yu Seong turned back Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice into a ring and headed to the building he thought was the center at first.


    ¡®It¡¯s not like Subspace as there is no real thing, but it¡¯s clear that Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice is also a hard to notice variable.¡¯


    The maximum capacity of the circular space of 2km is about four people.


    If there was one more person, there¡¯s no reason not to show up at the battle of Ghost and Kim Do Jin, but isn¡¯t it something unknown?


    There may be someone who keeps the center of the Barrier.


    In preparation for that, it is better to hide the weapons as much as possible.


    ¡®It¡¯s quiet.¡¯


    Entering a five-story building with a rather dark atmosphere, Choi Yu Seong felt a cold sweat running down his cheek.


    ¡®This must be the center of the Barrier.¡¯


    It has a strangely heavy feeling pressing down on the shoulder.


    Although it felt somewhat unrealistic, that made it more certain on the other hand.


    It was because the air itself was different from other spaces inside Barrier where Choi Yu Seong was busy running around.


    Stepping on the stairs with hasty steps, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s movement paused for a moment.


    ¡®Let¡¯s be careful. As long as Kim Do Jin doesn¡¯t overdo it, there¡¯s still time.¡¯


    Of course, there isn¡¯t much room for that.


    There was also no guarantee that Kim Do Jin would not overdo it.


    Kim Do Jin hates losing more than dying.


    If the fight against Ghost began to flow in an overly unfavorable direction, there was a high probability that he would do kamikaze where you die I die.


    There were many concerns, but Choi Yu Seong struggled to demand inner calm.


    It¡¯s an emotion he didn¡¯t feel when holding the spear.


    ¡®It¡¯s this obvious again when the Skill effect disappeared. I still have a long way to go.¡¯


    Feeling pity for the lack of Cold Headed (E) which was an additional effect of Specialized Skill Spear Prodigy, Choi Yu Seong smiled bitterly.


    The more urgent and difficult situations, the better you have to control your mind. But maintaining such a solid mental power is not as easy as it sounds.


    ¡®It can¡¯t be helped. Because I¡¯m also an ordinary human.¡¯


    Whenever a life crisis comes like this, he feels it greatly.


    The setting of a conglomerate family, Irregular with excellent possibilities, and others are only a background after all.


    Human Choi Yu Seong does not have great mental power or a particularly strong heart like Kim Do Jin.


    He felt unsatisfied as it was a shortcoming, but he felt that there was nothing he could do.


    ¡®I¡¯m still inexperienced. Rather, being good at it from the beginning is like a monster.¡¯


    The best thing Choi Yu Seong can do is to fight against such fear and anxiety to grow more and more mature.


    After thinking this or that and a few deep breaths, Choi Yu Seong regained his composure on his own, not Skills, and quietly climbed the stairs even with his breathing hidden.

 Volume 2 - CH 26

    As mentioned, it doesn¡¯t hold water for Choi Yu Seong to fight and win if there is another Demon King Worshiper.


    ¡®Villains belonging to the group of Demon King Worshiper are at least B-Rank.¡¯


    This is because most of them are those who gained strength through contracts with the Demon King, who is still crouching in another world.


    In other words, even Ghost who can kill Choi Yu Seong right now is only a soldier from the standpoint of Demon King Worshiper.


    Therefore, Ghost is merely a role that appears when Kim Do Jin has grown to some extent and vainly dies in the original novel.


    Choi Yu Seong forgot the original novel is Kim Do Jin¡¯s point of view, which he read lightly.


    For him now, any Demon King Worshipers are Death God without exception.


    As he climbed the stairs thinking like that, the sweat that had cooled down with a deep breath began to form all over his forehead again.


    ¡®It¡¯s just not a feeling, but I think there¡¯s really one more person.¡¯


    As he went up the stairs one by one, the heavier the weight pressing on his shoulders.


    Is this simply because of the sense of gap with reality?


    Choi Yu Seong walked up the stairs even while doubting.


    By the time he reached the third floor, it was difficult to even breathe.


    His vision was dizzy and he was filled with the feelings of wanting to run away immediately.


    He was scared, but not awkward.


    Choi Yu Seong has already fought against similar fears over and over again.


    As he thought, he is growing through experience.


    4th floor.


    ¡®Only?¡¯


    It definitely feels like he was going up for quite a long time, but it seems to have been an illusion.


    Seeing the number written in the dark and damp hallway, Choi Yu Seong clenched his fist tightly, bit his lips, and stepped on the next stairs.


    Then he passed the fifth floor and climbed the stairs leading to a higher place.


    Beyond the wide-open rooftop door, a yellow amulet floating in the air and the strange patterns spreading around it caught Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes.


    The center of Formation to use the Barrier Scroll.


    ¡®It¡¯s the Gate of Life!¡¯


    Found.


    It was at that moment that the sweat that had filled his face with tension fell to the floor of the quiet hallway.


    Drop.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s body hardened at the not loud sound but obviously ringing in his ears.


    Silence.


    In it, Choi Yu Seong hoped.


    ¡®Is there¡­ No one?¡¯


    There may be only some unknown threat and momentum.


    With that in mind, the moment when he took courage again and went outside the rooftop door.


    Woosh-! A hand popped out of somewhere and grabbed Choi Yu Seong¡¯s neck at once.


    ¡°Kek-!¡±


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s face turned white as he was pushed to the wall.


    ¡®Where the hell¡­?¡¯


    In front of the questioning Choi Yu Seong,  a red-haired woman holding his neck with one hand tilted her head.


    ¡°Oh my, what¡¯s this? I was looking forward because someone broke through my killing energy and came up here, but it¡¯s a greenhorn.¡±


    Gazes mixed with disbelief and curiosity.


    However, those feelings are only superficial.


    Choi Yu Seong read the latent emotions deep in her red eyes somewhat instinctively.


    ¡®Killing intent and anger.¡¯


    The problem is that the feelings are too much.


    Horrible might be a more accurate word.


    Just facing her alone is enough to cause his whole body to tremble without realizing it.


    It was completely different from the momentum that Choi Wu Jae gave off.


    More essential and wilder than that, an unrefined kind of emotion was swirling around the woman as if to explode.


    ¡°He¡¯s going to die like this.¡±


    With a bright smile, she released her hand from holding Choi Yu Seong¡¯s neck.


    The woman tilted her head as she looked down at Choi Yu Seong, who slumped helplessly on the floor like a doll with broken threads.


    ¡°Seriously, how did you come all the way here? You kid can¡¯t even breathe properly.¡±1


    To tell the truth, Choi Yu Seong was suffocating as if he was submerged in the water despite the freed neck.


    The fear of death immediately surged in his mind and he covered his shoulders with both arms without realizing it.


    It feels like a child meets a tiger in the wild.


    The torrent of emotions is so violent that it is difficult to even make eye contact.


    Nevertheless, Choi Yu Seong forced himself to raise his head and look at his opponent.


    What kind of determination and tenacity? Courage?


    It wasn¡¯t those cool kinds.


    ¡®If you don¡¯t raise your head, you die.¡¯


    The momentum of the red-haired woman was telling that.


    It is only her curiosity that keeps Choi Yu Seong alive now.


    ¡°You¡¯re quick to catch on. And¡­ You haven¡¯t given up yet. The eyes are alive. I like it very much.¡±


    With a smile, she slowly bent her knees and made eye contact with Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°Those are pretty eyes. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Choi¡­ Yu Seong.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Rachel. Rachel Lopez.¡±


    Rachel shed a smile and held out her hand.


    Looking at her with a rather blank gaze, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s dry lips fell.


    ¡°Slaughterer Queen.¡±


    An S-Rank Villain at this point, one of the future Disasters was in front of his eyes.


    ***


    It was somewhat ironic why Rachel Lopez, also known as Slaughterer Queen, became part of Demong King Worshiper.


    ¡®Will it feel different to cut the Demon King¡¯s head from killing humans?¡¯


    This pure curiosity and desire were always wriggling deep in her heart.


    Going back to the beginning, it was the part where ¡®would I feel at ease if I kill the stepfather who beat mother every day and treated me mercilessly?¡¯.


    On her 13th birthday, she was able to answer the question after cutting the neck of her stepfather, who crawled into her bed like a worm, with a kitchen knife she hid under the bed.


    ¡®It¡¯s nothing.¡¯


    Seeing her mother, a much bigger adult than her, rubbing her hands without even rebelling, she thought her father was a fairly scary and strong human being.


    But when she cut his neck with a knife, he just vainly died.


    It wasn¡¯t without some danger at all, but it was a lot easier than she thought.


    Her curiosity about the Demon King was similar.


    She was curious about how he looks, how strong he is, and she wants to kill him.


    The guys of Demon King Worshiper say that Demon King will ascend from another world someday to destroy this world and that the appearance of the dungeon is the beginning, but it¡¯s unknown until you experience it in person.


    Therefore, Rachel entered Demon Lord Worshiper.


    Isn¡¯t it only when the Demon King appears her curiosity will be satisfied?


    Even that Demon King Worshiper can meet the Demon King before anyone else.


    Except for the fact that she killed her stepfather as a child and was an Irregular upon Awakening, the rather ordinary(?) Hunter Rachel¡¯s only reason to join the nonsensical organization called Demon King Worshiper was truly curiosity.


    The way she looks at Choi Yu Seong now was not so different.


    ¡®This kiddo is interesting.¡¯


    Rachel came to Korea under the organization¡¯s order to convince Kim Do Jin, but she didn¡¯t want to do anything directly.


    Making colleagues is tedious for her.


    Even in the entire Demon King Worshiper organization, she was a loner who acted alone.


    She feels comfortable alone and also feels much easier to get things done.


    This made her somewhat unrivaled even within Demon King Worshiper.


    It¡¯s annoying to keep pace with someone.


    Yet it¡¯s not to fight and kill. But to convince?


    It¡¯s inevitable but for her to not like it.


    However, there was also no justification to refuse the request of the leader Godfather, her only favorite figure in the entire group of Demon King Worshiper.


    Previously, Rachel didn¡¯t fulfill three of the missions suggested by Godfather himself.


    This is because none of the missions given recently were to her liking.


    If she refused another request by this point, Godfather¡¯s honor would be disgraced.


    Also, there will be a lot of talk from the Presbytery, who does not like her.


    From the viewpoint of Rachel, who wants to fight the Demon King first than anyone else, she could not completely ignore such words of the Presbytery even if she was annoyed.


    It was a somewhat forced trip to Korea.


    What she thought was a good thing was she heard that Ghost, one of the moderately easy-to-manage soldiers, was in Japan just in time. So, he summoned him.


    Anyway, if she goes out on a half-forced mission that¡¯s to convince Kim Do Jin in person, she could kill him if he doesn¡¯t listen to anything and bothered her.


    Rachel was convinced that the right person for this job was Ghost, not herself.


    Of course, she will have to pretend that she does some work as well.


    Only then will the Presbytery, who may be monitoring somewhere, close their mouths.


    Therefore, she played the role of opening the Barrier Spell and protecting him.


    Of course, she explained it like that but she didn¡¯t mean to keep the Barrier Spell with all her heart and soul.


    Practically, Rachel was just lying and rolling about on the rooftop, eating Korean snacks after ordering Ghost.


    But it didn¡¯t matter.


    Even when Rachel lies down and idly relaxes, most Hunters don¡¯t dare to approach her.


    ¡®It should be an A-Rank Hunter at least to break through my killing energy, though.¡¯


    This was largely influenced by one of her skills, Killing Intent¡¯s Wave (S).


    It is not to the extent that ordinary people cannot bear it mentally and physically, but just approaching it closely drives them crazy in fear.


    As mentioned, even Hunters were not much different except high Ranks.


    However, Choi Yu Seong, who is visibly just an E-Rank no matter what, broke through her Killing Intent¡¯s Wave.


    It is impossible in the first place to avoid the effects of Killing Intent¡¯s Wave with luck.


    In fact, Choi Yu Seong, who came up to the rooftop, was already full of fear even before he met her.


    ¡®It looks like he¡¯s going to suffocate right now. Pretty cute.¡¯


    Rachel smiled inwardly, tilted her head, and asked.


    ¡°Shake hands, won¡¯t you do that?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Choi Yu Seong reached out his trembling hand and held her white but full of calluses hand.


    ¡°Seeing that you understand what I¡¯m saying, you know how to speak English. Good. I¡¯m going to ask questions now. I hope you answer sincerely. How did you come up here?¡±


    ¡°¡­By foot.¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have been easy, though?¡±


    No, it is normally impossible.


    Choi Yu Seong looked at Rachel¡¯s eyes instead of answering.


    What more is there to say?


    Rachel nodded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re lying. So the second question. What do you think will happen to you in the future?¡±


    Slaughterer Queen is a nickname Rachel got while working as a mercenary for the U.S. Department of Defense.


    Those who met her on the battlefield at the time, including soldiers, Hunters, and civilians, all died horrifically.


    According to the records, those who fought Slaughterer Queen were torn to pieces, tossed to the ground, and turned into corpses in a very rough form.


    Can Choi Yu Seong be different?


    ¡°I want¡­ To live.¡±


    At the words of Choi Yu Seong, who bit his lower lip tightly, Rachel tucked her red hair behind her ears.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I like about you. Any human doesn¡¯t want to die. But Choi Yu Seong, you seem to have a much stronger will. Nevertheless, you came this far ignoring my Killing Intent¡¯s Wave. Is this something possible?¡±


    While Rachel was engulfed in curiosity and questions alone, Choi Yu Seong gradually regained stability in the suffocating fear.


    To be precise, he began to use his brain to survive from her.

 Volume 2 - CH 27

    ¡®Slaughterer Queen, Irregular Rachel.¡¯


    She is one of the few powerful Villains in the original content, practically starting an active role only in the second half of the original novel.


    There is no need to talk long.


    In the original, Rachel really kills one of the Demon Kings with her own power.


    It was possible because Rachel, who was seeking a chance, launched a surprise attack when Kim Do Jin¡¯s party killed all Demon King¡¯s servants. But in terms of balance, it was an achievement that even the main character Kim Do Jin could not achieve at the time.


    In return, of course, Rachel met her death.


    Rachel is a Villain who appeared in the second half of the play and was quite popular in many ways in the original novel. It was the readers¡¯ opinion that she had reached the level of Great Disaster not just Disaster after crossing the wall in a fierce battle with the Demon King.


    And because of that, there were quite a few readers who were sad about Rachel¡¯s death.


    Those small numbers of perverts who want to see the overpowered main character Kim Do Jin struggle when meeting the proper opponent.


    Very ironically, Choi Yu Seong also belonged to those perverted readers.


    Of course, in this situation, he wanted to slap his cheek in a row at the time.


    You¡¯re a fan of Rachel as a reader?


    It¡¯s something you can say because you haven¡¯t experienced it yourself.


    ¡®Rachel is really dangerous.¡¯


    Perhaps even the author could not handle it and ended her death in such a way.


    Her personality and characteristics themselves are too intense and intimidating.


    The only downside is that she is a bit lazy in things that are not interesting for her, the somewhat excessive curiosity and that she is a little unlucky although she likes gambling a lot.


    If Rachel had continued to be alive, it couldn¡¯t even be imagined how much tougher the journey of the first part that Kim Do Jin finished would have been.


    After recalling Rachel¡¯s strengths, weaknesses, abilities, and personalities, Choi Yu Seong organized the weapons she could use.


    ¡°Oh my, the gaze is slowly coming back now.¡±


    ¡°Rachel.¡±


    If you get caught up in her pace, you can¡¯t find the answer.


    Choi Yu Seong quickly opened his mouth first.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk. Baby who doesn¡¯t want to die yet puts his head in the lion¡¯s mouth.¡±


    ¡°I want to suggest a game.¡±


    ¡°Game?¡±


    Interest glistened in Rachel¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®What is this cutie saying right now?¡¯


    He spoke quite well for someone who shook his shoulders in fear.


    ¡°If I win the game¡­ Do me a favor.¡±


    ¡°What if I win on the contrary?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face, which was already full of curiosity, now even added with excitement.


    Choi Yu Seong thought.


    As he told Choi Woo Jae, risking his life is meaningless.


    Rachel had already held Choi Yu Seong¡¯s life.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you¡­ Like money?¡±


    She needs money to gamble exactly.


    But she often lost due to bad luck.


    Therefore, Rachel is surprisingly often found in a poor wallet situation.


    ¡°Pfft¡­ Baby. I don¡¯t know where you heard my rumors, but the scale is different. Do you know how much money I spend on gambling? If you think it is at the level that E or D-Rank Hunters can handle¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Choi Yu Seong.¡±


    ¡°I know. Cute baby, Choi Yu Seong.¡±


    ¡°Do you know Hyesung Group?¡±


    ¡°How I couldn¡¯t. The boss there is quite a scary geezer¡­¡±


    After talking to herself for a while, Rachel¡¯s lips twisted.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re that Choi Yu Seong? Now that I see it, you¡¯re not just a baby, but a cute gold nugget.¡±


    Recognizing Choi Yu Seong¡¯s identity, she slowly got up from her seat laughing.


    Her cold gaze sweeps Choi Yu Seong from head to toe as if he were evaluating a pig.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that geezer will give money for threatening him with you, so there¡¯s a way, right?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong nodded silently.


    ¡°If you break your promise, I won¡¯t just kill you. I will take out all the intestines alive and stuffed them.¡±


    Not just words, but she actually could do such a terrible thing.


    Necromancers who are afraid of Rachel are widespread all over the world.


    Instead of answering, Choi Yu Seong gave strength to his trembling thighs and raised his body.


    ***


    The rules of the game were suggested by Choi Yu Seong.


    Rachel was confident she would win no matter what method he used.


    ¡°Let¡¯s check it. Rule number one, our cute gold nugget wins if I get out of this circle.¡±


    Rachel looked around at a small circle, which a person could barely stand, that she drew directly at Choi Yu Seong¡¯s suggestion.


    Surprisingly, she made a circle by piercing the thick concrete floor with a single index finger.


    Seeing that, Choi Yu Seong felt his calming down body trembling again.


    How the hell can she scoop a concrete floor like cream with a finger that mana can¡¯t be even felt from?


    He already knew that S-Rank Hunters were monsters, but it felt like Rachel was one step higher than that.


    In terms of S-Rank, she feels like an unrivaled S+.


    He was even able to feel how strong a surviving Irregular was by looking at her.


    ¡°Secondly, I¡¯ll use only this finger.¡±


    Rachel lifted her left index finger and waved it lightly.


    ¡°Not¡­ Confident?¡±


    Asking a quite impactful question, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s voice was trembling.


    ¡°It¡¯s cute. I won¡¯t kill you. Don¡¯t tremble too much. Our gold nugget. You wanted to live so much, but in the end, you got the right to survive, right? Whether you win or lose. Because you¡¯ll survive in this place. How did you roll your brain so well in that short time? Huhu.¡±


    Rachel was right.


    In the game suggested by Choi Yu Seong, he can get out of this place whether he loses or wins.


    Although it will not be able to stop her from beheading Choi Yu Seong after taking the money.


    ¡®Anyway, I have to live.¡¯


    However, Rachel doesn¡¯t know that Choi Yu Seong has a second goal.


    He has to save Kim Do Jin.


    Rachel is a strong player incomparable to Ghost, who is currently fighting Kim Do Jin.


    Even if Kim Do Jin leads the fight against Ghost to victory as expected of the main character, everything is pointless when Rachel comes forward.


    No matter how overpowered main character he is, how could he handle Rachel at this point?


    Eventually, Kim Do Jin would be taken to the Demon King Worshiper.


    Initially, Rachel¡¯s early appearance was too big of a butterfly effect.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know what form and how the future I changed worked¡­¡¯


    But he didn¡¯t want Kim Do Jin to get caught up in that typhoon.


    That¡¯s why this type of game was proposed.


    He thought that Rachel, who likes gambling, had no reason to refuse.


    The problem is the odds.


    Rachel has a huge limitation on her movement and uses only one finger.


    Nevertheless, the winning rate in Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mind infinitely converges to zero.


    Rachel¡¯s thought probably wasn¡¯t much different.


    Choi Yu Seong had to take advantage of her confidence.


    The gap in her mind that she believes she will not lose no matter what he does.


    ¡°And¡­ Can I prepare a little?¡±


    ¡°Anything.¡±


    Rachel shrugged and answered lightly.


    She looked quite relaxed.


    To be more specific, she was enjoying the situation itself.


    What interesting thing will Choi Yu Seong, who has already surprised her enough, do this time?


    The beginning was the summoning of the Dimensional Merchant.


    ¡°This body has come-! Where¡¯s the promised lollipop?¡±


    Regardless of the Barrier space, Ping Pong popped out of a small pink door and asked Choi Yu Seong while looking at him.


    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have it now.¡±


    ¡°You traitor!¡±


    ¡°Our cute gold nugget even signed a contract with an adorable kid for the Dimensional Merchant.¡±


    Rachel burst into laughter at the appearance of Ping Pong, which did not match the desolate atmosphere around. Then her gaze briefly turned to a distant place.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t think you have time to relax. Is it Kim Do Jin? That cheeky brat also seems at a quite close call, you know.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Kim Do Jin will lose.¡±


    ¡°Hm, wouldn¡¯t it be a problem if Ghost dies?¡±


    From the conversation with Rachel, Choi Yu Seong felt a part of his heart getting creepy.


    ¡®She knows what I¡¯m thinking.¡¯


    Rachel already knew clearly why Choi Yu Seong suggested the game.


    While Choi Yu Seong was thinking, it was clear that she also thought about it in many ways.


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯


    Nevertheless, it means that she accepted all of his suggestions.


    ¡°Ping Pong-nim. I promise. Next time you come, I¡¯ll prepare 10, no, 50 free lollipops. So please get me some stuff quickly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not lying this time, right?¡±


    ¡°Promise.¡±


    The gaze of the smirking Ping Pong turned to Rachel, who was making an interesting expression.


    ¡°Human woman! My contractor made a sacred promise to me. If you kill him, this Ping Pong-nim won¡¯t forgive you!¡±


    ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s scary. But I can¡¯t promise that I won¡¯t kill him.¡±


    The smiling Rachel waved her hand.


    Ping Pong looked at her and snorted.


    ¡°I need spears. Whether it¡¯s wood or iron, cheap ones. If it¡¯s possible, a lot of it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good item to buy with Karma Point¡­¡±


    ¡°Because I urgently need to use it now.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong smiled bitterly.


    Wooden spears or ordinary iron spears can also be found easily on Earth.


    Consuming Karma Points is a waste of waste.


    But there was no other way because he needed it right away.


    ¡°How many do you need?¡±


    ¡°As many as possible.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, the Dimensional Store doesn¡¯t have so many items of the reference point you want. Just trying to put out expensive items¡­ About 30 will be the limit.¡±


    ¡°The price?¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s the minimum, 1 Karma Point is needed per unit.¡±


    These are items that are not special just because they are purchased at the Dimensional Store.


    What a waste.


    It was such a waste that his insides hurt, but there was no other way.


    ¡°Give me all.¡±


    That¡¯s how he bought 30 spears.


    Even 10 of them were wooden spears.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, don¡¯t die. You¡¯re the first contractor of this body.¡±


    Ping Pong opened the pink door with a rather strange expression and went back to its own world that no one knew.


    ¡°I saw it for the first time. What is it like when a Dimensional Merchant threatens someone. You really have a lot of interesting points.¡±


    Rachel, who was watching that scene, spoke to Choi Yu Seong.


    Choi Yu Seong did not answer anything while putting down 30 spears on the floor.


    In fact, Choi Yu Seong himself was surprised as well.


    ¡®In principle, Dimensional Merchants pay no attention to their relationship with contractors other than transactions.¡¯


    In other words, whether the contractor dies or lives, suffers or not, it is of no interest to the Dimensional Merchant.


    Anyway, the role of Dimensional Merchants is to purchase and sell, nothing more.


    It was a matter of course.


    It is said that within The Master Who Return to Modern Times, those who use Dimensional Merchants are widespread throughout the universe.


    It was a short and sloppy description, but that sentence alone showed that Dimensional Merchants did not have to be obsessed with one simple customer.


    Even Choi Yu Seong has not known Ping Pong for quite a long time.


    ¡®I¡¯m also not a VIP buyer.¡¯


    As always, the point is he is still infinitely short of Karma points.


    It is difficult to make a deal that can satisfy the Dimensional Merchant.


    Perhaps the first contractor may be quite meaningful for Ping Pong, but even so, it was clear that it was something mysterious.


    Anyway, thanks to Ping Pong, the pressure on his mind was relieved a little more.


    His stability increased as the effect of the Cold-Headed Skill was activated the moment he held the spear although it was made of wood.


    ¡®Maybe I can do it easier than I thought.¡¯


    Of course, that thought disappeared the moment he met Rachel in the eyes.

 Volume 2 - CH 28

    Despite feeling the effect of Cold-Headed Skill, his head spun immediately.


    After taking several deep breaths to calm down, Choi Yu Seong transformed Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice into the form of a battle suit.


    ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s amazing. I was wondering what that ring was¡­¡±


    It¡¯s urgent, but things shouldn¡¯t be done in haste.


    Choi Yu Seong was planning to slowly prepare as much as he could one by one.


    He glanced at the Gate of Life, with Barrier Scroll1 inside, behind Rachel.


    As mentioned, Barrier consists of quite complex forms.


    Even if only a part of the pattern drawn in the scroll was distorted, problems would arise throughout the Barrier, and the Gate of Life would open the way.


    ¡®It would be better if it could be completely crushed.¡¯


    But likewise, the possibility of him being able to do it is extremely low.


    It was an area of impossibility to reach the Barrier Scroll past Rachel, who proudly blocked the way.


    ¡®The only way is to use the Blink Ring, the second ancient relic I received from Ji Ho hyung.¡¯


    Blink Ring is one of the gifts from Choi Ji Ho.


    An ancient relic containing the ability to take a short leap of about 10m, which can only be used once.


    If this is used, even Rachel won¡¯t be able to prevent Choi Yu Seong from reaching the Barrier Scroll.


    Unfortunately, however, the probability of opening the Gate of Life was extremely low even if he arrived at the Barrier Scroll.


    ¡®Considering Rachel¡¯s abilities¡­ Likewise, it should be seen as impossible.¡¯


    As if reading Choi Yu Seong¡¯s thoughts, Rachel shook her head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about useless things. If you aim for that, I might get a little angry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all ready. Let¡¯s start.¡±


    Along with that, Choi Yu Seong grabbed the bunch of spears gathered on the floor and threw them at Rachel as vigorously as possible to scatter them.


    There was no significant offensive meaning.


    It was literally work to spread weapons all over the place.


    After repeating the above work several times in a row, Choi Yu Seong ran to the front.


    No. He pretended to run, picked up the closest fallen spear, and threw the spear toward the Gate of Life behind her.


    Rachel, who lightly hit him with the tip of her index finger and floated him into the air, smiled at Choi Yu Seong, who was throwing out a spear at her.


    ¡°Are you scared or are you not scared. Well, shall I look forward to seeing how much fun you¡¯ll make for me?¡±


    Rachel lightly received Choi Yu Seong¡¯s attack with one index finger.


    She didn¡¯t use any strength.


    First of all, it was due to her curiosity to see Choi Yu Seong¡¯s skills.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    She confirmed that Choi Yu Seong immediately gave up the spear and touched the floor, then she stretched her index finger.


    It was an attack aimed at Choi Yu Seong¡¯s shoulder.


    However, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s body, which was stabbed in the shoulder, was blurred.


    It was Wind Stance, Illusion.


    ¡°Oh my.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes became round as she received the attack leisurely and made her first counterattack.


    On the other hand, Choi Yu Seong couldn¡¯t afford that.


    ¡®Although it¡¯s good to save Illusion of Wind Stance as much as possible¡­¡¯


    Speaking of it, that was one of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s groundworks.


    However, there was no room to fight against the S-Rank monster Rachel while hiding that.


    And, Choi Yu Seong expected her to watch his skills with some ease at first.


    For Rachel, this game was just a game, something she could enjoy while Ghost doing the mission.


    Thanks to that, he was able to do it easier than expected.


    ¡®Like the first plan¡­¡¯


    The positions of Rachel and Choi Yu Seong have changed.


    While she was focused on the Illusion, Choi Yu Seong once again used Wind Stance to pass her side at once and took the back.


    Now Rachel can¡¯t guard the Barrier Scroll behind her back.


    ¡®Up to here.¡¯


    Nevertheless, Choi Yu Seong did not run toward the Barrier Scroll.


    No, he couldn¡¯t run exactly.


    Rachel¡¯s hatchet, which was unknown when it was taken out, was above Choi Yu Seong¡¯s head and even passed right in front of his forehead.


    If he had taken even one more step, his head and the whole body would have been split in half and died instantly.


    The line was well kept properly.


    While Choi Yu Seong, whose forehead was drenched in cold sweats, sighed with relief, Rachel smiled with cold eyes.


    ¡°Gold nugget, that was dangerous. You know, right?¡±


    Instead of answering, Choi Yu Seong took out an index finger and waved it in front of Rachel¡¯s hatchet.


    ¡°You just broke a rule.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m a little sorry. Instead, I¡¯ll also close my eyes as a penalty.¡±


    Before Choi Yu Seong said anything, Rachel closed her eyes tightly immediately.


    ¡®How cunning¡­¡¯


    How can a skilled person like Rachel not be able to read Choi Yu Seong¡¯s movements just because she closes her eyes?


    Rather, even the mistake of confusing Illusion as before would have disappeared.


    She even naturally melted it into the game as if it were a penalty.


    ¡°And hereafter, I will swing this ax whenever you try to cross the line. Anyway, I still promise to use only one finger in the sparring game with you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. But how about something like this? For example¡­¡±


    Choi Yu Seong swiftly picked up a spear on the floor, rotated his body, and threw it away.


    At the same time. No. Even faster than that, Rachel¡¯s hatchet flew, halving the spear thrown by Choi Yu Seong, and stuck to the ground.


    A surprising thing happened right after that.


    Kwajik-! With a destructive sound, the hatchet stuck on the floor of the rooftop returned to Rachel¡¯s hand when she lightly reached out her hand.


    ¡°This is what happens.¡±


    Rachel smiled and said. Choi Yu Seong swallowed his saliva.


    ¡®I knew it, but it¡¯s like Thor¡¯s hammer.¡¯


    Mjolnir, the hammer used by the battle god in Norse mythology, Thor, has the characteristic of returning to the user¡¯s hand like a boomerang.


    Unfortunately(?) Rachel¡¯s ax was not a special weapon like Mjolnir.


    ¡®Specialization Skill, Thread of Destiny.¡¯


    Many people think that the Slaughterer Queen is a physical-type Awakener because she engages in intense melee combat. But surprisingly, she was a flair-type user who led the battle based on Thread of Destiny Skill which deals with transparent threads that could not be seen with normal Skills.


    Of course, no one in the world knows this truth except Rachel herself.


    Excellent Hunters hide more than 30% of their abilities.


    This is to draw the opponent¡¯s oversight and cut the opponent¡¯s life using a trump card at the decisive moment.


    The more similar the Skills, the bigger the difference between knowing the opponent¡¯s abilities or not in determining the life-or-death outcome. So, it was a matter of course.


    In that sense, Rachel¡¯s fighting style was very useful to confuse the opponent.


    ¡®Basically, it makes people mistake her as a physical type. And it doesn¡¯t matter if someone is lucky enough to find out about the thread.¡¯


    It is not just inanimate objects that Thread of Destiny can control.


    As the Skill name suggests, Thread of Destiny can control even human movement.


    However, if you think of her wielding the ax, you can¡¯t even imagine that Thread of Destiny has such ability.


    ¡®She is a scary woman the more you know her.¡¯


    She is cunning enough to make people creeped out.


    Rachel enjoyed the nickname Slaughterer Queen to deceive her Specialization ability, the most powerful weapon she owns, and set up most of her Normal Skill composition into physical reinforcement type.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong thought it was useless to approach the Barrier Scroll.


    ¡®I¡¯m already lucky if I don¡¯t get caught by Thread of Destiny and taken back to this position.¡¯


    Perhaps Rachel, offended by Choi Yu Seong crossing the line, will cut off his neck right away.


    Rachel is different from Kim Do Jin.


    She doesn¡¯t have a strong sense of pride and she is not very competitive.


    She enjoys playing games but considered breaking the rules insignificant.


    Excluding the fact that Kim Do Jin receives buff thanks to his position as the main character, she might be a more demanding enemy than him.


    ¡®Nevertheless, the first goal has been achieved, so all I have to do is just to safely complete the next step.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong swallowed his saliva and picked up a fallen spear again.


    Rachel leisurely waited for his movement with her eyes closed and even arms folded.


    ¡°Gold nugget. Shall this sister give one piece of advice? Sometimes too deep thoughts are rather poisonous.¡±


    At the same time, Rachel¡¯s hatchet flew through the air once again.


    The target this time was Choi Yu Seong, who had stopped trying to organize his mind.


    The hatchet narrowly cut the tip of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s ear as it passed.


    The moment blood splashed into the air, Choi Yu Seong felt his heart frightened and bowed his head.


    Whiririk-!


    The hatchet, which cut Choi Yu Seong¡¯s hair just before, flew back to the opposite direction by Thread of Destiny and returned to Rachel¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Adding the third rule. If you bore me from now on, this ax will keep flying.¡±


    Rachel smiled brightly as she spread three fingers exactly in the direction Choi Yu Seong was standing with her eyes closed.


    There is no more time to think.


    Choi Yu Seong did not hesitate and rushed toward Rachel, picking up a spear and aiming at Rachel¡¯s ankle.


    Jumping lightly and turning over in the air, Rachel held out only one index finger at the end of the spear that Choi Yu Seong wields and said.


    ¡°And from now on, I¡¯m going to use some strength too.¡±


    ¡°Keeuk¡­?!¡±


    Along with those words, a direct breaking force came into the wrist of Choi Yu Seong who was holding the spear.


    Choi Yu Seong did not hesitate again this time, put down the spear, and picked up another.


    Then, he stabbed in the middle of Rachel¡¯s forehead as she fell back to the floor.


    The spear seemed to dig in between, but there was no feeling of getting caught in her hand or digging into the flesh.


    ¡®Illusion?¡¯


    No. He just felt that way because she was moving too fast.


    ¡°Our gold nugget, it¡¯s going to hurt a little.¡±


    Standing upright again, she used the tip of her index finger to flick the end of the spear.


    The vibration flowing through it shook Choi Yu Seong¡¯s whole body.


    ¡°Cough-!¡±


    In the end, a handful of blood burst out from the mouth of Choi Yu Seong, who couldn¡¯t bear it.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m bored.¡±


    At the same time, Rachel let out a sullen voice.


    Choi Yu Seong intuitively felt what those words meant.


    Choi Yu Seong turned his head sideways even in a dizzy state, and he could see a hatchet tearing his shoulder and passing by right next to him.


    There was no time to hesitate.


    Choi Yu Seong rolled on the floor without hesitation and threw out a spear.


    On his back, a cool yet hot feeling swept fiercely and passed.


    Holding the hatchet that returned after tearing Choi Yu Seong¡¯s back with her left hand, Rachel removed his spear with an index finger and nodded with a gaze full of madness.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit more fun now!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one having fun! Damn it!¡±


    Feeling the adrenaline rush into his head as the battle reached its extreme, Choi Yu Seong even forgot his fear somewhat and cursed.

 Volume 2 - CH 29

    Rachel let out a giggling laugh.


    In the meantime, Choi Yu Seong picked up two spears with both hands at the same time.


    Then he threw one straight toward the Barrier and ran head-on.


    ¡°This crafty gold nugget!¡±


    Rachel threw the hatchet once again toward the thrown spear and blocked Choi Yu Seong¡¯s attack with her index finger.


    Clang-! Choi Yu Seong¡¯s spear bounces high into the air with the sound of iron rings.


    Choi Yu Seong felt the sensation of his stomach shaking again due to the shock from the counterattack.


    However, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s spear did not stop.


    He tried to hit Rachel¡¯s head using the spear while winding it straight inside from the lifting direction.


    Of course, it was a trick that didn¡¯t work at all.


    Rachel recovered the hatchet with her left hand and struck Choi Yu Seong¡¯s spear with her index finger once more.


    ¡°Kueeek-!¡±


    It was at the same time that Choi Yu Seong spilled blood.


    Even though the Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice has turned into a battle suit and reduced the shock, it¡¯s this bad.


    ¡®If I had received it with only my body, I would have already died. Damn!¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who cursed inwardly, picked up the spear and threw it at the Gate of Life once again even in a blurry vision.


    At the same time, he stretched his right foot toward Rachel and tried to hit her chin.


    ¡°Still crossing the line? You should get punished. Our gold nugget.¡±


    Rachel smiled and lightly flicked the tip of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s toe with her index finger.


    Crakakack-!


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s heel was tattered and twisted with the sound of bones breaking.


    His eyes became very wide.


    Rolling on the floor in the pain that heated the brain, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s scream rang loudly.


    ¡°Keaaargh-!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, gold nugget. Humans don¡¯t die because they can¡¯t use their limbs.¡±


    Rachel said as she retrieved the hatchet that was stuck on the floor again.


    ¡°But if you lie down like that, I want to throw this again because I¡¯m bored. Ah, for reference, you won¡¯t die easily even if your limbs get cut.¡±


    ¡°¡­uck. It¡¯s like shit!¡±


    Choi Yu Seong swore and raised himself.


    He had to stand on one leg due to the bent ankle and was in an awkward posture, but he couldn¡¯t lie down.


    His red bloodshot eyes glared at the happily smiling Rachel as if he would tear her to death.


    ¡°Cool.¡±


    The moment Rachel exclaimed.


    Spark spewed out from Choi Yu Seong¡¯s whole body.


    ¡°Huh? You still have a hidden ability.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong used Wind Stance after that and rushed toward Rachel.


    Because he rushed on one leg, he didn¡¯t get a proper speed.


    ¡°Uwaaah-!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s index finger stabbed into the shoulder of Choi Yu Seong, who reached to hit Rachel with a scream.


    Then, a hot and sharp touch stirred his shoulder indiscriminately.


    ¡°Keaargh¡­¡±


    While struggling with pain, that sensation was pulled out and disappeared.


    In the bloodshot eyes of Choi Yu Seong, Rachel¡¯s face was seen licking her index finger soaked in dark red blood.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Sweet.¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    Choi Yu Seong clicked his tongue.


    She received Choi Yu Seong¡¯s Spark head-on as if she didn¡¯t feel anything.


    ¡®I expected it, but¡­¡¯


    It was an extremely huge gap.


    The idea of fighting and winning against such a monster is also absurd.


    It was something impossible in the first place.


    Rachel tilted her head as she saw Choi Yu Seong, who knelt and bowed his head deeply as if drooping on the floor.


    ¡°Giving up here?¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong raised his head and laughed.


    And he lifted a spear on the floor with his still intact right hand and used Spark again.


    Then, he threw the spear toward the Gate of Life once more and gave strength to his kneeling knees.


    ¡®I never expected I¡¯m going to actually do this.¡¯


    Doing a stance reminiscent of a powerful attack that gains momentum by bending the knees seen in a certain comic on Earth, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s head brushed past Rachel¡¯s chin.


    Rachel¡¯s eyes full of madness showed off her deep murderous intent as she saw Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®His eyes are alive even in the midst of this. Cute gold nugget.¡¯


    Suddenly, she felt very regretful.


    ¡°Aah, I should¡¯ve killed you right away if it¡¯s not for the money.¡±


    Rachel threw the ax once again with her left hand toward the flying spear and felt her heart beating.


    ¡®How long has it been since I¡¯ve been this excited? Money or whatever, I just¡­¡¯


    Wanna kill him right away and check his brain.


    How can he still have that gaze after being beaten that much?


    Generally, people might feel quite scared or desperate at this point.


    ¡®It¡¯s so amazing!¡¯


    The moment Rachel unknowingly aimed the tip of her finger at the center of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s forehead.


    Crakakack-!


    There was a loud sound that everyone could hear.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    First of all, Rachel¡¯s gaze turned in the direction of the sound.


    Choi Yu Seong, who soared high with his head stretched in a rather ugly position, also turned his head.


    The hatchet, which flew cutting Choi Yu Seong¡¯s spear half and strongly stuck to the ground, was causing a lot of cracks like lightning.


    It¡¯s collapsing.


    Rachel¡¯s mind, which was filled with curiosity about the recklessly rushing Choi Yu Seong, flashed as soon as that thought came to mind.


    ¡°You¡­ No way. From the beginning?¡±


    Rachel looked at Choi Yu Seong with surprised eyes.


    The first thing that came to her mind was when he scattered a large number of spears at a level that seemed useless after purchasing them.


    Spear throw attacks, which have little meaning, were following after that.


    Every time, Rachel herself threw the hatchet to keep the Barrier Scroll.


    ¡®Since I¡¯ll lose If I go out of the circle.¡¯


    She didn¡¯t mean to keep it, but she was adjusting to the flow to enjoy it.


    But now, it seems her position was the opposite.


    ¡®I wasn¡¯t playing, but just moving according to the will of this crafty gold nugget guy.¡¯


    The thick concrete floor cannot be broken with Choi Yu Seong¡¯s ability.


    But for Rachel, it was easier than a piece of cake.


    It was a very simple and ridiculous matter that an indifferent and lightly thrown hatchet broke the ground.


    That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t care at all.


    The carelessness created this situation.


    Rachel¡¯s surprised gaze turned toward Choi Yu Seong, who was already smiling.


    Choi Yu Seong thought from the moment he first talked to her.


    The Barrier cannot be broken from the outside unless by the same Barrier Master.


    But outside, there must have been people waiting to help Choi Yu Seong.


    For example Jin Do Yun, Jin Yu Ri who may have been contacted, people who follow her, or countless people who will flock after hearing the fuss.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s goal was not to win the game against Rachel.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s goal did not change even a bit from the first moment Ghost appeared.


    ¡®Break the Barrier and open the Gate of Life.¡±


    It was close to gambling actually.


    If the arrogant but clever Rachel had noticed Choi Yu Seong¡¯s intention in the middle, all plans would have been in vain.


    However, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s plan was successful as a result.


    What else do I need to say?


    ¡°I was lucky.¡±


    Or as always, Rachel¡¯s gambling luck was bad.


    At the end of those words. Kwakwakwang-! A loud thunder sound rang out then the floor began to collapse and pour down.


    Then, a distortion phenomenon that seems to sway the space occurred briefly and the Barrier began to break.


    At the same time, a roar like glass breaking was heard.


    Starting with the area where the Barrier Spell was drawn, the rooftop collapsed. But in front of Rachel¡¯s toes, it stayed still as if scared and could not move on any further.


    At the chaotic and destructive scene, Rachel went crazy.


    ¡°Ahaha, hahahaha-!¡±


    There was no more reason left in her eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s fun! Choi Yu Seong, I¡¯m having so much fun!¡±


    Rachel lifted the collar of Choi Yu Seong, who was on the verge of falling due to standing right in front of her, and looked straight into his black eyes with a mad gaze.


    ¡°Wanna live, right? So, you really want to live?¡±


    Should he say it.


    He only thought about that even when he felt like he was going to fall off the collapsing rooftop.


    Rachel¡¯s cheeks reddened when she saw Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes.


    The mad eyes scatter as if they had witnessed the most beautiful artwork in the world.


    ¡®Like it, like it, like it, I like it so much. They¡¯re such gorgeous eyes that I want to dig them whole and use them as a decoration at home.¡¯


    I can¡¯t.


    Rachel could no longer stand her raging instinct.


    ¡°But what to do? I want to kill you so much. Of course simply, I won¡¯t kill you. I¡¯m already looking forward to the moment when you ask me to kill you, you know? Before that, how much fun you¡¯ll make me! How much fun will it be? Kyakyakya!¡±


    It was at that moment that a silver flash flashed over the right wrist of Rachel, who burst into laughter from madness.


    Slash-!


    It got cut off.


    The monstrous and untouchable Rachel from Choi Yu Seong¡¯s point of view got her wrist cut in vain.


    Because of that, Choi Yu Seong thought he would fall like a broken kite again.


    That would have happened without the hand holding him in the back of his neck, dangling not much different than Rachel.


    In the blurry vision that seemed to be far away, Choi Yu Seong struggled to turn his head to the side and looked at the person who held him like a mother cat lifting her baby.


    ¡°This foolish guy. What kind of rag is this?¡±


    The other spoke quite bluntly and had a rather odd appearance.


    ¡®Rabbit mask?¡¯


    It is not the expected support like Jin Do Yun or Jin Yu Ri.


    However, he definitely saw the word ¡®rabbit mask¡¯ in the original novel.


    The problem was that he didn¡¯t remember clearly.


    It was difficult to even maintain consciousness to be precise.


    The Rabbit Mask, a figure also known with the code name Myo belonging to the Martial Guard Corps, Choi Mi Na faced Rachel, who was looking at her with a gaze full of anger that contradicted with the bizarre wide smile.


    Regardless of the heart-fluttering expression likely to be seen in any horror movie, Choi Mi Na didn¡¯t care much while lightly stretching her stiff neck and said.


    ¡°Still, you did well. It¡¯s weird to say this is a gift and I don¡¯t really like you, but don¡¯t worry. From now on, this noonim will protect you.¡±


    Was there ever a time when the word ¡®noonim¡¯ and the sound of bones rubbing and cracking were so reliable?


    ¡®Please¡­ I leave it to you.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who thought he felt quite at ease for some reason, replied with his eyes and then went unconscious.


    Clearly, it was the limit.

 Volume 3 - CH 1

    Five minutes before Choi Yu Seong broke the Barrier.


    Kim Do Jin, whose body was covered with wounds while continuing the battle against Ghost, suddenly thought.


    ¡®Choi Yu Seong¡­ Did he run away?¡¯


    When Choi Yu Seong suddenly started running somewhere while he continued the fight, he thought there would be a plan.


    Kim Do Jin¡¯s Skill, Sixth Sense, which maximizes intuition said so. So, there was nothing to doubt.


    But he doesn¡¯t come back after quite a long time.


    ¡®I was wondering what he was up to.¡¯


    The frowning Kim Do Jin pointed his sword to the ground and stopped in place.


    A short silence flowed then a voice that seemed to resonate from somewhere was heard.


    ¡°Have you finally given up?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that you couldn¡¯t speak. Is it a Voice Amplification Skill?


    Kim Do Jin smiled strangely as he heard a voice spreading out of nowhere.


    It is a Skill that is not used often because it is not very useful for ordinary Hunters, but it is different for Ghost, whose main ability is stealth.


    Considering that it is also an ability to select Skills that suit one¡¯s aptitude, Ghost was definitely a fairly skilled Hunter.


    ¡°I just thought there was no need to say it out loud. Because my mission is to convince you. I just waited for you to get tired first.¡±


    ¡°Convince?¡±


    ¡°Godfather of the Organization wants you. Kim Do Jin. Come with us.¡±


    ¡°Organization, huh. So, it must be quite big.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you the details¡­ But, it can be said that it is possible to overthrow a small country like this.¡±


    At Ghost¡¯s words, Kim Do Jin¡¯s eyes lit up with a faint light.


    ¡®It¡¯s at the level that can overturn Korea?¡¯


    It¡¯s just so so because surrounding countries are so powerful geographically, but Korea is one of the Top Ten Awakener powers when viewed globally.


    Many predicted that Korea would be in the top five in the next few years as there are a lot of talented Hunters and cream of the crop rookies.


    From the viewpoint of Kim Do Jin, who is directly among the rookies, of course, he thought Korea would soon become the best.


    Anyway, Korea has a formidable power right now.


    However, one organization just quite lightly spat out about overthrowing such a country.


    ¡®It means that there are a lot of people who are fighting with me right now.¡¯


    Kim Do Jin, who had guessed the size of the organization with a few words of conversation, had a fishy sneer on his lips.


    There was no particular reason.


    He just got a little angry all of a sudden.


    ¡®If I hadn¡¯t lost my strength when returning, I wouldn¡¯t have had to worry about these trivial things.¡¯


    And this painstakingly planned revenge would have been much easier.


    However, of all things, most of the power he had was scattered in the process of crossing the dimension from the Aliod Continent.


    The extremely trained body returned to the normal body while he was on Earth and the gentle yet heavy accumulated mana disappeared without leaving a single trace.


    The emptiness and frustration when he first realized that were indescribable, but he felt at ease thinking that was the price for returning afterward.


    He was also excited to think that he could be stronger when he gained new abilities following awakening.


    However, he couldn¡¯t help but get annoyed when a time like this came.


    ¡°Kim Do Jin, I knew your skills well. It¡¯s definitely incredible. I know I won¡¯t be your match in about a year. That¡¯s why Godfather himself nominated you. But, just give up. You can never get out of here.¡±


    ¡°Why do you decide that?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t decided by me. I¡¯m just saying the obvious outcome.¡±


    Ghost felt both admiration and astonishment in the fight with a severe difference in Rank as well as Level against Kim Do Jin, who was only at the beginning of the C-Rank.


    A sense of crisis that he might lose to Kim Do Jin.


    He had never felt this way toward a Hunter with a lower Rank than himself since he gained dark mana from joining Demon King Worshipper that allowed him to maintain invisibility almost indefinitely.


    But still, it couldn¡¯t be like that.


    ¡®The moment that monster comes out, Kim Do Jin dies.¡¯


    Ghost trembled without realizing it when he recalled Slaughterer Queen Rachel, who was like a demon with a beautiful appearance and distinct crazy personality.


    Perhaps Kim Do Jin could grow into existence no less than her.


    But that¡¯s the story when he survived.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say it again. Come to our organization. With that alone, you can have an entirely different level of power than you do now.¡±


    ¡°A different level of power?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Ghost closed his mouth tightly.


    If he led the story further, he would give too much information.


    He was not such an idiot that he couldn¡¯t even think of that.


    ¡°There are very few ways to strengthen power other than Rank-Up and Level-Up¡­ I see. You guys were Demon King Worshipers.¡±


    The problem was that Kim Do Jin was a person excellent enough to see through the situation with that brief clue.


    Ghost was startled but did not give any answer.


    There was no reason to show agitation here.


    ¡°I understand. Demon King Worshiper, not bad. It would be easy to regain strength there. Good. I¡¯ll accept the offer. But, there is something I also want.¡±


    Tilting his head at the vague word of regaining strength, Ghost opened his mouth.


    ¡°What do you want? Money, beauty, authority, we have a lot of things. Maybe you can achieve most of what you want.¡±


    Ghost was confident.


    Whatever desires Kim Do Jin has, the organization called Demon King Worshiper can satisfy them all.


    Mission accomplished.


    A smile crept to his lips without realizing it.


    However, Kim Do Jin¡¯s following words were really unexpected.


    ¡°I¡¯m the leader¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°I mean, when I enter the organization, all Demon King worshipers must follow this body.¡±


    Ghost¡¯s brain stopped for a moment.


    ¡®What nonsense did I just hear?¡¯


    He had never heard of such a proposal while convincing numerous Hunters.


    ¡°Oh, for your information, the Demon King must also be under this body¡¯s feet. So, the name of the organization should be changed.¡±


    A dejected laugh escaped from the red-faced Ghost¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Hoho, hohoho.¡±


    He felt a bit more understood now.


    ¡°How dare you play with me? The sin of insulting the Godfather and the Demon King can only be repaid by death.¡±


    Anger soared to the top of his head.


    Now Ghost erased the command from his head.


    ¡®This kind of guy is only harmful to the Godfather.¡¯


    He will be somewhat reprimanded, but he decided not to mind.


    First of all, he would beat him until neither die nor live and make him beg for his wrongdoings under his feet.


    After that, he will decapitate the weeping Kim Do Jin with a snort and throw him away.


    Otherwise, his anger would not go away.


    ¡°I¡¯m not kidding. I¡¯m serious though.¡±


    Kim Do Jin tilted his head.


    Instead of answering, Ghost approached Kim Do Jin¡¯s side and swung his toes.


    Kim Do Jin, who avoided it by tilting his neck, laughed.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯re not very pleased with my proposal.¡±


    ¡°From now on, I will do my best to kill you. Don¡¯t expect me to give you some slack as before.¡±


    Ghost followed Kim Do Jin and kicked him frantically.


    Subsequently, he aimed for Kim Do Jin¡¯s neck or heart using a throwing tanto, which he had never taken out for some contingency in his hand.


    Ghost¡¯s Specialization Skill, Invisibility, is to make everything that directly touches his body invisible.


    Therefore, the thrown dagger was bound to be exposed, but the direction of the attack became much more diverse instead.


    Kim Do Jin will not be able to hold out for a long time as his attacks will be several times more colorful than before.


    In fact, Kim Do Jin¡¯s wounds increased rapidly.


    Nevertheless, fatal injuries are still avoided.


    The movement did not become any faster.


    Rather it felt like he was gradually adapting to Ghost¡¯s attacks even though he was slowing down a bit.


    And in the meantime, the occasional counterattacks are still sharp.


    Barely escaping a crisis that almost cut his front by stepping back, Ghost clenched his teeth.


    ¡°This guy¡­!¡±


    ¡°Who gave slack to whom? You¡¯re very mistaken.¡±


    Kim Do Jin snorted while listening to that voice.


    Then, he raised the sword and cut his left wrist long.


    At the sight of a handful of blood gushing out, Ghost felt puzzled.


    ¡®Self-harm?¡¯


    He doesn¡¯t seem like a person who does something like that, so why?


    The question was for a moment.


    ¡°What are you doing. Coward. Don¡¯t have the courage to fight now?¡±


    At the ensuing provocation of Kim Do Jin, Ghost rushed forward in anger.


    With a cool smile, Kim Do Jin received the following Ghost¡¯s attacks with his bare body in his place.


    Kim Do Jin, who did not flinch at all even in the burning sensation that extends from the upper left chest to the shoulder blade, swung his left arm wide.


    ¡®Blood? No way¡­¡¯


    Ghost came to his senses as he saw the blood splattered all over the place in front of him.


    ¡°If I do this, I can see it clearly.¡±


    Kim Do Jin speaks coolly.


    The blood he sprayed was all over Ghost¡¯s face and over the clothes he was wearing.


    As mentioned, Ghost¡¯s Invisibility makes everything that directly touches his body invisible.


    But what if the blood is splattered over the already invisible clothes?


    Got tricked.


    ¡®It¡¯s okay. Just take off the clothes!¡¯


    Unfortunately, Kim Do Jin had no intention of waiting anymore.


    Toward the bewildered Ghost, Kim Do Jin now swung the sword accurately.


    Ghost twisted his body to take his foot off his shoulder, but this time he couldn¡¯t completely avoid Kim Do Jin¡¯s sword attack.


    ¡°Keaargh-!¡±


    The screaming Ghost realized that the sensation on one of his legs below the waist had completely disappeared.


    ¡°My, my leg, my leg! Aaargh!¡±


    Flair-type users are bound to have poor physical protection abilities.


    In the case of Ghost, who slaughtered the weak through Invisibility, it was even worse.


    Kim Do Jin pulled the heavily stuck dagger in his shoulder and slowly walked toward the screaming Ghost.


    He still maintained Invisibility, but his bloody hem clearly exposed his position.


    The option of taking off clothes has already been erased from his mind.


    Death is coming.


    That fact made Ghost¡¯s mind go blank.


    ¡°Do, don¡¯t come! Don¡¯t come here!¡±


    Ghost, who retreated slowly using his butt, shouted with full desire to just live.


    Kim Do Jin ignored him and slowly approached with the face of the Death God and raised his sword.


    He then said with an indifferent look.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you know this one thing. It wasn¡¯t you who gave me slack, but I just waited because I was curious about what Choi Yu Seong would do.¡±


    Is he saying that the pride issue is important in this situation?


    ¡°Un, understood. Admit. I admit it. I lost and you wo¡­!¡±


    Ghost nodded like crazy and said with desperate eyes, but his figure was not seen by Kim Do Jin.


    And even if it was seen, the results would not have been different.


    The sword swung in a beautiful trajectory in the empty space. The head of Ghost, who had been praying with both hands together and eyes wide open, fell to the floor.

 Volume 3 - CH 2

    Ghost¡¯s body, which Invisibility has been lifted after death, collapsed vainly to the floor.


    When Kim Do Jin, who looked at it with indifferent eyes, snorted.


    Crakakack-!


    With the sound of glass cracking, the quiet surroundings began to become noisy.


    It was an unexpected situation, but Kim Do Jin, who looked around, quickly guessed how this situation happened and drew a smile on his lips.


    ¡®¡­So, you didn¡¯t run away. Choi Yu Seong.¡¯


    Kim Do Jin didn¡¯t know what he did, but it was clear that Choi Yu Seong solved a problem he was unaware of.


    ¡®As expected, you don¡¯t disappoint me.¡¯


    The more he thinks about it, the more he likes him.


    As time goes by, his desire to more and more own things that he coveted is getting stronger.


    ¡®The problem is that he¡¯s a more blessed guy than he looks, so I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be easy.¡¯


    In Kim Do Jin¡¯s burning eyes, he could see figures crossing the night sky through the broken cracks.


    None of them came to find Kim Do Jin.


    Because he didn¡¯t have any colleagues yet.


    In other words, it means that all of them who have appeared now are Choi Yu Seong¡¯s people.


    There are already quite a few competitors.


    ¡®It¡¯s hard.¡¯


    Kim Do Jin had to meddle between them and win Choi Yu Seong¡¯s complex heart.


    Even Kim Do Jin is planning to kill Choi Yu Seong¡¯s father, Choi Wu Jae.


    There were too many obstacles in any way.


    Still, he thought it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    ¡®Because I already want him.¡¯


    Kim Do Jin has strong self-esteem and a greedy personality which will be satisfied only when he wins what he has decided to have by any means.


    It is no exaggeration to say that thanks to that, he survived on the Aliod Continent and was even able to defeat that world¡¯s Demon King.


    ¡®Well, it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯


    Treasure that is originally difficult to obtain is more attractive.


    Kim Do Jin¡¯s eyes were filled with longing.


    ***


    It is a green meadow.


    A rabbit runs on it.


    No, a strange human wearing a rabbit mask is running around.


    Choi Yu Seong had no choice but to wonder about the very bizarre sight.


    ¡®What is that?¡¯


    The question is just for a moment, the rabbit mask that flew like skipping stands right in front of Choi Yu Seong.


    Then it lifted a blood-dripping claymore and said.


    ¡°Die.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    The moment Choi Yu Seong answered.


    A huge claymore fell over his head and Choi Yu Seong screamed out in fear.


    ¡°Aargh-!¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who opened his eyes wide, shook his head while waving his arms in the air.


    Jin Do Yun, who was watching it from the side, asked.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Did you even have a nightmare?¡±


    Jin Yu Ri, who was on the other side, quickly brought a wet towel and wiped Choi Yu Seong¡¯s sweaty forehead.


    It was only then that Choi Yu Seong realized that the bizarre and terrible progress was a dream and breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡®Oh well, a mysterious human wearing a rabbit mask and wielding a claymore? How can someone like that exi¡­¡¯


    There is.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes widened as he recalled the rabbit mask he last saw before losing consciousness.


    ¡°Oh my gosh. Choi Mi Na.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    At the suddenly mentioned dangerous name, both Jin siblings looked at Choi Yu Seong at the same time and asked.


    ¡®Come to think of it, these two don¡¯t know about it.¡¯


    Choi Mi Na wearing a rabbit mask and working in the Martial Guard Corps is a top-secret that very few people know about it.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong was raising a topic from the two¡¯s viewpoint as he suddenly brought up the name of Choi Mi Na who is the group¡¯s most mysterious person.


    ¡°No, nothing. It¡¯s just that Mi Na noonim came out in my dream.¡±


    As always, half of the lies must be true.


    ¡°Why is it the Second Lady suddenly?¡±


    Jin Yu Ri asked with a suspicious gaze.


    ¡°Huh. Seriously. Anyway, what happened? I¡­¡±


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s gaze headed first to his right foot with a splint which was raised on the bed.


    As he looked at it, he felt the pain again.


    ¡°It broke neatly, fortunately, so it wasn¡¯t difficult to put it back again. The same goes for other injuries. The most severe thing was bleeding¡­ But since you opened your eyes safely, it should be okay.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Come to think of it, bandages were wrapped around his shoulders and all over his body.


    It would be accurate to say that there is no place where the limbs are uninjured.


    Choi Yu Seong let out a bitter smile inwardly.


    Even thinking about it again, surviving that situation itself was really the realm of luck.


    ¡®Because I met that Slaughterer Queen¡­¡¯


    She was even caught in a certain madness and tried to kill Choi Yu Seong at the end.


    It would have been kidnapping and murdering exactly, but he escaped that crisis anyway.


    A sigh of relief came out.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m alive.¡±


    When he thought of the crisis at that time, he now can greatly feel the reality.


    That was a moment of a very great danger that was incomparable to before.


    ¡°It¡¯s because the opponent was Demon King Worshipers who even had Barrier Scroll. Even that¡­ Slaughterer Queen.¡±


    As if Jin Yu Ri understood, she bit her lower lip and nodded.


    ¡°I also did not help much this time either.¡±


    On the other hand, Jin Do Yun looked so upset while clenching his fists.


    Although she didn¡¯t express it, perhaps Jin Yu Ri also felt miserable.


    Choi Yu Seong smiled and shook his head at the two.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the fault of you both. Whether the Demon King Worshiper or the Barrier Scroll are too big variables.¡±


    Considering the order of the novel progression in the first place, it was not a crisis of the degree that would already appear.


    This is because The Master Who Return To Modern Times is close to a screwed-up genre where the OP main character acts coolly, so things that cannot be handled do not come quickly.


    However, this world that became Choi Yu Seong¡¯s reality was different.


    If so, then what to do?


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself too much. I survived anyway. And this kind of thing is really rare. Let¡¯s just assume that I was unluckily struck by lightning while walking on the street. Haha.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong smiled as brightly as possible and comforted the two.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for a Barrier Master that we can hire through Jenny. Because we don¡¯t want the same thing to happen again after this incident.¡±


    Said Jin Yu Ri.


    It won¡¯t be easy.


    As mentioned, there are only around 10 Barrier Masters even when searching all over the world and they do not reveal their identities externally.


    This is because there are so many people who want to secure them as their abilities are quite useful.


    Of course, Choi Yu Seong, a complete reader of the original novel, knew one of those Barrier Masters.


    And he was already moving to hire him in preparation for a time like this.


    ¡®Yoo Jin Hyuk.¡¯


    Jin Yu Ri had no idea that the person she was looking for at the request of Choi Yu Seong was that valuable Barrier Master. Of course, Choi Yu Seong could not say that we were already looking for the Barrier Master.


    If it¡¯s like that, he will surpass the level of foresight and become a complete prophet.


    It was best for Choi Yu Seong currently to soothe her appropriately because he was not confident in handling that aftermath.


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush too much. They¡¯re not easy people to find and they¡¯ll show up when the time comes.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Jin Yu Ri smiled instead of answering.


    Just saying it, but she wouldn¡¯t back down easily as she was that stubborn.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong also chose to change the topic of conversation in a different direction rather than persuading more.


    ¡°So, can you tell me the situation in detail?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s gaze turned to the still gloomy Jin Do Yun.


    ¡°A person named Myo from the Martial Guard Corps gave me Young Master to protect. He said that he couldn¡¯t relax because the opponent was the Slaughterer Queen¡­¡±


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°I ran straight to the hospital to save Young Master.¡±


    Jin Do Yun made a troubled expression.


    So it meant that he didn¡¯t know anything about the situation at the time.


    Perhaps he was distracted by the thought that Choi Yu Seong was in an emergency.


    ¡°Thanks, I survived thanks to you.¡±


    In any case, there may be a problem somewhere in the body if the treatment is delayed.


    Fortunately, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s condition seems to have no problem as long as he recovers well.


    That alone showed how reasonable Jin Do Yun¡¯s action was.


    ¡°I was not there, but I will tell Young Master in summary. First of all, it¡¯s been a half month when Young Master woke up.¡±


    ¡°What¡­? So, what¡¯s the date today?¡±


    ¡°To be exact it is January 3rd, 2030.¡±


    ¡°Oh my gosh¡­¡±


    That meant Choi Yu Seong was no longer 20 years old.


    He also blew away Christmas, the biggest event at the end of the year, in vain.


    In fact, none of these were very important.


    ¡®My goal was to achieve D-Rank before I turned 21!¡¯


    When he woke up, he automatically grew older as the new year came.1


    Unlike Levels and Ranks that stagnate if you don¡¯t try on your own, age has an unreasonable summation rule that goes up on its own over time.


    ¡°And a lot of Martial Guards were dispatched to the scene beside Myo, who saved Young Master. According to the news, it was such a mess. Several buildings were destroyed and there were quite a few injuries. There are still many people hospitalized in this hospital because of the incident at the time.¡±


    Fortunately, there were no casualties thanks to the quick action of Hunters from the Awakener Association who were stationed at the scene and Martial Guardian Corps dispatched on time.


    ¡®Should it be said as expected of Slaughterer Queen.¡¯


    No matter how strong Choi Mi Na was, Rachel was too strong to conclude the fight 1:1.


    A situation where problems inevitably occurred after fighting for quite a long time.


    The most important things here were two things.


    ¡°As a result, Slaughterer Queen ran away. No matter how strong she was, she couldn¡¯t handle three Martial Guards alone.¡±


    ¡°Who was dispatched with Myo?¡±


    ¡°I heard they were In(Òú) and Hae(º¥).¡±


    ¡°Tiger and pig huh¡­¡±


    Rachel was missed despite the dispatch of In, who is in the top 5 in terms of force alone among Martial Guard Corps¡¯ Twelve Zodiac, and Hae, who even has a lot of miscellaneous abilities though his force is somewhat lacking , besides Myo.


    Likewise, Rachel was first thought of as a monster.


    ¡°Although they are still tracking her, it¡¯s said there¡¯s a high possibility that she has already left the country. It¡¯ll probably be hard to move for a while. Thanks to the discovery that the S-Rank Hunter, Slaughterer Queen, belongs to Demon King Worshiper, the World Awakening Association has designated her as a Disturbance grade Villain.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    With Jin Yu Ri¡¯s explanation, Choi Yu Seong realized that Rachel had not yet been designated as a Villain until just before this point.


    This incident transformed her from a dangerous person with some experience as a war mercenary into a Villain at once.


    It was originally scheduled to happen, but it can be said that the time has been moved forward somewhat.


    ¡®By the way, Disturbance grade¡­ Is it just below the Catastrophe?¡¯


    Among Villains, especially powerful and dangerous beings are graded separately to increase the risk and focus on pursuing them.


    And up to this point, the maximum realm that human Villains can reach, rather than the powerful beings from another world like demons, is the Disturbance grade.


    Of course, this common sense will soon be broken.


    What is important is that Slaughter Queen Rachel has acquired the worst danger for Villains at the moment, which has caused considerable restrictions on her movement.


    ¡®Fortunately, I don¡¯t have to worry about her for a while.¡¯

 Volume 3 - CH 3

    Considering Rachel¡¯s madness at the last moment, it was not strange if she suddenly appeared in front of Choi Yu Seong a second later.


    However, it seemed that the power of the World Awakener Association was so formidable that even after running away, she had not appeared until 15 days passed.


    ¡®Well, that¡¯s why even Demon King Worshiper can¡¯t come out under the sun recklessly.¡¯


    It¡¯s a fortunate situation.


    Now Choi Yu Seong asked the most curious question personally.


    ¡°What happened to Kim Do Jin?¡±


    In fact, as he was the main character with so many cheating abilities, Choi Yu Seong didn¡¯t think he would have died unless he was very unlucky.


    Because even his opponent was not the Slaughterer Queen like Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°He was also hospitalized with injuries.¡±


    ¡°Injury? Is it serious?¡±


    When Choi Yu Seong asked a serious question, Jin Yu Ri¡¯s expression slightly hardened.


    ¡°Yu Seong oppa. Personally, I¡¯m very anxious about the relationship between you both that is getting closer.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°You know, but why¡­¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s necessary.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who answered briefly, looked at Jin Yu Ri.


    ¡°What is it that you are hiding?¡±


    ¡°I can explain that even tomorrow.¡±


    By meeting Choi Ji Ho, he has already heard of his future.


    He will be able to tell Jin Yu Ri a convincing story without having to lie.


    ¡°First of all, let me know Kim Do Jin¡¯s condition right away. The injury is¡­¡±


    ¡°There was a lot of bleeding, but he was in a much better condition than Young Master. He was in the next room just a few days ago¡­ But he has been discharged now.¡±


    At the explanation of Jin Do Yun, who had a similar dislike expression, Choi Yu Seong breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.


    ¡®That¡¯s it.¡¯


    Everything is normal.


    A crisis came due to this incident, but the big stem has not changed.


    The moment he was completely relieved, the fatigue that he had forgotten when he woke up from the dream flooded back to the whole body.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m definitely not in good shape yet.¡±


    The two siblings smiled at his words and nodded their heads.


    ¡°Rest well. No matter what, recovery comes first.¡±


    ¡°We will be by your side. So, no one can touch Young Master anymore now¡­¡±


    At the words of Jin Do Yun following Jin Yu Ri, Choi Yu Seong smiled and closed his eyes slowly.


    Although they have been unable to use their power recently due to various serious situations, the two were the people Choi Yu Seong trusted the most as always.


    ¡®As expected¡­ They¡¯re reliable.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who closed his eyes with that thought, had to face an unexpected person when he opened his eyes again.


    ¡°What are you looking at like that? If you have opened your eyes, speak up.¡±


    A woman with ebony black long hair, a rather tall height, and a sharp cat-like figure spoke coldly toward Choi Yu Seong.


    It¡¯s my first time seeing him, but she¡¯s not unfamiliar.


    ¡®Is it a dream again?¡¯


    To say so, the sense of reality that can be felt is too vivid.


    ¡°Is it possible that you can¡¯t even recognize noonim anymore?¡±


    Choi Mi Na asked sharply.


    His hazy mind flashed awake.


    ¡®Choi Mi Na came to see me? Why?¡¯


    This is an unexpected development.


    Choi Yu Seong calmly tried to understand the current situation.


    ¡®Jin Do Yun and Jin Yu Ri are¡­¡¯


    When his eyes swept the surroundings, Choi Mi Na, who sat with a crossed leg, drew a grin as if she had been waiting.


    ¡°I kicked out the two puppies you raised. Because I¡¯m uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°¡­ The two people just accepted it?¡±


    ¡°So what if they don¡¯t accept it?¡±


    Choi Mi Na clenched her fist and lifted it in front of Choi Yu Seong, shaking it left and right.


    Well, being reckless is originally Choi Mi Na¡¯s way.


    However, Choi Yu Seong had no choice but to click his tongue.


    ¡®These two are actually desperate about strength these days, but¡­¡¯


    She had properly touched their reverse scales.


    In the future, it would be difficult for Jin siblings and Choi Mi Na to get along well in many ways.


    ¡°It¡¯s not time to worry about useless things. Are you not curious why I am here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t guess at all.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong said with a serious look.


    ¡°Oho, tell me.¡±


    Choi Mi Na nodded with a somewhat dissatisfied look.


    If he made a tongue slip, she would break one of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s arms regardless of his injury.


    Wiping a drop of cold sweat flowing through his temple, Choi Yu Seong opened his mouth with a slightly awkward smile.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you get a request from Ji Ho hyungnim?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you did to Choi Ji Ho, but he said something weird. But that doesn¡¯t mean I have a reason to visit you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be the basis. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a lot. When Father asked to visit me, noonim just created enough justification inwardly that there¡¯s no particular reason to refuse. Maybe that¡¯s all about it.¡±


    She was requested to protect him, but Choi Mi Na does not have to show her face in front of Choi Yu Seong.


    Even if other siblings in the family run wild enough to have no time to care about Choi Yu Seong, her attention on Choi Ji Ho¡¯s worries will disappear.


    So, he felt confused at first because she visited Choi Yu Seong.


    However, when the name Choi Wu Jae was put into it, the puzzle was completed at once.


    ¡®Because he came to visit even when I was hurt before.¡¯


    This means that the cold-blooded Choi Wu Jae also cares about the injuries of his children.


    Perhaps Choi Wu Jae himself had already come when he was unconscious.


    Choi Mi Na looked quite surprised despite the simple logical speculation he made from these thoughts.


    ¡°I thought you were just lucky, but¡­¡±


    She then muttered to herself.


    A slightly different smile than before appeared on her lips.


    Perhaps she was thinking about what made him survive from Rachel.


    Of course, Choi Yu Seong should not act that he knows about that.


    ¡®Who¡¯s in front of me right now is not Myo of Martial Guard Corps but the second of Hyesung Group owner family, Choi Mi Na.¡¯


    She doesn¡¯t want to let anyone in the house know that she is working in the Martial Guard Corps.


    It was a matter of course.


    When Choi Wu Jae finds out about this, she must immediately stop her Martial Guard Corps¡¯ activities.


    Perhaps the organization called ¡®Martial Guard Corps¡¯ itself may disappear from this country.


    It would be reborn as a plausible organization with a different name, but Choi Wu Jae¡¯s eyes and ears would already be filled in there.


    Choi Mi Na doesn¡¯t even care about small controversies, but she hates not being able to do what she wants.


    Kim Do Jin and Choi Mi Na.


    One of the most similar points between the two.


    ¡®I have to do what I want to do, and I don¡¯t want to lose even if I die.¡¯


    She has strong self-esteem simply put.


    She probably doesn¡¯t want to reveal secrets or even talk related to them.


    ¡°Hey. I heard you survived after meeting the Slaughterer Queen?¡±


    Such Choi Mi Na spoke out her thoughts first.


    Well, it¡¯s not at the degree where there¡¯s a need to be suspicious if it¡¯s this far.


    Slaughterer Queen is probably the hottest keyword in the world right now.


    ¡°I was lucky.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s luck. But there¡¯s a saying like that in the world. Luck is also a skill.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You know, but I hate Villains very much. In particular, indiscriminate killers such as Slaughterer Queen are even more hateful.¡±


    Choi Mi Na¡¯s words were slightly wrong.


    There are actually some fairly convincing principles in Rachel¡¯s murder, which seems reckless when reading the original novel, The Master Who Return To Modern Times.


    However, Choi Yu Seong nodded unconditionally.


    ¡®It¡¯s hard to see good things if touched her feelings for nothing.¡¯


    Come to think of it, there were also several narratives in the original novel that Choi Mi Na was chasing Rachel.


    As a result, there was no win or lose between the two.


    ¡®Maybe it was a deeper relationship than expected.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong did not think deeply about the later matters.


    It is dangerous if his thoughts continue and lead to a tongue slip.


    As soon as Choi Mi Na realized that Choi Yu Seong knew that she was active in Martial Guard Corps, she would try to shut his mouth regardless of means and methods.


    ¡°Since we don¡¯t have time, let¡¯s ask two short questions. Did you plan some kind of secret deal to survive Slaughterer Queen?¡±


    ¡°Noonim can think it like that.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong could not stop himself from spewing out the admiration he had in his heart.


    If you think about it, it was obvious logic.


    Only an E-Rank Hunter Choi Yu Seong survived after meeting with S-Rank Villain Slaughterer Queen belonging to Demon King Worshiper who is now designated as a Disturbance grade.


    In a way, it was common to think like Choi Mi Na rather than think of mere luck.


    And in fact, Choi Mi Na¡¯s words were not wrong.


    ¡®Because I seduced Rachel with money.¡¯


    However, what Choi Mi Na suspected was one step ahead of that.


    ¡°Noonim thinks I might have joined the Demon King Worshiper, right?¡±


    ¡°The possibility is not completely absent.¡±


    Choi Mi Na asked in a crooked posture.


    Her slowly coming out momentum is quite threatening.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll explain it like this. Let¡¯s say I belong to Demon King Worshiper. How long do you think it¡¯ll last?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unknown whether I can fool noonim and other siblings¡¯ eyes, but have you forgotten who is above my head?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong did not necessarily ask for trust and faith in himself.


    It would be great if he could persuade Choi Mi Na, who is full of suspicion enough to be called a walking distrust, in that way, but it would not work.


    So, he sold Choi Wu Jae.


    ¡°It won¡¯t last a month at the longest. There are only a handful of people in Korea who can fool Father¡¯s eyes. It¡¯s no exaggeration to even say that it¡¯s impossible among our siblings.¡±


    While trying to say something, Choi Mi Na frowned and was lost in thought.


    ¡®It will be. If she says she¡¯s fooling him well, she¡¯ll be in trouble.¡¯


    This was also intended by Choi Yu Seong.


    If Choi Mi Na says that it might be possible to deceive Choi Wu Jae, she is giving herself an excuse.


    This might not have worked if she was very stupid, but fortunately, Choi Mi Na is quite clever.


    This is not emphasized much in the original novel because it focuses on the main character Kim Do Jin, but if you think about it a little, it can be seen that Choi Mi Na also had a quite good brain.


    For example, her eccentricities and recklessness that others would not understand are absurd, but the results alone always showed favorable results for Choi Mi Na.


    Is this just a simple realm of luck?


    Choi Yu Seong thought it was not and was convinced of Choi Mi Na¡¯s subsequent agreement.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible¡­ That¡¯s right. Okay. I¡¯ll trust Father, not you.¡±


    At Choi Mi Na¡¯s answer with a slight smile, Choi Yu Seong also responded with a smile.


    But he didn¡¯t relax.


    Choi Mi Na still has one more question left.


    ¡°Okay then, the second question. You, why did you hide yourself all this time?¡±

 Volume 3 - CH 4

    This question is also unexpected.


    However, it was not unexpected in a difficult sense.


    ¡®I¡¯m rather embarrassed because she¡¯s been preparing too much.¡¯


    A lout and libertine Choi Yu Seong changed overnight.


    It seems like it was just a simple whim at first, but it was not like that the more you see him.


    Anyone would have any doubts.


    And the most reasonable doubt that can be found, there is no choice but to lead toward the direction that he has been hiding.


    He thought it was just the obvious and common clich¨¦ that appears most in the usual regression novels. But as Choi Yu Seong himself possessed a novel, it seemed to make sense.


    ¡®Because no one has ever experienced this kind of soul possession or regression.¡¯


    Opening up possibilities with imaginary stories is impossible not only for common sense but also for smart people.


    Therefore, he was always on the lookout for someone who came to this conclusion and would ask him a question someday.


    However, it was definitely unexpected that the first target was Choi Mi Na.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about passing it over because there¡¯s a reason why you can¡¯t talk. I didn¡¯t mean to, but I¡¯ll be in charge as your nanny for a while so I need a convincing reason for that. Otherwise, it¡¯s bound to be quite insincere even if I keep the promise. You know, I never do what I don¡¯t want to do, even to death.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong sighed deeply deliberately toward Choi Mi Na, who showed a confident smile.


    ¡°There is nothing I can do when noonim says it like that. I will be honest. I am¡­ afraid of dying.¡±


    Start sincerely.


    As always, scams work only when truth and falsehood are half mixed.


    Choi Yu Seong spoke his words while acting with a sentimental voice and eyes regretting the past as much as possible.


    ¡°As you know, my mother passed away early in an accident. Honestly, I cannot even remember my mother¡¯s face now. But suddenly, I had that kind of question. Was my mother¡¯s death really an accident?¡±


    Choi Mina¡¯s mother also had a sudden death due to the attack of Villains.


    She will be able to reach some consensus.


    In fact, her eyes have become quite serious at a different level than before.


    ¡°I was born in the owner family of the Hyesung Group. It may be a very envious realm for some but from my viewpoint inside of it¡­ It felt like I was alone in the jungle.¡±


    ¡°So, you hid yourself to survive? If it¡¯s like that, you should have been stuck somewhere without even thinking about breathing.¡±


    ¡°Because I am a coward. I had no confidence to let go of everything I already had and live a normal life. In a way, I become more defenseless when that happens, right? It was the same with attracting people¡¯s attention in a rather bizarre way. I am just a useless good-for-nothing at home, but everyone knows me outside. If someone tries to harm me, wouldn¡¯t they have no choice but to pay attention to those gazes? I think noonim will understand my way.¡±


    ¡°Then, why did you suddenly change your attitude?¡±


    It worked.


    Choi Yu Seong raised his head as he sensed that Choi Mi Na, who is called a nutcase throughout the family, was quite sympathetic to him.


    Cold and calm eyes.


    In a way, she seems to resemble Choi Wu Jae endlessly, but the emotions reflected between them are not just fierce.


    ¡°I have been thinking about the days after Father passed away that will come one day.¡±


    Choi Wu Jae is an absolute ruler that encompasses the whole family and is respected by many powerful people around the world now, but he is also a person.


    No one thinks his life will last forever unless he finds an elixir plant.


    ¡°The ninth, who is far from the family, a lout who only makes accidents. Even if I say I don¡¯t want wealth or power, there are probably more people who won¡¯t believe me than people who will.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you suddenly changed your stance?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Because I do not want to die. A limited life where I just hung in there, that wasn¡¯t something to do for a long time.¡±


    Choi Mi Na quietly looked at Choi Yu Seong, who calmly finished his sentence.


    Soon after, she suddenly got up with an unknown expression, whether she was angry or sad, and threw something at Choi Yu Seong.


    As he reached out and received the object dazedly, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes grew bigger.


    An unknown object in the form of a bracelet worn on the arm.


    Unless he was an idiot, he had no choice but to know the answer quickly.


    ¡°An ancient relic?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that you don¡¯t have the eye to see.¡±


    Choi Mi Na did not deny that fact.


    ¡°But actually, I also don¡¯t know what it¡¯s for.¡±


    Choi Mi Na¡¯s following words were somewhat absurd.


    ¡°¡­Does it mean that noonim don¡¯t even know what kind of ancient relic this is?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I wasn¡¯t that curious.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong stared at Choi Mina.


    Can he take her word as it is and believe it?


    ¡®Probably not.¡¯


    It¡¯s an ancient relic no matter what.


    When it¡¯s not enough to figure out how to use it by any means if she has it, but she left it alone because she wasn¡¯t very curious? It didn¡¯t make sense.


    It would be better to believe in the word that people made soybean paste with poop.


    In other words, two speculations can be thought of here.


    ¡®Research is done, but even Choi Mi Na doesn¡¯t know how to use it.¡¯


    Or she already knows but pretends not to know.


    Either way was good.


    It¡¯s an ancient relic, so it will be enough to think about the use later and just rejoice for now.


    ¡°Thank you. Noonim.¡±


    ¡°I can hear the sound of the brain running all the way here. Don¡¯t pretend to be innocent, Kkomaengi1.¡±


    The smirking Choi Mi Na continued to talk with her arms folded.


    ¡°The matter of dropping interest in you within the family, the limit is a year at most. No matter how aggressive I am, the rest of them are not idiots. That is if I had done it roughly, it wouldn¡¯t last a month. Also, I can¡¯t block everything. How can I cover the sky with one hand? I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be some loose guys.¡±


    To interpret Choi Mi Na¡¯s words, it means that she liked Choi Yu Seong quite a bit.


    It was a short conversation, but what was supposed to take about a month increased to a year because of that.


    Her last words were also not so light.


    No matter how outstanding Choi Mi Na¡¯s ability is, she is not Choi Wu Jae after all.


    She doesn¡¯t hold and wield all the power of the family, so it is impossible to block all the actions of the siblings.


    That¡¯s why the best thing that Choi Mi Na can do is to avert attention.


    Of course, it would be nice if she could block all threats that come like a real nanny, but if she did that, she would go against Choi Wu Jae¡¯s nerves.


    Since it could cause a bigger problem, Choi Yu Seong also did not want that much protection.


    Anyway, just by what Choi Mi Na promised now, the intensity of interest and checks that should have been directed to Choi Yu Seong would be reduced several times.


    In other words, he will be able to use time much more leisurely.


    Is there any reason to express dissatisfaction?


    ¡°That is enough.¡±


    At the words of the smiling Choi Yu Seong, Choi Mi Na nodded and said.


    ¡°And in the future, stay around Itaewon when you go outside if possible.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I often go there to play, you know.¡±


    What kind of random words do those mean?


    Choi Mi Na, who turned her head hard whether Choi Yu Seong was flustered or not, strode toward the door with her cheeks dyed red.


    ¡°Father has already come here. So, you don¡¯t have to be unnecessarily nervous. Kkomaengi. Noonim is leaving.¡±


    Like that, Choi Mi Na left the hospital room.


    Left alone, Choi Yu Seong looked at the blackish gray bracelet that seemed to have been burned for a long time.


    ¡®A gray bracelet¡­ I¡¯m sure there was a mention of similar words in the original novel.¡¯


    He can¡¯t remember well.


    After tilting his head over and over again, Choi Yu Seong ruffled his hair randomly and lay on the bed.


    ¡®Oh, whatever. I¡¯ll remember it.¡¯


    If you can¡¯t think of it even if you try it forcibly, it¡¯s hard to find the answer no matter how hard you try.


    Rather, there are times when an important memory comes to mind while being absent-minded.


    ¡®Let¡¯s rest for now.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong needed a break.


    ***


    After leaving Choi Yu Seong¡¯s hospital room, Choi Mi Na briefly met and greeted Jin siblings then left the hospital alone.


    There was no such thing as a fancy procession or a limousine that other family members would be waiting for.


    Some may enjoy such scenery and treatment, but Choi Mi Na found all of it cumbersome.


    ¡®Honestly, it¡¯s faster to run if you make up your mind and move. I don¡¯t understand why people drive cars.¡¯


    No matter how great a Hunter is, they commonly prefer the use of transportation to keep out of people¡¯s eyes.


    However, for Choi Mi Na, who values efficiency above all, all of those thoughts felt cumbersome and useless.


    However, today¡¯s Choi Mi Na did not run fast toward her next destination contrary to that thought.


    She chose to get on a bus although it is public transportation, sat down, and thought deeply.


    There was no need to pay much attention to people¡¯s attention.


    As mentioned, Choi Mi Na has never appeared in public events officially.


    Thanks to this, only people in the family, a small number of political and business giants, or a few fearless reporters knew her face.


    The probability of the former two groups getting on a bus was extremely low.


    No, there is no one.


    Fearless reporters?


    Sadly(?) they are all scared now.


    In the name of social experience, Choi Mi Na directly informed them what is the fear of the world.


    If not, how can she openly operate a lounge bar then?


    Anyway. She doesn¡¯t know if he did it consciously or not, but Choi Yu Seong said a lot of pretty shocking things in his conversation with her.


    To organize all those things, she couldn¡¯t afford to walk or run as usual.


    ¡®It¡¯s clear that he¡¯s hiding something about Rachel.¡¯


    Choi Mi Na was not stupid. It could be a weakness for himself, so it was passed on somewhat sloppily, but she did not completely dispel her doubts about Choi Yu Seong.


    Rather, she felt suspicious of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s confident attitude, but most of the reasons that came to her mind were absurd.


    ¡®There¡¯s no way that Kkomaengi guy knows that I belong to the Martial Guard Corps.¡¯


    Choi Ji Ho seems to like Choi Yu Seong, but he would not have even told Choi Mi Na¡¯s secret.


    In the first place, Choi Ji Ho is not that light-mouthed man.


    ¡®If he made fun of me cheaply, I should chase him tomorrow right away and pull out his tongue so that he can¡¯t talk again.¡¯


    Having a terrifying imagination in her mind, Choi Mi Na¡¯s eyes became sharp.


    In fact, she could find the answer roughly through investigation if she spent a little time on this part.


    What complicated Choi Mi Na¡¯s head and heart was none other than the story of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mother.


    ¡®Kkomaengi¡¯s mother¡­ It was that woman, right? Baek Yu Ri.¡¯

 Volume 3 - CH 5

    Although she was very young, Choi Mi Na had also seen Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mother.


    She was a woman with shoulder-length black hair and a fairly gentle impression resembling a puppy, but there is no special memory.


    Her family was not great and her academic background was not significant either.


    Her appearance was as amazing as she was Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mother, but except for that fact, she was ordinary. Rather, she was a strange woman because she was too ordinary.


    How on earth did such a person fall into Choi Wu Jae¡¯s heart?


    Biting her lower lip slightly, Choi Mi Na¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡®It was so natural that people missed it.¡¯


    It seems that Choi Wu Jae is not picky about this woman or that woman because he has a lot of children, but it is the exact opposite in reality.


    Rather, Choi Wu Jae chooses and makes his women thoroughly.


    Whether it is a political position, economic ideal, or future investment perspective. It is ultimately the process of creating a successor to him, so he has never chosen his pair easily.


    But a woman who just pretty took the place of Choi Wu Jae¡¯s wife?


    Everyone didn¡¯t even care since Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mother, Baek Yu Ri, died suddenly at a fairly young age, but it was obviously strange.


    ¡®There¡¯s something. Definitely.¡¯


    Now that she looked at it, only Choi Yu Seong noticed it throughout the family.


    That fact was absurd, yet interesting, and surprising.


    ¡®He was the only one who thought about something that no one in the family, no, no one in Korea cared about.¡¯


    It may be considered natural because it is his mother¡¯s matter, but not doubting an incident that someone, perhaps Choi Wu Jae, tried to bury directly is close to an unwritten rule within the entire Hyesung Group owner family.


    However, the timid ninth Choi Yu Seong is paying attention to that matter.


    Does Choi Wu Jae not know that?


    ¡®Nevertheless, Father doesn¡¯t hide that he pretty cares about this Kkomaengi brat.¡¯


    This is actually because Choi Yu Seong has not even tried to investigate his mother Baek Yu Ri, but it looked completely different from Choi Mi Na¡¯s viewpoint.


    The circumstances in the family are changing.


    Perhaps the ninth Kkomaengi, who no one cared about, has become a big variable and is digging in, but the majority have yet to notice him.


    But it¡¯s only a matter of time.


    ¡®Like awl in the pocket1. In the end, it¡¯s bound to stand out.¡¯


    The moment the awl pops out of the pocket, other siblings will press it so that it will never come out again.


    Or, the awl itself will be broken or thrown away somewhere in resentment of being stabbed by the protruding awl.


    Now she could understand why Choi Ji Ho asked to take care of Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®Kkomaengi is neither a fool nor a coward.¡¯


    Rather, he is courageous enough to break the unwritten rules of the family.


    He is also a sensible person who has been hiding his true purpose for a while but can stretch when he sees the time.


    And Choi Wu Jae is watching the ninth, which may be somewhat cheeky, with a cute view.


    Choi Mi Na couldn¡¯t even understand how that iron-clad stubbornness, which could not be broken stubbornly, was gently melted.


    ¡®He¡¯s a stiff geezer that doesn¡¯t even eat my aegyo2.¡¯


    Lightly tapping the bus window with her index finger, Choi Mi Na smiled.


    ¡®Very good.¡¯


    There was no kid she liked among the stupid siblings who just feel conscious of Choi Wu Jae and keep a low profile, but for the first time, the ninth caught her eyes.


    Choi Mi Na was uninterested not only in the chairman¡¯s position but also in the family¡¯s affairs.


    However, Choi Ji Ho, who was the most likely candidate for the next chairman, was eliminated in an unexpected accident and the next focus naturally shifted to her.


    Even if she tries to hand it over to other siblings because it is annoying, Choi Wu Jae blocks it.


    As a result, the atmosphere within the group was being created so that Choi Mi Na could take over the chairman naturally as time passed.


    ¡®It was a shitty situation.¡¯


    From Choi Mi Na¡¯s viewpoint, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s sunlight suddenly came in a state where she didn¡¯t like anything.


    Of course, it could be.


    Empathy arose from a sense of similarity that both lost their mother at a young age.


    It cannot be denied that Choi Yu Seong, who she looked badly at, may have entered a corner of her heart because of that.


    It¡¯s not that she completely doesn¡¯t have any doubts, but she is willing to help a little more actively after it¡¯s resolved.


    Because of this, she even handed over unexpected items to Choi Yu Seong out of temper.


    Ancient relics, Fragments of Destruction God.


    Choi Mi Na has never used it herself, so she doesn¡¯t know the exact effect.


    However, as can be guessed from its name, it is clear that it is an ancient relic with considerable power.


    ¡®It¡¯s a bit of a pity since I gave it according to my mood, but it¡¯s something I can¡¯t use anyway¡­¡¯


    Unfortunately, most of Choi Mi Na¡¯s abilities are the strength that is located at opposite ends of the Gods, so Fragments of Destruction God cannot be used at all.


    Still, she kept it because it was a pity to give it to others, but she handed it to Choi Yu Seong because of her sudden change of heart.


    Looking out the window with her index finger lightly twisting her side hair, she thought.


    ¡®When will Kkomaengi notice the bracelet¡¯s identity?¡¯


    He would have to come and say thank you more than a thousand times after knowing it, but Choi Mi Na was already looking forward to that day.


    ***


    Choi Yu Seong was only able to be discharged 15 days after Choi Mi Na visited.


    It was said to be a great resilience as expected of Awakener from the doctor¡¯s view, but it was frustrating days for Choi Yu Seong, who pitied the waste of every minute and every second.


    After overcoming that half month, Choi Yu Seong got into a car driven by Jin Do Yun to go back to the dungeon. He felt that it was time to answer the concerns he had put off.


    ¡®Although I thought it might be like this.¡¯


    An exciting situation has come.


    -[Private] Prankster Who Likes Jokes marvels at you. 200 Karma Points are sponsored. He says he has a Skill that really suits you. Will you learn the Skill? Y/N


    -Oldest Hunter is really fond of Awakener Choi Yu Seong. 300 Karma Points are sponsored. He says he wants to give you a Skill so much. Will you learn the Skill? Y/N


    -Noble of Magnificent Beard pays tribute to Awakener Choi Yu Seong. 250 Karma Points are sponsored. He wants to transfer a very strong Skill. Will you learn the Skill? Y/N


    -Sacred Divine Empress refers to Awakener Choi Yu Seong as the most excellent man she has recently seen. 300 Karma Points are sponsored. She wants to give you a Skill that suits you. Y/N


    -Red Fangs Through The Dark Night feels a strong longing when seeing Awakener Choi Yu Seong. 100 Karma Points are sponsored. He threatens that you will regret it if you don¡¯t receive the Skill. Y/N


    -Cullan¡¯s Hound judges that Awakener Choi Yu Seong¡¯s spearmanship has a very high potential. 500 Karma Points are sponsored. He promises that if you learn the Skill, you will be able to become the strongest spearman. Will you learn the Skill? Y/N


    After the incident of Demon King Worshiper along with Rachel, all the Gods watching Choi Yu Seong sent messages to pass on their Skills.


    And these messages were probably poured at the end of the fierce battle with Rachel.


    ¡®At the time, I wasn¡¯t in my right mind that I couldn¡¯t even think of checking the messages.¡¯


    If he had the mind to do that, he would have recognized Choi Mi Na at a glance.


    Therefore, it was when he was hospitalized that he checked the messages properly.


    Since then, Choi Yu Seong has fallen into thoughts.


    As mentioned, the reason why the lofty Gods give Karma Points and Skills is that the achievements made by humans they sponsor are returned to their karma figures and then copied to help raise their status.


    Obviously, God¡¯s stake in a human increase more when they pass on Skills that are equivalent to their ability than when sharing some of the Karma Points they have.


    And if it is possible, the first one to transfer a Skill will gain an advantage in the battle for shares among Gods.


    That¡¯s why Loki begged Choi Yu Seong from the beginning to learn his Skill.


    Choi Yu Seong has been ignoring Loki¡¯s messages for a while, but now all six Gods have put up their Skills.


    It was too much for Choi Yu Seong to ignore him anymore when this situation came.


    Even for those who are waiting, he has to make a definite choice at this point eventually.


    Choi Yu Seong made the most optimal route for his growth through a long period of thought and decided to notify the results now.


    ¡°There is no bad intention.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who spoke to himself, smiled somewhat apologetically and replied to the six Gods¡¯ Skill transfer messages.


    There were two things Choi Yu Seong had to worry about for 15 days before he could decide his current answer.


    First, be sure of the true names of the Gods who are sponsoring.


    Second, it is necessary to guess the Skills that Gods will give through their true names.


    The first was relatively easy.


    Except for only one God with a rather difficult and unknown nickname, all the others were using nicknames that were mentioned at least once in the original work or were easy to guess.


    Except for Loki, Guan Yu, and Cu Chulainn with already clear answers, the remaining three Gods are left.


    Among them, the first God that Choi Yu Seong found the answer to was Sacred Divine Empress.


    ¡®This one has never come out in the original, but it¡¯s actually easy to find the answer.¡¯


    As can be seen from the nickname of Sacred Divine Empress, the opponent was a monarch of a country during her lifetime.


    In the end, it was inevitably easy to know the answer if you did a little research on ruler titles.


    ¡®Sacred Divine Golden Empress Zetian.¡¯3


    The nickname used is only an abbreviation of this, and the part that Choi Yu Seong should pay attention to was the last word.


    ¡®Zetian, Wu Zetian.¡¯


    Commonly known better by the name of Ze Tian Wu Hou4, was China¡¯s first female emperor to ascend to the throne at a late age and hold power for a long time.


    It is true that she has achieved great achievements and has a reputation enough to reach Divinity, but Choi Yu Seong was not going to choose her skill unfortunately.


    ¡®There are some Skills that I can guess roughly, but it¡¯s not the kind that I want.¡¯


    What comes to mind when thinking of Wu Zetian is strong power5 and dignity that holds people down so that no one can surpass her.


    It was certain that her intangible power would be formidable as she ascended to the throne at a late age and was in emperor position for a very long time.


    Perhaps Choi Yu Seong may have as much pressure and atmosphere as Choi Wu Jae with the power of her Skill.


    In other words, however, Choi Yu Seong can have such ability without using a Skill when the time comes.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure there are a few other great abilities since she had risen to Divinity, but¡­¡¯


    Anyway, out.


    Sacred Divine Empress was the object of rejection at the time her true name was revealed.


    Recalling the memories of that time, Choi Yu Seong sent the most first refusal to Sacred Divine Empress¡¯s message.

 Volume 3 - CH 6

    -Sacred Divine Empress is very displeased. She says there will be no way to watch Awakener Choi Yu Seong in the future.


    At the same time, she left Choi Yu Seong.


    He felt sorry, but he wasn¡¯t disappointed.


    ¡®The seat is empty.¡¯


    Therefore, other Gods, who stepped back in the seemingly already overheated competition and secretly coveted Choi Yu Seong, may also plan to take a step forward in the stake fight.


    And the second, Red Fangs Through The Dark Night.


    This one did not use a nickname that revealed himself openly like Wu Zetian.


    So, it was somewhat difficult to find out through investigation. But fortunately, Choi Yu Seong remembered reading the name of this terrifying being in the original novel.


    ¡®Vlad ?epe?.¡¯


    When he started the investigation through this, a much more famous and straightforward name existed.


    It¡¯s literally Vlad III Dr?culea.


    The origin of humanoid bloodsucking monsters that are commonly seen in classical Western horror movies.


    It was this Vlad ?epe?, also known as the origin of vampires in modern times.


    He was human in the beginning, like Wu Zetian, Guan Yu, and Cu Chulainn.


    However, the legend and achievements were twisted in a completely different way from ordinary figures and eventually called an extraordinary being, the First Vampire.


    For reference, countless races other than humans appear in Master Who Return To Modern Times as the novel progresses.


    One of them is the vampire clan and the god they serve is ¡®Red Fangs Through The Dark Night¡¯. That is Dracula.


    Dracula¡¯s power and abilities were incomparable to other people who rose to Divinity from humans, as he gave birth to a powerful race called vampire.


    ¡®Although considering his influence on Earth, he can be a stronger supporter than Loki¡­¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong swallowed his saliva and sent a reply of rejection to Dracula as well.


    -Red Fangs Through The Dark Night leaves Awakener Choi Yu Seong with a cool smile.


    He did not run wild like the Sacred Divine Empress.


    However, it was much scarier.


    As mentioned, Dracula has a stronger influence on Earth rather than Loki.


    The vampire race who followed him couldn¡¯t be seen, but it was expected because they were active in the dark.


    Dracula even threatened in the message that Choi Yu Seong would regret it.


    He only sent a message that he was smiling, but it was more likely he would retaliate in some way.


    To be honest, he was scared to the point of trembling slightly, but he couldn¡¯t accept Dracula¡¯s offer no matter how many times he thought about it.


    It¡¯s not because his Skill doesn¡¯t match him.


    Rather, the reason for rejecting this one was simpler.


    ¡®Because if I learn Dracula¡¯s Skill, I¡¯ll become a vampire too.¡¯


    Even if not immediately, slowly but eventually Choi Yu Seong also becomes a vampire.


    It had no choice but to become like that.


    To put it bluntly, considering Dracula¡¯s first Skill he will give to Choi Yu Seong is likely to be ¡®Bloodsucking¡¯.


    Even if you are sane, you have no choice but to keep in mind the situation in which you naturally turn into a vampire if you suck and eat the opponent¡¯s blood.


    This was because Dracula¡¯s ability was as strong as that, but to be clear, Choi Yu Seong wanted to remain a human unless he was in a very unavoidable situation.


    ¡®Even if you become a vampire, you can¡¯t see the sunlight for a while.¡¯


    Is that all?


    Powerful Demon Hunters from the Vatican will follow for the rest of your lives.


    Now that he is working hard for lifelong safety, there was no reason to put another tag that would threaten his life.


    ¡®And the third, The Oldest Hunter. It was really hard to find this one.¡¯


    The God with the longest time to track the identity while he was hospitalized was The Oldest Hunter, Scathi1.


    ¡®Although I¡¯m actually still half doubted¡­¡¯


    There were also quite a few parts that were accepted as facts.


    And if The Oldest Hunter is Scathi, it is no exaggeration to say that she is the strongest of the four remaining Gods except for Loki.


    ¡®The God of Hunting who rules the Isle of the Dead.¡¯


    Scathi, a god not well known to people, is rumored to be the sister of Freya, a goddess of beauty that often appears in Norse mythology, and there was also a story that she was once a lover of Loki.


    Whatever it was, her name was not well known but it was highly likely that she had strong enough power to form ties with prominent Gods in Norse mythology.


    ¡®Because even Odin offered a deal to control her anger in the mythical story. No more words needed.¡¯


    Such a great figure paid attention to Choi Yu Seong before anyone else.


    The reason is unknown.


    However, it was known that Scathi liked men a lot. And the more handsome he is, the more she likes him.


    It was a bit absurd, but it meant that Choi Yu Seong¡¯s appearance might have led her.


    Furthermore, it was understandable that Loki approached Choi Yu Seong faster than other high-ranking Gods.


    ¡®What Loki and Scathi have in common is that they are half-god and half-giant.¡¯¡¯


    The mythical story may not be all about the relationship between the two.


    If there was any close relationship between the two Gods, it could be understood that Loki approached Choi Yu Seong at a high speed.


    In that sense, the answer to Scathi, The Oldest Hunter, was put aside.


    ¡®Scathi isn¡¯t bad either if I can get a stable and powerful Skill.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong looked at Guan Yu and sent a message of rejection as he had already decided.


    No matter how powerful the Skill is, it is meaningless if it doesn¡¯t match.


    -Noble of Magnificent Beard smacks his lips out of regret. He gets up from his seat wishing good fortune in battles for Awakener Choi Yu Seong.


    Indeed, as a figure called the Chinese god of war, the attitude of leaving is also polite.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong felt more sorry, but he could not reverse the decision he had already made.


    By the way, there were three Gods left.


    ¡®Loki, Scathi, Cu Chulainn.¡¯


    Prankster Who Likes Jokes, The Oldest Hunter, and Culann¡¯s Hound.


    Somehow, only the Gods of Nordic descent remained.


    It could be a simple coincidence, but Choi Yu Seong found this situation also interesting.


    And of course, in terms of God¡¯s status alone, Cu Chulainn was the most lacking.


    ¡®However, he¡¯ll be a great help to my spearmanship.¡¯


    The Skill that Cu Chulainn will pass on will be unconditionally related to spearmanship.


    Scathi¡¯s side was also known as the witch¡¯s guardian, so it was highly likely to pass on Skill that was close to flair-type, especially magic.


    ¡®And Loki is¡­¡¯


    Honestly, it couldn¡¯t be guessed.


    Shouldn¡¯t he be just fairly versatile so it can be guessed?


    Loki¡¯s abilities were enormous enough to be called the best talent in Norse mythology, and it was more difficult to guess than Odin in a sense.


    Just to guess, it was a fact that he would not give up a powerful ability that could be his signature.


    ¡®I¡¯m an inferior that¡¯s not enough to reveal his roots from the beginning, and it¡¯s not at the level I can handle.¡¯


    The powerful ability that goes beyond the level must be sealed and cannot be used, only neglected.


    Wasn¡¯t this the reason why Choi Yu Seong first rejected the offer of Odin(though it was surely Loki in disguise)?


    Anyway, after much consideration, he was sure of his true name and finished guessing about his Skills.


    Choi Yu Seong, who compressed the candidates so far, carried out the bold decision he had made.


    ¡®All three. Okay.¡¯


    Sending a message of consent in the order of Scathi, Cu Chulainn, and Loki, Choi Yu Seong swallowed his saliva.


    The Skills transferred by Gods are not affected by Fusion¡¯s empty Skill slots.


    In other words, it is possible to be given the Skills of various Gods at the same time in this way.


    However, the above method may feel undesirable only from the standpoint of the Gods who want to take the lead rather than other Gods in stake fight for Choi Yu Seong¡¯s Karma figures.


    If so, there are two options the Gods can choose.


    ¡®One is to simply withdraw their will to transfer skills and leave me.¡¯


    The second method is to transfer a Skill as they wanted, even if it is a little unpleasant.


    As long as Choi Yu Seong responded to the messages, the decision-making authority is now reversed.


    What kind of answer will the three Gods send?


    Perhaps, at this moment, Loki¡¯s message was not hidden and shown to the other two Gods.


    Once a Skill is transferred, it cannot be given to another person again.


    Therefore, if they don¡¯t think they¡¯ll get as much stake as they want, they have the right to leave here and the private message must also be disclosed.


    This was an unbreakable rule set among the Gods.


    Inside the car, there was a God who answered first among the particularly tense silence.


    -The Oldest Hunter says it is an excellent choice and is delighted. Transferring a Skill exclusively for Awakener Choi Yu Seong.


    As always, ¡®The Oldest Hunter¡¯ Scathi reached out first.


    -Prankster Who Likes Jokes nods with a look full of dissatisfaction. Transferring a Skill.


    Loki followed suit accepting the offer.


    Up to this point, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s plan could be considered successful.


    ¡®Because it¡¯s no different than saying that two powerful Norse Gods became my sponsors.¡¯


    However, Cu Chulainn seemed to have no choice but to give up in this case.


    ¡®Because he lacks strength and influence compared to the two Gods¡­¡¯


    ¡®Culann¡¯s Hound¡¯ Cu Chulainn has a weak name value to greedily fight for the stake.


    The best result Choi Yu Seong wanted was for Cu Chulainn to transfer his Skill first.


    ¡®He¡¯ll probably give up.¡¯


    If it is a rational judgment, it is right to give up.


    However, Cu Chulainn seemed to have a little different idea.


    -Culann¡¯s Hound snorts and is willing to accept your arrogance. Transferring a Skill.


    ¡°Awesome.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong unknowingly burst into an exclamation inside the silent car. Jin Do Yun, who was holding the steering wheel, tilted his head.


    ¡°Young Master?¡±


    There was no time to get an answer.


    Suddenly, three lights of purple, black, and blue began to swirl around Choi Yu Seong¡¯s chest and brain.


    Choi Yu Seong is accepting it with his eyes closed.


    There was no way that Jin Do Yun could not understand the situation from the standpoint of experiencing it once.


    ¡®The Gods are transferring their Skills to Young Master.¡¯


    And the number is as much as three.


    Jin Do Yun held the steering wheel tightly while looking straight ahead in case of a traffic accident, but his head was filled with joy and thrill.


    ¡®Oh my gosh. Who learned the Skills of three Gods during E-Rank? Madness Bernard? Time Walker Christian? Who else is there?¡¯


    The names of Hunters discussed as the world¡¯s strongest passed by in his mind.


    The point was that Jin Do Yun didn¡¯t have that good head.


    Therefore, he decided to send a message to ask Jin Yu Ri as soon as he got out of the car.

 Volume 3 - CH 7

    ¡®I don¡¯t know for sure, but at least there will be only a few even if I search the whole world. No, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be in the top 10!¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong complained that he seemed stagnant because his level didn¡¯t rise, but it was not like that at all.


    At least in the eyes of Jin Do Yun, Choi Yu Seong was growing faster and certainly than anyone he knew.


    The heart of Jin Do Yun, who was thrilled, beat like crazy.


    The eyes facing straight ahead turned red even though it was unintended.


    ¡°Such a sloppy mess. Get your mind together. Jin Do Yun.¡±


    Fortunately, he didn¡¯t shed any tears perhaps because he was focused on driving.


    ***


    At 3 am, two days after Choi Yu Seong received the Skills of The Three Gods.


    Two men wearing thick long padding jackets and even hats stood near the entrance of a Dungeon Square connected to the entrance of 2nd Grade Dungeon, Goblin Fortress, located in Sinwol-dong, Seoul.


    What was unusual was that both men were clutching large titanium-based black bags with thick fur gloves on their right hands.


    It is reasonable to draw attention to the somewhat suspicious appearance, but no one was passing by since it was a time when the floating population was so small.


    A man among them with a rather small physique and a stubborn mouth located on the left, Reporter Park Jin Hwan, frowned slightly as he looked at the long road with his back against Dungeon Square.


    ¡°Reporter Kim. Do you know what time it is?¡±


    At his self-talk, another reporter on his right, Kim Jin Young, put his hand without a bag in his pocket and took out a handphone before checking the time.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have hands or feet? Reporter Park. It¡¯s currently 3:03. Was the appointment time 3:10?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Did we come 30 minutes earlier in vain? He said he might come 10 minutes earlier, so we got ready first, but.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re looking forward to it uselessly. Reporter Kim, did you forget who the opponent is?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Choi Yu Seong.¡±


    No matter how quiet he is without causing any accident recently, his good-for-nothing image does not come off easily.


    ¡°It¡¯s already fortunate if he comes on time.¡±


    Kim Jin Young scratched his cheek at the words of the smirking Park Jin Hwan.


    ¡®As you said that, I think I¡¯m also looking forward to it in case he comes early.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t have to spit out what was inside his mind.


    And it was when they naturally put aside any expectations.


    Three human silhouettes appeared over Kim Jin Young¡¯s foggy glasses filled with steam from his breath in the cold wave.


    ¡°He¡¯s here!¡±


    Sure enough, Park Jin Hwan rejoiced.


    Then, he took out his cell phone, checked the clock, and drew a strange smile on his lips.


    ¡®Arrived five minutes early. Faster than expected.¡¯


    Is it because they don¡¯t have high expectations?


    He felt better for no reason even with this trivial thing.


    Meanwhile, Choi Yu Seong approached the two at a fast pace and greeted the two reporters first.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been waiting. Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Choi Yu Seong.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Park Jin Hwan.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Kim Jin Young.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to your cooperation today.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who spoke politely, smiled.


    Seeing Choi Yu Seong like that, Park Jin Hwan felt his reporter¡¯s instinct wriggling.


    ¡®Ah, I should¡¯ve shot it now.¡¯


    He felt a bit regretful not taking out the camera since he thought the filming was a little later.


    The cold wave was so severe that even the Awakener Choi Yu Seong had a red face, but as he already felt when taking pictures the other day, the person himself is so amazing.


    ¡®Choi Yu Seong, even the dawn cold wave of January melts down with his smile. Straight to women¡¯s hearts. Ugh, it¡¯s a good picture just by imagining it.¡¯


    Is it because of thinking like that?


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to be a model? Aigo, I am sorry.¡±


    He said half-empty words without realizing it.


    For a moment, he thought Choi Yu Seong would be offended, so he apologized quickly. But Choi Yu Seong just shook his head calmly.


    He then looked at Jin Do Yun and Jin Yu Ri who followed and said.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go. Wait for a little. If it¡¯s cold, go to the car and rest.¡±


    ¡°It is not cold at all.¡±


    ¡°Me too. Compared to the snowy Dungeon, it¡¯s not cold at all.¡±


    Jin Do Yun¡¯s words are followed by Jin Yu Ri. Choi Yu Seong, who smiled at the two¡¯s confident appearance, nodded and looked at Park Jin Hwan again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s we go.¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything else other than that.


    That wasn¡¯t a particularly unpleasant expression or action, but Park Jin Hwan sensed a strange difficulty in it and felt cold sweats running down his back.


    Why? Isn¡¯t there something like that? When that leisure itself makes people difficult and looks up to them.


    That¡¯s exactly how Park Jin Hwan felt right now.


    Looking at the silent Choi Yu Seong, awe came at one side of his heart without realizing it.


    ¡°Reporter Park. Take good pictures. Got it?¡±


    Jin Yu Ri, who called Park Jin Hwan from behind, said quietly.


    Park Jin Hwan turned his head at her and agonized.


    If it was the usual Park Jin Hwan, he has a saying he practices like a habit.


    ¡®I¡¯ll work as much as I get paid.¡¯


    But today was different.


    ¡°I will do my best.¡±


    When he remembered Choi Yu Seong¡¯s back, it felt like he had to say that.


    ¡®Well, although it¡¯ll be pointless effort if the results don¡¯t come out¡­¡¯


    Park Jin Hwan grabbed a black bag containing a magic tech drone that can do filming inside the Dungeon.


    The reason why Park Jin Hwan and Kim Jin Young came here today is because of Jin Yu Ri.


    Of course, no matter how much money they give, if no incident could be an issue, they wouldn¡¯t even try to wait for people from dawn in this cold wave.


    ¡®Choi Yu Seong¡¯s first Boss attack. The target is the most difficult 2nd Grade Dungeon, Goblin Fortress.¡¯


    As he followed Choi Yu Seong who first entered Dungeon Square after showing his Hunter Dungeon Pass, Park Jin Hwan felt his heart pounding for some reason even though the results have yet to come out.


    ¡®Usually for Goblin Fortress, a Hunter will be recognized as a rookie the moment he succeeds Boss attack by Solo Playing before Rank D Level 50.¡¯


    The information shows that Choi Yu Seong is currently at Rank E Level 90.


    This was undoubtedly expected as it had been less than 3 months since he obtained the Hunter License.


    Rather, the speed of Level increase is quite surprisingly fast.


    Even so, failure should be considered first of course, but somehow it seems that he will definitely succeed.


    ¡®The important thing is the record, but¡­¡¯


    There are only five people in Korea who officially attacked Goblin Fortress before E-Rank Max Level at a similar period as him.


    ¡®If narrowing them down to the person who made the most recent record¡­ Kim Do Jin, there¡¯s only him.¡¯


    Kim Do Jin and Choi Yu Seong.


    Choi Yu Seong and Kim Do Jin.


    Suddenly remembering his published article ¡®The Good-For-Nothing Who Deceived The World, Lit The Super Rookie Kim Do Jin¡¯s Desire To Win!¡¯, Park Jin Hwan clenched his fist as soon as he entered Dungeon Square after showing a Special Access Pass.


    ¡®If this went well, I might be able to post a proper series of stories.¡¯


    It was a situation where his heart was impossible to not race.


    ***


    The scenery that Choi Yu Seong saw as he entered Goblin Fortress Dungeon could be described in one sentence.


    It is green and full of a grassy smell.


    There is nothing that is not green, from unidentified sharp leaves that rise to the height of a person¡¯s waist like a pole, small hills covered with vines popped out all over the field, and even small flying insects passing by at high speed.


    ¡®Even Goblins occupying this place are green.¡¯


    A world of one color unified enough to feel somewhat monotonous.


    Even if Goblins do not try to hide their appearance here, they melt into the surrounding colors and become naturally hidden.


    This is the reason this Dungeon was called ¡®Goblin Fortress¡¯ despite there being no building structure to be called an actual fortress.


    ¡®I can see why this place is called 2nd Grade with the worst difficulty.¡¯


    Late hours, an unpreferred high-risk Dungeon, the sound of insects among bushes that would have cut the skin if not wearing suits transformed from Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice, and the settled darkness because it was a world without sunlight. Due to various factors, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s muscles tightened at the surrounding scenery without any other presence.


    ¡®It¡¯s okay. I already looked around once yesterday. It¡¯s not that unfamiliar.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who entered the Dungeon a day before in advance to grasp the environment and difficulty for today, let out a short breath and gave strength to his hand holding the spear.


    Second Grade Monster Goblins were actually a rather weak entity to be called Monster in general.


    To put it simply, it would be enough for an ordinary adult man, not an Awakener, to deal a 1:1 match under the premise he had his mind straight. A little more simply, they can be easily overwhelmed by any average man in terms of strength alone.


    Nevertheless, the reason Goblins are classified as Second Grade, higher than the First Grade Monsters that Hunters can meet and hunt for the very first time, is that they have risks that can overshadow their weak physical abilities.


    The first of them, needless to say, is aggression and ferocity toward humans.


    Goblins had a more violent nature than most fierce wild beasts for subjects that are very small and weak in power.


    In particular, the aggression reflected on humans is exceptionally strong among Monsters of similar Grade. It would be so rough that the brain would be dizzy if a general person encountered them for the first time. Then, they would be scared that could lead to serious injury or death in the short period they stiffened up if facing it without any defense.


    ¡®I was also surprised to see them for the first time yesterday.¡¯


    When Choi Yu Seong was reading web novels on Earth of the original world, the description and depiction of Goblin came out so funny that he looked down on them, but his thoughts completely changed after meeting them for the first time yesterday.


    ¡®If you are careless, it will lead to injury immediately.¡¯


    As he went through the bushes little by little, Choi Yu Seong recalled other dangers Goblins had in his head.


    ¡®Secretive and moves fast.¡¯


    And unlike ordinary Monsters, Goblin knows how to handle small tools.


    However, there was something else that was more dangerous than all the facts listed above.


    ¡®They never move alone.¡¯


    Goblins are smart enough to handle tools, so they know well that it is dangerous to move alone.


    They are socialized like humans and they gather together to hunt humans in their respective roles.


    As these social factors made humans the top predators in the world without Dungeon, Goblin¡¯s collective action was bound to be quite dangerous.


    ¡®Goblins are hiding throughout this Dungeon.¡¯


    Between the grasses, between the vines of the rising hills, and even below the feet underground.


    Amid such threats, Choi Yu Seong entered the Dungeon alone to attack the Boss Monster which is regenerated once a month.


    He wasn¡¯t very worried about threats within the Dungeon, such as the previous kidnapper incident.


    He believes in Choi Mi Na.

 Volume 3 - CH 8

    ¡®What happened at that time was something that someone among my siblings did.¡¯


    As Choi Wu Jae confirmed, there is no doubt about it.


    In such a situation, he has nothing to worry about his siblings as Choi Mi Na said that she would take responsibility and make it so that there would be no eyes on him for about a year.


    Of course, unexpected threats can suddenly emerge somewhere.


    Just like the Itaewon incident a while ago.


    Then, should he move with all these situations in mind?


    Of course, that¡¯s right.


    However, being cautious and hiding like a coward are completely different things.


    ¡®Just because you have that in mind, you can¡¯t just sit and crouch down inside the room.¡¯


    Anyway, Choi Yu Seong has to grow.


    The further he goes and the stronger he becomes, the more naturally he will be free from these threats.


    ¡®I can¡¯t help it until then.¡¯


    Therefore, the path Choi Yu Seong chose was to catch more and more people¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®Star disease? Attention seeker? Anything¡¯s good. I need it anyway because of Star Quality Skill.¡¯


    The more people pay attention, the more careful those who want to pose a threat are.


    Since there will be a lot of eyes paying attention to Choi Yu Seong.


    Conversely, the easier that work can be done the more he hides.


    ¡®Now I¡¯m showing myself completely.¡¯


    Of course, Choi Yu Seong is already famous.


    However, it is the conglomerate Choi Yu Seong.


    From now on, he planned to continue to inform about Hunter Choi Yu Seong separately.


    As a result, more people pay attention and look at him wherever he is and whatever he does.


    The gazes that follow to the inside of the Dungeon.


    There will be no inconvenience caused by this.


    Therefore, it wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t have any trouble choosing, but in conclusion, he thought this was the best.


    Jin Yu Ri also supported Choi Yu Seong¡¯s choice.


    That¡¯s why two reporters who can shoot with magic tech drones were called in today, just in time, on the day Goblin¡¯s Boss Monster is respawned.


    Although the money was pretty broken by mobilizing expensive manpower personally, it could have a very great effect on promoting Hunter Choi Yu Seong.


    Because, as mentioned, Goblin Fortress has a particularly bad level of difficulty among Second Grade Dungeons.


    Would it even be called a gateway, a credential for rookies who want to raise their ransom or enter a well-known guild?


    If you can¡¯t attack Goblin Fortress alone before Rank D Level 50, you can¡¯t even be called Rookie.


    Because of this name-value, Choi Yu Seong is solo attacking such a Goblin Fortress today.


    For reference, the time when Kim Do Jin attacked Goblin Fortress was when he was Rank E Level 85.


    ¡®Time Attack record is 2 hours 28 minutes¡­ How many seconds was it?¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who recalled the world¡¯s record at the time, smiled strangely.


    He doesn¡¯t need to be greedy.


    ¡®Kim Do Jin is the protagonist of the novel in the first place. Even if I¡¯m confident in this attack, it¡¯s unreasonable to keep up with that level.¡¯


    Of course, even so, it did not mean that he was not interested in the record at all.


    ¡®Anyway, the faster the running record, the better it would be to attract attention.¡¯


    Hunting the monthly respawned Boss Monster is an important task to prevent Dungeon Brake, which is equivalent to natural disasters on Earth, so many people are bound to pay attention.


    The first focus of attention, needless to say, is security.


    No matter how low level a Dungeon is, the casualties and property damage will inevitably be serious once Monsters are poured out due to Brake.


    Therefore, hunting must be successful within a week before the Dungeon Brake occurs after Boss Monster respawn. Therefore, the country, which usually gives priority to the growth of Hunters, actively intervenes and attacks the boss before the fifth day passes when the attack period exceeds four days.


    If it was only a fairly general perspective of thinking until the early days of Dungeon Creation, there was one more perspective added in modern times.


    Commonly referred to as Dungeon Racing on the Internet.


    The so-called record-setting.


    A somewhat bizarre view has arisen toward some Dungeons which have become somewhat easier to attack and do not feel threatening because Brake has not occurred for nearly 10 years.


    The public now began to pay attention to how quickly and cleverly excellent Hunters Clearing the Boss Monster was and used it to compare them with famous Hunters who have already passed it.


    It¡¯s like enjoying a sports event.


    Naturally, the elderly who went through the early days of Dungeon Creation, scholars and politicians or Associations who still consider Dungeon a threat, hate this Dungeon Racing very much.


    However, as the number of Hunters who use those gazes to make their names known has increased exponentially and even fans supporting them are emerging, there was no other way to rectify the situation.


    ¡®Because a democratic country can¡¯t forcibly prevent Dungeon Racing¡­¡¯


    It was also true that the culture of Dungeon Racing itself felt somewhat absurd from the perspective of Choi Yu Seong, who knew the future of this world.


    ¡®Even in the novel, there are several accidents caused by Dungeon Brake¡­¡¯


    Thanks to that, other countries, where the situation occurred, suffer tremendous damage and struggle to overcome the crisis by asking for help from the Republic of Korea, to be exact, the protagonist Kim Do Jin.


    As a result, it would have been a somewhat inevitable choice for the writer to use a lot of the so-called ¡®jingoism¡¯1 directing. But despite such a crisis, it was also strange that the culture of Dungeon Racing itself did not disappear until the completion of the first part of the original novel.


    ¡®Are uncomfortable feelings and entertainment different matters.¡¯


    Anyway, Choi Yu Seong decided to fully utilize the culture of Dungeon Racing in such a situation.


    ¡®This world is different from the original novel.¡¯


    As he has already experienced, any insufficient gap must be filled in some form.


    When Choi Yu Seong tried to challenge Solo Play to set a record, he had to go through more procedures than expected.


    ¡®Although Jin Yuri took care of most of it¡­¡¯


    In addition to her competence, the recommendation of ¡®Iron Wall¡¯ Park Cheol Ho, one of the decision-makers of Dungeon Racing or formally called DBB (Dungeon Brake Block), had a significant influence in allowing exclusive use from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. on the respawn day of the Goblin Fortress¡¯ Boss Monster.


    In other words, the country is already aware of the damage that may occur due to atmosphere overheating of Dungeon Racing and is fully prepared for it.


    You can make your name known without harming others, ensure safety, and raise your Skill Level.


    If this performance was pretty good that it surprised even overseas, the national prestige or the so-called ¡®jingoism¡¯ would have been filled too.


    ¡®There¡¯s no reason not to do it.¡¯


    It was not for nothing that skilled Hunters chose Dungeon Racing as a means of making their names known.


    Under the feet of Choi Yu Seong, who lightly shakes off useless thoughts, a sharp dagger flew under the chin where the suit¡¯s thickness is relatively thin.


    Already feeling the movement, Choi Yu Seong took a light step back and swung his spear wide.


    As the silver flash left a thin crescent-like shape and cut the sharp bushes, purple blood rose high into the air through the gap.


    ¡®Two.¡¯


    After confirming the number of corpses, Choi Yu Seong had a fishy smile.


    ¡®As expected, their feet are quite fast.¡¯


    There was only one visible dagger that came up to stab under his chin, but there were also others who were aiming for his waist and ankles.


    There were three Goblins who attacked Choi Yu Seong, but only two corpses remained.


    In other words, there is still one left.


    ¡®No.¡¯


    Shaaa-!


    Beyond the wind that makes the tall bushes tremble roughly.


    -Kikig.


    -Kikikig!


    -Kigigigigi.


    Goblin¡¯s laughter, which seemed to laugh at Choi Yu Seong, was heard here and there.


    ¡®The number who are hiding is at least 10.¡¯


    Maybe more than that.


    Anyway, whatever.


    They¡¯re quick and clever, but still Goblins.


    Not even elite Monsters.


    ¡®It feels a little bad when these nothing-to-see guys see me as a hunting prey.¡¯


    And he has no intention of waiting for the Goblins who are looking for an opportunity.


    Choi Yu Seong recently decided to use the Skill he inherited from three Gods, the first of which he liked the most.


    ¡ºInheritance Skill, Magic Spearmanship (E++)¡ú(D-)


    Fusion is not possible.


    ¡®Culann¡¯s Hound¡¯ Cu Chulainn was a hero who excelled in both spearmanship and magic.


    The basic Irish Royal Court style is melted into the user¡¯s spearmanship.


    Due to the low Rank, many additional effects are sealed.


    ¡´¡´Skill exceeds the limit grade due to Specialization Skill, Spearmanship Prodigy (E).¡µ¡µ


    One of the sealed abilities is unlocked in an unstable form.


    When using Magic Spearmanship inherited from Cu Chulainn, you can choose one of the four major elemental attributes (fire, water, wind, earth) to make it stay in the spear.


    The usage time is limited. 3 seconds.


    The number of uses is limited. 5 times a day.


    Other abilities are sealed.


    Please raise the Rank to unlock the sealed ability.¡»


    Goblin Fortress is filled with green bushes.


    As soon as he remembered the peculiarity of this Dungeon, it was the first Skill that Choi Yu Seong thought of.


    ¡®Attribute, fire.¡¯


    Kicking off the ground at once and rushing, Choi Yu Seong swung the window widely and swept away the entire surrounding area. The transparent light that started from his fingertips flowed through the spear and soon became a flashy red light and sparked when it reached the blade tip.


    ¡®Just try to escape to the end. Goblin guys.¡¯


    3 seconds.


    The duration of the fire spark was very short, but the range of the spear was never narrow.


    Centered on Choi Yu Seong, fire sparks began to dance splendidly on the bushes cut down by half-moon shape.


    The green world is quickly dyed in red resembling the sunset.


    The Flaming Fire, which was a disaster for Goblins who used these bushes as their best shield, spread wildly.


    -Kieeee-!


    Without even glancing at the Goblins who were screaming and running away, Choi Yu Seong watched the gap in the rising Flaming Fire and ran forward using Wind Stance.


    ¡®No need to pay attention to each normal Monsters. Only one goal.¡¯


    It was the Boss Monster, Hobgoblin.


    ***


    ¡°Reporter Kim! Get your mind straight and raise Unit 3¡¯s altitude!¡±


    Sitting right next to Park Jin Hwan and looking at the monitor together, Kim Jin Young hurriedly launched a drone that was lowering its altitude into the air at his urgent cry.


    The drone, which was almost swallowed by the flaming fire that covered the surrounding area and exploded, rounded halfway through the air as if relieved and quickly chased Choi Yu Seong who ran like the wind.

 Volume 3 - CH 9

    ¡°Any guesses about the Skill just before? Elemental type?¡±


    ¡°It looks like firelight came out of the spear, but¡­¡±


    Questions arose for a moment at the activation of a splendid Skill.


    With their mouths closed, the two reporters had to focus on the drone¡¯s controller which they clenched with both hands.


    ¡®Faster than I thought!¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ll miss it if I¡¯m careless.¡¯


    Chasing Choi Yu Seong, who was moving in a blurry way in the splendid large flame, the talkative reporters couldn¡¯t even open their mouths for a while.


    But that moment wasn¡¯t very long.


    Park Jin Hwan and Kim Jin Young. Both were pro even among reporters who could handle magic tech drones and had more experience chasing Hunters who were much more agile than Choi Yu Seong.


    As the carelessness and fluster went away, the movements became calm, and thoughts were organized at a rapid pace.


    ¡°Reporter Park. Choi Yu Seong, wasn¡¯t there a rumor he is an Irregular?¡±


    ¡°He has never acknowledged it himself, that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Then he¡¯s not an Irregular officially.¡±


    They said so, but the two reporters had similar smiles as if they had already concluded.


    ¡®Choi Yu Seong is definitely an Irregular.¡¯


    ¡®Can this be used as an article?¡¯


    At first, the two thought that Choi Yu Seong was not very interested in the record as he was seen looking around for a short time after entering the Dungeon.


    Common Hunters turned into record crazy at once since they were impatient to reduce it by even a second.


    However, their thoughts completely changed as soon as Choi Yu Seong rushed forward and set the fire.


    ¡°If it¡¯s like this, he has no choice but to run fast. Since he¡¯ll be roasted if slow.¡±


    At Kim Jin Young¡¯s words, Park Jin Hwan¡¯s lips twitched.


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong. Such a very crazy guy.¡±


    The two started this job for money, but in a situation where there is no listener, a king also gets cursed.


    Above all, the silent Kim Jin Young also did not differ greatly from Park Jin Hwan.


    Rough winds blow every day in the Goblin Fortress Dungeon.


    This windy sound was also a nuisance that made Hunters who went into the Dungeon unable to read the movements of Goblin.


    And the wind was now spreading the fire sparks that Choi Yu Seong had lit up throughout the Dungeon.


    Flaming fire does not discriminate between sides.


    It could even swallow the fire starter himself, so Choi Yu Seong had no choice but to look ahead and run.


    The advantages of this are two things. That there are only a few disturbers because Goblins, who should have originally jumped out of the bushes and interfered, are scattered and fleeing in all directions. And Choi Yu Seong accumulated Experience every time Goblin dies swallowed up by fire anyway.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure he¡¯s Leveling Up by eating Experience even while running right now. Choi Yu Seong.¡¯


    Park Jin Hwan once again thought Choi Yu Seong was quite smart.


    ¡°Reporter Park. There¡¯s a situation I just assumed, want to hear it?¡±


    ¡°It seems I¡¯m thinking about something similar, but tell me.¡±


    ¡°So Choi Yu Seong is Leveling Up by killing Goblins with fire he lit up right now, and thanks to that, minor injuries suffered while running are treated quickly. It looks somewhat dangerous, but in fact, he could maintain the best condition until he enters the Boss Room.¡±


    ¡°Same thought.¡±


    ¡°¡­Reporter Park, has Choi Yu Seong ever been on something like a talent tv show when he was young perhaps?¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be. Silly. Kekek.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m joking.¡±


    The two reporters shook their heads exchanging useless jokes, but they were feeling similar inwardly.


    ¡®At Rank E Level 90, it¡¯s just right. Since it¡¯s a time when you can try to raise Level even with normal Monsters. Choi Yu Seong started Dungeon Racing by calculating Experience from the beginning.¡¯


    In general, there are three benefits from rising Levels.


    First, strengthening physical ability.


    It¡¯s a simple matter.


    Faster, stronger, and sharper eyes.


    Second, the increase in the amount of mana.


    It is not expressed in exact figures, but it is clear that each Awakener possesses different mana.


    In addition, this figure steadily increases every time the Level rises.


    And lastly, the recovery effect occurs immediately after the Level rises.


    In general, stamina and mana are filled up whenever you Leveled Up in games and it has a similar effect.


    ¡®The difference is that it¡¯s not at the level of full blood immediately in the instant death state.¡¯


    When the Level rises, most of the small things are healed except for major injuries such as a body part being cut off, bursting internal organs, and bones bending in reverse.


    ¡°That must be a very expensive battle suit. It¡¯ll probably filter out serious burns.¡±


    In reality, it was the transformed Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice, an ancient relic that cannot be obtained even with money, but the two reporters could not even know that far.


    However, one thing was certain.


    Unlike other Hunters, Choi Yu Seong can reach the Boss Room in almost the best condition.


    ¡°This is a trick that supposedly can¡¯t be done¡­¡±


    Park Jin Hwan nodded at Kim Jin Young¡¯s self-talk.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a trick. Unless already applied for a DBB exclusive attack like now, how do you set fire to the entire Dungeon when there are a lot of people? ¡°


    ¡°You¡¯ll be reported right away. If someone gets caught and couldn¡¯t afford the fine, it¡¯ll even be a prison sentence.¡±


    Dungeons made of forest areas including Goblin Fortress were one of the most reluctant places for Hunters with flame-type flair abilities due to this problem.


    ¡®The most important thing is that even the people who set the fire can¡¯t handle it.¡¯


    Most flair-type Awakeners are naturally quite poor in physical ability.


    So, no one in Korea has practiced the idea of setting fire in Goblin Fortress and running until now.


    ¡®By the way, can¡¯t he reach the Boss Room entrance before Dungeon Restoration at this speed?¡¯


    The principle of Dungeon Restoration.


    All Dungeons return to their original form after an hour no matter what natural disasters occur.


    Anyway, considering that Choi Yu Seong¡¯s movement is incredibly fast, chances are high that he would arrive at the Boss Room entrance before that no matter how wide the Field of Goblin Fortress was.


    ¡°Insanely clever and daring. Choi Yu Seong. How did he come up with this idea and put it into action? No matter how much calculation was made, you¡¯ll kick the bucket if you make a mistake. Is he not afraid of death? That can¡¯t be. A conglomerate is also a person, no, he shouldn¡¯t want to die even more because he has a lot. Damn. But he burnt his bridge like that and ran? Is it possible? Crazy, you¡¯re crazy. Choi Yu Seong!¡±


    Park Jin Hwan talks a lot when his emotions are greatly agitated. Kim Jin Young looked sideways and said with a strange smile.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t someone write an article around a half year ago about Choi Yu Seong, the worst idiot in the history of the conglomerate family?¡±


    ¡°That jerk is dead.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°He died just now. Stupid jerk. I can¡¯t help it since I don¡¯t have enough eyes to see people.¡±


    Insulting himself, Park Jin Hwan¡¯s lips wriggled in a way that was unknown whether he was angry or pleasant.


    Of course, Kim Jin Young, who has seen Park Jin Hwan from the side for a long time, knew exactly what that feeling was.


    ¡®Reporter Park. He must be so excited enough to die.¡¯


    When something really interesting and exciting happens, Park Jin Hwan makes that expression so as not to show his feelings.


    ¡°Leave the dead alone. Hey, Reporter Kim. How long did it take for Kim Do Jin to reach the Boss Room?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see the record¡­ I think it was close to an hour and 20 minutes¡­¡±


    The two reporters predicted that Choi Yu Seong, who just has to run forward recklessly, can take up to an hour until reaching the Boss Room.


    ¡°Won¡¯t Choi Yu Seong be at least 20 minutes faster? Isn¡¯t that the best record in Korea?¡±


    Kim Do Jin holds the best record in Korea for reaching the entrance of Goblin Fortress Boss Room.


    And Goblin Fortress Dungeon also exists abroad in a very slightly different form.


    Representatively, five in China, three in the entirety of North America, and two in Europe.


    Come to think of it, it did exist overseas.


    A figure who used a similar strategy to Choi Yu Seong.


    It was so long ago that they forgot, but they suddenly remembered at this moment.


    Park Jin Hwan and Kim Jin Young looked at each other and shouted.


    ¡°Flame Emperor1!¡±


    ¡°Exactly an hour!¡±


    The two reporters recited the name and records of one of the Chinese heroes, who are considered one of the top five flair type Awakeners, and looked at Choi Yu-sung.


    ¡®Flame Emperor¡¯ Lin Xiao Nuo is a person who is granted the title of Emperor as a nickname, which is rare in China.


    No one can bring titles such as Emperor and King in China recklessly without the permission of the President, which can be regarded as the country¡¯s absolute power.


    Naturally, those with the title of Emperor rather than King are treated more highly and they enjoy more respect and awe.


    It was not a lie to say that the benefits and power that ¡®Flame Emperor¡¯ Lin Xiao Nuo enjoys in China is second only to the absolute President.


    Now, Choi Yu Seong was moving toward a record that could be comparable, no, perhaps a better record than Flame Emperor during E-Rank.


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong is an all-rounder type Hunter.¡±


    ¡°It will definitely be faster than Flame Emperor.¡±


    Paying attention to the monitor again, the two were convinced.


    ¡°Although it¡¯s unknown until Boss Clear¡­¡±


    ¡°For now, isn¡¯t it definitely breaking the world record until reaching the Boss Room entrance?¡±


    Kim Jin Young received Park Jin Hwan¡¯s words.


    The eyes of the two reporters looking at the monitors to the extent that their eyes turn red are full of interest and expectations.


    The moment Choi Yu Seong reached the Boss Room entrance heading underground, the two reporters checked the stopwatch that was turned on as soon as Choi Yu Seong entered the Dungeon and opened their mouths without saying a word.


    After such a brief silence.


    ¡°Hey, get a grip!¡±


    Kim Jin Young was so surprised that he almost dropped the drone controller he was holding to the floor. He shook his head at Park Jin Hwan¡¯s shout to awaken his mind and covered his mouth with one hand.


    What else needs to be said?


    ¡°Holy shit! Crazy man. Choi Yu Seong!¡±


    For reference, Kim Jin Young studied abroad.


    ***


    49 minutes 38 seconds.


    The one-hour record of ¡®Flame Emperor¡¯ Lin Xiao Nuo, which was chosen as the best record for reaching Boss Room entrance among the past world records related to Goblin Fortress, literally collapsed overwhelmingly.


    It was no wonder that the two reporters, who rushed after Choi Yu Seong who entered the Boss Room through drones, cheered for a moment as if watching a goal in a Korea-Japan soccer match.


    And Choi Yu Seong, who entered the Boss Room, also felt excited at one side of his heart.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know the exact time, but I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be the fastest so far.¡¯


    Set fire throughout the Dungeon Field and run without looking back.

 Volume 3 - CH 10

    He imitated ¡®Flame Emperor¡¯ Lin Xiao Nuo¡¯s attack strategy, which was briefly mentioned in the original novel.


    Perhaps because of that, he didn¡¯t think this method would fail although he had never experimented before.


    And since he was in the position running the Dungeon, he could not measure the exact time. But he was confident that the basic record would be definitely faster than the flair type Lin Xiao Nuo.


    ¡®Because Lin Xiao Nuo isn¡¯t like Rachel who put all his Skills to physical abilities despite being a flair-type.¡¯


    On the other hand, Choi Yu Seong is an all-rounder Awakener and his entire body naturally strengthened whenever the level rose even if he did not have related Skills.


    He¡¯s bound to be faster than Lin Xiao Nuo even if it¡¯s the same method.


    However, above all, there was a separate fact that made Choi Yu Seong excited.


    ¡®At least at this moment, I¡¯m ahead of Kim Do Jin.¡¯


    It didn¡¯t matter that the record so far was better than Lin Xiao Nuo.


    The important thing is that even Lin Xiao Nuo will kneel after being overwhelmingly defeated by Kim Do Jin in the national competition that will be held in about six years.


    In the end, the one who was originally decided as the protagonist of this world is Kim Do Jin.


    And for a while, he was ahead of such Kim Do Jin.


    It¡¯s nothing much, but Choi Yu Seong also knew the source of this strange feeling.


    ¡®For some reason, I¡¯m feeling a little competitive¡­¡¯


    Obviously, he thought it would be okay even if it wasn¡¯t a good record.


    But if it¡¯s already like this, it¡¯s good if he does well.


    No. He doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s next after coming this far, but he wants to set a better record than Kim Do Jin at least in Goblin Fortress where he has gained an advantage.


    Perhaps thanks to the Stylish Skill that he activated on the way after burning the entire Dungeon, his condition felt exceptionally good.


    ¡®I want to win at least once.¡¯


    Thoughts soon lead to action.


    Entering the Boss Room, the basement of Goblin Fortress, Choi Yu Seong began to run forward and cut through the green grass that rose above the stone floor for some reason.


    In this world, the Dungeon¡¯s Boss Rooms are usually divided into two forms.


    The first is the fundamental basic form of the Boss Room where the Boss appears in front as soon as you enter.


    And the second is in the form of a passage that requires running to the place where the Boss is even after entering.


    As can be seen from the appearance that Choi Yu Seong had to run, Goblin Fortress belonged to the latter.


    It was another reason why Goblin Fortress¡¯ Clear Time is much longer than that of normal Second Grade Dungeons.


    ¡®You can¡¯t even set fire here.¡¯


    A one-way narrow passage that keeps going down underground.


    Of course, if you set fire carelessly, you will have no choice but to die in this dark and narrow place with no place to escape.


    ¡®Did it take an hour for Flame Emperor to enter the Boss Room and then more than two and a half hours until the final clear?¡¯


    So, the final Clear Time goes well over 3 hours and 30 minutes.


    The fact that flame type is his main offensive ability somewhat hindered him after entering the Boss Room.


    Of course, it didn¡¯t matter to Choi Yu Seong.


    He is an all-rounder-type Hunter.


    He can also demonstrate his ability through Skills such as Magic Spearmanship, but fundamentally, his physical abilities are not inferior anywhere.


    Well, he prided himself that he has a much better physical ability compared to his Rank and Level, perhaps because of the constant training and the characteristics of an Irregular.


    ¡®Currently Rank E Level 93.¡¯


    The Level has risen by two so far right after entering with the Experience gained from burning the entire field of Goblin Fortress.


    The growth gained in a short time is overflowing excellent.


    So, Choi Yu Seong thought his physical combat ability was not lacking compared to Rank D Level 20.


    After dealing with the Elite Monsters ¡®Goblin Assault Crew¡¯ and three Goblin archers alone in less than five minutes on the passage, Choi Yu Seong ran forward without calming his breath.


    ¡®Kim Do Jin would have taken less than 3 minutes.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t just a guess.


    In the narrative attached to the original novel, there was a part where Kim Do Jin lightly slaughtered a group of Goblin Fortress¡¯ Elite Monsters in 2-3 minutes.


    Starting with this event that shows his overwhelming fighting power, Kim Do Jin begins to make his name known in South Korea and the world.


    The time difference between Choi Yu Seong¡¯s and Kim Do Jin¡¯s arrival at the Boss Room entrance is about 30 minutes.


    It was safe to say that if the time is delayed more than 10 times in this state, he will be effectively overtaken.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s senses were also sending similar signals.


    ¡®In general, the group of Elite Monsters encountered on the way down the passage is around five times. If I meet Elite Monsters more than six times before even seeing the Boss, it would be unreasonable to break Kim Do Jin¡¯s record.¡¯


    No, maybe the time is running out to not even get close to the record.


    In other words, there is enough room to break the record if he meets below that.


    ¡®Certainly only within this Goblin Fortress¡­¡¯


    An opportunity that may never come again.


    Choi Yu Seong, who went down the underground passage at a high speed and faced a total of five battles, felt the rather steep ground getting flat.


    He was approaching the end of the underground passage, which felt quite long.


    It¡¯s a very short distance, but there¡¯s still no information about encountering a group of Elite Goblins from now on.


    Although he knows future information, Choi Yu Seong did not enter this room without any investigation.


    Like everyone who challenged Dungeon Racing did, Choi Yu Seong also conducted a thorough preliminary investigation that he could do, so it was known information.


    ¡®In the end, the average number of battles was filled. Still, is it comforting to Leveled Up at the end and speed up a little.¡¯


    A little further, he will be able to meet Goblin Fortress¡¯s Boss Monster, Hobgoblin.


    There was only one hurdle to overcome before that.


    ¡®Crossroads of Choice.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong stopped for a while, looking at the two forked paths in front of him.


    ¡®It¡¯s okay to say that I¡¯m still about 20 minutes ahead so far.¡¯


    It¡¯s an estimated figure, but Choi Yu Seong¡¯s thoughts are almost right.


    The time elapsed until Choi Yu Seong arrived at the Crossroads of Choice now was 1 hour and 15 minutes, and when Kim Do Jin stood in this position was 1 hour and 36 minutes.


    ¡®Two roads. And both sides are bound to reach the Boss Room.¡¯


    He has already found out through preliminary investigation, but there are no other pitfalls.


    But there was one peculiarity.


    ¡®The left passage is extremely far away. It is said that it takes at least 50 minutes for a D-Rank physical-type Hunter to run with all his might.¡¯


    Truly a long journey around the Boss Room.


    It¡¯s a direction he doesn¡¯t really want to choose from a position to set a record like Dungeon Racing.


    However, it was not without any advantages.


    ¡®There are no Elite Monsters, all you have to do is run.¡¯


    In other words, there are no variables.


    ¡®On the other hand, the right passage is short but there are a lot of Elite Monster groups.¡¯


    If anyone wants to set a record and is confident in fighting power, most choose the right path.


    Choi Yu Seong was also confident that he would make a pretty good record if he chose the right path.


    ¡®However, I won¡¯t be able to break Kim Do Jin¡¯s record.¡¯


    If he chooses the right passage, he will meet the Elite Goblin group about 10 times on average.


    The match against Kim Do Jin should have been seen as a game over effectively.


    ¡®What should I do?¡¯


    The troubled Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes quickly turned to the two passages.


    After a short silence of less than 10 seconds passed.


    Having concluded, Choi Yu Seong took a step.


    ***


    Park Jin Hwan and Kim Jin Young, the two reporters continued to check the stopwatch rather instinctively while filming Choi Yu Seong made his way through the Boss Room from various angles.


    The moment when 1 hour and 15 minutes have passed and heading towards 16 minutes.


    Seeing Choi Yu Seong stop in front of the Crossroads of Choice, Kim Jin Young had a strangely relaxed smile.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s up to here. Even if he was definitely superior to Flame Emperor, it was too much for Kim Do Jin.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Nevertheless, Park Jin Hwan, who he thought would answer it couldn¡¯t be helped alike, kept his mouth shut and looked at the monitor.


    ¡°Reporter Park?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know yet.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Thinking about Park Jin Hwan¡¯s words for a while, Kim Jin Young had a bitter smile.


    ¡°I admit that Choi Yu Seong is amazing. If you hunt Goblin Elite Monsters at the same speed as E-Rank, not even D-Rank, there are only about 10 names in my head. Still, Kim Do Jin is overwhelming in battle. Whichever way he goes, he¡¯s bound to catch up.¡±


    ¡°Uh.¡±


    Kim Jin Young suddenly wondered at Park Jin Hwan, who responded somewhat indifferent while watching the monitor showing video inside the Dungeon filmed with drones.


    ¡®Is there something on the monitor?¡¯


    The question is for a moment.


    The stopped Choi Yu Seong took steps forward.


    Kim Jin Young, who had somewhat lowered his expectations, had no choice but to draw attention back to the monitor at that moment.


    ¡®Where are you going? Choi Yu Seong.¡¯


    Far but stable left or short but full of variable right.


    Kim Jin Young inwardly hoped Choi Yu Seong would choose the right passage.


    He definitely thought that Choi Yu Seong would do that if he was greedy for the record.


    ¡®If he still has more hidden abilities, he¡¯ll probably show it this time.¡¯


    Park Jin Hwan¡¯s expectations were not incomprehensible.


    Choi Yu Seong is still hiding something.


    Kim Jin Young was also feeling this way.


    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±


    However, the moment Choi Yu Seong stepped forward and checked his chosen passage, Kim Jin Young had no choice but to sigh of regret without realizing it.


    ¡®He¡¯s going to the left passage.¡¯


    A long but stable road.


    In the end, Choi Yu Seong gave up breaking Kim Do Jin¡¯s record.


    ¡®Tch, unfortunately, but it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯


    By the time Kim Jin Young smacked his lips with regret, the eyes of Park Jin Hwan, who was still staring through the monitor while controlling the drone, sparkled.


    Something hazy flowed out of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s hand and began to crawl on the wall.


    ¡°Reporter Kim. That, can you see that?¡±


    ¡°Huh. But what Skill is that?¡±


    A form of Skill never seen before.


    At first glance, it was not intended for combat.


    Above all, Choi Yu Seong is not running even though he just entered the left passage.


    Naturally, questions turned into curiosity and then expectations.


    ¡®What if Choi Yu Seong hasn¡¯t given up yet?¡¯


    If that action has any meaning they haven¡¯t predicted until now!


    Holding the drone¡¯s controller tightly from one point, Kim Jin Young was also looking at Choi Yu Seong as if falling in love with his appearance.


    And to the amazing scenery that soon unfolded, the two reporters had no choice but to open their eyes the most for the first time in their lives.


    Kim Jin Young, who declared Choi Yu Seong¡¯s game over before, shouted loudly once again.


    ¡°Holy, god damn! What the heck is Choi Yu Seong!¡±


    Kim Jin Young was planning to designate today as his most surprising day of the year.

 Volume 3 - CH 11

    During Part 1 of the original novel, The Master Who Returned To Modern Times, Kim Do Jin is on a roll almost every time as a character in the position of the returnee protagonist.


    However, when you ask if such Kim Do Jin had never lost, that was not the case either.


    ¡®About three times? Once to the Demon King, once in the Tower, and¡­¡¯


    Once for the last time to a person who can be said to be the final weapon of mankind, who could not even exceed the protagonist Kim Do Jin until the completion of Part 1.


    In fact, the last defeat was not a crisis but an opportunity for growth.


    ¡®Anyway, she also played the role of Kim Do Jin¡¯s teacher.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong also may have to meet ¡®her¡¯ someday.


    But at least not now.


    Things to think about only after being ready in the distant future.


    ¡®Since she¡¯s not a good person to stimulate thoughtlessly. ¡®


    In any case, it is rare to stimulate Kim Do Jin¡¯s mood after excluding these few defeats.


    One of them was an episode that suddenly passed through the mind of Choi Yu Seong, who was agonizing at the Crossroads of Choice.


    Three years later, a super rookie named Arnold appears like a comet in the United States.


    In the not too far future, he will be so successful to earn the nickname ¡®Dungeon Master¡¯ that it is said that there is no rival in Dungeon Racing in the entire United States. That was thanks to one great Skill that only Arnold had in the world.


    ¡®Specialization Skill, Map Master.¡¯


    This ability is often simply described in the form of a map window floating in one corner of the screen when playing simulation games on the computer.


    The difference is that you have to move at least once directly to grasp the terrain to check the complete shape of the map in common simulation games, but Arnold¡¯s Map Master Skill did not have the above penalty.


    If he unfolds the Skill as soon as he enters, a map of the entire Dungeon opens immediately letting him see the way even in a maze-like labyrinth at once, and he can also find secret spaces or hidden paths.


    Simply put, Arnold¡¯s Map Master is the ability to grasp all-terrain as soon as he enters the Dungeon.


    Needless to say, it was natural his Dungeon Clear speed increased significantly through this.


    There are even times when he comes out finding Ancient Relics or another world¡¯s treasures hidden in the secret room of the Dungeon that no one could find when he is lucky.


    Although the location of the traps or monsters is not known unfortunately, no one could deny the fact that it was a fairly unique and excellent ability.


    At this moment at the Crossroads of Choice, it was of course no coincidence that Arnold¡¯s name and his ability passed through Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mind.


    ¡®When Arnold was an E-Rank, he boarded a plane to Korea himself to show off.¡¯


    Then he comes all the way to Sinwol-dong, requests an exclusive attack during the Boss Respawn Season, and brags that he will break Kim Do Jin¡¯s record, which has never been officially broken.


    As a result, Arnold cannot break Kim Do Jin¡¯s record of 2 hours 28 minutes 33 seconds.


    ¡®Arnold¡¯s record stated in the original novel is 2 hours 28 minutes 38 seconds.¡¯


    Only 5 seconds difference.


    Afterward, Arnold admits his shortcomings and leaves Korea lonesomely.


    Looking closely, it¡¯s a rather meaningless episode to express the pride of the country through Kim Do Jin.


    It was a bit boring content without much expectation, so Choi Yu Seong also forgot about it, but the content suddenly passed through his mind at this moment.


    ¡®I¡¯m glad I made a habit of remembering the contents of The Master Who Returned To Modern Times every night before going to bed and writing them down on my phone notepad.¡¯


    The contents of the original novel, which were clear as he initially thought, were surely becoming blurred day by day.


    ¡®Now, these kinds of trivial episodes don¡¯t come to mind without stimulation.¡¯


    As expected, it was a good thing to start documentation.


    Thanks to that, the time when memory is blurred is delayed and it is possible to recall immediately at a time like this.


    ¡®In the original novel, Arnold told in an interview that he eventually failed even though he used the trump card at the Crossroads of Choice.¡¯


    Arnold¡¯s trump card? There is no reason to think about what it is.


    Map Master¡¯s ability must be that great for Arnold, who is overwhelmingly disadvantageous compared to Kim Do Jin in terms of combat power, to set such a remarkable record.


    ¡®If it¡¯s not in the left passage, then in the right passage.¡¯


    Either way, the shortest way to encounter the Boss is somewhere.


    In other words, there is a third route.


    The only problem is that the original novel did not express detailed location as it was such a trivial episode.


    Nevertheless, the reason why Choi Yu Seong came to the left passage first was simple.


    ¡®If there¡¯s a secret passage, wouldn¡¯t it be more likely that it exists in the long one?¡¯


    Even for Choi Yu Seong now, this issue was not a big concern.


    ¡®If not, I can quickly go back to the other side and check. Thanks to Scathi. Without this Skill, I would have to give up here.¡¯


    The second Skill that Choi Yu Seong recently inherited from the three Gods.


    ¡ºInheritance Skill, Twin Snakes Biting Tail (E)


    Fusion is not possible.


    ¡®The Oldest Hunter¡¯ Scathi has never missed a single target when it comes to opponents.


    Summons translucent twin snakes that are not easily visible to the eyes to track the opponent. Try to think of the name and appearance of the target as accurately as possible in your head.


    Additional effects are sealed due to low Rank.


    The ability is limited.


    It cannot pass through walls or obstacles.


    If the tracking distance is outside a 2km radius, the twin snakes automatically disappear.


    Reuse waiting time exists. 3 minutes.¡»


    In fact, it was a Skill that he thought would just be left sealed for a while because he thought it would be of no use right away.


    ¡®But it¡¯s different now.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong does not have Map Master ability like Arnold.


    However, the unleashed twin snakes will somehow find the Boss Monster Hobgoblin that Choi Yu Seong thought of in his mind, even by finding a hidden path.


    ¡®It¡¯d be nice if I could find it at once¡­¡¯


    Hopeful Choi Yu Seong looked at the two snakes like a haze that had left his hand.


    And, one of them pushed its head toward a gap somewhere in the wall where Choi Yu Seong was looking around.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Afterward, Choi Yu Seong, who confirmed the appearance of the snakes disappearing like mollusks, jumped into the wall and began to grope around.


    ¡®If there¡¯s a secret space, somewhere around here¡­¡¯


    Just as expected?


    Clank.


    Part of the wall where Choi Yu Seong¡¯s right palm touched went deep.


    It was the moment when the third path opened with the sound of the engine operating.


    ***


    Secret passage.


    Choi Yu Seong ran through a path that no one had thought of.


    A wide dome-shaped cavity that stretches through a secret path with no monsters in the way.


    Standing at the end of the path which is like a cliff located somewhat high, Choi Yu Seong looked down.


    Elite Goblins that flock together sometimes and Hobgoblin leaning on a chair like a king at the end of it, find Choi Yu Seong and scream violently.


    Goblins with poisoned needles or bows pose a threat by aiming with each weapon.


    A threatening attack poured right in front of his eyes.


    A noise following that spread randomly and reflected that makes your head dizzy just by hearing.


    Choi Yu Seong laughed in the scene full of commotion and murder intent.


    ¡®At least the time has been reduced by two times!¡¯


    The actual time spent is 25 minutes.


    Finally reaching the real Boss Room with the best record ever, faster than anyone else in a total of 1 hour and 41 minutes, Choi Yu Seong grabbed the spear.


    Arrived on a rather high hill?


    There was no need to worry about the gap caused by the landing.


    ¡®It¡¯s rather good. The Dungeon Racing record is set the moment the Boss Monster dies.¡¯


    Just hit the Boss¡¯ head from the beginning.


    Choi Yu Seong jumped high without hesitation and used Wind Stance.


    After hitting arrows flying toward him with the spear, he spread his palm.


    The gazes of the Boss Monster Hobgoblin and Elite flock bodyguards, who were raising their heads with angry eyes, looked at Choi Yu Seong slowly like slow motion.


    ¡®Loki, I¡¯ll use the Skill you gave with a bit of grunt well~¡¯


    The last Skill that the three Gods handed down through inheritance.


    The completed Skill handed down from Loki, who wasn¡¯t lacking to be counted as one of the strongest in Norse myths, unfolded through Choi Yu Seong¡¯s palm.


    ***


    Choi Yu Seong also felt tremendous excitement, just as Jin Do Yun did when the three Gods first handed over their Skills at the same time.


    After his consciousness returned, he felt thrilled when checking the Skills with his own eyes.


    ¡®Magic Spearmanship! Cu Chulainn was very generous!¡¯


    Was it because he was aware of his lack of Status compared to the other two Gods?


    Cu Chulainn passed on one of his representative Skills from the beginning.


    He did not even raise the standard with greed and refined the Skill into a perfect form for the still low-ranked Choi Yu Seong to use.


    ¡®Ireland¡¯s Prince of Light indeed! Like his nickname, he¡¯s just shining.¡¯


    Expressing admiration from the bottom of his heart, he tilted his head when he saw the second Skill ¡®Twin Snakes Biting Tail¡¯.


    ¡®Likewise, it¡¯s a growth-type Skill, but it¡¯s ambiguous where to use it right now.¡¯


    It¡¯s not bad, but somehow the practical use didn¡¯t come to mind right away.


    As it felt good it could be used faster and remarkably than expected as he ran for Dungeon Racing.


    And lastly, the third one.


    Choi Yu Seong had no choice but to click his tongue at the first moment of confirming Loki¡¯s highly anticipated Skill as he was the most famous of the three Gods.


    ¡®Woah, this cheap God, seriously. Did he give me this Skill because I called him last?¡¯


    ¡ºInheritance Skill, Disturbing Dance Moves F(MAX)


    Fusion is possible.


    It¡¯s a Skill passed down by Prankster Who Likes Jokes to test you.


    Spread out your palm to emit a flashing light about 100m in front.


    The light dances and disturbs the opponent¡¯s vision.¡»


    The title is Inheritance Skill, but it actually had the same effect as a Normal Skill.


    There is even a label that the F Rank is at the Max Level to tell that there is not even any possibility of growth.


    ¡°Loki, you one-eyed1 jerk. As narrow-minded as Odin.¡±


    -Prankster Who Likes Jokes finds the abusive language very unpleasant. Sends a direct message toward Awakener Choi Yu Seong, ¡®It¡¯s just that your vision is narrow. You idiot!¡¯.


    Loki¡¯s message was sent in a way that was several times more flashy than usual when he spitted out the self-talk without realizing it.


    A direct message that he never experienced before.


    The letters in the part that appeared to be Loki¡¯s own words were burning as if they were on fire.

 Volume 3 - CH 12

    It was not incomprehensible that he felt bad when he compared and mentioned the name of Odin, whom he hates so much.


    ¡°My words were too harsh. Sorry!¡±


    Do those who ascended to Godship always hear the voice of the Hunter they are watching?


    Although he didn¡¯t know the answer, Choi Yu Seong gave a short, sincere apology.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t just a feeling that came out without thinking.


    Through the message, Choi Yu Seong could immediately realize that he was missing something.


    ¡®Fusion possible.¡¯


    Inheritance Skills are generally often not possible to fusion as was the case with Magic Spearmanship and Twin Snakes Biting Tail.


    It was because of the strong personality of the God who gave it is that much, but Disturbing Dance Moves didn¡¯t seem to be that kind of thing.


    ¡®It looks similar to Gorgeous Dance that I acquired and discarded in the very early days¡­¡¯


    The difference is the emission type.


    Emission type, the most preferred among flair-related offensive Skills.


    ¡®Where to use it¡­ Well, the answer is already set.¡¯


    At that time, Choi Yu Seong, who smiled brightly, immediately activated his Fusion Skill.


    And among the Skills Choi Yu Seong currently possesses, a Skill that can be called ¡®the strongest¡¯ in terms of the general-purpose offensive was born.


    ***


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s Dungeon Racing is over.


    The two reporters, who checked the records and finally reviewed them once again, packed their bags and left Dungeon Square, heading to their respective media outlets.


    Then, they scrambled the article like crazy throughout the dawn, attached a video, and pressed the update button early in the morning when employees were just about to go to work.


    A reporter for the Minguk Daily, Park Jin Hwan, immediately checked the main screen of the Daeguk Daily, one of the rival media outlets.


    Then, he breathed a short sigh with a fairly relieved look.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t come up yet.¡±


    ¡°What is it? No way, Senior. Did you stay up all night to write an article?¡±


    Seo Ye Rim, a junior of Minguk Daily in her third year, approached and asked him, who was as ugly as a bum.


    ¡°Of course. It doesn¡¯t feel good to be pushed to second place in an opportunity to report such a big issue.¡±


    It was the moment when Park Jin Hwan, who had a deep winner¡¯s smile as if he didn¡¯t care, once again pressed the refresh button on the main homepage of Daeguk Daily.


    ¡ùUnbelievable! Goblin Fortress DBB Overwhelming New Record Break! Who¡¯s The Main Character? -Reporter Kim Jin Young.


    ¡°I would¡¯ve been a minute faster. The article title of mine is also better. It¡¯s my victory. Kim Jin Young. Huhu.¡±


    ¡°So, you competed with Reporter Kim of Daeguk Daily. But, is Goblin Fortress Dungeon Racing¡¯s record broken? Uh¡­ Who was the first place?¡±


    ¡°Kim Do Jin.¡±


    ¡°Is that broken? By whom?¡±


    It was the moment when Seo Ye Rim, unable to contain her curiosity, grabbed Park Jin Hwan¡¯s mouse and headed over the article posted by Kim Jin Young.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    ¡°Oho, not that one. Don¡¯t increase the views of the report by a competitor.¡±


    Park Jin Hwan, who slapped the back of her hand, naturally took the mouse away and clicked on his report posted on the main homepage of Minguk Daily.


    ¡°I made a mistake. Anyway, the article content is¡­ Oh my gosh, is this real?¡±


    Opening her eyes roundly even though only checked the title before reading the main text, Seo Ye Rim covered her mouth and asked.


    ¡ùFool of Conglomerate Group? No, Talented Conglomerate! Choi Yu Seong Beats Kim Do Jin and Breaks ¡®Overwhelming¡¯ New Record


    ¡°Do you think I put this on the main page as a joke? Everything is filmed with drones.¡±


    ¡°Awesome. Choi Yu Seong, that person I think of, right?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about the most incompetent, good-for-nothing, and drunken man in the Korean business community until not long ago, that friend is right.¡±


    Opening her mouth wide as if she still couldn¡¯t believe it, Seo Ye Rim clicked on the video at the top of the article.


    Then she checked the time the most first.


    ¡®1 hour 59 minutes 26 seconds.¡¯


    Reading her gaze, Park Jin Hwan showed a sharp smile.


    ¡°For reference, this is the full version. No editing. There¡¯s no time for that.¡±


    ¡°¡­What was Do Jin¡¯s record?¡±


    ¡°2 hours 28 minutes 33 seconds.¡±


    ¡°Then the difference is¡­ Almost 30 minutes?¡±


    ¡°Crazy, right?¡±


    What can he say.


    ¡°Lie!¡±


    Unconsciously screaming as if can¡¯t believe it, she pressed the video play button. As if attracted by that, just arriving reporters of the Minguk Daily began to flock behind Park Jin Hwan¡¯s monitor.


    ¡°What, something¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Reporter Park, did you get another big one?¡±


    ¡°A hundred words won¡¯t be enough. Everyone, watch the video.¡±


    Leisurely tilting his chair back and opening the monitor screen for employees to see comfortably, Park Jin Hwan looked at the back with his arms crossed.


    Those who came a little late and couldn¡¯t make it in between urgently turned on their computers and checked the video by clicking an article from their newspaper company that is already securing the main spot on the portal site.


    A long silence passed.


    A time that was certainly long but never felt that way, eliminating the rather sluggish morning work.


    ¡°Woah, awesome!¡±


    ¡°Is that really Choi Yu Seong?¡±


    ¡°His level when entering was E-Rank 91? Isn¡¯t this a situation where you have to go buy Hyesung Group stocks?¡±


    ¡°Hey, Reporter Park. Did you distribute this to foreign press?!¡±


    The editor-in-chief of the Minguk Daily, who was watching the video silently among the employees, urgently asked.


    ¡°Of course, I did.¡±


    Raising two fingers and drawing a V-shape, Park Jin Hwan smirked.


    ¡°Well done. It¡¯s really awesome. Awesome. Really great job, Reporter Park!¡±


    ¡°Woah¡­ It would be no joke if this was distributed to the foreign press.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t Choi Yu Seong get a nickname right away?¡±


    ¡°Now, how about we follow him?¡±


    The atmosphere was boiling like seeing Kim Do Jin¡¯s Dungeon Clear for the first time.


    Enduring the office atmosphere full of enthusiasm after a long time, Park Jin Hwan also jumped in.


    ¡°The progress itself is quite intelligent and it is also very surprising that he found a hidden secret passage.¡±


    ¡°That second Skill, right? At first glance, it looks like a tracking type, but maybe isn¡¯t it some kind of sensory Skill? I don¡¯t think he found the secret passage with it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to see him as a normal Hunter if he has a super-sensory Skill.¡±


    ¡°But the strange thing is¡­ Choi Yu Seong¡¯s behavior was natural as if he knew there is a secret passage.¡±


    ¡°Was there any information?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s information that hasn¡¯t been revealed yet, it should be regarded as personal ability.¡±


    Park Jin Hwan pulled his chair back slightly and smiled as he saw reporters who were proud to be Hunter experts express their opinions randomly once he opened his mouth.


    Without realizing that Park Jin Hwan was missing, conversations between reporters continue.


    ¡°In the end, it¡¯s one of the two. It was Choi Yu Seong¡¯s plan from beginning to end. Or his super sense instinctively led him to the optimal path.¡±


    ¡°It is crazy either one, but I feel it is the former for now.¡±


    ¡°Were there any Hunters in Korea who could plan and do all those things during E-Rank?¡±


    For a moment, the silenced reporters looked at each other and shook their heads firmly.


    ¡°Kim Do Jin also does not feel like he does such an intelligent play since the force itself was just overwhelming.¡±


    ¡°Actually, Kim Do Jin looks a bit like a beast. It should be said as instinctive and wild. Nevertheless, his swordsmanship is artistically elegant. That¡¯s why he¡¯s so popular.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s see. In our opinion, it is safe to say that Choi Yu Seong is one of the top, no, the best strategist-type among the current domestic rookies. Kim Do Jin is¡­ the definite pinnacle of instinctive-type with no one to follow, perhaps.¡±


    ¡°Do we really need to classify? Looking at the results right away, Choi Yu Seong won in Goblin Fortress for now, right?¡±


    A record of 1 hour 59 minutes.


    Quietly listening to the words of a reporter who once again confirmed the short time of less than 2 hours, the editor-in-chief stroked his chin and said.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just about having a plan. There must have been some bone grinding effort. If you look at it, the movement of using the Skills is quite natural and the mana application is also incredibly great. He must be repeating practice every day.¡±


    ¡°They called him the lazy grasshopper1 Choi Yu Seong¡­¡±


    ¡°Completely deceived all this time.¡±


    Pushing his chair between reporters who laughed bitterly, Park Jin Hwan asked.


    ¡°Everyone must have been very surprised, but everyone must think that one is the highlight, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I think I know what that is, Senior. You¡¯re talking about ¡®that!¡¯, right?¡±


    Seo Ye Rim raised her hand with sparkling eyes and pulled the scroll bar of the already finished video slightly forward to replay.


    The point is just past 1 hour 41 minutes.


    The moment when Choi Yu Seong escaped from the secret passage and encountered a group of Elite Goblins.


    Flying into the sky, Choi Yu Seong spread his palm and used a Skill that left a strong impression in the mind of everyone who watched the video.


    ***


    Rewind time again to dawn.


    Flying over a flock of fierce-eyed Goblins, Choi Yu Seong spread his palm and emitted a surge of dazzling lights.


    Never thought the surge of lights would be a disaster for them, the Goblin flock screamed and swung their weapons at the surge of lights.


    And at that moment, the surge of lights that seemed to have split on the weapons began to dance like crazy and released electric shock in all directions.


    ¡ºSpecial, Inheritance Fusion Skill Dancing Electric Doll (E)


    Fusion is possible.


    Spread your palm to emit Dancing Electric Doll within 100 meters in front.


    Electric Doll releases Electric Spark 12 times per second around while dancing.


    Duration 5 seconds.


    No waiting time for reuse.


    It is a Skill that consumes quite a bit of mana.¡»


    A combination of Spark, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s one and only flair-type offensive Skill just before, and Disturbing Dance Moves, Loki¡¯s Inheritance Skill, has become Choi Yu Seong¡¯s best existing offensive Skill.


    Choi Yu Seong used that Skill three times in a row in the air.


    ¡®This is the limit. If I try to trigger the next, I will get a mana overload.¡¯


    In the last chamber of Goblin Fortress, elite Monsters are clustered in groups.


    Already knowing the information, Choi Yu Seong had saved a powerful Skill that consumes a lot of mana, Dancing Electric Doll, for this moment.


    The Goblin Elite flock, who gathered inside the chamber and prepared to attack Choi Yu Seong at once, also twisted as if dancing along and burned in pain thanks to that.


    Looking at that with a somewhat haggard face, Choi Yu Seong drew a smile.


    When fighting with a spear directly without Electric Doll, he had to barely catch two to three Goblins over five minutes or so.


    However, dozens of Elite Goblins die at the same time within 3 seconds when Dancing Electric Doll starts to run.


    He really liked the force even considering the excessive mana consumption rate, which is difficult to use once a day if it wasn¡¯t for Choi Yu Seong who drinks mana juice every day like a tycoon.


    At the same time, he was somewhat unsatisfied.


    ¡®If bushes were spread out like other terrains, they would have been annihilated with this.¡¯

 Volume 3 - CH 13

    Electric spark basically has the lightning attribute, but it also has the fire attribute as it ignites sparks.


    If it had been a battlefield full of bushes like the terrain so far, even Elite Goblins with good physical strength would not be able to withstand and instantly die in this attack.


    The chamber of Goblin Fortress¡¯ final battleground, where Hobgoblin is located, is like the inside of a cave made of pure stone.


    It was a pity for that fact, but it could be said as fortunate in a way.


    ¡®If this place all burns down, I would have had a hard time escaping.¡¯


    Otherwise, he would have had to wait an hour for the Dungeon to be restored naturally by hiding at the end of the secret passage without bushes.


    In any case, Choi Yu Seong landed at a rather safe spot even before the 5 seconds duration of Dancing Electric Doll was over.


    ¡®It¡¯s tingling!¡¯


    Despite wearing a battle suit with a fairly high electricity cutoff rate, a tingling sensation from the back of the head instantly filled his entire body.


    But that time was a moment.


    Choi Yu Seong unfolded Wind Stance rushed towards Hobgoblin, who didn¡¯t know what to do with Electric Doll¡¯s sudden attack and jumped up from the throne.


    ¡®Stylish is at its best.¡¯


    Once again turning red by wrapping the fire attribute using Magic Spearmanship, the spear of Choi Yu Seong pierced through Hobgoblin¡¯s shoulder.


    A cool sensation of tearing flesh and breaking through bones.


    The mixed disgusting smell of Goblin¡¯s meat roasted and the fishy smell of blood came in through the nose in various forms.


    At the same time, Hobgoblin grabbed Choi Yu Seong¡¯s spear with one hand even with a pain-stained face, and shrieked.


    -Keeeek-!


    The guy who boasts a thick forearm as he was one head bigger than most Goblins pulled out the spear tearing his shoulder, swung a rather unusually shaped curved sword, and hit Choi Yu Seong¡¯s abdomen.


    Although it could not break through the battle suit, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s body stumbled for a moment at the intense blow that was transmitted like a blunt weapon.


    Did not miss the gap, Hobgoblin¡¯s curved sword flew toward Choi Yu Seong¡¯s neck.


    Escaping the crisis by unfolding Wind Stance, Choi Yu Seong wiped the blood flowing down his lips with the back of his hand.


    ¡®You¡¯re still a Boss Monster, that¡¯s it? Quite a tough guy.¡¯


    Eventually, all the Electric Dolls disappeared.


    The number of Elite Monsters left is about five.


    And a somewhat wounded Hobgoblin.


    ¡®Not bad. I can do it.¡¯


    Catching his breath, Choi Yu Seong immersed himself in the battle like crazy, and as a result.


    After about 20 minutes of bloody battle, he was able to put the long spear blade in the center of wide-eyed Hobgoblin¡¯s neck.


    Your Level Has Risen.


    Your Level Has Risen.


    Your Level Has Risen.


    Your Level Has Risen.


    Your Level Has Risen.


    E-Rank MAX Level Has Been Reached.


    Please Challenge The Promotion Evaluation!


    Seeing the messages that made his whole body gain strength, Choi Yu Seong swept up his sweaty hair and smiled brightly as he looked at the drone filming himself in the air.


    ¡®That¡¯s great.¡¯


    Isn¡¯t the ending going to be a masterpiece no matter how you make it?


    ***


    South Korea, no, the world was turned upside down after Choi Yu Seong¡¯s Goblin Fortress Dungeon Racing video was released.


    The article itself was one step slower than Park Jin Hwan, but the video edited much faster by Kim Jin Young surpassed 50 million views in less than a week on NewTube.


    Everyone was expecting it to achieve 100 million soon.


    Park Jin Hwan was also not pushed watching Kim Jin Young¡¯s good performance.


    Less than half a day after receiving an exclusive press video obtained from a well-known trusted sasaeng fan(?) of Choi Yu Seong, he edited, wrote a report, and released it on both the website and NewTube.


    ¡ùChoi Yu Seong Already Won Against A Boss Monster Of 2nd Grade Dungeon Before? Feat. Sand Officer


    Half a day after the second video posted by Park Jin Hwan was released, the first and second most popular videos on NewTube were all covered by Choi Yu Seong¡¯s name.


    Naturally, attention from all over the world poured on Choi Yu Seong.


    United States, CNL.


    ¡ùWho Is Choi Yu Seong Who Broke The Record Of Top Prospect Kim Do Jin?


    ¡ùGenius Millionaire Hunter!


    United Kingdom, BBD.


    ¡ùDiscovered South Korea¡¯s New Talent


    ¡ùFearless Rascal, Revered As A Genius


    Japan, NHN.


    ¡ùKim Do Jin and Choi Yu Seong, A Dragon And A Tiger


    ¡ù¡®Inwang1¡¯ Yamamoto Kyosuke. Korean Talents Are Only At The Starting Point. You Never Know When The Bubbles Will Burst, Don¡¯t Make Hasty Judgments


    Media outlets from the world¡¯s leading countries reported news and articles, flooding requests for interviews.


    It wasn¡¯t just that.


    Sitting in the chairman office of the company rather than the mansion¡¯s home office after a long time, Choi Wu Jae was reading press releases from each country and smiled when he suddenly remembered receiving a call from Chinese President Wang Kai last night.


    He then picked up the telephone and made a quick call somewhere.


    The never-short ringtone rang several times and time went by.


    It would have been quite surprising if there were other people nearby.


    The supreme Hyesung Group Chairman Choi Wu Jae calls and waits for a long time.


    It was a rare case.


    Then, along with a click, a husky voice mixed with laughter came from over the receiver.


    -Who¡¯s this? What was the reason the busiest gent in Korea calls me all the way?


    ¡°Hohoho¡­ Even if I¡¯m busy, do what I have to do and live. You¡¯ve been quiet lately. Is everything okay?¡±


    -Thanks to you, I¡¯m spending my latter years very peacefully.


    ¡°Your grandson is pretty cute, so when will you show his face?¡±


    -Ah, I have to show him! Whose request is it. Isn¡¯t this Baek Joon Kyung doing this well now because of you.


    Baek Joon Kyung. If Choi Yu Seong had heard this name, he would have been surprised yet also understood Choi Wu Jae¡¯s unfamiliar appearance.


    Former President of the Republic of Korea from an S-Rank Hunter.


    He led the team in the most front when Choi Wu Jae was in his prime as a Hunter. Although he stepped back and retired from the political and Hunter jobs, he was still called one of the nation¡¯s living legends.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done so much for me. By the way, we haven¡¯t seen each other in a long time, so let¡¯s play golf? Also to show your grandson¡¯s face at the same time.¡±


    -Golf?


    Perhaps it was Choi Wu Jae¡¯s unexpected words, but Baek Joon Kyung across the phone expressed a strange tone.


    -Aah¡­ This friend. Now that I see, you called me to brag about your kid brat! Yeah, didn¡¯t Choi Yu Seong have a big accident in a clever thing this time?


    At the words of the quick-witted friend, Choi Wu Jae shook his head from side to side.


    ¡°What bragging, it¡¯s just a little something to talk about. Ah, but there¡¯s a little bit of trouble. Well, I was going to sleep last night, but suddenly I got a call. Has it been 10 years? There is that gent, right. Wang Kai.¡±


    -Chinese President? Are you talking about that old snake? Come to think of it, he was still alive. But why is that friend?


    ¡°Ah, well. If I send Yu Seong to China, he said he will drive about 30 trillion won in sales to Hyesung Group every year.¡±


    -That stingy man gave a big generosity. I think he likes your son quite a lot. So?


    ¡°What¡¯s with so. Does 30 trillion make sense?¡±


    -Of course. If the snake said that much, he would have asked you to transfer your ninth kid¡¯s nationality, so there is no chance. I¡¯ve heard a bit of rumor, but that Yu Seong guy. He is the treasure of the country, a treasure. Don¡¯t even think about letting him go anywhere. Then I won¡¯t forgive you.


    Choi Wu Jae¡¯s lips twitched as Baek Joon Kyung¡¯s stern voice made him feel better for no reason and nodded.


    ¡°Such a given sound. Not just 30 trillion, I don¡¯t even care about 300 trillion. And to give some king or something, oh dear¡­¡±


    -Harharhar! This friend, it seems you have a lot to brag about now. Yeah, golf. Let¡¯s play it. When would be a good time?


    ¡°If you¡¯re okay, right away is nice too.¡±


    -Right now? Here is Goseong, though? Isn¡¯t it afternoon when you arrive?


    ¡°Ah, it doesn¡¯t matter. It would be perfect if I go by car, eat lunch, then play golf.¡±


    ¨C Harhar¡­! Who said this friend isn¡¯t active, very energetic. Yeah, see you when you arrive.


    ¡°Then wait a little bit.¡±


    Hanging up the call, Choi Wu Jae got up from the chair wrapping him, and connected the intercom to the secretary¡¯s office.


    -Yes, Chairman.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to Baek Joon Kyung. Tell them to get ready immediately.¡±


    -Alright, sir.


    While the intercom was cut off, Choi Wu Jae dressed in sportswear that looked several times lighter than the outfit he wore to the company and a thick padding jacket over it. Then as he hummed, he suddenly stopped and trembled.


    ¡°¡­This. If that friend Pil Du was nearby, he would have said something again.¡±


    Choi Wu Jae shrugged, briefly remembering his right arm who was out in England for work.


    ¡®These days, there are many things that make me feel good thanks to Yu Seong brat.¡¯


    I¡¯ll have to think of a gift to give to Choi Yu Seong while playing golf today.


    Making such a decision, Choi Wu Jae left the chairman¡¯s office with light steps.


    ***


    A shabby eight-story building without sunlight located somewhere in Jongno, Seoul.


    A new sign was hung on the fifth floor which can only be reached by climbing the high stone stairs directly with two legs since there was no elevator.


    Hunter Guild, Eclipse.


    Inside, Kim Do Jin tilted his head as he entered a space just over 30 pyeong that was not even organized yet.


    ¡°Is this all?¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh.¡±


    Immediately behind such Kim Do Jin, Baek Ah Rin, who was putting her hands together like a sinner, replied with a weak voice.


    ¡°I remember exactly that you wanted an office building.¡±


    ¡°¡­That was the goal. But this damned land price in Seoul is very expensive. The building I was aiming for was exactly 10 times more expensive than here! Wahaha!¡±


    Bursting into big laughter, Baek Ah Rin scratched the back of her head and cried out.


    ¡°So, did you only buy one floor of this building?¡±


    ¡°No. I just bought this room. Still, I can see my goal out of the window here.¡±


    Looking around the inside of the room once again at Baek Ah Rin¡¯s detailed explanation, Kim Do Jin nodded lightly.


    ¡°Not bad.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. For my greed, I¡¯m sor¡­ What?¡±


    ¡°There must have been quite a few places that offered to support if you had hung our names. Isn¡¯t starting in a small place like this means you rejected everything?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s true but¡­ Since it¡¯s usually more preferred to start with support.¡±


    ¡°Good job. Once you start borrowing someone else¡¯s hand, you have to repay them in some form. And the work I¡¯m going to do myself can¡¯t be valued with such a penny.¡±


    ¡°The price of the building I want to buy is over 80 billion, though?¡±.


    ¡°I¡¯m Kim Do Jin. In the future, my ransom will be 10 times higher than that.¡±


    ¡°Hhm¡­ So arrogant.¡±


    Whether Baek Ah Rin looked at him angrily or not, Kim Do Jin stood in front of the window with the best sunlight in the room and looked at the city landscape filled with quite a few somewhat suffocating buildings.


    ¡®An area where purchases are not allowed unless for guilds¡­¡¯


    It was roughly predicted where it would be.


    But that¡¯s all, he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it.


    ¡®Baek Ah Rin is a good colleague. This much is not a losing business.¡¯


    Anyway, the two are now on the same boat.

 Volume 3 - CH 14

    Kim Do Jin was planning to create a kingdom to help him fight as he had achieved in another dimension in this somewhat shabby and insignificant place.


    ¡°And there¡¯ll be no worries about money soon.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Baek Ah Rin tilted her head at Kim Do Jin¡¯s sudden words.


    ¡°The friend I¡¯ll bring to our guild soon has pretty much money.¡±


    ¡°Friend?¡±


    Baek Ah Rin tilted her head and asked.


    Most people in the world are being deceived.


    Kim Do Jin who appears on TV media is quite friendly, smiles well, and looks humble.


    However, the real Kim Do Jin experienced by Baek Ah Rin directly, although for a short time, was quite different.


    ¡®Full of confidence, shameless, narcissistic. Just thought that the center of the world is himself. Also has a bit of a psycho temperament too. This is for sure.¡¯


    Such Kim Do Jin said that he was a friend to someone.


    Honestly, she even starts to doubt whether her ears heard it wrongly.


    ¡°It¡¯s a name you also know well. It¡¯s Choi Yu Seong.¡±


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong? Could it be that New Star of Hyesung Group?¡±


    ¡°¡­Not the good-for-nothing of Hyesung Group?¡±


    This time, Kim Do Jin expressed surprise at Baek Ah Rin¡¯s unexpected response.


    ¡°Ah. Come to think of it, you¡¯ve been stuck in the Dungeon for over a week until this morning and came out. So, you don¡¯t know. Choi Yu Seong, hm, what¡¯s that. He broke your record for Goblin Fortress Dungeon Racing?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still in an uproar, did you not even see the news as soon as you came out?¡±


    ¡°No time to see it. I washed up and came here straight to keep the promise with you.¡±


    ¡°I see. Anyway, it was incredible. A NewTube video also came up. What¡¯s it, it¡¯s almost 30 minutes faster than your record¡­¡±


    ¡°30 minutes?¡±


    With his thick black eyebrows wriggling greatly, Kim Do Jin erased his relaxed expression and hurriedly took his phone from his arms.


    The expression of Kim Do Jin, who opened the NewTube app and played the video from searching Choi Yu Seong¡¯s name, changed from time to time.


    ¡®This is amusing. What¡¯s the relationship between the two?¡¯


    Kim Do Jin¡¯s never seen shaking appearance.


    Looking at his appearance as if appreciating for a while, Baek Ah Rin said in a playful voice.


    ¡°I saw the video and it was no joke. Isn¡¯t Choi Yu Seong surely going to overtake you like this?¡±


    ¡°¡­Nonsense.¡±


    Responding lightly and clicking his tongue, Kim Do Jin who silently watched the video smiled brightly.


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong¡­ The look you have shown me is not everything, that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Uh? Kim Do Jin, are you mad?¡±


    Not answering Baek Ah Rin¡¯s question, Kim Do Jin immediately opened the closed window.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°Go to the Dungeon. Wherever Boss is created currently.¡±


    ¡°Suddenly? It just came out, right?¡±


    ¡°I have to show it again.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That I¡¯m the best.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ This crazy narcissism¡­ Hey?!¡±


    Showing light warm-up motions before Baek Ah Rin¡¯s words were over, Kim Do Jin jumped from the five-story building to the ground without any regrets.


    Baek Ah Rin shouted at Kim Do Jin, who was moving away, from the window.


    ¡°You crazy guy, we have to submit the guild creation registration certificate by tomorrow-!¡±


    Fortunately, Kim Do Jin and Baek Ah Rin¡¯s guild, Eclipse, was able to be established on the scheduled date.


    ***


    In this era, the most direct way to feel your popularity is rather simple.


    The number of Social Media followers.


    Ferguson, a famous soccer coach of the Earth where Choi Yu Seong lived before, used the expression ¡®wasting life¡¯ while looking at Social Media, and in fact, many people made mistakes and spent useless time through it, but Social Media¡¯s popularity did not intend to fade.


    ¡®This world isn¡¯t that different.¡¯


    In the afternoon after morning training, Choi Yu Seong returned to his room for a short break, abruptly launched Outstagram app on his phone. There was no need to install.


    ¡®He already registered, huh.¡¯


    Well, the original Choi Yu Seong himself was an attention seeker, so it would be rather strange if he hadn¡¯t done such Social Media activities.


    ¡®The number of followers¡­ 30? A lot less than I thought.¡¯


    This is the first time Choi Yu Seong directly came in contact with Social Media, but he knew how small 30 followers were.


    ¡®Even a little bit famous people among the general public had more than tens of thousands, though.¡¯


    It is a fairly small number of followers for Choi Yu Seong, who was well-known in his own way even if he was a ruffian.


    The reason was soon known.


    ¡°Ah, the account is private.¡±


    At most, one photo was posted on Outstagram.


    It was also just a selfie of himself that came out pretty well in front of the mirror.


    Even the ID was created in such a way that could not be recognized at all that he was Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®Then what did the original Choi Yu Seong guy usually do on Social Media?¡¯


    If he installed Social Media, it means he wanted to get attention, but it is too quiet for that.


    Fortunately, it was not difficult to find the answer to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s curiosity.


    There were several direct messages, the so-called DM, on Outstagram sent by Choi Yu Seong as a means of 1:1 conversation.


    ¡®Kim So Ra, Min Hye Rin, Jung So Young¡­¡¯


    All of them are beautiful female celebrities or Awakeners who have performed quite well in the present or not-too-distant past.


    Choi Yu Seong of the past had a 1:1 conversation with such women and left quite a lot of messages that clearly showed his black heart, asking if they had any thoughts on meeting him.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s face turned red as he looked at that because it was practically what he did although it wasn¡¯t something he did.


    ¡®What the hell has this crazy guy been doing.¡¯


    It was to the point he was envious of the original work¡¯s world where the setting hole was everywhere at least at this moment.


    ¡®What kind of setting is so detailed for a starting villain role who gets killed after hunting is over by the protagonist.¡¯


    A crazy situation that made his mind turn around.


    Fortunately, there were few cases where it was replied.


    ¡®About three people replied.¡¯


    Surprisingly, 3 out of about 20 women replied.


    Of course, there was nothing with good sense.


    ¡°Crazy guy or nutcase is very gentle¡­¡±


    There was even a case where dozens of incomplete letters ¡®?¡¯ were received.


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the family that he hasn¡¯t been sued until now.¡±


    Although it became the body he possessed, the original Choi Yu Seong was quite a trash.


    ¡®And now this shame is mine. By the way, this punk also sent a message to Jo Yu Ri. He¡¯s a very fearless guy in a different way.


    Jo Yu Ri was a famous S-Rank curse-type Hunter who rose to the status of a Guild Master of Black Magic Society, one of Korea¡¯s top 10 guilds with a woman¡¯s body.


    She wears very strong-looking makeup and is even actually famous for her spiteful personality. There were quite a few rumors that some male Hunters who actually flirted with her have become disabled for the rest of their lives.


    ¡®It was even said that one man was also one of the top 10 Guild Masters.¡¯


    Anyway, he sent a message to such Jo Yu Ri asking if she had any thoughts about meeting him once seriously.


    The reply didn¡¯t come back, so it was even scarier.


    ¡®I¡¯m glad I know even now. Now, I have to run away if I see Jo Yu Ri even from afar.¡¯


    Feeling a part of his lower body was getting numb for no reason somehow, Choi Yu Seong coughed and closed the message window.


    Of course, it is meaningless to send a message once again now to explain the story and make excuses that he had wised up.


    ¡®This is just one more reason to become stronger.¡¯


    After giving one more clear motivation to his goal, Choi Yu Seong headed for the real first purpose of turning on the Social Media app.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. This is the search bar and the ID is¡­¡±


    While Choi Yu Seong was focusing on morning training, Jin Yu Ri, who was looking at her phone next to him, suddenly burst into a big laugh.


    The curious Choi Yu Seong asked why, so Jin Yu Ri was going to show her phone immediately but wrote an ID on a paper and told him to find out for himself instead.


    Before entering the account, Choi Yu Seong smiled bitterly when checking the profile picture after opening the white paper folded in his pocket and searching for ¡®@H_Mohammmed¡¯ on Outstagram.


    ¡®What the. It looks like he¡¯s an Arabian prince, but he also does Social Media like this. But why is this person?¡¯


    With that thought, the hand moved to enter the account details.


    Surprisingly, the picture at the top of Mohammed¡¯s account was none other than Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°¡­Me?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong pressed on his photo out of expected curiosity, and then coughed in vain instead of picking up the water that was on the table at Mohammed¡¯s caption in English.


    ¡°Ahem¡­!¡±


    ?@H_Mohammmed


    He is a favorite Hunter.


    That¡¯s why I¡¯m thinking about it.


    How much do I have to call to have him? hmm¡­1?


    Fortunately, Mohammed didn¡¯t have the dangerous taste that Choi Yu Seong first worried about.


    He is just a Saudi Arabian prince who has so much money (maybe more than Choi Wu Jae) and enjoys investing in quite a variety of ways for his hobby.


    For example, buying one of the American Major League teams and rebuilding the team with a vast amount of money was a typical case.


    ¡®Someone like Mansour of the Earth where I lived.¡¯


    As he got to know Mohammed little by little, the meaning of wanting to have Choi Yu Seong also became clear.


    ¡®He¡¯s setting up a Hunter team for Dungeon Racing. After all, many gentlemen regard this side as some kind of sport these days.¡¯


    He knows the intention, but there was no reason for Choi Yu Seong to be shaken by that.


    ¡®It¡¯s not as much as Mohammed, but I also have quite a lot of money.¡¯


    Around that time, a new message was posted on Mohammed¡¯s Social Media feed.


    ?@H_Mohammmed


    About $1,000,000,000?2?


    One billion dollars exceeds about 1.1 trillion in Korean currency.


    If Choi Yu Seong could use that money at his disposal, it could be seen that the things he could do would increase considerably.


    ¡°I will. I want to join that team. Prince.¡±


    Instinctively speaking out loud without realizing it, Choi Yu Seong was trying to activate the 1:1 chat window when.


    ?@H_Mohammmed


    If he¡¯s a S Rank Hunter.  3?


    ¡°¡­This naughty gentleman is making fun of someone.¡±


    Upset for no reason, Choi Yu Seong checked the time after closing Outstagram app.


    It¡¯s already been an hour.


    The break he had in mind ended in a flash.


    ¡°This is really a time-consuming ghost. I shouldn¡¯t open it if possible.¡±


    It was Choi Yu Seong who felt the danger of Social Media for the first time.

 Volume 3 - CH 15

    Afternoon.


    It would have been time to head to the Dungeon to hunt if it had been the original schedule, but Choi Yu Seong had been focusing on training from some time ago.


    In particular, the afternoon hours are spent several times more intensely than in the morning, so it was impossible to do anything in the cohousing multiplex home1 and had to rent an entire hunter-use gym located nearby.


    The gym that Choi Yu Seong first visited with Jin Do Yun before getting Hunter License must have invested quite a lot of money to build as it had a mana barrier that could withstand all the mana below A-Rank, so it was pretty expensive to use per day. But thanks to its privacy and quietness, there were few places better than this to focus on training alone.


    Having been practicing spear and mana operation for about two hours inside by raising extreme concentration, Choi Yu Seong soon lay on the floor pouring out thick drops of sweat.


    ¡°Haa¡­ Haa¡­¡±


    Rough breaths that reached far poured out continuously and the pain continued like a sharp needle stabbing his lungs, but a smile appeared on his lips.


    This was because he did not doubt that the pain he had now would be a rope to save his life in a dangerous moment.


    ¡®It¡¯s good, but. If possible, I want to build a large mansion like Father¡¯s and make a training center like this in my house¡­¡¯


    Isn¡¯t it true to say that there is no end to human greed?


    Once he began to enjoy the convenience, the next step naturally came to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mind.


    The problem was that if money was poured out to that extent, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s bank account balance would become quite poor right away.


    The amount of money that he thought was truly a lot at first started to ran out in an instant as he spent it.


    As expected, the saying that money is hard to make and easy to spend is exactly right.


    ¡®It would be okay if the land price was relatively cheap somewhere near Gyeonggi-do, but¡­¡¯


    Considering the time it took to get to and from Seoul ahead, it could be seen that the damage would occur.


    ¡®There should be more plausible sources of income. It would be good if Magic Stone comes out well, but that¡¯s all about luck.¡¯


    Even the lowest Magic Stone grade, Gray Color, is priced at least 10 million won.


    The top Red Color is 100 million won.


    Fortunately, he got a Red Color Magic Stone in the last Hobgoblin hunt, but he was not very pleased.


    ¡®The money went out in a day is not normal.¡¯


    Even though he thought so, Choi Yu Seong smiled bitterly.


    ¡®Choi Yu Seong, you¡¯ve changed a lot.¡¯¡¯


    Let alone 100 million won, he would have felt good for more than a month just to win the second prize in the lottery worth 50 million won when he was an ordinary office worker.


    However, it is not satisfactory to just earn 100 million won as the situation changes and spending naturally increases.


    It was a somewhat inevitable situation, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel as if he were living in a different world.


    ¡®It can¡¯t be helped because my position has changed.¡¯


    In a way, all the money consumed now is to escape the fate of ¡®death¡¯ set in the future.


    No amount of money can be more valuable than life.


    And if the probability of survival increases by using it a lot, it is natural that the value of it is not a waste.


    As he was organizing his thoughts, his rough breathing naturally subsided.


    By then, Choi Yu Seong recalled the system message window that had been put off for over a week.


    ¡¶Awakener Choi Yu Seong is currently at E-Rank MAX level.


    Please challenge the Promotion Evaluation and move on to the next step!


    The evaluation is divided into two.


    Normal difficulty.


    Extreme difficulty.


    On Normal Difficulty, the number of retry attempts is infinite unless you die. Go for it!


    In the case of Extreme Difficulty, you cannot retry even if you luckily survive. If you¡¯re ready, please challenge it!¡·


    Compared to usual, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s path has already been set at the options of a rather friendly system message.


    ¡®Hard mode, of course. Extreme Difficulty.¡¯


    The system is not a fool, would it divide difficulty levels for no reason?


    Obviously, he will receive a bigger reward if he passes the Promotion Evaluation with a higher difficulty than normal.


    The path to go is decided, so why is he worried about it?


    ¡®Because it¡¯s impossible to retry. I should go in when I¡¯m certainly prepared to clear it.¡¯


    In fact, there was nothing special about the preparation.


    No one knows the contents of the extreme difficulty Promotion Evaluation.


    Promotion Evaluation is given differently for each individual and the method is arbitrary, so it is impossible to use any data or future information.


    In other words, Choi Yu Seong had to pass only with his wits and skills in this Promotion Evaluation. To do that, he draws out the best ability he can achieve at the current standard Rank and Level, and challenges it in the best condition.


    ¡®About the day after tomorrow? I think I¡¯ve finally adapted to the physical conditions of E-Rank Max Level, so it¡¯ll be okay to take a rest tomorrow then challenge it.¡¯


    In other words, by today, the body is certainly drawn out to the maximum through extreme training.


    The determined Choi Yu Seong jumped from his place, raised his body, and grabbed the spear again.


    Feeling his heart settled down thanks to Cold Headed (E) triggered by Spearmanship Prodigy effect, he calmly contemplates his condition.


    ¡®I can go a little further.¡¯


    Time flies quickly as he continues training mindlessly.


    And two days later.


    Choi Yu Seong challenged the Promotion Evaluation he had decided to do.


    ***


    7 a.m. on the chosen day to challenge Promotion Evaluation.


    Choi Yu Seong, who woke up early in the morning, warmed up his body lightly with a spear near the yard in front of the house as usual.


    It was quite expensive as it was a spear made by the best craftsman on earth, but the blade survived well with a small change even though it went through quite severe situations and the feeling and balance on his hands were also quite good.


    Choi Yu Seong would normally have fallen into training as if drunk on such a spear, but today was certainly different as an important task was scheduled.


    ¡®Slowly, lightly, with the feeling of warming up.¡¯


    After spending about an hour and a half in the morning with stretching and light training, Chae Ye Ryeong was on the way to work 30 minutes earlier as usual.


    ¡°Hello, Boss!¡±


    Still covering her face with shaggy hair, she loudly greeted Choi Yu Seong who was breathing heavily in the yard.


    It¡¯s a daily routine, but today it was a little different.


    This is because the short conversation with Jin Yu Ri last night suddenly passed through Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mind.


    ¡®She said that it seems the reawakening materials I asked for will all gather soon.¡¯


    Because of this, he grabbed Chae Ye Ryeong who was about to enter the house after the energetic greeting.


    ¡°Chae Ye Ryeong ssi. Can we talk for a moment?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    There is no question.


    As if it were natural, she tilted her head in front of Choi Yu Seong.


    In fact, he didn¡¯t have much to talk about.


    It is because he had already talked about ¡®reawakening¡¯ with Chae Ye Ryeong last year.


    ¡°Do you remember what we talked about in the hospital room before?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°The preparations are almost done. As I said, it can be quite dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you have any other questions or doubts? If you want to quit even now, it is okay to stop.¡±


    He is confident to some extent as it is based on novel information. He will also take precautions, but in fact, it is not without danger.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong asked with a serious expression. And this time, there was a brief silence as if Chae Ye Ryeong hesitated to answer.


    No, a long silence continues.


    ¡°Chae Ye Ryeong ssi?¡±


    In the end, Choi Yu Seong, who couldn¡¯t hold back, opened his mouth first.


    ¡°Yes, sir?¡±


    ¡°Did you not hear me just now, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°I heard it, sir.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t really have any questions or doubts. Hmm, to be exact. This is a bit embarrassing, but¡­¡±


    Chae Ye Ryeong, who had a red blush on her white skin under her hair, scratched her cheek lightly with her finger.


    ¡°Boss told me back then, too. It¡¯s dangerous, but I will gain a lot of strength if I do it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I said.¡±


    ¡°Boss said there would be a better life and a lot of rewards waiting, but I am not really interested in that. No. Rather than not being interested, I think I am very grateful and satisfied with my current life.¡±


    Chae Ye Ryeong¡¯s eyes twinkled as she slightly looked up at Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes.


    It wasn¡¯t different from when they first met.


    She never loses easily in any desperate situation.


    ¡®To think that this kind of person becomes a Catastrophe in the original novel.¡¯


    He couldn¡¯t even imagine how bad terrible things that she had gone through.


    ¡°It is all thanks to Boss.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, to say so¡­¡±


    It was just simply an investment in the future value of Chae Ye Ryeong.


    Before Choi Yu Seong could say anything out of embarrassment, Chae Ye Ryeong bowed her head once again and said.


    ¡°So I would rather ask Boss a favor. Please let me give it a try! If I reawakened, I can be of greater help to Boss, right?¡±


    ¡°It would be a truly huge help.¡±


    Chae Ye Ryeong is a talent that can be seen as a future Catastrophe and a minimum growth potential of SS+ Rank.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I need. I want to be a person who is more helpful to Boss and all family members in this house. I will work hard and become a person who pays for what I get!¡±


    Shouting energetically, Chae Ye Ryeong raised her head and now looked like she was clenching her fists tightly.


    What else needs to be said?


    ¡°All right. Then I will tell you again as soon as it is ready.¡±


    ¡°Yep! I will be waiting for it. Boss.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, so go in. Cheer up.¡±


    ¡°Fighting too for Boss today!¡±


    Waving her hand with a lively greeting, Chae Ye Ryeong entered the house.


    When she encountered Jin Yu Ri, who came out of the front door at that time, she greeted energetically once again.


    After smiling and nodding, Jin Yu Ri lightly stroked Chae Ye Ryeong¡¯s hair.


    ¡®Come to think of it, these two must be the same age¡­ Chae Ye Ryeong also calls her Unnie. And looking at them like that, they look like sisters.¡¯


    Jin Yu Ri approached Choi Yu Seong, who looked at their appearance with a puzzled yet a quite pleasant expression.


    ¡°When are you going to reveal your age to Chae Ye Ryung ssi?¡±


    And before Jin Yu Ri could say anything, Choi Yu Seong asked a question first.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve said it, though?¡±


    ¡°But she still calls you ¡®unnie¡¯?¡±


    ¡°She does whatever she likes. Fufu. She is a cute kid.¡±


    Well, Jin Yu Ri certainly feels much like an older sister looking at the atmosphere alone.


    ¡°By the way, you¡¯re going to challenge the Promotion Evaluation this afternoon, right?¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    ¡°As you know, declare renounce immediately if it is dangerous. Someone said that dying in the Promotion Evaluation is the most foolish thing.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Promotion Evaluation is called evaluation, so it is not held easily.


    However, if a person who is being evaluated declares renounce, they can escape quickly.


    In a way, it seems that there is no death at all, but there are quite a few people who die in this Promotion Evaluation.


    The reason is literally greed.


    The feeling that you can be promoted if you just go a little bit further, the moment you were lucky enough to see hope after dozens retry but repeated failure, when you tried to go one step further, an Awakener dies.


    As it is a death that everyone knows the reason for, it is difficult to receive good condolences for a death in the Promotion Evaluation.

 Volume 3 - CH 16

    ¡®In particular, Extreme Difficulty has a slightly higher death rate than Normal Difficulty due to the risk that you can¡¯t re-enter once you give up.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t that Jin Yu Ri¡¯s worries were very incomprehensible.


    Choi Yu Seong also wants to enter Extreme Difficulty and get the best results.


    ¡°You seriously know that, right?¡±


    ¡°Trust me. I¡¯m someone who values my own life the most.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not something that Oppa should say as someone who had thrown his life away many times.¡±


    What happened in the past was all acting and a show.


    To say that he never intended to throw his life recklessly, Jin Yu Ri¡¯s expression was not an atmosphere to believe with her arms folded in a stiff posture.


    ¡°Ukhm¡­¡±


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong, who covered up the situation with a dry cough, quietly looks elsewhere.


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad. Do Yun Oppa hasn¡¯t been home for days because he¡¯s about to reach the promotion level. If he was here, he would also have said something harsh together.¡±


    ¡°Even though I don¡¯t overdo it.¡±


    Lightly glared at Choi Yu Seong¡¯s determined words, Jin Yu Ri unfolded her arms and said.


    ¡°Actually, even if I say this¡­ I will believe in Oppa. And I¡¯m rooting for you. In fact, there¡¯s nothing else I can do besides this.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Ah, and the important thing is, Yoo Jin Hyuk that Oppa mentioned before.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s head, which was spewing tantrums, snapped and turned toward Jin Yu Ri.


    ¡°Found him?¡±


    Along with Chae Ye Ryeong, the Magic Beast Master1 Yoo Jin Hyuk is a very important figure in Choi Yu Seong¡¯s future plan.


    The ability to summon, tame, and handle Magic Beast from another world is rare and highly versatile, but Yoo Jin Hyuk even had the rare ability of a Barrier Master.


    He appears as a Villain and faces a tragic death in the original novel, but he is truly rare among rare, a unique grade talent if he can keep him by his side.


    ¡°Yes. As Oppa said, he was reported as dead.¡±


    In a way, it can be heard as discouraging words, but Choi Yu Seong was not very discouraged.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the end, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He was reported dead with both parents, but the peculiar thing is that his older brother is alive. His name is Yoo Jin Hwan¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Yoo Jin Hyuk.¡±


    ¡°It seems you¡¯re really sure?¡±


    ¡°Huh. You know, I have the Skill.¡±


    In fact, he knows from the original novel.


    Villain Yoo Jin Hyuk uses a pseudonym, Yoo Jin Hwan, in the early scenes of his appearance.


    He didn¡¯t know they were brothers, but it was enough to put the puzzle together in Choi Yu Seong¡¯s head anyway.


    ¡°Anyway, please investigate where Yoo Jin Hyuk, no, Yoo Jin Hwan is at the moment. If possible, I¡¯d like to ask you to investigate everything including what kind of accident happened. I¡¯m going to visit there right after the Promotion Evaluation. As soon as possible¡­¡±


    ¡°Do not worry. It is already in progress.¡±


    ¡°As expected. Jin Yu Ri. The ace of this house.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t just say empty words and give me a reward vacation soon. I feel like I¡¯m the only one falling behind because Do Yun Oppa is working hard to level up by himself.¡±


    ¡°If you go on a dungeon hunt on vacation, doesn¡¯t the reward mean nothing?¡±


    ¡°It depends on what you think. My morning report is over and Oppa training is also over, right?¡±


    ¡°Huh. That¡¯s all for today. I¡¯m going to wash up, eat lightly, and go straight to the Promotion Evaluation.¡±


    ¡°Eat well and go. Because there are people who can¡¯t come out for a month once they enter the evaluation site.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be me. I¡¯m lucky in this kind of thing, you know.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong answered lightly, and he resented the flag he had set up exactly three hours later.


    ***


    ¡¶Awakener Choi Yu Seong, E-Rank MAX Level.


    Entering D-Rank Promotion Evaluation, Extreme Difficulty.


    Wishing you good luck.¡·


    As soon as he accepted the Promotion Evaluation, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s vision was covered in darkness with a short message and a damp sensation wrapped around his whole body.


    For a moment he felt anxious as if he was being swallowed by a large whale.


    With a flash of light in front of Choi Yu Seong, a rabbit who looked 190cm tall with longer legs than most human adults went ¡®ta da-!¡¯ and appeared in a tuxedo.


    Literally, ta-da.


    ¡°Ta da-! Nice to meet you. Awakener Choi Yu Seong ssi. I am Mr. Nice Guy who served as your evaluator. You can shorten it and call me Mister Guy.¡±


    In fact, the appearance itself is a form of clich¨¦ that he has seen a lot somewhere, but for some reason, the expression of smiling broadly with arms wide open and tone when appearing are unfamiliar.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t that kind of doll in a tuxedo supposed to hold some weight or something2.¡¯


    Or get a head start by showing great magic tricks with the hat or the black cane in his hand. Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes twinkled for a while in anticipation of that, but Mr. Nice Guy, so-called Mister Guy, made the mistake of dropping his hat while returning from doing ta-da with his arms wide open to an attentive posture.


    ¡°Aikko-! This is a new hat I bought. So precious, what do I do.¡±


    Mister Guy, who picked up the hat that fell in a hurry, looked embarrassed as he saw Choi Yu Seong and lightly swept his long mustache.


    For some reason, the area around the white fur is flushing red.


    ¡°Hong hong! It seems you are someone who doesn¡¯t talk much. Usually, those who come here for the first time show a lot of curiosity.¡±


    ¡°Because I roughly knew about it.¡±


    Upon entering the Promotion Evaluation, you will meet the evaluator assigned to the individual.


    This evaluator assignment is like the Promotion Evaluation, so there are no special rules or information.


    Literally, a random draw.


    The direction of the Promotion Evaluation varies depending on the personality of the evaluator, but he couldn¡¯t even guess what kind of style Mister Guy in front of him would be like.


    ¡°From Awakener people I¡¯ve met so far, usually they still ask even though they knew it¡­ Uhm, Choi Yu Seong ssi is a very interesting person. For example, don¡¯t you have a question like this. The curiosity of where I came from, who made the system, and why this happened to Earth? Don¡¯t you have it?¡±


    There is no way he doesn¡¯t.


    Choi Yu Seong smiled inwardly and shook his head.


    The existence of the evaluator is, in a way, conclusive evidence that an absolute being intervened and artificially created the Awakener System.


    Therefore, people who encounter the evaluator for the first time will ask even trivial questions regardless of who they are.


    It¡¯s a question with the expectations of probability, but there¡¯s no answer coming back.


    ¡°Let me tell you in advance, I don¡¯t know anything. There¡¯s just a very, very, very high person up there, and I¡¯m just doing what a slightly higher person who¡¯s far below him ordered a long time ago. Hong hong hong!¡±


    Mister Guy answered his own question.


    Thanks to this, Choi Yu Seong knew one thing for sure.


    ¡®I wondered what that hong hong thing was, so it was a laugh.¡¯


    It seems he met a quite manic judge.


    ¡°What is my promotion test?¡±


    With that thought, Choi Yu Seong asked the first question. The face of Mister Guy, who was talking excitedly alone, turned subtle at that.


    There is no sound of hong hong laughter, but a clear smile.


    ¡°That is a very good and wonderful question. Awakener Choi Yu Seong. However, it is impossible to believe even with a hundred words! Rather than hearing it, please see it with your own eyes and experience it.¡±


    Leaving behind the impression of Choi Yu Seong who felt that appearance was somewhat creepy for some reason, Mister Guy once again stretched out his arms.


    Then, the darkness of this space, which seemed to be full of darkness except for the surroundings of Mister Guy and Choi Yu Seong, slowly receded as if rolling a tent and spewing out a splendid light.


    Choi Yu Seong somehow felt quite dizzy when he saw the light.


    Inside the sensation as if hypnotized, his mind calmed down and everything reflected in his eyes was becoming very distant.


    ¡°Choi Yu Seong ssi. When you wake up from sleep, a very bad thief would have stolen something very precious to you. What does this mean? Yeah. That is right. The first Promotion Evaluation of Awakener Choi Yu Seong is¡­ Du du dung! It is thief catching-!


    Mister Guy¡¯s hallucinations-like voice was engraved into the mind, and Choi Yu Seong¡¯s body relaxed and his eyes began to close.


    ¡°Ah right, Awakener Choi Yu Seong¡¯s Promotion Evaluation is very special! I put a lot of effort into it as much as Prankster Who Likes Jokes God asked to pay attention and requested support. I hope you get good results.¡±


    If Prankster Who Likes Jokes God then it is none other than Loki.


    ¡®Suddenly?¡¯


    In fact, it was not surprising as Gods, who are interested in Awakeners they sponsored, intervening in the Promotion Evaluation was mentioned several times in the original novel.


    However, if that happens, the difficulty will increase by one grade.


    Therefore, even the original novel protagonist Kim Do Jin encountered this kind of situation in the Promotion Evaluation after D-Rank.


    Of course, the reward gets better that much.


    ¡®Still, isn¡¯t this too fast?¡¯


    His complaint could not escape from the mouth because his consciousness was blown away at the same time.


    ***


    When he opened his eyes again, Choi Yu Seong felt that his body was quite heavy.


    A feeling as if a heavy bear was sitting on the shoulder, or as if someone had full sandbags on both arms and legs.


    Thanks to that, it took a considerable amount of time to get up after opening his eyes.


    ¡°Whoo¡­ It¡¯s bullshit that I¡¯m lucky in this kind of thing. Playing with me from the start, huh. Damned Loki guy.¡±


    Forcibly raised his body by giving strength to his legs with a deep sigh, Choi Yu Seong regretted the flag he had uttered and at the same time poured out complaints that he could not do before losing consciousness.


    -Prankster Who Likes Jokes laughs mischievously. He wished you good luck.


    ¡°Such a really bad guy.¡±


    Well, come to think of it, the character Loki was unpredictable and difficult to say that he had a good personality even in Norse mythology.


    ¡®There¡¯s no answer to what¡¯s already happened¡­ Let¡¯s figure out the situation first.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong was standing alone in a room with a rather bright atmosphere.


    However, it was not that cramped even to call it a room. It was a square shape and felt like it was over 50 pyeong based on Earth standards.


    In particular, the ceiling was quite high and it is so large even at a glance that there is no problem even if a dozen male adults are put vertically.


    The answer to why such a high ceiling is needed was given by the huge doors on the front, left, and right of Choi Yu Seong who was in the center of the room.


    ¡®The height of the door alone must be at least 30m high.¡¯


    The width is barely caught with around five or six adult men with their arms stretched wide.


    Anyway, it¡¯s huge.


    If he had to pick something more peculiar here, it was the engraving on each door.


    ¡®Star on the left, sun on the center, and moon on the right.¡¯


    Smirking, Choi Yu Seong recited to himself.


    ¡°I can call them Star Room, Sun Room, and Moon Room then.¡±


    The second thing to do after grasping the surroundings was to understand his own condition.


    ¡¶Awakener Choi Yu Seong is currently in the process of Extreme Difficulty+ Promotion Evaluation.


    As a result, you will receive a reduced ability penalty.


    Mana is extremely decreased.


    Stamina and strength are extremely decreased.


    Movement becomes sluggish.


    Awakener Choi Yu Seong can declare ¡®renounce¡¯ Promotion Evaluation at any time.¡·


    Turning on the system message window and checking the current state, Choi Yu Seong spat out a high praise unknowingly.

 Volume 3 - CH 17

    ¡°Wow, such a great situation!¡±


    Of course, it was a pure expression spit out to suppress the swearing.


    If there was Loki or Mister Guy right in front of him, he might have punched without realizing it.


    ¡®It became meaningless that I¡¯ve been taking care of my condition for a week.¡¯


    Thinking that he was in a situation no different than a cold patient, Choi Yu Seong checked the next main message to be checked, that is, the contents of the promotion evaluation.


    ¡¶THIEF CATCHING! DIFFICULTY ++ VERSION


    A very bad and wicked thief has stolen half of your soul and ran away to hide.


    Find the thief hiding somewhere and get your soul back!


    You only have two chances to choose the door!


    If you¡¯re lucky, maybe you will find a hint somewhere?


    SPECIAL¡ï


    Part of the penalty can be alleviated by defeating the thief¡¯s minions scattered in each room.


    The current condition of Awakener Choi Yu Seong is 30%.¡·


    Mister Guy said that the thief stole Choi Yu Seong¡¯s very precious thing, so it certainly didn¡¯t seem wrong.


    ¡®Half of my soul. I don¡¯t know how, but I¡¯ll die soon if I don¡¯t have that, right?¡¯


    The question was answered by a system message that popped out suddenly in red light.


    ¡¶SPECIAL¡ï


    Part of the penalty can be alleviated by defeating the thief¡¯s minions scattered in each room.


    Please hurry up! Because half of your soul has disappeared, your condition deteriorates rapidly over time.


    The current condition of Awakener Choi Yu Seong is 29%.


    When the condition reaches 0%, Awakener Choi Yu Seong dies.¡·


    ¡°Truly very nice!¡±


    Once again exclaiming praise, Choi Yu Seong moved his body right away instead of sighing.


    Thanks to that, the order of what to do has been decided.


    ¡®First of all, let¡¯s start with sorting out the wicked thief¡¯s minions. It is unconditionally a priority to raise my condition.¡¯


    There was no need to think about where it would be.


    ¡®If I open the door, it¡¯ll be rushing, right.¡¯


    Sun, moon, and star.


    Choi Yu Seong first opened the door of Sun Room, which is located in the center.


    ¡®It¡¯s said I had two chances.¡¯


    In other words, somewhere among the three rooms, there is a thief who stole Choi Yu Seong¡¯s soul, and the probability is about 33.3%.


    In this situation, why did he choose the Sun Room first?


    ¡°If you¡¯re a man, go straight.¡±


    Rattle.


    The big door opened easily.


    ***


    The place where Choi Yu Seong encountered after opening the large door was not a harsh natural environment such as a wide plain, a damp and humid cave, or a clifftop where a rainy wind blew.


    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s just a mansion hallway.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong was trapped in a room in a large mansion until just now.


    To pick out something somewhat special, there are only colorful windows with large paintings reminiscent of Catholicism, quietness without any presence, and cleaning tools that seem to be discarded here and there.


    ¡®Is the cleaning tool becoming garbage.¡¯


    There was no curiosity about who the hell lived in the mansion and what purpose it was built for.


    ¡®It¡¯s just a test site anyway. There must be monsters somewhere, and I might get a hint if I¡¯m lucky.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong walked out of the hallway without hesitation.


    He felt listless for no reason since his body felt a little heavy, but his eyes scanned sharply at the surroundings.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure there must be something, but¡­¡¯


    Behind Choi Yu Seong, who was walking amidst doubt, a broom that was laying like garbage trembled and slowly rose into the air.


    Choi Yu Seong did not feel any suspicion at the silent movement with no presence, and the broom that already approached behind him swung heavily.


    ¡°Ugh-!¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who was hit on the head, screamed, turned around then quickly grabbed and broke the broom that attacked again.


    He was hit in the head, but there was no particular pain because it was an ordinary broom.


    It¡¯s more like the feeling of being surprised rather than in pain.


    ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯


    The question is for a moment.


    ¡¶SPECIAL¡ï


    The current condition of Awakener Choi Yu Seong is deteriorating due to the damage.


    27%.


    When the condition reaches 0%, Awakener Choi Yu Seong dies.¡·


    Seeing the message flashing in front of him and the appearance of the fallen cleaning tools in the hallway he passed by trembling and rising into the air, Choi Yu Seong quickly changed Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice into a suit and spit out great praise once again.


    ¡°Hiya, is this the Korean difficulty I¡¯ve only heard of? Really, so exciting!¡±


    It was a curse too radical to translate directly.


    ***


    The fierce battle, which was short but never easy, ended.


    The floor was littered with the scattered cleaning tools that were split in half or broken vainly.


    What was surprising was that only a part of the wallpaper was torn even in such a battle, but Choi Yu Seong focused more on knocking down the many cleaning tools without allowing any more blows with quite good movements even in a heavier body.


    ¡®As expected, it¡¯s good that I¡¯ve been training steadily.¡¯


    The body remembers even if his movements were slower and his mind was fuzzy than usual.


    If it was not for the body¡¯s memory that reacts somewhat instinctively rather than consciously in the crowded attack of cleaning tools, Choi Yu Seong would have already died or in an extreme situation where he had to declare renounce.


    ¡¶SPECIAL¡ï


    Displays the current condition of Awakener Choi Yu Seong.


    32%¡·


    ¡®This certainly improved my condition. 2% more than the original.¡¯


    Approximately 50 cleaning tools have been knocked down.


    ¡®Is it 1% for 10?¡¯


    Something doesn¡¯t seem to be very efficient, but anyway, he can recover his condition by knocking down only cleaning tools that move strangely like that.


    Above all, he realized one certain information due to the first battle.


    ¡®You can¡¯t just walk by without thinking.¡¯


    Since even the cleaning tools are moving, each item in the mansion is very likely a hidden risk.


    In such tension, Choi Yu Seong carefully crossed the hallway. Thanks to that, he was able to defeat quite a lot of cleaning tools, picture frames, suddenly flying toilets(?), and others without repeating the same mistakes as the first.


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t feel like fighting a monster. It¡¯s strange, but¡­¡¯


    What was important was the surprising fact that Choi Yu Seong¡¯s condition rose to 48% by the time he reached the end of the hallway.


    About half recovery.


    It is not a bad result compared to the first worst situation.


    ¡®For now, here is the end of the hallway. And is this the stairs going downstairs.¡¯


    There is no option to go upstairs.


    Choi Yu Seong carefully went down the stairs that spread out just like the open hallway as if asking to come. Fortunately, the stairs were not very long, and there was no ambush.


    However, when he almost reached the first floor.


    Choi Yu Seong felt chills and fear when he saw a huge armor knight that looked over 3m tall in the center of the spacious living room.


    ¡°No way. Is that one also moving too?¡±


    The shield it is holding is as big as Choi Yu Seong¡¯s body and the great sword it is carrying on its shoulder seems to be a combination of two Choi Yu Seong.


    It was obvious that he didn¡¯t want to fight such a huge armor monster in his current condition, but as always, the effect of the interrogative type flag was clear.


    Kkikikijik-!


    A huge iron armor turned toward Choi Yu Seong with a rusty iron cry.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Damn it.¡±


    What else needs to be said?


    Choi Yu Seong flew from the top of the stairs, quickly climbed up the armored knight, and stabbed the spear into the helmet with the only gap.


    He did it just in case there would be any sensation in his hand he could feel, but it¡¯s empty.


    Instead, a red flame burst in the dark black space and rose to form pupils.


    Looking at that, Choi Yu Seong smiled awkwardly and greeted it.


    ¡°Hi?¡±


    Kugugugung-!


    The answer was replaced by the trembling of the huge body.


    Choi Yu Seong could feel it intuitively.


    ¡®I never can win in my current state.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t even think about what would happen if he fought for life.


    Didn¡¯t Jin Yu Ri say it, too?


    ¡®It¡¯s the stupidest thing to die in the promotion evaluation.¡¯


    Therefore, after confirming that the armored knight had let go of the shield and reached its hand out to him, Choi Yu Seong used Wind Stance and jumped up the stairs without hesitation.


    Whoosh-!


    The hand of the huge armor knight passed through the place where Choi Yu Seong was standing just before in vain.


    ¡®Fortunately, the movements aren¡¯t that fast.¡¯


    If so, there was only one way for Choi Yu Seong to choose.


    ¡°You, give up. See you later if I can.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong climbed the stairs he had passed without hesitation, walked back through the hallway, and returned to the large room where he first opened his eyes.


    The result was not bad.


    ¡®As expected, it doesn¡¯t follow me to the second floor.¡¯


    The situation went as he predicted to some extent.


    In addition, it was also confirmed that the once opened door of Sun Room did not close.


    ¡®That armor knight is probably a thief or a guy with a hint.¡¯


    It would not be lacking to call it the boss of this promotion evaluation.


    ¡°Then push back that guy for now, and my current condition is¡­ 46%.¡±


    Certainly, the rate of decrease in condition was accelerating over time.


    ¡®There¡¯s no room to hesitate.¡¯


    The remaining places are the Moon Room and the Star Room.


    This time, Choi Yu Seong opened the door of the Star Room and was welcomed by the same spreading hallway.


    The only difference is the fact that the only thing seen in the hallway is nutcracker wooden dolls instead of cleaning tools.


    ¡®For now, they¡¯re just the right opponent to recover my condition.¡¯


    With its large body, it was easier to deal with than cleaning tools.


    It was in an instant that Choi Yu Seong¡¯s spear cut the wooden dolls into pieces like a storm.


    And the stairs going down to the first floor that he encountered again.


    ¡®Is downstairs here also ¡­¡¯


    There is.


    After checking the appearance of an armored knight and quickly returning to the original room, Choi Yu Seong checked his condition.


    ¡°66%.¡±


    Of course, it¡¯s not the best.


    Even the decreasing speed is getting faster.


    ¡®I have already opened two doors.¡¯


    The room with three doors that he returned to.


    Sitting quietly in the center, Choi Yu Seong held his chin and pondered.


    ¡®Let¡¯s think objectively. Can I win over the armored knight if I¡¯m in 100% condition?¡¯


    Since he was holding the spear with one hand, the effect of Cold Headed (E) Skill continued naturally.


    Thanks to that, his mental composure did not shake much even in an urgent situation.


    Although somewhat slow, Choi Yu Seong calmly compared and analyzed his strength with the armored knight.


    The conclusion is drawn from that.


    ¡®¡­ Impossible.¡¯


    This means that the monsters were not left to catch in the first place.


    ¡®So, that¡¯s why it¡¯s called the Extreme Difficulty+.¡¯


    It has been a long time since he erased complaints such as whether it would have been less difficult than this without Loki¡¯s intervention.


    Rather than dwelling on the spilled water, he has to get results in this situation.

 Volume 3 - CH 18

    ¡®Is there any way to knock it down? A spacious living room. Tools or situations that could hurt the armor knight¡­¡¯


    It¡¯s hard to make.


    The empty living room was literally just the perfect environment for a fair 1:1 head-to-head match.


    ¡®Then next. A weapon that only I can use. If there¡¯s something special that was used at this time in the original novel¡­¡¯


    It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t have it.


    However, it is necessary to consume a lot of Karma points that are somewhat saved in preparation for the upcoming future.


    ¡®Now is the time to save Karma points. It may be better to bypass the general difficulty level promotion review.¡¯


    Condition 56%.


    It seemed that the situation was naturally getting worse due to prolonged consideration.


    ¡®Why make a monster that I can¡¯t even catch? It¡¯s a promotion evaluation.¡¯


    Of course, it may mean to suffer as much as the difficulty is high.


    In the end, is it right to give up at this point?


    You don¡¯t have to risk your life to clear extreme difficulty.


    It¡¯s not bad to go back and choose normal difficulty.


    Condition 48%.


    ¡®No¡­¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong shook his head inwardly.


    It¡¯s ridiculous, but even ¡°Prankster Who Likes Jokes¡± Loki intervened.


    If you clear, the reward is certain.


    There may still be opportunities left somewhere.


    Condition 39%.


    The numbers fell exponentially rapidly, and reflecting them, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s brain rotation speed only slowed down.


    30% condition again.


    At that moment, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes, which had been agonizing over and over, sparkled for a moment.


    ¡®Hold on. You¡¯re not making this monster to catch, right?¡¯


    And he said that if he was lucky, he could find a hint.


    Choi Yu Seong, who suddenly realized something, jumped out of place and escaped toward the open door of Sun Room and ran down the stairs on the first floor at a high speed.


    A huge armor knight and a wide living room that is blocked on all sides.


    After checking everything, the remaining condition is 29%.


    After recalling all the structures at a glance, he returned to his original place and checked the structure of the first floor of Star Room, and then Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes shone.


    Choi Yu Seong no longer continued his worries.


    ¡®If my condition falls below 20%, I can¡¯t afford to do anything anyway.¡¯


    It¡¯s time to make a winning move.


    On the stairs going down to the first floor of the Star room, Choi Yu Seong, who regained his breath, stood in front of the armor knight again.


    Kkikikijik-!


    As if waiting, red flames rise splendidly in the eyes of the armor knight screaming.


    ¡°Hi.¡±


    Actually, we are not in a relationship to say hello.


    In response, a huge sword quickly hit the spot where Choi Yu Seong was standing until just now.


    Looking at the large boom, dusty clouds rising, and slightly cracked ground, Choi Yu Seong clicked his tongue inwardly.


    ¡®Even if it¡¯s slow, it¡¯s also close to avoiding it in front of my eyes.¡¯


    First off, it¡¯s too big.


    With one movement, Choi Yu Seong surpasses the distance he has to move more than 10 times, so it is not efficient to face it.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong thought that even if he was in 100% condition, he could not knock down the monster.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know what would happen if I know its weakness clearly. I¡¯ll eventually lose your stamina first while fighting.¡¯


    So even at this moment, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s goal was clear.


    I have no intention of fighting in person and knocking down the armor knight.


    He narrowly avoids a series of attacks and continues to induce armor knight.


    In the end, the wall touched Choi Yu Seong¡¯s back.


    ¡°Whoo¡­¡±


    As if looking at an unavoidable, cornered mouse, the arm of the armor knight who lifted the sword with both hands quickly swings.


    ¡®Wind Stance, Illusion.¡¯


    Tired of the enormous pressure, Choi Yu Seong, who passed between the legs of the armor knight with maximum movement, turned his head and borrowed the force of gravity to clearly look at the power of the sword falling faster.


    Choi Yu Seong then smiled at the moment the sword hung at the end of the wall.


    ¡®Broke.¡¯


    Baaang-!


    Big explosion.


    Subsequently, the cracked wall collapses as if lightning had passed by.


    ¡®It¡¯s my specialty to break something with the strength of others.¡¯


    I can¡¯t see beyond it because the dust cloud happened deeper than the fog.


    However, I clearly saw an armor knight wriggling his shoulders, who was unable to easily pull out a sword due to the collapse of bricks.


    ¡®As I thought, here¡­¡¯


    There will be another change.


    Choi Yu Seong stepped back a little more just in case and prepared to fly his body to the side at any time.


    As if waiting for the preparation move, the loud roar of iron and iron hitting rang throughout the room.


    Then, right next to Choi Yu Seong, a giant armor knight flew in the air in a space less than 10m apart.


    Babababang-!


    The sound of something breaking and collapsing.


    Subsequently, a huge doll appears with red naturalization blooming in its eyes between the thick dusty clouds that spread out as the wall collapsed.


    The second armor knight.


    In a way, it should be dark, but Choi Yu Seong thought differently.


    Rather, he looked around and quickly ran up the stairs on the second floor, paying attention to the movement of the armor knight who appeared for the second time.


    ¡®According to the rescue, he broke the right wall, so he¡¯s an armor knight in Sun Room.¡¯


    Since the right wall of the separate room on the left was broken, it must lead to the liberation in the center.


    What matters is the following situation.


    The rules of armor articles that have been confirmed so far are clear.


    ¡®If you don¡¯t feel movement in your area, you¡¯ll return to your original position and solidify again.¡¯


    The question here is, does the armor knight work even if it is non-living, not living things?


    It¡¯s this part.


    If it only responds to life, Choi Yu Seong has returned to the second floor, so if it is the same, he must return to his original position and stop.


    ¡®Because I can¡¯t feel the movement anymore.¡¯


    What will happen to the result?


    Soon, the armor knight of liberation, who appeared for a short time, turns his back as if he had nothing to see and returns to his position.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Naturally, sighs flowed out of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mouth.


    ¡®Operation name, is eating raw a failure?¡¯


    However, there were still variables left. As if responding to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s sad sigh, the armor knight in the separate room, who flew into the air first, seemed to be slowly raising his body, and soon began to thump and run.


    Subsequently, according to the original rules, the armor knight of sun, who is trying to return to his place, is hit with his shoulders.


    Kugung-!


    This time, there was an article about the armor of liberation.


    ¡°¡­ What¡¯s it?¡±


    Wait, while Choi Yu Seong, who did not understand the situation, tilted his head, the armor knight of liberation, who rolled sadly in the middle of the room, jumped up.


    Then, he holds his sword and charges toward the armor knight in the separate room.


    Babang-!


    The full-fledged clash of the two armor articles began, and Choi Yu Seong, who saw the spectacular view alone on the stairs, was excited with a seal clap.


    ¡®Just in case, the armor knight is not an object made by assuming a specific goal.¡¯


    In other words, basically, when an armor knight enters his or her territory, he or she moves to kill the opponent, and fights back when attacked under the judgment that it is within the territory.


    And it could be said that the area recognizes the entire open first floor space.


    If the armor knight had recognized and moved Choi Yu Seong, he should have tried quite hard to induce the two to hit and receive, but there was no need for that.


    -Prankster Who Likes Jokes blames Awakener Choi Yu Seong. Ask you to show your bravery to go out and fight!


    At that moment, Loki¡¯s message came into the air.


    Naturally, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s reaction to seeing him was simple.


    ¡°Hiya-! That¡¯s a very wise idea. But I like it better when I¡¯m sitting down and drinking honey.¡±


    It is an operation to catch enemies using the enemy.


    ¡°Anyone please wins! I¡¯m on the winning side!¡±


    ¨C Prankster Who Likes Jokes is regretful and clicked his tongue at Awakener Choi Yu Seong¡¯s tricks.


    Choi Yu Seong, who created the desired honey sucking situation and nicknamed the knight of the separate room a star knight and the sun knight with excitement, suddenly smacked his lips with regret.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good. But Loki. It feels like I¡¯m watching a robot cartoon. Can I have popcorn?¡±


    He responded with a pleasant look to Loki, who had suffered for him, but there was no answer back.


    ¡®Are you upset? Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Let¡¯s just have fun.¡¯


    It was Choi Yu Seong, who enjoyed it as if he had returned to his childhood after a long time.


    ***


    The fight between the two armor knights, similar in specifications, no, and completely the same, lasted quite a long time.


    Choi Yu Seong expressed admiration, feeling the passion and romance of the man in the appearance of armor knights who exchanged fists with each other even when their teeth were all broken and their whole bodies were in a state of exhaustion.


    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s not easy. Not easy.¡±


    I really wanted to see who would win, but unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t afford it.


    ¡®Condition 18%.¡¯


    I have to organize it.


    Above all, I can¡¯t yield the last hit.¡¯


    They fought among themselves, but their experience is mine.


    Choi Yu Seong, who had unconscionable thoughts, swung a counter punch at each other and approached the ¡®Sun Knight¡¯ first among the knights who went backwards with their heads bent.


    He was struggling to force his upper body, but the speed was quite slow.


    Thanks to this, Choi Yu Seong, who was quite comfortable and climbed over the knight¡¯s head, asked.


    ¡°Are you Star Knight?¡±


    To be honest, I couldn¡¯t remember it properly because I was confused from the middle because it looked so similar.


    ¡°Anyway, this is my power now.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who spread his palms toward the red pupils blooming in the black darkness, shouted quietly.


    ¡°Skill, Dancing Electric Doll.¡±


    I was worried that it might not have much effect because it was a metal ball, but the moment Dancing Electric Doll inside the black pupil glazed at the light, the armor knight trembled all over, and soon the red flame shining softly in the pupil completely disappeared.


    ¡®I got you.¡¯


    There was no doubt.


    It lost all my strength because I used a skill that consumes a lot of mana in a little condition, but my physical strength quickly returned.


    ¡®Actually, my condition level¡­ 53%. Wow.¡¯


    I caught only one, but it recovered about 45%.


    ¡°As expected, last hit is the best!¡±


    Excited Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes are now directed at the second armor article that caused half the upper body.


    ¡°Hi. Sun Knight? No, is it Star Knight? Anyway¡­¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who jumped from a dead, perhaps Sun Knight¡¯s body and approached the trembling star knight on the other side, opened his palm toward the black darkness under his helmet.


    Perhaps because of his conscience, he was Choi Yu Seong, who felt that the armor knight shook his head from side to side, but he did not intend to stop what he was trying to do.


    ¡°Dancing Electric Doll, activate.¡±


    It was when the second armor knight danced with shaking all over his body, and after that, a smile spread around Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mouth, who confirmed the highest level of 98% condition.


    Whoong-!


    Between the two fallen knights, a gray portal opened where one person could pass by.

 Volume 3 - CH 19

    ¡°Ah, so there¡¯s no real thief here, that¡¯s it? Hang on. Then perhaps these guys were the middle bosses?¡±


    Somehow, he was anxious at the silent Loki, but Choi Yu Seong wanted to believe.


    Now beyond that portal, rewards will be waiting.


    ¡®No way, the Korean difficulty will be that far¡­¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who thought so, smiled in vain and took a step toward the portal.


    ***


    It¡¯s a field.


    There are no high reeds or grass leaves.


    So to be precise, a very wide lawn just right to play soccer spread out in front of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®What am I supposed to do here?¡¯


    It was when Choi Yu Seong tilted his head for a while in the open world beyond the portal.


    ¡°Hong hong hong, Awakener Choi Yu Seong. You knocked down the toy friends I prepared in a really ingenious way. This Mister Guy was touched and touched again.¡±


    Mister Guy, who ¡®poof¡¯ appeared next to Choi Yu Seong, shouted with his arms wide open.


    Looked at that with a rather absurd gaze for a moment, Choi Yu Seong asked.


    ¡°Is the promotion evaluation over?¡±


    ¡°There is no way. Then, the completed message should came up, right?¡±


    ¡°Damned Korean difficulty¡±.


    ¡°It¡¯s right to refrain from harsh swear words. I get hurt, too. Above all, Awakener Choi Yu Seong ssi hasn¡¯t caught the thief yet, right?¡±


    In the end, there were no thief anywhere in Sun Room, Moon Room, or Star Room.


    From the beginning, the three rooms belonged to the path to come to this field.


    ¡®In the meantime, he brought monsters like armor knights right.¡¯


    If the difficulty is constructed in this way, the number of people who will fall without even passing the first gate is like dictionary.


    Even if the promotion evaluation has been organized step by step like this, the advantage is clear.


    ¡®The promotion evaluation is supposed to be returned as a reward as much as you have suffered.¡¯


    Maybe he can hope for something greater than expected.


    Choi Yu Seong asked Mister Guy in anticipation of that.


    ¡°Then do I have to find a needle in a haystack from now on??


    ¡°Find a needle in a haystack. That¡¯s quite an interesting expression. It may be similar, but it¡¯s different. Awakener Choi Yu Seong ssi. There, open your big eyes and look towards where I pointer.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Choi Yu Seong groans as he looks close to the horizon of the field along Mister Guy¡¯s index finger.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°If you look closely, it¡¯s very small and cute¡­¡±


    ¡°Rabbits?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right. There are rabbits.¡±


    At first, it was not visible, but shadows were gradually blooming over the horizon.


    ¡°¡­ It keeps increasing.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t counted them, but they¡¯ll be about 5,000.¡±


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a cute friend I¡¯ve been raising. His name is Tori. It is a child with white eyes-like fur, and to teach you the characteristics, there is a star-shaped dot at the bottom of the stomach. But, what to do. I took care of him well, but he ran away from home a few hours ago and hid in that crowd?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s thin eyes headed for Mister Guy.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. That¡¯s the wicked thief who stole half of the soul of Awakener Choi Yu Seong and ran away. Hong hong hong.¡±


    ¡°What kind of nonsense¡­ Didn¡¯t Mister Guy give it to that guy?¡±


    ¡°Well, does it matter. Right now, it¡¯s just that our cute Tori is the thief.¡±


    ¡°Then my promotion evaluation means that I should find the child named Tori before my condition runs out here.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong warmed up right away.


    ¡®The remaining condition is 98%.¡¯


    Perhaps due to the high condition level, the falling number is noticeably slow.


    ¡®You have to catch the rabbits and flip it all over.¡¯


    It was rather heavy labor, but I thought it was not impossible.


    But it¡¯s not enough to relax.


    We have to move up the time even a little bit.


    It was the moment when Choi Yu Seong, who made up his mind, was about to run forward.


    Mister Guy, who stood up with a long index finger, continued to say the latter words.


    ¡°Ah, wait. It¡¯s true that the rules you¡¯re thinking about are basic. However, there is a difference. There is another rule in this second evaluation following the room escape.¡±


    ¡°Since I don¡¯t have time, let¡¯s get to the point, quickly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re such in a hurry. To briefly explain, this evaluation is a match between me and Awakener Choi Yu Seong.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Yeah?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about finding our cute Tori, but I can¡¯t just keep watching, right? Let¡¯s cheer up together.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m at a disadvantage. I felt like that somehow Mister Guy already knows which one is Tori¡­¡±


    ¡°Hong hong hong, it¡¯s not completely wrong. I can roughly tell the location of our Tori by its smell.¡±


    Mister Guy, who swept his long beard once again, said.


    ¡°So as a penalty, I¡¯m leaving in exactly 30 minutes. Isn¡¯t this a fair match?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s fair, but I can¡¯t ask you to extend the time, right?¡±


    ¡°If it is like that, wouldn¡¯t the name of promotion evaluation be meaningless?¡±


    ¡°Such a really reasonable evaluation!


    Choi Yu Seong, who laughed and praised Mister Guy¡¯s words, looked straight ahead.


    ¡®The time limit is 30 minutes.¡¯


    Within that time, you have to find the pet rabbit Tori of Mister Guy, a rabbit human.


    ¡®Among about 5,000 rabbits in there, that¡¯s it.¡¯


    No matter how many times I thought about it, there was no way I couldn¡¯t get a high praise.


    Lawns?


    ¡®No, rabbit field.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong scratched his side of the head while watching a huge feast of rabbits.


    ¡®It may not be a problem to find each of these by hand.¡¯


    But can that be faster than Mister Guy, who leaves in 30 minutes?


    Even when these rabbits first appeared, they seemed to be clustered in one place, but now they are scattered randomly everywhere.


    ¡®Just looking at it, there are more than 1,000 rabbits with white fur.¡¯


    Mister Guy never even said that Tori ¡®only¡¯ has white fur.


    ¡®If the baseline set like that, I have to check about 3,000.¡¯


    If it¡¯s the same thought, I want to put the rabbits in the air at once with a great magic spell and just check the ship and pass by.


    Of course, it was not something that Awakener Choi Yu Seong who was scheduled to enter the D-rank could do.


    ¡°Instead, I can do things like this. Dimensional Merchant, Summon.¡±


    Ping Pong, who appeared after opening the dimensional door, walked out with his arms folded and raised his hand toward Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°Choi- Ha!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It means ¡®Choi Yu Seong hai¡¯. It¡¯s been a while!¡±


    ¡°Do you learn things like that?¡±


    ¡°It is a popular greeting among dimensional merchants these days.¡±


    Who made it popular probably seemed to have seen the Earth¡¯s Internet a lot.1


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll give 10 lollipops on the next summon and now I have things to ask you to do quickly.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s 10, I have to show everything except for the ones I don¡¯t have!¡±


    Ping Pong, who had a big nose blow, spread a bundle from his chest pocket, and Choi Yu Seong¡¯s hands, who purchased some items he had in mind, became busy.


    ***


    In 15 minutes.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s shadow approached Mister Guy, lying on the field and relaxing while looking at the blue sky.


    ¡°Huh? Did you give up already? It¡¯s hard to say it¡¯s a reminder, but it is such a pity if you give up now.¡±


    In the meantime, a smile flowed through Mister Guy¡¯s mouth, who turned his head slightly and confirmed Choi Yu Seong, who returned in a mess, running around a lot and fell down.


    ¡°Rabbits are quite quick, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Because you have to catch other guy other than the one caught once.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who sighed deeply, turns the pen on his left hand around.


    ¡°Well, you summoned a merchant to buy a pen! If you don¡¯t want to repeat the mistake of catching the same guy, it¡¯s a bit primitive, but it¡¯s not a bad way. Is it time to relax like this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the time to relax, but I want to get a promise.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about a promise¡±?


    Mister Guy tilted his head as if he had question.


    ¡°This promotion evaluation ends as soon as you find Tori. Whether it¡¯s Mister Guy or me. Either way.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like that.¡±


    ¡°But if Mister Guy finds it first and I¡¯m kicked out of the promotion evaluation when I¡¯m wandering around looking for Tori for a long time, I think it¡¯ll be so unfair.¡±¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I understand. But the law of the test is inevitable.¡±


    Mister Guy, who stroked the long beard once again, looked at Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be eliminated, why don¡¯t you run with all your might?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking. However, as I said before, let¡¯s make a promise.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, I hope Awakener Choi Yu Seong will somehow pass the promotion evaluation. It¡¯s a pity that you¡¯re wasting your time like this.¡±


    Mister Guy, who looked at Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mole with a sideways glance, nodded as if he couldn¡¯t help it.


    ¡°Please tell me.¡±


    ¡°If Mister Guy finds Tori first, promises to let me know, too. Don¡¯t I deserve to know at least what Tori looks like?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Well¡­¡±


    ¡°And Mister Guy¡¯s pet rabbit would be really cute, right?¡±¡±


    Complimenting children and raising animals is quite rare.


    It was no different to say Mister Guy.


    ¡°Of course. I bet Tori is the cutest rabbit in the world.¡±


    He gave off a nose blow and nodded his head loudly, and soon smiled and responded with a smile.


    ¡°I promise. If I find Tori first, I will show the child¡¯s beauty to Awakener Choi Yu Seong. However, that doesn¡¯t mean that the results of the evaluation will be overturned, so it would be good to know in advance.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Then, promise?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong smiles and gives out his black little finger with a lot of soil dust.


    Mister Guy, who looked at him with a rather strange look, soon hung his little finger on Choi Yu Seong¡¯s dirty finger.


    ¡°Unknowingly, you have an innocent side. Awakener Choi Yu Seong ssi.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Hu hu. Mister Guy ssi.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who took off his finger after showing similar smiles toward each other, turned his back.


    ¡°Then, see you later.¡±


    ¡°Work hard. Then I¡¯ll lie down again to enjoy the rest of my rest.¡±


    13 minutes are left.


    Mister Guy lay in place and enjoyed his relaxation again, and Choi Yu Seong ran toward the rabbits with all his might.

 Volume 3 - CH 20

    13 minutes was very long for someone and quite short for someone else.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Shall I move on now.¡±


    A short sigh flowed from the mouth of Mister Guy, who confirmed the appearance of Choi Yu Seong struggling alone in the distance, catching and numbering rabbits.


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad. There must have been a good growth as it was a special test. Well¡­ But isn¡¯t the rule still the rule?¡±


    Towards the other side where Choi Yu Seong is running, Mister Guy stepped up his long leg.


    ¡®It seems you got it wrong. Mister Choi Yu Seong. Unfortunately, you must have been unlucky.¡¯


    In fact, this rabbit-hunting, the real thief-catching test boasted difficulty too harsh even by Mister Guy¡¯s opinion himself.


    Without Karma point support of the quite powerful God Loki and another God, who has yet to reveal himself, it would have been impossible to create a test of this difficulty in an E-Rank promotion evaluation.


    ¡®Setting aside Prankster Who Likes Jokes nim, I didn¡¯t expect that person would already pay attention to him.¡¯


    Anyway, excessive compensation was imposed as two big hands intervened, so the difficulty of the test was also increased vertically.


    No matter how it is an extreme difficulty in the first place, it should have already ended the moment when the armor knight was knocked down.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. Our pretty Tori, where are you?¡±¡±


    Mister Guy, who walks with his big ears pricked up and his nose open, swings randomly from place to place in the field with wide legs.


    There have been quite a few small groups of rabbits reflected in his eyes, but there have been no pet rabbits sought by Mister Guy anywhere.


    ¡°It¡¯s roughly this way, though¡­¡±


    Walking slowly after the smell, Mister Guy¡¯s gaze shone.


    Less than 300m to the east, a group of about 10 rabbits gathered together, and among them, it smelled so familiar and lovely.


    ¡°Hong hong, my Tori. So, you were there. Hurry and come to my arms. All I have to do is keep the ¡®promise¡¯ to Awakener Choi Yu Seong and the test is ov¡­¡±


    It was when the excited Mister Guy approached the rabbit group, swinging his arms.


    A group of lights surrounded him at once, and instead, the surprised Choi Yu Seong came out of the gap.


    ¡°Ah¡­?¡±


    The question is for a moment.


    After identified a rabbit group with about five white rabbits among them located not far from the changed landscape, Choi Yu Seong ran forward.


    ¡®Worked.¡¯


    It is a matter of course, but Choi Yu Seong did not only purchase one pen by summoning the Dimensional Merchant Ping Pong.


    ¡®Spell, Double-Sided Mirror Promise. I don¡¯t have many karma points to buy things to hunt armor knights, but enough for this.¡¯


    In fact, Double-Sided Mirror Promise is one of the most common spell in dimensional stores, and the price was about 500 karma points per unit.


    The method itself was rather simple.


    After invoking the spell and hanging the coming out thread on your little finger, make sure to set the keyword agreed with the other person as ¡®promise¡¯. Finally, hang each other¡¯s little finger as a seal to confirm the promise.


    The effect is that if a promise is made through this process, the two can reverse each other¡¯s positions as if they were located on the other side of the mirror through spell only once in an agreed situation.


    What was important here was that the opponent had to clearly spit out the keyword, that is, the word ¡®promise¡¯.


    In a way, the invocation itself is simple, but it is quite tricky to apply it secretly to the opponent.


    Double-Sided Mirror Promise is basically an invisible spell, but once invoked, pink lights shine one after another on the threaded fingers.


    To the point where you can feel something strange if you look at it just a little carefully.


    In the meantime, you have to secretly hook your pinky and promise, and make sure that keywords come out of the opponent¡¯s mouth.


    Therefore, Double-Sided Mirror Promise was originally a spell that was frequently used in the original novel to confuse opponents by changing the positions of allies.


    ¡®Of course, that¡¯s after Double-Sided Mirror Promise spell was revealed to the world¡­¡¯


    Double-Sided Mirror Promise is still a spell before it became known to the world.


    ¡®The first time it come out was in a year or so in the setting of a novel¡­¡¯


    Until then, it is a spell no one on Earth had ever looked for.


    When Mister Guy heard that he was participating in the test, it was the first way that came to mind in Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mind.


    ¡®It¡¯s close to impossible for me to find it myself. So, borrows the opponent¡¯s hand again this time.¡¯


    In fact, it was an operation that could have failed if the opponent was not Mister Guy, a rather talkative evaluator.


    ¡®But still, I thought if it¡¯s Mister Guy, he would spit it out at least once in a fatal situation.¡¯


    In other words, he will surely spit out the word promise when he finds Tori, the situation assumed as the spell.


    The prediction was completely correct.


    Of course, it would have been better if it was just before catching Tori, but the situation is not bad now.


    ¡°See. It¡¯s my victory. Loki. No matter how many praiseful situations you¡¯re going to throw in, I also have all the means.¡±


    When Choi Yu Seong said to himself, Loki, who had been silent since he began tracking Tori, sent a message as if he had been waiting.


    -Prankster Who Likes Jokes laughs.


    But it¡¯s somewhat strange.


    ¡°Laughs?¡±


    Perhaps, is he also felt happy together?


    The doubtful Choi Yu Seong, who confirmed that there was no star-shaped dot as a result of flipping the first rabbit¡¯s belly, marked it with a pen and jumped toward the second, feeling anxious for some reason.


    ¡®Just in case, but the distance between the fields is quite wide, so it will take time for Mister Guy to run in.¡¯


    The skills of the evaluator in charge of promotion evaluation vary widely.


    Some of them are monsters that even play with Earth¡¯s S-Rank Hunters, while others are embarrassing even to D-rank hunters.


    ¡®Just by looking at how Mister Guy looks¡­¡¯


    Just in time, he is running from afar beyond that horizon, leading a huge dust cloud like a whirlwind.


    There was no reason to think about it.


    ¡®He¡¯s a monster.¡¯


    Mister Guy with a serious stiff look shouted.


    ¡°Hong hong hong! Awakener Choi Yu Seong ssi! You fooled this body well!¡±


    It seemed to be speaking quietly, but the volume of the voice was enough to make his head cry.


    Naturally, the rabbits around Choi Yu Seong also began to run in all directions, freaked out.


    Surprised together, Choi Yu Seong looked at it and freaked out and flipped the second rabbit¡¯s belly.


    ¡®Not this guy too!¡¯


    The movement naturally continues to the third.


    ¡°Why it¡¯s not!¡±


    As if disproving that he has been somewhat lucky so far, his luck is also unacceptable.


    ¡°Hong hong, this is because I let my guard down, but I admit that you surprised this body! But if you fail the promotion evaluation, everything is meaningless!¡±


    Mister Guy, who is just around the corner, jumps up and flies in the air as if swimming.


    In that short time, he barely caught the fourth.


    A bright smile spread around Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mouth, who lifted the rabbit and confirmed his belly with a feeling that it was really the last time.


    -Prankster Who Likes Jokes rolls on the floor with a stomachache at Awakener Choi Yu Seong¡¯s luck.


    ¡®See! This is the luck of a game company employee in Joseon. No. A son of a conglomerate family!¡¯


    Then Mister Guy, who was falling right in front of him, quickly held out a rabbit toward him.


    ¡°Tori! I found it first!¡±


    Boom-!


    Creating a huge cloud of dust on the ground, the fallen Mister Guy¡¯s hardened face began to twist little by little.


    The eyes draw a bright smile, and a heart is drawn in the pupil.


    ¡°Ooh! My love, cutie Tori! So, you were here!¡±


    Then, he snatched Tori from Choi Yu Seong¡¯s hand at once, holds it in his arms, and starts rubbing the cheeks.


    ¡°Hong hong hong¡­¡±


    Choi Yu Seong sighed with relief as he watched him laugh in a good mood.


    At the last minute, he gave up Tori, but he didn¡¯t worry much.


    ¡¶THIEF CATCHING! DIFFICULTY ++ VERSION


    You have recovered half of your lost soul from a very bad and wicked thief(Tori)!


    Congratulations! Awakener Choi Yu Seong will be promoted to D Rank! Promotion compensation is paid after settlement through the system. User¡¯s consciousness is returning to Earth.¡·


    Done.


    While Mister Guy was drunk on his pet rabbit, Choi Yu Seong was also feeling joy as he saw the message flashing golden.


    At one point, a certain energy oozing from Tori surrounds Choi Yu Seong¡¯s whole body and permeates into him.


    ¡®By the way, that Mister Guy, he really cares about Tori¡­¡¯


    Apart from that, the white rabbit Tori was actually really cute.


    Mister Guy, who took his eyes off Tori he had rub his cheek so much, looks at Choi Yu Seong, who is gradually losing consciousness.


    ¡°Seriously, to think of Double-Sided Mirror Promise. How did you know a thing that no one has used yet? Oh no, you are not in a situation to answer. Anyway, I will never make promise to Awakener Choi Yu Seong ssi again. I¡¯ve suffered from being hit in the back above that upsetting cool wits. See you again. Awakener Choi Yu Seong. Hong hong hong.¡±


    The last thing he heard was Mister Guy¡¯s somewhat sulky voice yet felt warm from some point on.


    -Prankster Who Likes Jokes suggests a reward with a somehow joyful expression.


    -¡®The Gracious Blue-Eyed¡¯ God who get the suggestion thinks. Agrees with the reward.


    -A Hidden Piece occurs from the agreement of the two gods. A special Skill is forcibly passed on to Awakener Choi Yu Seong.


    Following that, there were little more messages that would make Choi Yu Seong surprised if he had heard it.


    ***


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s consciousness also slowly emerged into the air from a very low place, as if he had fallen into a deep sleep and then became weak all over his body.


    Choi Yu Seong, who opened his eyes, looked around like a habit.


    Soon, he breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡®Bed. Return to where you first entered the promotion evaluation.¡¯


    When an Awakener enters a promotion evaluation, his body disappears without a trace on Earth.


    Afterwards, when the evaluation is over, he returns to the location where he entered.


    What was surprising was the fact that in the process, no manifestation of super power or signs of magic was felt anywhere.


    Some scholars fell deeply with research because they felt mysterious about that miraculous ability, but it has not yet been revealed what principles Awakener disappears and appears.


    ¡®Even in the original novel, there are only rough hints.¡¯


    Movement of consciousness through the absolute power of the system maker.


    There are two facts that can be guessed from this word.


    ¡®First, the promotion evaluation itself takes place at a different dimension.¡¯


    And the second, maybe the body of the Awakener itself is hidden somewhere on Earth during the promotion evaluation.


    Of course, there is no exact answer, so he doesn¡¯t know.


    ¡®Even above reasoning is originally made by Kim Do Jin.¡¯


    After Choi Yu Seong shrugged, he decided to leave the difficult problem behind.


    ¡®It¡¯s not something I can know right away.¡¯

 Volume 3 - CH 21

    In fact, he also don¡¯t want to know much about it in the distant future.


    Ignorance is bliss, and if you know such a secret, won¡¯t you be more likely to get involved in a dangerous event?


    It belonged to Choi Yu Seong, whose goal is to support Kim Do Jin, who saves the earth by living comfortably after establishing a stable position, from behind.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong spilled the stream of consciousness by opening his cell phone to find out the current date and time.


    ¡°The date is February 3, 2030. I started the promotion evaluation around January 28th¡­ It¡¯s been about five days. I really don¡¯t understand the flow of time, just like someone said.¡±


    He thought he had completed the promotion evaluation shorter than expected, but in reality, five days have passed.


    ¡°It¡¯s three o¡¯clock in the morning. It¡¯s time for everybody to sleep.¡±


    Of course, if Choi Yu Seong makes a slightly bigger sign in the midst of this, the Jin siblings, who will be waiting in the nearby room, will run scary.


    ¡®Do I really have to do that?¡¯


    Sufficient rest is also important for growth.


    Choi Yu Seong did not bother to show any more signs, but opened a notepad on his cell phone to check what he had written down according to his habits, and even wrote down events that he had not yet recorded due to their relatively less importance.


    ¡®Now that if I don¡¯t look at the memo, I can¡¯t think of anything except the important episodes of the original novel.¡¯


    Still, when he first possessed to a novel, he was glad that the contents of the novel came to mind as if it were imprinted in my mind.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for it, he wouldn¡¯t have even recorded properly so far.


    ¡®Let¡¯s not forget this habit. It¡¯s as important as training.¡¯


    Good habits are hard to get in once, but easy to get out of.


    Choi Yu Seong had no intention of taking a break from this process, even if it was a bit troublesome and cumbersome.


    Anyway, this world was now Choi Yu Seong¡¯s reality.


    And he also backed up the contents on a secret hard-drive in case the phone breaks.


    As he said before, he thought it was foolish not to write it down because he was afraid that someone would know the secret.


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t mean anything if I forget before others know it.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who finished his habit of writing a diary by himself every night, sighed briefly and sat down on the bed.


    He acted leisurely, but after completing the promotion evaluation, he returned to Earth and the most important thing remained.


    ¡®Check the reward.¡¯


    It felt like that he will scream as he was too happy, so he needed to calm himself down.


    Therefore, he spent time doing this and that, but as expected, his heart is still pounding like a 5-year-old child in front of a Christmas gift.


    It can¡¯t be helped.


    ¡®When you open a gift box, you¡¯ll feel the same way as a child or an adult.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong first opened his status window.


    ¡´Right before promotion evaluation¡µ


    ¡ºName: Choi Yu Seong


    Age: 21


    Series: All-rounder type


    Rank: E


    Level: 100


    History Possessed: 1


    Specialization Skills: Star Quality (E), Fusion (E), Spearmanship Prodigy (E)


    Normal Skills: Stylish (E), Duplicate Eyes (E), Spark (E), Insight (E), Sight Enhancement (E), Protective Shield (E) (Delete) ¡úMuscle Enhancement (E), Stamina Enhancement (E)


    Special Skills: Wind Stance (E), Dancing Electric Doll (E), Tail Biting Twin Snakes (E), Magic Spearmanship (E++)¡ú(D-)


    Currently Inactive Skill Slot: There is no space left. You can delete or overwrite normal skills other than initial skills if necessary.¡»


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    ¡´Present¡µ


    Name: Choi Yu Seong


    Age: 21


    Series: All-round type


    Rank: E¡úD


    Level: 1


    History Possessed: 1


    Specialization Skills: Star Quality (D), Fusion (D), Spearmanship Prodigy (D)


    Normal Skills: Stylish (D), Duplicate Eyes (D), Insight (E), Sight Enhancement (D), Muscle Enhancement (D), Stamina Enhancement (D)


    Special Skills: Wind Stance (E¡ü), Dancing Electric Doll (E¡ü), Tail-biting Twin Snake (E¡ü), Magic Spearmanship (E++)¡úD+(¡ü), Trinity Cultivation Method (E) (NEW)


    Currently Inactive Skill Slot: There are currently 2 empty spaces for normal skills. Please learn new skills and add them!¡»


    The obvious fact that you can feel just by looking at the interface window was finally the letter D-Rank.


    Above all, after using all Protective Shield stolen with Duplicate Eyes, the basic maintenance skills such as Muscle Enhancement, Stamina Enhancement, and Sight Enhancement, which had been re-learned to lay down as a basic base, rose to the D-Rank.


    ¡®I felt like I could do about 300kg of bench press with just strength, but now I feel like 400kg is easy.¡¯


    The same was true of Sight Enhancement.


    ¡®I deleted it once when I was in a hurry, but it¡¯s good to have it.¡¯


    As if confirming that it is the D-Rank, the surrounding field of view was quite clear even in the dark.


    Just in case, he checked the video taken adjacent to a car running about 100km per hour through phone without much effect, and it seemed as if Choi Yu Seong was an ordinary people like when he was a regular game company employee can see a fist wielded was flying.


    ¡®Before, 100 kilometers per hour was like a fist wielded by a martial arts player.¡¯


    It was clear that this effect would probably be felt more clearly during an urgent battle.


    There was no way to check Stamina Enhancement through any media immediately.


    ¡®I had no problem staying up all night for two nights before¡­ If I compare the growth figures roughly, wouldn¡¯t three night be no problem?¡¯


    In fact, these physical abilities vary greatly as levels rise.


    Skill only adds additional help beyond such a level rise.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s gaze, which summarized his mind on physical skills while leaving only speculation, was directed at the initial abilities that made him who he is now.


    ¡®First, let¡¯s take a look at it all¡­¡¯


    ¡ºSpecialization Skill, Star Quality (D)


    The more attention people receive, the faster the level growth rate is. When the degree of interest exceeds a certain value, the additional ability is opened (50/100) ¡ú (86/100).


    D-Rank privilege ¨C When exposed to video media such as cameras, attention is increased. (NEW)


    Current acceleration value +70 ¡ú +90%¡»


    ¡ª¡ª¨C


    ¡ºNormal Skill, Stylish (D)


    It¡¯s impossible to merge.


    Additional effects are applied when you show off your gorgeous, gorgeous appearance.


    You will receive an additional effect of regular application due to the Ranking.


    E-Rank privilege ¨C Increased resilience.


    D-Rank privilege ¨C increased pain tolerance. (NEW)¡»


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡ºSpecialization Skill, Fusion (D)


    Except for the initial skill, combine the two general skills and transform them into new skills.


    Depending on the lucky action, the content of the creative skill may change slightly.


    Once used as a fusion material, the skills cannot be reused.


    D-Rank privilege ¨C Increase the additional deactivation skill space to 5 ¡ú 7 (NEW)


    You can delete or overwrite only those skills that can be merged listed in the Additional Disabled Skills column.¡»


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    ¡ºGeneral skills, Duplicate Eye D


    It¡¯s impossible to merge.


    Copy a skill with a lower grade than that skill.


    The number of times the copied skill is used and the capability coefficient is different according to the grade.


    If you copy a skill once, you cannot use it for 3 months.


    Reproduction of skills with the same name also requires a three-month free period.


    D-Rank privilege ¨C The number of times copied skills are used and the capability coefficient is increased.¡»


    In a way, small but essential growth has been achieved little by little.


    ¡®It¡¯s just the first time I¡¯ve been Ranked up.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong left some regrets behind, recalling that he couldn¡¯t be full at the first sip.


    ¡®The important thing are¡­¡¯


    Special skills with arrows that still remain in the E-Rank.


    ¡®As expected. It¡¯s exactly what the original novel is about.¡±


    Specialization skills, normal skills, etc. follow the growth immediately on the premise that the skill level is sufficient when the Rank rises due to the unique ability of the awakener himself.


    However, the most special skills were different.


    ¡®It need to eat Karma points to grow.¡¯


    For this reason, Choi Yu Seong thought that he should save some of the Karma points he had collected until recently.


    ¡®I Ranked up, but I can¡¯t do without skill points, right?¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong immediately pressed the Rank-up button of Wind Stance, one of the most frequently used skills.


    ¨C Awakener Choi Yu Seong¡¯s special skill, Wind Stance (E) ¡ú Wind Stance (D) required 2,500 Karma points to rank up. Do you want to rank up? Y/N


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s body slightly stiffened after checking the message.


    ¡®2,500?¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s current Karma point was exactly 1,850.


    ¡®I used to have 2,350¡­¡¯


    This figure was achieved with additional Karma Point 600 sponsored by the gods during dungeon racing.


    But the problem is that in the promotion evaluation, 500 Karma points were spent to deceive Mister Guy.


    Thanks to this, his current Karma points are 1,850.


    ¡°¡­that¡¯s a long way to go.¡±


    It¡¯s all right.


    It¡¯s a pity, but it was not incomprehensible considering the ability of Wind Stance.


    ¡®Because skills that are inherently strong consume more karma points¡­¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who thought he could raise other skills, identified the second skill and another additional skill.


    ¡°¡­Seriously? The cheapest Tail Biting Twin Snakes is 1,900.¡±


    It was because his special skills were very strong, but it was so unfair for Choi Yu Seong, who diligently saved Karma points.


    ¡®Is this not the time to cheer for joy, but to go hunting right away and somehow draw out sponsor?¡¯


    It was only for a moment that he laughed out of disappointment.


    ¡®Wait, the promotion reward is¡­¡¯


    Suddenly, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes turned to the special skill ¡®Trinity (E)¡¯.


    ¡ºSpecial skill, Trinity Cultivation Method (E)


    It¡¯s impossible to merge.


    It¡¯s a basic way of breathing that all Moorim Gods have heard of.


    If you use your skills in a sitting position, the maximum mana will continue to rise.


    When you move or speak, the skill is automatically canceled.


    If you use skills in other positions, you can increase the strength by injecting mana into the weapon.


    If the Rank rises, you will be given a privilege.


    You are the 168th person on Earth to acquire Mana breathing skills.


    Special ¡ï There is some kind of divine protection. ¡»


    ¡°Wow¡­! That¡¯s awesome! Is this really the reward for the promotion evaluation?¡±


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s expression, which praised highly, naturally hardened.


    ¡®You made me suffer like that, but you¡¯re only giving me this raw?¡¯

 Volume 3 - CH 22

    Of course, he is well aware that Mana breathing skills themselves are quite rare and incredible in this world.


    Even if it seems nothing much right away, the higher the Rank, the more distinct the difference between those who have mastered Mana breathing and those who have not learned it.


    Therefore, it is also true that Choi Yu Seong thought it was an essential skill to acquire someday.


    ¡®The sooner I get it, the better.¡¯


    In any case, the maximum mana continues to increase without spending much money or ability, so the sooner you get it, the better.


    ¡°Really Loki, isn¡¯t this too much?¡±


    He tried talking to myself, but no answer came back.


    ¡®Even if I don¡¯t expect Moorim Gods¡¯ highest level of breathing skills such things as Cheonmashingong, Taegukilgigong, and Cheonjoshingong. Isn¡¯t it conscientious to give at least the level below that for all that hardwork? But Trinity Cultivation Method? The most basic method?¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who was about to say something to himself, who should not have been easily upset, shook his head while holding his forehead.


    ¡®Well, how did you get Mana¡¯s breathing method in the D-Rank?¡¯


    It¡¯s better than nothing.


    And as said before, it is unconditionally beneficial to learn as quickly as possible.


    ¡®But Trinity Cultivation Method is a guy that no match when changes to another Mana breathing technique. It must have been handed over to me to slowly pile up the stairs, and if I see Loki bastard in person one day, I¡¯ll grab him by the collar and slap him in the face.¡¯


    Above all, there were considerable expectations for the special message, God¡¯s blessing.


    ¡®It¡¯s not just an ordinary Trinity Cultivation Method, but there might be a great secret hidden in a martial arts novel that becomes very strong when it¡¯s successful, right?¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who had half regret and half expectations, invoked Trinity Cultivation Method.


    The blue energy that moves as if attracted from the surroundings flows through Choi Yu Seong¡¯s nose and mouth and follows into the body.


    ¡®This is the sense of magic breathing¡­¡¯


    This ability, commonly referred to as Naegongsimbeop, was certainly unique when passed down by the Murim gods.


    It makes you feel at peace, refreshed, and refreshed.


    It was time for Choi Yu Seong¡¯s expression, which had been somewhat hardened by a fairly fresh and pleasant sensation, to gradually ease.


    Crackackack-!


    He heard something crack or cracked somewhere.


    ¡®Suddenly?¡¯


    At the same time, mana that seemed to be swimming leisurely in Choi Yu Seong¡¯s body began to run fiercely toward somewhere.


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    For a moment, Choi Yu Seong clearly saw where his magic was headed.


    ¡®Bracelet?¡¯


    The magical power that ran arbitrarily toward the gray bracelet presented by Choi Mi Na is sucked in like a flood.


    Following it, the black bracelet began to spit out a colorful light mixed with red and blue, floating a letter in front of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®What¡¯s this¡­?¡¯


    The unexpected change and the confusion of the words that he couldn¡¯t understand were also for a moment.


    The swirling words were drawn horribly between Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyebrows.


    ¡®Uuugh-!¡¯


    He wanted to scream, but it didn¡¯t come out of his mouth.


    In the midst of confusion that made his mind dizzy, Choi Yu Seong thought he could hear a bell or a wooden table somewhere.


    After that, his consciousness gradually faded.


    ¡®Again?¡¯


    Before the question of fainting was over, a brilliant message flashed in front of him.


    ¨C Prankster Who Likes Jokes sends a direct message to Awakener Choi Yu Seong saying, ¡®Originally it was too much to prepare right away the reward you should get after suffered for a long time, so be grateful, you idiot who doesn¡¯t know anything.¡¯


    Of course, Choi Yu Seong, who had already half unconscious, could not reply.


    ***


    When Choi Yu Seong opened his eyes again, it was about time the bright morning sun covered his eyelids.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ 12:15.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who woke up and habitually checked the time, smiled bitterly and checked his right arm.


    He felt very empty because the bracelet he wore every day disappeared without knowing what effect it would have.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t find out the name after all?¡¯


    But it didn¡¯t seem to have no effect.


    ¡®It must have been the last time that Loki even sent me a message himself¡­¡¯


    He doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s normal.


    Therefore, Choi Yu Seong opened the system interface window with an excited face like a child receiving a Christmas gift and checked the special skill column.


    Other skills didn¡¯t get into his eyes.


    ¡®So, this is it.¡¯


    Newly added special skills!


    ¡ºSpecial skill, God¡¯s Chakra (D)


    It¡¯s impossible to merge.


    The possibility of hidden in the skill was awakened by the remnants of a highly named god.


    All mana of the Awakener Choi Yu Seong is replaced by Chakra.


    Skill is constantly acting on the Awakener¡¯s body.


    This increases the absolute capacity of the chakra.


    This effect applies when you speak or move, and even when you are unconscious.


    Currently, the Chakra 730/730 replacement of the Awakener Choi Yu Seong has been completed.


    The rate of increase is +1.


    The first chakra woke up with D-Rank.


    D Rank ¨C Mooladhara Chakra.


    With the action of Mooladhara Chakra, the physical abilities of the Awakener Choi Yu Seong will grow to be the same level as those of Physical Awakener type.


    Special ¡ï


    The application of God¡¯s Chakra further strengthens the effect of Mooladhara Chakra.


    If the Rank rises, the second chakra will wake up.


    You are the eighth person in the world to acquire chakra skills.¡»


    His mouth opened wide.


    ¡®What¡¯s this? Chakra?¡¯


    For a moment, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s brain was confused.


    It seemed to be a different ability from mugong Kim Do Jin will learn in the near future.


    ¡®Is it the power of Indian gods? But as far as I know, as a reward Loki gave me¡­¡¯


    The confusion was brief, and Choi Yu Seong calmly settled his thoughts.


    ¡®I think I¡¯ve seen it in the original novel if it¡¯s such a special ability.¡¯


    This is why human memory is a problem.


    If you don¡¯t write it down, you¡¯ll forget it.


    The rush of frustration was brief.


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s gaze again flowed with a brilliant skill explanation.


    ¡°It¡¯s a crazy skill anyway,¡±


    As the skill name suggests, it was a skill that would suit the main character Kim Do Jin rather than Choi Yu Seong, who was actually a good-for-nothing villain.


    No, in a way, he acquired skills that Kim Do Jin did not even get in the original novel.


    ¡°God¡¯s chakra?¡±


    He feels something proud in the middle of my chest.


    ¡®This is real.¡¯


    It was clear that it was a skill that was much higher than the clumsy inner core method and was as good as the Shingongjeolhak, which boasts the best in Moorim.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    It was a time of admiration and admiration.


    -Prankster Who Likes Jokes snorts at the Awakener Choi Yu Seong.


    -The Oldest Hunter looked at the Awakener Choi Yu Seong with a pleased look.


    -Culann¡¯s Hound supports Awakener Choi Yu Seong.


    -The God of graceful blue-eyes nodded. Sends a direct message ¡®I look forward to the day when I come back.¡¯ to Awakener Choi Yu Seong. Leaves from your side.


    As usual, the messages of the gods poured out.


    The names of the three gods, who are now familiar to Choi Yu Seong, and one more.


    ¡°The god of graceful blue-eyes?¡±


    Since Choi Yu Seong did not see the first message that came to mind at the end of the promotion evaluation, he briefly tilted his head to the name of the new god who checked the message himself from the first.


    ¡®Why left? The God of graceful blue-eyes¡­¡¯


    The question is for a moment.


    Soon Choi Yu Seong jumped out of place in astonishment.


    ¡°My gosh! God¡¯s chakra! The God of graceful blue-eyes!¡±


    The voice was so loud that it echoed throughout the room.


    Naturally, Jin Do Yoon, who was guarding Choi Yu Seong¡¯s room outside, ran in.


    ¡°Young master!¡±


    The fact that Jin Do Yoon is here means that he also passed the promotion evaluation and reached the A Rank.


    However, Choi Yu Seong had no time to pay attention to him.


    ¡°Wait, let me think for a minute.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who sat back in place and was lost in thought, could not stop his heart from pounding.


    ¡®My gosh. So, it¡¯s like that. Gray bracelet¡­ It was a destruction god¡¯s piece.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong¡¯s mind is finally filled with all the right picture.


    Choi Mi Na¡¯s present is a destruction god¡¯s piece.


    It was an ancient relic used by D-Rank Villain ¡®Dalsim¡¯ in the original novel.


    The problem was that in the original The Master Who Returned To Modern Times, it came out as a tool to strengthen Chakra¡¯s ability, and the weight was not large because Villain Dalsim died quite vainly.


    ¡®Nevertheless, Kim Do Jin took the destruction god¡¯s piece as if it was a very important tool.¡¯


    However, the bait has not been recovered and the first part is completed.


    In fact, this part was not very important because it was only a small episode that he even had forgotten.


    However, when connected with the name of The god of graceful blue-eyes, the meaning is quite different.


    In fact, if you look at the nickname The god of graceful blue-eyes alone, it feels quite good and kind-hearted, and the god that reminds you of an angel.


    However, there was an exact nickname for him more commonly.


    and the name was far from holy and benevolent.


    ¡®Destruction God.¡¯


    Therefore, it was connected to the destruction god¡¯s piece, and his blessing¡¯s ability was passed on to Choi Yu Seong.


    What does this mean?


    ¡®Chakra is deeply related to Hinduism. And the destruction god from there¡­¡¯


    In other words, The God Of Graceful Blue Eyes is Shiva, one of the three major Hindu gods.


    Then, he left after confirming that his skills were safely passed on to Choi Yu Seong.


    It wasn¡¯t that his interest disappeared.


    ¡®He said that he was looking forward to the day he came back¡¯


    Shiva will be back.


    However, Shiva still thinks he is not an existence to put all his care into.


    ¡®It can be seen as arrogant, but it¡¯s understandable.¡¯


    It is said to be one of the three major gods, but Shiva¡¯s combat capabilities are actually more than the main god, Brahma.


    In fact, it was not unfamiliar to the story that if all the Hindu gods joined forces and Shiva fought individually, they could achieve an equal match.


    ¡®No matter how many times Loki flies and runs in Northern Europe, if he runs head-on, he will fly to the other side of the globe with only Shiva¡¯s fist.¡¯


    Of course, it was a pretty exaggerated opinion, but somehow Choi Yu Seong thought it was quite enjoyable just by imagining it.


    In any case, Shiva has become no different from making sufficient Karma Point investments in Choi Yu Seong by presenting God¡¯s Chakra as a reward for promotion evaluation.


    And Shiva wasn¡¯t the only one who put a lot of effort into making this skill.


    Loki joined in together.


    ¡®No, is it right that Loki called Shiva from the beginning, knowing that I had a Destruction God¡¯s piece?¡±


    His head rolled at a high-speed trying to deduce the situation again.


    ¡®No matter how the promotion evaluation is extreme difficulty, it¡¯s too much for E-Rank¡­¡¯


    Loki and Shiva.


    The collaboration between the two gods was not incomprehensible at all.


    The compensation was at a reasonable level.


    ¡®It¡¯s enough to give up the reward and go back to normal difficulty?¡¯


    Fortunately, Choi Yu Seong in the past did not make such a foolish mistake.


    ¡®Loki bastard, now that I see he had the personality that can¡¯t tell honestly.¡¯


    He seemed to enjoy bothering him quite a bit, but he prepared such a big gift.


    There must be some greed to increase his stake, but he could not have gone this far without the willingness to help Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°Thank you, Loki,¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir?¡±


    In response to Choi Yu Seong¡¯s summary of his thoughts, Jin Do Yoon replied.


    ¨C Prankster Who Likes Jokes looks at Awakener Choi Yu Seong and snorts.


    Then Loki sent a message.

 Volume 3 - CH 23

    Jin Do Yoon still looked suspicious looking at the message, and Choi Yu Seong smiled and waved his hand and checked his cell phone again.


    ¡®It¡¯s half past twelve. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to go to the gym.¡¯


    If you have new abilities, you should use them and make them completely yours.


    At the fighting desire for the first time in a while, the body of Choi Yu Seong, which was opening its mouth to Jin Do Yoon, stopped.


    ¡®Text message?¡¯


    To be exact, it was a message sent on a coconut talk, and in fact, most of them didn¡¯t even look at it properly, but the name that just passed by was not so negligible.


    ¡°Jin Do Yoon. Does Father know how to use coconut talk?¡±


    ¡°I know that he sends messages from time to time.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­¡±


    At least it¡¯s not spam.


    Looking back on his memory, there was information that Choi Wu Jae handled new technologies quite well although Choi Yu Seong had never received it directly.


    ¡®Kim Do Jin also sent me a coconut talk the other day.¡¯


    Before opening Choi Wu Jae¡¯s message, he briefly checked it but the contents were videos and Internet articles.


    ¡®I don¡¯t care. I¡¯ll answer you later. It¡¯s nice to be quiet these days.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who casually let go of the thought that Kim Do Jin eyes would have been flipped if he had known it, subsequently confirmed Choi Wu Jae¡¯s message.


    It wasn¡¯t a long content.


    -Father: Is there any present you want?


    Choi Yu Seong briefly agonized over the face-open message.


    ¡®If it¡¯s a gift, there¡¯s a lot I want to get.¡¯


    But neither too much over the line nor too little.


    Choi Yu Seong, who slightly scratched the cheek when asked by Choi Wu Jae, who was easy in a way and difficult in a way, wrote down exactly what he needed and sent it.


    ¡®Because it must not feel like I¡¯ve read but ignored it.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong, who confirmed that a message had been sent to the coconut talk screen, now got out of bed.


    ¡°Jin Do Yoon, you¡¯re A-Rank now, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Today¡¯s schedule?¡±


    ¡°There is nothing much.¡±


    Perhaps Jin Do Yoon had read Choi Yu Seong¡¯s thoughts roughly, a smile came to his mouth.


    ¡°I guess you got a good reward from the promotion evaluation.¡±


    ¡°Huh. It¡¯s pretty good.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t let the A-Rank hunter do all he can to the D-Rank beginner. Let¡¯s warm up moderately.¡±


    ¡°Then I will have to be careful not to get too excited.¡±


    They were two men, laughing and chatting, naturally heading to the hunter-only gym.


    ***


    Fortunately, the gym was vacant for about 6 hours, and Choi Yu Seong and Jin Do Yoon, who rented the entire building as a rental, changed into uniforms as usual and warmed up lightly by exchanging hands and feet with each other.


    Not too slow or too fast, Jin Do Yoon smiled during this process.


    ¡°Your condition looks very good.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I think I¡¯m definitely feeling light because of the promotion effect. Shall we get started?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    After about an hour of warm-up time, Choi Yu Seong held a wooden stick for training, and Jin Do Yoon stood at an angle with his two fists rolled up and clenched.


    At first glance, putting both feet back and forth reminds me of the kickboxing posture, but Jin Do Yoon¡¯s fighting style was far from a sport with such set rules.


    ¡®It¡¯s very instinctive.¡¯


    rough and ferocious, without hesitation.


    It is basic that the movement of the body itself is extremely anomalous, and is it that people are generally reluctant to attack without hesitation?


    Still, when competing with Choi Yu Seong, he seems to be suppressing himself with reason, but in the middle, he could clearly see movements trying to stretch out his hands or feet without realizing it.


    ¡®He even once tried to bite.¡¯


    It feels a little threatening, but in fact, he enjoyed a fight with Jin Do Yoon.


    ¡®I have a good sense of practice. It¡¯s only a little funny how he breathe out killing intention like common monsters.¡¯


    Perhaps if he had separate skills such as killing intention immunity, it would have naturally become a D-Rank by now.


    Today¡¯s fight was no different.


    No, it was rougher than the other day.


    Although Jin Do Yoon, who became the A-Ranked player, showed signs of restraint as much as possible, he has stabbed Choi Yu Seong¡¯s whole body more fiercely and sharply.


    Even though he was just looking into the eyes of Jin Do Yoon, who entered the training, he could feel his body stiffening.


    ¡®It¡¯s not comparable to Rachel¡¯s killing intention, but¡­¡¯


    Considering that Jin Do Yoon was not doing his best in the first place, it was evidence that he made great progress due to the promotion.


    ¡®In the first place, Jin Do Yoon is an extraordinary strong man in the same Rank.¡¯


    He is not an Irregular, but by ordinary standards, two or three hunters in the same Rank can handle it by himself.


    Likewise, it is because of the efforts to constantly grind and polish oneself, and the great talent.


    In that sense, there was something else that was curious about.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure Jin Do Yoon is still strong.¡¯


    Even though he is using less strength considering Choi Yu Seong¡¯s Rank, it is difficult to even block him and it is more difficult to find an opportunity to counterattack.


    If you are fighting intensively, there are often moments when sweat forms at the end of your eyebrows and your vision becomes blurred.


    However, for some reason, the burden felt on the whole body was much less than before the promotion evaluation.


    ¡®I¡¯m D-Rank, but Jin Do Yoon is A-Rank, so our gap should remain the same¡­¡¯


    Somehow, he feel that the gap is filled in.


    And such a sense was not just felt by Choi Yu Seong alone.


    During the fast-running battle, Jin Do Yoon, who grabbed Choi Yu Seong¡¯s stick and jumped into the air as if performing a trick, extends his fingers.


    Choi Yu Seong, who pulled out a few pieces of hair, bowed his head and swung the stick at Jin Do Yoon¡¯s ankle.


    ¡®What¡¯s it? I¡¯m sure Young Master is Rank D Level 1¡­?¡¯


    Even as Jin Do Yoon remembers, Choi Yu Seong certainly had a somewhat unrivaled aspect within the same E-Rank.


    In fact, Choi Yu Seong after Rank E Level 50 showed considerable combat power above Rank D.


    However, the walls of the D-Rank and C-Rank are different.


    There is a saying in the world of hunters.


    ¡®The wall of E-Rank and D-Rank is a sheet of paper¡­¡¯


    However, there is a wall of reality that cannot be overcome in the difference between the D-Rank and C-Rank.


    It¡¯s like going beyond one big stage.


    As if to prove it, there were quite a few hunters worldwide up to the D-Rank, but the number decreased by about half from the C-Rank hunters.


    About 6.5 out of 10 D-Rank Max level hunters who are actually on the threshold will remain in the same place forever because they fail to pass the normal difficulty level promotion evaluation.


    A space where one wall exists enough to make such a difference.


    But now, the wall felt somewhat faint in the battle against Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡®With just one rise in Rank¡­ He become this strong?¡¯


    Of course, when discussing the world¡¯s strongest hunter, there was always a story that a person like William Rothschild, who is always one of the top five, weighed down C-Rank hunters alone two or three even when he was just in the D-Rank.


    But it¡¯s just like a city legend full of rumors.


    There was no way to know the truth because so few people actually confirmed it.


    ¡®If that story is true, then Young Master is of the same grade as such a monster.¡¯


    Even if not, it was certain that Choi Yu Seong¡¯s growth was beyond the level of what Jin Do Yoon understood.


    While he was happier than anyone else at Choi Yu Seong¡¯s growth, Jin Do Yoon even wondered at the unbelievable situation.


    Jin Do Yoon, who grabbed Choi Yu Seong¡¯s wooden stick, which flew in rough air, asked, feeling that his palm was aching.


    ¡°Young Master, have you raised your level since the promotion evaluation?¡±


    ¡°No way. I first woke up at dawn.¡±


    He knows it.


    Nevertheless, the reason why he had to ask questions was because of the incredible gap in growth.


    Also, due to the short conversation, Choi Yu Seong was convinced of one fact.


    Jin Do Yoon feels the same way.


    Choi Yu Seong said with a smile.


    ¡°Jin Do Yoon, can you raise the tension more?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible, but it¡¯ll be a little dangerous.¡±


    So far, Jin Do Yoon has refrained from transforming as much as possible.


    When the werewolf wakes up, it becomes many times harder to suppress it with reason.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, so let¡¯s raise it.¡±


    But he still wants to confirm it.


    Choi Yu Seong needed confidence in the searing growth he felt in his body now.


    It was clear why he became so strong with only one level of promotion.


    ¡®God¡¯s chakra.¡¯


    The new skill, which is always applied, has made Choi Yu Seong¡¯s physical ability no different from that of general physical type Awakener.


    ¡®That¡¯s not it. The special effects made me stronger than those physical awakeners of the same Rank and level.¡¯


    When he just looked at the message, he didn¡¯t think much.


    Although he was placed in a somewhat ambiguous position as an all-rounder type, there was no reason to be dissatisfied with his much stronger and sleeker physical ability than when he was an ordinary person.


    However, when God¡¯s Chakra was activated and the stylish skill was activated, the feeling was completely different.


    ¡®That¡¯s why, talented physical awakeners like Jin Do Yoon lived in this kind of world.¡¯


    It¡¯s on a different dimension.


    It was not for no reason that ordinary all-rounder Awakener were told that they were neither good in this or that.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    While Choi Yu Seong was organizing his thoughts, Jin Do Yoon also groaned and agonized.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. How do you feel about me right now?¡±


    ¡°In fact, it¡¯s no exaggeration to say that you¡¯re above Rank D level 50. I recalled the talent Young Master showed me when you were in E-Rank. As you know, it¡¯s just a bit of a sensual figure, but¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. There¡¯s no need to doubt how good your instincts are.¡±


    In terms of mere intuition, Jin Do Yoon¡¯s instinct is not as good as Kim Do Jin¡¯s.


    But, he believed it.


    ¡°So, don¡¯t worry about it, do it. You have to learn to control the beast to some extent. If I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s trained, there¡¯s no point in training. And above all, I am not yet to show all of my too.¡±


    As the training is overheating, there are more and more additional effects on the stylish skill.


    And in fact, Choi Yu Seong has not even used skills related to super power.


    ¡®That¡¯s not it. If you really want to see the end¡­¡¯


    Insight.


    Even using the skill he was trying to save as much as possible now that there are only four times left, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s eyes were filled with blue will-o¡¯-wisp.


    ¡®There are three times left.¡¯


    It was a pity, but he thought it was necessary.


    ¡®I need to know exactly what¡¯s my current state.¡¯


    As can be seen from Chungmugong¡¯s famous saying, ¡°If you know the enemy and know me, it is not dangerous to fight a hundred times,¡± Choi Yu Seong thought it was also important to grasp his limitations.


    Naturally, rough hairs began to grow on both arms of Jin Do Yoon, who confirmed it.

 Volume 3 - CH 24

    Sharp fangs are revealed between the neat teeth, and the eyes turn fierce.


    It is not complete, but it has been partially water-printed.


    ¡°All right.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±


    Jin Do Yoon, who uttered a low, animal cry, jumps in.


    Even though only a part of it has been water-printed, it feels at least twice as fast as just now.


    And Choi Yu Seong, who read even a little of the movement with insight, avoided Jin Do Yoon¡¯s attack with only one step, completely like a lie.


    ¡®My gosh.¡¯


    It¡¯s a surprising physical reaction even for myself.


    Before the kick of Jin Do Yoon, who followed, the clothes were torn, but he couldn¡¯t believe it no matter how much he thought about it.


    ¡®It¡¯s a real skill of God. God¡¯s chakra!¡¯


    Indeed, it was no exaggeration to say that Shiva, the most powerful Hindu fighting god, directly blessed.


    In fact, the subsequent battles were somewhat one-sided.


    Transformed Jin Do Yoon was frighteningly driven, and in response, Choi Yu Seong poured out all his skills and power he could do, but all he could do was brush his collar.


    Eventually, in less than five minutes, Choi Yu Seong¡¯s clothes became rags while exchanging fast blows, and a number of scratches and torn scars occurred on the body where the fine muscles were properly.


    However, Jin Do Yoon did not stop and Choi Yu Seong did not shout to quit.


    As a result, after about eight minutes, Choi Yu Seong lay back, missing the stick he struggled to hold with both hands.


    ¡°Too much! That¡¯s it!¡±


    At the same time, Jin Do Yoon¡¯s movement, which was literally wild like an animal, stopped like a lie.


    It was literally just a twist that he was worried that he might not be able to control it.


    ¡®As soon as I heard the young master¡¯s voice, my reason returned.¡¯


    Jin Do Yoon, who quickly released the transformation, approached Choi Yu Seong.


    ¡°Are you all right? I¡¯ll apply the medicine right away.¡±


    ¡°¡­whoo¡­whoo¡­¡±


    Choi Yu Seong, who couldn¡¯t answer anything because he was out of breath, closed his eyes and nodded.


    It was a short time, but it really pushed him to the limit.


    Thanks to this, Choi Yu Seong was able to be confident about how strong he is now.


    ¡®Maybe already the strongest in D-Rank.¡¯


    The strongest in the Rankings from the start.


    In fact, it was a ridiculous thing, but it didn¡¯t seem impossible at all with Kim Do Jin¡¯s C-Rank at this point.


    ¡®I was just trying to survive¡­ I¡¯ve come all the way here.¡¯


    It felt strange, but it didn¡¯t feel so bad.


    No, he had a lot of fun.


    ¡°Whoo¡­ Whoo¡­¡±


    ¡°You may misunderstand because of the gap now, but young master has shown me great skills.¡±


    Jin Do Yoon says, applying disinfectant and scar medicine throughout Choi Yu Seong¡¯s body, who tries to calm his breath.


    At his opinion, he was afraid that Choi Yu Seong would be disappointed, so he seemed to speak out.


    ¡®No, I¡¯m not disappointed. I¡¯m really happy, tho?¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong wanted to answer like that, but he was really out of breath and couldn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking or flattering. I once told you that you are the strongest of all the E-Ranks I know.¡±


    Perhaps he had no idea of Choi Yu Seong¡¯s feelings or was too excited, Jin Do Yoon, whose face turned red, continued in an excited voice.


    ¡®Of course I remember.¡¯


    It was not long after he became possessed, and it was before he took the hunter test.


    Indeed, it has improved a lot compared to that time.


    ¡®It¡¯s a short time, less than half a year.¡¯


    There is a long way to go, but what has been done so far is a satisfying situation.


    ¡°At that time, we talked except for Kim Do Jin. In fact, I don¡¯t know him very well during his E-Rank days.¡±


    But suddenly an unexpected name came out.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen videos of Kim Do Jin fighting in D-Rank several times. To the point I was amazed.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ Whoo¡­¡±


    The moment he tried to say that he was overreacting, he was out of breath once again.


    ¡°This is my opinion¡­ It seems that Young Master currently is stronger than when Kim Do Jin was in D-Rank. You may not understand what this means, but¡­¡±


    He knows it well.


    ¡°Perhaps within ten years you will be called the world¡¯s best hunter. It will be stronger beyond the chairman. Do you understand?¡±


    He knows it well.


    ¡®But what is he talking about?¡¯


    The title of the world¡¯s strongest?


    In fact, it¡¯s not a bad thing.


    It is to surely acquire the ability to protect his one body that he wanted.


    But if he has such a title, what kind of gaze will catastrophes have toward Choi Yu Seong when they appear on this earth someday and the demon king ascends?


    ¡®The expectation that I will somehow come forward and stop them.¡¯


    If he turns a blind eye to this, he will face a tremendous look of persecution.


    Perhaps someone surrounded by hatred is chasing Choi Yu Seong to kill him.


    Just imagining it gives me goosebumps.


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy. I wish the real world would know more about Young Master¡¯s value.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ It¡¯d be better not know that much.¡±


    Jin Do Yoon, who made a questionable expression for a moment at Choi Yu Seong¡¯s real intention, barely catching his breath, nodded as if he understood.


    ¡°Will you choose to be a sleeping dragon this time, too? Well, you need to be careful until you¡¯re fully grown. I¡¯ll be absolutely careful and keep my mouth shut. Of course, but if something happens to you, with my life¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have¡­ to. Just be careful for now.¡±


    Choi Yu Seong smiled and said to Jin Do Yoon,


    When he solved his misunderstanding, he couldn¡¯t speak long.


    Above all, there was one thing that Jin Do Yoon, no, even everyone in the world was mistaken about.


    ¡®That the appearance Kim Do Jin seen so far is everything.¡±


    For your information, Kim Do Jin usually uses a sword and acts as if he is a physical Awakener, but in reality, he is completely different.


    ¡®That bastard¡­ He¡¯s a fraudulent all-rounder.¡¯


    Kim Do Jin is the ruler of another world who mastered both magic and sword.


    Therefore, in the system window he is displayed as flair type all rounder.


    But why is he stronger than any other physical Awakener?


    The moment he first got the Chakra of God, Choi Yu Seong thought.


    ¡®It¡¯s a protagonist grade skill.¡¯


    The reason why he thought that was a simple reason.


    Kim Do Jin had been dealing with a power, which Choi Yu Seong have with the acquisition of God¡¯s Chakra, without any penalties due to his specialized skill ¡®genius¡¯ from the beginning of the novel.


    In fact, at this point, Kim Do Jin can use magic.


    But he doesn¡¯t use it.


    ¡®He keeps it hidden. As a secret weapon.¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong broke Kim Do Jin¡¯s record at Goblin Fortress.


    ¡®That¡¯s because Kim Do Jin hasn¡¯t mastered magic yet.¡¯


    And even if he had learned it, Kim Do Jin would not have used magic.


    Perhaps about a year later, Kim Do Jin would hide the fact that he could use magic.


    ¡®In the end, it will be revealed, but¡­¡¯


    Anyway, it is absurd to compare with such a fraudulent returnee protagonist, Kim Do Jin.


    ¡®It¡¯s up to Kim Do Jin to protect the earth. I just want to be known to be moderately strong, cheer from behind, and live moderately and safely.¡¯


    He hoped that he will grow to just that level by attracting gaze and people¡¯s attention.


    ¡®How much do I have to control so that I don¡¯t be misunderstand too much like Jin Do Yoon?¡¯


    Choi Yu Seong drew his own goal line.


    ¡®Has a dignity that is hard to overcome, but rarely come to the fore and do dangerous things. Yeah, right just like father. What do you mean by regulation? For now, you have to live and die. You just have to show them how bad you are in the middle. That¡¯s the best I have to do.¡¯


    In fact, even that was a difficult goal, so until then, it seemed okay to go on a somewhat steep path.


    Of course, no one knew whether everything would turn out the way Choi Yu Seong wanted it to.


    While he was thinking like that, lightning suddenly flashed in Choi Yu Seong¡¯s head.


    ¡®Oh, wait. But isn¡¯t God¡¯s Chakra a part of Mana¡¯s breathing technique? If I do this well¡­ I think I can do something fun?¡¯


    He wants to live in moderation.


    Saying it once again, it was hard to tell whether this wish would come true.


    ***


    Choi Wu Jae, who checked the message program application coconut talk, soon burst into laughter after opening a mobile phone that can be worn on the wrist like a watch, switched to a wide screen thanks to the development of technology.


    ¡°Hohoho¡­!¡±


    ¡°Chairman?¡±


    Kim Pil Du, who was next to Choi Wu Jae, asks back with a surprised look.


    ¡°Oh, dear. I thought I had forgotten how to smile brightly, but I¡¯ve had a lot of fun lately. You make me laugh a lot.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing, isn¡¯t it? But may I ask what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you play golf with old man Baek the other day?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I heard you went there on a business trip.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I went and asked old man Baek. The ninth is so cute these days. What should I give him? What is your opinion? I asked him this. He suddenly got angry, why I ask him what others want. I¡¯m just saying that I¡¯m a wise man.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly like Mister Baek.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so I thought it was right, and I asked that kid in a cell-phone message a while ago what he wanted.¡±


    Kim Pil Du¡¯s eyes grew sharp.


    Choi Wu Jae¡¯s suggestion seems light, but it is by no means ridiculous.


    If you hope for a disappointing careful reward or more hard work than you have done, you¡¯ll get a bad feeling and scream instead of a gift.


    However, considering Choi Wu Jae¡¯s reaction, Choi Yu Seong seemed to have pointed out the middle point well.


    ¡°Do you know what his answer is?¡±


    ¡°Did he ask to give him someone?¡±


    In general, Choi Wu Jae, who cares about talent, enjoyed the above answers.


    That¡¯s why he made a guess.


    Choi Wu Jae, who smiled, said something unexpected.


    ¡°He asked pocket money.¡±


    ¡°¡­yeah?¡±


    ¡°A son doing good job, there¡¯s nothing better to praise him than with pocket money. That¡¯s not wrong saying. That¡¯s why I started laughing. Hohoho¡­!¡±


    ¡°I know that Young Master Yu Seong has quite a lot of money in your personal account.¡±


    ¡°Foolish! Money is a thing that makes you want to be greedy. Why would we sit here and think now, if we were to stop because there were so many?¡±


    ¡°This time chairman gave me a wise answer to my post.¡±


    ¡°Secretary Kim please take care of it. It¡¯s a gift in my name, so don¡¯t make him disappointed.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Chairman.¡±


    Following Choi Yu Seong, Kim Pil Du also took the test.


    The horse said to do it on its own, but Choi Wu Jae is the one who will take away Kim Pil Du¡¯s authority if he makes a mistake even with this amount.


    Therefore, Kim Pil Du¡¯s daily life was as if he were walking on a blade every day, but he still wanted to be here.


    ¡®You can¡¯t learn anything from a distance.¡¯


    And you can¡¯t even stare at the seat.


    ¡°Go back. You can get off work now.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. Mr. Chairman.¡±


    Smiling Choi Wu Jae beckoned, and Kim Pil Du, who bowed, stepped down and left the office full of books.


    As soon as he opened the door of his office, there was a person he had encountered frequently recently.


    ¡°The second lady is here. Chairman is inside.¡±


    ¡°I know, no need to tell me.¡±


    The sitting Choi Wu Jae smiles again at Choi Mi Na that casually passed Kim Pil Du, who replied lightly and bowed his head.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here.¡±


    Nowadays, she has become one of the few people in the family who make Choi Wu Jae laugh.


    It is surprising to think of the small(?) rebellions of Choi Mi Na that she has shown so far.

 CH 30

    ¡°Yu-Seong, you brat. Are you possibly feeling envy and jealousy toward Kim Do-Jin?¡± Choi Woo-Jae frowned deeply and asked. Considering that Yu-Seong had shown inferiority complexes before, Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s guess was not strange.


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± When Yu-Seong shook his head, Woo-Jae quietly stroked his beard. He didn¡¯t try to hide the small anger in his eyes.


    Before Woo-Jae became properly furious, Yu-Seong had to convince him. He spoke up. ¡°Father, there are two problems with having Kim Do-Jin under me.¡±


    Choi Woo-Jae looked piercingly at Yu-Seong, who gulped unintentionally from the tension, before speaking. ¡°Interesting. Fine, I¡¯ll listen, but if you can¡¯t convince me by the end¡­¡±


    Woo-Jae tapped the end of Yu-Seong¡¯s bed with his index finger, as if he was deep in thought, then nodded. ¡°Yes, yes if you can¡¯t convince me, I will take away one of those kids under you,¡± said Woo-Jae.


    Support us at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    Woo-Jae had tried to give him a person, but since Yu-Seong refused, he would take away one of his people as a penalty. There were only two of Yu-Seong¡¯s people Woo-Jae could think of.


    ¡®Jin Yu-Ri and Jin Do-Yoon.¡¯


    The Jin siblings were the ones that Yu-Seong had the most faith in. Thus, as much as the two cared about Yu-Seong, there was a possibility that they would have to follow Woo-Jae¡¯s coercion and make inevitable choices.


    ¡°¡­¡± Choi Woo-Jae had a calm but heavy look. His eyes were like a tiger¡¯s as he leaned on the chair in silence.


    Yu-Seong licked his dry lips with the tip of his tongue and stood more upright.


    ¡®If I can¡¯t give him a satisfactory answer, they¡¯ll be taken away.¡¯


    It felt as if he were walking a tightrope above a ground full of sharp spears.


    ¡®Although it¡¯s scary to cross¡­¡¯


    The way back was already blocked. Yu-Seong cleared his mind, then took the first step on the tightrope.


    ¡°First, the time isn¡¯t right yet. I have just become a hunter, finally standing on the starting line to chase after my brothers and sisters. It is too risky for me to embrace a talented person like Kim Do-Jin at this point.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t get anything good without a fight. The more precious it is, the more people will want it. That¡¯s why you shouldn¡¯t have it if you don¡¯t have the power and wisdom to protect it. Apparently, you don¡¯t have the courage,¡± Choi Woo-Jae responded


    ¡°Courage and temerity are different, sir. If I get in over my head and just take anything recklessly, I would be no different than a brute. I said I would risk my life, but that doesn¡¯t mean that I want to die meaningless by placing my neck in the path of an approaching knife. I am not capable of embracing Kim Do-Jin at the moment.¡±


    ¡°You mean that you will stay quietly cooped up in your room? Because you know your place? Am I understanding it right?¡±


    ¡°That is not it. That leads me to my second reason¡ªI do not know Kim Do-Jin¡¯s capabilities yet.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s another interesting thing to hear.¡±


    ¡°Father, I investigated Kim Do-Jin. I know about his birth, his growth, his family relationships. I found something strange after investigating. He is an orphan born in Russia and naturalized in Korea, where he received a new identification card. But there are no acquaintances who knew him well in Korea, Russia, nor anywhere else in the world.¡±


    Truthfully, Yu-Seong had never investigated Kim Do-Jin after he was possessed. After all, why make an extra effort? He already knew of Kim Do-Jin¡¯s complete circumstances through the original novel.


    Kim Do-Jin had been sent to another world as he stared blankly at the tide of monsters in the chaotic Dungeon Break, which had been caused by the failure to clear the Boss Monster. Thus, obviously, the first thing that Kim Do-Jin did after returning was to find out what time period he was in and to investigate his family¡¯s whereabouts.


    Thirty-one years in another world was the same as eight years in the current reality. In addition, fortunately, or rather unfortunately, his family had survived during the Dungeon Break.


    However, his mother fell ill with an unknown disease and now lived in a comatose state. His only younger brother had worked day and night to cover their mother¡¯s hospital bills and had died the day before Kim Do Jin returned from an unavoidable rebar that fell overhead at a construction site.


    It was a desperate situation for Kim Do-Jin and it was impossible to dream of a hopeful future with his family. He despaired but did not give up. Instead, he thought of revenge.


    When he was a child, the company owned by Kim Do-Jin¡¯s father had been destroyed by the Comet Group¡¯s rampage. Naturally, the family fell into despair. His father could not bear the disappointment and the sense of failure he felt as the head of the family, and had chosen to commit suicide. That would not have happened if there weren¡¯t the aggressive mergers and acquisitions of Comet Group that Choi Woo-Jae had led at the time. In Kim Do-Jin¡¯s memory, that was when everything had started to go wrong.


    That was why, at the beginning of the novel, Kim Do-Jin had made a new identity by pouring out all the money earned from selling some of the treasures he had brought from another world. He also became an anonymous donor for his mother, who had no one to pay for her hospital bills due to his brother¡¯s absence. He then hid himself as much as possible to deal with the monster Choi Woo-Jae.


    Choi Yu-Seong knew this situation and rooted for Kim Do-Jin¡¯s revenge when he had read the novel. Of course, it was different now. Now that his life was at stake, he could not root for Kim Do-Jin¡¯s revenge anymore.


    Yu-Seong took a deep breath before continuing on, ¡°So, going back to the first reason, I think it is not the right time. Yes, I agree that a talented person should be valued. It is a waste to give him to others, so I should make him my person. But I still know very little about Kim Do-Jin. I cannot let him in without knowing whether he is a coyote or a wolf, right?¡±


    Suddenly, Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s calm but dull gaze changed. He pointed out, ¡°I thought you had him by your side without knowing anything.¡±


    Choi Yu-Seong gulped.


    ¡®As expected, he knew it already.¡¯


    Choi Woo-Jae was greedy for talented people, just as he always said. Wouldn¡¯t he already have paid great attention to Kim Do-Jin, who the entire world was paying attention to? Perhaps he had investigated Kim Do-Jin immediately after Kim Do-Jin had appeared as a super rookie, like a comet.


    ¡°Kim Do-Jin¡¯s records could be called clean. There¡¯s not even a speck of dust or a single blemish to be seen. That¡¯s why it¡¯s suspicious. That means there¡¯s definitely something he is hiding, and naturally, those who have a lot to hide are dark inside.¡± Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s lips twisted scornfully.


    At that moment, Choi Yu-Seong felt goosebumps all over his body.


    ¡®So that¡¯s why he wanted to keep Kim Do-Jin near me!¡¯


    It was hard to see what Kim Do-Jin was hiding if he was kept an arm¡¯s length away. By keeping him close, it would be possible to find a weak spot or two. That was why Woo-Jae was trying to keep Kim Do-Jin near Choi Yu-Seong and keep his eyes on him.


    That could put Choi Yu-Seong in trouble, but it was obvious that Choi Woo-Jae would simply think that was Yu-Seong¡¯s limit if he couldn¡¯t handle the task.


    Woo-Jae would have such thoughts because he did not know that Kim Do-Jin was a returnee from another world. If Choi Yu-Seong was sacrificed in this way, chances were high that he would end up in the same state as the original novel.


    ¡°It seemed like you were trying to get closer to him anyway, so I¡¯m just trying to help you.¡±


    ¡°¡­I am not disappointed by that.¡±


    If Choi Yu-Seong had not read the original novel, or if he was not quick-witted, he would have faced a terrible situation. But so what? As mentioned, the Comet Group was originally like this, and Choi Woo-Jae did have as many as ten children.


    ¡°If you know the situation, you must have your own thoughts.¡± It was clear what Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s words meant. ¡°I won¡¯t ask more since it already sounds interesting. I will leave the matter regarding Kim Do-Jin to you..¡±


    ¡°Phew¡­ Thank you.¡± Choi Yu-Seong felt he had barely come down from the tightrope. He let out a sigh of relief without realizing it.


    Meanwhile, Choi Woo-Jae was in another dilemma.


    ¡®Shall I give a big gift or a small gift for my quick-witted Ninth child?¡¯


    He had originally come to give a gift to Yu-Seong. However, the answer that his son had given was remarkably praiseworthy that he found it hard to make a decision. But, he also felt it was a bit excessive to give the big gift that just came to his mind.


    ¡®The small gift is not enough, but the big gift is too much¡­ I¡¯d better do this then.¡¯


    Choi Woo-Jae made a choice after much consideration and spoke again. ¡°Do you know where the guys who attacked you came from?¡±


    Yu-Seong looked at Woo-Jae when he heard the sudden question.


    ¡®It¡¯s different from the sloppy novel with a lot of plot holes.¡¯


    Choi Woo-Jae¡ªthe meticulous chairman of a large corporation¡ªwas alive and breathing in front of Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes. So why was someone like Woo-Jae suddenly asking such a question?


    ¡°Father, I guess you already know who they are.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I do know. If you want, I¡¯ll call that wicked guy to this place right now. And I¡¯ll make him bow and apologize to you. Think of it as a special gift for what you¡¯ve done recently.¡±


    A gift. Choi Yu-Seong did not act rashly, although Choi Woo-Jae once again said something that he found difficult to hear. He felt a rather strange vibe in the conversation, but he was unsure as to why. Strictly speaking, it was a feeling. However, Choi Yu-Seong did not want to ignore his feelings.


    Thus, he asked Woo-Jae a question. ¡°Perhaps¡­ Is it one of my older brothers or sisters?¡±


    Choi Woo-Jae did not answer, offering a silent affirmation.


    It was silent, but it was an affirmation after all.


    ¡®It¡¯s not Choi Min-Seok since it wasn¡¯t an unfledged attempt. If one of my older brothers or sisters apologizes to me¡­¡¯


    It would be an apology right in front of Choi Woo-Jae. As a result, one of his siblings would lose their rights to Choi Yu-Seong.


    Considering how important such rights would be in the upcoming succession fight, it would be no exaggeration to call it a gift as Woo-Jae had said.


    Yu-Seong could feel his heart beating. Rights could be a debt. He could think of countless ways to use this. He was happy with the pleasant choices he could make for a while.


    However, he shook his head. ¡°It¡­it¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because it is my problem. If I cannot get through it myself and just lean on you, then I will remain as a spoiled child in the family.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go find them myself and make them pay for what they have done to me. This is what a member of the Choi family should do.¡±


    In an instant, a scene from the distant past unfolded in front of Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes. There was a middle-aged man talking to a small child sitting on his lap.


    ¡®This is¡­?¡¯


    It was not a memory from the original novel. More vivid than that, it felt like an old memory that he had experienced in person.


    ¡®Is this the real Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s memory?¡¯


    As if it was a memory from a long time ago, it was as blurry as a channel on the wrong frequency of a black and white TV.


    Having questions and feeling confused, Choi Woo-Jae suddenly stood up from his seat and turned his back. ¡°If that''s your intention, then I¡¯ll respect it.¡±


    ¡°Are you leaving, Father?¡±


    ¡°I have to go. I¡¯m busy, but this took more time than I thought.¡± Although Choi Yu-Seong could not see it, Woo-Jae¡¯s lips were twisted into what seemed like a pleasant smile.


    ¡°Ah, then¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get up and just sit down! It¡¯s cumbersome.¡± Choi Woo-Jae shook his hands as if annoyed, and strode out of the hospital room before Yu-Seong could do anything.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    ¡°As I said, I¡¯ll be watching you.¡±


    Yu-Seong urgently called out to him while trying to leave the bed. However, Choi Woo-Jae gave an answer and left the hospital room. Yu-Seong was left alone in the room once more.


    ¡®He really just left. I refused because I thought it would be a test.¡­ Was it a mistake?¡¯


    Yu-Seong smacked his lips with a strange expression as he looked at the closed door.


    ***


    Choi Woo-Jae couldn¡¯t stop his lips from twitching up into a smile while he leaned comfortably in the back seat of the Maybach sedan, often called one of the world¡¯s top three luxury cars. He left behind several officials from the prestigious university hospital rushing out and bowing their heads.


    Kim Pil-Doo was sitting in the passenger seat right in front of him. He looked at Woo-Jae and asked, ¡°The Ninth Young Master must have made you feel happy again, master.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell?¡±


    ¡°The corners of your lips are constantly twisting up like this. How about just laughing aloud? There¡¯s no one watching.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean there¡¯s no one? You¡¯re here, and the driver is here.¡± Choi Woo-Jae spoke bluntly and leaned his arm against the window frame. He felt awkward, looking at his face reflected through the splendid cityscape of downtown Seoul, so he slightly pulled his cheek with his index finger. ¡°It¡¯s awkward.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not used to smiling and it doesn''t look good if I force myself to. Anyways, when will Yu-Seong be discharged?¡± asked Woo-Jae.


    ¡°December 13th¡­. I have confirmed that there¡¯s about a week left,¡± answered Pil-Doo.


    ¡°Then around that time¡­¡± Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s voice became softer. To be exact, the voice was sent only to Kim Pil-Doo¡¯s ears by skipping the space inside the vehicle.


    The driver was quite used to this. Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s voice always got softer like this when the two people spoke about secrets. As both of them were high-ranking hunters, the driver could tell by the fact that they were communicating in a special way.


    ¡®It¡¯s always amazing when I see it,¡¯ thought the driver.


    And today, the driver had another mysterious experience.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Kim Pil-Doo was known for his cool-headedness as he resembled Choi Woo-Jae. However, he raised a rather foolish question.


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®pardon?¡¯ Did you not hear me?¡± said Woo-Jae.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± Choi Woo-Jae raised his voice.


    Kim Pil-Doo quickly bowed his head with trembling eyes. ¡°As you wish, sir.¡±


    Kim Pil-Doo thought it was a rather exaggerated gift, but what could he do? It was Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s order after all.

 CH 31

    Three days later, Jin Yu-Ri entered Yu-Seong¡¯s hospital room looking very upset. She gave a light sigh and bowed her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t find them.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I could not find the real culprit of the incident from a few days ago. I was looking for the mastermind but¡­my request was blocked by the Mercenary Exchange.¡±


    ¡°That would have made it even more difficult to chase after them,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    ¡°¡­¡± Jin Yu-Ri bit her lips and bowed her head deeper.


    Yu-Seong smiled and patted Yu-Ri on the shoulder. ¡°You said they are from the Mercenary Exchange. There¡¯s nothing we can do about it. Don¡¯t be so upset.¡±


    The Mercenary Exchange was a global organization frequently used by players who did not belong to any particular group. Their commissions ranged from very petty errands, such as helping with housework, to large wars between guilds or countries.


    The Mercenary Exchange was enormous and their capital was great. As such, many countries wanted to have government agencies take on the Mercenary Exchange¡¯s role, but none of them had managed to do so. Although it was not clear whether they were also involved in trafficking and other similar things, most of the world¡¯s leading countries allowed the existence of the Mercenary Exchange. Even China, which was practically a dictatorship, had accepted their existence.


    Yu-Seong also did not know how the Mercenary Exchange had independently taken root in this world. This was because the novel did not describe the details of it in the first place. However, he knew who the real owner of the Mercenary Exchange was, which had remained a secret until now. According to current rumors, the owner was among the UK¡¯s SS-rank hunters.


    ¡®The rumor is not entirely wrong.¡¯The identity of the Mercenary Exchange¡¯s owner would be revealed in the future. He was a British man named James Rothschild. He wasn¡¯t an SS but an EX-Rank hunter. In fact, he was one of the big wheels controlling the underground economy.


    ¡®I remember that he and Kim Do-Jin have a bad relationship, but¡­¡¯


    That was also a thing of the distant future.


    ¡°Just because it''s the Mercenary Exchange doesn¡¯t mean that it¡¯s impossible to track them at all. There are several factions within the Mercenary Exchange and there are parts being kept in check by the country. But I couldn''t find them. After I tracked them through the Mercenary Exchange, their traces disappeared like magic. There must be someone helping them. Otherwise, this speed is just ridiculous.¡± Yu-Ri clenched her fists tightly as if she was angry.


    However, it didn¡¯t matter. Yu-Seong had a rough guess as to who the helper was.


    ¡®Fa¡­ No, I mean Choi Woo-Jae.¡¯


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    In any case, if he continued tracking them down, he would eventually find one of his siblings at the end. It wasn''t made specifically to keep Choi Yu-Seong in check, but rather made to keep everyone away..


    ¡°He didn¡¯t want to spit while laying down.[1]¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Let¡¯s put that aside for now. It¡¯s a waste of time and energy to keep looking for such a trivial thing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Yu-Ri felt calmer after listening to Yu-Seong¡¯s words. She touched her forehead before nodding in agreement. Then, she retrieved a file from the briefcase she was carrying. ¡°You spoke of Yoo Jin-Hyuk, born in 2009 at Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. There were several people with the same name, so I collected all of their data. Sorry, I was concerned about the other issue, so this took longer than I thought.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Yu-Seong took the file and went through the names, faces, family relationships, and characteristics of the people. Then, he shook his head with a bitter smile. ¡°These are not it.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°None of the people here is the Yoo Jin-Hyuk who I¡¯m looking for.¡± Yu-Seong had known that it would not be easy from the start because Yoo Jin-Hyuk from the original story wouldn''t easily reveal his traces.


    ¡°But oppa, based on the information of Yoo Jin-Hyuk that you mentioned, these are the only relevant profiles found.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what makes it tricky. Maybe he is using an alias¡­ Or¡­¡± Yu-Seong briefly tapped the file with his index finger. ¡°Find out if there is any Yoo Jin-Hyuk whose resident registration has been revoked within the last 1 year¡­ No, 3 years.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, I will look for it.¡± With a serious look, Jin Yu-Ri received the file from Yu-Seong. She then said, ¡°These days, Do-Yoon oppa is basically stamping his attendance card in the Dungeon. I think he has been thinking a lot since the last incident.¡±


    ¡°Tell him not to overdo it.¡±


    ¡°Has he ever listened to me? And by the time he gets back, I might be away for a while too.¡±


    There was no way that the Jin siblings couldn¡¯t think of what Yu-Seong had realized himself. He hadn¡¯t been the only one who was jolted awake by this incident.


    ¡°Good. And I have another favor to ask.¡±


    ¡°Just tell me what you need, oppa. Whatever it is.¡±


    ¡°I need some mana stone, at least orange. And¡­more than 50 pieces of them.¡±


    ¡°¡­That much?¡± Jin Yu-Ri sounded surprised.


    ¡°Yes, would it be possible?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of possibility. It¡¯s a matter of money.¡±


    Yu-Seong momentarily recalled the remaining balance in his bank account.


    ¡®I have a little over 130 billion.¡¯


    There were 130 billion won of personal assets in cash alone, which he used to regard as a huge sum. But now, about one-sixth of it would be blown off if he tried to buy orange-colored mana stones, which had a ridiculous price tag of 300 million won per piece.


    Nevertheless, what could he do?


    ¡°I really need them. If possible, I want some yellow-colored ones along with that as well.¡±


    Yellow-colored mana stones were at least twice the cost of the orange ones because they were much harder to get¡­ It was safe to say that the minimum transaction price would be around 800 million won.


    ¡°Oppa, then you¡¯ll be penniless in no time.¡±


    ¡°You can always make more money,¡± Yu-Seong said, knowing that for a fact. He only knew that the same rule did not apply to people.


    Jin Yu-Ri nodded after seeing Yu-Seong¡¯s strong intention. She said, ¡°How could I say no to you? But I still want to save some money if possible, so it might take a while.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to rush,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    ¡°I¡¯ve let you down twice. I won¡¯t disappoint you a third time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been disappointed.¡±


    Jin Yu-Ri was slightly embarrassed by Yoo-Sing¡¯s sincerity. She avoided eye contact and scratched her cheek. ¡°Ah, by the way. Chae Ye-Ryeong asked if she could come to visit.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to stop her. Rather, it¡¯s good. I have something to tell her.¡±


    ¡°Then, what time¡­¡±


    ¡°Tell her to come by any time. It¡¯s not like I have a severe problem to take care of right now.¡± Yu-Seong made a circling motion with his arms.


    Yu-Ri smiled and nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell her that.¡± Now that she has organized her thoughts, she found that she had a lot to do.


    ***


    The next afternoon, Chae Ye-Ryeong took the afternoon off and came to visit Yu-Seong. She talked with him for a short time before returning home. She left the hospital room with a determined expression on her face.


    Three days later, it was December 13th. Just as Yu-Seong had officially gone through the discharge process, and left the main gate of the hospital¡­


    "It''s a gift. The Chairman told me to give it to you." Kim Pil-Doo approached Yu-Seong and handed him a round tube as he spoke with a blunt expression, ¡°Honestly, I am not sure about this.¡±


    Then, Kim Pil-Doo simply left after leaving such cryptic words behind. Looking at his retreating back, Jin Do-Yoon said, ¡°Something is different from usual.¡±


    Do-Yoon had taken a day off from the dungeon and his training to help with Yu-Seong¡¯s discharge from the hospital.


    ¡°What the heck is this? What made that cold-blooded guy say such a thing?¡± continued Do-Yoon.


    ¡°I can''t make any sense of it,¡± said Yu-Ri. She shrugged and looked at Yu-Seong with a confused expression.


    In fact, Yu-Seong had thought that the gift was off the table after the first visit and he had been feeling bitter about it. He never even imagined that this would happen. Looking around, he then suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s get in the car first, then check it out.¡±


    Whatever it was, there were a lot of wandering eyes around them. Since Kim Pil-Doo had acted unusual about the gift, they couldn¡¯t treat the gift lightly and recklessly open it in a public place.


    Jin Do-Yoon went out first to find the car that had been parked by the valet. Once Yu-Seong got into the back seat, the car headed out and Yu-Ri quickly looked back from the passenger seat.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to rush me like that. I¡¯m also curious.¡± Yu-Seong smiled at Yu-Ri. He slowly removed the lid of the tube.


    ¡°At least it¡¯s not a bomb. Let¡¯s see.¡± Yu-Seong made a joke and put his hand into the barrel before taking out the contents. It was a rolled-up piece of paper. ¡°A map?¡± asked Yu-Seong. He unfurled the paper while tilting his head in curiosity.


    Yu-Ri turned her head back from the passenger seat to take a look. Her eyes sparkled. ¡°Is it a treasure map?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I think it¡¯s similar.¡±


    The map clearly depicted South Korea and had a circle around a location that was slightly outside of Seoul. There were also letters written in rough and hard handwriting.


    ¡°It says to go here. And the writing¡­ It looks like the Chairman''s handwriting.¡±


    Yu-Seong nodded at Yu-Ri¡¯s words. He asked, ¡°Goyang City¡­ It¡¯s not far. Shall we go?¡±


    ¡°Right now, oppa?¡±


    Yu-Seong nodded at Yu-Ri.


    ***


    The car which followed the route of returning to Hannam-dong Apartment changed its direction. It got on the Gangbyeon expressway and sped toward the highway.


    The map was not detailed. It was drawn awkwardly, and the circle marking encompassed a rather large area as well. Thanks to this, they wandered for more than 3 hours over a distance that would have taken just an hour and a half to arrive at. When the three finally arrived at their destination, they got out of the car.


    ¡°No matter how hard I look at it, this is the right place¡­¡± said Yu-Seong. When Yu-Ri handed back the map, Yu-Seong looked at it with a wry smile.


    ¡°Did he really want the Young Master to go on a treasure hunt?¡± asked Do-Yoon.


    ¡°It¡¯s a mountain. Oppa, I have never even heard of a mountain being here.¡±


    The Jin siblings¡¯ reactions were also not much different from Yu-Seong¡¯s.


    ¡°It''s an unnamed hill... But it''s too big to be called a hill.¡±


    The bushes were also dense.


    ¡°First. We need to check it out a little bit¡­¡± Yu-Seong tilted his head and approached the mountain to take a look when¡­


    ¡°Young Master!¡± Jin Do-Yoon rushed to seize the map from Yu-Seong¡¯s hands. Right after that, the map sparked and burned up with a huge flame. Do-Yoon asked urgently, ¡°Are you all right, Young Master? And your hands?¡± He held the blazing fire with one hand and did not budge, and looked at Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m fine¡­ How about you¡­?¡±


    In response to Yu-Seong¡¯s question, Do-Yoon stretched out his hands. His tough hands full of calluses showed no scratches. He then said, ¡°As soon as the map got near the mountain, a special ability was suddenly activated on the map.¡±


    Yu-Ri followed them and asked with a serious expression, ¡°So, we should say this is the right place?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­ Then what else can we do? We have to go up there,¡± said Yu-Seong as he stroked his chin. When he started to walk ahead, Do-Yoon blocked his path forward.


    ¡°I will take care of the front, and Yu-Ri will take care of the back.¡± Do-Yoon nodded.


    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll be in your care.¡± In a potentially dangerous situation, Yu-Seong did not refuse the siblings¡¯ protection.


    ***


    It was a quiet hanok mansion [2] Considering that there were several buildings inside the compound, there were not many signs of people. To be exact, most of the people inside were moving quietly while suppressing their presence.


    In the mansion¡¯s backyard, a man was sitting in front of a pond where carp swam. The man had tightly closed eyes, long flowing black hair, and wore a neat, white hanbok.


    Then, another man in a black suit approached and lowered his head in front of him. The man in a black suit reported, ¡°Master, there are intruders who entered the mountain.¡±


    The long-haired man shook his head without opening his eyes. ¡°They are not intruders. Rather, they are guests.¡±


    ¡°Ah, perhaps. Is he the one you mentioned the other day¡­ Your destiny¡­¡±


    ¡°No. It is not him.¡± The man shook his head and scratched his cheek. ¡°Even so, it is true that he is a guest who shares a deep destiny with me.¡±


    ¡°Is it¡­¡±


    ¡°It is my brother. Father probably sent him here.¡±


    1. It means that the consequences of your bad behavior come back bad to you ?


    2. A traditional korean structure ¡°A hanok is a traditional Korean house. Hanok were first designed and built in the 14th century during the Joseon Dynasty. Korean architecture considers the positioning of the house in relation to its surroundings, with thought given to the land and seasons. The interior of the house is also planned accordingly.¡± - wikipedia. ?

 CH 32

    Hearing the words ¡®sibling¡¯ and ¡®father,¡¯ the man who bowed felt his gaze falter.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. It¡¯s not the time to be concerned.¡± The man with closed eyes then tilted his face toward the distant sky. There was simply no way he could actually see something high in the air, but he seemingly stared at the sky for quite a long time. The tips of the man¡¯s closed eyelashes trembled. He murmured, ¡°However¡­the sibling that has arrived is an unexpected one.¡±


    ¡°Did you see it?¡± Baek Chul gulped nervously. His master was a man who could see and feel many things even with his eyes closed.


    ¡°He is a pitiful child. Of all the siblings...¡±


    ¡°Then what should I do about the test?¡±


    ¡°For the first hurdle, do as you wish, Captain Baek. As for the second one¡­ Let¡¯s wait and see for a few days. I will make a decision later.¡±


    Baek Chul pondered because it had been a long time since the man had looked this confused. However, Baek Chul did not express his feelings. He simply bowed and slowly stepped back. ¡°I will do anything you say, sir.¡±


    Left alone once again, the man swept down his long hair and remained in his chair. He lowered his head with a profound expression. ¡°Choi Yu-Seong, the ninth¡­¡±


    The man¡¯s troublesome young brother had many rumors surrounding him. The young boy had grown up and arrived at this place. Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s intention was clear, but it only deepened the man¡¯s agony.


    ¡®Of all the siblings, you are the first to come here.¡¯


    The man sighed. He felt his heart softening, but he could not change his decision. In the future he saw, only an outrageous and inevitable consequence would follow the wrong choice.


    ¡°How could fate be so cruel...?¡± Choi Ji-Ho sighed once more. He was the first child of the Comet group¡¯s Choi family, the one who was once called Korea¡¯s greatest New Divinity 10 years ago.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    ***


    Choi Yu-Seong and his party did not climb the hill hastily. Rather, they climbed the hill as carefully as possible, thinking that there could be some danger or traps lying in wait. Only after an hour-long climb did they manage to find Choi Ji-Ho¡¯s hanok mansion.


    ¡°Who knew there was a house in a place like this,¡± Jin Do-Yoon commented with a surprised look.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit disappointing, but¡­ First of all, we are certain that the Chairman has directed us to this destination, right?¡± Jin Yu-Ri was talking while she looked around. Then, she suddenly stretched her hand and pulled out a whip that was condensed with energy.


    At that moment, a black figure suddenly appeared from thin air in front of the party. Yu-Ri¡¯s whip flew as if dancing and Jin Do-Yoon instinctively sent his fist rushing forward, trying to hit the figure.


    Baek Chul, the man who grabbed Yu-Ri¡¯s whip with his left hand and Do-Yoon¡¯s wrist with his right, smiled. He praised, ¡°You have pretty good skills and senses.¡±


    Choi Yu-Seong narrowed his eyes. ¡®He blocked Do-Yoon and Yu-Ri¡¯s joint attack effortlessly. Who is he?¡¯


    Although neither of the siblings had shown their full power, theirs had been a surprise attack. However, Baek Chul had stopped the two¡¯s attacks quite easily. For such a thing to be possible, he needed to be incredibly strong.


    ¡°He is an S-rank hunter.¡±


    Baek Chul nodded gently at Yu-Seong¡¯s small self-talk, then shook off both hands. Yu-Ri¡¯s whip bounced and flew into the air, and Do-Yoon was greatly pushed back.


    ¡°My master did not give me any specific instructions, but to enter this house, you have to prove your worth. I¡¯d say that I am the gatekeeper. Just so you know, the two of you passed. But the other one¡­¡± Baek Chul¡¯s gaze turned to Yu-Seong, who was standing still and silently watching him. When Yu-Seong stepped forward with a faint smile, Baek Chul addressed the siblings. ¡°You two can stay there.¡±


    When Do-Yoon and Yu-Ri naturally tried to follow, Yu-Seong stopped them.


    ¡°Are you trying to show off your skills?¡±


    ¡°Technically, yes,¡± said Yu-Seong. He laughed gently and slowly approached Baek Chul.


    ¡°As a warning, my standards are quite harsh. It means that at least you should be as good as the two people in the back,¡± said Baek Chul with a smile.


    ¡°¡­¡± Yu-Seong stepped near Baek Chul without saying anything.


    ¡®One more step.¡¯


    As if a line had been drawn, Yu-Seong was convinced that Baek Chul would strike if he crossed a certain line. To be exact, Yu-Seong even thought that he might die if he crossed the line, so he stopped right at the edge of that supposed line.


    ¡°Likewise, you also have a good sense. It hasn¡¯t been long since you became a hunter, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    ¡°You are confident. I like your attitude. As a special case, if you avoid my attack just once, I will open up the path.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean I, who is only an E-rank, have to avoid the fist of an S-rank hunter once?¡±


    ¡°If you are not confident, you can turn your back and go home now.¡±


    ¡°How could I be¡­?¡± Yu-Seong smiled gently and stepped forward, crossing the line. He placed his toes slightly forward. Just the mere imagination of entering the arbitrary space made him feel an intense pressure, causing goosebumps all over his body.


    But Yu-Seong did not hesitate for long. ¡®I¡¯m going in.¡¯ As soon as he stepped forward, something split the air with an explosive sound.


    Yu-Seong thought it would probably be Baek Chul¡¯s fist, which in fact tore through the air and grazed his ear. His cochlea ached from the intense sound. All of that happened in a flash.


    Baek Cheol stopped his fist right next to Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s face and burst into laughter. ¡°You had no intention of avoiding my attack from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, you had no intention of attacking me from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°I could tell from your eyes and your energy.¡±


    Yu-Seong did have that speculation, but his courage mostly came from the conclusion he had come to in his mind.


    ¡®It¡¯s too unreasonable¡­to have my father''s gift in a place where I can¡¯t even get into unless an S-rank hunter recognizes my fighting ability.¡¯


    It was not about how difficult it was for Yu-Seong to show the performance of Yu-Ri or Do-Yoon, because that would be an impossibility. Of course, going beyond his limits could have been Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s test. Woo-Jae was so eccentric and unique in personality that that would have been within the realm of possibility. However, even so, Yu-Seong thought it did not matter.


    ¡®After all, if this guy is Father¡¯s person, he would never kill me.¡¯


    Coming to that simple conclusion, Yu-Seong was able to move beyond the line even though his heart was frightened by the possible fatality.


    ¡°Even so, crossing the Death Line is not an easy task. It is not something that can be done with strength and wisdom. It can be done only with the heart, a courageous one.¡±


    Baek Chul called the line that Yu-Seong had felt threatened by the Death Line. It was certainly a plausible name. If Baek Chul had really made up his mind, Yu-Seong would have died the moment he crossed that line.


    ¡®Honestly. When the fist passed by, I went weak at the knees and I almost fell over.¡¯


    Fortunately, Yu-Seong was able to withstand it by flexing his thighs with his strong willpower.


    ¡°My greetings are late, I am Baek Chul. I am currently managing this mansion. Please forgive me for daring to judge a descendant of a great family. Well, I have to say that I am very impressed.¡± Baek Chul bowed deeply, looking at the upright Yu-Seong.


    Yu-Ri and Do-Yoon breathed a sigh of relief, but Yu-Seong was greatly shocked by the revelation.


    Baek Chul was a man not yet known to the public. He was originally one of the secret guards directly under Choi Woo-Jae. Only about five people in the entire Comet Group knew about him.


    However, the Baek Chul that Yu-Seong remembered was slightly different from the one standing before him. ¡®Baek Chul? Baek Chul, the Lion King?¡¯


    Baek Chul was the strongest of the physical-reinforcement type hunters. He later became Kim Do-Jin¡¯s colleague and took charge as the party¡¯s vanguard¡­ Yu-Seong knew how Kim Do-Jin became colleagues with Baek Chul.


    Yu-Seong turned his gaze to the hanok-style mansion¡¯s tightly shut doors. ¡°Then this is Ji-Ho hyung-nim¡®s hideaway¡­?¡±


    Baek Chul, who was bowing his head, could not hide his inner feelings of surprise at Yu-Seong¡¯s small self-talk.


    ¡®Is it just his gut feeling? Or did he have any information related to me?¡¯


    Yu-Seong had realized who the mansion¡¯s owner was without Baek Chul¡¯s direct input, but he had appeared completely ignorant until Baek Chul had given his name.


    Baek Chul couldn¡¯t tell whether it was Yu-Seong¡¯s sixth sense or intelligence, but it was not an ability that could be ignored.


    ¡®It is said that a dog is not born to a tiger¡­ He is indeed my master¡¯s younger brother!¡¯


    Naturally, Baek Chul¡¯s lips rose into a smile. In addition, goosebumps crawled up his back.


    ***


    Based on the original novel ¨C [Modern Master Returns] ¨C Kim Do-Jin would meet Choi Ji-Ho about three years from now, after climbing an unnamed mountain on the outskirts of Seoul. Choi Ji-Ho knew the truth that Kim Do-Jin was the one to kill Choi Woo-Jae, but he did not blame him much for that. It was described in the novel that forgiveness was possible because Choi Ji-Ho had stepped down from the frontline anyway and had gone into hiding, training his mind like a hermit. However, it was obviously an episode with many things that were hard to understand.


    Naturally, Choi Yu-Seong thought a little differently now. ¡®There must have been a specific reason.¡¯


    Just as it was with Choi Woo-Jae, the characters of this world were quite colorful and rich, unlike the original novel. So would Choi Ji-Ho have forgiven Kim Do-Jin without reason?


    ¡®Perhaps Choi Ji-Ho knew that Kim Do-Jin was a warrior who would save the world.¡¯


    One of Choi Ji-Ho¡¯s abilities that were showcased in the novel was his ability to predict the future, and Choi Yu-Seong thought it was likely that this was the case. Regardless, it was most important that Choi Ji-Ho ordered Baek Chul to follow Kim Do-Jin in the episode.


    Baek Chul had been somewhat reluctant, but he obeyed Choi Ji-Ho¡¯s orders. He cleared dungeons together with Kim Do-Jin and developed respect and a sense of comradery with the man as they prevented disasters together. Afterward, Baek Chul faced one of the demons¡¯ commanders in the final act of chapter 1 and sacrificed himself to allow Kim Do-Jin to stab the heart of one of the seven demon kings. Therefore, Choi Yu-Seong knew that Baek Chul was fit to be called one of the strongest physical-reinforcement players.


    And now, Baek Chul was guiding Yu-Seong into the mansion. There were other people in black clothes who followed them, but they were all sent away. Baek Chul personally wanted to bring Choi Yu-Seong, whom he found brilliant and courageous, around. He commented, ¡°I was really surprised. You possess both courage and wisdom. I can¡¯t believe you noticed with but a few clues after looking around that the mansion belonged to the master¡­¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t really call it wisdom. It was just a gut feeling. Even when he was in Seoul, he was famous for being a free spirit. I just assumed it wouldn¡¯t be strange if he had settled down in a place like this.¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­ Of course, we can leave it at that.¡± Baek Chul simply nodded with a meaningful expression after hearing Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s excuse.


    ¡®It¡¯s just like what I read in the original novel. Baek Chul, this guy is very insistent once he gets hooked on something.¡¯


    It was very unexpected and contrary to Baek Chul¡¯s appearance, but Choi Yu-Seong decided to not point out such misunderstandings any longer.


    ¡®Anyway, there¡¯s no harm in getting in the good books of Baek Chul, the Lion King.¡¯


    And in fact, Baek Chul¡¯s impression of Choi Yu-Seong was growing even greater in the silence that the two shared.

 CH 33

    ¡®The Ninth Young Master¡¯s voice clearly contained conviction, not prediction. He said it was just a feeling, but he probably gathered the evidence in a single glance even during the moment of crisis.¡¯


    Only bad rumors about Yu-Seong circulated in public, but Baek Chul thought that the rumor-mongers had bad judgment when it came to people.


    His train of thought continued, ¡®If he continues to grow in this direction, he might one day be on the same level as Master, but¡­¡¯


    It placed Yu-Seong¡ªthe ninth young master¡ªin a somewhat disadvantageous position because of his belated start and the accumulated defamation toward him in society.


    Baek Chul had the thought of wanting to help Yu-Seong, but he had no way to.


    ¡®My duty is to protect my Master.¡¯


    No matter how much he liked Yu-Seong, he couldn¡¯t leave Choi Ji-Ho¡¯s side.


    ¡°Unfortunately, my master is not present at the moment. If he had known that you, the ninth young master, was visiting, this would not have happened¡­ Recently, he said he wanted to be alone and has left for somewhere.¡±


    ¡°I see. Then, should I wait a few days?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It will probably take about that long. He¡¯s away often, but not usually for very long.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡±


    Although Yu-Seong answered calmly, he did not speak his mind. His mind held onto different thoughts.


    ¡®It¡¯s probably a lie that he is not here.¡¯


    According to the original novel and known incidents, it was said that Ji-Ho became paralyzed and that he could not move.


    It was possible that he could move, considering his awakening ability¡ªWind Control Execution¡ªwhich dealt with the wind. However, even so, it did not make sense that Baek Chul¡ªwho was no different than a guard¨Chad completely left his side.


    ¡®He is in the house, but he won¡¯t see me yet.¡¯


    Yu-Seong did not know the reason, but he did not question the man¡¯s decision.


    ¡®Because there must be a reason why he doesn¡¯t want to meet me right away.¡¯


    Choi Ji-Ho of the original novel was initially a rather relaxed character. He was not bad-tempered or wicked, thus Yu-Seong thought waiting wouldn¡¯t be a bad decision. Obviously, that did not mean that he would completely let his guard down.


    ¡®I¡¯ll wait about three to four days, and then go back if he doesn''t show up.¡¯


    Yu-Seong thought that discovering Choi Ji-Ho¡¯s hiding place was enough as a gift. There were still many people in the group looking for Ji-Ho and wanting his help. The fact that Yu-Seong knew his location was no different from him having one more ace in his deck of cards.


    ¡°I can help you avoid boredom while you wait. First of all, you can choose to train by sparring with the people in this mansion. And there is also a 2nd-grade dungeon in this mountain that would be perfect for you, ninth young master. Of course, if you don¡¯t like both options, you can just rest comfortably,¡± suggested Baek Chul.


    ¡°Oh, that''s good to hear,¡± exclaimed Yu-Seong sincerely.


    Yu-Ri was listening to the story with her arms folded. She said with a smile, ¡°I will refuse both. I want to rest a little.¡±


    ¡°Then I would like to ask for sparring. If it is possible¡­ I want to be taught directly by Baek Chul sunbae-nim[1],¡± said Do-Yoon.


    Yu-Ri chose to observe without showing off her ability while Do-Yoon chose his own way to spend the time. Yu-Seong could guess their individual intentions, and asked Baek Chul, ¡°Oh, are there any hunters at about E-rank among the people here?¡±


    ¡°Not many, but there are a few trainees,¡± confirmed Baek Chul.


    Yu-Seong nodded. He had been secretly observing the movements of the people in the mansion. They had been hiding their presence while moving about busily.


    ¡®I assume it¡¯s some kind of a ¡®step technique¡¯?¡¯


    Moreover, seeing that everyone was using the same skill, Yu-Seong guessed that it was a rare transferable skill that could be passed on to others. Obviously, they wouldn¡¯t give out the skill method at the request of an outsider, even though it was Yu-Seong of the Choi family.


    Yet, did it matter to Yu-Seong?


    ¡®I have the Eye of Replication.¡¯


    It was time to say goodbye to Dodge Roll. Yu-Seong no longer needed to roll on the floor with a rather sloppy appearance.


    ¡®I also have the Stylish skill, so it¡¯s better to have a skill that looks cool.¡¯


    A big smile tugged on Yu-Seong¡¯s lips after he got off that train of thought.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. Then I¡¯d like to ask to compete with people who are at my level. As you know, I¡¯m still an E-rank.¡± Yu-Seong had come into a huge, unexpected windfall. It was a natural opportunity to learn skills by stealing them.


    ***


    Although it was short, sparring for only about three hours, Yu-Seong had gained a lot.


    ¡ºGeneral Skill, Flow of Eight Steps.


    The First Three Steps (F) Fusion possible. Inheritance possible.


    At the end of the eight steps that flow like a wave, there is a path of wind flowing through the clouds. This is a skill that has not been completely inherited.


    If there is no next inheritance, the skill grade will not increase.


    You can only use three out of eight steps. You can hide some of your presence.


    For three steps after skill activation, you can instantly accelerate your movement.


    Penalties are applied for Replication skill.


    The number of times ability can be used is 10.


    You can only use two out of three steps. ¡»


    There were also some minor skills, but Yu-Seong abandoned them all. This was because he thought there was nothing better he could gain if he gave up his current skills. However, Flow of Eight Steps was something he had been aiming for from the beginning, and it was different.


    ¡®Even if it¡¯s only the first three steps, it¡¯s a different level of evasion technique than the Dodge Roll.¡¯


    It was a real evasion technique he had been hoping to learn for so long.


    ¡®Oh, but even if Flow of Eight Steps itself is awesome, what if something strange comes out after Fusion?¡¯


    It was the same reason why Yu-Seong had not attempted Fusion for his skill, Insight. Although the abilities produced by Fusion were partly affected by the base skills, there was no guarantee that it would only improve. Rather, it was important to keep in mind that it could be downgraded.


    After a short deliberation, Yu-Seong made a decision.


    ¡®Let¡¯s try.¡¯


    Unlike Insight¨Cthe hardest skill to obtain since it could be only gained by nagging at Kim Do-Jin again¨Cthe Flow of Eight Steps could be copied whenever he visited this mansion.


    Of course, there was a three-month waiting time if he duplicated a skill with the same name, but it was safe to say that he could get it again someday. Therefore, Yu-Seong decided to merge Dodge Roll (E) and Flow of Eight Steps, The First Three Steps (F).


    Shortly after the Fusion skill was activated, Yu-Seong felt a certain intuition when he saw the gorgeous golden light covering his eyes. A light different from the light of normal fusion covered his field of vision. Considering that the Awakener system resembled a game to some extent, the more spectacular the effect, the higher the probability of a better reward.


    ¡®This is definitely a jackpot!¡¯


    Yu-Seong¡¯s prediction was not far off.


    ¡ºSpecial Skills, Wind Control Execution (E) Fusion not possible.


    Inheritance not possible.


    At the end of 18 steps that flow like a wave, a dragon that catches the wind travels through the clouds. This is a skill that has been completely inherited.


    A quick look at bit.ly/3iBfjkV will leave you more fulfilled.


    You can only use five out of eighteen steps due to the current low grade.


    You can kill some of your presence.


    For five steps after skill activation, you can instantly accelerate your movement.


    Immediately after skill activation, you can instantly create a short illusion using all five steps.


    If you use illusion 2 or more times in a row, re-use waiting time (30 minutes) will occur. ¡»


    ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± Yu-Seong sat in place with his mouth wide open.


    ¡®Wind Control Execution¡­!¡¯


    There were some penalties, such as Fusion and inheritance not being possible, but that was not a problem. Yu-Seong has gained one of the signature abilities of Choi Ji-Ho¨Cwho was once the most likely successor to the Comet Group. It was truly like a mega jackpot.


    ***


    A new dungeon appeared near Unjeong, Paju of Gyeonggi. The appearance of a new dungeon after a long time had put a short emergency alert throughout the country. This was because it was remarkably close to Seoul¨Cthe capital city¨Cand the dungeon¡¯s internal ecosystem was not known at all.


    An investigation team was dispatched and led by Park Chul-Ho¨Cthe Iron Wall¨C an S-rank player from the Association. When the dungeon was found to be level six, everyone breathed sighs of relief.


    It was common sense that level six dungeons could be cleared easily if ten or more people with rank B level 80 based on general hunter standards worked together to attack. It was a dungeon that didn¡¯t pose a great danger for South Korea, which had many players of the S-rank and even SS-rank.


    When these reassuring facts were revealed, the system was designed to assign the first boss to the player with a matching rank and level or to the rookies supported by the country. This was because players gained more experience points by attacking new bosses on Earth. Because of this manual, Do-Jin became part of the attack team after he recently climbed to become a C-rank player. This was understandable in some way but also a factor that inevitably caused complaints.


    ¡®C-rank is no big deal. He is not even at level 10 since he just recently became C-rank.¡¯


    ¡®We¡¯re not babysitters and no matter how promising he is, it still feels bad to carry a greenhorn.¡¯


    ¡®If someone gets hurt or dies because of a newbie while we hunt the boss monster, they will give only several bucks as compensation. Are they really going to send just anyone?¡¯


    Many people had complaints, but none of them expressed their dissatisfaction out loud. Anyway, Kim Do-Jin was currently a promising prospect that the world was paying attention to and his hunting record proved it.


    Even more, a short while ago, he had solo cleared Orc War Chief, a named boss monster of a rank four dungeon.


    He cleared the dungeon alone which usually required ten people at rank D level 80, so it was safe to say that he already had the combat power of a high-level C-rank at that point. However, the problem was that the dungeon that appeared now was as strong as rank six. That was how his dungeon-clearing process started.


    The attackers included hunters with at least rank B level thirty up to level ninety at the highest except for Kim Do-Jin. They attacked the dungeon with an irresistible force. It was a party with enough prospects to support the first clear of the dungeons in the country, even if they were dissatisfied inwardly. Everyone would carry their own weight even if they were slightly below the normal threshold.


    Kim Do-Jin did not really stand out within the group. It felt like he was only doing as much as his part.


    In that sense, it was certainly somewhat extraordinary. Although he had just climbed to rank C, he showed movements and performance that were not lacking compared to the top-ranked B-rank prospective hunters.


    Naturally, most of them accepted him, thinking that he would not be a burden. However, on the other hand, many of them were worried.


    ¡®He definitely has a high-level ability, but he is still just a C-rank, right? It won¡¯t be easy to follow our pace.¡¯


    ¡®If he already showed everything he has, it¡¯s going to be hard when facing the elite monsters.¡¯


    As you broke through the dungeon and approached the boss room, powerful enemies called ¡®elite¡¯ monsters appeared in addition to normal monsters. Elite monsters were not as powerful as the boss but were considered three times more powerful than average monsters.


    However, the meaning of ¡®three times¡¯ here didn¡¯t mean simply dealing with three normal monsters. As one monster was as strong as three normal monsters, what was actually felt was much more difficult.


    In fact, all of them who were gathered here were conserving their strength little by little in consideration of the fierce battle against elite monsters.


    Though, what about Kim Do-Jin, who was still only at the beginning of C-rank?


    The attackers somewhat changed their thoughts when they started to battle some elite monsters they encountered near the boss room.


    1. A Korean word that refers to a far more experienced person within the same school, company, or group ?

 CH 34

    In general, it was widely believed that the elite monsters¡ªwhich usually appeared in rank six dungeons¡ªcould only be hunted by over three players of rank-B level fifty. However, Kim Do-Jin appeared to hunt the elite monsters rather leisurely, despite having only two and not even three psychic-type players to support him.


    ¡®Yeah, Kim Do-Jin. He is different from just a typical prospect.¡¯


    ¡®We certainly underestimated him.¡¯


    Although they were surprised and some even changed their minds about him, the majority expected Do-jin to be this good since he was called a super rookie. He also had the support of an entire country.


    Thus, the ten attackers reached the Boss Monster room easily. They wrestled against the Knight of Darkness and succeeded in driving their swords into its neck. In the meantime, Kim Do-Jin had done more than enough for one person. Naturally, all of those who had been filled with complaints changed the way they looked at him.


    ¡°Good job, Kim Do-Jin. You did better than I expected. I understand why the country counts on you.¡± The man in his thirties, who was the leader of the attack team and also a tanker, spoke to Kim Do-Jin for the first time.


    ¡°It¡¯s coming. Everyone, prepare yourselves,¡± said Do-Jin with sharp eyes.


    Even though they felt doubt, the majority of the attackers took on a defensive posture, as expected from veterans of B-rank or higher.


    At that moment, the Knight of Darkness who they assumed was dead rose and emitted red sword energy all over the place. The inside of the boss room was filled with dust, along with an explosion and the confused attackers¡¯ screams.


    ¡°What is this?!¡±


    ¡°It definitely was dead, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    In fact, the Knight of Darkness had died and the attackers had received the corresponding experience points. However, the given points had been somewhat small for the first clear of a boss monster.


    The confusion was only momentary. The dust clouds settled, revealing the attackers¡¯ stiffened faces. There were initially ten of them, but¡­


    ¡®Three are dead?¡¯


    Three attackers who had ignored and did not respond to Do-Jin¡¯s words were now cold corpses rolling on the ground.


    Right at the front, Do-Jin was fighting the resurrected Knight of Darkness alone.


    While they observed the Knight of Darkness randomly scatter its sword energy, everyone was thinking the same thing.


    ¡®That¡¯s the power of the rank six boss monster?¡¯


    ¡®¡­Is there also such a thing as the elites of the boss monster?¡¯


    The resurrected Knight of Darkness emanated a much stronger momentum than before. It wasn¡¯t as strong as the general rank seven, but it was still overwhelmingly strong among the rank six boss monsters the attackers had ever seen. The word ¡®elite¡¯ came to mind for a reason. Elite monsters were three times stronger than their counterparts.


    For the first time in history, the attackers were faced with a different pattern from the investigation team¡¯s initial investigation and prediction. It was a situation that could lead to annihilation if things went wrong, but the confusion did not last long.


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin. He¡¯s not falling behind even when fighting with that boss monster.¡¯


    With minor injuries from the continuous fierce battles, Kim Do-Jin was drenched in blood, but he was unbelievably calm as he continued to attack. It was an equal match.


    ¡®That Knight of Darkness versus the hunter who just reached rank-C¡­¡¯


    They were fighting at an almost equal level. This clearly went beyond the realm of outstanding¡­and went to the point of making absolutely no sense. However, it was happening right in front of the attackers¡¯ eyes.


    ¡®Did that guy hide his skills the whole time before the boss match?¡¯


    After entering the dungeon, Kim Do-Jin had displayed quite a bit of skill, but it had not been as good as what the attackers were seeing right now. Kim Do-Jin was even smiling with a red glimmer in his eyes. It appeared like neither defeat nor death was on his mind. The surreal appearance sparked the word ¡®hope¡¯ in all of the attackers¡¯ minds.


    ¡°Hey, healer, what are you doing?! Wake up! Give Kim Do-Jin a Heal!¡± A man in his forties¡ªwho had initially been the least pleased with Do-Jin joining¡ªclenched his fist and shouted. There was a little admiration and awe in his eyes while he drew his main weapon¡ª the bow¡ªand pulled the bowstring.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the front!¡± A man in his thirties, who was also the team leader, ran out shouting to play the role of a tanker.


    The sword that was swerved toward Kim Do-Jin¡¯s heart momentarily bent away from him and towards the tanker. The tanker felt a heavy shock from the raised shield and was pushed back.


    ¡®Even a tanker like me is being pushed back by this much¡­¡¯


    Do-Jin was an attacker but he didn¡¯t retreat even a step while facing the boss monster¡¯s sword.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t he the real monster?¡¯


    Of course, this wasn¡¯t a criticism and more of a compliment. Certainly, Do-Jin was fundamentally different. He was the future New Star that would lead the Republic of Korea, which was somewhat ignored among other developed countries.


    ¡®I¡¯ll protect you by any means.¡¯


    The man shouted again and ran forward determinedly.


    Soon, the 30-minute battle ended. Kim Do-Jin¡¯s sword pierced the Knight of Darkness¡¯ neck. This was the first boss that created the word ¡®Phase two¡¯. The black blood poured down to the floor. A black glimmer had been emitting from inside the Knight of Darkness¡¯ helmet. The monster¡¯s knees were bent. The boss monster¡ªwhich drove the entire attack squad to fear for their lives¡ªwas completely dead.


    ¡°Whoo¡­¡± Do-Jin let out a short sigh and withdrew Insight skill amid countless level-up notifications and messages from the gods.


    Simultaneously, the surviving attackers around Do-Jin shouted along with cheers.


    ¡°Kim Do-Jin!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the best. That was stunning!¡±


    ¡°Thanks to you, we survived. I¡¯ll never forget what you have done.¡±


    ¡°How the hell did you know about the change in boss monster?! You¡¯re amazing!¡±


    It had simply been intuition since the airflow had felt different from the usual. Do-Jin had intuitively known that it would have been dangerous if he didn¡¯t spare any strength.


    All Kim Do-Jin did was believe in his skill¡ª¡®Sixth Sense¡¯¡ªbut he did not bother to explain it. He wasn¡¯t even listening to the surrounding cheers. Do-Jin was born to be a leader who knew how to lead and gain followers, so he didn¡¯t reject those who crowded around him and rejoiced. However, his thoughts lay somewhere else as he smiled.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong, soon I¡¯ll make you like them.¡¯


    There was another person he had been coveting lately.


    ***


    There was a rank two dungeon located in a mountain. Somewhere in the desert field, entering through a crypt with Baek Chul¡¯s guidance, Choi Yu-Seong scratched his ear.


    ¡®Ah, my ears are itchy. Is there someone swearing at me?¡¯


    Although he felt so itchy that his nerves were on edge, he soon started to grin at the level-up message window floating in front of him.


    ¡®It feels like I¡¯ve already received all the presents.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was surrounded by corpses of rank two monsters¡ªTusks Moul¡ªbut there was no other hunter except him in the area. It was a monopoly of the hunting ground! He was enjoying the privilege that any low-rank hunter¡ªstruggling to level up¡ªwished for.


    ¡®I should enjoy it now. It¡¯ll be hard to monopolize dungeons by myself like this when I become a higher rank.¡¯


    As his rank went up, Choi Yu-Seong had to go to a higher-grade dungeon in order to get as many experience points as he wanted. The problem was that the dungeons¡¯ difficulty rose sharply every time they crossed certain boundaries.


    Therefore, the higher the rank, the number of people who hunted alone decreased dramatically. In fact, except for some of the world¡¯s leading players, it was safe to say that it was necessary to organize parties or attack teams.


    Anyway, the current situation was unexpectedly somewhat sweet for Choi Yu-Seong. Fortunately, there was a rank two dungeon in the mountain that matched his level. Thus, he came to try out the Wind Control Execution and level-up. However, he had gained more than he expected from monopolizing the hunting ground by himself.


    ¡®Maybe they didn¡¯t even register this dungeon to the association.¡¯


    It was originally illegal if a dungeon was found and not registered to the Association. However, for Choi Ji-Ho, if he informed the Association of the dungeon¡¯s location, his hiding place could be revealed. Since it was just a rank two dungeon, it would not be as difficult to manage. Therefore, it was entirely possible that Ji-Ho could have concealed the dungeon¡¯s existence.


    Of course, it was a bit tricky to catch Tusks Moul crawling underground. Even so, it wasn¡¯t that disappointing because Yu-Seong was quite satisfied with monopolizing the hunting ground.


    ¡®I think I¡¯m going to get drunk from the glee of dungeon monopoly.¡¯


    There was nothing more to say about this. It was easily proven by the results.


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡ºName: Choi Yu-Seong


    Age: 20


    Series: All-Rounder


    Rank: E


    Level: 60


    Retention History : 1


    Special Skills: Star Factor Quality E, Fusion E


    General Skills: Stylish F, Eye of Replication E, Spark E, Insight E, Vision-reinforcement F, Physical-reinforcement (overwrite) ¡ú Protective Shield E


    Special Skill: Wind Stance (E)


    Current Disabled Skill Space: No space left. If necessary, you can delete and overwrite normal skills except for the initial skills. ¡»


    Choi Yu-Seong drank the Hunting experience boost potion without hesitation since he was monopolizing the dungeon. And as a result, he was able to level up more than 20 times in just three days.


    Obviously, there was also a risk that no one could save Yu-Seong from danger since he was alone. So, Jin Yu-Ri entered the dungeon and watched Yu-Seong from a distance. It was not impossible for her to enter together with him since the dungeon was not exactly registered with the Association.


    ¡®She looked a bit disappointed when I told her to stay so far away, but it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯


    In fact, Yu-Seong had initially placed Yu-Ri nearby, but she kept trying to help whenever Yu-Seong seemed to be in even a little bit of danger, so he asked her to keep a further distance from him. There had been as many as twenty Tusks Mouls killed by Jin Yu-Ri at the beginning of the hunt.


    ¡®Because while I was catching about twenty of them, Yu-Ri caught them at a similar rate.¡¯


    It was not that good for Yu-Seong¡¯s growth in many ways. Therefore, Yu-Seong pretended not to notice Yu-Ri¡¯s disappointment and made her stay a distance away. In addition, he sternly warned her not to step up until he gave a signal.


    ¡®If it¡¯s not to the point of really dying, it¡¯s good to be in a situation where I can feel a certain degree of danger even for the sake of real-life experiences.¡¯


    Of course, Yu-Seong did not completely kick Yu-Ri out because he had already experienced a big incident once due to his mistake.


    ¡®It would be difficult for criminals or other power influences to affect the dungeon that Ji-Ho hyung-nim is managing, but¡­¡¯


    No one knew what went on inside a dungeon. In this case, Jin Yu-Ri was a strong safety device that could replace the role of a trusted colleague made to watch Yu-Seong¡¯s back, which was what Yu-Seong desired. Anyway, except for such large variables, a moderate threat to monster hunting was essential for maintaining and developing a sense of battle.


    Of course, Yu-Seong did not like pain either. In addition, he didn¡¯t want to feel the thrill of risking his life. However, he thought he had no choice but to carry the minimum risk considering the various threats ahead. ¡®Although it would be nice to have a skill similar to Sixth Sense like Kim Do-Jin¡­¡¯


    Not long ago, Yu-Seong had obtained Wind Stance that was as good as Kim Do Jin¡¯s protagonist grade skills. Although he clicked his tongue in regret, he decided not to be too greedy. In fact, it was already much easier to dodge attacks by Tusk Mouls that suddenly popped out of the ground than ordinary hunters thanks to Wind Control Execution.


    After about twenty more minutes immersed in hunting, Yu-Seong rose another level and checked the watch that worked even in the dungeon. ¡°Shall I call it a day?¡±


    It was soon time for the sun to set. At that moment, Yu-Seong caught strange movements in the corners of his eyes when he was about to return from hunting at a similar time as usual.


    ¡®Something just now¡­¡¯


    Some of the dungeon landscape that had been familiar after seeing it for a few days was distorted.

 CH 35

    It was a pretty big change, so it wasn¡¯t hard to notice even if Choi Yu-Seong didn¡¯t pay close attention. Then, in a blink of an eye, part of the space distorted and spread out wide as if it were vomiting.


    The first thing that popped out from the mysterious phenomenon was a sand statue in the shape of a human. It was about 2m tall with red gem-like eyes, and it was holding a spear and a thick shield made of sand. It moved its head in a rather awkward motion and looked at Yu-Seong. Then, it opened its rather small mouth, crumbling rocks and causing dust to fly around.


    Caeeeee-!


    Soon, it roared, which caused the ground to tremble.


    With glowing eyes, Yu-Seong used Wind Control Execution to quickly widen his distance. It was a sudden, mysterious phenomenon. Moreover, a strange monster had appeared in a hunting ground filled with only Tusk Mouls. To him, it was clear what this represented.


    ¡®It¡¯s the boss monster!¡¯


    The monster kicked off the sandy ground and rushed toward Yu-Seong.


    The finest spear that was worth over 2 billion won and made by craftsmen, collided with the boss monster¡¯s sand spear.


    Claang-!


    A thundering noise was heard.


    Yu-Seong trembled from the impact that shook his eardrums. He immediately wrapped Spark around his right foot and turned his waist to hit the boss monster¡¯s head.


    The boss monster¡ªthe sand officer¡ªtried to lift the shield and attack Yu-Seong. However, its head exploded and sand scattered everywhere.


    Yu-Seong could feel the grainy texture of having sand sucked into the lung. He wanted to cough but he did not even have time to do so. He immediately used Wind Control Execution at once.


    ¡®The First Step.¡¯


    The sand officer¡¯s shield struck the spot where Yu-Seong was standing just a moment ago. Soon after, some of the scattered sand returned to its original place and formed the sand officer¡¯s head once more.


    ¡°Cough, cough. Owww, my throat.¡±


    Obviously, the sand officer showed no consideration to wait for Yu-Seong while he was coughing. Without delay, its spear flew up from the ground and aimed at Yu-Seong¡¯s head once again.


    Yu-Seong fended off the attack by using Block, pushing his shield forward. He used the subsequent momentum and turned his body slightly, then used Seize to shut down the shield that was coming from below.


    Yu-Seong looked into the sand officer¡¯s red eyes and used Wind Control Execution to move to the creature''s back. He stretched his spear forward and used Sting, piercing through the sand officer¡¯s chest and reaching near its heart. However, the sand officer continued glaring at Yu-Seong with red eyes.


    ¡®So, it won¡¯t die even if I smash the head or stab the heart.¡¯


    This made sense since the creature was made of sand.


    Fortunately, this time, Yu-Seong did not have to eat sand since he was quite far away. He then calmly wielded his spear while distancing himself from the attacking sand officer. As soon as he saw the chance, he fired Spark to stop the sand officer¡¯s movement and even cut off all of its four limbs.


    Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes glistened when he found a fist-sized stone wrapped in red light in the gaps of the sand officer¡¯s body.


    ¡®That is¡­?¡¯


    In the original novel, there was no scene of hunting the sand officers. Therefore, Yu-Seong had to think about how to kill the monster since he didn¡¯t have any information. And the moment he saw the red stone, he had a strong intuition from being a maniac of games and genre novels for a long time.


    ¡®That¡¯s definitely the Core!¡¯


    In general, the only weakness for monsters of that kind was the Core. Yu-Seong immediately came to the conclusion that he could defeat the monster by breaking the red stone. Even if all the other parts could be regenerated, the core would not be restored. He tried to quickly stab with his spear once again.


    However, when the limbless sand officer screamed, a sudden gust of sand blew forth and blocked Yu-Seong¡¯s view. It pushed him away, stopping him from ending the fight.


    Yu-Seong stepped back and calmly moved on, but his heart was racing.


    ¡®It¡¯s okay. I still have time.¡¯


    He was doing okay. He was fighting well against the boss monster of a rank two dungeon alone. A rank two dungeon was generally hunted by a five-member E-rank party above level fifty, and with his performance, Yu-Seong was pleased. He couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Originally, Choi Yu-Seong was an ordinary man, an employee of a game company. There had been various changes after he was possessed by the novel, but to be honest, he never thought that he was particularly outstanding. Simply, he thought that he had achieved such results from possessing prior information and had unique spite and tenacity. However, his feelings had now changed.


    Yu-Seong moved naturally, being guided by the flow of the air and the spear tip quivered. As he immersed himself in that feeling, he pushed back the attacks of the fully regenerated sand officer and swung his spear down to cut off one of its legs. Then, he pulled his spear upward and thrust it forward to pierce even the sand officer¡¯s shield.


    ¡®Something¡¯s changed,¡¯ Yu-Seong thought.


    Now he was not Yu-Seong, the ordinary game company employee. However, he was also not a villain belonging to a chaebol[1] family in the novel.


    ¡®It¡¯s like¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong felt like he was similar to Kim Do-Jin, the main character of the novel he read. Sweat drenched his hair and ran down all over his body, but he didn¡¯t feel heavy. All he felt was a sense of thrill.


    ***


    After Yu-Ri found out that the dungeon¡¯s boss monster had appeared from within the distorting space, she immediately kicked the ground. She thought that she had to save Yu-Seong. Although only a short time had passed, a boss monster could pose a much greater threat to him.


    ¡®I knew I should¡¯ve been closer to him.¡¯


    She regretted it for a moment. She felt her heart beating loudly as she approached the battlefield. Everything came into view.


    ¡®Yu-Seong oppa is¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong was fighting alone in an equal, no, advantageous battle against the sand officer. He dealt with the emergency situation by avoiding and widening the distance between the sand officer and himself, using the acceleration skill which Yu-Ri was seeing for the first time. Spark was used to block the opponent¡¯s movements or to land a powerful blow that led to fatal opportunities.


    But Yu-Ri was most surprised by Yu-Seong¡¯s Spearmanship, which flowed through space like water. It was sharp and untamed, dangerous. The spear tore, crossed, and penetrated through space.


    When the boss monster was blown off by a direct hit and the sand dust scattered away, his sweat drops sprinkled through them and stained the surroundings.


    Yu-Ri could not help but open her mouth and express admiration at the battle¡¯s rather surprising outcome. It felt as if she were looking at a piece of art. ¡°Ah¡­!¡±


    The abnormality of the player¡¯s world¡ªIrregular¡ªwas known as someone who would grow stronger as long as they survived. Today, once again, Yu-Ri was reminded of the fact that Yu-Seong was Irregular. However, she thought that was not the end.


    ¡®It¡¯s not something that¡¯s possible just because he is lucky.¡¯


    Yu-Seong being an Irregular was not the only reason for his strength. The Spearmanship that he was currently using to balance the battle contained only basic skills¡ªBlocking, Seizing, and Piercing.


    Pushing away, swirling in, and stabbing¡­ Yu-Seong had practiced the three basic skills of Spearmanship day and night without skipping a single day. Despite the infinite repetition of the same movements, he never even seemed to be tired of it.


    Of course, it was not that the Jin siblings did not ask Yu-Seong if he would want to learn more advanced Spearmanship. Their intention was that it would be nice if he could get a strong spear skill, but since it was literally the realm of luck to hope to learn a strong skill, they wanted him to develop his martial arts in any way possible. Even if they had to hire an expert, they would do it.


    However, Choi Yu-Seong had rejected their request. This was because he thought he was not good enough in martial arts yet. Many people¡ªincluding the Jin siblings¡ªsaid he had quite the talent, but he had told them that he didn¡¯t want to forget that he was still at the starting point.


    Evidently, the result of that was seen in the battle against the boss monster¡ªsand officer. Yu-Seong¡¯s Spearmanship was beautiful even though it wasn¡¯t fancy or special. It was authentic.


    Yu-Ri admitted that Yu-Seong had made the right choice.


    ¡®Just because it¡¯s basic doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s weak.¡¯


    If someone could use it as well as that, a basic skill would be better than any other skill.


    For a moment, Yu-Ri simply observed the battle as if she was lost in thought. She created a whip in one hand, just in case, and took out the action camera that she had brought with the other hand.


    ¡®I have to shoot this for sure!¡¯


    Yu-Seong¡¯s battle was too beautiful for her to enjoy alone.


    ***


    After falling into a bit of a trance from repeatedly stabbing, cutting, and breaking the sand officer with Spearmanship, Yu-Seong was able to try to identify the location of the sand officer¡¯s core several times. The problem was the sandstorm that erupted with the sand officer¡¯s scream whenever he made an attempt. Because the sandstorm was too tough and powerful, it was hard to even think of breaking through it and destroying the core. Eventually, he needed to effectively pierce the core after confirming its location.


    ¡®So far, I have used all five steps of Wind Control Execution.¡¯


    Yu-Seong did not know exactly how much mana he had remaining, but he estimated that he had about one-third left. Since the Wind Control Execution was powerful, the mana consumption with each usage was quite high.


    ¡®Perhaps there are two times left before I reach the limit, considering the remaining mana.¡¯


    Yu-Seong needed to seize the opportunity this time. He avoided the sand officer¡¯s attack based on his acute sense, and not sight, and immediately used Wind Control Execution. Afterward, he immediately threw the Hail Mary.


    ¡®Create illusion.¡¯


    An illusion could be created by activating Wind Control Execution and using all currently available five steps. When he activated the skill, a strange feeling came to Yu-Seong as if his body was splitting into two.


    The sand officer, crazily chasing after Yu-Seong, stabbed its spear to the illusion¡¯s head. A mere irrational monster, the sand officer tilted its head as if it intuitively sensed something strange.


    At that moment, Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s spear, which was wrapped in Spark, popped out from under the illusion that dispersed like smoke rising in the air. Yu-Seong thrust the spear right into the crotch of the sand officer. He was convinced this was the right place. ¡®Gotcha.¡¯


    Along with the noisy ¡®jjouk-!¡¯ sound, the sand officer¡¯s red eyes turned to the tip of Yu-Seong¡¯s spear. It opened its mouth to scream, but there was no shriek or sandstorm like before. Its physical form returned to its original appearance and was blown away by the wind. Like real sand, it disintegrated and spread throughout the desert.


    Hunting was a success.


    ¡°I did it-!¡± Yu-Seong felt relaxed, feeling relieved. He was about to sit down.


    Your level has risen.


    Your level has risen.


    Your level has risen.


    Your level has risen.


    Your level has risen¡­


    The level-up notifications that he exceedingly loved were heard constantly. Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t bring himself to count them all. The fastest way was to directly check the system information window and see how much his level had risen.


    ¡ºName: Choi Yu-Seong


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    Age: 20


    Type: All-rounder


    Rank: E


    Level: 88


    Retention History: 1


    Special Skills: Star Factor Quality E, Fusion E, Spearmanship Prodigy E (additional)


    General Skills: Stylish E, Eye of Replication E, Spark E, Insight E, Sight Enhancement E, Protective Shield E


    Special Skills: Wind Control Execution E


    Current Disabled Skill Space: No space left. If necessary, you can delete and overwrite normal skills except for the initial skills.¡»


    After checking, Yu-Seong exclaimed in disbelief. ¡°Oh my goodness¡­¡±


    1. one of the several large, powerful groups of companies in South Korea that are involved in various different types of business ?

 CH 36

    Yu-Seong¡¯s level was 61 before hunting the boss monster, which meant his level had risen by 27 levels. There were only 12 levels left until the Max Level of E-Rank, and that was not the end.


    ¡®I gained one more special skill?!¡¯


    Yu-Seong had already been surprised when he had not one, but two, skills. But now, there was even a third one. He wondered,


    ¡®Is it a bug?¡¯


    Obviously, it couldn¡¯t be a bug. Such a thought was ridiculous since this was reality and not a game. However, it wasn¡¯t strange for Yu-Seong to think it was a bug at this point.


    ¡°Yu-Seong oppa, Yu-Seong oppa¡­!¡±


    Yu-Seong felt all the strength leaving his legs. Just as he was starting to fall, Yu-Ri ran to his side while shouting and supported him.


    ¡°Uh, what?¡±


    ¡°Can you hear me now?¡±


    ¡°Ahh, yeah. Sorry, I was a little distracted.¡± Due to the pleasure of successfully hunting the boss monster alone and acquiring a reward far beyond his expectations, Yu-Seong had not heard a single thing Yu-Ri had said. He asked, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I said that was incredible! It was extremely amazing. I¡¯m not really the type of person who gets carried away like this, you know. But this is so, seriously, excessively great. What the hell just happened? Why didn¡¯t I know that Yu-Seong oppa was such a great person?¡±


    ¡°¡­Stop it. It¡¯s really embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to be embarrassed! I¡¯ve been this surprised only twice in my life. Why, why! Do you keep trumping our expectations? Seriously, you give us goosebumps sometimes!¡± exclaimed Yu-Ri.


    ¡°...¡±


    Just as Yu-Seong failed to hear her just a moment ago, Yu-Ri also did not seem to be in a state that allowed her to properly communicate with him. She excitedly repeated her words as they exited the dungeon. In the meantime, Yu-Seong checked the other messages and rewards.


    ¡®Let¡¯s look at the new special skill first.¡¯


    ¡ºSpearmanship Prodigy E


    Has a very good understanding and proficiency in pole weapons, and spears.


    Get the effect of the normal skill ¨C Cool-headed E ¨C when using the spear.


    Attack power increases when using the spear.


    When learning techniques related to spear, the learning rate will be faster.


    When acquiring skills related to spear, the starting point will be set at a rank one higher.¡»


    As expected of a special skill, it had a significant effect. Even without the several additional effects, the special skill itself included a normal skill - Cool-headed E. Cool-headed was one skill that was highly regarded by high-ranking hunters because it increased concentration, improved composure, and lessened one¡¯s agitation during combat.


    ¡®I was hoping to get it someday¡­¡¯


    But Yu-Seong managed to easily acquire it along with the special skill. The skill¡¯s effect overlapped with Insight E, which he had gained from Kim Do-Jin, but he didn¡¯t find this to be detrimental at all.


    ¡®Now, the penalty for using Insight fully would be slightly lessened.¡¯


    Of course, the real outstanding ability of Insight lay in its capability to allow the user to see through some of the world¡¯s data, but what Yu-Seong currently needed most was mental power. He had such an impression upon first killing someone. If he couldn¡¯t properly control his agitation, it would one day lead to his death.


    Yu-Seong knew he could easily deal with such agitation without the help of skill one day, but it was impossible to deal with it right away. Until then, he definitely thought it was okay to borrow the skill¡¯s effect.


    ¡®By the way¡­ I guess I actually have a talent for spears.¡¯


    In the first place, a special skill was an ability that was close to one¡¯s essence. Therefore, it would not have appeared without the talent that was imprinted on the soul or perhaps the body of the player.


    ¡®Wait, even so, what¡¯s going on with these three special skills?¡¯


    It could be simply because of the sloppy setting of the original novel, but if possible, Yu-Seong wanted to know the clear reason for this situation. Unfortunately, that didn¡¯t mean there was an immediate answer.


    ¡®There¡¯s no way for me to find out right now, so it¡¯s just piquing my interest for now. And it¡¯s actually good for me, just by looking at the results¡­¡¯


    It was inevitable to sweep the questions under the rug until the opportunity came. Other than that, the message from the gods was also plentiful.


    -[Private] The Joke-loving Prankster sends you a seductive look. Fifty karma points are sponsored. He is asking you to inherit the skill quickly.


    Y/N


    -The Oldest Hunter smiles at the player Choi Yu-Seong. Sixty karma points are sponsored.


    -The Silky Beard wants to transfer a skill to the player Choi Yu-Seong. Fifty karma points are sponsored.


    Y/N


    -The Emperor of Great China wants to have the player Choi Yu-Seong. Thirty karma points are sponsored.


    -The Red Fang of the Dark Night is smacking their lips, looking at the player Choi Yu-Seong. Ten karma points are sponsored.


    -The Culann¡¯s Hound sponsored one hundred karma points to the player Choi Yu-Seong.


    When you''re just trying to make great content at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    Yu-Ri¡¯s eyes twinkled when she checked the non-stop messages with Yu-Seong. She commented, ¡°Even the gods have completely fallen for Yu-Seong oppa. By the way, ¡®the Silky Beard¡¯ wanting to give skill to you is¡­?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s the one you are thinking of.¡±


    ¡°The Chinese God of Martial Arts¡­¡±


    Guan-Yu¡ªthe courtesy name ¡®Yunchang¡¯¡ªwas more famous as a general of the Three Kingdoms period and was called ¡®the Chinese God of Martial Arts¡¯ as Yu-Ri mentioned. However, unfortunately, Yu-Seong intended to reject the offer although Guan-Yu was known as the God of Martial Arts.


    `In the first place, there are so many yangbans[1] called the God of Martial Arts in China that their influence is not special. And that gent¡¯s weapon is guandao[ref]Guandao is a large sword shaped like a crescent moon, and it is famous that it was used by Guan-Yu in the Three Kingdoms.[\ref], right?¡¯


    Guan-Yu seemed to admire Yu-Seong¡¯s spearmanship and even wanted to transfer his skills to Yu-Seong. However, the guandao and the spear had quite different ways of being utilized even though they were both pole weapons. It could be said that the spear was a little sharper while guandao was heavier¡­ In any case, Yu-Seong decided to reject Guan-Yu¡¯s offer after a little while, thinking that they were not very compatible.


    ¡®There are a lot of gods watching right now, so I have to think about saving his face.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was also still thinking of ignoring Loki, who was still trying to seduce him or whatever. Rather, a new name appeared in the message of the gods sponsoring many karma points.


    ¡®Culann¡¯s Hound. Cu Chulainn.¡¯


    He was a hero more popular than King Arthur in Ireland. He was handsome enough to be nicknamed the Prince of Light and was also a genius in spearmanship who dealt with a magic spear called Gae Bolg. In fact, his spearmanship was one of the abilities Yu-Seong coveted. Though he seemed to have no intention of transferring skills, Yu-Seong had to be satisfied by confirming his presence for now. Anyway, it could be said that Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s battle was significant enough to attract the attention of Cu Chulainn.


    ¡®By the way, there are already six gods watching.¡¯


    Cu Chulainn was originally a hero like Guan-Yu, but he had become a god after his death. It was not just that. The background of the novel [Modern Master Returns] was that those who achieved great achievements or left their names deep in history became gods and could support others with karma points and raise their status as they were doing now.


    The problem was that only up to about five gods could share karma points by sponsoring one human. In other words, from now on, the gods who wanted to support Yu-Seong would inevitably become cautious. Since there were gods who already settled and supported him, it was a difficult contest between them. And even though the other five gods did not know, there was also Loki.


    ¡®The seats are actually full, but it¡¯s a shame to let go of some of the powerful gods I see there.¡¯


    There were gods with rather low in name-value or status. Yu-Seong had already noticed the identity of all the gods who sponsored him.


    ¡®There¡¯s nothing I can do. It¡¯s not like I can choose the gods.¡¯


    Rather, humans were in a position to be chosen. In addition, considering the situation just a while ago, it was certainly a hopeful situation that six snobby gods supported him. Especially since Choi Yu-Seong was still in the process of growing.


    When he got out of the dungeon completely with Yu-Ri¡¯s support, Yu-Seong could see the scenery of the mountain that was completely darkened. Looking at such scenery, Yu-Ri seemed to have come to her senses quite a bit; she turned to looked at Yu-Seong. ¡°Can you walk alone?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯ve used up too much energy. Though, tonight might be a little dangerous¡­¡±


    Ji-Ho¡¯s people had been kind to Yu-Seong and his companions so far, but he could not be completely off guard. Therefore, the Jin siblings took turns being on watch every night. Yu-Seong expressed his desire to be on the lookout too, but he had nothing else to say when the siblings said that he was excluded because he was less sensitive than the two.


    ¡°Both of us won¡¯t sleep and be on watch tonight.¡±


    ¡°Uhm, that would be great. And if Ji-Ho hyung-nim doesn¡¯t come back tomorrow morning, let¡¯s just go home,¡± said Yu-Seong. He didn¡¯t know what gift Choi Woo-Jae had prepared, but Yu-Seong had already gained satisfactory results after coming here. Therefore, he thought it was okay to receive the gift a little later.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s try to be safe and aim for the next time.¡± Yu-Ri agreed with Yu-Seong, and the two went back to Choi Ji-Ho¡¯s house to spend the last night.


    ***


    Late at night, Yu-Seong heard a noise and woke up from sleep. He instinctively got up and picked the spear he had placed next to him. However, he failed to react further. That moment when he thought he saw long straight black hair fluttering, a pure white hand was placed against his nape. His eyes blurred in an instant.


    ¡®Who¡­?¡¯


    Bam-!


    Yu-Seong collapsed to the floor. He was unable to even utter a question.


    The long-haired man floated in the air above Yu-Seong after he passed out. A bitter smile appeared on Ji-Ho¡¯s face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel like giving you the ordeal, but I can¡¯t help it. I hope you don¡¯t blame me too much.¡±


    Complex emotions were indiscriminately mixed in his pensive face.


    ***


    Experiencing a severe headache, Yu-Seong slowly felt the sensations of his body return as he came around. First, he moved his fingertips and opened his eyes only a while later. He thought he could feel something cold and hard, but it turned out he was lying face down on the stone floor. For a moment he felt a bit creeped out. Yu-Seong quickly got up and looked around.


    ¡°¡­?!¡± Soon, Choi Yu-Seong found something that filled his eyes with surprise. The room looked like a spacious enough square for even ten people to lay down on the ground. However, the ceiling was so high and dark that it could not be seen, and only a few lights were shining inside the room.


    The problem was the rooms on either side of Yu-Seong¡¯s room. He could see the other rooms since the walls were made of glass rather than stone. Yu-ri and Do-Yoon were hanging from the wall with their arms and legs chained up. They looked like tortured prisoners. While a mixture of bewilderment and anger overwhelmed his mind¡­


    [You¡¯re awake.]


    ¡­a tampered voice was heard from a speaker somewhere.


    1. Basically ¡®yangban¡¯ refers to the status of the ruling class during the Joseon Dynasty, but it is also used as a term to refer to a person who is decent and polite. It is also used as a term to refer to a man commonly or rudely. ?

 CH 37

    Yu-Seong clenched his fist and shouted toward the ceiling. He could not see the ceiling¡¯s end, but he knew that the voice had come from above. He yelled, ¡°What did you do to them, you bastards?!¡±


    It was a sharp cry, but the figure beyond the speaker continued to speak calmly.


    [At least they¡¯re still alive. And it¡¯s about time for them to wake up.]


    Yu-Seong bit his lower lip and took a deep breath. It felt like he was losing his reason and his mind filled with only anger, but he knew that he needed to stay calm.


    ¡®Calm down, Choi Yu-Seong. You need to think of a way to get out of this situation now.¡¯


    He could not find an answer if he was swayed by emotions.


    [You react more rationally than I expected. I thought you¡¯d be trying to break the wall right away.]


    ¡°I don¡¯t even expect that the wall is thin enough to be wrecked by a fist. There may be a mana barrier. I know that it¡¯s not a good idea to waste my power,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    [Exactly. The mana barrier on the glass wall can¡¯t be broken even by an S-rank player. So, it¡¯s better for you to not have useless thoughts.]


    ¡°Now, answer my question. Who are you and where is this? Why did you kidnap us? Is this also one of Father''s tests?¡±


    Yu-Seong asked several questions, but he had already found answers to some of them. First, he already discovered the identity of the suspect who kidnapped him and his companions.


    ¡®Choi Ji-Ho or Baek Cheol. Or even both.¡¯


    There were no other explanations, and it was almost impossible for others to intervene. Yu-Seong had been staying at Choi Ji-Ho¡¯s mansion. No matter how many teeth were missing, a tiger was still a tiger. Even Baek Cheol¡ªan S-rank player¡ªhad been staying in the mansion. It was extremely unlikely for a third party to swing by, get involved, and kidnap three people. This also made it easy to find the answer to the third question.


    ¡®If Choi Ji-Ho and Baek Cheol are involved, this must be Father¡¯s test.¡¯


    However, the situation was very different from before.


    ¡®I don¡¯t feel good about this.¡¯


    A voice responded from above.


    [This is ¡®The Room of Sacrifice.¡¯]


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you answered all of my questions.¡±


    [In addition, as you said, this is a test. However, many things are going to be different from before. What have you come to get from this place?]


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! He didn¡¯t even tell me about it in the first place.¡±


    Yu-Seong was somewhat deliberately angry and he nibbled his lower lip. This was to induce the opponent¡¯s vacancy by showing his nervousness and anxiety.


    ¡®Maybe they would let their guard down and show some clues without realizing.¡¯


    And in fact, Yu-Seong was feeling quite anxious and threatened. If this was the test of Choi Woo-Jae or someone else from the family, it wouldn''t be a big threat to Choi Yu-Seong. At least, they would have no intention to kill or maim him. However, it was different for Jin Yu-Ri and Jin Do-Yoon.


    Choi Yu-Seong cared about them a lot, but the Jin siblings were nothing more than just one of the many common soldiers from the Choi family¡¯s perspective.


    ¡®The name ¡®The Room of Sacrifice¡¯ and this whole situation¡­ It certainly feels nasty.¡¯


    Yu-Seong found the situation especially annoying since it was happening on their last day; they had made the decision to return and go back.


    While he was frowning, the voice continued.


    [The value of the treasure you will obtain is significant. It is too precious to be obtained without any sacrifice or cost.]


    ¡°Do we need to talk about the cost? This is what Father was supposed to give me as a present in the first place,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    [There¡¯s no rule that I have to follow the Chairman''s words. The value of the thing is determined by me, the owner.]


    ¡°And so, who are you?¡±


    [¡­You seem to have roughly understood the situation, so let¡¯s begin the test, Choi Yu-Seong. You can choose only one of the two people behind the glass walls in this room.]


    The voice answered all other questions quite sincerely but still did not reveal who he was until the end. The speaker was clearly reluctant to reveal their identity. He even tried not to have unnecessary conversations with Yu-Seong.


    Yu-Seong could feel that the opponent was trying to prevent any unexpected situations. In any case, he could only grind his teeth in anger.


    [You have three chances to open the glass wall. Enough chances for you to open each of the doors once to speak with them once to make a final choice.]


    As the voice continued speaking to Yu-Seong, Jin Do-Yoon slowly raised his head as if he had regained consciousness first. However, he was busy figuring out his situation and where he was at. It was as if Yu-Seong could not be seen through the glass wall.


    [It is okay not to use all three chances. There is a key on the left wall inside the room. And the moment you pick it up, poison gas will be sprayed in the room where you did not choose. It is extremely strong that even an elephant will die in three seconds after taking a single breath.]


    As if responding to the voice, Jin Do-Yoon raised his head and looked at the ceiling.


    ¡®Even if he can¡¯t see me from the other side, he can hear the voice,¡¯ thought Yu-Seong.


    He was stranded in place in deep agony.


    [Choi Yu-Seong. Through the sacrifice of one follower, you will get a very valuable treasure. So, that means your gift from the Chairman would be delivered safely. That is all. Is there any rule you don¡¯t understand?]


    ¡°I understand everything. In short, it¡¯s simply to¡­¡± Yu-Seong looked at the ceiling in a rather crooked manner and shouted in a slightly agitated voice. ¡°I am to determine the death of someone right this instant. The unchosen one will die.¡±


    [Exactly. You can say that I¡¯m cold-hearted, but this much determination is essential to protect the treasure and also to stand beside the Chairman.]


    ¡°Is there no option to give up? For me, those two are more precious than the gift.¡±


    [Chairman has already decided to give you a present. It¡¯s one of those rules that can¡¯t be broken.]


    ¡°...Shit.¡± Yu-Seong smirked and asked with both hands in his pockets, ¡°By the way, why do you hate to identify yourself?¡±


    [Let¡¯s start the game.]


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s true that things get overshadowed by the years,¡± Yu-Seong murmured as if talking to himself. Then, with slow steps, he first approached the room on the left where Jin Yu-Ri was in.


    ¡°As far as I know, Ji-Ho hyung-nim wouldn¡¯t enjoy this kind of cruel game, right?¡± Yu-Seong bit his lips tightly and stared at the high ceiling sharply.


    ***


    A bitter smile appeared on Choi Ji-Ho¡¯s face while he leaned against the chair. He was pressing the microphone¡¯s power button. It was not visible, but he could feel it. Beyond the monitor, his younger brother was looking at himself with great resentment.


    ¡°Are you okay, sir?¡± asked Baek Cheol in a worried voice while watching the situation from the back.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. This is something I have decided to take on and handle it myself.¡±


    ¡°Yu-Seong, young master¡­ He is very different from what I had heard.¡±


    ¡°Originally, he¡¯s been smart since young. He seemed to become warped as he got older, but it would not be a strange thing for him to change back. But still, I didn¡¯t know¡­ I never thought Yu-Seong would be the first child to come here.¡±


    Baek Cheol looked away from Yu-Seong to gaze at Jin Yu-Ri and Jin Do-Yoon, who were both captured in different rooms. He commented, ¡°The relationship between the three seemed quite strong.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the reason that I prepared this test for him.¡±


    ¡°Young Master, Yu-Seong, will¡­¡±


    ¡°He will blame me a lot,¡± said Ji-Ho.


    ¡°He will understand that it was an inevitable choice for you.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t be certain about that. However¡­I can¡¯t stop here even for the sake of Yu-Seong.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°The place called Comet Group, where I also belong, is in fact a really terrible place. It¡¯s not just the siblings who would sell their souls to the devil if they could take over Father¡¯s position, right? To survive in such a place, Yu-Seong has to throw away the clumsy mindset that he can choose everything,¡± said Ji-Ho.


    His two eyes that could not even be opened recklessly and his limbs that would not work no matter how hard he physically tried were both evidence of this fact.


    ¡°Master¡­¡±


    ¡°It is fine if Yu-Seong doesn¡¯t understand me. Now that it has come to this point, I hope that Yu-Seong will survive to the end inside this family.¡± Choi Ji-Ho¡¯s face turned to the monitor again. ¡°Captain Baek, Yu-Seong chose the woman''s side first.¡±


    ¡°She is clever, sir. She rejected all the sparring requests that were demanded to find out her abilities in advance. Therefore, she was quite difficult to suppress. I assume that Yu-Seong, the young master, may think that she could play some tricks.¡±


    ¡°Well. Perhaps that will make it easier for her to understand and give up on the contrary.¡±


    In the monitor where the two were looking, Choi Yu-Seong and Jin Yu-Ri were looking at each other and they began talking.


    ***


    Yu-Seong entered through the thick glass wall that opened slowly. He then first explained the situation to Yu-Ri, who was surprised.


    ¡°¡­And that¡¯s what happened. I¡¯m sorry. I should have made the decision faster. I told you to stay alert but continued to stay here for too long.¡±


    Looking at Yu-Seong lowering his head, Yu-Ri shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not Yu-Seong oppa¡®s fault. We were in a situation where we had to wait. Also, there wasn¡¯t much of a threat here. We were just worried about any unexpected situation. Rather, I and Do-Yoon oppa were suppressed without being able to fight back¡­ This is miserable. We¡¯re disqualified as your guards.¡±


    With a deep sigh, Yu-Ri raised her head from the hanging wall and looked around. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to break through the glass wall. The end of the ceiling¡­looks blurry even with my own eyes. Perhaps, it¡¯s going to be over 30m? Even if Do-Yoon oppa jumps, he wouldn¡¯t be able to jump over it at once. It¡¯s not just a stone wall. It¡¯s also covered with steel, so it¡¯s impossible to go over there. Digging this ground would be the fastest way? Did you bring a spoon, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°You can still joke in this situation,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    ¡°What can we do? Crying doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll get a solution.¡± Jin Yu-Ri grinned and pulled the chain that tied her arms greatly. ¡°It¡¯s not an ordinary restraint, it¡¯s a seal that blocks my ability. You said that your first hyung-nim is the culprit, and I see clearly that the whole family has a lot of money as expected. Comet Group, Haha.¡±


    ¡°Of course it is. Besides, there¡¯s no way they use ordinary restraints to bind an A-rank hunter.¡±


    ¡°Yu-Seong oppa, no, young master.¡±


    Support us at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡°Why are you calling me like that suddenly?¡±


    ¡°Choose Do-Yoon oppa.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it. I think there could be a way to escape somehow if I¡¯m alone.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie. The moment I release Jin Do-Yoon, a poisonous gas that can kill an elephant instantly will be released. How can you escape from it?¡±


    ¡°I also have a knack at holding my breath, you know.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think ridiculously and just wait. There¡¯s got to be a way to save both of you somehow.¡±


    ¡°Probably not. I think I know why the first young master made a room like this.¡±

 CH 38

    Jin Yu-Ri gave a slightly sad smile. ¡°I thought I could finally serve our young master who became awesome and cool, but now this happens. Please open my email inbox when you get out of here. Do-Yoon oppa knows the ID and password. If you look through that, you will find a sender named Jenny. Please contact her¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop. Did you think that I came here to hear your will?¡± Yu-Seong interrupted her with an annoyed voice. ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out. If you can¡¯t think of anything, it can¡¯t be helped. Who knows, Do-Yoon might have an idea. Even if he doesn¡¯t, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll find the answer on my own. So don¡¯t give up. Never think about dying. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Yu-Seong oppa.¡± Yu-Ri shook her head, her hair hanging low.


    ¡°Jin Yu-Ri. I actually still don¡¯t know why people like you and Jin Do-Yoon care so much and follow a drunkard idiot like me. So, you can¡¯t be killed until I find out the reason.¡±


    ¡°What kind of silly¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough, just remember one thing. Don¡¯t give up. Because I won¡¯t either.¡± Choi Yu-Seong gritted his teeth and returned to his room.


    Yu-Ri watched his back with a strange gaze and smiled. ¡°Seriously. What am I going to do if he keeps getting cooler? This will make it difficult for me to choose the right woman for him when he decides to get married¡­¡±


    Jin Yu-Ri had simply spoken the best idea that came to mind in the helpless situation. However, her eyes started to fill with a strong will and determination.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t trust anyone else, but I trust you, Yu-Seong oppa! You have to save me! Okay? You can¡¯t kill me!¡± Jin Yu-Ri gathered all of her strength and shouted. Beyond the slowly closing glass wall, Yu-Seong turned as if he heard her voice. Then, he gazed at Yu-Ri and nodded hard.


    ***


    After hearing Yu-Ri¡¯s supportive shout, Yu-Seong returned to his room and contemplated for a short while. He was very flustered by the unexpected situation that was not even in the original novel, but it seemed natural when he thought about it.


    ¡®It¡¯s because I¡¯m not Kim Do-Jin but Choi Yu-Seong.¡¯


    Also, he made completely different decisions from the original Choi Yu-Seong. And since many things were changing, unexpected events would happen more and more frequently in the future. There was nothing more foolish than falling into confusion every time he ran into an unexpected variable.


    Yu-Seong believed that he could do well. Wasn¡¯t the sand officer he met yesterday a monster that did not appear in the original novel too?


    ¡°The transparent glass wall is about five meters high. Above it is a stone wall, but there must be some mana barrier covering it.¡± Yu-Seong started talking to himself. In fact, he muttered to himself, convinced that someone was listening to him.


    ¡°The ground¡­ Well, it can''t be dug into unless I can summon a real forklift.¡± Yu-Seong intentionally laid on the floor, put his ears on the ground, tapped them with his fingers, and talked to himself. ¡°Why is the ceiling so high? Won¡¯t it be too much even for a rank S physical type hunter to jump at once?¡±


    [You talk a lot. It¡¯s foolish to give the enemy a lot of information.]


    ¡°In any case, it¡¯s a trap that you¡¯ve made.¡± Yu-Seong smiled at the returned answer, and looked at the ceiling. ¡°Where did you hide the camera? It looks like it¡¯s beyond the wall, but you can¡¯t break through the mana barrier, so there must be a gap.¡±


    [I don¡¯t deny it.]


    ¡°After all, you don¡¯t mind that as it¡¯s just a small gap that can only fit a camera and a microphone.¡±


    [Are you not going to open the man¡¯s room?]


    ¡°I shall go, open the door.¡± Yu-Seong smirked and headed for the glass wall where Jin Do-Yoon could be seen this time. The ground rumbled before the huge glass wall slowly lifted into the air like a blind.


    ¡°You are safe as expected, young master!¡± Jin Do-Yoon was looking around with his head up. He uttered a cry of relief.


    ¡°Huh. But things aren¡¯t so good. To explain it ¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand roughly. When I listened attentively, I could hear a voice that¡¯s been altered.¡±


    ¡°Yet you didn¡¯t hear mine?¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Obviously, the voice coming out of the microphone was much louder than Yu-Seong¡¯s voice. Even so, if Do-Yoon was able to hear the voice, it meant that the person behind the microphone was closer to him.


    ¡®Although, it may also be because Jin Do-Yoon¡¯s ears are that much sharper,¡¯ thought Yu-Seong.


    In any case, it was more likely that the eyes and ears of the Physical-transformation type Jin Do-Yoon would be much sharper than the Psychic-implementation type Jin Yu-Ri, even though his rank was lower.


    ¡°This room is exactly the same as Jin Yu-Ri¡¯s room. My side is invisible and the stone walls are tall and rectangular. On the ceiling¡­¡±


    ¡°It is steel. It¡¯s quite thick. I¡¯ve developed my own special move recently, but honestly I don¡¯t have the confidence to jump that far,¡± replied Do-Yoon.


    ¡°That¡¯s something you should have been a bit more careful to say. They¡¯re listening from over there.¡±


    Jin Do-Yoon looked surprised by Yu-Seong¡¯s words, and closed his mouth tightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. As you said, it¡¯s a height too high to reach. Since it¡¯s already spilled milk, let¡¯s just check the situation. If you can reach it, can you break it?¡±


    Instead of answering, Do-Yoon glared intensely at Yu-Seong.


    ¡®It¡¯s worth a try, right?¡¯ thought Yu-Seong.


    However, it would take a considerable lot of energy. It was also an overplaying move when also thinking about rescuing Jin Yu-Ri after a successful escape.


    ¡°Do you have any ideas?¡± asked Yu-Seong.


    ¡°I am afraid not,¡± replied Do-Yoon.


    Choi Yu-Seong continued to talk with Jin Do-Yoon while checking the room.


    ¡°Please save Yu-Ri and not me. She pretends to be strong, but she is a weak-hearted kid.¡±


    ¡°I heard the same thing in the other room. To put it the same way, I refuse your request. I¡¯m gonna save you both.¡±


    ¡°There is no appropriate way, young master.¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t have any appropriate way, we should make one.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. That¡¯s why I am here to think about it.¡±


    ¡°¡­I believe in you.¡±


    Yu-Seong smirked and approached Do-Yoon after going around the room. He asked, ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°It is not bad.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t just break that off by force, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Jin Do-Yoon showed a deep smile instead of answering.


    ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it. What are we going to do if you get seriously hurt after doing everything I tell you to? Lower your head a little bit.¡± Yu-Seong scratched his own cheek and whispered something in Jin Do-Yoon¡¯s ear.


    ¡°¡­I understand.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Choi Yu-Seong smiled slightly and stepped away from Jin Do-Yoon.


    [Know that if you try some useless transparent trick, both of them could be sacrificed.]


    ¡°How unsympathetic. The rules get tougher as time passes by,¡± Choi Yu-Seong replied gruntingly. He moved farther away from Jin Do-Yoon. Then, he stood on the lower-left corner of the room and muttered quietly, ¡°Summon Dimensional Merchant.¡±


    Space became distorted and a small pink door was formed.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the lollipop for this body?¡± Pingpong of the Lion Bear Clan walked out from the door and asked his first question. He was looking at Choi Yu-Seong.


    ***


    Baek Cheol frowned and looked at the monitor where Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s figure had disappeared. ¡°It seems the young master, Yu-Seong, has found the camera¡¯s blind spot, sir.¡±


    ¡°It seems like he has noticed that there¡¯s no blind spot in his own room. That¡¯s why he chose the room Jin Do-Yoon is in,¡± said Ji-Ho.


    ¡°How did he know it?¡±


    ¡°Instinctive sense. Or he might have felt the camera¡¯s gaze. After all, Yu-Seong is also a hunter.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t even know it was a trap¡­ It is a foolish thought to think that. He doesn¡¯t know that you, master, don''t see him with eyes.¡±


    Choi Ji-Ho nodded at Baek Cheol¡¯s words, then commented, ¡°He summoned a Dimensional Merchant. I think he is buying something, but I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s for.¡±


    ¡°I heard that it has not been long since he just became a hunter. Even if he received a lot of attention from the gods, what he can do with such karma points would be limited.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s limited, but he can cut corners.¡±


    ¡°He should not be permitted to use future seeing eye.¡±


    Baek Cheol quickly took the lead. The use of future-seeing eyes was also a big burden for Choi Ji-Ho. Although the test was important, it was Baek Cheol¡¯s wish for Choi Ji-Ho not to overdo it.


    ¡°I don''t mean to do that much. But¡­ Shall we surprise him once?¡± Ji-Ho grinned and took the microphone to his lips.


    ***


    [I suggest you cancel the summon of Dimensional Merchant right now. Choi Yu-Seong. This is the last warning.]


    Yu-Seong had summoned Ping Pong and was quickly buying some items from him. Yu-Seong shuddered. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t this a blind spot?¡±


    [That could be your misunderstanding. I¡¯ll count from three. Three.]


    Yu-Seong shed a bitter smile. ¡®There wasn¡¯t much information about Choi Ji-Ho in the original novel. It¡¯s not strange that he has a skill I don¡¯t know of.¡¯


    While he was thinking hard, Ji-Ho¡¯s voice was heard once again.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    [Two.]


    Yu-Seong sighed deeply and looked at Ping Pong. ¡°Next time you come, I¡¯ll give you three lollipops for free. Thank you for helping me when I¡¯m in a hurry, Mr. Ping Pong.¡±


    [Two.]


    ¡°What a very touching story. I hope to see you again alive. Choi Yu-Seong,¡± said Ping Pong.


    [One.]


    Ping Pong saluted with its short arm, reopened the door, and returned to its original world. Left alone, Yu-Seong shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I definitely thought this was a blind spot, but I guess my feeling was wrong.¡±


    [What did you buy?]


    Instead of answering, Yu-Seong took out a palm-sized square box and waved it upward. He walked naturally to Do-Yoon. Of course, Choi Ji-Ho would not watch him to the end.


    [Stay in place. No further move is allowed.]


    ¡°How cruel.¡±


    [What¡¯s in the box?]


    ¡°I will show you. I will just show you then.¡± Yu-Seong held the bottom of the box with his left hand and slowly opened the lid with his right hand. Inside the box was a strange tree root that resembled a human.


    [What is that¡­?]


    Before Ji-Ho even asked a question, the tree roots trembled before a hard ringing erupted. Beeeeep-! There was a power outage.


    ¡°Jin Do-Yoon!¡± Choi Yu-Seong covered his ears tightly and raised his voice.


    Do-Yoon turned around, along with the sound of the chains breaking. At the same time, the light in the room began to turn on again, and Do-Yoon clenched his fist and punched the wall where he was initially tied to. A part of the wall collapsed like a lie with great vibration.


    Yu-Seong checked on Do-Yoon after rushing to get the key. He shouted, ¡°Run!¡±

 CH 39

    This method, the so-called Mana Resonance, was a shocking phenomenon. It was revealed in the original novel about two years later when the Pandemonium, the largest villain camp in the US, collapsed.


    The ingredients used were the Mandrake¡¯s roots sold by Dimensional Merchants at 200 karma points, and they had to be stimulated by mana vibration. It was not enough to simply infuse mana. Mana must be infused accurately to shake up the Mandrake¡¯s roots and bring out the resonance in its soul.


    This technique was discovered in an experiment of a certain lunatic villain, and it surprisingly disabled the function of the few magical engineering items such as powerful mana barriers or sealing restraints humans had developed in conjunction with scientific civilization. It was just temporary, but still.


    To put it bluntly, the power breaker was turned off only for a very short time. Of course, the effect was maximized when using the main body and not just the root. However, Yu-Seong could not purchase the main body because the price was ridiculously high. But more importantly, because he was nearby, hearing the real Mandrake¡¯s scream would cause him to vomit blood and die.


    In conclusion, the range of Mana Resonance made using mana and the Mandrake root that Yu-Seong could use was about 180 ft and one second at most. He had to work during that short gap. Therefore, Yu-Seong had asked Ping Pong to put the Mandrake root in a box and then hand it over to him.


    Yu-Seong thought that the quick-witted Ji-Ho might impose sudden sanctions if he saw what the item was. Ping Pong provided good services and had granted his request. And thanks to that, Yu-Seong was able to quickly move to where his Mana Resonance could reach Jin Do-Yoon.


    Knowing the plan through Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s whisper, Jin Do-Yoon broke the chain without hesitation and hit the wall that he was tied to. The reason was simple.


    ¡®Because that¡¯s the entrance.¡¯


    Would they just throw people into a place with high ceilings and where it was blocked on all sides like this? That could not be true.


    Choi Yu-Seong obviously thought there would be an entrance so he had tried to find its location by looking around the room while pretending to have a conversation. It wasn¡¯t on the floor nor anywhere on the wall in his own room, and so he looked around with all his attention but it was the same for Jin Do-Yoon¡¯s room.


    Only belatedly did Yu-Seong consider the wall where Do-Yoon was tied up. He knocked and checked the walls here and there. However, there was nowhere he could feel the gap beyond the space, which was the characteristic of the entrance or exit. Then, where would they hide the entrance?


    After much consideration, Yu-Seong approached Do-Yoon while pretending to whisper, and carefully checked the wall behind. He became convinced that this particular wall was the entrance and exit.


    It would be nice if they could successfully rescue Jin Yu-Ri in the short time when Mana Resonance had occurred, but there was not enough time to run to the other room. Thus, they could not just ignorantly break down the wall but find the entrance, escape, then rescue Yu-Ri. The plan so far has been quite successful.


    ***


    Since it was before the existence of the Mana Resonance was revealed, Baek Cheol was confused by the sudden power cut-off. Just in case, even the simple lights inside the room were made using mana, so Baek Cheol could not know the internal situation through the ordinary monitor that was connected by regular electricity. Although his vision could see through the darkness, the cameras and monitors connected by regular electricity could not do so.


    However, Ji-Ho was much more surprised than Baek Cheol. He could ¡®see¡¯ exactly what was happening in the dark. Jin Do-Yoon had broken off the sealing restrain, accurately found the entrance, and destroyed it. Choi Yu-Seong had grabbed the key and ran to escape. The series of actions had taken place so quickly that while they watched without saying anything, all mana supply that had been turned off was soon restored.


    ¡°No way¡­ Master. They have escaped.¡± Baek Cheol opened his eyes wide and expressed a short exclamation.


    He saw the broken entrance, and understood that Yu-Seong and Jin Do-Yoon had disappeared. However, that confusion lasted just for a moment. He added, ¡°It was a stupid choice. This way, we have no choice but to spray the gas.¡±


    Ji-Ho nodded calmly while pressing the gas spray button. He also turned on the other monitor for Baek Cheol. There, Yu-Seong and Do-Yoon were seen panicking by the towering spiral stairs in the dark passage.


    ¡°I understand your choice well, Choi Yu-Seong. You must have realized this by now. Even if you try a clumsy rebellion, you still wouldn¡¯t be able to change the outcome.¡± After a short sigh, Ji-Ho spoke through the microphone.


    ***


    [¡­Even if you try a clumsy rebellion, you can¡¯t change the outcome.]


    Choi Yu-Seong bit his lips at that voice. He had just escaped through the entrance and had used the key to quickly dismantle the sealing restraint that was binding Jin Do-Yoon.


    ¡®Every second counts.¡¯


    Yu-Seong even used the Mana Resonance to cause mana discharge, buying time by surprising Choi Ji-Ho with such an unknown factor.


    Given that the room was clearly bright but the lighting¡¯s location was nowhere to be seen, he thought it was a good move that could also achieve the blackout effect. However, his face became stiff the moment he saw the snaking spiral stairs outside the entrance.


    ¡°It is a structure that makes jumping impossible. Even if I just run and go alone, it takes a minute,¡± said Jin Do-Yoon, clenching his free hands.


    Judging from the high ceiling, it was unsurprising that they were being held underground. However, they didn¡¯t even imagine that the entrance would be made of stairs.


    ¡®What era is this? There¡¯s not even a lift¡­¡¯


    If it was an elevator, there would have been a lot of places such as ropes or connecting parts to grab or step on. Thus, it would have been much faster to go up. Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes flashed when he thought that far. He asked, ¡°Jin Do-Yoon, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯ve made something like a special move before?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± replied Do-Yoon.


    ¡°Destroy it. The whole thing.¡±


    At Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s words, Jin Do-Yoon nodded as if he understood the situation. After that, he rushed forward with only one hand covered with thick fur. In an instant, mana wrapped all around and condensed into a clenched fist. A single, simple strike was sometimes heavier than even a mountain.


    ¡®Great Mountain Strike! So, that''s the ability he gained throughout the novel.¡¯


    The special move that Jin Do-Yoon said was a powerful ability that even blew away Kim Do-Jin, who heartily rushed toward him by about 2km in the original novel. There was no explanation in the novel, so Yu-Seong had thought it was Jin Do-Yoon¡¯s original ability. He didn¡¯t know it would be something newly gained.


    ¡®No, maybe it is a lot faster than the original novel?¡¯


    Yu-Seong thought that it might be the case, and he quickly witnessed the results for himself.


    The Great Mountain Strike that Do-Yoon threw slammed the thick pillar holding the center of the spiral stairs. The ceiling and stairs began to collapse like hail. Yu-Seong no longer needed to raise his voice. Do-Yoon had already understood Yu-Seong¡¯s intention, so he grabbed his waist at once and jumped toward the pouring debris.


    Jin Do-Yoon used those falling pieces like stairs and quickly soared toward the ceiling. There were five run-ups in total. Each required him to traverse a wide distance, but Jin Do-Yoon¡¯s face hardened.


    ¡®Not yet¡­¡¯


    There was still quite a distance to the ceiling. However, there was no more falling debris. He had to jump at once. It was a critical moment, but it was not the time to think of impossibilities.


    ¡®From the start, I¡¯m not the type who uses my brain like a young master.¡¯


    Do-Yoon emptied his mind of any thoughts and flew off with all the strength in his thighs. He had to do his best. Then, he wrapped Yu-Seong with his right arm and stretched out his left to grab the end of the collapsed ceiling.


    ¡°Caught it¡­?¡± Do-Yoon thought he had barely caught the edge. However, his face hardened in an instant. With a cracking sound, the edge held by Jin Do-Yoon broke down like sand. He exclaimed, ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Protective Shield! Jump, Do-Yoon!¡± At that moment, Yu-Seong raised his voice and created a protective shield under the falling Do-Yoon¡¯s feet.


    Jin Do-Yoon flexed his legs without hesitation, feeling support on his feet amid the panic. He was like a bullet.


    ¡®About 10 seconds.¡¯


    It took a short time to get above the ground after escaping. However, it was already dangerous to return to the room where deadly poisonous gasses were being sprayed.


    ¡®Now I can only use the shield ability just once more.¡¯


    The duplicated ability by the Eye of Replication had a limit on the number of trials unless combined by fusion. The same was applied to the Protective Shield that was stolen a while ago during the dungeon battle. It was a trump card of its own, but there was only one more usage left.


    Yu-Seong thought quickly as he climbed the ceiling and rolled on the floor. He gazed away.


    ¡®The entrance to the room where Jin Yu-Ri is confined is¡­¡¯


    Fortunately, there were unusually bulging floorboards inside the huge hanok room.


    ¡°There!¡± Yu-Seong shouted.


    Do-Yoon ran. At that moment, the closed-door shattered open and someone jumped toward them. The black figure showed a wind-like movement, swinging its arm. Do-Yoon stretched out his hand to counter it, but the result was clear.


    ¡°¡­?!¡± Do-Yoon couldn¡¯t even scream. He floated into the air and was caught on the ceiling. Accompanied by a creaking sound, Do-Yoon fell with part of the ceiling.


    ¡°Cough-!¡±


    Yu-Seong nibbled his lower lip while he Looked at Do-Yoon vomiting blood and Baek Cheol who appeared in front of him. He called out, ¡°Baek Cheol.¡±


    ¡°Please give up, young master, Yu-Seong. You can¡¯t go any further.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were a good person.¡±


    ¡°I apologize. It¡¯s impossible to be a good person for everyone.¡± Baek Cheol apologized and blocked the bulging floor and clenched his fist with a stance. It meant that he had no intention to be sloppy.


    ¡°Grrr¡­¡± Do-Yoon now had completely become a werewolf and let out the low cry of a beast.


    Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡°You already know that form doesn¡¯t work, right? It¡¯s nothing but helping me to hit at ease.¡±


    Baek Cheol¡¯s eyes turned to Jin Do-Yoon¡¯s shoulder, which was pushed back by his fist. His recovery speed was so fast that the swollen shoulder had visibly subsided and returned to its proper place.


    Jin Do-Yoon arched his back with deep anger. He had a strong fighting spirit in his brown eyes. Noticing his strong and sharp momentum coursing through his entire being, Baek Cheol smiled bitterly in his heart.


    He thought, ¡®Was it not his best strength the last time we fought? Or does he change depending on the situation? He has become much stronger.¡¯


    Of course, that did not mean that Jin Do-Yoon was now an opponent for the completely adapted S-rank hunter, Baek Cheol.


    ¡°It will only be painful if you try to rush. Give up,¡± asserted Baek Cheol.


    ¡°Both of you, stop.¡±


    Baek Cheol¡¯s gaze suddenly looked past Jin Do-Yoon to look at Choi Yu-Seong.

 CH 40

    Baek Cheol had missed Yu-Seong¡¯s movement while focusing on Do-Yoon. He just found that Yu-Seong now stood at the end of the entrance of Jin Do-Yoon¡¯s room that had collapsed. Naturally, Baek Cheol¡¯s face stiffened as he asked, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see it? I¡¯m risking my life.¡± With those words, Yu-Seong then stared at Do-Yoon as if he could read his mind.


    ¡®How could I¡­¡¯ thought Do-Yoon. He momentarily had complicated thoughts after reading Yu-Seong¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°This is an order, Do-Yoon. Forget about me from now on. Your only purpose is to rescue Jin Yu-Ri,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    The forceful words made Do-Yoon nod as if he were possessed by something. He was influenced by Yu-Seong¡¯s dignified presence and not by any physical power or superpower. Steeling himself, Do-Yoon ran toward Baek Cheol without hesitation.


    At the same time, Yu-Seong fell back toward the darkness like the mouth of a terrifying monster. He was falling into the bottom of the abyss.


    Baek Cheol had his eyes wide open. He stared at Do-Yoon, who was running. Do-Yoon had turned into a wolf beast, and was not looking back at the falling Yu-Seong. It was as if he didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Baek Chul spit out a curse and ran forward. He had an uncomfortable feeling, but he didn¡¯t have time to deal with Do-Yoon.


    There were many other reasons, but Baek Cheol had two big reasons why he could never let Yu-Seong die.


    ¡®Master will be very sad if young master Yu-Seong dies.¡¯


    Above all, Baek Cheol himself liked Choi Yu-Seong very much. He found it a pity to let Yu-Seong, a man of ability, die at this moment and in such a place.


    Baek Cheol urgently threw himself into the dark pit. His gaze was fixed on Yu-Seong, who was falling down in an apparently unconscious state¡­ He only became suspicious when he tried to hold Yu-Seong¡¯s back to relieve the shock as much as possible by reaching out his hands with all his might while falling. Then, as if it were a mere mirage, Yu-Seong¡¯s figure was blurred, shattered, and disappeared.


    ¡®Illusion? This is¡­Master¡¯s Wind Control?¡¯


    Baek Cheol was surprised for a moment. Then, he saw Yu-Seong holding a stone that was barely protruding from the near ceiling and jumping into the air by forming a transparent shield as a foothold.


    Yu-Seong looked back for a moment and smiled mischievously. After Baek Cheol landed stably on the ground, he had no choice but to laugh while watching Yu-Seong. The underground floor was at a depth that even he, an S-rank player, couldn¡¯t cover in one jump Of course, it was possible if he hit the wall several times, but Yu-Seong and Do-Yoon would have reached Jin Yu-Ri¡¯s room by then.


    At this moment, Baek Cheol had no choice but to admit the result of this altercation. ¡°¡­They¡¯ve got me.¡±


    ***


    Baek Cheol was completely unaware of Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s abilities. This was because Yu-Seong also did not show his full ability, like how Yu-Ri had been cautious during her sparring sessions.


    This was an obvious choice for Yu-Seong, whose primary purpose was to collect skills. Thus, Baek Cheol had no idea about Yu-Seong¡¯s shield skill. In addition, the Wind Control that Yu-Seong had obtained later on also added to the unpredictability.


    ¡®It¡¯s fortunate. Baek Cheol didn¡¯t turn back to look in the middle of that.¡¯


    It was probably because Baek Cheol had difficulty making the right decision at that moment, since his surroundings were mostly shrouded in darkness. Most importantly, his thoughts were mostly preoccupied by Yu-Seong falling down. He was worried about the young master.


    ¡®If you were going to play the bad guy, you should have been more thorough.¡¯


    Unfortunately, Baek Cheol was a good person, and Yu-Seong could tell this fact even when he read the original novel. Even so, it would have been impossible to fool Baek Cheol in such a neat manner if it had not been for the illusion of Wind Control. Overall, luck and circumstances went hand-in-hand in many ways.


    Meanwhile, Jin Do-Yoon had placed his confidence in Yu-Seong from exchanging that single look and ran straight ahead. He opened the entrance, broke the stairs, and fell straight down.


    Yu-Seong did not chase after Do-Yoon.


    ¡®I¡¯m not like Do-Yoon. I¡¯ll die if I jump down there.¡¯


    Thinking that was why Baek Cheol had come to save him, Yu-Seong took a quick breath and thought, ¡®Would Baek Cheol come up faster? Or Do-Yoon?¡¯


    Soon, Do-Yoon once again jumped through the collapsing pillars, stairs, and gaps in the ceiling. In his arms was an unconscious Jin Yu-Ri, who was still tied to the seal.


    ¡°Awooo-!¡± Do-Yoon settled safely on the ground with much more stability than before, perhaps because he already had experience. Then, he howled. His face quickly returned to its human form. His eyes were full of relief when he saw that Yu-Seong was safe.


    On the other hand, Yu-Seong¡¯s mind was all focused on Yu-Ri, who had just been rescued. It took approximately twenty seconds to escape to the ground.


    ¡°What about the gas?¡± asked Yu-Seong.


    Jin Do-Yoon shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think she inhaled it, but she probably absorbed some through the skin¡­¡±


    ¡°She needs to get treatment.¡±


    Yu-Ri was partially immune since she was an A-rank Hunter, but she would not be able to last long. Knowing that it was an urgent situation, Yu-Seong rose to his feet. Do-Yoon carried Yu-Ri on his back and followed him. At that moment, they heard a thundering roar, as if the ground were collapsing.


    ¡°Baek Cheol is coming,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    Soon, Choi Ji-Ho might also appear. Although Ji-Ho had lost a lot of his power, his abilities would still be threatening for Yu-Seong. Would it be possible to get rid of Ji-Ho and Baek Choi and successfully run away? Yu-Seong grabbed a sharp stone from the collapsed ceiling.


    ¡®I really don¡¯t want to do this, but¡­¡¯


    Since this was the most effective way, Yu-Seong had no choice but to provoke the opponent once more. He said, ¡°Jin Do-Yoon. You take Jin Yu-Ri and escape. I will try to intimidate them as much as I can. Even if I do that, they can¡¯t kill me.¡±


    ¡°Young Master.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do about it! If you feel bad about it, get stronger to stand up for me in the future. Train and hunt. Don¡¯t let anything like this happen again. Okay?¡°


    Do-Yoon bit his lower lip strongly. His eyes turned red, as if he was about to burst into tears while he nodded. ¡°I am not good enough to¡­¡±


    Boom-!


    At that moment, Baek Cheol jumped up to the ground. As if to prove that he was an S-rank hunter, he eventually overcame the height that even Do-Yoon was not necessarily able to cross. He was covered with clouds of dust and he made a fierce smile. ¡°Thanks to you, young master, I had a hard time.¡±


    ¡°Go.¡± Yu-Seong spoke in a low voice to Do-Yoon while placing the sharp stone to his own throat.


    ¡°Do you think I will be slower than you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Yu-Seong did not answer. He thought he might miss his opportunity to slit his throat when speaking to Baek Cheol. Baek Cheol¡¯s thoughts were clearly read by him.


    Do-Yoon lowered his head and slowly stepped back. Baek Cheol shook his head at Do-Yoon and said, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s that easy to escape? My team members are waiting outside the building.¡±


    ¡°Call everyone here,¡± Yu-Seong said at that moment.


    As Baek Cheol¡¯s shoulders twitched, red blood flowed down Yu-Seong¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Young Master!¡± Do-Yoon raised his voice in surprise.


    However, Yu-Seong had no time to bother with Do-Yoon. Even a tiny miscalculation would allow Baek Cheol to rush in like a fierce tiger and subdue him. That was not the only thing that he was worried about¡­ Ji-Ho may be coming here right now. Yu-Seong had managed to rescue Jin Yu-Ri, but there were still so many mountains to climb.


    ¡®I have to draw all their attention to me. Would I be able to do it?¡¯ Yu-Seong gulped. He met Baek Cheol¡¯s harsh gaze.


    ***


    The moment he saw Yu-Seong and Do-Yoon break down the stairs and escape, Baek Cheol lightly pressed Choi Ji-Ho¡¯s shoulder and ran outside without delay.


    Left alone, Ji-Ho pondered for a short time, no longer looking at the monitor. He headed out in a wheelchair. However, he was not under as much pressure as Baek Cheol. Ji-Ho knew that Baek Cheol eagerly pressed his shoulder to stop him because he was worried. Ji-Ho did not want to give in regarding this, so he ignored Baek Cheol¡¯s care.


    ¡°I will take you out, sir.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Ji-Ho left the room, followed by an aide left by Baek Cheol. He refused to let the aide come with him, however, and wheeled himself out of the building.


    It was a rather chilly and windy December night. Ji-Ho left the building alone. He did not want to be disturbed by anyone. As he concentrated through the flowing wind, he could see Yu-Seong¡¯s movements and listen to his voice in detail from quite a distance. The wind told him about Yu-Seong with a lot more clarity than what he could gather from being underground.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡± Ji-Ho revealed a bitter smile.


    In the dire situation, Yu-Seong had used Illusion to fool Baek Cheol while Do-Yoon had rescued Jin Yu-Ri¡­


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong. You clever guy.¡¯


    Ji-Ho looked at his younger brother, not knowing whether to laugh or to cry. Ji-Ho had honestly hoped that Yu-Seong would get stronger and more determined from this test. The fragile and gentle boy that he remembered would not be able to endure the hurricane created by the greedy people. Yu-Seong would get terribly hurt. Perhaps a shocking death may await him, like the future Ji-Ho had seen in the distant past.


    ¡®Death¡­ His death¡­¡¯ Ji-Ho saw the death of Yu-Seong. It was a terrible future, but Ji-Ho had no power or ability to change it at that time. He could give a little help, but this would only be possible if Yu-Seong listened to him.


    What about Choi Ji-Ho at this time? It didn¡¯t make much of a difference. As said, it was up to Yu-Seong himself to change his own fate in the end. In that sense, it was surprising that Yu-Seong had come here instead of the person who should have arrived here first.


    ¡®Maybe his death could be prevented.¡¯ Ji-Ho was surprised, and he sincerely hoped this to be the case. However, this disgraceful younger brother kept playing with his life without knowing his thoughts. Baek Cheol was swayed by Yu-Seong recklessly putting a knife to his own throat in order to let Do-Yoon and Yu-Ri escape.


    In fact, Ji-Ho knew that Yu-Seong¡¯s behavior was due to the desperate situation with Jin Yu-Ri, who had fainted behind him. He thought, ¡®I guess it¡¯s time to tell them that it was actually not poison gas but just a bit of strong sleeping gas.¡¯


    From the beginning, Ji-Ho had no intention of killing any of Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s people. The test in the Room of Sacrifice was literally just that: a test. A test that should have been taken no matter who came and wanted the treasure. Everyone would have different ways of finding the answers in the process.


    Of course, Ji-Ho had felt uncomfortable throughout the entire process. In fact, he had felt even more uncomfortable because the person in question was Choi Yu-Seong of all people. It would have been much easier for him to produce the desired results if it had been most of the other Choi siblings instead, who were cruel and heartless.


    ¡®Since the original answer to the Room of Sacrifice is to prove trust or dignity¡­¡¯


    The person chosen to be sacrificed should not blame the person who abandoned them, even in death. When they woke up from the drug effect and showed confidence that their choice was not wrong, the person who took the test could receive the treasure.


    Perhaps Ji-Ho guessed that most of the siblings would make this decision and prove that they were not only worthy of the treasure, but also worthy to be at the heart of the company. Even if it was a somewhat coercive loyalty, Ji-Ho intended to respect that. Therefore, he had created the Room of Sacrifice that forced people to make a rather terrible choice.


    However, if possible, Ji-Ho hoped that the person who took the treasure would naturally be trusted and respected by those around them, rather than someone who forced people into being loyal. There must have been such a person among the Choi siblings. Nevertheless, Yu-Seong had chosen a method different from the fixed answer.


    Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡®I thought it would be impossible to escape in the first place¡­¡¯


    After the Mana Resonance that had been yet to appear in the world and the choice of breaking down the stairs, Yu-Seong had even gambled with his life. His actions had been completely outside Ji-Ho¡¯s expectations.


    ¡®I should stop at this point. I lost.¡¯

 CH 41

    Choi Ji-Ho wanted to clear up the situation. In fact, judging from the Jin siblings¡¯ choices and Yu-Seong¡¯s behavior, his test had gone far beyond the level of ¡®acceptable.¡¯ He felt like it was still not enough even if he gave Yu-Seong an additional gift as an apology. Of course, he didn¡¯t expect that Yu-Seong would forgive him after Ji-Ho had stirred his heart up like this and made him feel awfully desperate. In fact, Ji-Ho would be pleased enough if Yu-Seong didn¡¯t go all-out in anger.


    With this thought, Ji-Ho pushed the wheelchair forward with his quick hands. For some reason, he felt somewhat uneasy watching Yu-Seong pushing a stone knife into his own neck.


    ¡®He wouldn¡¯t actually have the intention to die. But¡­ What if things go wrong?¡¯


    Ji-Ho suddenly opened his perpetually closed eyes. In the pure white eyes, where no black pupils were left, the scenery around him was reflected very clearly. A lake of red blood stained his view and Yu-Seong was falling in vain. Looking on, Baek Cheol roared in surprise. It sounded like a scream. From the eyes of the wolf that jumped over the moonlight, blood tears flowed.


    ¡°¡­?!¡± Ji-Ho trembled as he quickly closed his eyes.


    ¡®Oh, my gosh.¡¯


    Ji-Ho¡¯s clairvoyance was not an ability that would only activate when he wanted it to. Sometimes, when he thought deeply about someone, a short but intense vision could show up like this. The process was completely unknown to him, but the results he had seen were extremely terrible.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong. You vicious brat!¡¯


    After activating his future-seeing eye, Ji-Ho shivered from the painful and chilly coldness. It felt even more freezing than the north wind. However, he had no time to hesitate.


    ¡°Cough¡­!¡± Ji-Ho threw up blood that stained his white clothes. He activated Wind Control and lifted his body into the air. There wasn¡¯t enough time for him to try reaching Yu-Seong by rolling the wheelchair.


    ¡®There¡¯s¡­not much time left!¡¯


    For Choi Ji-Ho, it was a night when he felt extraordinarily frustrated with his body, which was different from how it used to be.


    ***


    In order for Do-Yoon to get out of the building safely and quickly, Baek Cheol¡¯s men had to retreat.


    ¡°That threat no longer works, young master.¡± However, Baek Cheol was somewhat laid back despite Yu-Seong¡¯s threats. He continued, ¡°Put the knife down. I know you do not intend to die anyway. Haven¡¯t I been fooled once already?¡±


    Instead of answering, Yu-Seong showed a smile. Then, he brought the sharply pointed stone knife deeper into his neck, feeling the burning pain. Now it wasn¡¯t just a sting anymore but he couldn¡¯t hesitate if he planned to save Yu-Ri.


    ¡®Skill, Insight activate.¡¯ Blue energy bloomed in Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes. It would be foolish to save his skills worrying about the usage limit when facing an S-rank hunter like Baek Cheol.


    Baek Cheol wriggled his thick eyebrows and looked directly into Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes, which were lit with blue flames.


    ¡°It¡¯s a skill called Insight. It allows me to predict the opponent¡¯s movements in advance. It¡¯s on a level that can¡¯t even be compared to the vision-reinforcement skill. I hope you don¡¯t judge recklessly.¡±


    It was usually rare for hunters to reveal their own abilities during a fight. Most abilities inherently had strengths and weaknesses. Moreover, an excellent hunter could predict movements and behavior patterns just by knowing their opponent¡¯s abilities. Therefore, it was taboo for a hunter to reveal their abilities unless having a good enough relationship to entrust their life to the other.


    However, Yu-Seong revealed some information about the blue flames¡ªhis Insight skill¡ªthat Baek Cheol had doubts about. He hoped that this would somewhat limit Baek Cheol¡¯s choice of action.


    ¡®In fact, there¡¯s no way I can predict the moves of an S-rank hunter who is trying his best no matter how powerful Insight is.¡¯


    Of course, it would actually become possible as Yu-Seong¡¯s rank and abilities developed. As always, deceit was a mixture of truth and lies.


    ¡°Young master, do you really think I¡¯ll believe your words?¡±


    ¡°Do not sound me out. I know you tried to hit me by kicking the rock on the floor just now, right? This is the first and last warning. Call your men back.¡±


    And fortunately, Yu-Seong could at least read the movements that were careful and slow.


    A smile appeared on Baek Cheol¡¯s lips.


    At that moment, Yu-Seong was convinced that his deceit had worked and smiled as well.


    ¡®What an amazing man.¡¯


    Baek Cheol was feeling impressed, despite trying to hide it. During the conversation with Yu-Seong, he glanced away and took a step back from the two while confirming the location of Do-Yoon, who was ready to jump up at any time.


    ¡®How should I do this?¡¯


    Baek Cheol¡¯s worries deepened. With a small test, he realized that Yu-Seong¡¯s Insight was as powerful as he said. On the other hand, Baek Cheol was now certain that Yu-Seong had no intention of dying.


    ¡®There¡¯s no way someone this thorough would take his own life so easily.¡¯


    Now, Baek Cheol seemed to have a grasp on Yu-Seong¡¯s character. The young master was cool-headed, calculating, and had never suffered a loss. Baek Cheol had encountered several people like this. A common personality type in the Comet Group. If there were some differences between them and Yu-Seong, it would be the innate bloodline and the inherent charisma, namely, dignity.


    ¡®He is the villainous hero of the era.¡¯


    Baek Cheol couldn¡¯t help but be prepared for an unexpected possibility. As if he had concluded his contemplation, Baek Cheol loosened his stance to run toward Yu-Seong at any time. He then placed his hand into his inner pocket.


    Yu-Seong furrowed his eyebrows when he saw Baek Cheol¡¯s movement, but no longer pressed the stone against his throat.


    Baek Cheol pulled out the wireless communicator with a smile, pressed the reception button, and opened his mouth. ¡°Test test, this is Alpha. Omega, withdraw everyone.¡±


    ¡ª Omega, proceed to withdraw.


    ¡ª Withdraw.


    Several voices were heard one after another over the communicator. As if to reassure the young master, Baek Cheol raised both arms toward Yu-Seong. ¡°Is this enough?¡±


    Yu-Seong nodded instead of answering. At the same time, Do-Yoon, who was standing back, jumped high into the sky. It was at that moment when Yu-Seong¡¯s Insight showed Baek Cheol throwing the communicator in his hand, like a surprise attack, just as he was feeling relieved.


    ¡®You dare¡­!¡¯


    When Yu-Seong frowned at that, a small piece of stone flew rapidly across his vision.


    ¡®It¡¯s fake¡­!¡¯


    It was a trick. Baek Cheol had merely moved his shoulder as if he were about to throw the communicator. It took advantage of the fact that a person¡¯s eyes had no choice but to see what was flying toward them first. Due to this fact, Baek Cheol had picked exactly the right moment to strike.


    Choi Yu-Seong looked at the flying stone and thought, ¡®If I get hit by that stone here¡­¡¯


    He would lose the stone knife he was holding onto. The result after that was obvious. He would be overwhelmed by Baek Cheol and the escaping Do-Yoon would also be surrounded. It was all going to be over.


    ¡®It can¡¯t be like that.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had promised to save Yu-Ri. He couldn¡¯t give up. If so, would he really risk his life and actually stab himself? Of course, he didn¡¯t want to do that.


    ¡®I want to live.¡¯


    Yu-Seong wanted to live somehow. That was why he had been enduring all this time. He had to come up with a way in a short time. Yu-Seong¡¯s mind spun wildly. Baek Cheol would truly panic if he died, and this was an undisputed fact. That meant that pretending to be dead could also be effective. He could buy time for Do-Yoon and Yu-Ri to run away. Of course, if he was to fake his own death, he couldn¡¯t half-ass it.


    ¡®I¡¯ll be in quite a lot of pain, but¡­there might be a way.¡¯


    Yu-Seong wracked his brain like crazy and decided to let the flying stone hit him first. Of course, this would also be very painful, but that pain was negligible compared to the pain that would follow.


    Just as Yu-Seong had made his decision, the stone thrown by Baek Cheol hit his wrist. Yu-Seong deliberately turned his right wrist so that the stone knife faced down to the left. With superhuman grit, Yu-Seong withstood the pain and used the force of the hit to point his improvised knife at his own chest, aiming at the upper left side.


    ¡®Because the human heart is lower than most people think, I¡¯m not actually going to die.¡¯


    However, there would be a lot of blood. And from the standpoint of an observer, it was bound to be a big surprise. Obviously, Yu-Seong would be in great pain, since he would have a knife in his chest. He even got ready to bite the tip of his tongue to cope with the burning sensation.


    ¡®It¡¯s no good if there¡¯s not enough blood¡­¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong was about to execute his own meticulous plan of faking death. When Baek Cheol saw through what he was doing, he darted at Yu-Seong with a surprised look in his eyes. Harsh energy swirled up as the wind tore through the gap between Baek Cheol and Yu-Seong.


    In an instant, the wind shattered the stone knife that Yu-Seong was holding onto. The stone knife crumbled into powder.


    ¡®My gosh!¡¯


    Yu-Seong was briefly surprised. The wind energy was definitely strong, but it only destroyed the stone knife and left no injury on his body. The skill of handling the energy was surprisingly precise and made him feel goosebumps.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    ¡®Who the hell is it?¡¯


    Yu-Seong did not have to search for the answer to the question. A hand paler than white jade flew in from where the wind had gone and snatched Yu-Seong¡¯s wrist. The owner of the hand, a young man with his eyes closed, was facing Yu-Seong with an angry look on his face. The opponent had his eyes closed, but Yu-Seong felt like he was clearly looking at him.


    ¡®Choi Ji-Ho.¡¯


    It was his first time meeting the man, but Yu-Seong could easily tell who he was. The man¡¯s soft, smiling face¡ªunlike the facial expression he had now¡ªcame to his mind as a very vague memory of the past¡­ Yu-Seong felt strange as Ji-Ho¡¯s caring and tender image in his memory overlapped with Ji-Ho¡¯s current red face full of anger.


    ¡°You insolent guy. Who told you to treat your life so recklessly?!¡± Choi Ji-Ho yelled fiercely.

 CH 42

    Watching Ji-Ho screaming angrily, Yu-Seong didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡®Why is he angry?¡¯


    In fact, he wanted to ask that question first. He didn¡¯t actually mean to die, but it was Ji-Ho who drove him to such a desperate situation that made him decide to pretend to do so. However, he struggled to ask that question when he saw Ji-Ho¡¯s sincere expression and the man¡¯s tears flowing from his closed eyes.


    ¡®What the hell is it?¡¯


    Rather, Yu-Seong was confused. Was the owner of the voice, who was tormenting him in the room of sacrifice, and the Ji-Ho in front of him really the same person? Actually, when thinking of the character in the original novel, this one seemed more suitable. Choi Ji-Ho was a righteous, good, and upright character. He was like a pretty flower that was forcibly cut by someone¡¯s hand even before he fully bloomed. However, he was a person whose personality did not stray far even though he was buried in ashes.


    ¡®Rather, the one in the room of sacrifice was more strange.¡¯


    Therefore, it was quite shocking that Ji-Ho had changed a lot from the original novel. Of course, Yu-Seong did think it was possible for Ji-Ho to change. The butterfly effect of Yu-Seong¡¯s possession into the novel was already spreading everywhere. However, what if Ji-Ho¡¯s change was impossible as expected?


    ''Maybe I was fooled from beginning to end.¡¯


    Yu-Seong¡¯s gaze suddenly turned to the blood-red stain on the pure white front of the modern hanbok.


    ¡°If you take your life like that, how would I, your hyung-nim dare to continue to live? Why on earth did you make that choice? How come?!¡± As Ji-Ho shouted harshly, a solid red line flowed out from the corner of his mouth. He was holding it in, but it was clear that his condition was quite bad.


    ¡°Master!¡± Baek Cheol ran to Ji-Ho with a surprised look.


    ¡°Captain Baek, please wait. This is a conversation between brothers!¡± Ji-Ho made an angry expression and waved his hand. He looked at Yu-Seong. ¡°Why, why did you choose to die? Did you think you¡¯d be satisfied if your death saved them? It was a foolish choice that others would not even think of. You silly little brother.¡±


    Ji-Ho poured out his words and then started to cough repeatedly. ¡°Cough, cough, blaargh-!¡±


    Baek Cheol quickly caught Ji-Ho, who vomited blood and fell from the air.


    ¡°If you die¡­ No, you must not die. Yu-Seong¡­ Please, I am begging you¡­ Please¡­¡± Ji-Ho seemed half unconscious as he trembled and talked by himself.


    ¡°I am sorry, young master¡ªYu-Seong. I cannot afford to explain the situation in person, so I will send someone else soon. Please trust me and wait here for a little bit.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Yu-Seong nodded lightly instead of answering. In his mind, he was already drawing a picture of the situation to some extent.


    ¡®It looks like I¡¯ve made an unnecessary fuss.¡¯


    Still, he felt relieved. Now that the situation has turned out like this, he was certain of one thing.


    ¡®Jin Yu-Ri would be fine.¡¯


    Yu-Ri would not die since she had gone down this mountain on Do-Yoon¡¯s back.


    ¡°What a relief,¡± Yu-Seong spoke quietly to himself, then collapsed in place as if he loosened up his exhausted heart and body at once.


    ***


    The next day, Yu-Seong woke up in the afternoon when the sun rose high. He could then hear all the explanations of the current circumstances that he had not heard last night. The only difference was that other people were by his side, not Baek Cheol¡¯s men as he had expected.


    ¡°¡­After all, the gas I tried so hard not to inhale was just a sleeping drug.¡± Jin Yu-Ri¡ªwho had returned to the mansion in the morning¡ªscratched her cheek as if she was embarrassed. She finished explaining to Yu-Seong by repeating what she had heard earlier.


    ¡°Is it a placebo effect? If I had known it was a sleeping drug, I think I could have opened my eyes in an emergency.¡±


    ¡°I heard it¡¯s a pretty powerful sleeping drug, so it couldn¡¯t be helped,¡± said Do-Yoon as if to comfort Jin Yu-Ri.


    Yu-Seong was lying on the bed. He looked at the two sitting on the left and right. He slowly raised his body and smiled. No matter how many times he thought about it, there was only one thing he wanted to say now, putting the various problems aside.


    ¡°Jin Yu-Ri.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I believed that Yu-Seong oppa would save me.¡±


    ¡°If I couldn¡¯t save you, you¡¯d blame me a lot, right?¡±


    ¡°I want to say yes, but no.¡± Yu-Ri was definitely ready for her death at that moment. She had hidden that feeling quite deep inside her eyes and smiled. ¡°I will never blame Yu-Seong oppa, probably until the moment I die. This is for sure.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because if there was no help from the young master, neither of us would be alive until now,¡± answered Do-Yoon. He gave a strong gaze with a strong will.


    ¡°You mean I saved you two?¡±


    If so, the memory may remain in Yu-Seong¡¯s mind in some form, similar to the case of Choi Woo-Jae and Choi Ji-Ho. There was a high chance that memories would come to mind if there were small clues from past experiences.


    ¡°That was¡­ When was that?¡± asked Yu-Seong. Likewise, he was curious about the story of the two which did not appear in the original novel. It was actually something he was very curious about.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? When the young master was young¡­¡±


    However, maybe Yu-Seong was out of luck because a big figure came over from the closed door at that moment. Naturally, the two people on alert turned around and raised their momentum.


    ¡°Keum, keheum¡­ Can I come in?¡±


    It was Baek Cheol. It was too bad for Yu-Seong to not hear the story from the two siblings, but it was very expected behavior for them to react sensitively. Even Yu-Seong stiffened for a moment.


    ¡°You can come in.¡±


    Baek Cheol carefully opened the door when he was given permission. He looked around at the three people, then knelt and bowed his head to Yu-Seong who was sitting in the center.


    ¡°First of all, I would like to offer my apologies to the young master, Yu-Seong.¡±


    ¡°Get up, please.¡±


    Yu-Seong no longer felt threatened by Baek Cheol and spoke in a polite tone. He knew very well that Baek Cheol had acted out of loyalty to Choi Ji-Ho. Even if Yu-Seong resented someone, the target would not be Baek Cheol.


    ¡°Master is not the one to blame. Rather, my side had suggested the test. I thought it was that much necessary to qualify for the treasure.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I understand, so please get up now.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Jin Do-Yoon, Ms. Jin Yu-Ri. I apologize to both of you. I understand you¡¯ve been hurt a lot by me.¡± Baek Cheol continued his apology while keeping his head bowed.


    However, neither Yu-Ri nor Do-Yoon opened their mouths to answer. Unlike Yu-Seong, they seemed to have a much stronger sense of vigilance and hostility toward Baek Cheol.


    ¡®Perhaps this is an expected response for them?¡¯


    Clearly, the two people thought that the situation like the room of sacrifice had happened because they couldn¡¯t handle Baek Cheol. In other words, their anger was quite deeply intertwined with themselves and Baek Cheol. Perhaps Baek Cheol was now a goal for the two people.


    ¡®A-rank and S-rank¡ªThe difference is not just one rank.¡¯


    And moreover, Baek Cheol would later be called the Lion King, the strongest physical type player. Do-Yoon and Yu-Ri had excellent talents, but they were definitely half a step below Baek Cheol.


    As such, it would be extraordinarily difficult if they set their goal as Baek Cheol. Of course, it was a good thing for Yu-Seong.


    ¡®It¡¯s great if the two do as well as Baek Cheol. And even if they can¡¯t, they¡¯ll get stronger very quickly.¡¯


    It was a mutually beneficial thing in many ways.


    "And I dare... I will accept it if you punish me¡­for trying to judge master Yu-Seong with my own eyes."


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°The moment young master Yu-Seong really tried to take your own life, I felt like the sky was falling. How great could my judgment and insight be to dare to grasp such a great caliber? If it weren¡¯t for Master, I would have lived with irreparable regret.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    Baek Cheol was now talking about Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s suicide attempt. Come to think of it, this fact seemed to make Yu-Ri and Do-Yoon¡¯s anger and resentment against Baek Cheol stronger. Then, should Yu-Seong confess now that he was just trying to just pretend to be dead? Of course, it was impossible for him to do that.


    ¡®Anyway, I was really trying to feel the dying pain.¡¯


    Yu-Seong made the excuses inside his heart and waved his hand. He said, ¡°That¡¯s enough. I¡¯ve forgotten about it.¡±


    At those words, Baek Cheol shuddered with his head down.


    ¡®Ah¡­! Young master Yu-Seong is a man of virtue, a truly great man.¡¯


    When Baek Cheol held admiration in his heart, Do-Yoon and Yu-Ri also looked at Yu-Seong with surprised eyes.


    ¡®What, why? Is this such a big deal?¡¯


    Yu-Seong didn¡¯t want to say that he had tried to pretend to be dead, but it seemed that his words had caused quite a stir. He scratched his cheek in embarrassment.


    ¡°And I beg you. I hope you do not blame my master too much.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± Yu-Seong was just about to say that he needed time to think when another figure came by the door. He could hear the sound of the pulling wheel along with the quiet and indifferent presence. Everyone¡ªincluding Yu-Seong¡ªcould only feel the presence over the door, but could easily guess who had come.


    ¡°May I come in for a moment?¡± It was a small but serene voice, the one belonging to Ji-Ho.


    ¡°Yes, hyung-nim.¡± Yu-Seong also replied in a calm voice.


    ***


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    In the room where everyone left except only two people. The brothers sat facing each other, and remained silent for a long time. It was Ji-Ho who broke the long silence first.


    ¡°¡­You can forget what Captain Baek said. Most of what he said was just made up for me.¡±


    ¡°Well, he didn¡¯t say much though.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that the room of sacrifice was built by me. And it was my choice to call you, Yu-Seong, to that room.¡±


    Yu-Seong already knew that Baek Cheol¡¯s loyalty toward Ji-Ho caused him to lie. He nodded insignificantly. ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°If you want to resent someone, you can resent me. If you really hate me enough to kill, I¡¯m ready to accept even that.¡±


    ¡°You told me not to die like that, but I guess you take your own death so lightly.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Choi Ji-Ho¡¯s face hardened at Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s sharp words.

 CH 43

    ¡°I don¡¯t blame hyung-nim too much. But that doesn¡¯t mean I like you. Honestly, I thought it would be okay, but when I look at you, I do feel angry.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± A slight sadness passed by Ji-Ho¡¯s face. He kept his mouth shut as if he had nothing to say.


    ¡®As expected, he is not a harsh person like the one in the original novel.¡¯


    Yu-Seong could guess Ji-Ho¡¯s innermost thoughts and continued saying after a short sigh in his heart, ¡°Nevertheless. I thought about it and tried to find the reason. And after making my own guess, I can understand why this happened. I don¡¯t know what the gift from father is, but it must be something great enough to be called a treasure, and so many people would be after it. In case such a thing is given recklessly and causes problems, there must be an agreement to not give it out to people who are not ready and could cause useless risks.¡±


    Yu-Seong drank the tea brought by Ji-Ho and wet his throat. The scent was quite deep and clear, and so honestly he felt like his swayed mind was calming down. ¡°That¡¯s probably what you were thinking.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re right. But that doesn¡¯t mean that I was right. It was a middle ground found after some struggle just because I could not just refuse father¡¯s orders.¡±


    This meant that, originally, the room of sacrifice was not a test prepared by Woo-Jae for obtaining the gift. However, Yu-Seong thought somewhat differently.


    ¡®Perhaps Father expected Ji-Ho hyung-nim would prepare for such a test?¡¯


    If one could not pass this test, then one did not even deserve to have the treasure. Doesn''t this truly sound like something that Choi Woo-Jae would have thought of?


    Yu-Seong laughed inwardly and threw out doubts and questions that he had in his head. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you straightforwardly. Hyung-nim, do you simply hate the fight between our siblings?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± For a moment, Ji-ho lifted the tea cup with a short silence. After drinking tea quietly, he soon nodded heavily. ¡°You are right. What father wanted was for the siblings to grow through strife, but I did not agree with that. This is something that I¡¯ve been thinking about since I was young and I¡¯ve tried a lot to make it come true. But in the end¡­¡±


    Someone who used Ji-Ho¡¯s soft touch had caused his downfall.


    ¡°Who is it? The one who made hyung-nim like this.¡±


    The original novel did not tell the story in detail.


    ¡®There¡¯s a lot of missing information.¡¯


    This was actually because the Comet Group¡¯s story fell by the wayside of the novel after Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s death. Therefore, even Yu-Seong could not complain that there was a gap in the setting.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll tell you?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    ¡°Even if the result is like this, my thoughts are the same as before. I think it would be nice if we stopped fighting meaninglessly without anyone getting hurt or hurting each other. You could say it¡¯s silly. That choice eventually made me like this¡­ But it looked like your choice last night was the same as mine.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­¡± Again, Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t say that he didn¡¯t really mean to die.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re different from me. And also¡­¡±


    Ji-Ho also wanted Yu-Seong to be different from other siblings, but he couldn¡¯t say anything more. Yu-Seong shouldn¡¯t follow after him. Moreover, Ji-Ho also didn¡¯t want Yu-Seong to be cold-hearted like other siblings. Then, what should he be like? It was unreasonable and excessively greedy for Ji-Ho to expect Yu-Seong to find the answer to a problem that even he did not know.


    ¡°My goal is just to live a moderately good life, but¡­¡±


    Speaking of which, this also made no sense considering what Yu-Seong was like last night. Yu-Seong had no choice but to keep making awkward faces.


    ¡°No. Sorry for nagging you. I do not deserve to do so, since I am a sinner.¡±


    ¡°As I said, I do not like you, but I don¡¯t resent you hyung-nim. Of course, I don¡¯t even think of you as a ¡®sinner.¡¯ That¡¯s hair-raising.¡±


    Yu-Seong could understand more about Ji-Ho, who did not appear in the original book, now that he was facing the man in person.


    ¡®He is a fragile but strong person.¡¯


    Ji-Ho was weak-hearted, so soft and good that he hurt himself. However, he had no regrets about his choice. Perhaps he still wanted to change the family¡¯s manner if he had a chance. However, he was afraid that someone else would follow his way. He must be thinking that the sacrifice he made was enough after all. In a different sense, Ji-Ho was an impressive person.


    ¡®As a person, he¡¯s more like bamboo rather than a flower.¡¯


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    Bamboo could be broken, but it would not bend. Even yet, the bamboo called Ji-Ho had not been completely broken.


    ¡°Thank you for saying that. But before I give you the treasure, can you promise me one thing?¡±


    ¡°Can I hear it first and decide?¡± asked Yu-Seong.


    Ji-Ho smirked. ¡°At least you seem smarter than me. Seeing that you don¡¯t recklessly make decisions.¡±


    ¡°Please tell me what you want first.¡±


    ¡°Do not handle your life recklessly. That thing should never happen again by any means.¡±


    That was for sure. From the beginning, Yu-Seong had no intention of dying. So he gave a bright smile and sincerely answered Ji-Ho, ¡°Of course. I absolutely do not want to die, so I¡¯ll live a long life.¡±


    "You''re a good speaker."


    ¡°That¡¯s something I hear quite often. So, where is the gift?¡±


    Looking at Yu-Seong urging him, Ji-Ho thought that Yu-Seong slightly resembled Choi Woo-Jae.


    ¡®If he is someone like this, maybe I¡¯ve been worrying too much about him.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had a good and upright heart, a personality that could be trusted by the people around him. Also, he knew how to calculate like Choi Woo-Jae and make bold decisions. Finally, Ji-Ho could understand why Woo-Jae had sent Yu-Seong to him first than anyone else.


    ¡°The treasure is not far away. It¡¯s right here.¡± Choi Ji-Ho stretched out and extended his hand to Yu-Seong.


    Yu-Seong initially had a rather skeptical face, but soon became surprised. ¡°This¡­ Is this real?¡± He looked at Ji-Ho and asked. His voice unconsciously quavered.


    ***


    The player¡¯s equipment in this world was broadly classified into three categories. The first was the items made on Earth that were generally the easiest to obtain. Of course, even those items varied in price depending on performance. In the case of the handmade products made by the equipment manufacturer-type players, the price was raised to a ridiculous level. The equipment currently worn by Yu-Seong belonged to this category.


    The second category was the treasures from another world that were purchased from the Dimensional Merchants. Although there were also many items with unknown origins, their ability often exceeds those of items made on Earth. These items could only be purchased with karma points, cannot be transferred to others, and even had a rank restriction when wearing the item. In fact, the scariest thing about owning the treasure from another world was that it was impossible to transfer to others but it was possible to rob others. And this robbery was not possible for a living person. A treasure with powerful power that could be stolen by killing! It was like a double-edged sword. Thus, those who actually use the treasures of another world were known to be at least A-rank or higher.


    And third and the last, there were the equipment called ancient relics. These items were found very rarely in Earth¡¯s old remains, ruins, or dungeons but it was known to be as rare and effective as the treasure of another world.


    However, there was a great advantage that was very distinct from the treasures of another world. These equipment were transferable.


    ¡®Other kinds of equipment will also appear as time goes on, but¡­¡¯


    Currently, for Yu-Seong, it was a rather distant story. However, the ring on Ji-Ho¡¯s ring finger of his right hand was none other than that rare ancient relic. Therefore, Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.


    Ji-Ho had an odd face when he saw Yu-Seong¡¯s reaction. ¡°From your reaction, it seems that you already know what this ring is.¡±


    At Ji-Ho¡¯s words, Yu-Seong came to his senses as if cold water poured on his head. His face turned red.


    ¡®Oops.¡¯


    He made such a mistake because he was so excited as the doubts led to some degree of certainty.


    ¡®I always make mistakes in the end.¡¯


    Like when Yu-Seong did it in front of Chae Ye-Ryeong, it seemed to be his kind of habit to eventually make mistakes after doing everything else pleasantly.


    ¡°No need to panic. Rumors that I have this ring have been circulated in the family for a while, so a clever kid like you might already know it.¡±


    It was the first time Yu-Seong had ever heard of such news. As said, his information was from just a scrappy story from the original novel. Even so, many things went wrong due to the butterfly effect.


    ¡®At first, I thought I could easily go through everything because I already knew the future¡­¡¯


    In this state, the advantage of knowing the future seemed to soon disappear as time passed. Therefore, it was necessary to secure maximum safety requirements before too many things changed. The ring on the ring finger of Ji-Ho¡¯s right hand¡ªnow in front of Yu-Seong¡ªalso belonged to such items.


    ¡°Your prediction is right. This ring, the Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice, is one of the ancient relics that our entire Comet Group officially owns about only ten.¡± Ji-Ho clarified about the ring with a calm voice.


    Whether he read the confidence in Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes or thought that it didn¡¯t matter to let him know remained to be seen, because it was a gift to be given to Yu-Seong anyway. He slid the ring out of his finger and placed it on his own palm.


    ¡°I was in charge of it for a while and now it¡¯s yours.¡±


    Choi Yu-Seong gulped and looked at Ji-Ho with a trembling gaze. He could understand anew why Kim Pil-Doo had spoken so sharply and why Choi Ji-Ho had even prepared a test to determine if he deserved the gift.


    ¡®Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice! It comes out in the original novel as Choi Mi-Na¡¯s treasure, but this must be originally received from Ji-Ho hyung-nim.¡¯


    Choi Mi-Na was the second child of the Choi family, and was an enigmatic woman like a beam who would later succeed the Comet Group after Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s death. Her personality was simply¡ªcrotchety. Even Choi Woo-Jae¡ªwho could be regarded as the absolute ruler of the family¡ªcould not easily control her due to her unpredictable fickle personality. Nevertheless, there was only one reason why Choi Woo-Jae did not particularly suppress her.


    ¡®She is too strong.¡¯


    Although it had not been revealed at this point, as a hunter Choi Mi-Na already rose to the same level as Choi Woo-Jae, who was considered the strongest in the family. Not as a business owner, but just purely as a hunter with more than Choi Ji-Ho. Choi Woo-Jae might have already fully recognized her as his successor and put his hands off if it wasn¡¯t for her reckless unpredictable personality.


    ¡®Because originally she¡¯s a monster whose growth potential is within five fingers of the entire worldview in the novel.¡¯


    When the entire Comet Group was busying themself to catch Kim Do-Jin after he killed Choi Woo-Jae, there was only one time she went into the battle herself. And in the battle, Kim Do-Jin surprisingly faced a near-death crisis which was a rare thing in the novel.

 CH 44

    Of course, the final winner was Kim Do-Jin. No matter how powerful Choi Mi-Na was, she could not surpass the main character buff of the novel. From Yu-Seong¡¯s perspective as a reader, there was a small question left¡ªwhether Choi Mi-Na perhaps could really defeat Kim Do-Jin.


    ¡®Because it didn¡¯t seem strange even if Choi Mi-Na won, based on the descriptions or narratives at the time.¡¯


    Kim Do-Jin was A-rank when he killed Choi Woo-Jae, while Choi Mi-Na was already described as a high-leveled S-rank at the beginning of the novel. As it was the story of about two years later from that time period, maybe Choi Mi-Na had reached SS-rank. Obviously, the original novel did not mention this part at all. Perhaps it was a choice to eliminate the separation between the story and the reality for the readers.


    Of course, Yu-Seong was not the only one who had doubts. Many readers did question whether the main character¡¯s adjustment was excessive.


    ¡®Yeah, it was a little too much at that point.¡¯


    Five years later, Kim Do-Jin was definitely stronger than Choi Mi-Na. This was because even after the fight with Mi-Na, he had grown by overcoming many other crises. He surpassed SS-rank from A-rank, achieved an EX-Rank which was the rank for ones beyond the ordinary people, and became the perfect superhuman. Moreover, he regained all the power he had accumulated in the other dimension before returning.


    However, a thought suddenly came to Yu-Seong¡¯s mind. ¡®Possibly, Choi Mi-Na heard something from Ji-Ho hyung-nim?¡¯


    In the novel¡¯s scenario in which the Comet Group mainly hindered Do-Jin¡¯s move, there were only two people who had somewhat taken an unexpected step back, Choi Ji-Ho and Choi-Mi Na. Also, ancient relics such as Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice were the symbol of Choi Mi-Na. A picture came to Yu-Seong¡¯s mind at once, but it was too blurry.


    As Yu-Seong shook his head inwardly, Ji-Ho tilted his head while bringing the Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice closer to him. He asked, "Do you feel pressured or something, now that you are actually receiving it?"


    ¡°That is not it. Since now it¡¯s mine, of course I have to take it.¡± Yu-Seong no longer hesitated and quickly grabbed Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice. Then, he put it on his right palm. The cool yet cold touch of metal seemed to calm him down. He had to contain his excitement.


    ¡®I should let go of something that¡¯s not even certain and enjoy the present. Anyway, this precious thing has really come into my hands.¡¯


    Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice was a B-rank ancient relic item. In a way, it seemed to be rather low-grade, but it was no exaggeration to say that it is the best treasure that can be obtained right now for Yu-Seong.


    ¡®Because Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice has at least three functions.¡¯


    The first function was regarding transmutation. Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice was basically in the form of a ring, but it could be anything that belonged to inanimate objects according to the will of the wearer. It could be changed merely into a book or glasses, or even be changed significantly into a weapon or clothing.


    ¡®On top of that, it also can save the appearance I imagined.¡¯


    The second function was the self-repair ability. Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice was never worn out or broken completely. As it was an ancient relic, its durability was much higher than that of the general items made on Earth and it did not take long to return to its original form even if it was damaged.


    From these two abilities alone one could conclude that Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice was certainly a magnificent equipment, but the most important part for Yu-Seong was the third ability.


    ¡®One of the few ancient relics with no wearing restrictions.¡¯


    The problem with most of the equipment of both another world¡¯s treasure and ancient relics was that the limit of the rank for wearing it was quite high. This was the most troublesome part for Yu-Seong as he was only a level eight E-rank player.


    ¡®As far as I can remember, the lowest ancient relic¡¯s wearing limit was around rank-C level sixty¡­¡¯


    That was not even close to the current rank and level of Yu-Seong. However, there was no such limit on Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice.


    The mere fact that it had such advantages as the ancient relic with powerful performance made it valuable enough. Yu-Seong picked the ring with a slightly shaky hand and slowly inserted it into his right ring finger like Ji-Ho. The strange trembling sense of mana wrapped around his whole body like scanning and quickly disappears. There was no doubt about it. This sense was proof that this ancient relic was genuine. Yu-Seong was somewhat lost in the thrill.


    Ji-Ho looked at the dazed Yu-Seong with a satisfied gaze. ¡°The Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice was a gift from father. I also prepared a few more gifts as an apology.¡±


    This was not the end? Yu-Seong widened his eyes as he thought that he already had received a full and overflowing reward with Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice alone.


    ¡°I will gratefully receive it, hyung-nim. Thank you.¡±


    Obviously, he had no intention of rejecting the gift.


    ***


    Since the solo face-to-face meeting between Choi Yu-Seong and Choi Ji-Ho began, the three who got kicked out of the room were standing along with a cold vibe. If one had to pick the most uncomfortable person here, it would definitely be Baek Cheol.


    Baek Cheol felt like he was going crazy as he, walked on eggshells around the two people in front of him and worried about what would happen inside the room. However, it was alright for him to feel a little uncomfortable, he just had a small wish.


    ¡®I hope the young master, Yu-Seong, is not too angry with my Master¡­¡¯


    Fortunately, there was no loud voice in the room yet. Perhaps the conversation must be continuing smoothly and quietly. Actually, Baek Cheol could eavesdrop on the talk if he concentrated, but he didn¡¯t want to. This was because he thought it would be rude to both Ji-Ho and Yu-Seong.


    Baek Cheol struggled to suppress his desire to jump up and down in anxiety and instead, calmly talked to the two in a cold manner. ¡°The more I know about Young master, Yu-Seong, the more he seemed like a person of greater caliber.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Obviously, there was no answer coming back. Baek Cheol continued to talk alone, even in a somewhat awkward situation. ¡°I know these words will not comfort both of you. However, sadly, there is not much time left for my master to live. On the day the end comes, I will go to the young master¡¯s side and serve him for the rest of my life no matter what happens. Please understand that I can only apologize in this way because all I have is this one body.¡±


    Baek Cheol bowed his head deeply and clenched his fists. It did not matter how his words sounded to them. He sincerely felt sorry for the two and Yu-Seong and greatly admired him.


    ¡®How magnificent he looked when he nonchalantly said that he had forgotten about everything even though I almost drove him to death¡­¡¯


    He was ashamed of the word ¡®villainous hero¡¯ that he came up with no matter how many times he thought about it. At least to Baek Cheol, Yu-Seong was a hero with a noble personality with great cause he could not dare even to imagine. A real man of virtue who knew how to sacrifice himself for others. Baek Cheol wanted to be with Yu-Seong for the rest of his life after Ji-Ho rested in peace. If he did so, he could be confident that he lived an unashamed life on the day he died. He would not be able to console them with just a few words.


    Contrary to Baek Cheol¡¯s expectations that they would remain silent, Yu-Ri opened her mouth to speak. ¡°¡­Do not forget.¡± She turned her eyes and looked at Baek Cheol¡¯s firm brown eyes. ¡°The promise you made just now, you must keep it. When that time comes, you must definitely become Yu-Seong oppa¡®s supporter no matter what.¡±


    ¡°I, Baek Cheol, had never broken any promise before.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll believe you.¡±


    As Jin Yu-Ri nodded with a strange smile on her lips, Ji-Ho came out from the tightly closed door with a more relaxed face. The first thing that Ji-Ho did after opening the door was to bow deeply toward Yu-Ri and Do-Yoon. He said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I would like to apologize to both of¡­¡±


    Before he completed his saying, the Jin siblings hurriedly tried to stop Ji-Ho, flustered.


    ¡°There is no need to say more,¡± said Yu-Ri.


    ¡°Apologizing to the young master is enough, sir.¡±


    The Jin siblings were not the only ones to be flustered.


    ¡°Master.¡± Baek Cheol¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpected situation.


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t stop me. How much heartache have you two suffered to merely overcome my standards?¡±


    ¡°But you, the first young master, are Yu-Seong oppa¡®s older brother. How could we receive your bow?¡± Yu-Ri shook her head in front of Ji-Ho with a flustered expression. ¡°As my brother said, the apology to Yu-Seong oppa is enough.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Please raise your head, sir.¡±


    Ji-Ho sighed deeply at Jin Do-Yoon¡¯s request, and slowly raised his body.


    ¡°Cough.¡± At the same time, blood splattered as he coughed.


    ¡®How bony.¡¯


    Do-Yoon suddenly looked at Ji-Ho¡¯s shoulder. Just as Baek Cheol mentioned, the skeleton without any flesh indicated that there was not much time left in his life.


    ¡®I heard he had lost most of his abilities after the incident... Is it the aftereffect?¡¯


    Although Ji-Ho¡¯s representative abilities were Wind Control and future foresight, he had many more abilities that supported him to such a position. However, many of them disappeared on the day Ji-Ho got into an accident in a dungeon.


    Ji-Ho suffered limb muscle vein loss, vision loss, and even mana reflux, and disappeared from the Choi family and the entire Comet Group. It was also surprising that he was hiding in such a remote place, but it was even more shocking to look at the reality that he had only heard of.


    ¡°Cough, I am sorry. I am truly sorry.¡± Ji-Ho continued to show his respect as much as possible even while coughing up blood. Then, he slowly leaned on the wheelchair. It was because he had moved directly again when the aftermath of last night¡¯s excessive movement still remained.


    Baek Cheol wanted to dissuade Ji-Ho, but he didn¡¯t dare. ¡®He won¡¯t even listen to me anyway.¡¯


    The Choi family¡¯s stubbornness was not just expressed by Choi Woo-Jae. When Baek Cheol was sighing inwardly, Yu-Seong came out as if running at the sudden cough and looked at Ji-Ho. ¡°Hyung-nim, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°After resting¡­a bit¡­ I¡¯ll be fine. You don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day. This is not a good place to stay for a long time.¡± Ji-Ho waved his hand and left as if running away. Baek Cheol hurriedly bowed his head deeply to Yu-Seong and Jin siblings then quickly followed him.


    ¡®Is he really alright?¡¯


    Ji-Ho in the original novel would die after three years. However, looking at his back now, Yu-Seong was worried that the time might come sooner than he thought. Yu-Seong had to go through a big test and hardship, but he thought it was not easy to hate Ji-Ho when he saw the man¡¯s tearful face in front of him. Though, it seemed that it was not simply because of just that.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    ¡®¡­He is the only person in the family who cares about me with a pure heart.¡¯


    To Yu-Seong, the weight of that was by no means shallow.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want him to die¡­ Would there be any way?¡¯


    It seemed that one more concern was added today, though Yu-Seong didn¡¯t dislike that fact at all.

 CH 45

    On the way home, Yu-Seong thought in the silent car.


    ¡®I¡¯ve gained a lot from this journey.¡¯


    Ji-Ho¡¯s gifts and the stories about him, which continued on after handing over Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice, were surprising enough to make Yu-Seong feel that the ancient relic was somewhat incidental.


    Ji-Ho said that he would make sure that no one in the family could hinder Yu-Seong¡¯s growth or threaten him for a while. To be precise, it would be Choi Mi-Na¡¯s help rather than Choi Ji-Ho himself taking action.


    Ji-Ho was the only one in the family, other than Choi Woo-Jae, who was not estranged from Choi Mi-Na. In addition, Mi-Na had promised to unconditionally comply with three requests from Ji-Ho. From this, Yu-Seong could assume their rather civil and polite relationship.


    Anyway, if Mi-Na, the second oldest, stepped up in some way and blocked the dangers toward Yu-Seong, the other siblings wouldn¡¯t dare to step out. As mentioned, she had a fairly powerful force since no one knew how she would behave and when she would act out. In a sense, she was more difficult than Choi Woo-Jae, so none of his siblings wanted to confront her directly.


    This allowed Yu-Seong to overcome the penalty of lagging behind his other siblings as a result.


    ¡®Although he said it would last only for about a year.¡¯


    However, considering Mi-Na¡¯s unpredictable character, even a year was considered a long time for her to be tied to such a request. And with that, Yu-Seong was already confident of building skills and infrastructure, as well as dealing with his other siblings.


    ¡®And also, Yu-Ri seems to have already prepared to some extent.¡¯


    From Yu-Seong¡¯s ability as a game director originally, he could picture his direction to move on other than leveling mapping in more detail.


    Secondly, Yu-Seong received one more ring as a gift. Surprisingly, the second ring he received was also an ancient relic. It was a hidden trump that Ji-Ho personally had, not belonging to the family nor the Comet Group. It was a type that had no rank limitation when wearing it, like the Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice.


    ¡®It¡¯s actually more valuable than Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice.¡¯


    The ring was called ¡®Jump Ring¡¯. Its rank as an ancient relic was S+, which allowed the wearer and person within a 10cm radius to jump through space up to 1km, but the number of uses was limited to two times.


    ¡®And hyung-nim said one of the trials was already used when he had to escape from that dungeon accident.¡¯


    Thus, there was only one time left. It could be seen as one insignificant use, but it could also be used as a means to save Yu-Seong¡¯s life at an extremely dangerous moment. This was Ji-Ho¡¯s gift of apology in his own way.


    And in fact, the last gift that shocked Yu-Seong the most was information regarding the future that Ji-Ho had seen.


    ¨C Kim Do-Jin. That person will kill Father. And I also saw the future of your terrible death. It¡¯s a very sad thing, but I don¡¯t dare to stop him. Yu-Seong, a great threat is approaching this world. And the person who can stop it is¡­


    ¡°Kim Do-Jin.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? What about him all of a sudden?'''' asked Yu-Ri. She was surprised by Yu-Seong¡¯s sudden self-talk.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    It was a story that Yu-Seong already knew since that had always been destined. It was a scenario written in the original novel. Would it still be the same now?


    ¡®Possibly, it¡¯s different now.¡¯


    However, there was no certainty that the large parts had changed. What if Kim Do-Jin kills Choi Woo-Jae without Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s help? Just thinking like this meant that Yu-Seong¡¯s death could also come from somewhere unexpected.


    Of course, he also wanted to ask Ji-Ho. The future may have changed now, so he wanted to ask him to check it. However, Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t ask.


    Ji-Ho said that he had lost most of his remaining life in exchange for seeing the distant future that he did not even want to know. If he tried to see another distant future like that, Ji-Ho may die at that moment.


    Yu-Seong did not want that to happen.


    ¡®Let¡¯s not dwell on it. Knowing the future that was supposed to happen was only a part of my capabilities anyway.¡¯


    It would be nice to use that capability as much as possible to create the future he wanted, but he did not have to rely entirely on it as if that was his only capability. To do that, he had to make sure he had a relationship with someone really important.


    ¡®It would be nice if I could assuage his resentment.¡¯


    It had been a long time since he gave up on the comfy thought that he had at the beginning that he should simply stay away from Do-Jin. He needed something more definite than that.


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin.¡¯


    Yu-Seong recited that name once again inwardly and opened his cell phone. He could see Do-Jin¡¯s message from a week ago but it had not yet been read. Yu-Seong checked and sent a message.


    ¡®Do you have time tomorrow? Let¡¯s have a light drink.¡¯


    Yu-Seong wouldn¡¯t be able to find an answer unless he took the time to talk with the man.


    ***


    B-rank hunter Baek Ah-Rin was the talent that everyone wanted, not only by parties but also by guilds and the Player Association. Some guilds even wanted her more than Kim Do-Jin, the current hottest rookie.


    In a way, it was a matter of course. Baek Ah-Rin was a person with both heal-type and support-type abilities which were rare even among Psychic type players. Even hunters who risked their lives to go to the dungeon did not mean that they were not afraid of death or pain. Naturally, the existence of heal-type healers and support-type buffers became inevitably precious.


    Healers could not only heal minor injuries but also could reattach even a hand if cut off, and Buffers could provide a protective shield or lead strong ability improvement that increased the stability of the attack.


    Those two were recognized as indispensable for both parties and the team of attackers, but Baek Ah-Rin could do both of those roles alone.


    Moreover, some even described her as a Saintess because her beauty was beyond those of decent celebrities. Whether her beauty or her ability, Baek Ah-Rin was one who was fascinating enough to be coveted by everyone.


    ¡°But how could you not like me?¡±


    Baek Ah-Rin cried out with a face full of dissatisfaction while she looked at the back of Kim Do-Jin, who just slaughtered five sixth-rank Great Ants alone. Even though it was quite a fierce battle, there was no single tarnish in his outfit. Such appearance of Do-Jin became more attractive to Baek Ah-Rin.


    "Why are you following someone who doesn''t like you?"


    Kim Do-Jin sighed deeply and said with a frown as if he was annoyed.


    ¡°That¡¯s because I like you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re casually saying something that will make your fans cry when they hear it.¡±


    Baek Ah-Rin frowned at Kim Do-Jin¡¯s cold words and pouted her lips. ¡°Did I ask you for a date? I¡¯m just asking you to set up a guild together.¡±


    ¡°You are being too loud. That¡¯s all for today.¡±


    Kim Do-Jin shook the blood off the sword and put it in the sheath. He then walked toward the dungeon exit.


    ¡°Hey, can¡¯t you hear me? Let¡¯s make a guild together. I¡¯ll let you be the vice president,¡± chattered Baek Ah-Rin who quickly chased after him.


    It was this part.


    ¡°No need,¡± Kim Do-Jin frowned once more and said.


    ¡°Seriously, why not?¡±


    Kim Do-Jin stopped walking for a moment. His eyebrows wriggled then he showed a grin. ¡°How many times have I told you? It¡¯s because I¡¯m not the president.¡±


    ¡°Ah, what¡¯s important about that? Hey hey, Kim Do-Jin. How about a co-representative?¡±


    "I refuse. It''s not my thing to collaborate with anyone."


    ¡°Wow, are you really going to be like this? It¡¯s already confirmed that we can be good partners.¡±


    ¡°Not sure about that, yet.¡±


    Unlike unemotional Do-Jin, Baek Ah-Rin got a hunch the moment she came across him in the dungeon a few days ago.


    ¡®This guy is the one.¡¯


    He was the suitable person for the guild she was planning to create after ignoring the pouring love calls from all over the place.


    He was the charismatic figure who could bridge her gap¨Cher lacking experience and ability to discern¨Cand keep the balance of the guild. She liked him a lot more than what she heard on the grapevine. However, Kim Do-Jin fiercely rejected her proposal. She followed him and tried to show him her abilities that forcibly possessed numerous guilds and the association chairman to chase her, but it did not work.


    On the contrary, Baek Ah-Rin seemed to be the one falling for Kim Do-Jin as time went by. Eventually, she wanted to be the position of guild president but had no choice but to declare giving up.


    ¡°Ah, fine. President! You become the guild president. Instead, do me a favor.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Kim Do-Jin stopped walking.


    ¡®It¡¯s needless to say that she is at the top among the same rank as a support-type user. Besides, her reaction speed and self-defense ability are pretty good. Much better than a decent D-rank physical-type player. She¡¯s indeed useful.¡¯


    He reacted to her, just because deep down, he thought that her ability was quite excellent, although he did not easily recognize others.


    ¡°Continue on.¡±


    ¡°We can talk about it after the guild is built¡­¡± Ah-Rin spoke quickly. Her face completely lit up at Do-Jin¡¯s response.


    ¡°What a useless conversation.¡±


    Kim Do-Jin blew the cold wind and soon found the escape portal.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not a big request, seriously. I mean, it¡¯s just there are things I really want to do after creating a guild.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever think it could be a useless nuisance?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a nuisance! Just buy the guild¡¯s office building that I desire! I¡¯ll pay for it.¡±


    Again, Do-Jin stopped his steps. ¡°A building?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a place I really want to buy, you know. But it¡¯s in an unauthorized area unless it¡¯s a guild¡­¡± Ah-Rin sighed deeply and continued to talk. ¡°I¡¯d like to do it under my company¡¯s name if possible. That¡¯s why I suggested a co-representative. If not, I¡¯ll be satisfied as vice president. But I just want you to use the office building that I have chosen, not anywhere else.¡±


    Do-Jin finally understood why she did not move even though there were love calls from numerous guilds and the Association.


    ¡°Office building, huh¡­ How about any other cost of creating the guild?¡±


    ¡°Once I buy the company building, I won¡¯t have that much money. Above all, you¡¯re the President. That''s just daylight robbery!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. Text me the location of the office building.¡±


    ¡°Ah, hey?¡±


    When you''re just trying to make great content at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    Kim Do-Jin went out of the portal after his last words. Ah-Rin chased him out of the dungeon, but he was already entering the storage room quite far away.


    ¡°You¡¯re so fast!¡±


    Do-Jin moved his feet quickly while ignoring Ah-Rin¡¯s shout from behind. Do-Jin¡¯s expression changed strangely as he opened his locker and took out his cell phone. There was a message.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s asking to meet tomorrow?¡¯


    Do-Jin finally got the time for a rendezvous with him, after Yu-Seong pulled out awfully many times. This was a rare opportunity. At that moment, an idea flashed through Do-Jin¡¯s mind.


    ¡®Guild, huh¡­ It might not be bad if it went well.¡¯


    Kim Do-Jin was already looking forward to tomorrow.

 CH 46

    Late dawn, a crocodile man covered with thick leather and scales was speeding along the Gangbyeon north expressway. He moved hastily, from running on the road with his two feet, crossing the enormous Han River bridge with a single leap, to even occasionally jumping into the river to hide. However, his movement was much faster than most of the vehicles running at around 100 km/h late at night.


    After running for a long time, the crocodile man submerged in the dark shade under the bridge. Only the top of his head and eyes could be seen just above the water¡¯s surface.


    ¡®At this point, he can¡¯t chase me anymore, right?¡¯


    There was a mixture of fear, worry, and anger in the crocodile man¡¯s eyes. These emotions were rather inappropriate and odd for someone who was very much like a wild predator.


    ¡®Fricking Korean Special Police Force bastards!¡¯


    The crocodile man was a foreigner. His real name was Yevgeny, a Russian mafia who was recorded as an A-rank Villain by the WPA, the World Player Association. Fifteen days ago, he had fled to Korea after a massive murder case due to conflict between organizations in Vladivostok. He had intended to stay under the radar for a while in Korea as he had entered through a disguised identity and fake visa. After all, the moment he got caught by the Russian Militsiya (the Soviet police in the past, the villain hunter group in the novel), things would become troublesome.


    As with all his problems, this one took place at a small lounge bar in Itaewon¡¯s [1] business district when he began flirting with a woman with the intention of taking her to bed.


    The bar owner was quite a beauty, so Yevgeny was overwhelmed by a desire to sleep with her somehow as soon as he saw her. Although Yevgeny had traveled to quite a few countries, such as Italy, France, the United States, Japan, and his home country Russia, he could bet there were only a handful of women as beautiful as her.


    He easily drank an entire bottle of vodka, lowering his inhibitions and intensifying his inner conflict. He soon decided that, even if he had to leave Korea, he would not be afraid to mess up. In fact, the task wasn''t difficult for him.


    Unlike his usual self, Yevgeny ignored the other women who shot curious looks at his blond hair and blue eyes, and waited until the owner of the bar got off work¡­ By the time the bar closed, there would always be dark alleys no matter how bright downtown was. Yevgeny hid in a dark alley while waiting with a gloomy gaze for the beautiful owner to leave work.


    However, an unexpected event occurred. From the back of the dark alley where Yevgeny was hiding, someone quietly approached, swinging a huge Claymore that aimed to cut his head in half.


    ¡°What the?!¡± Yevgeny shouted with wide eyes when he avoided the attack somewhat instinctively.


    However, the mystery person wearing a mask of a big-eyed rabbit character¡ªthat was quite like the characters in old animations¡ªdid not answer. The person simply swung the great sword suddenly once again.


    Yevgeny was frightened by the movement, which he couldn¡¯t even follow, and had no choice but to transform his appearance and flee without thinking about anything else. He couldn¡¯t understand it at first, but as he ran, he could soon guess that the mystery man was from the Korean Special Police Force that he had heard on the grapevine.


    ¡®I remember hearing that they act while wearing a strange mask to hide their identity¡­¡¯


    Yevgeny trembled. The big eyes of the rabbit mask¡ªwhich might seem cute to someone else¡ªfelt creepy to him.


    ¡®He must have given up by now, right?¡¯


    While the opponent¡¯s attacks were fast, the pursuit seemed to be slower. Yevgeny could not sense his opponent¡¯s movement from the middle of the run. Still, Yevgeny remained quiet just in case.


    However, even after 10 minutes, Yevgeny could not sense the bizarre rabbit mask anywhere.


    ¡®I should leave Korea now that my identity¡¯s been revealed.¡¯


    The fact that the hunters from the Special Police Force, who was in charge of Villains, chased him meant that both his identity and situation had already become known to the Korea Player Association. Although, it was very regrettable that he couldn¡¯t do anything about the lady owner he last saw in Itaewon, the pleasure of his lower part was not more precious than his life.


    ¡®I¡¯ll just hide for another five minutes and then start going out slowly.¡¯


    He planned on running straight to Incheon Airport right after that because he didn¡¯t want to see the terrible rabbit mask ever again.


    ¡°The water temperature must be quite low, but you¡¯re good at putting up with it. Is it because you¡¯re a cold-blooded animal transformation type? Aren¡¯t you cold?¡±


    A quick look at tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w will leave you more fulfilled.


    A rather low-pitched female voice was heard above Yevgeny¡¯s head.


    ¡°Damn!¡± Yevgeny hurriedly rushed out from the water when the river he had been hiding in soared like an explosion. The thick claymore split the river. He gasped inwardly at the opponent''s tremendous strength and burst into laughter pretending to be relaxed. ¡°Puhaha! Zayats(§Ù§Ñ§ñ§è). Shall we see if you can play well inside the water too?¡±


    ¡°You''re in Korea. Speak Korean, you trash.¡±


    As Yevgeny spoke in a mix of Russian and English, the rabbit-masked person once again swung the sword, grumbling as if she didn¡¯t like that.


    Along with a loud ¡®bang¡¯, the water rained down on the roofs of cars that were driving on the Banpo Bridge. In the meantime, Yevgeny chose to dive deep into the Han River while cursing inwardly as he saw the impact of the water splitting in half right in front of his nose.


    ¡®I did expect it, but she was truly a monster.¡¯


    His animal instinct did not choose to escape in vain. However, wouldn¡¯t it be a different story if it was underwater? Yevgeny was a crocodile man. To be more precise, he inherited the power of Porosus, the sea crocodile that could even swim in the sea. He wasn¡¯t sure about fighting on land, but he was quite confident that he would not lose no matter how great the monster was if they fought in the water.


    The fearless rabbit mask plunged into the water of the Han River following Yevgeny.


    ¡®How cheeky!¡¯


    Yevgeny had been planning to run away from her by swimming but now changed his mind. The eyes of the sea crocodile that were once trembling with fear now had the anger of a predator. Regardless of that, the rabbit mask jumped into the water with the Claymore slung on her back, spreading out her hands.


    ¡®Although I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to do¡­¡¯


    Yevgeny¡¯s wide crocodile mouth smiled cruelly. The bite force of the sea crocodile was considered the most powerful among the naturally occurring predators in the ecosystem.


    How powerful could it be if an A-rank Hunter dealt with that bite force that was several times more powerful than the bite force of a hippo that was generally thought to be terrifying?


    Once bitten, even an S-rank hunter could be impossible to escape.


    ¡®I¡¯ll chew and swallow her whole.¡¯


    It was the moment when Yevgeny rushed through the water and opened his mouth wide. The rabbit mask clapped her outstretched hands. That was it.


    It was impossible to believe it, but the water fluctuated while causing waves, and soon a vacuum space that was large enough to see the bottom of the deep Han River water was created.


    Yevgeny was also nearly swept away by the immense monstrous strength, but the rabbit mask quickly reached out and grabbed his long snout that was unique to crocodiles. The surrounding area was still flowing with the water of the Han River, but it was somehow strange as if only the two were on the ground.


    The rabbit mask threw the crocodile toward the park at once and ran. The split water of the Han River quickly found its original place and filled up the space again. Yevgeny flew through the darkness of the night in that short gap when the water was filled back, smashing the stone wall stairs in the park and getting stuck between them.


    ¡°Kuahuk-!¡±


    The rabbit mask scattered her wet long black straight hair and thrust a fist into Yevgeny¡¯s abdomen as he vomited blood.


    ¡°Kueeek-!¡±


    With a scream, the entire thick stone wall stairs collapsed as if they had been hit by an earthquake. Even if he was a physical type A-rank player, he had no way to withstand such monstrous strength directly hit on his abdomen. Yevgeny¡¯s transformation has been released. His eyes rolled over and his tongue was pulled out. The rabbit mask waved the stone powder and dusty clouds in all directions as if it was annoying. She grabbed Yevgeny¡¯s head with her left hand and lifted him.


    ¡°What? Are you dead?¡±


    The rabbit mask tilted her head and strongly slapped Yevgeny¡¯s cheek from side to side. ¡°Keok, kukeok¡­!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still alive, huh.¡±


    Along with those words, the rabbit mask slapped Yevgeny in the face once again with her right hand.


    Crackack-!


    The A-rank Villain¡¯s neck turned widely to the other way along with the breaking sound of the bones.


    ¡°Just how nice it would be if you were obedient when I tried to kill you in one shot without pain. You Villain Crocodile punk.¡±


    The rabbit mask casually verified the death of the notorious A-rank Villain, and looked around. It was utter chaos. After such a fuss was made, rumors must have already spread all over the place.


    ¡°I¡¯ll probably get a phone call soon.¡±


    With a frown, she scratched the back of her damp head as if she was annoyed, took off the cumbersome rabbit mask, and threw it into the Han River. Surprisingly, the face revealed from beneath the mask was the Itaewon lounge bar¡¯s beautiful owner who Yevgeny had lewd feelings for. Speaking of the devil, her cell phone rang just in time.


    ¡°Uh, what?¡±


    - A disturbance around Banpo Bridge, Han River Park has been reported. Did the Crocodile Villain¡­


    ¡°I had no choice but to kill him due to his excessive resistance during the process of suppression.¡±


    -¡­killed again, huh. Myoî[2], what do you think of my words as a leader?


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that I had no choice? Nevertheless, he¡¯s still an A-rank.¡±


    - It doesn¡¯t make sense that you had no choice with your skills, Myo. I respect you a lot and fully understand your situation. However, this Crocodile was a special request from the Russian Militsiya. He had to be kept alive and sent to Russia.


    She looked at the grotesque corpse of Yevgeny that was hanging loosely on her one hand with a bent neck insignificantly. She expressed her annoyed feeling as she swept her wet and heavy bangs.


    ¡°Ah, so what? If you¡¯re calling to nag me, I¡¯ll hang up.¡±


    - The Banpo Bridge¡­


    ¡°I didn¡¯t break it. I just broke down some stone stairs in the park. I¡¯ll cover the repair cost on my own. You know, I have a lot of money, right?¡±


    - Myo, accepting you into the Special Police Force was also a very dangerous adventure for me. And the adventure is not even over. At the somewhat threatening remarks, the woman called Myo frowned greatly.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re getting a lot of money from me, it¡¯s nominally the risk allowance. Leader, don¡¯t be mistaken. Our relationship is clearly made through business interest. If you say something like you¡¯re making a sacrifice¡­¡± Myo clicked her tongue shortly as her gaze turned toward the crowds who gathered after hearing the commotion in the dark. ¡°Let¡¯s stop here. People are flocking. I¡¯m going to withdraw now.¡±


    -¡­Okay, Myo, I¡¯m just asking. But can¡¯t you listen to me at least once a year?


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. But this guy, he called me zayats.¡±


    - Zayats?


    ¡°It¡¯s Russian. Don¡¯t be a finger prince [3], search it on your own. The corpse will be at the usual place.¡±


    Myo jumped naturally into the air to avoid the crowds and hung up the phone. She got annoyed and hit Yevgeny¡¯s head once more. Then, she looked at her chest, which was somewhat flat because she was wearing a battle suit.


    ¡®XXck. It¡¯s ridiculous of him to treat me like a man, though.¡¯


    The Russian word ¡®Zayats¡¯ was a noun referring to male rabbits. Myo felt quite nasty. Though in the meantime, her cell phone rang again.


    1. A foreigner-friendly international district, in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. ?


    2. The sign of the hare or rabbit, the fourth sign of the Chinese zodiac ?


    3. A Korean slang used to describe people who don''t search by themselves despite a very simple problem and ask others instead ?

 CH 47

    Myo answered the phone without checking who the caller was. She raised her voice in annoyance, swearing, ¡°I told you I¡¯m done talking about this case, damned bugger¡­¡±


    - Choi Mi-Na. It¡¯s me.


    ¡°Uh?¡± Myo quickly lowered her voice. It had been a while since she heard this person¡¯s voice over the phone, but she clearly recognized who he was. ¡°Choi Ji-Ho?¡±


    - I certainly am happy to hear your voice and learn that you still have no manners.


    ¡°Kekeke, why? Want to be called oppa?¡±


    - I refuse. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps.


    ¡°Good choice.¡±


    Myo, better known as Choi Mi-Na, smiled and made herself comfortable on a pillar above Banpo Bridge.


    - Your relationship with the Special Police Force¡¯s leader seemed to be the same as before.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. Just because you initially helped doesn¡¯t mean you deserve to meddle. You know that, right?


    - Mi-Na. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t know how much you hate villains, but¡­


    ¡°Why do all men act the same? I¡¯ll hang up if you¡¯re going to nag. Tell me the main point in three seconds. Three...¡±


    - I¡¯m thinking of using one of the three wishes.


    ¡°Glad to hear that. Go ahead and tell me.¡±


    As Mi-Na calmly continued the call with Ji-Ho, she gradually frowned. After ending the short call, she hit the head of Yevgeny''s corpse again and sighed.


    ¡®My gosh, so he wants me to be the nanny for that ninth brat, the troublemaker?¡¯


    She already felt dizzy thinking about it; she felt like throwing up.


    ***


    Yu-Seong made an appointment with Kim Do-Jin for late afternoon the next day. Around noon, Jin Yu-Ri headed to the dungeon to train and further develop her skills. Even though she had hurriedly made a schedule, any hunter with an ability like hers was welcomed in any party or attacker team.


    Yu-Ri was going to leave the house first. Before she left, she gave Yu-Seong the contact information of the so-called ¡®Jenny¡¯ that she had mentioned when they had been trapped in the room of sacrifice. ¡°When I¡¯m away, feel free to contact her if you need anything. She¡¯s a smart kid, so she¡¯ll do a good job for a lot of things, oppa.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she your friend who you tried to keep in secret?¡±


    ¡°Yu-Seong oppa, that¡¯s when you liked to flirt with girls too much. Jenny is quite a beauty, you know.¡±


    ¡°How about now? I still don¡¯t hate women.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not like you¡¯re flirting with anyone. And, you¡¯re clever enough,¡± said Yu-Ri with a smile.


    Yu-Seong shrugged his shoulders. Yu-Ri was speaking rather indirectly, but it was obvious why she finally gave Yu-Seong Jenny¡¯s contact information.


    ¡®It¡¯s because I can be trusted now.¡¯


    A secret organization was a secret for a reason. It should be as untraceable as possible even to those who had a large influence, such as Woo-Jae. To do so, the fewer people who were aware of them the better. Also, they should not reveal a secret organization¡¯s information to foolish people who could easily expose them.


    If it was the original Yu-Seong, there was a high probability that he would have quietly bragged to even a bar woman that he even knew about a plausible secret organization. It would have soon become a secret that everyone knew about. Wasn¡¯t this a common story?


    Yu-Ri didn¡¯t want to easily reveal the card in her sleeve. Also, as mentioned, now that she believed in Yu-Seong, she could inform him of their existence. He felt proud and happy that he now had one more secret weapon for himself.


    In the afternoon, Yu-Seong headed to the meeting place¨CItaewon¨Cwith Do-Yoon as an escort and driver. He thought it wouldn¡¯t take too long because it was close to home in Hannam-dong. However, when they got closer to the downtown area, there was so much traffic that he thought it would take longer than expected.


    Yu-Seong took out his phone and texted Kim Do-Jin that he would be a little late. Then, he spoke to Do-Yoon. ¡°It would be faster to just walk from here.¡±


    ¡°¡­I forgot that it was a busy weekend,¡± replied Do-Yoon as he grabbed the steering wheel with a stumped look.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not your fault. I didn¡¯t know today was Saturday either.¡±


    After losing track of time for a while, Yu-Seong did not even realize the day of the week. He looked at Itaewon street, which was full of green and red decorations, with a strange gaze and smiled. He commented, ¡°Come to think of it, it¡¯s Christmas soon.¡±


    ¡°This year is coming to an end. Time seems to go pretty fast. There¡¯s been a lot of things recently¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be even busier in the future. By the way, don¡¯t you want to date someone?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I am qualified yet, young master.¡± Do-Yoon¡¯s face stiffened at the rather insignificant question. He grabbed the wheel tightly. This was because the fight with Baek Cheol from a few days ago had come to his mind.


    ¡®¡­I think I have just uselessly woken up a sleeping wolf. Do-Yoon is the type of person who¡¯s too serious about certain things.¡¯


    In fact, it was the same for Yu-Seong, who had no intention of dating himself, so it felt like he had been swept off by the word ¡®Christmas¡¯ and had asked a useless question.


    ¡°Too much is as bad as too little. There¡¯s nothing to worry that much about all the time.¡±


    ¡°I will take your words to heart.¡±


    Do-Yoon¡¯s personal thoughts couldn¡¯t be discerned from his face, but he gave Yu-Seong a good answer. That did not mean he could be persuaded by long talk, so Yu-Seong decided to shut up. Just in time, a text notification came on his phone.


    - You are already 5 minutes late. Are you kidding me?


    - I¡¯m not kidding, there''s really a lot of traffic.


    - ¡­I¡¯ll head over there. Where are you at?


    Yu-Seong closed the messenger window on his phone and looked at Do-Yoon. ¡°I can¡¯t wait anymore. Just drop me off on the side at the red light.¡±


    ¡°Are you going alone?¡±


    ¡°We''re downtown in the evening. It¡¯ll be hard to cause trouble in this kind of place unless they are certainly crazy. Perhaps I¡¯m sure the Special Police Force is also dispatched there just in case.¡±


    It was common for the Special Police Force¨Cthe hunters in charge of Villains¨Cto be on standby in downtown areas, hiding their identity in case of sudden events or acts of terrorism.


    ¡°I understand, young master.¡±


    There were many talented people in the Special Police Force. And in fact, it was quite rare for big incidents and accidents to take place in these downtown areas.


    ¡®I¡¯ve now decided not to let my guard down, but¡­¡¯


    It did not mean that Yu-Seong was going to hold his breath without doing anything, as if he were scared. If he ever had that mindset, he would not be able to hunt dungeons. The important thing was to be always aware of the fact that accidents could occur and to be fully insured.


    Before getting out of the car, Yu-Seong checked the location tracker that was attached to the pocket inside his coat and it was working properly. He nodded. ¡°My location will be sent on a real-time basis anyway, so come to me after you park the car.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Do-Yoon stopped the car on the side road, dropped off Yu-Seong, and then left.


    It had been a while since Yu-Seong went out onto the street alone, and was in a somewhat strange mood.


    ¡®Now that I think about it, I was always with Jin Yu-Ri and Jin Do-Yoon.¡¯


    How long had it been since they had been so far apart from him like this? It felt awkward, but Yu-Seong wasn¡¯t afraid.


    ¡®At least, I am in Itaewon.¡¯


    He had many safeguards in place, but there was one thing that would assuredly keep him secure.


    ¡®There is the lounge bar that Choi Mi-Na uses as a hiding place.¡¯


    Support us at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    It was a simple reason why the second daughter of the Comet Group¨Calso famously known as a monster¨Cwas hiding in Itaewon.


    ¡®Because she belongs to the Special Police Force and she hates Villains.¡¯


    At this point, she seemed to have a terrifying personality which no one could stop. However, she also had her own pain.


    It happened when Mi-Na was about 5 years old.


    Villains invaded the mansion where Mi-Na and her mother lived together after they had moved out of Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s place. As Choi Woo-Jae was abroad at the time, he had no time to deal with it. Thus, it was an incident that resulted in many victims.


    Above all, the memory that remained intensely in Mi-Na¡¯s mind was the death of her mother. She had died while Mi-Na could only watch while hiding in a secret space behind the closet Mi-Na hadn¡¯t even been able to burst into tears and could only crouch down holding her breath. At that point, she had been too young, weak, and miserable. It was a rather natural step for her to join the Special Police Force.


    Surprisingly, Choi Woo-Jae did not know that Mi-Na was currently in the Special Police Force. If he had known, he would have strongly opposed it, saying not to do useless things. And no matter how famous Mi-Na was for doing whatever she wanted in the whole family, she would not be able to completely go against Woo-Jae¡¯s will.


    In fact, this was Choi Mi-Na¡¯s position or perspective: She wanted to catch Villains, but they were so clever and vicious that it was too much to pursue without any information. However, if she ran a private organization that could deal with such information, it would certainly be seen by Choi Woo-Jae. Therefore, Mi-Na joined the Special Police Force.


    The identity and affiliation of each individual within the Special Police Force were known only to one person in the country ¨C the Leader of the Special Police Force. The information of members in the Special Police Force was strictly abided by the principle of confidentiality even to the chairman of the Korea Player Association just in case.


    The strange thing was why the Leader of the Special Police Force accepted Choi Mi-Na. Even though it was clear that if Choi Woo-Jae found out about this, the risk of the Leader of the Special Police Force would be severe.


    As always, there was no detailed description of this setting in the original novel.


    ¡®Choi Mi-Na is the last resort anyway.¡¯


    Fortunately, Yu-Seong was not very curious about what the truth would be. In fact, it was better not to bump into her. Mi-Na hated evils, and so she disliked Yu-Seong who usually used to act like a rascal. He did not expect that her thoughts would have now changed much from then.


    `Rather, it¡¯s a relief if she doesn¡¯t think I¡¯m worse because she thinks I¡¯m just acting for my reputation.¡¯


    Anyway, the last resort was Choi Mi-Na. Just in case the future has changed, last night he also investigated the lounge bar run by Mi-Na which appeared in the original novel.


    ¡®Fortunately, nothing has changed here.¡¯


    Both the lounge bar and Mi-Na were still in Itaewon. No matter how much she hated Yu-Seong, she would not let him die when a dangerous situation came. That was the reason why he dared to choose Itaewon as the place to meet Do-Jin.


    ¡®By now, Ji-Ho hyung-nim would have asked her about that. Oh, come to think of it, how related would the Special Police Force be with hyung-nim?¡¯


    His thoughts wandered here and there as he walked on the street. No one recognized Yu-Seong because he deliberately wore a hat, glasses without lenses, and even a mask to hide his appearance.


    ¡®I feel like I am a famous celebrity for some reason.¡¯


    In fact, almost everyone knew about Yu-Seong in Korea¨Cthis world¨Cso he could be called a famous celebrity.


    ¡®I indeed have the skill of an attention seeker, but I don¡¯t need to draw useless attention for a day like this.¡¯


    The important thing was the conversation with Kim Do-Jin. Yu-Seong thought Kim Do-Jin was probably thinking the same thing. His thoughts continued on until he faced Do-Jin who grandly appeared on the other side of the crosswalk with a huge crowd behind him.


    ¡®That crazy guy. He''s quite an attention seeker as well if you get to know him.¡¯


    Come to think of it, Do-Jin never hid his appearance when heading somewhere even in the original novel. Thanks to this, there were always accidents and incidents regarding him, but he did not care at all. Rather, he just used all of those things as a stepladder for his growth.


    ¡®If it¡¯s like this, isn¡¯t it meaningless for me to cover my face?¡¯


    Would Do-Jin recognize him in this state? Yu-Seong continued thinking about it, because he felt it was rather burdensome to approach and talk to Do-Jin.

 CH 48

    Yu-Seong was confident that he was completely disguised but, in front of the crosswalk, Kim Do-Jin was staring at Yu-Seong with blazing eyes.


    ¡®Did he recognize me?¡¯


    After the light turned green, Yu-Seong got an answer. Do-Jin immediately approached Yu-Seong with big strides, directly faced him, and said, ¡°Follow me, Choi Yu-Seong.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sharp. How did you recognize me at once?¡±


    ¡°I can tell it¡¯s you even from a kilometer away.¡±


    ¡°¡­It wasn¡¯t such a sloppy disguise, though.¡±


    In the first place, no one except Do-Jin recognized Yu-Seong. Even now, most of the crowds taking pictures of them were asking who the masked man beside him was. The only reason Yu-Seong could think of was that Do-Jin was the original novel¡¯s main character.


    ¡°It¡¯s noisy here. Why did you ask to meet me on the weekend?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just because it was yesterday when I asked you to meet and you said yes. You also didn¡¯t know it was the weekend, right?¡±


    Do-Jin paused his steps, his earlobes turning red at Yu-Seong¡¯s words.


    ¡®This guy, he¡¯s flustered.¡¯


    When Kim Do-Jin was flustered, the tip of his earlobes turned red. Yu-Seong was suddenly reminded of Do-Jin¡¯s description, which mentioned this fact about three times in the original novel.


    ¡°You really didn¡¯t know either.¡±


    ¡°Yes I did.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re bad at lying.¡±


    ¡°I just said I knew.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, where are we going now?¡± asked Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Restaurant, I made a reservation.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡±


    Even in the original novel, there was no scene where Do-Jin did something like making a reservation. It was because places that needed reservations were mostly ordered by others. Come to think of it, it was likely that the reservation Do-Jin just mentioned was also ordered by someone who followed him.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s an important meeting.¡±


    Do-Jin turned back to Yu-Seong and smiled lightly. It wasn¡¯t a smile of anger, but Yu-Seong flinched without realizing it.


    ¡®¡­How bloody.¡¯


    The place that they arrived through the crowds was a franchise budae-jjigae [1] restaurant.


    ¡°Here?¡±


    ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you like budae-jjigae?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, I do. Come to think of it, you really loved food such as ham.¡±


    ¡°Have I ever said that to you?¡±


    Do-Jin tilted his head and climbed the stairs with an indifferent look. It was an ordinary franchise house, but there were no other customers inside. Also, the people after them were not allowed to enter.


    ¡°Did you reserve the entire budae-jjigae restaurant?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better that way so that it¡¯s easier to talk.¡±


    Do-Jin talked lightly as they sat face-to-face with a round table with a burner in the center. After a while, a budae-jjigae with plenty of ham was placed on the top of the burner.


    ¡°Enjoy,¡± the owner said with a wide smile as she disappeared to the kitchen.


    ¡®What should I start talking about?¡¯ thought Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Kim Do¡­¡±


    The moment Yu-Seong opened his lips after some thinking, Do-Jin interrupted him. ¡°Choi Yu-Seong.¡±


    ¡°Ah, go ahead,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    ¡°I won¡¯t refuse,¡± said Do-Jin confidently. His gaze was even more intense than the blue flame heating the boiling budae-jjigae. ¡°Choi Yu-Seong. I¡¯m thinking of making a guild.¡±


    So what? Yu-Seong tried hard to filter the words that came to his mind. He took off his mask and hat, then scooped the soup of budae-jjigae for himself. His gesture signaled for Do-Jin to continue talking.


    ¡°Come into my guild. I promise to treat you the best.¡±


    ¡°Cough-!¡±


    In the ensuing words, Yu-Seong had no choice but to cough up the soup roughly in front of Do-Jin. After that, he rejected Kim Do-Jin¡¯s offer right away. Yu-Seong was a bit concerned that his rejection might offend Do-Jin, but surprisingly, Do-Jin took it lightly while he wiped the soup that splashed onto his face with a wet tissue.


    ¡°Considering your family situation, I understand that it may be a difficult offer for you to consider. I know that I say this often, but it¡¯s just that¡­I quite like you. It¡¯s to the point where I want to be with you for a very long time.¡±


    It had changed.


    Yu-Seong had thought that there would be some changes, but Do-Jin was treating Yu-Seong so differently from the original novel. He looked much more relaxed and calm. To be specific, it could be said that Do-Jin tried to look that way? If Yu-Seong was a woman, he might have thought Do-Jin was seducing him.


    ¡®Actually, it¡¯s true that he¡¯s trying to seduce me.¡¯


    However, the meaning in this context was just slightly different. Anyway, due to this situation, Yu-Seong was aware that he should not continue the conversation with Do-Jin thinking of the Do-Jin he knew from the original novel.


    ¡®He is treating me like this, despite the fact that I am a member of his enemy¡¯s family. Then maybe it would be easier than I thought to resolve his grudge?¡¯


    Of course, Yu-Seong was aware that this was a complacent thought. Thinking a little deeper, it was highly likely that this process itself was Do-Jin¡¯s trap from the beginning.


    ¡®It¡¯s because I have changed. He''s trying to seduce me in a different way. Let¡¯s not forget. For Kim Do-Jin, I¡¯m just a bridge to Choi Woo-Jae.¡¯


    If Yu-Seong was placed within Do-Jin¡¯s field of view in a guild, it would inevitably be comfortable for Do-Jin in many ways.


    ¡®It¡¯ll be easier for him to get closer to me.¡¯


    Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes sparkled at the word that suddenly crossed his mind.


    ¡®By the way, father told me to keep Kim Do-Jin by my side.¡¯


    This was because one should always keep their opponents close, just like the saying ¡®take the bull by the horns¡¯. From that perspective, joining Do-Jin¡¯s guild would not be bad for Yu-Seong.


    ¡®Since Do-Jin doesn¡¯t know that I have knowledge of his goal.¡¯


    Of course, it was dangerous.


    Kim Do-Jin was quick-witted and skilled at getting things done, so he would quickly establish the evidence and circumstances and if any doubts were raised about Yu-Seong¡¯s actions. Then he would slash his throat at once. Wasn¡¯t that the reason he initially tried to keep his distance from Kim Do-Jin?


    ¡®It¡¯s a high-risk high return sort of situation.¡¯


    Although he intended to consider it, Yu-Seong refused Do-Jin¡¯s offer for now.


    After they finished their meal at the budae-jjigae restaurant, the two went out for a drink. In fact, Yu-Seong had been the one to invite Do-Jin to drink together, and also it was necessary for him to have more time to feel out Do-Jin. He also asked Do-Yoon, who had come nearby, to keep an appropriate distance.


    ¡®If Jin Do-Yoon is too close, I think this guy will try to hide his true feelings even more.¡¯


    Do-Jin and Yu-Seong roamed the Itaewon streets for a longer time than they expected. Fortunately, it was late and the number of people chasing Do-Jin had decreased a lot, so they did not feel like the environment was too disruptive.


    Originally, it was said that there was a bar that Do-Jin had picked just like the eating place. However, Yu-Seong firmly refused after he saw the sign of the name of the lounge bar, Luna.


    ¡®Out of all the other bars, how could he choose the very bar that Choi Mi-Na owns.¡¯


    Mi-Na had never appeared in public, so the general public did not know her face properly. Thanks to this, she quite actively acted as the lounge bar¡¯s owner and roamed around the store. What if she and Yu-Seong accidentally bumped into each other in the store? A fairly difficult situation could have occurred.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get why you disliked that store.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t feel good.¡±


    Theft is never good, try looking at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already paid 500,000 won[ref] about $400 in usd [\ref] to reserve.¡±


    Even though it was a weekend, how could it cost as much as 500,000 won to rent a normal bar room overnight?


    Originally, Yu-Seong was an ordinary citizen so he smiled bitterly inwardly.


    ¡®How could the business be that prosperous and there are still many customers who are willing to pay that much?¡¯


    Of course, Yu-Seong now belonged to a conglomerate family. Like what had been shown, he could easily spend much more money than that as long as it was meaningful.


    ¡°Give up. I¡¯ll give you that money. Don¡¯t be grumpy and let¡¯s go anywhere except there.¡±


    ¡°I think your celebrity disease[ref] a condition in which the celebrity becomes too aware of their fame and status that they start taking it for granted[ref] will be quite a problem if we just go anywhere, though?¡±


    Do-Jin snorted as he stared at Yu-Seong who was wearing a mask, a hat, and even sunglasses.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not a celebrity disease. It¡¯s because a lot of people recognize me, seriously.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s usually called celebrity disease. And even if it¡¯s not you, the eyes will still be drawn because of me anyway.¡±


    Kim Do-Jin pointed behind them with his index finger. Although it had decreased, there were still crowds chasing after the two. However, the crowd rarely came close enough to bother them.


    ¡°So can¡¯t you also cover your face?¡±


    ¡°Why should I? I didn¡¯t commit any crime or anything. They are all adults who know manners. Rather, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s too sensitive.¡± Do-Jin shrugged.


    ¡°You want to befriend me, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m behaving like this because I want to befriend you. I don¡¯t pretend in front of my friends.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you¡¯re so generous when you¡¯re on a magazine or TV.¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s not in front of my friends. Again, I like you quite a lot, Choi Yu-Seong.¡±


    Do-Jin smiled at Yu-Seong. Many people would exclaim or scream at that handsome magnificent smile, but Yu-Seong always thought his smile was indeed bloody.


    ¡°Don¡¯t smile. It¡¯s scary.¡±


    ¡°Why? Afraid to get attached?¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    In the end, Yu-Seong sighed and took off his uncomfortable hat, sunglasses, and mask. At that moment, the number of surrounding gazes doubled.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    ¡°He is crazily handsome. Who is that?¡±


    ¡°Seems like Kim Do-Jin.¡±


    ¡°No no. Look at the person next to him. Wow¡­¡±


    ¡°Choi Yu-Seong? It¡¯s Choi Yu-Seong!¡±


    It was a moment where the confusion and questions turned into conviction. A burst of exclamation mixed with lamentation came from here and there. Also, there were voices of people who immediately picked up their phones and made calls.


    ¡°Hey, Kim Do-Jin and Choi Yu-Seong couple appeared in Itaewon!¡±


    ¡°Seriously, this view is a masterpiece, I mean it. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have any regrets if I die today.¡±


    ¡°My gosh. I¡¯ll sleep without washing my eyes today.¡±


    Yu-Seong being next to Do-Jin, whose handsome appearance stood out even when he was alone, was truly eye-catching for people around them. Amid the fuss, a smile bloomed on Yu-Seong as he checked the skill window with his expectations.


    ¡°Oh my, flowers just bloomed!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s crazy. Choi Yu-Seong is truly so handsome¡±.


    ¡°Hey hey, I¡¯ll hang up, so hurry up and come here. If you miss seeing them, you¡¯ll regret it.¡±


    On the other hand, Yu-Seong could not even hear the people¡¯s voices.


    ¡ºSpecial Skill: Star Factor E


    The more people pay attention to the holder, the faster his growth level accelerates. Additional ability unlocked once the level of attention exceeds a certain number (35¡ú48/100).


    Current acceleration rate +50% ¡ú +70%¡»


    It was because of the explosive growth of Star Factor skill, which had been slow for a while.


    ¡°Now that you look more comfortable and it¡¯s much better to see.¡±


    At Do-Jin¡¯s words, Yu-Seong nodded without hesitation. In other words, Yu-Seong was an attention seeker himself. He rather suppressed his instinct by thinking too much.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go to the nearest pub.¡±


    Being more relaxed, Yu-Seong led Do-Jin.


    1. Spicy sausage stew that is a type of Korean jjigae (stew), made with ham, sausage, Spam, baked beans, kimchi, instant noodles, and gochujang. It is also associated with the army as it was created after the Korean War, a Korean stew made with American ingredients. https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/budae-jjigae ?

 CH 49

    The lounge bar Luna was actually one of the most famous places in the entire Itaewon. The only disadvantage was having to climb a fairly steep hill road to get there, but there were many other advantages to make the trip worth it.


    First of all, it was built on the hillside and was eight-story high, so the scenery of downtown Itaewon could be seen at a glance when standing by the window. Also, the desserts and snacks were made by a patissier scouted from a five-star hotel in France, and the bartenders also consisted of handsome men and beautiful women.


    Nevertheless, if one used the lounge and not the room, the price was not that expensive. It was great to take pictures to post on social media, and people were always excited and refreshed just from coming by and taking a look around. There were even rooms for VIPs, with interior designs that cost hundreds of millions won. Thus, there were inevitably many guests regardless of weekdays or weekends. It wasn¡¯t for nothing that Kim Do-Jin tried to bring Choi Yu-Seong to Luna.


    However, Mi-Na did not really care about how popular her store was. She did not open it to earn money. Itaewon had many foreigners, and most importantly, it was one of the places where foreign Villains usually hid in Korea.


    ¡®Well, she¡¯s just looking for Villains here.¡¯


    The store''s growth was unexpected, and it was due to the enthusiastic work of the professional manager, who had been hired with a lot of money. Mi-Na did not put any direct energy, physically or mentally, into managing the lounge bar Luna. Nothing was that different even now, though she had to go to work almost every day as the owner unless things related to the Comet group or her family got too busy.


    Most of the time, she played the part of a wallpaper and looked for Villains in the store or observed the outside world through the window to look for Villains in Itaewon.


    ¡®Who would be today¡¯s Wally?¡¯


    It was when Mi-Na sat on a window watching that she would think of ¡®Where¡¯s Wally?¡¯, something that she used to enjoy as a child.


    ¡°Hey, Choi Yu-Seong and Kim Do-Jin are in the Frozen Pub right now!¡±


    Mi-Na heard an unpleasant name.


    ¡°Those two are together?¡±


    ¡°I heard that it looks extraordinary when they both are together.¡±


    ¡°Any pictures?¡±


    ¡°I just received some from my friend¡­ But, are you going?¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding? Of course!¡±


    Rumors spread in an instant. The store full of guests was emptied at an unbelievable speed. The employees seemed bewildered by the unusual situation. However, despite looking out the window as if she was not interested, Mi-Na¡¯s mind filled up with even more complicated thoughts than usual.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong. That kid is here now?¡¯


    She remembered the request she had received on the phone from Choi Ji-Ho last night. She did not think that something might go wrong, but she was concerned about Yu-Seong somehow.


    ¡®Should I go and see him? Just to see his face.¡¯


    Choi Mi-Na leaned against the window, nervously tapping a fairly high heel on the floor, and soon shook her head.


    ¡®I can¡¯t be bothered.¡¯


    Originally Yu-Seong was not the Wally she was looking for.


    ¡®Is there any Villain standing out today?¡¯


    Mi-Na yawned while she looked out the window again.


    ***


    Humans were indeed excellent at adapting. At first, Yu-Seong was not used to the gazes and interest pouring into the pub. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t express his inner thoughts through conversation. However, as he had a conversation with Do-Jin, who was quite calm, he was able to easily bring up what he wanted to say. For example, the conversation was about such topics¡­


    ¡°Why are you making a guild suddenly?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a woman who keeps asking me to make it.¡±


    ¡°A woman?¡±


    At that moment, a name passed through Yu-Seong¡¯s mind.


    ¡®Baek Ah-Rin.¡¯


    Even in the original novel, Baek Ah-Rin had played a big role in getting Kim Do-Jin to create a guild. She would play a pivotal role among Do-Jin¡¯s colleagues along with Baek Cheol in the future. Her potential was, of course, an EX-rank.


    ¡®By the way, Baek Ah-Rin and Kim Do-Jin are already in contact?¡¯


    Time had flown faster than Yu-Seong thought. He felt like something was moving forward, but Yu-Seong did not take it too seriously since there was no big loss for him. Other than that, their conversation was not overly deep. It was just the process of getting to know each other slowly.


    ¡®Because I should not poke too deep from the start.¡¯


    In the original novel, Do-Jin was depicted to have a rather deep grudge. As he didn¡¯t think it would be easy to solve from the beginning, Yu-Seong tried to find the answer slowly rather than being impatient. And for that, his first step was to make Kim Do-Jin warm up to him so that he could be honest with him.


    ¡®Somehow, I¡¯ve come to this point where I need to get closer to Kim Do-Jin.¡¯


    The flow of the conversation became more and more comfortable as they had the same goal. When they finished drinking and went back out to the street to walk for a while, Yu-Seong came up with one thought.


    ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for the original novel, he might have been a really good friend¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong had such a thought, but he shook his head vigorously to clear his head.


    ¡®Let¡¯s not forget. This guy is a reaper who would drive me to death if anything goes wrong.¡¯


    The conversation continued even while they were walking through the bustling Itaewon streets, which seemed to overflow with people even though it was already quite late at night.


    ¡°I actually thought you were quite a fool.¡±


    ¡°Is that a confession? It¡¯s quite unpleasant.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter because now I think differently.¡±


    ¡°No, it matters. Why did you come to befriend me if you thought I was a fool at first?¡±


    ¡°Because you have a lot of money.¡±


    Of course, even though Yu-Seong knew Do-Jin¡¯s real purpose, it seemed like a pretty plausible answer.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re hiding inside, but I¡¯ll trust that you¡¯ll tell me someday.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it when the time comes.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit.¡±


    Was it because of alcohol? Or maybe it was because there was a change of heart? Yu-Seong was already talking quite comfortably with Do-Jin. Even though he was surprised to admit it himself, Do-Jin also seemed to feel the same way about Yu-Seong.


    Do-Jin looked at Yu-Seong with surprised eyes and soon hardened his face. His silent and deep black eyes looked straight at Yu-Seong as if to see right through him. Then, Do-Jin¡¯s red lips slightly twisted into a crooked smile. ¡°¡­It would be nice if you weren¡¯t a Choi.¡±


    At the end of those words, a heavy, strange, short silence passed between the two.


    ¡°Why are you upsetting the mood? Do you have any grudge against the Choi family?¡± Yu-Seong tried to calm the vibe down with an awkward smile.


    ¡®This is dangerous.¡¯


    He crossed the line spontaneously.


    Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡®How crazy. Why do I always make mistakes while things go well like this?¡¯


    Yu-Seong continued to smile awkwardly to calm his pounding heart. On the other hand, Do-Jin did not loosen his stuffed face. His two dark eyes looked darker than the night.


    A question suddenly passed through Yu-Seong¡¯s mind as he was trying to get out of this situation.


    ¡®¡­Why is it so quiet?¡¯


    Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t feel the crowd around him anymore. Although they entered a somewhat deserted road, there was always a crowd passing by from time to time until a minute ago. However, all of the sudden, the crowd had disappeared.


    Do-Jin, still having a stiff look on his face, reached out to the air. Then, a phenomenon appeared where space seemed to have collapsed.


    ¡®Subspace!¡¯


    Yu-Seong recognized which skills Do-Jin had performed at a glance. As the name suggested, the Subspace skill, used to create one¡¯s own secret space, was an ability created for the main character Kim Do-Jin¡¯s convenience. It was so that he could be equipped at any time even though he was occasionally unarmed.


    ¡®By now, since he would be about C-Rank, this should be a space about thirty-six square feet large?¡¯


    Later, when he would become beyond the S rank, Do-Jin would store food, water, and other supplies, as well as installable bunkers purchased from the dimensional merchants in the subspace. In any case, Do-Jin did not show his subspace ability recklessly except for his supporters. As much as it was not visible to others, it would be fatal if more people didn''t know about it.


    Choi Woo-Jae was also caught off guard when he saw Kim Do-Jin unarmed and was killed by a weapon he took out from the subspace.


    Looking at this skill right in front of his eyes, Yu-Seong felt somehow shameful.


    ¡®Oh, that looks so cool. Though, what a shame.¡¯


    Yu-Seong desired to duplicate this skill. Even if there was a limit to the number of uses, subspace ability would be quite useful. The problem was that Kim Do-Jin¡¯s subspace skill was a C-rank skill as mentioned and was not a skill that could be obtained by Yu-Seong¡¯s Eye of Replication, which was only an E-rank. And in fact, there was a separate fact that he had to focus on now.


    Do-Jin did not show his subspace skill unless it was to his supporters. To be precise, there was one more exception.


    ¡®He just shows it to his enemy who would be killed by him anyway.¡¯


    Of course, he won¡¯t kill someone just by swearing once. Moreover, Do-Jin seemed to want to get along with Yu-Seong¡­ At least Yu-Seong felt this was real. However, the road was quiet with no one else around.


    Do-Jin¨Cwith a stuffed face¨Cdrew a sword and pointed it at Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Why are you suddenly acting so scary?¡± Yu-Seong asked. He looked directly at Do-Jin. The momentum seemed to rise from the tip of Do-Jin¡¯s sharply forged sword. Yu-Seong¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple, the sword¡¯s target, greatly trembled.


    ¡°Choi Yu-Seong, trust me.¡±


    The cool winter wind passed between the two.


    ¡®Hey, you nutcase. What kind of madman would trust you while being pointed with a sword?¡¯


    Yu-Seong swallowed what he wanted to say quite heavily as a silver light flashed in front of him.


    ¡®That was really fast.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t a matter of believing or not in the first place. It could be seen obviously, but he couldn¡¯t see the shape perfectly. A silver flash passed right next to Yu-Seong¡¯s neck and dug into the air. The gap between them was so close as a sheet of paper.


    ¡°Hup¡­!¡±


    Along with the voice of someone swallowing air, there was a long tearing sound. At that moment, Yu-Seong used Wind Control to create an illusion and flew himself sideways. A disorganized human figure, as if popped out of old television, leaned back and stabbed the heart of the illusion with a hidden blade rising from the tip of his toes. If Yu-Seong was still there, he would have died immediately without knowing anything.


    ¡°That was a quick response,¡± said Do-Jin after licking his lips with the tip of his tongue. He cut off the toes of an unidentified figure¨Cwho split Yu-Seong¡¯s illusion in half¨Cjust before.


    In that short time, the opponent who seemed to be counterattacking in a precarious position completely hid his appearance. Then, there was silence.


    Yu-Seong frowned at the sticky yet stinging sensation felt from his left hand, and swept the side of his neck.


    ¡®Blood.¡¯


    Yu-Seong¡¯s palms were stained with dark red. This was because Do-Jin¡¯s sword that narrowly passed him actually injured his neck as well.


    ¡°You told me to trust you, you jerk.¡± Yu-Seong tried not to swear, but it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    ¡°Ah, slipped,¡± Do-Jin said calmly and looked around with a cold gaze. Although it could not be seen, he must be convinced that the person who had attacked him was still here. Then, Do-Jin suddenly ran toward somewhere and swung his sword again.

 CH 50

    Do-Jin looked like a madman cutting through the air because no one took a hit. However, his movement itself was elegant and antique. Meanwhile, Yu-Seong breathed out and swept up his hair which was messed up by the sudden movement.


    ¡®I really thought I was going to die.¡¯


    To be honest, if Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t recall the conversation between Do-Jin and Baek Cheol from the original novel scenes¡ªwhere Do-Jin tried to secretly attack the enemy that appeared behind Baek Cheol¡ªYu-Seong would have flown to another place even before Do-Jin started moving. In fact, the most dangerous thing was the fact that the opponent who had appeared from behind Yu-Seong definitely tried to kill him. There had been no hesitation in the enemy¡¯s move wielding the hidden blade protruding from the tip of the shoe.


    ¡®That makes me even more upset.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had already guessed the invisible opponent¡¯s identity through his ability and weapons.


    ¡®It¡¯s the Demon King Worshiper, the Ghost.¡¯


    The Demon King Worshiper was the name for the evil organization that unsurprisingly appeared in the novel. Ghost was the nickname of the Villain, who would probably be a player currently listed as B-rank Max Level. Their target was none other than Kim Do-Jin.


    Strictly speaking, their goal was to convince Kim Do-Jin to join them. Do-Jin had a natural talent and was cold-hearted, which made him one of the figures with everything that Demon King Worshiper valued. Finally, the reason why Ghost ¨C one of the Demon King Worshipers¡ªhad come here now was to convince Do-Jin. In such a process, they attempted to kill Choi Yu-Seong who was considered an unnecessary obstacle for them.


    This was the conclusion that wouldn¡¯t have happened if Yu-Seong hadn¡¯t met Do-Jin in the first place. Although he survived, Yu-Seong certainly felt that the situation was unfair. The more absurd feeling followed because admiration for Kim Do-Jin arose inside him even in that meantime.


    ¡®Besides, how did he find and follow someone that can¡¯t even be seen? I knew that he¡¯s the main character, but he is beyond my expectation.¡¯


    Ghost¡®s invisibility ability would not be able to be penetrated even with Insight, which was the burning blue flames in Do-Jin¡¯s eyes. The reason for this was simple.


    ¡®Because Ghost is a B-rank hunter.¡¯


    With the C-rank skill Insight, it was impossible to identify the higher B-rank skill, invisibility. That was why one of the nicknames of Ghost¨Cthe Psychic type Villain, whose main talent was invisibility¨Cwas called ¡°the invincible underdog.¡± There was no way for a lower-rank hunter to find Ghost, since even the skill of the main character, Insight, could not see through it.


    However, Do-Jin was fighting Ghost not through the ability of his skill but with his sense as a returnee or some subtle changes and sounds around him. Of course, it wasn¡¯t easy for Do-Jin either. It was like skating on thin ice. He was avoiding fatal injuries, but it was clear that he was sustaining more and more injuries.


    In a way, it was a matter of course. Basically, Ghost was a B-rank Max Level hunter who was one rank above Do-Jin. Also, the enemy who was not visible would be difficult to deal with no matter how great their senses or skills were.


    Ghost was bewildered by Do-Jin¡¯s first surprise attack and was initially unable to show his skill, but he was now regaining his rhythm


    ¡®It¡¯ll become dangerous over time.¡¯


    Yu-Seong should not just wait and watch Do-Jin with admiration. Yu-Seong slightly bit his lower lip.


    In fact, the current situation was definitely unexpected.


    ¡®Originally, the Demon King Worshiper should have appeared only after Kim Do-Jin reached B-rank Max Level.¡¯


    Therefore, Ghost that appeared in the original novel was much easier than the current Ghost in front of them and had been more easily suppressed by Do-Jin. In other words, it was Ghost¡®s role as a supporting character to help showcase the main character¡¯s strength.


    However, Kim Do-Jin was still currently a C-rank.


    ¡®Variables are created because of me.¡¯


    There was nothing more to say. Yu-Seong has changed too many things since he entered this world. Moreover, that change even affected Kim Do-Jin. This situation was not good in any way.


    ¡®If Kim Do-Jin is overpowered or killed by Ghost here¡­¡¯


    It could lead to a completely different story from the original novel. It was very unlikely, but in the worst case, Do-Jin may be reborn as a Villain after being brainwashed by the Demon King Worshiper. That would be an extremely terrible case.


    ¡®Heukhwa[1] Kim Do-Jin¡­¡¯


    How much faster would Do-Jin¨Cthe main character who has yet to transcend his potential¨Cgrow if he got stronger without having any conscience by being among the Villains?


    ¡®It would be better to become the Demon King¡¯s enemy.¡¯


    And as mentioned, Do-Jin should not die in that sense.


    ¡®If Kim Do-Jin dies, who¡¯s gonna stop those crazy cults and Demon King?¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong himself? That was nonsense. The Demon King who would appear in this world in the coming future was terrifying. He even made Kim Do-Jin, who had such deceptive abilities, desperately fight. Those guys used cruel and terrible powers to ravage humans and destroy their minds.


    It was something that Yu-Seong should absolutely avoid, since his goal was to eat well and live well moderately, and live to the point where he won¡¯t die, then enjoy life in peace and die as the ninth son of a conglomerate family. For him to reach that goal, Kim Do-Jin had to remain alive.


    ¡®That damned guy is the hero who will save this world.¡¯


    Therefore, Yu-Seong had to think soberly. It would be stupid to step in and attack Ghost together. Yu-Seong was still only an E-rank from the beginning, and was likely to be unhelpful in the fight between Ghost and Kim Do-Jin. It would be fortunate if he avoided being a burden to Kim Do-Jin, who was already struggling.


    ¡®Jin Do-Yoon is¡­¡¯


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    Do-Yoon still wasn¡¯t here, so Yu-Seong had to assume that there was a problem.


    People had suddenly disappeared from Itaewon street on the weekend and Do-Yoon should have been the first to run if he had seen a crisis. Choi Yu-Seong quickly found the answer.


    ¡®It¡¯s a barrier.¡¯


    The question was, how did the barrier activate? The first plausible method was to hire the Barrier Master, one of the Psychic-type players. The second was to use the Barrier Scroll produced by that Barrier Master. Barrier Master was not common even among players throughout the entire world. It would be about ten people at most. Thanks to that, the price of Barrier Scroll was also at an enormous level.


    ¡®There are 2 Barrier Masters among Demon King Worshippers.¡¯


    However, it was still too early for those precious talents to move. Even in the original novel, Barrier Master of Demon King Worshiper appeared only after the middle of the fifth volume.


    Therefore, inevitably, there was only one possibility left¨Cthe Barrier Scroll.


    ¡®If they used the Barrier Scroll, there must be a Gate of Life somewhere.¡¯


    Among the contents of [Modern Master Returns], there was a setting that said the Barrier was a kind of Battle Formation and that it could be broken apart if the Gate of Life was found. Currently, it was clear what Yu-Seong had to do in a situation where they desperately needed help from the exterior.


    ¡®I have to find the Gate of Life.¡¯


    Having decided what to do, Yu-Seong threw off his heavy coat and began to run.


    ***


    There were several laws inside the Barrier. First, the Barrier was a virtual space. The entire building and the objects that existed in the Barrier seemed to be real, but they were all ¡®fakes¡¯. In other words, it was a plausible form of illusion. If one were aware of this fact and had the ability to see through the phenomenon, it was not difficult to find the Gate of Life.


    Most of the fakes would be passed through like holograms and he would be able to find the actual force, the Gate of Life, at a rapid pace. Unfortunately, Yu-Seong could not use this method. If it was a Barrier Master who could produce Barrier Scroll, it meant that he was a player who was at least B-rank.


    ¡®It wasn''t found even with Kim Do-Jin¡¯s Insight, so of course, it would not be found with my duplicated Insight.¡¯


    Thus, Yu-Seong should focus on the second law of the Barrier. There was a limited number of people and space that could be accommodated by the Barrier. Also, it was impossible to pinpoint and lock-on to only one person precisely. This was also why Yu-Seong being near Do-Jin was involved as well when the target was Do-Jin. It was a penalty that could be taken for granted as the Barrier itself has such a complicated structure, but some parts could be guessed through this.


    ¡®There are at least three people, there may be more but that¡¯s it for now. Then the size of the space itself would not be that big either.¡¯


    If the Barrier was of a quite large scale, people other than Yu-Seong and Do-Jin would have been caught up. However, there was no disturbance or miracle from the surroundings. Also, the Gate of Life was the starting point of the Barrier. Basically, it would be located in the center.


    Therefore, Yu-Seong could easily make his decision as it was the only choice he could make.


    ¡®First of all, I need to figure out the exact size and shape of the Barrier.¡¯


    Yu-Seong transformed Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice into a form of a spear while running, and left traces of different forms here and there. There was always a wall at the end of the Barrier. An invisible wall that could not be crossed! And exactly two minutes later, in front of the traces of his spear, Yu-Seong was convinced.


    ¡®This block is the end of Barrier.¡¯


    Any step forward would lead to another space inside the Barrier. After repeating the process over and over again, Yu-Seong was able to roughly grasp the scale and shape of the Barrier.


    ¡®The barrier is Circular, and the scale is within a 2km radius.¡¯


    It was just the right level when compared to the number of people. This allowed Yu-Seong to start finding the center, which was a process for the actual breaking of the Barrier. It was not that difficult to draw a map and shape in his head.


    ¡®I¡¯ll say it¡¯s until¡­somewhere around that building.¡¯


    The error may occur in the range of several other buildings located on both sides and front-back of that point, but it would certainly be around that surrounding area.


    Yu-Seong returned Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice back into a ring and headed to the building that he thought was the center.


    ¡®Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice could also be a hidden variable for the enemies, even though it''s not as unnoticeable as Do-Jin¡¯s Subspace that is not even visible.¡¯


    The maximum capacity of the circular space of 2km was about four people. If there was one more person, there was no reason not to show up at the battle of Ghost and Do-Jin, however, this was something he could not be certain about.


    There may be someone guarding the center of the Barrier. In preparation for that, it was better to hide the weapons as much as possible.


    ¡®It¡¯s quiet.¡¯


    Entering a five-story building with a rather dark atmosphere, Yu-Seong felt a cold sweat running down his cheek.


    ¡®This must be the center of the Barrier.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had a strangely heavy feeling pressing down on his shoulder. Although it felt somewhat unrealistic, that made it more certain on the other hand. It was because the air itself was different from the other spaces inside Barrier where Yu-Seong was busy running around. Climbing the stairs with hasty steps, Yu-Seong¡¯s movement paused for a moment.


    ¡®Let¡¯s be careful. As long as Kim Do-Jin doesn¡¯t overdo it, there¡¯s still time.¡¯


    Of course, there wasn¡¯t much time. There was also no guarantee that Do-Jin would not overdo it. Do-Jin hated to lose the fight more than to lose his life.


    If the fight against Ghost began to flow in an overly unfavorable direction, there was a high probability that he would do kamikaze and bust his ass. There were many concerns, but Yu-Seong tried hard to demand inner calm. It was an emotion he didn¡¯t feel when holding onto the spear.


    ¡®How could it be this different that the skill effect disappeared? I still have a long way to go.¡¯


    Feeling pity for the lack of the skill Cool-headed (E), which was an additional effect of the skill Spearmanship Prodigy, he smiled bitterly. The more urgent and difficult situations, the better he had to control his mind. However, maintaining such a solid mental power was not as easy as it sounded.


    ¡®It can¡¯t be helped. Because I¡¯m also just an ordinary human.¡¯


    Whenever a life crisis came like this, this particular thought always resurfaced. Some of the settings regarding him such as being a member of a conglomerate family, being an Irregular with excellent possibilities¡­were a mere background after all. Yu-Seong did not have great mental power or a particularly strong heart like Do-Jin. He felt unsatisfied as it was a shortcoming, but he felt that there was nothing he could do.


    ¡®I¡¯m just still inexperienced. Rather, being good at it from the beginning is like a monster.¡¯


    The best thing Yu-Seong could do was to fight against such fear and anxiety to grow more and more mature. After thinking this or that and a few deep breaths, Yu-Seong regained his composure on his own¡ªwithout using the skill¡ªand quietly climbed the stairs while holding his breath.


    1. literally means ¡°become darker¡±. Thus it means fallen, corrupted, depraved ?

 CH 51

    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    As mentioned, it would be illogical for Yu-Seong to fight and win if there was another Demon King Worshiper.


    ¡®Villains belonging to the Demon King Worshipers¡¯ group are at least B-rank.¡¯


    This was because most of them had gained strength through contracts with the Demon King, who was still crouching in another world.


    In other words, even Ghost who could kill Yu-Seong right away was only a trivial soldier 1 from the Demon King Worshiper¡¯s standpoint. Therefore, Ghost was merely a role that appeared and died a vain death in the original novel when Do-Jin had grown to some extent.


    Yu-Seong let go of the original novel written from Kim Do-Jin¡¯s point of view that he had lightly read in the past. For him at this point in time, all the Demon King Worshipers were the Grim Reaper. While he climbed up the stairs, he took a breath and wiped his sweat away. However, his troubled thoughts made him sweat all over his forehead again.


    ¡®It¡®s not just a feeling, but I think there¡¯s one more person for sure.¡¯


    As he went up the stairs one step at a time, the weight on Yu-Seong¡¯s shoulders gradually became heavier. Would this simply be because of the dissonance between knowledge and reality?


    Yu-Seong walked up the stairs, feeling suspicious. By the time he reached the third floor, it was difficult to even breathe. His vision was blurred and he was filled with an intense desire to run away immediately. He was scared, but he was used to this. He had already fought against similar fears over and over again. As he expected, he was growing through experience.


    Yu-Seong arrived on the building¡¯s 4th floor.


    ¡®That''s it?¡¯


    It definitely felt like Yu-Seong had been going up the stairs for quite a long time, but it seemed to have been an illusion. Checking the number written in the dark and damp hallway, Yu-Seong clenched his fist, bit his lips, and stepped on the next stairs. Then, he passed the fifth floor and climbed the stairs leading to a higher place.


    Beyond the wide-open rooftop door, Yu-Seong found a yellow amulet floating in the air and the strange patterns spreading around it. It was the center of formation to use the Barrier Scroll.


    ¡®It¡¯s the Gate of Life!¡¯


    Yu-Seong found it. It was at that moment that the sweat on his tense face fell to the floor of the quiet hallway.


    ¡®Drop.¡¯


    Yu-Seong stiffened at the quiet sound that clearly rang in his ears. Then, there was silence, a silence that gave Yu-Seong hope.


    ¡®Is there¡­no one?¡¯


    Maybe the unknown threat and the momentum was the only thing present. With that in mind, he took courage again and went outside the rooftop door. Then at that moment, ¨C ¡®Woosh-!¡¯ ¨C a hand popped out of nowhere and grabbed Yu-Seong¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Kek-!¡± Yu-Seong¡¯s face turned white as he was pushed to the wall.


    ¡®What the heck¡­?¡¯


    A red-haired woman was holding Yu-Seong¡¯s neck with one hand. She tilted her head in front of Yu-Seong, who did not know what was going on. She commented, ¡°Oh my, what¡¯s this? I was looking forward to seeing the one who broke through my threatening energy, but it¡¯s just a greenhorn.¡±


    The woman¡¯s gaze was mixed with disbelief and curiosity, both of which were superficial. Yu-Seong read the latent emotions deep in her red eyes somewhat instinctively.


    ¡®Intentions of murder and anger.¡¯


    The problem was that such feelings were superabundant. ¡®Horrible¡¯ might be a more accurate word. Just facing her alone was enough to cause him to tremble without realizing it. It was completely different from the energy that Woo-Jae emitted, since hers was more essential and wilder than his ¨C rather an unrefined kind of emotion. It was swirling around the woman as if about to explode.


    ¡°Oops, almost killed this kid.¡± With a bright smile, the woman released Yu-Seong¡¯s neck. She tilted her head as she looked down at Yu-Seong, who slumped helplessly on the floor like a doll with broken threads. ¡°Seriously, how did you come all the way here? You kid, are not even breathing properly now.¡±


    To tell the truth, Yu-Seong was suffocating like he was submerged in the water despite the freed neck. He covered his shoulders with both arms unconsciously, with the fear of death surging in his mind. He felt like a child who met a tiger in the wild. The torrent of emotions was so violent that he struggled to even make eye contact.


    Nevertheless, Yu-Seong forced himself to raise his head and look at his opponent. How did he dare to do that? Was it because of his determination or tenacity? Or did he have a lot of courage? Honestly, it wasn¡¯t from those cool feelings at all.


    ¡®If I don¡¯t raise my head, I¡¯ll die.¡¯


    This was what Yu-Seong could read from the momentum of the red-haired woman. It was only her curiosity that was keeping Yu-Seong alive right now.


    ¡°You¡¯re quick-witted. And¡­you haven¡¯t given up yet. The eyes are alive ¨C and I like that very much.¡± With a smile, the woman slowly bent her knees and made eye contact with Yu-Seong. ¡°You have pretty eyes. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Choi¡­Yu-Seong.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Rachel, Rachel Lopez.¡± Rachel smiled and held out her hand.


    Looking at Rachel with a rather blank gaze, Choi Yu-Seong parted his dry lips and said, ¡°The Slaughterer Queen.¡±


    An S-rank Villain ¨C one of the future Disasters was standing in front of his eyes.


    ***


    It was somewhat ironic why Rachel Lopez ¨C also known as the Slaughterer Queen ¨C had become part of Demong King Worshiper.


    ¡®Will it feel different to cut the Demon King¡¯s head from cutting the head of the humans?¡¯


    This pure curiosity and desire were always wiggling deep in Rachel¡¯s heart. Going back to the beginning, it started with a thought - ¡®Would I feel at ease if I killed the stepfather who beat my mother every day and treated me mercilessly?¡¯


    On her 13th birthday, Rachel was able to answer the question after cutting the neck of her stepfather ¨C who crawled into her bed like a worm ¨C with a kitchen knife she had hidden under the bed.


    ¡®It¡¯s nothing.¡¯


    Seeing her mother ¨C who was an adult much bigger than her ¨C wringing her hands without even rebelling, Rachel had thought her father was a fairly scary and strong human being. However, when she cut his neck with a knife, he just died in vain.


    There had also been some danger that followed, but it had all been a lot easier than Rachel had expected. Her curiosity about the Demon King was similar. She was curious about how he looked, how strong he was, and she wanted to kill him.


    The Demon King Worshiper guys said that Demon King would ascend from another world someday to destroy this world and that the dungeon¡¯s appearance was the start of it. However, everything was unknown until Rachel could personally experience it. Therefore, Rachel entered Demon Lord Worshiper. Certainly, the only way for her curiosity to be satisfied was for the Demon King to appear. Moreover, Demon King Worshipers could meet the Demon King before anyone else.


    Except for the fact that she had killed her stepfather as a child and was an Irregular, Rachel was a rather ordinary(?) hunter. Her only reason for joining the nonsensical organization called Demon King Worshiper was truly curiosity. The feeling she had while looking at Yu-Seong now was also curiosity.


    ¡®This kiddo is interesting.¡¯


    Rachel had come to Korea under the organization¡¯s order to convince Do-Jin, but she didn¡¯t want to do anything directly. Working together with her colleagues was tedious for her. Even in the entire Demon King Worshiper organization, she was a loner who played alone. She felt comfortable alone and also found it was much easier to get things done. This made her somewhat unrivaled even within Demon King Worshiper.


    It was annoying to keep pace with someone. Even so, this time, she was told not to fight and kill but to convince. She did not like it at all. However, she had no justification to refuse the request of the leader Godfather ¨C her only favorite figure in the entire group of Demon King Worshipers.


    Previously, Rachel didn¡¯t fulfill three of the missions suggested by Godfather himself. This was because none of the missions given recently were to her liking. If she refused another request by this point, she would be disgracing the Godfather¡¯s honor.


    Also, there will be a lot of talk from the Presbytery ¨C who did not like her. Since Rachel wanted to fight the Demon King first than anyone else, she could not completely ignore such words of the Presbytery even if she was annoyed by it.


    Thus, this trip to Korea was somewhat forced. The one good thing was her hearing that Ghost ¨C one of the moderately easy-to-manage soldiers ¨C was in Japan just in time and had summoned him.


    Anyway, if she went out on a half-forced mission that was to convince Do-Jin in person, Rachel could kill him if he didn''t listen to anything and bothered her. She was convinced that the right person for this job was Ghost, not herself. Of course, she would have to pretend that she did some work as well. Only then would the Presbytery ¨C who may be monitoring somewhere ¨C have nothing to say.


    Therefore, she played the role of opening the Barrier Spell and protecting it. Of course, she would still have to pretend to work to some extent¡­


    Rachel was just lying and rolling about on the rooftop, eating Korean snacks after sending out Ghost. Even so, it wouldn¡¯t cause any problem for her. Even if Rachel laid down and idly relaxed, most Hunters would not even dare to approach her.


    ¡®It should be at least an A-rank Hunter to break through my threatening energy, though.¡¯


    This was largely influenced by one of her skills, Threatening Intent¡¯s Wave (S). Not only could the ordinary people not bear it mentally and physically, but just approaching it closely would drive them crazy in fear.


    As mentioned, even hunters were not much different unless they were a high rank. However, Yu-Seong, who looked just about an E-rank player in all directions, broke through her Threatening Intent¡¯s Wave. It was impossible in the first place to avoid the effects of her skill -- Threatening Intent¡¯s Wave with just luck. In fact, Yu-Seong ¨C who came up to the rooftop ¨C was already full of fear even before he met her.


    ¡®It looks like he¡¯s going to suffocate right away. That¡¯s pretty cute.¡¯


    Rachel smiled inwardly, and tilted her head.


    ¡°Won¡¯t you shake hands with me?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°¡­¡± Yu-Seong reached out his trembling hand and held Rachel¡¯s white but calloused hand.


    ¡°Since you seem to understand what I¡¯m saying, I guess you can speak English. Good. I¡¯m going to ask questions now. I hope you sincerely answer. How did you come up here?¡±


    ¡°¡­By foot.¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have been easy, though?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t even about how easy it was. It was generally impossible to do so. Yu-Seong looked at Rachel¡¯s eyes instead of answering. What more could he say?


    Rachel nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re lying. So let me ask you the second question. What do you think will happen to you in the future?¡±


    Slaughterer Queen was a nickname Rachel got while working as a mercenary for the U.S. Department of Defense. Those who had met her on the battlefield at the time ¨C including soldiers, Hunters, and civilians ¨C all died in terrible looks. According to the records, those who fought Slaughterer Queen were torn to pieces, tossed to the ground, and turned into corpses in a very rough form. Could Choi Yu-Seong end up different?


    ¡°I want¡­to live.¡±


    At the words of Yu-Seong biting his lower lip tightly, Rachel tucked her red hair behind her ears. She commented, ¡°That¡¯s what I like about you. Everyone desires to live. But Choi Yu-Seong, you seem to have a much stronger will than others. Nevertheless, you came this far ignoring my Threatening Intent¡¯s Wave. Is your request possible?¡±


    While Rachel was overwhelmed with curiosity and questions, Yu-Seong gradually began to calm down from the suffocating fear. To be precise, he started to rack his brain to survive her.

 CH 52

    ¡®Slaughterer Queen Rachel, the Irregular.¡¯


    Rachel was one of the few powerful Villains in the original content, playing an active role only in the second half of the original novel.


    It went without saying. In the original, Rachel killed one of the Demon Kings with her own power. That was made possible after Do-Jin''s party had killed all Demon King¡¯s servants and she had made a surprise attack. However, it was an achievement that even Do-Jin ¨C the main character ¨C could not do at the time. Of course, it came at a price ¨C she died.


    Rachel was a Villain who appeared in the second half of the story and was quite popular. It was not just a disaster, but the Great Disaster when she died after crossing the wall in a fierce battle with the Demon King. And because of that, there were quite a few readers who were sad about Rachel¡¯s death.


    There were small numbers of the readers who wanted to see Do-Jin, the main character, meet his proper opponent and be overpowered and struggle. Very ironically Yu-Seong also was one of those readers.Obviously now in this situation, he wanted to slap his cheek in a row at the time. ¡®A fan of Rachel as a reader¡¯ ¨C was something that could never be said after experiencing her in person.


    ¡®Rachel is really dangerous.¡¯


    Perhaps even the author could not handle Rachel and had ended her life in such a way. Her personality and characteristics themselves were too intense and intimidating. Her only weakness was that she was a bit lazy in things that did not interest her, the somewhat excessive curiosity and that she was a little unlucky although she liked gambling a lot.


    If Rachel had continued to be alive, it couldn¡¯t even be imagined how much tougher the completed journey of the first part that Do-Jin would have been. After recalling Rachel¡¯s strengths, weaknesses, abilities, and personalities, Yu-Seong recalled the weapons she could use.


    ¡°Oh my, your gaze is coming back now,¡± said Rachel.


    Yu-Seong wouldn¡¯t be able to find a way out if he got caught up in her pace, so he quickly opened his mouth and said, ¡°Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, sweetie¡­Remember that you¡¯ve pushed your head into the lion¡¯s mouth, yet you¡¯re saying that you don¡¯t want to die.¡±


    ¡°I want to suggest a game.¡±


    ¡°Game?¡± Interest glistened in Rachel¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®What is this cutie pie saying?¡¯


    Yu-Seong spoke quite well for someone whose shoulders shook in fear. He then said, ¡°If I win the game¡­ Do me a favor.¡±


    ¡°What if I win?¡± Rachel¡¯s curious expression suddenly showed a hint of excitement.


    Yu-Seong took time to think. As he had told Choi Woo-Jae, it was meaningless to risk his life. Yu-Seong¡¯s life was already up to Rachel.


    Then, Yu-Seong asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you¡­like money?¡±


    To be exact, Rachel needed money for gambling. She often lost because of her bad luck, so, surprisingly, Rachel often suffered from poverty.


    ¡°Pfft¡­ sweetie. I don¡¯t know where you heard my rumors, but the amount is out of your league. Do you know how much money I spend on gambling? If you think E or D-rank Hunters can handle such an amount¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Choi Yu-Seong.¡±


    ¡°I know. Cute sweetie, you¡¯re Choi Yu-Seong.¡±


    ¡°You know the Comet Group, right?¡±


    ¡°How couldn¡¯t I? The boss there is quite a scary old man¡­¡± After talking to herself for a while, Rachel¡¯s lips twisted. ¡°So, you¡¯re that Choi Yu-Seong? Now that I see it, you¡¯re not just a sweetie, but a cute gold nugget.¡±


    Recognizing Yu-Seong¡¯s true identity, she started laughing while slowly getting up from her seat. With her cold gaze, she studied Yu-Seong from head to toe as if she were evaluating an animal. ¡°I don¡¯t think that geezer will give money for threatening him with you, so there¡¯s a way, right?¡±


    Yu-Seong nodded silently.


    ¡°If you break your promise, I won¡¯t just kill you. I will take out all your intestines while you¡¯re alive and stuff them.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s threat wasn¡¯t an empty one. She actually was capable of doing such a terrible thing since there were Necromancers who were afraid of Rachel all over the world.


    Instead of answering, Yu-Seong increased the tension in his trembling thighs as he raised himself up.


    ***


    The rules of the game were suggested by Yu-Seong. Rachel was confident she would win no matter what method he used.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go over again. Rule number one, my cute gold nugget wins if I get out of this circle.¡±


    Rachel looked around at a small circle that she drew after Yu-Seong¡¯s suggestion. It was small, and a person could barely stand within it. Surprisingly, she made a circle by piercing the thick concrete floor with a single index finger.


    Seeing that, Yu-Seong started to tremble again. How the hell could Rachel manipulate a concrete floor with a finger using a small amount of mana he could not even feel? The concrete floor was like whipped cream to her.


    He already knew that S-rank Hunters were like monsters, but it felt like Rachel was one step above that. He felt like she was an unrivaled S+ rank among the S-ranks. He was even able to realize how strong a survived Irregular was by simply looking at her.


    ¡°Secondly, I¡¯ll have to use only one finger.¡± Rachel lifted her left index finger and waved it lightly.


    ¡°You¡­are not confident?¡± Asking a quite impactful question, Yu-Seong¡¯s voice quivered.


    ¡°How cute. I won¡¯t kill you. Don¡¯t tremble too much, my gold nugget. You wanted to live so much, but in the end, you got the right to survive, right? Whether you win or lose. Because you¡¯ll survive at least at this point. How did you roll your brain so well in that short time? Huhu.¡±


    Rachel was right. In the game suggested by Yu-Seong, he could get out of this place whether he lost or won. Although it would not be able to stop Rachel from killing him after she took the money.


    ¡®Anyway, I have to live.¡¯


    However, Rachel did not know that Yu-Seong had a second goal. He had to save Do-Jin. Rachel was a strong player incomparable to Ghost, who was currently fighting Do-Jin. Even if Do-Jin led the fight against Ghost to victory, as expected of the main character, everything would be pointless if Rachel was involved. No matter how overpowered a main character Do-Jin was, there was no way he could handle Rachel at this point. Eventually, he would be taken to the Demon King Worshipers. Initially, Rachel¡¯s early appearance on the stage was a big butterfly effect.


    ¡®I have no idea what the future I changed has caused but¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong didn¡¯t want Do-Jin to get caught up in that typhoon. That was why he suggested this type of game. He thought that Rachel ¨C who liked gambling ¨C had no reason to refuse.


    The problem was the odds. Rachel had a huge limitation on her movement and had to use only one finger. Nevertheless, the winning rate in Yu-Seong''s mind converged to zero. Rachel¡¯s thought probably would not be much different from his own. Yu-Seong had to take advantage of her confidence. Her only weak point was the gap in her mind, thinking that she would not lose no matter what he did.


    ¡°And¡­can I have some time to make slight preparations?¡±


    ¡°Whatever you want,¡± Rachel shrugged and answered lightly. She looked quite relaxed. To be more specific, she was enjoying the situation. What interesting thing would Yu-Seong do after already surprising her this much?


    In the beginning, Yu-Seong summoned the Dimensional Merchant.


    ¡°This body has come-! Where¡¯s the lollipop you promised the last time?¡± Regardless of the Barrier space, Ping Pong popped out of a small pink door while he asked and looked at Yu-Seong.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have it now.¡±


    ¡°You traitor!¡±


    ¡°Even the Dimensional Merchant you signed is adorable, my cute gold nugget,¡± Rachel said as she burst into laughter at the appearance of Ping Pong, which did not match the desolate vibe in the place. Then, her gaze briefly turned to a distant place. ¡°But I don¡¯t think you have time to relax. Is it Kim Do-Jin? That cheeky brat also seems to be on the line, you know.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Kim Do-Jin will lose.¡±


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡°Hm, wouldn¡¯t it be a problem if Ghost dies as well?¡±


    From the conversation with Rachel, Yu-Seong felt an unexplainable creepy feeling.


    ¡®She knows what I¡¯m thinking.¡¯


    Rachel already clearly knew why Yu-Seong had suggested the game. While Yu-Seong was thinking, it was clear that she also thought about it in many ways.


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯


    Nevertheless, Rachel had accepted all of Yu-Seong¡¯s suggestions.


    ¡°Mr. Ping Pong. I promise. Next time you come, I¡¯ll have ten ¨C no ¨C fifty free lollipops ready. So please get me some stuff quickly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not lying this time, right?¡±


    ¡°I promise.¡±


    Ping Pong smirked. Then, his gaze turned to Rachel, who seemed to be interested in them. ¡°Human woman! My contractor made a sacred promise to me. If you kill him, this Mr. Ping Pong won¡¯t forgive you!¡±


    ¡°Oh my, how scary. But I can¡¯t promise that I won¡¯t kill him.¡±


    When Rachel smiled and waved her hand, Ping Pong looked at her and snorted.


    ¡°I need spears. Whether it¡¯s wood or iron, cheap, I need a lot of them if possible.¡±


    "I think it''s a waste to buy those with Karma points..."


    ¡°I urgently need to use them now.¡± Yu-Seong bitterly smiled. Wooden spears or ordinary iron spears could also be easily found on Earth. Consuming Karma Points for those was a huge waste, but he needed them right away. He had no other choice.


    ¡°How many do you need?¡±


    ¡°As many as possible.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, the Dimensional Store doesn¡¯t have that many items of the reference point you want. Since we try to put out mostly those expensive items¡­ There would be only about thirty of them.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the price?¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s the minimum price, it¡¯ll cost at least one Karma Point per unit.¡±


    There wasn¡¯t anything special about the items just because they were purchased at the Dimensional Store. What a waste. It was such a waste that even Ping Pong felt bad about it, but there was no other way.


    ¡°Give me all of them.¡±


    Yu-Seong bought thirty spears. Among those, even ten of them were wooden ones.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Hum, don¡¯t die. You¡¯re the first contractor of this body.¡± Ping Pong opened the pink door with a rather strange expression and went back to its own unknown world.


    "I''ve never seen a dimensional merchant threatening someone. You have a lot of interesting aspects to you¡­" Rachel commented to Yu-Seong after watching them.


    Yu-Seong did not answer while he placed all thirty spears on the floor. In fact, Yu-Seong himself was surprised as well.


    ¡®In principle, Dimensional Merchants pay no attention to their relationship with contractors other than the transactions between them.¡¯


    In other words, whether the contractor died or lived, suffered or not, it was of no interest to the Dimensional Merchant.


    In any case, the role of Dimensional Merchants was to purchase and sell, nothing more. It was unsurprising, of course. It was said that within [Modern Master Returns], those who contracted with Dimensional Merchants were widespread throughout the universe.


    It was a short and sloppy description, but that sentence alone showed that Dimensional Merchants did not have to be obsessed with one simple customer. Moreover, Yu-Seong had known Ping Pong for quite a short time.


    ¡®Also I¡¯m not a VIP customer.¡¯


    As always, currently, Yu-Seong was infinitely short of Karma Points. It was difficult for him to make a big deal that could satisfy the Dimensional Merchant. Perhaps the first contractor may be quite meaningful for Ping Pong, but even so, it was clear that it was something quite mysterious.


    Anyway, thanks to Ping Pong, the pressure on Yu-Seong¡¯s mind slightly lessened. Even though the spear he held onto was just made of wood, he felt more stable as the effect of the Cool-headed skill was activated the moment he held it.


    ¡®Maybe it''ll be easier than I expected.¡¯


    Of course, such thoughts disappeared the moment Yu-Seong made eye contact with Rachel.

 CH 53

    Despite the effect of Cool-headed skill, Yu-Seong immediately felt light-headed. After taking several deep breaths to calm down, he transformed Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice into the form of a battle suit.


    ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s cool. I was wondering what that ring was¡­¡±


    Yu-Seong was pressed for time, but he couldn¡¯t be hasty about things. He was planning to carry out his preparation slowly, one spear at a time. He glanced at the Gate of Life behind Rachel with the Barrier Scroll inside.


    As mentioned, the Barrier was made up of quite complex forms. Even if only a part of the pattern drawn in the scroll was distorted, problems would arise throughout the Barrier. As a result, the Gate of Life would open the way.


    ¡®Though, it would be better if it could be completely crushed.¡¯


    But likewise, the possibility of Yu-Seong being able to do it was extremely low. It was impossible to reach the Barrier Scroll by passing Rachel, who was blocking the way.


    ¡®The only way is to use the Jump Ring, the second ancient relic I received from Ji-Ho hyung.¡¯


    Jump Ring was one of the gifts Choi Ji-Ho had given Yu-Seong. It was an ancient relic containing the ability to take a short leap of about 10 meters and it could only be used once. If this was used, even Rachel wouldn¡¯t be able to prevent Yu-Seong from reaching the Barrier Scroll. Unfortunately, however, the probability of opening the Gate of Life was extremely low even if he arrived at the Barrier Scroll.


    ¡®Considering Rachel¡¯s abilities¡­ Likewise, it¡¯s impossible.¡¯


    As if reading Yu-Seong¡¯s thoughts, Rachel shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t think about useless things. If you aim for that, I might get a little angry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m all set. Let¡¯s start.¡±


    With that, Yu-Seong grabbed the bunch of spears gathered on the floor and threw them at Rachel as vigorously as possible to scatter them. There was no significant intention of using it as an offense. He was literally trying to put weapons all over the place. After repeating that several times in a row, he ran to the front¡­ No, he pretended to run, then picked up the closest fallen spear, and threw the spear toward the Gate of Life behind Rachel.


    Rachel lightly hit Yu-Seong with the tip of her index finger and floated him into the air. She smiled at him as he threw out a spear at her. ¡°I can¡¯t tell whether you are scared or not scared. Well, shall I look forward to seeing how much you could entertain me?¡±


    Rachel easily blocked Yu-Seong¡¯s attack with one index finger. She didn¡¯t use any strength. First of all, it was due to her curiosity about Yu-Seong¡¯s skills.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Rachel saw that Yu-Seong immediately gave up the spear and fell back to the floor. She stretched her index finger, aiming an attack at Yu-Seong¡¯s shoulder. However, Yu-Seong¡¯s body blurred after being stabbed in the shoulder. It was an illusion, the Wind Control.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Rachel widened her eyes in surprise, but she still received Yu-Seong¡¯s attack easily and gave her first counterattack.


    On the other hand, Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t afford to rest.


    ¡®Although it¡¯s good to save Illusion of Wind Control as much as possible¡­¡¯


    Speaking of it, Yu-Seong¡¯s attack and the Wind Control was one of his groundworks. However, there was no room to fight against Rachel, the S-rank monster, while not using it.


    Also, Yu-Seong expected her to watch his skills in the beginning with ease. For Rachel, this was all just a game, something she could enjoy while Ghost was doing the mission. Thanks to that, he was able to do it easier than expected.


    ¡®As planned¡­¡¯


    Rachel and Yu-Seong''s positions changed. While she was focused on the Illusion, Yu-Seong once again used Wind Control to pass her side at once and got behind her. Now, Rachel could not guard the Barrier Scroll behind her back.


    ¡®Up to here.¡¯


    Nevertheless, Yu-Seong did not run toward the Barrier Scroll. To be exact, he couldn¡¯t run to it. Rachel¡¯s hatchet ¨C which suddenly appeared ¨C was above Yu-Seong¡¯s head and even passed right in front of his forehead. If he had taken just one more step, he would have been split in half and died instantly. He did not quite cross the line.


    Yu-Seong''s forehead was drenched in cold sweat as he sighed with relief.


    Rachel smiled with cold eyes. ¡°Hey, gold nugget, that was dangerous. You know that, right?¡±


    Instead of answering her directly, Yu-Seong took out an index finger and shook it at Rachel¡¯s hatchet. ¡°You just broke a rule.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a shame. Instead, I¡¯ll also close my eyes as a penalty.¡±


    Before Yu-Seong said anything, Rachel shut her eyes immediately.


    ¡®How cunning¡­¡¯


    Would a skilled person like Rachel be unable to read Yu-Seong¡¯s movements just because she closed her eyes? Instead, she would not make the mistake of being confused by an Illusion as she did before. She even naturally treated it as part of the game, as if it were a penalty on her part.


    ¡°And hereafter, I will swing this ax whenever you try to cross the line. Anyway, I still promise to use only one finger in the sparring game with you.¡±


    ¡°All right, but how about something like this? For example¡­¡±


    Yu-Seong swiftly picked up a spear on the floor, rotated his body, and threw the spear away. At the same time, or actually even faster than that, Rachel¡¯s hatchet flew, halved the soaring spear, and stuck to the ground. The real surprising thing happened shortly after that.


    Kwajik-! With a destructive sound, the hatchet that was stuck on the rooftop floor returned to Rachel¡¯s hand when she lightly reached out for it.


    ¡°This is what happens.¡± Rachel smiled.


    Yu-Seong gasped.


    ¡®I knew it, but it¡¯s like Thor¡¯s hammer.¡¯


    Mjolnir, the hammer used by Thor, who was the god of battle in Norse mythology, had the characteristic of returning to the user¡¯s hand like a boomerang. Thankfully, Rachel¡¯s ax was not a special weapon like Mjolnir.


    ¡®Special Skill, the Thread of Destiny.¡¯


    Many people thought that the Slaughterer Queen was a physical-type player because she engaged in intense melee combat. However, surprisingly she was a psychic-type user who led the battle based on Thread of Destiny skill which dealt with transparent threads that could not be seen with normal Skills. Of course, no one in the world knew this truth except Rachel herself.


    Skilled hunters hid more than 30% of their abilities. This was to draw the opponent¡¯s oversight and cut the opponent¡¯s life using a trump card at the decisive moment.


    The more similar their abilities were, the larger the difference was in knowing the opponent¡¯s abilities or not in determining the life-or-death outcome. Thus, it was a matter of course. In that sense, Rachel¡¯s fighting style was very useful to confuse the opponent.


    ¡®Basically, it makes people mistake me as a physical type. And it doesn¡¯t matter if he is lucky enough to find out about the thread.¡¯


    It was not just inanimate objects that the Thread of Destiny could control. As the Skill name suggested, Thread of Destiny could control even human movement. However, if only paying attention to Rachel wielding the ax, one couldn¡¯t even imagine that the Thread of Destiny had such ability.


    ¡®The more I know her, the more I¡¯m scared of her.¡¯


    Rachel was cunning enough to make people creeped out. She enjoyed her nickname ¨C ¡®Slaughterer Queen¡¯ to deceive her Special ability ¨C the most powerful weapon she owned ¨C and set up most of her General Skills composition into physical reinforcement type.


    Therefore, Yu-Seong thought it would be useless to approach the Barrier Scroll.


    ¡®It¡¯s a relief if I don¡¯t get caught by the Thread of Destiny and get taken back to this place.¡¯


    Perhaps Rachel ¨C offended by Choi Yu-Seong crossing the line ¨C would behead him right away. Rachel was different from Kim Do-Jin. She did not have a strong sense of pride and was not that competitive. She enjoyed playing games and didn''t care about breaking rules. If Do-Jin did not take advantage of being the novel¡¯s main character, she might be a more demanding enemy than him.


    ¡®Nevertheless, the first goal has been achieved, so all I have to do is just to complete the next step safely.¡¯


    Yu-Seong gasped and picked up a fallen spear again.


    Rachel waited for Yu-Seong to make his move in a relaxed manner with her eyes closed and arms folded. She said, ¡°Hey gold nugget, shall this noona[1] give one piece of advice? Sometimes having too deep thoughts is rather poisonous.¡±


    At the same time, Rachel¡¯s hatchet flew through the air once again. This time, the target was Yu-Seong who had stopped trying to organize his thoughts. The hatchet narrowly cut the tip of Yu-Seong¡¯s ear as it passed.


    The moment blood splashed into the air, Yu-Seong felt his heart clench and bowed his head.


    Whiririk-! The hatchet that cut Yu-Seong¡¯s hair just now flew back in the opposite direction by the Thread of Destiny and returned to Rachel¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m adding a third rule. If you bore me from now on, this ax will continue to fly toward you.¡± Rachel smiled brightly with her eyes closed as she spread three fingers exactly in the direction where Yu-Seong was standing.


    A quick look at bit.ly/3iBfjkV will leave you more fulfilled.


    There was no more time to think. Yu-Seong did not hesitate anymore and rushed toward Rachel. He picked up a spear and aimed at Rachel¡¯s ankle.


    Jumping lightly and turning over in the air, Rachel held out only one index finger at the end of the spear that Yu-Seong wielded and said, ¡°And from now on, I¡¯m going to pull some strings too.¡±


    ¡°Keck¡­?!¡±


    Along with Rachel¡¯s words, a direct breaking force was applied to Yu-Seong¡¯s wrist that was holding the spear. Yu-Seong did not hesitate again this time, putting down the spear and picking up another. Then, he stabbed in the middle of Rachel¡¯s forehead as she fell back to the floor. The spear seemed to dig into her forehead, but Yu-Seong could not feel anything getting caught in his hand or digging into the flesh.


    ¡®Illusion?¡¯


    No, it wasn''t an illusion. Yu-Seong just felt that way because Rachel was moving too fast.


    ¡°Our gold nugget, it¡¯s going to hurt a little.¡± Standing upright again, Rachel used the tip of her index finger to flick the end of the spear. The vibration of her movement shook Yu-Seong entirely.


    ¡°Cough-!¡±


    In the end, Yu-Seong coughed up an entire mouthful of blood.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m bored.¡± Rachel let out a sullen voice.


    Yu-Seong intuitively felt what those words meant. He turned sideways, even though he was in a dizzy state, and he saw a hatchet tearing his shoulder and passing right next to him.


    There was no time to hesitate. Yu-Seong rolled on the floor and threw out a spear. On his back, a cool yet hot feeling swept fiercely and passed.


    Holding the hatchet that returned after tearing Yu-Seong¡¯s back with her left hand, Rachel removed his spear with an index finger and nodded with a gaze full of madness. ¡°It¡¯s a bit more fun now!¡±


    Feeling the adrenaline rush into his head as the battle reached its extreme, Yu-Seong even forgot his fear somewhat and cursed, ¡°You¡¯re the only one having fun! Damn it!¡±


    1. "Older sister" in Korean if the speaker is male ?

 CH 54

    Rachel giggled. In the meantime, Yu-Seong simultaneously picked up two spears with both hands, then threw one of them straight toward the Barrier and ran head-on.


    ¡°You crafty gold nugget!¡± Rachel threw the hatchet toward the thrown spear once again and blocked Yu-Seong¡¯s attack with her index finger.


    Clang-!


    Yu-Seong¡¯s spear shot high into the air with a metallic sound. He felt a shock in his stomach from the counterattack again. However, his spear did not stop. He tried to hit Rachel¡¯s head using the spear while winding it straight inside from his lifting action.


    Of course, the trick did not work at all. Rachel recovered the hatchet with her left hand and struck Yu-Seong¡¯s spear with her index finger once more.


    ¡°Kueeek-!¡± cried Yu-Seong. He spat out blood, feeling extreme pain even though he was wearing the Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice which had turned into a battle suit that reduced the shock.


    ¡®I would have already died if I did not wear this battle suit. Damn!¡¯


    Yu-Seong cursed inwardly and picked up the spear. He threw it at the Gate of Life once again, even though his vision was blurry. At the same time, he stretched his right foot toward Rachel and tried to hit her chin.


    ¡°You¡¯re still crossing the line. You should get punished, my gold nugget.¡± Rachel smiled and lightly flicked the tip of Yu-Seong¡¯s toe with her index finger.


    Crakakack-!


    Yu-Seong¡¯s heel was tattered and twisted with the sound of bones breaking. His pupils became wider than a lamp. His scream rang loudly while he rolled on the floor in extreme pain, as if his brain was burning up.


    ¡°Aaaaaagh-!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, gold nugget. Humans don¡¯t die just because they lose each one of their limbs,¡± Rachel said as she retrieved the hatchet that was stuck on the floor again. She purred, ¡°But if you lie down like that, I¡¯ll want to throw this again since I¡¯m bored. Ah, for reference, you won¡¯t die easily even if your limbs get cut.¡±


    ¡°¡­uck. Shit!¡± Yu-Seong swore and got up. He had to stand on one leg because of the bent ankle, so his posture was quite awkward. However, he couldn¡¯t lie down. He glared at the smiling Rachel with bloodshot eyes, as if wanting to tear her to death.


    ¡°Marvelous!¡± Rachel exclaimed.


    Spark shot out from Yu-Seong¡¯s entire body.


    ¡°Huh? You still have a hidden ability.¡±


    After that, Yu-Seong used Wind Control and rushed toward Rachel, though he didn¡¯t get a proper speed since he had to rush on only one leg.


    ¡°Uwaaah-!¡±


    Using her index finger, Rachel stabbed into Yu-Seong¡¯s shoulder when he reached to hit her with a scream. Then, a hot and sharp touch stirred his shoulder indiscriminately.


    ¡°Ahhhhh¡­¡±


    While he struggled with pain, his sensation of touch disappeared. Through his bloodshot eyes, Yu-Seong could see Rachel licking her index finger which was soaked in dark red blood.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Sweet taste.¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    Yu-Seong clicked his tongue. Rachel had received his Spark head-on as if she did not feel anything.


    ¡®I did expect this, but¡­¡¯


    This was an extremely huge gap. The idea of fighting and winning against such a monster was also absurd. It was something impossible in the first place.


    Rachel tilted her head. She saw Yu-Seong kneeling and bowing his head deeply as if drooping on the floor. She asked, "Are you giving up now?"


    ¡°No way.¡± Yu-Seong raised his head and laughed. Then, he lifted a spear on the floor with his intact right hand and used Spark again. He threw the spear toward the Gate of Life once more and gave strength to his kneeling knees.


    ¡®I never expected I¡¯m going to actually do this.¡¯


    One would have seen this in a comic on Earth, a stance reminiscent of a powerful attack that gains momentum. Likewise, Yu-Seoung¡¯s head brushed past Rachel¡¯s chin by bending the knees. Rachel¡¯s eyes, both full of madness, showed off her deep murderous intent as she saw Yu-Seong.


    ¡®His eyes are alive even in the midst of this. Cute gold nugget.¡¯


    Suddenly, Rachel felt very regretful. ¡°Aah, I would¡¯ve killed you right away if it wasn¡¯t for the money.¡±


    Rachel threw the ax once again with her left hand toward the flying spear. She could feel her heart beating.


    ¡®How long has it been since I¡¯ve been this excited? Regardless of how much I get¡­¡¯


    She desired to kill Yu-Seong right away and be able to observe his brain. How could he still have that gaze after being beaten this much? Generally, people might feel quite scared or desperate at this point.


    ¡®This is fascinating!¡¯


    Rachel unknowingly aimed the tip of her finger at the center of Yu-Seong¡¯s forehead.


    Crakakack-!


    There was a loud sound that everyone could hear.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    First of all, Rachel turned her gaze in the direction of the sound. Yu-Seong ¨C who soared high with his head stretched in a rather ugly position ¨C also turned his head.


    The hatchet flew, cut Yu-Seong¡¯s spear in half, and heavily struck the ground. It caused many cracks like lightning. It was collapsing.


    Rachel¡¯s mind was first filled with curiosity about Yu-Seong recklessly rushing toward her. However, a thought suddenly came to her mind. She exclaimed, ¡°You¡­There¡¯s no way. Did you plan this from the beginning?¡±


    Rachel looked at Yu-Seong with surprised eyes. The first thing that came to her mind was the time when Yu-Seong scattered a large number of spears, which she had thought was a completely useless action. Then, she remembered him throwing the spear that seemed like it had little meaning. All that time, Rachel was focusing on keeping the Barrier Scroll and threw the hatchet toward him.


    ¡®Since I¡¯ll lose If I go out of the circle.¡¯


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    Rachel didn¡¯t mean to keep the rule, but she kept it to enjoy the game with Yu-Seong. But now, it seemed her position was the complete opposite.


    ¡®It wasn¡¯t me playing with the kid. Instead, I was following the path this crafty gold nugget guy planned.¡¯


    The thick concrete floor could not be broken with Yu-Seong¡¯s ability. In contrast, for Rachel, it was easier than a piece of cake. It was a very simple but ridiculous matter like how the lightly thrown hatchet broke the ground. That was why she didn¡¯t take it seriously¡­ Her carelessness had led to this situation.


    Rachel turned toward Yu-Seong in surprise, spotting the smile on his face.


    This had been Yu-Seong¡¯s first thought from the moment he had first spoken to Rachel. The Barrier could not be broken from the outside unless by the same Barrier Master. However, on the outside, there must have been people waiting to help Yu-Seong. For example, Jin Do-Yoon and Jin Yu-Ri who may have been contacted, people following Rachel, or countless people who would flock after hearing the fuss.


    Therefore, Yu-Seong¡¯s goal was not to win the game against Rachel from the beginning. His goal did not change even a bit from the first moment Ghost appeared.


    ¡®To break the Barrier and open the Gate of Life.¡¯


    Actually, it was close to gambling. If Rachel ¨C who was arrogant but clever ¨C had noticed Yu-Seong¡¯s intention in the middle, all plans would have been in vain. However, Yu-Seong¡¯s plan was successful right now. What else could be said more?


    ¡°You were lucky.¡±


    Or as always, Rachel¡¯s gambling luck was bad.


    Kwakwakwang-!


    A loud thunder sound ranged out then the floor began to collapse and pour down as she ended her words. Then, a distortion phenomenon that seemed to sway the space occurred briefly and the Barrier began to break.


    At the same time, a roar like glass breaking was heard. Starting with the area where the Barrier Spell was drawn, the rooftop collapsed. However, in front of Rachel¡¯s toes, the building stayed still as if afraid and could not move on any further.


    ¡°Ahaha, hahahaha-!¡± At the chaotic and destructive scene, Rachel burst into a crazy laugh. There was no more rationality left in her eyes.


    ¡°How fun! Choi Yu-Seong, I¡¯m having so much fun!¡± Rachel lifted Yu-Seong, who was on the verge of falling due to standing right in front of her, by the collar. She looked straight into his dark eyes with a mad gaze. ¡°Wanna live, right? So, you really want to live?¡±


    Seriously. That was Yu-Seong¡¯s only thought even when he felt like he was going to fall off the collapsing rooftop. Rachel¡¯s cheeks reddened when she saw Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes, responding as if she had just witnessed the most beautiful artwork in the world.


    ¡®Like it, like it, like it, I like it so much. They¡¯re such gorgeous eyes that I want to dig them out whole and use them as a decoration at home.¡¯


    She couldn''t bear it. Rachel could no longer stand her raging instinct, laughing. ¡°But what should I do? I just want to kill you so much. Of course, I won¡¯t kill you easily. I¡¯m already looking forward to the moment when you beg me to kill you, you know? Before that, how much fun could you make me! How much fun will it be? Kyakyakya!¡±


    It was at that moment that a silver flash flashed over Rachel¡¯s right wrist.


    Slash-! Rachel was monstrous and untouchable to Yu-Seong, but her wrist was cut in vain. Because of that, Yu-Seong thought he would fall like a broken kite again. That would have happened if there wasn¡¯t the hand holding him at the back of his neck, dangling not much different than Rachel. In the blurry vision that seemed to be far away, Yu-Seong struggled to turn his head to the side and looked at the person who held him like a mother cat lifting her baby.


    ¡°You idiot. You are messed up like a rag.¡±


    The person spoke quite bluntly and had a rather odd appearance.


    ¡®A rabbit mask?¡¯


    Yu-Seong had expected support from someone like Jin Do-Yoon or Jin Yu-Ri, but the person who had shown up was completely unexpected. However, he definitely saw the word ¡®rabbit mask¡¯ in the original novel. The problem was that he didn¡¯t remember it clearly. To be exact, it was difficult to even maintain consciousness right now.


    The Rabbit Mask was a figure also known by the code name ¡®Myo¡¯, belonging to the Special Police Force.


    Choi Mi-Na faced Rachel, who was looking at her with a gaze full of anger. It was quite a contrast from Mi-Na¡¯s bizarre wide smile.


    Regardless of Rachel''s heart-fluttering expression that was likely to be seen in any horror movie, Mi-Na didn¡¯t seem to get affected by it. She lightly stretched her stiff neck.


    ¡°Still, you did well. It¡¯s weird to say this is a gift, and I don¡¯t really like you, but don¡¯t worry. From now on, this noo-nim [1] will protect you,¡± Mi-Na said.


    Was there ever a time when the word ¡®noo-nim¡¯ and the sound of bones rubbing and cracking were this reliable?


    ¡®Please¡­ I leave it to you.¡¯


    Yu-Seong thought he felt quite at ease for some reason. He replied with his eyes and then went unconscious. Clearly, he had reached his limit.


    1. The respectful form of noona, which guys call their older sisters ?

 CH 55

    It was about five minutes before Yu-Seong broke the Barrier. Do-Jin, who was wounded all over, suddenly had a thought while continuing the battle against Ghost.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong¡­ Did he run away?¡¯


    When Yu-Seong suddenly ran elsewhere while Do-Yoon was fighting, Do-Jin thought that Yu-Seong had some kind of plan. Do-Jin knew it by his skill¨CSixth Sense¨Cwhich maximized his intuition. This thought initially brought about no doubts, but¡­Yu-Seong did not come back even after quite a long time.


    ¡®I wonder if he¡¯s up to something.¡¯


    Do-Jin frowned and stopped in place while pointing his sword at the ground. After a short silence, he heard a voice that resonated from some other place.


    ¡°Have you finally given up?¡±


    ¡°So it wasn¡¯t that you couldn¡¯t speak. Is it a Voice Amplification Skill?¡± Do-Jin smiled strangely while hearing the voice spreading out of nowhere.


    Voice Amplification Skill was a skill that was seldom used since it was not beneficial for ordinary hunters. However, it was quite useful for Ghost, whose main ability was stealth. This showed that Ghost was a fairly skilled hunter since he had the ability to select skills that suited his aptitude.


    ¡°I just thought there was no need to talk with you because my mission is to win you over. I just waited for you to get tired first.¡±


    ¡°Win me over?¡±


    ¡°The Godfather of the Organization wants you, Kim Do-Jin. Come with us.¡±


    ¡°Organization, huh. So, it must be quite big.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you the details¡­ But, it can be said that it is powerful enough to overthrow a small country like this.¡±


    At Ghost¡¯s words, Do-Jin¡¯s eyes slightly lit up.


    ¡®It¡¯s at the level that can overturn Korea?¡¯


    Though Korea was surrounded by powerful countries, it was still globally considered one of the Top Ten player powerhouse. Many predicted that Korea would be in the top five in the next few years since there were a lot of talented hunters and cream-of-the-crop rookies. Do-Jin, being one of those rookies himself, obviously believed that Korea would soon become the best.


    Anyway, Korea currently had a formidable power, despite Ghost¡¯s casual comment that his organization could simply overthrow this country.


    ¡®It means there''s a bunch of them who are like this guy fighting against me.¡¯


    With a few words of conversation, Do-Jin had guessed the size of the organization. He sneered bitterly. There was no particular reason, but he felt a bit angry all of a sudden.


    ¡®If I hadn¡¯t lost my strength when returning, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about these trivial things now.¡¯


    When you''re just trying to make great content at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    Not only that, but this painstakingly planned revenge would be much easier for Do-Jin. However, of all things, most of his initial power had been lost in the process of crossing the dimension from the Aliode Continent. His body, which was extremely trained, had returned to its regular form while he was on Earth and the pure yet heavily accumulated mana had disappeared without leaving any.


    When he first realized this change, Do-Jin had felt indescribably empty and frustrated, but he did feel at ease thinking that was the price for returning afterward. He had also been excited to think that he could be stronger when he gained new abilities as an awakened player. However, he couldn¡¯t help but get annoyed whenever he faced a situation like this.


    ¡°Kim Do-Jin, now I get how powerful your skills are. It¡¯s definitely incredible. I know I won¡¯t be your match in about a year. I guess that¡¯s why Godfather himself nominated you. But for now, I recommend that you just give up. You can never get out of here.¡±


    ¡°Who do you think you are to decide that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my decision. Rather, I¡¯m just telling you the obvious outcome.¡±


    Ghost felt both admiration and astonishment in the fight with Do-Jin. It was because Do-Jin was only at the beginning of C-rank, which was severely different in rank with Ghost himself. He felt a sense of crisis that he might lose to Do-Jin.


    This was a feeling Ghost had never felt before toward a lower-rank hunter since he had gained dark mana from joining the Demon King Worshiper, which allowed him to indefinitely maintain invisibility. However, he could not back off.


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin would die the moment that monster comes here.¡¯


    Ghost unconsciously trembled as he recalled Rachel, the Slaughterer Queen who was like a demon with a beautiful appearance and a distinct crazy personality. Perhaps he felt like Do-Jin could grow into an existence no less than her. Though that would only happen if he survived.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, come join our organization. Just by joining us, you can have an entirely different level of power than you have now.¡±


    ¡°A different level of power?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Ghost shut his mouth. He was smart enough to know that if he led the story any further, he would be giving too much information.


    ¡°There are very few ways to strengthen power other than rank-up and level-up¡­ Hm¡­I see. You guys are Demon King Worshipers.¡±


    The problem was that Do-Jin was a person excellent enough to see through the situation with that brief clue alone. Ghost was startled but he remained silent. He had no reason to show agitation here.


    ¡°Now I understand. Demon King Worshiper¡­ Not bad since it would be easy to regain strength there. Good, I¡¯ll accept your offer. But there is something I¡¯d like to request for as well.¡±


    Ghost tilted his head at Do-Jin¡¯s vague words about regaining strength. He asked, ¡°What do you want? Money, beauty, authority, we have a lot of things. Maybe you can achieve most of what you want.¡±


    Ghost was confident. Whatever desires Kim Do-Jin had, the organization called Demon King Worshiper could satisfy them all. Mission was accomplished. A smile crept to his lips. However, Do-Jin¡¯s following words easily caught him off-guard.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the leader.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°What I''m saying is, when I enter the organization, all Demon King worshipers must follow me.¡±


    Ghost¡¯s brain stopped for a moment.


    ¡®What nonsense did I just hear?¡¯


    He had never heard of such a proposal while convincing numerous hunters before.


    ¡°Oh, for your information, the Demon King must also be under my feet. So, the name of the organization should be changed.¡±


    A dejected laugh escaped from the red-faced Ghost¡¯s mouth. ¡°Haha, hahaha.¡±


    Ghost was now convinced that Do-Jin was fooling him.


    ¡°How dare you play with me? The sin of insulting the Godfather and the Demon King can only be repaid by death.¡±


    Anger soared to the very top of Ghost¡¯s head. Instantly, He got rid of the command from his head.


    ¡®This kind of guy would only be harmful to the Godfather.¡¯


    Ghost would be somewhat reprimanded, but that wasn¡¯t a problem for him anymore. First of all, he would beat Do-Jin until the man became a half-dead person and make him beg for his wrongdoings under his feet. After that, with a snort, he would decapitate Do-Jin, who would be weeping by then, and throw him away. Otherwise, his anger would not go away.


    ¡°I¡¯m not kidding. I¡¯m pretty serious, you know.¡± Do-Jin tilted his head.


    Instead of answering, Ghost approached Do-Jin¡¯s side and swung his toes. Do-Jin avoided the attack by tilting his neck and laughed. He said, ¡°You¡¯re not very pleased with my proposal, then.¡±


    ¡°From now on, I will do my best to kill you. Don¡¯t expect me to cut you some slack as before.¡±


    Ghost followed Do-Jin and kicked him frantically. Subsequently, he aimed for Do-Jin¡¯s neck or heart using a throwing tanto, which he had never taken out unless for contingencies.


    Ghost¡¯s Special Skill¨CInvisibility¨Cwas to make everything that directly touched his body invisible. Therefore, the thrown dagger was bound to be exposed, but the direction of the attack became much more unpredictable. Kim Do-Jin would not be able to hold out for a long time, since Ghost¡¯s attacks would be several times more varied than before.


    In fact, Do-Jin¡¯s wounds increased rapidly. Nevertheless, he managed to avoid fatal injuries despite the unchanging nature of his movement speed. In fact, he was seemingly adapting to Ghost¡¯s attacks and even slowing himself down. And in the meantime, his occasional counterattacks were still sharp.


    Barely escaping a crisis that almost cut his front by stepping back, Ghost clenched his teeth. ¡°You¡­!¡±


    ¡°Who gave slack to whom? You¡¯re very mistaken.¡± Do-Jin snorted while listening to Ghost. Then, he raised the sword and cut his left wrist, making a long wound.


    At the sight of a handful of blood gushing out, Ghost was puzzled.


    ¡®Self-harm?¡¯


    Do-Jin did not seem like a person who would do something like that, so why? The question lingered in the air for a mere moment.


    At Do-Jin¡¯s ensuing provocation, Ghost rushed forward in anger. ¡°What are you doing, coward? Don¡¯t have the courage to fight now?¡±


    With a cool smile, Do-Jin blocked Ghost¡¯s following attacks with his bare body. He did not flinch even at the burning sensation that extended from his upper left chest to the shoulder blade. He swung his left arm out.


    ¡®Blood? There¡¯s no way¡­¡¯


    Ghost came to his senses when he saw the blood being splattered in front of him.


    ¡°If I do this, I can see you clearly,¡± said Kim Do-Jin coolly. He had sprayed blood all over Ghost¡¯s face and clothes.


    As mentioned, Ghost¡¯s Invisibility made everything that directly touched his body invisible. However, what if the blood was splattered over the already invisible clothes? Ghost had fallen into Do-Jin¡¯s trap after all.


    ¡®It¡¯s not a big problem. I can just take the clothes off!¡¯


    Unfortunately, Do-Jin had no intention of waiting anymore. Toward the bewildered Ghost, Do-Jin swung the sword accurately.


    Ghost twisted his body to take his foot off Do-Jin¡¯s shoulder, but he couldn¡¯t completely avoid Do-Jin¡¯s sword attack this time. ¡°Keaargh-!¡±


    After screaming, Ghost realized that one of his legs had lost all feeling. ¡°My, my leg, my leg! Aaargh!¡±


    Psychic-type players tended to have poor physical protection abilities. For Ghost, who mostly slaughtered the weak through his Invisibility skill, had an extremely poor defense.


    Do-Jin pulled out the heavily stuck dagger in his shoulder and slowly walked toward the screaming Ghost.


    Ghost still maintained Invisibility, but his bloody hem clearly exposed his position. His thought about taking off his clothes had already been erased from his mind. He was dying. This fact made Ghost¡¯s mind go blank.


    ¡°Do- don¡¯t come! Don¡¯t come here!¡± Ghost retreated slowly by using his butt while shouting with a desperation to live.


    Do-Jin ignored Ghost and slowly approached with a face similar to that of the Grim Reaper. He raised his sword and said with an indifferent look, ¡°Please be aware of this one thing. It wasn¡¯t you who cut me slack. I just waited because I was curious about what Yu-Seong would do.¡±


    Was it important to have such pride in this situation?


    ¡°Un- understood. Admit. I admit it. I lost and you wo¡­!¡± Ghost crazily nodded. He spoke with desperate eyes, but his expression couldn¡¯t be seen by Do-Jin.


    And even if his expression could be seen, the results would be no different. The sword swung in a beautiful trajectory in the empty space. Ghost was praying with both hands together and eyes wide open, but¡­his head still fell to the floor.

 CH 56

    Ghost¡¯s Invisibility lifted after his death, so his limp body could be seen collapsing vainly to the floor. Kim Do-Jin looked at the figure with indifferent eyes and snorted.


    Crakakack-!


    At that moment, with the sound of glass cracking, the quiet surroundings began to get noisy. It was unexpected, but Do-Jin could quickly guess what had happened after looking around. He drew a smile on his lips.


    ¡®¡­So, you didn¡¯t run away. Choi Yu-Seong.¡¯


    Do-Jin did not know what Yu-Seong did, but it was clear that Yu-Seong had solved a problem that he had been unaware of.


    ¡®As expected, you did not disappoint me.¡¯


    The more Do-Jin thought about Yu-Seong, the more he liked him. Yu-Seong¡¯s every behavior was so favorable that, as time went by, Do-Jin¡¯s desire to possess him increased.


    ¡®The problem is that he¡¯s a more blessed guy than he looks, so it won¡¯t be easy.¡¯


    With his burning eyes, Kim Do-Jin could see the figures crossing the night sky through the broken cracks. None of them had come to find him, because he didn¡¯t have any colleagues yet. In other words, it meant that all of those guys were Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s supporters.


    ¡®Already, there are quite a few competitors. How hard.¡¯


    Do-Jin had to meddle between them and win Yu-Seong¡¯s tricky heart. Moreover, Do-Jin was planning to kill Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s father, Choi Woo-Jae. There were too many obstacles in the way, but still, Do-Jin thought it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    ¡®Because I already want him.¡¯


    Do-Jin had strong self-esteem and a greedy personality, so he was only satisfied upon getting his hands on what he had desired. He would use any means necessary to achieve that. It was no exaggeration to say that, thanks to this determination and personality trait, he had survived on the Aliode Continent and had even defeated that world¡¯s Demon King.


    ¡®Well, it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯


    The harder the treasure was to obtain, the more attractive it would be. Do-Jin¡¯s eyes were filled with longing.


    ***


    In a green meadow, there was a rabbit running. No¡ªit was a strange human running around in a rabbit mask. Choi Yu-Seong had no choice but to wonder about the very bizarre scene.


    ¡®What is that?¡¯


    The question popped up just for a moment. The person wearing the rabbit mask skipped across the meadow as if flying. Then, the person lifted a blood-dripping claymore and said, ¡°Die.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± After Yu-Seong first answered, a huge claymore fell over his head and he screamed out in fear, ¡°Aargh-!¡±


    Yu-Seong opened his eyes wide and shook his head while waving his arms in the air. Jin Do-Yoon, who was watching him from the side, opened his mouth to ask, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Did you have a nightmare?¡± asked Yu-Ri who was on the other side.


    When Yu-Ri quickly brought a wet towel and wiped his sweaty forehead, Yu-Seong realized that the bizarre and terrible scene was a dream. He breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡®Oh well, a mysterious human wearing a rabbit mask and wielding a claymore? There''s no way such a person exists¡­¡¯


    There was. Yu-Seong widened his eyes as he recalled the rabbit mask he last saw before losing consciousness. Then, he murmured, ¡°Oh my gosh. Choi Mi-Na.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± At the sudden mention of such a dangerous name, both Jin siblings simultaneously looked at Yu-Seong and asked.


    ¡®Come to think of it, these two don¡¯t know about her.¡¯


    Mi-Na wearing a rabbit mask and working in the Special Police Force was a well-kept secret that very few people know about. Therefore, the two would naturally be surprised when Yu-Seong suddenly brought up the name of Choi Mi-Na, who was the family¡¯s most mysterious person.


    ¡°No, nothing. It¡¯s just that Mi-Na noo-nim appeared in my dream.¡±


    As always, half of the lies had to be true.


    ¡°The Second Lady suddenly appeared in your dream?¡± Jin Yu-Ri asked with a suspicious gaze.


    ¡°Yeah, really. Anyway, what happened? I¡­¡± Yu-Seong¡¯s gaze first drifted to his right foot, which was raised on the bed with a splint as support. As he looked at it, he could feel the pain again.


    ¡°Fortunately, it broke cleanly, so they said it wasn¡¯t difficult to fix it up. The same goes for other injuries. The most severe thing was the bleeding¡­ But since you opened your eyes safely, it should be okay.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Come to think of it, his shoulders and the rest of his body were wrapped in bandages. It would be accurate to say that his limbs were entirely injured in many different places. Yu-Seong let out a bitter smile inwardly. Even thinking about it again, him surviving that situation itself was really based on luck.


    ¡®Because I met the Slaughterer Queen¡­¡¯


    The Slaughterer Queen, Rachel, was even caught in a certain madness and tried to kill him at the end. To be exact, he would have ended up being kidnapped and murdered. Anyway, he had now escaped from that crisis.


    Yu-Seong breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°So, I¡¯m alive.¡±


    Support us at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    Now that he recalled the crisis of that time, Yu-Seong knew that it had been real life and not a mere dream. That had been a moment of exceedingly great danger that was incomparable to any danger he had ever experienced before.


    ¡°It¡¯s because the opponent was Demon King Worshipers who even had a Barrier Scroll. What made it worse ¡­ The Slaughterer Queen.¡±


    Yu-Ri bit her lower lip as if she could understand it, and nodded. ¡°I wasn¡¯t very helpful this time either.¡±


    On the other hand, Do-Yoon looked so upset while he clenched his fists.


    Although she didn¡¯t express it, perhaps Yu-Ri was also feeling miserable.


    Yu-Seong smiled and shook his head at the two. ¡°It¡¯s not either of your fault. It''s too big a variable, whether it''s the Devil Worshiper or the Barrier Scroll.¡±


    Considering the order of the novel progression in the first place, this was too severe a crisis to already appear. This was because the novel [Modern Master Returns] was close to a genre where the munchkin main character actively showed great performance. Thus, difficult things that could not be handled easily shouldn¡¯t have come quickly.


    However, this world, which was Yu-Seong¡¯s reality, was different from the novel. If so, then what could he do?


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself too much, guys. I survived anyway. And this is a really rare situation. Let¡¯s just assume that I was unluckily struck by lightning while walking on the street. Haha.¡± Yu-Seong smiled as brightly as possible and comforted the two.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for a Barrier Master that we can hire through Jenny. That¡¯s because we don¡¯t want the same thing to happen again from now on,¡± said Yu-Ri.


    It wouldn¡¯t be easy. As mentioned, there were only around ten Barrier Masters even after searching all over the world. Also, they did not externally reveal their identities. This was because there were so many people who wanted to secure them due to their useful abilities.


    Of course, Yu-Seong, being a complete reader of the original novel, knew one of those Barrier Masters. He was already in the process to hire him in preparation for a time like this.


    ¡®Yoo Jin-Hyuk.¡¯


    Yu-Ri would have no idea that the person she was looking for at Yu-Seong¡¯s request was a Barrier Master. Of course, Yu-Seong could not say that they were already looking for the Barrier Master. Otherwise, he would surpass the accepted level of foresight and become a complete prophet. It was best for Yu-Seong to soothe Yu-Ri within appropriate boundaries for now because he was not confident in handling that aftermath.


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush too much. They¡¯re not easy people to find and they¡¯ll show up when the time comes.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Instead of answering, Jin Yu-Ri smiled.


    Yu-Seong knew that Yu-Ri was stubborn and wouldn¡¯t easily back down even if she answered. Therefore, he simply changed the topic of the conversation rather than persuading her. Turning to Do-Yoon, who still looked quite gloomy, he asked, ¡°So, can you tell me the situation in detail?¡±


    ¡°A person named Myo from the Special Police Force brought you to us, saying that there¡¯s no time to delay as the opponent was the Slaughterer Queen¡­¡± said Do-Yoon.


    ¡°Then?¡± asked Yu-Seong.


    ¡°I ran straight to the hospital to save you, young master.¡± Do-Yoon looked perplexed, suggesting that he didn¡¯t know anything about the situation at the time. Perhaps he was distracted by the thought that Yu-Seong had been in an emergency.


    ¡°Thanks, you saved my life.¡±


    In any case, if the treatment had been delayed, Yu-Seong could have faced health complications. Fortunately, his condition seemed to have no problems as long as he recovered well. That alone explained how reasonable Do-Yoon¡¯s action had been.


    ¡°I was not there, but I can summarize what had happened. First of all, it¡¯s been half a month since you woke up, young master,¡± said Do-Yoon.


    ¡°What¡­? So, what¡¯s the date today?¡±


    ¡°To be exact, it is January 3rd, 2030.¡±


    ¡°Oh my¡­¡±


    That meant Yu-Seong was no longer twenty years old. He also blew away Christmas¨Cthe biggest event at the end of the year¨Cin vain. In fact, none of these were very important.


    ¡®My goal was to achieve D-rank before I turned twenty-one!¡¯


    When he woke up, Yu-Seong automatically aged upon the arrival of a new year. Unlike levels and ranks that stagnated without his effort, age had an unreasonable summation rule that went up on its own over time.


    ¡°And a lot of the people from the Special Police Force were dispatched beside Myo, who saved you, young master. According to the news, it was such a mess. Several buildings were destroyed and quite a few people were injured. Many people are still hospitalized because of that incident,¡± revealed Do-Yoon.


    Fortunately, there were no casualties thanks to the quick reaction of the Player Association¡¯s hunters who had been stationed at the site and the Special Police Force¡¯s members who had been dispatched on time.


    ¡®Indeed, it¡¯s the Slaughterer Queen.¡¯


    No matter how strong Mi-Na was, Rachel was too strong to make a 1:1 match. It had been a situation where problems had inevitably occurred after fighting for quite a long time. The most important things here were two things:


    ¡°As a result, the Slaughterer Queen ran away. No matter how strong she was, she couldn¡¯t handle three from the Special Police Force alone.¡±


    ¡°Who was dispatched with Myo?¡±


    ¡°I heard they were the Inn [1]and Hae [2].¡±


    ¡°Tiger and pig, huh¡­¡±


    Rachel was missed despite the dispatch of Inn, who was in the top five in terms of force alone among the Twelve Zodiac of the Special Police Force, and Hae, who even had a lot of miscellaneous abilities though his force was somewhat lacking, alongside Myo.


    Likewise, Yu-Seong had to admit that Rachel was certainly a monster.


    ¡°Although they are still tracking her, it¡¯s said there¡¯s a high possibility that she has already left the country. It¡¯ll probably be hard to move for a while. Since it became known that the Slaughterer Queen¨Cthe S-rank hunter¨Cbelongs to Demon King Worshiper, the World Player Association has designated her as a Disturbance grade Villain,¡± explained Yu-Ri.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Yu-Seong realized that Rachel had not yet been designated as a Villain until just before this point. This incident had changed her from a dangerous person with some experience as a war mercenary into a Villain at once. It had originally been scheduled to happen, but it could be said that the time has been moved forward somewhat.


    ¡®By the way, Disturbance grade¡­ Is it just below the Catastrophe?¡¯


    Among Villains, the especially powerful and dangerous beings were graded separately to increase the risk figure and to focus on pursuing them. And up to this point, the maximum realm that human Villains could reach¨Crather than the powerful beings from another world like demons¨Cwas the Disturbance grade. Of course, this common sense would soon be broken.


    What was important was that Rachel, the Slaughterer Queen had acquired the worst danger level for Villains at the moment. This had led to considerable restrictions on her movement.


    ¡®Fortunately, I won¡¯t have to worry about her for a while.¡¯


    1. Sign of the tiger, the third sign of the Chinese zodiac ?


    2. Sign of the pig, the twelfth sign of the Chinese zodiac ?

 CH 57

    Considering Rachel¡¯s madness at the last moment, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if she suddenly appeared in front of Yu-Seong right away. However, it seemed that the World Player Association was so formidable that, even after she ran away, she had not appeared even after fifteen days had passed.


    ¡®Well, that¡¯s why even the Demon King Worshiper can¡¯t come out into the open recklessly.¡¯


    Blessed by the rather fortunate situation, Yu-Seong then asked the most curious question, ¡°What happened to Kim Do-Jin?¡±


    In fact, since Do-Jin was the main character with so many stunning abilities, Yu-Seong didn¡¯t think he would have died unless he had been very unlucky. Moreover, his opponent hadn¡¯t been the Slaughterer Queen, who Yu-Seong had personally faced.


    ¡°He¡¯s also hospitalized with injuries.¡±


    ¡°Injury? Is he seriously injured?¡±


    Yu-Ri¡¯s expression slightly hardened at Yu-Seong¡¯s rather serious question. She replied, ¡°Yu-Seong oppa, personally I¡¯m very anxious about the relationship between you two. You guys are getting closer.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°You say that, but why¡­¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s necessary,¡± Yu-Seong answered briefly and looked at Yu-Ri.


    ¡°What is it that you are hiding?¡± asked Yu-Ri.


    ¡°I can explain that tomorrow. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Having met Ji-Ho, Yu-Seong was already aware of his own future. He would be able to tell Yu-Ri a convincing story without having to lie.


    ¡°First of all, tell me how Kim Do-Jin¡¯s condition is. How is the injury¡­?¡±


    ¡°There was a lot of bleeding, but he was in a much better condition than you, young master. He was in the next room just a few days ago¡­ But he has been discharged,¡± explained Do-Yoon. He didn''t appear to be satisfied either.


    Yu-Seong nodded while sighing in relief.


    ¡®Good.¡¯


    Everything was alright. This event had been greatly threatening, but it didn''t change the overall flow of events. Yu-Seong felt completely relieved. At that moment, the fatigue that he had momentarily forgotten when he woke up from the dream rushed back to him.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m definitely not in good shape yet.¡±


    The two siblings smiled at Yu-Seong¡¯s words and nodded.


    ¡°Rest well, oppa. No matter what, recovery comes first.¡±


    ¡°We will be by your side. No one can bother you, young master, from now on¡­¡±


    Hearing the words of Yu-Ri and Do-Yoon, Yu-Seong lightly smiled and slowly closed his eyes. Although they had recently been unable to use their power due to various serious situations, as always, they were the two people he trusted the most.


    ¡®As expected¡­ They¡¯re reliable.¡¯


    Yu-Seong closed his eyes. And when he opened his eyes again, he was greeted by a completely unexpected guest.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? If you have opened your eyes, speak up,¡± a woman with long black hair, a rather tall stature, and a sharp cat-like figure said coldly.


    It was Yu-Seong¡¯s first time seeing her, but he didn¡¯t find the meeting awkward or uncomfortable.


    ¡®Is it a dream again?¡¯


    However, Yu-Seong felt like this moment was too realistic and vivid to be a dream.


    ¡°You can¡¯t even recognize your noo-nim anymore?¡± Mi-Na asked sharply.


    Yu-Sung¡¯s mind immediately cleared, no longer feeling hazy.


    ¡®Choi Mi-Na came to see me? Why?¡¯


    This was totally unexpected. Yu-Seong tried to calmly understand the current situation.


    ¡®Jin Do-Yoon and Jin Yu-Ri are¡­¡¯


    When his eyes swept the surroundings, Mi-Na¨Cwho was sitting with a crossed leg¨Cgrinned as if she had been waiting for this moment. She said, ¡°I kicked out the two puppies you raised. ¡®cause I was uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°¡­They just accepted that?¡±


    ¡°What if they don¡¯t accept it?¡± Mi-Na clenched her fist and shook it in front of Yu-Seong. Well, she had always been reckless.


    Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue.


    ¡®But those two are already upset enough about not being strong these days¡­¡¯


    Choi Mi-Na had properly touched their reverse scales. In the future, it would be difficult for Jin siblings and her to get along well in many ways.


    ¡°It¡¯s not time to worry about useless things. Are you not curious why I am here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t guess at all,¡± Yu-Seong said with a serious look.


    ¡°Oho, let me hear that.¡± Mi-Na nodded with a somewhat dissatisfied look. She would seemingly snap off one of Yu-Seong''s arms if he misspoke, regardless of his current injuries.


    Wiping a drop of cold sweat from his temple, Yu-Seong revealed a slightly awkward smile. ¡°Didn¡¯t you get a request from Ji-Ho hyung-nim?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you did to Choi Ji-Ho, but he told me something weird. But that wasn¡¯t enough to make me come and find you, obviously.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be at least the basis of it. I agree that it''s not enough. I am guessing that it would simply be just enough reason for you to not refuse when father asked you to visit me.¡±


    Ji-Ho had requested Mi-Na to protect Yu-Seong, but that didn¡¯t mean she had to show her face in front of Yu-Seong. If she ran just wild enough so that the other siblings in the family had no time to care about Yu-Seong, Ji-Ho¡¯s worries would naturally disappear without her directly helping Yu-Seong.


    Thus, Yu-Seong felt confused at first because Mi-Na was here visiting him. However, when the name Choi Woo-Jae was mentioned, the entire puzzle took form in front of him.


    ¡®Because he came to visit even when I was hurt before.¡¯


    This meant that the cold-blooded Woo-Jae also cared about his children getting injured. Perhaps Woo-Jae himself had already come to see Yu-Seong when he was unconscious.


    Despite it being just a simple logical assumption, Mi-Na looked quite surprised after Yu-Seong spoke. She muttered to herself, ¡°I thought he was just lucky, but¡­¡±


    Mi-Na revealed a smile that was somewhat different from before. Perhaps she was thinking about what made Yu-Seong survive from Rachel. Of course, Yu-Seong should act like he didn¡¯t know about that.


    ¡®Who¡¯s in front of me right now is not Myo of the Special Police Forces but the second child of the Comet Group family, Choi Mi-Na.¡¯


    Mi-Na did not want to let anyone in the house know that she was working in the Special Police Force. This was only natural. If Choi Woo-Jae found out about this, Mi-Na must immediately stop her Special Police Force activities. Perhaps the organization called ¡®Special Police Force¡¯ itself may disappear from this country. It would be reborn as a similar organization with a different name, but Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s eyes and ears would already have infiltrated then.


    Mi-Na did not even care about small controversies, but she hated not being able to do what she wanted. That was a similarity both Kim Do-Jin and Choi Mi-Na shared.


    ¡®They have to do what they want to do, and they hate losing even if they could die.¡¯


    To put it simply, they had strong self-esteem and a sense of independence. Mi-Na probably wouldn¡¯t want to reveal secrets or even talk related to them.


    ¡°Hey, I heard you survived after meeting the Slaughterer Queen?¡± Mi-Na voiced her thoughts.


    Well, by now, this particular topic wasn¡¯t suspicious to talk about. Slaughterer Queen was probably the hottest keyword in the world right now.


    ¡°I was lucky.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it was luck. But there''s a saying in the world that luck is also a skill.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You know, but I hate Villains very much. In particular, indiscriminate killers such as Slaughterer Queen are even more hateful.¡±


    Choi Mi-Na wasn¡¯t exactly right. There were actually some fairly convincing principles in Rachel¡¯s murder, which seemed reckless when reading the original novel, [Modern Master Returns]. However, Yu-Seong nodded unconditionally.


    ¡®It¡¯s hard to see good things if touched her feelings for nothing.¡¯


    Come to think of it, there were also several narratives in the original novel that Mi-Na was chasing Rachel. As a result, there was no win or lose between the two.


    ¡®Maybe they were in a deeper relationship than I thought.¡¯


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    Yu-Seong did not think deeply about the later matters. It was dangerous if his thoughts continued and led to a tongue slip. As soon as Mi-Na realized that Yu-Seong knew that she was active in the Special Police Force, she would try to shut his mouth regardless of means and methods.


    ¡°Since we don¡¯t have time, let me ask you two short questions. Did you have a secret plan that would help you survive the Slaughter queen?¡±


    ¡°That could be a possibility.¡± Yu-Seong could not stop himself from gaining some level of validation.


    Mi-Na¡¯s line of questioning was completely logical. Yu-Seong, who was only an E-rank hunter, had survived a meeting with the Slaughterer Queen, who was the S-rank Villain who belonged to Demon King Worshiper and was now designated as a Disturbance grade. In a way, it was understandable for someone like Mi-Na to think that Yu-Seong¡¯s survival was due to mere luck. And in fact, Mi-Na¡¯s words were not wrong.


    ¡®Because I seduced Rachel with money.¡¯


    However, what Mi-Na suspected was one step ahead of that.


    ¡°Noo-nim, you think that I might have joined the Demon King Worshiper, right?¡±


    "It''s not impossible,¡± Mi-Na stated with a shrug.


    Yu-Seong¡¯s aura felt rather threatening. He asked, ¡°Then let me explain it like this. Let¡¯s say I belong to Demon King Worshiper. How long do you think it¡¯ll last?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unknown whether I can fool noo-nim and other siblings¡¯ eyes, but have you forgotten who is above my head?¡±


    Yu-Seong did not necessarily ask for trust and faith in himself. It would be great if he could persuade Mi-Na who was full of suspicion in such a way, but he knew that it would not work. So, he brought up Choi Woo-Jae instead.


    ¡°It won¡¯t last a month at the longest. There are only a handful of people in Korea who can fool Father¡¯s eyes. It¡¯s no exaggeration to even say that it¡¯s impossible among our siblings.¡±


    Before she could speak anymore, Mi-Na frowned and became lost in thought.


    ¡®She would have to accept it. If she refutes and says she is doing a good job fooling him, she¡¯ll be the one in trouble.¡¯


    This was also Yu-Seong¡¯s intention. Saying that it might be possible to deceive Woo-Jae wouldn¡¯t be favorable for Mi-Na herself. Yu-Seong¡¯s excuse might not have worked if she was stupid, but fortunately, Mi-Na was quite clever.


    Mi-Na¡¯s intelligence was not emphasized much in the original novel because it focused on the main character Kim Do-Jin. However, if the reader observed closely, they would see that Mi-Na also was quite smart. For example, her eccentricities and recklessness that others would not understand looked absurd, but the results alone always were favorable for herself.


    Was this just a simple realm of luck? Yu-Seong thought it was not. And with Choi Mi-Na¡¯s subsequent agreement, his belief was only reaffirmed.


    ¡°Impossible¡­ You''re right. Okay. I¡¯ll trust Father, not you,¡± answered Mi-Na with a slight smile.


    Yu-Seong smiled back, but he didn¡¯t let his guard down since Mi-Na still had one more question left.


    ¡°Okay then, the second question. You, why have you been hiding yourself all this time?"

 CH 58

    The question was unexpected but not difficult.


    ¡®I¡¯m rather surprised since it¡¯s a question I¡¯ve always prepared to answer.¡¯


    Yu-Seong, the rascal, had completely changed overnight. At first, it was seemingly a simple whim, but they could easily tell that it was something beyond that the more they saw him. Thus, anyone would have doubts about him. Most likely, among other doubts, they would think that he had been hiding his abilities until now.


    In the past, he had thought that it was an obvious clich¨¦ for a person to be possessed by the novel since it was a typical storyline in ordinary regression novels. Now that Yu-Seong was personally experiencing it, it made sense that no one would even imagine his truth.


    ¡®Because no one has ever experienced this kind of soul possession or regression.¡¯


    It was impossible to open up possibilities with imaginary stories, for both common sense and smart people. Therefore, Yu-Seong was always on the lookout for someone who came to this conclusion and would ask him a question someday. However, it was definitely unexpected that the first person to ask him was Choi Mi-Na.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even try to avoid giving a clear answer, such as saying that there¡¯s a reason you can¡¯t tell me. Despite my lack of intentions, I¡¯ll be playing your nanny for a while, so I need a convincing reason to carry out my duty. Otherwise, I have no reason to try so hard at keeping my promise. You know, even to the day of my death, I never want to do what I don¡¯t want to,¡± said Mi-Na with a confident smile.


    Yu-Seong deliberately sighed deeply. ¡°I have no choice but to answer since you are asking me that seriously. I will be honest with you. I am¡­afraid of dying.¡±


    Yu-Seong had to start sincerely. As always, scams worked only when truth and falsehood were half-mixed. He continued talking while acting all sincere, with his voice and eyes expressing as much regret as possible for his past.


    ¡°As you know, my mother passed away early in an accident. Honestly, I can¡¯t even remember my mother¡¯s face now. But suddenly, a question arose in my mind. Was my mother¡¯s death really an accident?¡±


    Mi-Na¡¯s mother also died suddenly from the Villains¡¯ attacks, so Mi-Na could relate to Yu-Seong¡¯s concerns. In fact, her gaze had become quite serious, which was different from before.


    ¡°I¡¯m born to the Comet Group¡¯s founding family. It may be a very envious realm for some, but for me¡­ It feels like I¡¯m alone in the jungle,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    ¡°So, you plan to hide to survive? If that¡¯s the case, you should have stuck yourself somewhere without even thinking about breathing.¡±


    ¡°Because I am a coward. I don¡¯t dare to let go of everything I already have and go live a normal life. In a way, I¡¯ll become more defenseless when that happens, right? It¡¯s the same with attracting people¡¯s attention in a rather bizarre way. I am just a useless troublemaker at home, but everyone in the world knows me. If someone tries to harm me, wouldn¡¯t they have no choice but to pay attention to those gazes? I think noo-nim should be able to understand.¡±


    ¡°Then, why are you suddenly changing your attitude?¡±


    It worked. Yu-Seong raised his head once he felt that Mi-Na, who was called a nutcase by the entire family, was quite sympathetic to him. She had cold and calm eyes. In a way, she seemed to strongly resemble Woo-Jae, but the emotions reflected in her gaze was more than just fierceness.


    ¡°I have been thinking about the days after father passes away, which would come one day.¡±


    Choi Woo-Jae was an absolute ruler who encompassed the whole family and was respected by many powerful people around the world now. However, like everyone else, he was just a person. No one thought that his life would last forever unless he found some kind of an elixir plant that existed only in the imagination.


    ¡°The ninth child, who is far from the family and a lout who only causes accidents. Even if I say I don¡¯t want wealth or power, there would probably be more skeptics than believers.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you suddenly changed your stance?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Because I do not want to die. Just hanging on to a limited life¡­ That¡¯s not something I can continue to do for a long time.¡±


    Mi-Na quietly looked at Yu-Seong, who calmly finished his sentence. Soon after, she suddenly got up with an unknown expression of perhaps anger or sadness, and threw something at Yu-Seong.


    When he reached out and received the object in a daze, Yu-Seong widened his eyes. It was an unknown object in the form of an arm bracelet, which was recognizable by all but idiots. He commented, ¡°An ancient relic?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t have eyes to see for yourself.¡± Mi-Na did not deny Yu-Seong¡¯s guess, but her following words were somewhat absurd. She revealed, ¡°But actually, I also don¡¯t know what it¡¯s for.¡±


    ¡°¡­Does it mean that noo-nim don¡¯t even know what kind of ancient relic this is?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I wasn¡¯t that curious.¡±


    Yu-Seong stared at Mi-Na, wondering if he should take her word as it was and believe her.


    ¡®Probably not.¡¯


    It was an ancient relic, after all. If one got it, wouldn¡¯t they want to know its properties and use? How could she never try to find out just because she wasn''t curious? It didn''t make sense. Yu-Seong would rather believe that people could make bean paste from shit. In other words, two speculations could be thought of here.


    ¡®Research has been done, but Mi-Na still can¡¯t find out how to use it.¡¯


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    Or it could be that Mi-Na already knew but pretended she didn¡¯t. Either way, it wasn¡¯t a big deal. It was ¡®the ancient relic¡¯, so it would be enough to think about the use later and just rejoice for now.


    ¡°Thank you. Noo-nim.¡±


    ¡°I can hear the sound of your heart thumping in excitement. Don¡¯t pretend to be innocent, kid.¡± Mi-Na smiled and continued talking with her arms folded, ¡°I can only help you, for a year at most, decrease the family¡¯s interest in you. No matter how aggressive I am, the rest of them aren¡¯t idiots. According to my rough calculations, it wouldn¡¯t last a month. Also, I can¡¯t protect you from every single thing. There¡¯s no way for me to cover the sky with one hand. I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be some guys approaching you through the gap.¡±


    To interpret her words, Mi-Na seemingly liked Yu-Seong quite a lot. It was a short conversation, but it was enough to change her mind about helping him for a year rather than just a single month, which had been her original plan.


    Yu-Seong thought that Mi-Na¡¯s last words were sufficient. No matter how outstanding her ability was, Mi-Na was not Choi Woo-Jae after all. She didn¡¯t hold and wield all the family¡¯s power, so it would be impossible to block all of the siblings¡¯ actions. That was why the best thing that Mi-Na could do was to avert attention.


    Of course, it would be nice if she could block all threats that came, like a real nanny, but if she did that, she would go against Woo-Jae and get on his nerves. That would cause a bigger problem, so Yu-Seong also did not want such extreme protection.


    Anyway, with Mi-Na¡¯s renewed promise, the intensity of interest and contaminants that should be directed toward Yu-Seong would be greatly reduced. In other words, he would be able to use time in a much more relaxed fashion. Why would he be dissatisfied by this?


    ¡°That is enough,¡± Yu-Seong said with a smile.


    Choi Mi-Na answered with a nod, then said, ¡°And in the future, if possible, stay around Itaewon when you go outside.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I often go there to play, you know.¡± Without any further explanation of her cryptic words, Mi-Na turned her head hard and strode toward the door with her cheeks dyed red, regardless of whether Yu-Seong was flustered or not. ¡°Father has already come. So, you don¡¯t have to be unnecessarily nervous. Kid, say bye to your noo-nim.¡±


    With that, Mi-Na left the hospital room. Left alone, Yu-Seong looked at the blackish-gray bracelet that seemed to have been burned for a long time.


    ¡®A gray bracelet¡­ I¡¯m sure there was a similar mention in the original novel.¡¯


    Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t remember well. After tilting his head this way and that, he ruffled his hair and laid on the bed.


    ¡®Oh, whatever. I¡¯ll eventually remember it.¡¯


    If he couldn¡¯t think of it even if he forcibly tried to, it would be hard to find the answer no matter how hard he tried. Rather, there were times when an important memory would come to mind while being absent-minded.


    ¡®Let¡¯s rest for now.¡¯


    Yu-Seong needed a break.


    ***


    After leaving Yu-Seong¡¯s hospital room, Mi-Na briefly met and greeted the Jin siblings before leaving the hospital alone. There was no such thing as a fancy procession or a limousine waiting for her, unlike the other family members. Some might enjoy such privileges and treatment, but Mi-Na found all of it cumbersome.


    ¡®Honestly, it¡¯s faster to run than to drive if they tried hard enough. I don¡¯t understand why people drive cars.¡¯


    No matter how great a hunter was, they commonly preferred transportation that kept them out of prying eyes. However, for Mi-Na, who valued efficiency above all, all of those considerations were useless and irrelevant.


    However, today, Mi-Na did not run fast toward her next destination. Contrary to her typical thought, she chose to get on a bus even though it was public transportation. She sat down and thought deeply, not caring about drawing other people¡¯s attention.


    As mentioned, Mi-Na had never officially appeared in public events. Thanks to this, only people in the family, a small number of political and business giants, or a few fearless reporters knew her face. The probability of the former two groups getting on a bus was extremely low. Strictly speaking, it would be zero. How about the fearless reporters? Unfortunately, they had become similar to cowards these days.


    In the name of social experience, Mi-Na directly taught them the true fear of the world. If not, how could she openly operate a lounge bar then? Anyway, she didn¡¯t know if he did it consciously or not, but Yu-Seong had said a lot of pretty shocking things in his conversation with her. To organize all those thoughts, she couldn¡¯t afford to walk or run as usual.


    ¡®It¡¯s clear that he¡¯s hiding something about Rachel.¡¯


    Choi Mi-Na was not a fool. She didn¡¯t interrogate Yu-Seong in detail since it could also reveal her weakness. However, she did not completely dispel her doubts about Yu-Seong. Rather, she felt suspicious of Yu-Seong¡¯s confident attitude, but most of the reasons that came to her mind were absurd.


    ¡®There¡¯s no way that the kid knows that I¡¯m a member of the Special Police Force.¡¯


    Choi Ji-Ho seemed to like Yu-Seong, but he would not have revealed Mi-Na¡¯s secret. In the first place, Ji-Ho was not a man with loose lips.


    ¡®If he made fun of me lightly, I would chase him down tomorrow and pull out his tongue so that he can¡¯t talk again.¡¯


    With that terrifying thought in her mind, Mi-Na¡¯s eyes became sharp. In fact, she would be able to find a brief answer through investigation if she spent more time thinking about this. What made it complicated for her was none other than the story of Yu-Seong¡¯s mother.


    ¡®The kid¡¯s mother¡­ It¡¯s that woman, right? Baek Yu-Ri.¡¯

 CH 59

    When she was very young, Mi-Na had seen Yu-Seong¡¯s mother before. Yu-Seong¡¯s mother was a woman with shoulder-length black hair and a fairly gentle look like a puppy, but Mi-Na did not have any special memory about her. She wasn¡¯t from a great family and her academic background wasn¡¯t significant. She was a normal woman except for her beautiful appearance, which was obvious since she was Yu-Seong¡¯s mother.


    Everything about Yu-Seong¡¯s mother was too ordinary, which made her rather strange. How on earth could she become a woman after Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s heart?


    Mi-Na narrowed her eyes and slightly bit her lower lip.


    ¡®It was so natural that people didn''t even bother.¡¯


    Some might think that Woo-Jae was not picky about women since he had a lot of children, but that couldn¡¯t be further away from the truth. Woo-Jae thoroughly chose and selected his women. Whether it was because of political position, economic ideal, or future investments, since it was ultimately the process of creating another successor of his, he had never chosen his wife easily. So, how did an ordinary woman, who had no other special factor but beauty, become Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s wife?


    Everyone didn¡¯t even care about the sudden death of Yu-Seong¡¯s mother, Baek Yu-Ri. She had died at a fairly young age, so obviously something strange had happened.


    ¡®Something¡¯s definitely fishy.¡¯


    Now that Mi-Na thought about it, Yu-Seong was the only one who had noticed this throughout the family. That was absurd, but interesting and surprising as well.


    ¡®He¡¯s the only person who felt suspicious about it, while no one in the family or the entire country cared about it.¡¯


    Since the matter involved his own mother, this might not be considered a strange thing. However, it was an unspoken rule within the entire Comet Group¡¯s founding family that no one should doubt an incident that Choi Woo-Jae tried to keep the lid on for himself. But Choi-Yu-Seong, that timid ninth child of the family, was paying attention to that matter. Then, wouldn¡¯t Choi Woo-Jae know that?


    ¡®Nevertheless, father¡¯s not hiding his favoritism toward that small brat.¡¯


    This was actually because Yu-Seong had not even tried to investigate his mother Baek Yu-Ri, but Choi Mi-Na¨Cnot knowing the truth¨Cthought completely differently.


    Things were changing within the family. Perhaps the ninth kid, who no one cared about, had become a big variable but the majority had yet to notice him. However, it was only a matter of time.


    ¡®Like awl in the pocket. [ref] It means that a person with great talent will stand out even if they are hidden. [\ref] In the end, it¡¯s bound to stand out.¡¯


    The moment the awl popped out of the pocket, the other siblings would press on it to prevent it from coming out ever again. Or, the awl itself would be broken or thrown away by a resentful someone who got stabbed by its protrusion.


    Now Mi-Na could understand why Ji-Ho asked to take care of Yu-Seong.


    ¡®This kid is neither a fool nor a coward.¡¯


    Rather, Yu-Seong was courageous enough to break the family¡¯s unwritten rules. He was also a sensible person who had been hiding his true purpose for a while to only reveal it at the proper time.


    Woo-Jae was watching the ninth kid¨Cwhich may be somewhat cheeky¨Cand regarding him as cute. Mi-Na couldn¡¯t even understand how Yu-Seong had gently softened that iron-clad stubbornness, which could never be broken stubbornly.


    ¡®To think that he¡¯s a stiff geezer that doesn¡¯t give a single reaction to my aegyo[ref]denoting a Korean cultural style that emphasizes the quality of cuteness though cute voice or actions[\ref].¡¯


    Mi-Na smiled as she lightly tapped the bus window with her index finger.


    ¡®Very well.¡¯


    Before, there was no kid Mi-Na liked among her stupid siblings, who were always just conscious of Choi Woo-Jae. For the first time, her ninth sibling had caught her eye.


    Mi-Na was uninterested not only in the chairman¡¯s position but also in the family¡¯s affairs. However, after Ji-Ho was eliminated from being a candidate for the next chairman because of the unexpected accident, everyone else had naturally expected her to be the most likely candidate.


    Even though she was annoyed and had tried to hand the position over to the other siblings, Choi Woo-Jae had blocked her from doing so. As a result, as time passed, the people in the group collectively expected Mi-Na as the next chairman.


    ¡®It¡¯s a shitty situation.¡¯


    For Mi-Na, Yu-Seong was a light that suddenly appeared in her annoying and displeased situation.


    Of course, it could just be the empathy that arose from their similarity of losing their mother at a young age. She couldn¡¯t deny that Yu-Seong¨Cwho she once had poor judgment of¨Cmay have entered a corner of her heart because of that. It was not that she completely trusted him, but she was more willing to actively help him after things got resolved. Because of this, she even unexpectedly handed over items to Yu-Seong out of goodwill.


    It was an ancient relic called ¡®the Fragments of Destruction God¡¯. Choi Mi-Na had never used it herself, so she didn¡¯t know the exact effect. However, as could be guessed from its name, it was clearly an ancient relic with considerable power.


    ¡®It¡¯s a bit of a pity since I gave it away according to my sudden mood, but anyways, it¡¯s something that I can¡¯t use¡­¡¯


    Unfortunately, most of Choi Mi-Na¡¯s abilities had the opposite property of power compared to the ones of gods, so she couldn¡¯t use the ¡®Fragments of Destruction God¡¯ at all. She had kept it, initially thinking that it would be a waste to just hand it over to someone else. Though she did decide to hand it to Yu-Seong after her sudden change of heart.


    Mi-Na looked out the window, with her index finger lightly twisting a lock of her hair.


    ¡®When will that kid discover the bracelet¡¯s purpose?¡¯


    Thinking Yu-Seong would have to come and say thank you more than a thousand times once he figured it out, Choi Mi-Na was already looking forward to that day.


    ***


    Yu-Seong was only able to be discharged fifteen days after Mi-Na had visited.


    The doctor greatly praised Yu-Seong¡¯s resilience; he was a player indeed. Though for him, it was full of frustration because he didn¡¯t want to waste his time in the hospital.


    After spending half a month stuck in the hospital, he headed back to the dungeon and got into the car that Do-Yoon was driving. He felt that it was time to give an answer about concerns he had put off.


    ¡®This meets my initial expectation exactly.¡¯


    This was a pretty exciting moment.


    - [Private] A Joke-loving Prankster marvels at you. 200 Karma Points are sponsored. He says he has a skill that really suits you. Will you learn the skill? Y/N


    - The Oldest Hunter is really fond of player Choi Yu-Seong. 300 Karma Points are sponsored. He says he very much wants to give you a skill. Will you learn the skill? Y/N


    - The Silky Beard pays tribute to player Choi Yu-Seong. 250 Karma Points are sponsored. He wants to transfer a very strong skill. Will you learn the skill? Y/N


    - The Emperor of Great China refers to player Choi Yu-Seong as the most excellent man she has recently seen. 300 Karma Points are sponsored. She wants to give you a skill that suits you. Y/N


    - The Red Fang of the Dark Night feels a strong longing when seeing player Choi Yu-Seong. 100 Karma Points are sponsored. He threatens that you will regret it if you don¡¯t receive the skill. Y/N


    - The Culann¡¯s Hound judges that player Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s spearmanship has a very high potential. 500 Karma Points are sponsored. He promises that if you learn the skill, you will be able to become the strongest spearman. Will you learn the skill? Y/N


    After the incident of Demon King Worshiper along with Rachel, all the gods who were watching Yu-Seong sent messages about passing on their skills. Most of these messages would have been sent at the end of the fierce battle with Rachel.


    ¡®At the time, I was so out of it that I couldn¡¯t even think of checking the messages.¡¯


    If he could afford to be laid-back then, Yu-Seong would have recognized Choi Mi-Na at a glance. He properly checked and looked through the messages while he was hospitalized¡­ Since then, Choi Yu-Seong had fallen into deep thought.


    As mentioned, the reason why the lofty gods gave Karma Points and skills was that the achievements made by their sponsored humans were returned to their Karma figures and then copied to help raise their dignity.


    Obviously, god¡¯s stake in a human increased more when they passed on skills that were equivalent to their ability than when sharing some of the karma points they had. Also, if it was possible, the first god to transfer the skill to the human would gain an advantage in the battle for shares among the other gods. That was why, from the very beginning, Loki had begged Yu-Seong to learn his skill.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    Yu-Seong had been ignoring Loki¡¯s messages for a while. But now that all six gods had put up their skills, he could no longer continue to ignore this request anymore. Even for those who were waiting, he eventually had to make a definite choice. Now that Yu-Seong had taken the best route for his growth after much consideration, he finally decided to announce his decision.


    ¡°I have no bad intentions,¡± Yu-Seong spoke to himself and smiled somewhat apologetically, and replied to the six gods¡¯ skill transfer messages.


    There were two things Yu-Seong had worried about for fifteen days before he decided his current answer. First, he had to be sure of the sponsoring gods¡¯ true names. Second, he had to guess the skills that the gods would give through their true names.


    The first one was relatively easy. Except for only one god with a rather difficult and unknown nickname, all the others were using nicknames that had been mentioned at least once in the original novel or had nicknames that were easy to guess.


    Except for Loki, Guan-Yu, and Culann, all of whom with already clear identities, there were three remaining gods left. Among them, the first god that Yu-Seong found the answer to was the Emperor of Great China.


    ¡®This one never came out in the original novel, but it¡¯s actually easy to guess.¡¯


    Since the nickname was ¡®the Emperor of Great China¡¯, Yu-Seong could guess that it was the name of a country¡¯s monarch during her lifetime. In the end, it was inevitably easy to know who she was after a little research about the rulers¡¯ titles.


    ¡®Sacred Divine Golden Empress Zetian.¡¯


    The nickname being used was only an abbreviation of this, and the part that Yu-Seong had to pay attention to was the last word.


    ¡®Zetian, Wu Zetian.¡¯


    Better known by the name of Ze Tian Wu Hou, she was China¡¯s first female emperor to ascend to the throne at a late age and had held power for a long time. It was true that she had great achievements and had a reputation enough to reach Divinity, but unfortunately, Yu-Seong was not going to choose her skill.


    ¡®There are some of her skills that I can roughly guess, but it¡¯s not the kind that I want.¡¯


    What had come to mind when thinking of Wu Zetian was the strong power and dignity that held people down so that no one could surpass her. It was certain that her intangible power would be formidable since she had ascended to the throne at a late age and had remained in emperor position for a very long time. Perhaps Yu-Seong might have as much pressure and vibe as Choi Woo-Jae with the power of her skill. In other words, however, Yu-Seong could have such an ability without using this skill when the time came.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure there are a few other great abilities since she has risen to Divinity, but¡­¡¯


    Anyway, she was removed from Yu-Seong¡¯s options. The Emperor of Great China was one of the candidates that he had decided to reject at the time her true name was revealed.


    Recalling the memories of that time, Yu-Seong sent the very first refusal to the Emperor of Great China¡¯s message.

 CH 60

    -The Emperor of Great China is very displeased. She says she will never give Yu-Seong a second chance in the future.


    At the same time, Wu Zetian left Yu-Seong. Yu-Seong felt sorry for her, but he wasn¡¯t disappointed by the outcome.


    ¡®The seat is empty.¡¯


    The other gods who had stepped back from the seemingly already overheated competition and were still secretly coveting Yu-Seong could now take a step forward in the stake fight.


    The Red Fang of the Dark Night also did not use a nickname that openly revealed himself, which was similar to Wu Zetian. Thus, it was somewhat difficult for Yu-Seong to investigate and find out more information. Fortunately, Yu-Seong remembered reading the name of this terrifying being in the original novel.


    ¡®Vlad ?epe?.¡¯


    When he began investigating the name, Yu-Seong had come up with a much more famous and straightforward name. It was ¡®Vlad III Dr?culea¡¯, which was the origin of humanoid bloodsucking monsters that were commonly seen in classical Western horror movies. This name was also known as the origin of vampires in modern times.


    Vlad ?epe? was initially a human, like Wu Zetian, Guan-Yu, and Cu Chulainn. However, his legend and achievements were valued in a completely different way from ordinary characters and he eventually became an extraordinary being, the First Vampire.


    For reference, as the novel progressed, countless races other than humans appeared in [Modern Master Returns]. One of them was the vampire clan, and the god they served was ¡®the Red Fang of the Dark Night¡¯ also known as Dracula. Dracula¡¯s power and abilities were incomparable to other people who rose to Divinity from humans because he gave birth to a powerful race called vampires.


    ¡®Although, considering his big influence on Earth, he could be a stronger supporter than Loki¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong gulped and sent a rejection to Dracula as well.


    -The Red Fang of the Dark Night leaves the player Choi Yu-Seong with a cool smile.


    The Red Fang of the Dark Night did not run wild like the Emperor of Great China. However, it was a much scarier response.


    As mentioned, Dracula had a stronger influence on Earth than Loki. This was obvious since the vampire race who followed him could not be seen directly, but was still active in the dark. Dracula had even threatened Yu-Seong in the message that he would regret it in the future for rejecting him. He had only sent a message saying that he was smiling, but that most likely suggested a possible retaliation in the future.


    To be honest, Yu-Seong was scared to the point of slightly trembling, but he couldn¡¯t accept Dracula¡¯s offer no matter how many times he thought about it. It was not because Dracula''s skill did not match him. Rather, the reason for rejecting his offer was very simple.


    ¡®Because if I learn Dracula¡¯s Skill, I¡¯ll become a vampire too.¡¯


    Even if not immediately, Yu-Seong would slowly but eventually become a vampire. It was inevitable. To put it bluntly, considering Dracula¡¯s first Skill to Yu-Seong would likely be ¡®Bloodsucking,¡¯ even if Yu-Seong was wary, by sucking and drinking the opponent¡¯s blood he would naturally turn into a vampire. He could try to be careful, but the transformation couldn¡¯t be helped.


    This was because Dracula¡¯s ability was that strong. And unless he was in an unavoidable situation, Yu-Seong wanted to remain a human.


    ¡®Most of all, if I become a vampire, I wouldn¡¯t be able to see the sunlight for a while.¡¯


    That wasn¡¯t all. The powerful Demon Hunters from the Vatican would chase Yu-Seong for the rest of his life. Now that Yu-Seong was working hard for lifelong safety, there was no reason to put another tag that would threaten his life.


    ¡®And the third, The Oldest Hunter¡­ It was really hard to find out who this one is.¡¯


    The Oldest Hunter, Scathi, was the god whose identity the then-hospitalized Yu-Seong took the longest time to track.


    ¡®Although I¡¯m actually still half doubted about his identity¡­¡¯


    Quite a few parts were also just accepted as facts. And if The Oldest Hunter was Scathi, it was no exaggeration to say that she was the strongest of the four remaining gods excluding Loki.


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    ¡®The god of hunting who rules the Isle of the Dead.¡¯


    Scathi, a rather unfamiliar god to people, was rumored to be the sister of Freya¡ªa goddess of beauty that often appeared in Norse mythology¡ªand there was also a story that she was once Loki¡¯s lover. Whatever it was, her name was not well known but it was highly likely that she had enough powers to form ties with prominent gods in Norse mythology.


    ¡®Because even Odin offered a deal to control her anger in the mythical story. No more words are needed.¡¯


    Such a great figure had shown her interest in Choi Yu-Seong more than anyone else. The reason was unknown, but it was no secret that Scathi liked men a lot. Also, the more handsome a man was, the more she liked him. It was a bit absurd, but it meant that Yu-Seong¡¯s appearance might have led her. Furthermore, it made sense that Loki had approached Yu-Seong faster than other high-ranking gods.


    ¡®What Loki and Scathi have in common is that they are half-god and half-giant.¡¯


    The relationship between the two might go beyond whatever was shown in the mythical story. If there was any close relationship between the two gods, it made sense that Loki had approached Yu-Seong at a high speed.


    In that sense, Yu-Seong procrastinated giving an answer to Scathi¨Cthe Oldest Hunter.


    ¡®Scathi isn¡¯t a bad choice if I want a stable and powerful skill.¡¯


    Having made a decision, Yu-Seong looked at Guan-Yu and sent a message of rejection. No matter how powerful the skill was, it was meaningless if the natural synergy didn''t go along with him.


    -The Silky Beard smacks his lips out of shame. He leaves while wishing the good fortune of war for player Choi Yu-Seong.


    Indeed, since he was called the Chinese God of Martial Arts, Guan Yu¡¯s attitude of leaving was quite polite. Therefore, Yu-Seong felt more sorry, but he could not reverse the decision he had already made.


    Come to think of it, there were three gods left¡ªa Joke-loving Prankster, the Oldest Hunter, and the Culann¡¯s Hound.


    ¡®Loki, Scathi, Cu Chulainn.¡¯


    Somehow, only the gods of Nordic descent remained. It could be a simple coincidence, but Yu-Seong found this situation interesting. And of course, in terms of god¡¯s status alone, Cu Chulainn was the most lacking.


    ¡®However, he¡¯ll be a great help to my spearmanship.¡¯


    Cu Chulainn would pass on a skill that would be unconditionally related to spearmanship. On the other hand, Scathi, who was also known as the witch¡¯s guardian, was highly likely to pass on a skill that was close to psychic-type, especially magic.


    ¡®And Loki would¡­¡¯


    Honestly, Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t make any guesses regarding Loki, who was too versatile and unpredictable. Loki¡¯s abilities were great enough to be called the best talent in Norse mythology, and were more difficult to guess than Odin in a sense. Though, Yu-Seong could make a single guess that Loki wouldn¡¯t pass on the powerful skill that could be enough to be called his signature ability.


    ¡®He¡¯s not an inferior who just reveals his best skill from the beginning. Also, I wouldn¡¯t be able to handle his level.¡¯


    The powerful ability beyond Yu-Seong¡¯s level must be sealed and couldn¡¯t be used by him. Wasn¡¯t this the reason why he had first rejected the offer of Odin(though it was surely Loki in disguise)?


    Anyway, after much consideration, Yu-Seong was sure about Loki¡¯s identity and finished making guesses about his skills. After narrowing down the candidates so far, Yu-Seong carried out the bold decision he had made.


    ¡®Accepting all three of them.¡¯


    Yu-Seong sent a consent message in the order of Scathi, Cu Chulainn, and Loki, and gasped.


    The skills transferred by the gods were not affected by Fusion¡¯s empty skill slots. In other words, it was possible to be simultaneously given the skills of many gods in this way. However, the above method might feel undesirable only from the standpoint of the gods who wanted to take the lead rather than fighting for the stake of Yu-Seong¡¯s Karma figures with the others.


    If so, there were two options the gods could choose.


    ¡®One is to simply withdraw their will to transfer skills and leave.¡¯


    The second method was to transfer a skill as they wanted, even if it was a little unpleasant. Since Yu-Seong accepted their messages, the decision-making authority was now given back to the gods.


    What kind of answer would the three gods give? Perhaps, at this moment, Loki¡¯s message would not be hidden but shown to the other two gods.


    Once a skill was transferred to a certain person, it could not be given to another person ever again. Therefore, if the gods did not think they would get as much stake as they wanted, they had the right to leave now. That was why the private message had to be disclosed, and this was an unbreakable rule set among the gods.


    Among the particularly tense silence inside the car, there was a god who answered first.


    - The Oldest Hunter is delighted to say that it is an excellent choice. She is transferring a skill exclusively for the player Choi Yu-Seong.


    As always, ¡®The Oldest Hunter¡¯ Scathi reached out first.


    -A Joke-loving Prankster nods with a look full of dissatisfaction. He is transferring a skill.


    Then, Loki accepted the offer.


    Up to this point, Yu-Seong¡¯s plan was clearly successful.


    ¡®Because it¡¯s no different than saying that two powerful Norse gods have become my supporters.¡¯


    However, it seemed like Cu Chulainn had no choice but to give up in this case.


    ¡®Because he lacks strength and influence compared to the two gods¡­¡¯


    ¡®The Culann¡¯s Hound¡¯... Cu Chulainn had too weak a name value to greedily fight for the stake. In fact, the optimal result that Yu-Seong wanted was for Cu Chulainn to transfer his skill first.


    ¡®He¡¯ll probably give up.¡¯


    If it was a rational judgment, it was right for the god to give up. However, Cu Chulainn seemed to have a different thought.


    -Culann¡¯s Hound snorts and is willing to accept your arrogance. He is transferring a skill.


    ¡°No way.¡± Yu-Seong unconsciously burst into an exclamation inside the silent car.


    Do-Yoon, who was holding the steering wheel, tilted his head. ¡°Yes, young master?¡±


    Do-Yoon had no time to obtain an answer from Yu-Seong. It was because, all of a sudden, three lights of purple, black, and blue began to swirl around Yu-Seong¡¯s chest and brain. Yu-Seong accepted the lights with his eyes closed. There was no way that Do-Yoon could not understand the situation since he himself had experienced it before once.


    ¡®The gods are transferring their skills to the young master.¡¯


    Moreover, the number was as much as three. Do-Yoon held the steering wheel tightly while looking straight ahead in case of a traffic accident, but his mind was filled with joy and thrill.


    ¡®Oh my goodness. Who learned the skills of three gods during E-rank? Madness Bernard? Timewalker Christian? Who else is there?¡¯


    The names of hunters discussed as the world¡¯s strongest passed through Do-Yoon¡¯s mind. The problem was that he didn¡¯t have that great a mental capacity¡­so he decided to send a message to ask Jin Yu-Ri as soon as he got out of the car.

 CH 61

    ¡®I don¡¯t know for sure, but there will only be a few even if I search the whole world. No, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be in the top 10!¡¯


    Yu-Seong complained that he seemed stagnant and his level didn¡¯t rise, but it wasn¡¯t like that at all. At least in Do-Yoon¡¯s eyes, he could see that Yu-Seong was growing faster than anyone he knew.


    Do-Yoon was thrilled and his heart was beating like crazy. His eyes facing straight ahead turned red unconsciously. He muttered to himself, ¡°How careless. Get your mind together, Jin Do-Yoon.¡±


    Fortunately, Do-Yoon didn¡¯t shed any tears perhaps because he was focused on driving.


    ***


    It was 3 am and two days after Yu-Seong had received the skills of the three gods.


    There were two men wearing thick, long padding jackets and hats. They stood near the entrance of a dungeon square connected to the entrance of 2nd rank dungeon¡ªGoblin Fortress¡ªlocated in Sinwol-dong, Seoul. What was unusual was that both men were clutching large titanium-based black bags with thick fur gloves on their right hands.


    It was rather reasonable that their somewhat suspicious appearance would draw attention to them, but no one was passing by since it was a time when the floating population was so small.


    A man on the left, who had a rather small physique and a stubborn mouth, was the Reporter, Park Jin-Hwan. He frowned slightly at the long road with his back against the dungeon square. He asked, ¡°Reporter Kim. Do you know what time it is?¡±


    The other reporter on the right, Kim Jin-Young, put his hand in his pocket and took out a handphone to check the time. ¡°Do you not have hands or feet, Reporter Park? It¡¯s currently 3:03. Was the appointment time 3:10?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Did we come 30 minutes earlier in vain? We were just early since they said he might arrive about 10 minutes earlier¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re looking forward to it pointlessly. Reporter Kim, did you forget who the opponent is?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Choi Yu-Seong.¡±


    No matter how quiet Yu-Seong was, not causing any accidents recently, his rascal image did not get forgotten easily.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fortunate if he comes on time.¡±


    Jin-Young scratched his cheek at Jin-Hwan¡¯s smirking expression. He didn¡¯t have to spit out whatever was on his mind.


    ¡®Well, you also look excited. You seem to be looking forward to it in case he comes early too.¡¯


    And naturally, they set aside their expectations. At that moment, three human silhouettes appeared blurry in Kim Jin-Young¡¯s glasses, which were foggy from his breath.


    ¡°He¡¯s here!¡± said Park Jin-Hwan, rejoicing as expected. Then, he took out his cell phone, checked the time, and his lips tugged up into a strange smile.


    ¡®Arrived five minutes early. Faster than expected.¡¯


    Was it because he didn¡¯t have high expectations from the start? Jin-Hwan felt good for no reason, even with this trivial thing.


    Meanwhile, Yu-Seong approached the two at a fast pace and greeted the two reporters first. ¡°You¡¯ve been waiting. Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Choi Yu-Seong.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Park Jin-Hwan.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Kim Jin-Young.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to your cooperation today,¡± said Yu-Seong politely with a smile.


    Seeing Yu-Seong, Jin-Hwan felt his reporter¡¯s instinct wriggling.


    ¡®Ah, I should¡¯ve shot it now.¡¯


    He felt a bit regretful not taking out the camera since he had thought the filming process should start a little later. The cold winter air was so severe that even Yu-Seong, who was a player, had a red face. Still, he looked just as amazingly handsome as Jin-Hwan had thought the other day when he had taken Yu-Seong¡¯s pictures.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong, even the dawn cold wind of January melted down with his smile. This smile would go straight to women¡¯s hearts. Ugh, it¡¯s a good title just by imagining it.¡¯


    Was it because of his thoughts? Without realizing it, Jin-Hwan blurted out, ¡°Do you have any plans to become a model? Oops, pardon me.¡±


    For a moment, Jin-Hwan thought Yu-Seong would be offended, so he quickly apologized.


    However, Yu-Seong just shook his head calmly. He then looked at Do-Yoon and Yu-Ri who followed and addressed them. ¡°I¡¯ll be back, wait for a bit. If it¡¯s cold, go to the car and rest.¡±


    ¡°It is not cold at all,¡± said Do-Yoon.


    ¡°Me too. Compared to the snowy dungeon, it¡¯s not cold at all,¡± said Yu-Ri.


    Yu-Seong smiled at their confident replies and nodded. He then looked at Park Jin-Hwan again. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything else other than that. That wasn¡¯t a particularly unpleasant expression or action, but Park Jin-Hwan sensed a strange hostility from it. He felt cold sweat running down his back.


    Wasn¡¯t there a phrase about how one''s relaxation could make people look up to them? That was exactly how Park Jin-Hwan felt right now. Looking at the silent Yu-Seong, awe unconsciously began rising up in his heart.


    ¡°Reporter Park. Take good pictures. Got it?¡± Yu-Ri quietly said to Park Jin-Hwan from behind.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    Jin-Hwan turned back and agonized. Usually, he would offer a common saying as his typical response.


    ¡®I¡¯ll work as much as I got paid.¡¯


    However, today was different.


    ¡°I will do my best.¡±


    When he remembered Yu-Seong¡¯s back, it felt like Jin-Hwan had to say that.


    ¡®Still, it¡¯ll be a pointless effort if the results don¡¯t come out well¡­¡¯


    Jin-Hwan grabbed a black bag containing a magic tech drone that could do filming inside the dungeon. The reason why he and Kim Jin Young had come here today was because of Yu-Ri. Of course, no matter how much money they were being paid, if there was no incident to blow up into a big story, the reports wouldn¡¯t try waiting for them from dawn in this chilly weather.


    ¡®It¡¯s Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s first Boss attack. The target is the most difficult 2nd rank dungeon, the Goblin Fortress.¡¯


    As he followed Yu-Seong who first entered the dungeon square after showing his hunter dungeon pass, Jin-Hwan felt his heart pounding for some reason even though the results have yet to come out.


    ¡®Usually, for Goblin Fortress, a hunter will be recognized as a rookie the moment he succeeds Boss attack by Solo Playing before rank-D, level 50.¡¯


    According to the information Jin-Hwan had obtained, Yu-Seong was currently at rank-E level 90. This was no surprise since it had been less than three months since he first obtained the hunter license. Rather, the speed of his leveling up was surprisingly fast. Even so, failure should still be considered first, but it somehow felt like he would definitely succeed.


    ¡®The important thing is the record, but¡­¡¯


    There were only five people in Korea who had officially attacked Goblin Fortress at a similar level, before E-rank max level, as Yu-Seong.


    ¡®If narrowing them down to the person who made the most recent record¡­ There¡¯s only one person, Kim Do-Jin. Kim Do-Jin and Choi Yu-Seong, Choi Yu-Seong and Kim Do-Jin¡­¡¯


    Suddenly, Jin-Hwan remembered one of his published articles¡ª¡®The rascal who fooled the world raised Kim Do-Jin¡¯s fighting spirit!!¡¯ He clenched his fist as soon as he entered the dungeon square after showing a special access pass.


    ¡®If this goes well, I might be able to post a decent series of stories.¡¯


    It was now impossible for Jin-Hwan¡¯s heart to not race in excitement.


    ***


    Upon entering the Goblin Fortress dungeon, Yu-Seong could describe his surroundings with a single sentence. It was green and full of a grassy smell. Everything was green, from unidentified sharp leaves that rose to the height of a person¡¯s waist like a pole, small hills covered with vines popped out all over the field, and even small flying insects passing by at high speed¡­


    ¡®Even the Goblins occupying this place are green.¡¯


    This was a world of one color unified enough to feel somewhat monotonous. Even if the Goblins did not try to hide their appearance here, they would blend into the surrounding colors and stay naturally hidden. This was the reason why the dungeon was called the ¡®Goblin Fortress¡¯ despite it lacking a building structure to be called an actual fortress.


    ¡®I can see why this place has the worst difficulty among the 2nd-rank dungeons.¡¯


    It was late in the day. The unpreferred high-risk dungeon had the sound of insects hiding among bushes that would have cut the skin if anyone was not wearing suits transformed from Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice. Moreover, there was a settled darkness since the world had no sunlight. Due to various factors, Yu-Seong¡¯s muscles tightened in nervousness at the surrounding scenery that had no other presence.


    ¡®It¡¯s okay. I already looked around once yesterday. It¡¯s quite familiar.¡¯


    Yu-Seong entered this dungeon the day before to grasp the environment and difficulty for today. He let out a short breath and tightened his grip on the spear.


    Goblins, the second rank monster, were actually a rather weak entity to be called ¡®monster¡¯. In fact, it would be enough for an ordinary adult man who was not a player to deal a 1:1 match as long as he had his mind straight. To put it simply, Goblins could be easily overwhelmed by any average man in terms of strength alone.


    Nevertheless, the reason Goblins were classified as second-rank monsters, which was a rank higher than the first-rank monsters which hunters would meet and hunt for the very first time, was that they had dangerous traits that could compensate for their weak physical abilities.


    The first trait, needless to say, was aggression and ferocity toward humans. Goblins had a more violent nature than most fierce wild beasts for subjects that were very small and weak in power. In particular, their aggression reflected on humans was exceptionally strong among monsters of similar rank.


    It would be so rough that a general person could lose his composure if they encountered Goblins for the first time. Then, they would be scared and that could lead to serious injury or death in the short period they froze up without any defense.


    ¡®I was also surprised to see them for the first time yesterday.¡¯


    When Yu-Seong read web novels on Earth of the original world, the description and depiction of Goblin came out pretty funny that he had looked down on them. However, his thoughts completely changed after meeting them in person for the first time yesterday.


    ¡®If you let your guard down, it will lead to injury straight away.¡¯


    Yu-Seong went through the bushes little by little and recalled other dangers Goblins had in his head.


    ¡®They are secretive and agile.¡¯


    And unlike ordinary monsters, Goblins knew how to handle small tools. However, there was something else that made them even more dangerous.


    ¡®They never move alone.¡¯


    Goblins were smart enough to handle tools, so they knew well that it was dangerous to move alone. They were socialized like humans, and they gathered together to hunt humans in their respective roles. As these social factors made humans the top predators in the world even without operating in dungeons, Goblin¡¯s collective action was bound to be quite dangerous.


    ¡®Goblins are hiding throughout this Dungeon.¡¯


    Goblins were hiding in the grass, between the vines of the rising hills, and even beneath ground level. Amid such threats, Yu-Seong entered the dungeon alone to attack the boss monster which was regenerated once a month. He wasn¡¯t very worried about threats within the dungeon, such as the previous kidnapper incident, because he believed in Choi Mi-Na.

 CH 62

    ¡®What happened at that time was something that one of my siblings did.¡¯


    There was no doubt whatsoever about it, especially since Choi Woo-Jae confirmed it. In such a situation, Yu-Seong did not have to worry about it happening again at least for a year since Choi Mi-Na had promised to draw and keep their attention to herself so that none of them would pay attention to Yu-Seong.


    Of course, Yu-Seong was aware that some unexpected threats could suddenly emerge out of nowhere like the Itaewon incident a while ago. But should he keep all those dangers in mind wherever he went? Of course, he should. However, being cautious and hiding like a coward were two completely different things.


    ¡®Just because I am exposed to danger doesn¡¯t mean I should just hide and crouch down inside the room.¡¯


    Anyway, Choi Yu-Seong had to grow. The farther he went and the stronger he became, he naturally would be freer from these threats.


    ¡®I can¡¯t help it until then.¡¯


    Therefore, Choi Yu-Seong''s choice was to gain more and more attention.


    ¡®Celebrity disease? Attention seeker? I don¡¯t care what they call me. I need such a title anyway, because of the Star Factor skill.¡¯


    The more people paid attention to him, the more careful those who wanted to pose a threat to him had to be, since there would be more eyes on him. Conversely, the easier it would be to threaten him if he hid.


    ¡®Now I¡¯ll completely show myself.¡¯


    Of course, Yu-Seong was already famous. However, it was the ¡°chaebol Choi Yu-Seong¡± who was famous. From now on, he was going to reveal and show more of the ¡°hunter Choi Yu-Seong¡± in particular. As a result, more people would pay attention and look at him wherever he was and whatever he did. Moreover, their gazes would follow him even to the inside of a dungeon.


    Undeniably, this would cause certain inconveniences. That was why he had been grappling with this issue for a while¡ªrevealing himself more¡ªbut he concluded that this was still the best choice he could make.


    Jin Yu-Ri also supported Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s decision. That was why they called the two reporters who were able to shoot pictures with the magic tech drones today, which was the day when the Goblin¡¯s boss monster respawned.


    Although money was quite tight from personally hiring such expensive manpower, this choice would have a great effect on promoting the hunter Yu-Seong. As mentioned, that was because the Goblin Fortress had a particularly high level of difficulty among the second-rank dungeons. Indeed, it was even called a gateway¡ªa credential for rookies who wanted to raise their ransom or enter a well-known guild. One could not even be called a rookie if he could not attack the Goblin Fortress alone before he reached rank-D level 50.


    Because of the name value of Goblin Fortress, Yu-Seong planned to target this place alone today. For reference, the time when Kim Do-Jin attacked the Goblin Fortress was when he was rank-E level 85.


    ¡®His time attack record was 2 hours 28 minutes¡­and how many seconds was it?¡¯


    Yu-Seong recalled the world¡¯s record at the time, and smiled strangely. He did not need to be greedy.


    `In the first place, Kim Do-Jin is the protagonist of the novel. Even if I¡¯m confident in this attack, I shouldn¡¯t compare it to his record.¡¯


    Of course, even so, Yu-Seong still had an interest in the record.


    ¡®Anyway, the faster the running record, the better it would be to attract people¡¯s attention.¡¯


    Hunting the monthly respawned boss monster was an important task to prevent the dungeon break, which was treated as a natural disaster on Earth. Accordingly, the hunt would inevitably draw a lot of attention.


    Of course, firstly, the attention would focus on the security factor. No matter how low rank a dungeon was, the casualties and property damage would inevitably be serious once the monsters poured out after the dungeon break. Therefore, hunting must be successful within a week before the dungeon break occurred after the boss monster respawned.


    Therefore, countries generally gave the priority of hunting the dungeon to hunters who needed it for their growth, but if the attack period exceeded four days, they would actively intervene and target the boss themselves before the fifth day passed.


    This was a fairly general idea until the early days of dungeon creation. In modern times, there was one more additional perspective along with this. Commonly referred to as ¡®dungeon racing,¡¯ it was so-called ¡®record-setting¡¯ on the Internet. It was a somewhat bizarre view that arose toward some dungeons which were considered easier to attack and less threatening because the break had not occurred for nearly ten years. The public began to pay attention to how quickly and cleverly the hunters cleared the boss monster and compared them with famous hunters who had already cleared it in the past. It was like enjoying a sports game.


    Obviously, the elderly who went through the early days of dungeon creation, scholars and politicians, or associations who still considered the dungeon as a threat, terribly hated this dungeon racing.


    However, as the number of hunters who used those gazes to make their names known increased exponentially and even more fans supporting them emerged, there was no other way to rectify the situation. They also had no other way to deal with the situation at the time, since the number of hunters using the attention to promote their names to the public was increasing exponentially. Moreover, the hunters had their fans cheering for them.


    ¡®Because they can¡¯t forcibly prevent dungeon racing in a democratic country¡­¡¯


    In fact, the culture of dungeon racing itself felt somewhat absurd for Yu-Seong, who knew the future of this world.


    ¡®Even in the novel, there were several accidents caused by dungeon breaks¡­¡¯


    Because of that, the other countries that had first-hand experiences suffered from tremendous damage. They strenuously overcame the crisis by requesting help from the Republic of Korea, to be exact, the protagonist Kim Do-Jin. As a result, it would have been a somewhat inevitable choice for the writer to include such settings to make the readers¨Cmostly Korean¨Cproud in terms of nationalism.


    However, despite such a crisis, it was also strange that the culture of dungeon racing itself did not disappear until the completion of the original novel¡¯s Chapter 1.


    ¡®Are the uncomfortable feelings and entertainment different matters?¡¯


    Anyway, Yu-Seong decided to fully utilize the dungeon racing culture in such a situation.


    ¡®This world is different from the original novel.¡¯


    As Yu-Seong has already experienced, any insufficient gap must be filled in some form. When he tried to challenge solo play to set a record, he had to go through more procedures than expected.


    ¡®Although Yu-Ri took care of most of it for me¡­¡¯


    In addition to Yu-Ri¡¯s competence, the recommendation of Park Cheol-Ho, the ¡®Iron Wall¡¯¡ªwho was one of the decision-makers of dungeon racing or formally called DBB (Dungeon Brake Block)¡ªhad a significant influence on Yu-Seong getting permission for the exclusive use of the dungeon from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. on the respawn day of the Goblin Fortress¡¯ boss monster.


    Support us at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    In other words, the country was already aware of the damage that might occur due to overheated interest in dungeon racing and was fully prepared for it. Yu-Seong could promote his name without harming others, while safety was ensured, and he could raise his skill level. If this performance was good enough to even surprise the people overseas, the national prestige or the so-called ¡®jingoism¡¯ would be filled too.


    ¡®There¡¯s no reason not to do it.¡¯


    It was not for nothing that skilled hunters chose dungeon racing as a means of making their names known.


    Yu-Seong lightly shook away his useless thoughts. At that moment, from under his feet, a sharp dagger flew under his chin where the suit¡¯s thickness was relatively thin.


    Already feeling the movement, Yu-Seong took a light step back and swung his spear wide. As the silver flash left behind a thin crescent-like shape and cut the sharp bushes, purple blood rose high into the air through the gap.


    ¡®Two.¡¯


    After confirming the number of corpses, Yu-Seong smiled bitterly.


    ¡®As expected, they are quite quick on their feet.¡¯


    There was only one visible dagger that came up to stab under Yu-Seong¡¯s chin, but there were also others who were aiming for his waist and ankles. Three Goblins had attacked Yu-Seong, but only two corpses could be seen. In other words, there was still one left.


    ¡®No.¡¯


    Shaaa-!


    Beyond the wind that shook the tall bushes roughly, Goblin¡¯s laughter could be heard. Goblin was laughing at him.


    -Kikig.


    -Kikikig!


    -Kigigigigi.


    ¡®There¡¯s at least ten of them hiding.¡¯


    Maybe more than that. Anyway, they were still just Goblins even though they were quick and clever. They were not even elite monsters.


    ¡®It feels quite bad when these trivial guys see me as a prey to be hunted.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had no intention of waiting for the Goblins to seek an opportunity. He decided to use the skill he recently inherited from the three gods, the first of which he liked the most.


    ¡ºInheritance Skill, Magic Spearmanship E++ ¡ú D-


    Fusion is not possible.


    Cu Chulainn, the ¡®Culann¡¯s Hound,¡¯ was a hero who excelled in both spearmanship and magic. The basic Irish Royal Court style is melted into the user¡¯s spearmanship.


    Due to the low rank, many additional effects are sealed.


    ¡´¡´The skill exceeds the limit grade due to Special Skill, Spearmanship Prodigy E.¡µ¡µ


    One of the sealed abilities is unlocked in an unstable form.


    When using Magic Spearmanship inherited from Cu Chulainn, you can choose one of the four major elemental attributes (fire, water, wind, earth) to make it stay in the spear.


    The usage time is limited¡ª3 seconds. The number of uses is limited¡ª5 times a day.


    Other abilities are sealed. Please raise the rank to unlock the sealed ability.¡»


    The Goblin Fortress was filled with green bushes. As soon as he remembered the dungeon¡¯s peculiarity, Magic Spearmanship was the first skill that Yu-Seong thought of.


    ¡®Change attribute to fire.¡¯


    Kicking off the ground at once and rushing forward, Yu-Seong swung the spear widely and swept away the entire surrounding area. The transparent light that emerged from his fingertips flowed through the spear and soon became a flashy red light that sparked once it reached the blade tip.


    ¡®Good luck trying to escape to the end, you Goblins.¡¯


    The fire spark lasted for three seconds. It was a very short duration, but the spear¡¯s range was hardly narrow. Centered on Yu-Seong, the fire sparks began to dance splendidly on the bushes that were cut down by the half-moon shape. The green world quickly became dyed in red, resembling the sunset. The flaming fire spread widely and acted as a disaster for the Goblins who used these bushes as their best shield.


    -Kieeee-!


    Without even glancing at the Goblins who were screaming and running away, Yu-Seong watched the gap in the rising flames and ran forward using Wind Control.


    ¡®No need to pay attention to each normal monster. There¡¯s only one goal I have to focus on.¡¯


    It was the boss monster, Hobgoblin.


    ***


    ¡°Reporter Kim! Get your mind straight and raise Unit 3¡¯s altitude!¡±


    At Park Jin-Hwan¡¯s urgent cry, Kim Jin-Young, who was sitting right next to him and looking at the monitor together, hurriedly launched a drone that was lowering its altitude into the air.


    The drone, which was almost swallowed and exploded by the flaming fire that covered the surrounding area, rounded halfway through the air as if relieved. It quickly chased after Choi Yu-Seong who ran like the wind.

 CH 63

    ¡°Any guesses about the skill just now? Is it an elemental type?¡±


    ¡°It looked like a firelight came out of the spear, but¡­¡±


    Upon the activation of the splendid skill, questions arose for a moment. However, the two reporters had to focus on the drone¡¯s controller which they gripped with both hands. They shut their mouths.


    ¡®He is faster than I thought!¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ll miss him if I don¡¯t focus hard.¡¯


    Chasing Choi Yu-Seong, who was moving within the splendid large flame in a blur, the talkative reporters found themselves speechless. However, their tense silence did not last for too long.


    Both Park Jin-Hwan and Kim Jin-Young were experts even among the reporters who could handle magic tech drones. They were also experienced in chasing hunters who were much more agile than Yu-Seong. Their initial carelessness and fluster gradually went away, their movements becoming calmer. They could organize their thoughts at a rapid pace.


    ¡°Reporter Park, wasn¡¯t there a rumor saying that Yu-Seong is an Irregular?¡±


    ¡°He has never admitted it himself though.¡±


    ¡°Then he¡¯s not officially an Irregular.¡±


    As if they had already come to a conclusion, the two reporters had similar smiles as if they had already made a conclusion.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong is definitely an Irregular.¡¯


    ¡®Can this be used as an article?¡¯


    Because Choi Yu-Seong looked around the dungeon, seemingly appreciating the scenery for a while when he had first entered, the two reporters initially thought he was not that interested in the previous record. Normally, most hunters would try crazily hard to beat the record, even by a single second.


    However, the reporters thought differently as soon as Yu-Seong rushed forward and set the fire.


    ¡°He¡¯ll have no choice but to run fast, because the fire would roast him otherwise,¡± Jin-Young stated.


    Jin-Hwan¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Choi Yu-Seong, he is such a crazy guy.¡±


    Jin-Hwan didn¡¯t hesitate to talk behind Yu-Seong¡¯s back, as if he had forgotten that they were hired by Yu-Seong. After all, people tend to talk where no one was there to listen, but more importantly, the silent Jin-Young also shared his thoughts.


    Rough winds blew in the Goblin Fortress dungeon every day. The sound of the strong wind was also a nuisance that prevented previous hunters who had tried to clear the dungeon from reading the Goblin''s movements. And now, the same wind was spreading the fire that Yu-Seong had lit up throughout the dungeon.


    The flaming fire took no sides. It could even swallow the fire starter himself, Choi Yu-Seong, so he also had no choice but to look ahead and run. This brought about two clear advantages.


    Firstly, there were only a few Goblins who managed to come his way. Most Goblins who should have jumped out of the bushes and interfered with him were now scattered, fleeing in all directions. Secondly, Yu-Seong still accumulated experience points every time the Goblins died by being burned alive.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure he¡¯s leveling up by gaining experience points even while running right now.¡¯


    Park Jin-Hwan once again thought that Choi Yu-Seong was quite smart.


    ¡°Reporter Park. There¡¯s an assumption I can think of, want to hear it?¡±


    ¡°I bet that our thoughts are rather similar, but sure, tell me.¡±


    ¡°So Choi Yu-Seong is leveling up by killing the Goblins with the fire he had lit, and thanks to that, minor injuries suffered while running are treated quickly. It looks somewhat dangerous, but in fact, he could maintain the best condition until he enters the boss room.¡±


    ¡°Same thought.¡±


    ¡°¡­Reporter Park, has Choi Yu-Seong ever been on something like a young talent tv show when he was young perhaps?¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be true, silly. Kekek.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m joking.¡±


    The two reporters shook their heads while exchanging light jokes, but their inner thoughts were similar as well.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    ¡®Rank-E level 90 is the perfect time, since it allows him to try raising his rank and level even with normal monsters. Choi Yu-Seong must have calculated the experience points he could gain from the beginning when he had planned to start the dungeon racing.¡¯


    In general, there were three benefits to raising the level.


    The first benefit was the strengthening of physical ability. This was a simple matter; the player would become faster, stronger, and his eyes would become sharper.


    Secondly, the amount of mana would increase. The amount of mana was not expressed in exact figures, but it was clear that each player possessed different mana. In addition, this figure steadily increased every time the level was raised.


    And lastly, the recovery effect occurred immediately after the level was raised. It was similar to how the stamina and mana were filled up whenever the player leveled up in general games.


    ¡®The difference is that it''s not at the level of becoming completely full immediately after death like how it¡¯s like in the game.¡¯


    When the level was raised, most of the small things were healed except for major injuries such as a body part being cut off, bursting internal organs, and bones bending in reverse.


    ¡°That must be a very expensive battle suit. It¡¯ll probably filter out serious burns.¡±


    In reality, it was the transformed Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice¡ªthe ancient relic that couldn¡¯t be obtained even with money¡ªbut the two reporters could not know that far. However, one thing was certain. Unlike the other hunters, Choi Yu-Seong could reach the boss room in almost the best condition.


    ¡°This is a trick that supposedly cannot be done¡­¡± Kim Jin-Young muttered.


    Park Jin-Hwan nodded. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a trick. Unless you have already applied for a DBB exclusive attack like now, how could you set fire to the entire dungeon when there are a lot of other people in the dungeon?¡°


    ¡°You¡¯ll be reported right away. If someone gets caught and couldn¡¯t afford the fine, it¡¯ll even be a prison sentence.¡±


    This was why the dungeons made of forest areas including the Goblin Fortress were one of the most reluctant places for hunters with flame-type psychic abilities.


    ¡®The most important thing is that even the people who set the fire wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the fire.¡¯


    Most psychic-type players were naturally quite poor in physical ability. Therefore, no one in Korea had practiced the idea of setting fire and running away in the Goblin Fortress until now.


    ¡®By the way, he would sufficiently be able to reach the entrance of the boss room before dungeon restoration at this speed.¡¯


    The principle of Dungeon Restoration indicated that all dungeons returned to their original form after an hour no matter what natural disasters occurred. Anyway, considering that Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s movement was incredibly fast, chances were high that he would arrive at the entrance of the boss room before that no matter how wide the Field of Goblin Fortress was.


    ¡°Insanely clever and daring. Choi Yu-Seong¡­ How did he come up with this idea and put it into action? No matter how much he calculated, he¡¯ll kick the bucket if he makes a mistake. Is he not afraid of death? That can¡¯t be true. A conglomerate is also a person, no, he shouldn¡¯t want to die even more because he has a lot. Damn. But he burnt his bridge like that and ran? Is it possible? Crazy, he¡¯s crazy!¡±


    Jin-Hwan tended to talk a lot whenever his emotions became greatly agitated. Jin-Young looked sideways and said with a strange smile, ¡°Didn¡¯t someone write an article around a half year ago about Choi Yu-Seong, the worst idiot in the history of the conglomerate family?¡±


    ¡°That jerk is dead.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°He died just now. Stupid jerk, since he doesn¡¯t have an eye for man of ability.¡±


    Park Jin-Hwan¡¯s lips twitched as he insulted himself; it was hard to tell whether he was angry or pleased. Of course, Kim Jin-Young¡ªwho had been by Jin-Hwan¡¯s side for a long time¡ªknew exactly what his feelings were.


    ¡®Reporter Park. He must be so excited he¡¯s going to die.¡¯


    When something really interesting and exciting happened, Park Jin-Hwan made that expression so as not to show his feelings. He said, ¡°Leave the dead alone. Hey, Reporter Kim. How long did it take for Kim Do-Jin to reach the boss room?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­The record¡­I think it was close to an hour and 20 minutes¡­¡±


    The two reporters predicted that Yu-Seong, since he just had to recklessly run forward, would take at most an hour until he reached the boss room.


    ¡°Won¡¯t Choi Yu-Seong be at least 20 minutes faster than him? Isn¡¯t that the best record in Korea?¡±


    Kim Do-Jin held the best record in Korea for reaching the entrance of Goblin Fortress boss room. Also, the Goblin Fortress Dungeon also existed abroad in a very slightly different form. Representatively, there were five dungeons in China, three in the entirety of North America, and two in Europe. Come to think of it, there did exist a figure who used a similar strategy to Yu-Seong overseas. It was so long ago that they forgot, but they suddenly remembered at this moment.


    Park Jin-Hwan and Kim Jin-Young looked at each other and shouted.


    ¡°The Flame Emperor!¡±


    ¡°Exactly an hour!¡±


    The two reporters recited the name and records of one of the Chinese heroes, who were considered one of the top five psychic-type players. Then, they turned their gaze to Choi Yu-Seong.


    Lin Xiao Nuo, ¡®the Flame Emperor,¡¯ was a player granted the title of Emperor as a nickname. This was very rare in China.


    No one could recklessly have titles such as Emperor and King in China without the permission of the President, who was regarded as the country¡¯s absolute power. Naturally, those with the title of Emperor rather than King were treated more highly, commanding more respect and awe.


    Simply put, Lin Xiao Nuo, ¡®The Flame Emperor,¡¯ had the second highest level of power and benefits. In China, he was right below the President who had absolute authority.


    Now, Yu-Seong was moving toward a record that could be comparable to that. Perhaps he could even achieve a better record than Flame Emperor in his E-rank period.


    ¡°In fact, Choi Yu-Seong is an all-rounder type hunter.¡±


    ¡°He will definitely be faster than the Flame Emperor.¡±


    Paying attention to the monitor again, the two were convinced.


    ¡°Although it¡¯s unknown until clearing the boss¡­¡± Park Jin-Hwan wondered aloud.


    ¡°Well for now, isn¡¯t it definitely breaking the world record before reaching the boss room entrance?¡± Kim Jin-Young replied.


    The reporters looked at the monitors with anticipation and great interest. The moment Yu-Seong reached the Boss Room¡¯s entrance, which would lead him underground, the two reporters checked the stopwatch. Their jaws dropped. They were left speechless.


    ¡°Hey, get a grip!¡±


    Jin-Young was so surprised that he almost dropped the drone controller to the floor. He shook his head at Jin-Hwan¡¯s shout to refocus his thoughts and covered his mouth with one hand. There was nothing else to be said. He gasped, ¡°Holy moly! Choi Yu-Seong, he''s crazy!¡±


    For reference, Jin-Young studied abroad.


    ***


    Yu-Seong took 49 minutes 38 seconds to enter the boss room. Lin Xiao Nuo, the ¡®Flame Emperor,¡¯ had a one-hour record, which was the best record for reaching the Boss Room entrance among the past world records related to Goblin Fortress. It simply crumbled with no comparison to be made.


    It was no wonder that the two reporters who rushed to capture Yu-Seong, who entered the boss room, on their drones cheered for a moment. It was as if they were watching a goal in a Korea-Japan soccer match.


    After entering the boss room, Yu-Seong also felt excited.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know the exact time, but I¡¯m sure I¡¯m the fastest so far.¡¯


    He set fire throughout the dungeon field and ran without looking back.

 CH 64

    Yu-Seong imitated ¡®Flame Emperor¡¯ Lin Xiao Nuo¡¯s attack strategy, which was briefly mentioned in the original novel. Perhaps, that was why he was sure that this method would succeed even though he had never experimented with it before. And because he was busy running in the dungeon, he could not measure the exact time himself but he was still confident that his record would definitely be faster than Lin Xiao Nuo, who was a psychic-type player.


    ¡®Because Lin Xiao Nuo didn¡¯t put all his skills into strengthening his physical abilities like how Rachel did.¡¯


    On the other hand, Yu-Seong was an all-rounded player and his entire body naturally strengthened whenever he leveled up. This applied even if he did not have related skills. Thus, he was bound to be faster than Lin Xiao Nuo even if he used the same method.


    However, above all, there was a separate fact that excited Yu-Seong.


    ¡®At least, at this moment, I¡¯m ahead of Kim Do-Jin.¡¯


    In fact, it didn¡¯t matter that the record so far was better than Lin Xiao Nuo. The important thing for Yu-Seong was that even Lin Xiao Nuo would be kneeling down after being overwhelmingly defeated by Do-Jin in the national competition that would be held in about six years. In the end, the one who was originally decided to be this world¡¯s protagonist was Kim Do-Jin.


    And, at least for this moment, Yu-Seong was ahead of Kim Do-Jin. It wasn¡¯t something big, but Yu-Seong was aware of the origin of this strange feeling.


    ¡®For some reason, I¡¯m feeling a little competitive¡­¡¯


    At first, Yu-Seong thought it would be okay even if he didn¡¯t achieve a good record. However, after having a record that was already this outstanding, he changed his mind, thinking that it would be nice if he did well after all.


    No, even though he didn''t know what would come next after coming this far, Yu-Seong became eager to set a better record than Kim Do-Jin. At least in a place like the Goblin Fortress, where it was advantageous for him.


    Perhaps, thanks to the stylish skill that he had activated on the way after burning the entire dungeon, his condition felt exceptionally good.


    ¡®I want to win against him¡­at least once.¡¯


    Thoughts soon led to action. Entering the boss room, the basement of Goblin Fortress, Yu-Seong began to run forward and cut through the green grass that rose above the stone floor for some reason.


    In this world, the dungeon¡¯s boss rooms were usually divided into two forms. The first was the boss room¡¯s fundamental basic form where the boss appeared in front as soon as the player entered. The second form was a kind of passage that required the player to run to the place where the boss was even after entering. Yu-Seong had to continue running as the Goblin Fortress belonged to the latter. That was another reason why Goblin Fortress¡¯ clear time was usually longer than that of normal second-rank dungeons.


    ¡®I can¡¯t even set fire here.¡¯


    A one-way narrow passage kept going deeper and deeper underground. Of course, if Yu-Seong set fire carelessly, he would have no choice but to die in this dark and narrow place. There was no place to escape.


    ¡®Did it take an hour for the Flame Emperor to enter the boss room and then more than two and a half hours until the final clear?¡¯


    Thus, the Flame Emperor¡¯s final clear time went over 3 hours and 30 minutes. It was because, after entering the boss room, having the flame property as his main attack ability had somewhat hindered him. Of course, this was not a problem for Yu-Seong at all.


    Yu-Seong was an all-rounder-type hunter. He could demonstrate his ability through skills such as Magic Spearmanship, but fundamentally, his physical abilities were not weak compared to other physical-type players. Well, actually, he was proud of the fact that he had a much better physical ability compared to others in his rank and level, perhaps because of the constant training and the characteristics of an Irregular.


    ¡®Currently, I¡¯ve reached rank-E level 93.¡¯


    Yu-Seong¡¯s level had risen by two so far, and this was right after gaining the experience point from burning the entire field of Goblin Fortress. Overall, the increase he had achieved in a short time was remarkable. Thus, Yu-Seong thought his physical combat ability was not lacking compared to a rank D, level 20 player.


    After dealing with the elite monsters¡ªthe Goblin Assault Crew and three Goblin archers¡ªalone in less than five minutes on the passage, Yu-Seong continued to run forward without pausing to take a breath.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin would have taken less than 3 minutes.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t just a guess. In the original novel¡¯s narrative, there was a part where Do-Jin casually slaughtered a group of Goblin Fortress¡¯ Elite Monsters in 2 to 3 minutes. This was the first event that showed Do-Jin¡¯s overwhelming fighting ability, which had him recognized by people in South Korea and in the world.


    Until now, the time difference between Yu-Seong¡¯s and Do-Jin¡¯s arrival at the boss room entrance was about 30 minutes. It was safe to say that if he was delayed 10 times in this situation, than Yu-Seong would be overshadowed by Do-Jin¡¯s record.


    Yu-Seong¡¯s senses were also sending similar signals.


    ¡®In general, I encountered the group of elite monsters on the way down the passage around five times. If I meet elite monsters more than six times before even seeing the boss, it would be difficult for me to break Kim Do-Jin¡¯s record.¡¯


    No, the time difference may be too great for him to even dream of getting close to the record. In other words, Yu-Seong had enough chances to break the record if he met less elite monsters.


    ¡®Certainly, this would only be within this Goblin Fortress¡­¡¯


    It was an opportunity that may never come again. So far, Yu-Seong was going down the underground passage at high speed. During that, he faced a total of five battles. Then, he felt the rather steep ground flattening out. He was approaching the end of the underground passage, which felt quite long before. There was only a very short distance left, but he had information that there would be no more groups of Elite Goblins encountering him from now on.


    Although he knew future information, Yu-Seong did not enter this room without any investigation. Like everyone else who challenged dungeon racing, he also conducted a thorough preliminary investigation, which was why he had this knowledge in the first place.


    ¡®In the end, I¡¯ve done the average number of battles. At least, it comforts me that I¡¯ve leveled up at the end and sped up a little.¡¯


    Just a little further and Yu-Seong would be able to meet Goblin Fortress¡¯s boss monster, Hobgoblin. There was only one more hurdle to overcome before that.


    ¡®The Crossroads of Choice.¡¯


    Yu-Seong stopped for a while, then looked at the two forked paths in front of him.


    ¡®It¡¯ll be okay to say that I¡¯m still about 20 minutes ahead of Kim Do-Jin so far.¡¯


    It was an estimated figure, but Yu-Seong¡¯s thoughts were rather accurate. He had taken 1 hour and 15 minutes to arrive at the Crossroads of Choice. Kim Do-Jin had taken 1 hour and 36 minutes to reach the same place.


    ¡®There are two roads, and both sides are bound to reach the boss room.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had already found out through preliminary investigation that there were no other pitfalls. However, there was one peculiarity.


    ¡®The left passage is extremely far away. It is said that it takes at least 50 minutes for a D-rank physical-type hunter to run with all his might.¡¯


    It would truly be a long journey around the boss room. It was a path Yu-Seong didn''t really want to choose when he had to set a record doing the dungeon racing. However, there existed an advantage for the left passage.


    ¡®There would be no elite monsters appearing. All I have to do is to run.¡¯


    In other words, there were no variables.


    ¡®On the other hand, the right passage is short but there are a lot of Elite Monster groups.¡¯


    If anyone wanted to set a record and was confident in fighting power, they would usually choose the right path. Yu-Seong was also confident that he would make a pretty good record if he chose the right path.


    ¡®However, I won¡¯t be able to break Kim Do-Jin¡¯s record.¡¯


    If he chose the right passage, Yu-Seong would meet at least ten Elite Goblin groups. In fact, that meant the match against Kim Do-Jin would be considered as a game over.


    ¡®Which way should I choose?¡¯


    Yu-Seong quickly glanced at the two passages. After a short silence of less than ten seconds, he made a decision and took a step forward.


    ***


    The two reporters, Park Jin-Hwan and Kim Jin-Young, continued to check the stopwatch without meaning to while filming various angles of Yu-Seong making his way through the boss room. Currently, Yu-Seong¡¯s record had passed over 1 hour and 15 minutes and was heading towards 16 minutes.


    Observing Yu-Seong, who stopped in front of the Crossroads of Choice, Jin-Young smiled in a somewhat relaxed way. He said, ¡°I guess it¡¯s up to here. Even if he¡¯s definitely superior to the Flame Emperor, it would be hard for him to break Kim Do-Jin¡¯s record.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    But instead of agreeing to his words as Jin-Young expected, Park Jin-Hwan simply kept his mouth shut and kept his eyes on the monitor.


    ¡°Reporter Park?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know yet.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Thinking about Jin-Hwan¡¯s words for a while, Jin-Young smiled bitterly and said, ¡°I admit that Choi Yu-Seong is amazing. If I try to recall the names of the players who can hunt as fast as him who¡¯s an E-rank¡ªnot even D-rank¡ªthere are only about ten people coming to mind. But still, Kim Do-Jin is overwhelming in battle. Whichever path Choi Yu-Seong picks, he¡¯s bound to catch up.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Jin-Young suddenly felt suspicious of Jin-Hwan, who answered indifferently while watching the monitor video that displayed the inside the dungeon being taken with a drone.


    ¡®Is there something on the monitor?¡¯


    The question only lingered for a while because Yu-Seong took steps forward. At least for that moment, Jin-Young¡ªwho had somewhat lowered his expectations¡ªhad no choice but to draw attention back to the monitor.


    ¡®Which path are you going to choose, Choi Yu-Seong?¡¯


    It was a choice between the left path, which was long but stable, and the right path, which was full of variables but short. Jin-Young inwardly hoped Yu-Seong would choose the right passage. He was certain that Yu-Seong would do just that if he was greedy for the record.


    ¡®If he still has more hidden abilities, he¡¯ll probably show it this time.¡¯


    Jin-Hwan¡¯s expectations were understandable. Yu-Seong was still hiding something. In fact, Jin-Young could also tell that for a fact.


    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±


    However, the moment Yu-Seong stepped forward, Jin-Young had no choice but to unconsciously sigh. He felt ashamed after checking the young man¡¯s path.


    ¡®He¡¯s going toward the left passage.¡¯


    It was the long and stable road Yu-Seong had chosen. This meant that he had given up breaking Kim Do-Jin¡¯s record.


    ¡®Tch, it¡¯s unfortunate, but it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯


    By the time Jin-Young smacked his lips with regret, Jin-Hwan¡ªwho was still staring through the monitor while controlling the drone¡ªhad a sparkle in his eyes. When something hazy flowed out of Yu-Seong¡¯s hand and began to crawl on the wall, Jin-Hwan asked, ¡°Reporter Kim. Can you see that?¡±


    ¡°Huh. But what skill is that?¡±


    It was a form of skill that Jin-Young had never seen before. At first glance, it was not intended for combat. Above all, Yu-Seong was not running even though he had just entered the left passage. Naturally, questions turned into curiosity and then expectations.


    ¡®What if Choi Yu-Seong hasn¡¯t given up yet?¡¯


    What if that action meant something, something that they couldn¡¯t predict until now?! Gripping the drone¡¯s controller tightly, Jin-Young was also looking at Yu-Seong as if falling in love with his appearance.


    Then, to the amazing scenery that soon unfolded, the two reporters had no choice but to open their eyes very wide for the first time in their lives. Jin-Young, who had declared Yu-Seong¡¯s game over previously, was shouting loudly once again. ¡°Holy, god damn! What the heck, Choi Yu-Seong!¡±


    Kim Jin-Young was planning to designate today as his most surprising day of the year.

 CH 65

    During the first part of the original novel [Modern Master Returns], Kim Do-Jin was on a roll almost every time as the returnee protagonist. However, he had been defeated before.


    ¡®There were about three times that he lost. Once to the Demon King, once in the tower, and...''


    One last time to a person who could be said to be the final weapon of mankind. That was someone who even the main character Kim Do-Jin couldn¡¯t beat until the end of chapter 1. In fact, the last defeat was a trigger for growth rather than a crisis.


    ¡®At any rate, she also played the role of Kim Do-Jin''s teacher.¡¯


    One day, Choi Yu-Seong might have to meet her as well but that was in the future. Those were things to think about in the very distant future, only after he was more ready.


    ¡®After all, she¡¯s someone I should not provoke.¡¯


    Anyway, except for these few defeats, Kim Do-Jin was rarely upset by any other obstacles. Well, the episode that suddenly went through Choi Yu-Seong''s head while he had been agonizing at the Crossroads of Choice was one of those rare cases.


    In three years, a super rookie named Arnold would appear in the United States like a comet. In the near future, he would be nicknamed the "Dungeon Master" throughout the United States and considered to have no rival in dungeon racing, thanks to one great skill that only he owned in the world.


    ''Special skill, Map Master.''


    When you''re just trying to make great content at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    This ability was often described in the form of a map window floating in one corner of the screen when playing simulation games on a computer. The difference was that, generally in simulation games, in order to check the complete form of a map, the player had to move it by himself at least once to grasp the topography. However, Arnold''s Map Master skill did not have that penalty.


    As soon as he entered and executed his skills, he could immediately open a map of the entire dungeon. That allowed him to know the whole way through a maze at once, and find a secret space or a hidden path.


    Simply put, Arnold''s Map Master skill was the ability to grasp the entire terrain as soon as he entered the dungeon. It went without saying that it was natural that his speed of clearing the dungeon would increase significantly through this skill.


    Moreover, if he was lucky enough, Arnold could often find the hidden ancient relics or treasures of the world in the dungeon¡¯s secret room. Unfortunately, the trap or the monsters¡¯ location was unknown. However, everyone still agreed that the Map Master skill was quite unique and it was a great ability to have.


    At this moment, when Yu-Seong was standing in front of the Crossroads of Choice, it was not just a coincidence that Arnold''s name and his skill passed through Yu-Seong''s mind.


    ¡®When Arnold was in E-rank, he boarded a plane to Korea to showcase himself.¡¯


    And Arnold had even come to Sinwol-dong and had asked for an exclusive use in the boss regeneration season. He did seem very confident that he would be able to break Kim Do-Jin''s record, which had never been officially broken. In the end, however, Arnold had failed to break Kim Do-Jin''s record of 2 hours 28 minutes 33 seconds.


    ¡°Arnold''s record in the original novel was 2 hours 28 minutes 38 seconds.¡±


    The difference in records was only five seconds apart but after that, Arnold acknowledged his shortcomings and left Korea, dejected.


    Although it had been a rather trivial and meaningless episode, Korea had been able to express their pride through Kim Do-Jin. It had been a somewhat boring and unexpected episode for Yu-Seong as well, but at this moment, the contents went through his mind.


    ¡®I¡¯m glad I habitually thought of the contents of the novel [Modern Master Returns] before going to bed and wrote them down on my cell phone''s notepad every night.¡¯


    The contents of the original novel¡ªwhich was originally very clear in his mind¡ªwere definitely getting blurry day by day.


    ¡®And now, these little episodes are not coming to my mind without any stimulation.¡¯


    As expected, Yu-Seong was glad that he had started to record his memories. Thanks to this habit, the speed of forgetfulness had reduced and he could immediately recall such things in the moment.


    ¡®In the original novel, Arnold said in the interview that he even used a secret weapon at the Crossroads of Choice, but eventually failed.¡¯


    Arnold''s secret weapon? Yu-Seong did not even have to think about what it would have been. Truthfully, Arnold was at an overwhelming disadvantage compared to Kim Do-Jin in terms of combat power. And yet, the fact that he had left behind such a high record meant that he had great abilities as a Map Master.


    ''If it''s not in the left path, it''ll be in the right path.''


    Either way, there existed a third path somewhere, which was the shortest way to run into the boss. The only problem was that the original novel did not express its detailed location, since it had been a trivial episode. Nevertheless, the reason why Choi Yu-Seong first came to the left path was simple.


    ¡®If there was a secret passage, wouldn''t it be more likely to exist in the long one?¡¯


    In fact, this wasn¡¯t a big concern for Yu-Seong now.


    ¡®Or I can quickly go back to the other side and check. Thank you, Scathi. Without your skill, I would have to give up here.¡¯


    This was the second skill that Yu-Seong had recently inherited from the three gods.


    ¡º Inheritance Skill: Twin snakes biting their tails E


    Fusion is not possible.


    Scathi, the Oldest Hunter, has never missed a single target.


    Summon a translucent twin snake that is not easily visible to the eye and track down its opponent.


    Think of the name and appearance of the goal as accurately as possible in your head.


    Additional effects are sealed due to low rank.


    The ability is limited.


    You cannot pass through walls or obstacles.


    If the tracking distance is outside the 2 km radius, the twin snake automatically disappears.


    Reuse latency exists¡ª3 minutes.¡»


    In fact, it was a skill that Yu-Seong thought would be sealed for a while since it seemed to be useless.


    ¡®But now it¡¯s a different situation.¡¯


    Yu-Seong did not have a skill like Arnold¡¯s Map Master ability. However, the twin snake that he just released would somehow find the Hobgoblin¡ªthe boss monster that Yu-Seong recalled in his head¡ªeven if they had to find a hidden path.


    ¡®It would be nice if they could find it at once¡­¡¯


    With a small hope, Yu-Seong looked at two haze-like snakes that had already left his hand. Then, one of the two pushed his head toward somewhere in the gap in the wall that Yu-Seong had been looking at.


    "Good," Yu-Seong commented. Afterward, he jumped toward the wall after he saw the snake disappearing like a mollusk was dragging it in. Then, he began to trace the wall recklessly.


    ¡®If there''s a secret space, it¡¯ll be somewhere around here¡­¡¯


    Sure enough, with a rattling ¡®clack,¡¯ the part of the wall that was touched by the tip of Yu-Seong''s right palm created a deep concave. That was when the third road opened with the rumble of an operating engine. It was the secret passage.


    Yu-Seong ran through a path that no one had ever thought of before. The wide dome-shaped interior was stretched through a secret path without a single monster.


    Standing at the end of the passageway¡ª-which was like a cliff located somewhat high up¡ªYu-Seong looked down. At the end of the huge crowd of the Elite Goblin group, the Hobgoblin was sitting on a chair and leaning back like a king. He screamed violently when he found Yu-Seong.


    Goblins with poison needles, or bows, posed a threat by pointing their own weapons. Then, there were threatening attacks aiming right at Yu-Seong. The sounds of the Goblins spread, reflected, and rebounded, causing him to be dizzy.


    In the turmoil and the overflowing scenery of flesh, Yu-Seong laughed.


    ''At least the time is reduced by nearly two times!¡¯


    The actual consumed time was 25 minutes. Within the total time of 1 hour and 41 minutes, Yu-Seong had finally reached the boss room faster than anyone else. It was simply the best record ever.


    Yu-Seong grabbed his spear. He arrived on a rather high hill, but there was no need to worry about the time gap of landing.


    ¡®In fact, it¡¯s better. The record for dungeon racing is set at the moment the boss monster dies.''


    Yu-Seong just had to attack the boss''s head from the beginning. He jumped high without hesitation and carried out the Wind Control Execution. Then, he hit the arrow that flew toward him with the spear and opened his palm. The boss monster, Hobgoblin, and the elite group who were raising their heads with angry eyes looked at Yu-Seong while everything seemed to be happening in slow motion.


    ''Loki, I''ll make sure to use the skill you gave me in a very grumpy way.''


    It was the last skill that the three gods had handed over. The skill that was passed down by Loki¡ªwho was one of the strongest gods in Norse mythology¡ªwas executed through Yu-Seong''s palm.


    ***


    Yu-Seong felt tremendous excitement, just as Do-Yoon did when the first three gods had simultaneously handed over the skill. After regaining consciousness, he had even felt a thrill when he checked his skills with his own eyes.


    ¡®The Magic Spearmanship! Cu Chulainn''s been very generous!¡¯


    Was it because the god had been aware of his lack of dignity compared to the other two gods? From the beginning, Cu Chulainn had passed down one of his representative skills, that was not even too high in rank, but had the perfect form for Yu-Seong to use.


    Yu-Seong had expressed his admiration inwardly.


    ¡®Indeed, you are the Prince of Light in Ireland! You''re a light, just like your nickname.¡¯


    When he had seen the second Inheritance Skill, which was the Twin snakes biting their tails, Yu-Seong had tilted his head in confusion.


    ''It''s also a growing skill, but it''s unclear where to use it for now.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t bad, but Yu-Seong initially couldn¡¯t think of some practical usage of the skill. He felt quite pleasant when using this skill quicker and more effectively than he had thought in this process of dungeon racing.


    And lastly, the third skill had been given by Loki. In a way, Choi Yu-Seong had no choice but to click his tongue at the first moment when he had confirmed the skill given by Loki¡ªwhich he had high expectations from the start as it was from the god with the highest name value among the three.


    ''Wow, is this for real? How petty of him. Is it because I accepted him last or what?¡¯


    ¡ºInheritance Skill, Disturbing Dance Moves F (MAX)


    Fusion is possible.


    This is a skill that ¡®Joke-loving Prankster¡¯ has given to test you.


    Spread your palm and emit a flashing light about 100m in front.


    The light dances and disturbs the opponent''s vision. ¡»


    It was called ¡®Inheritance Skill¡¯, but it actually had the same effect as a general skill. Moreover, there was no possibility of growth that there was even a sign that the F rank was in Max level.


    ¡°Loki, you¡¯re as narrow-minded as Odin."


    - The Joke-loving Prankster finds your abusive words very unpleasant.


    He is sending a direct message to the player Choi Yu-Seong, saying ¡®You¡¯re the one that has a narrow vision, you idiot!¡¯.


    Loki''s message was transmitted in a colorful form several times more than usual, coming after Yu-Seong¡¯s unconsciously spoken self-talk. It was the first direct message Yu-Seong ever received. The part of the message that Loki himself had uttered was burning as if they were on fire.

 CH 66

    In fact, Yu-Seong could understand why Loki would feel so upset after being compared to Odin, who he dreadfully hated. He quickly apologized, "I own up to my mistake, it was too harsh. I¡¯m sorry!"


    Do those on god¡¯s throne always hear the voice of the hunter they kept their eyes on? Yu-Seong sincerely gave a short apology though the answer was unknown. Of course, that apology didn''t just escape his lips without any thought. Through that message, Yu-Seong immediately realized what he had first missed.


    ¡®It can be fused.¡¯


    In general, the inheritance skills were often impossible to fuse. The twin snakes biting their tails was one such example. This was because of the strong characteristics of the god who inherited the skill. However, the Disturbing Dance Moves skill did not seem to be of that kind.


    ¡®But it looks quite similar to the Fancy Disco that I got rid of in the early days¡­¡¯


    The difference was that it was an emission-type skill, which was the most favored skill-type among the psychic skills.


    ¡®What the heck does he expect me to use it for?¡¯


    Unlike back then, Yu-Seong smiled brightly and immediately invoked his Fusion skill. As a result, among the skills he had for now, a skill that could be called the ¡®strongest¡¯ in terms of general attack had been born.


    * * *


    Yu-Seong''s dungeon racing was over. After checking the records and reviewing them once more, the two reporters packed their bags and headed out of the dungeon square to their affiliated media. Then, all night long, they scribbled the article, added a video, and pressed the update button early in the morning when the other employees started to head to their work.


    Park Jin-Hwan, the Min-Guk Newspaper¡¯s reporter, immediately checked the main screen of one of the rival media companies¡ªthe Dae-Guk Newspaper. He then sighed with a fairly relieved look. "It¡¯s not up yet."


    "What is not up? Sunbae-nim, [1] did you stay up all night to write an article?¡± Seo Yu-Rim, a junior in her third year with the Min-Guk Newspaper, approached Jin-Hwan and asked. She thought that Jin-Hwan looked like hell.


    "Of course. It feels kind of bad to be pushed to second place when there¡¯s an opportunity to report on big issues such as this,¡± Jin-Hwan said. He smiled like a winner. As if nothing could fluster him, he once again refreshed the Dae-Guk Newspaper¡¯s main website.


    ¡ù Unbelievable! Goblin''s recent DBB record has been broken! Who''s the man of the hour?


    - Reporter Kim Jin-Young


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I was a minute faster. And the title of my article is better. It¡¯s my victory, Kim Jin-Young, haha,¡± Jin-Hwan gloated.


    "Oh, you competed with reporter Kim from the Dae-Guk Newspaper. By the way, there¡¯s a new record for Goblin dungeon racing? Umm... Who was first place before?"


    "Kim Do-Jin."


    "What? Someone broke his record? Who?¡± Seo Yu-Rim grabbed Jin-Hwan''s mouse and tried to head over to the article posted by Jin-Young, since she was simply too curious. Just before she could do so, she cried out, "Ouch!"


    "Oh, not that way. You¡¯re going to raise the competitor¡¯s number of views."


    Jin-Hwan slapped the back of Yu-Rim¡¯s hand, naturally took over the mouse, and clicked on the Min-Guk Newspaper¡¯s main website.


    "I made a mistake. By the way, the article... Oh, my goodness, is this real?¡± Yu-Rim asked after just reading the title. Before even reading the entire article, she widened her eyes and covered her mouth in shock.


    ¡ùThe fool of the chaebol group? Not anymore! He¡¯s a talented conglomerate! Choi Yu-Seong has beaten Kim Do-Jin and made an ''overwhelming'' new record.


    "Would I put this on the main page as a joke? We even filmed everything with drones.¡±


    "Wow, he''s the Choi Yu-Seong I know of, right?¡±


    "If you''re talking about Choi Yu-Seong, who¡¯s the best incompetent rascal and drunkard in the Korean Financial World¡­ You¡¯re right."


    Seo Yu-Rim¡¯s jaw fell to the floor in disbelief. She clicked on the video at the top of the article. Then, the first thing she did was check the video¡¯s total duration.


    ¡®1 hour, 59 minutes, 26 seconds.¡¯


    Park Jin-Hwan could guess what Yu-Rim was thinking, so he said with a smile, "For your information, it''s a full version without any editing. I didn''t even have time to do that."


    "...What was Kim Do-Jin''s record?¡±


    "2 hours, 28 minutes, and 33 seconds."


    "Then, there''s about...a 30-minute difference?¡±


    "It''s crazy, right?¡±


    Yu-Rim couldn¡¯t have expressed it any better herself. Out of sheer disbelief, she shouted, "You''re lying!¡±


    As she pressed the video playback button, her shout had attracted the other reporters of Min-Guk Newspaper who were just arriving at work. They began to flock around Park Jin-Hwan¡¯s monitor.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Hey, reporter Park, did you catch another big one?¡±


    "A picture is worth a thousand words. You guys should just watch the video." Park Jin-Hwan comfortably leaned back in his chair and shifted the monitor screen for everyone¡¯s easy viewing. Then, he watched their backs with his arms folded.


    Those who came a little late and couldn''t get past the crowd to take a look at the monitor quickly turned their computers on. They checked the video by clicking on the article which was on the main banner of their own company¡¯s website.


    There was a long silence. A long time was passing everyone by, but no one seemed to care.


    "Wow, awesome!"


    "Is that really Choi Yu-Seong?"


    "His entrance level is 91? Should I buy Comet Group stock now?"


    ¡°Hey, reporter Park. Did you spread this on foreign media?!¡± The Min-Guk Newspaper¡¯s editor-in-chief, who was silently watching the video among the employees, urgently asked Jin-Hwan.


    "Of course I did," Jin-Hwan answered with a smile. He raised two fingers in the shape of a V.


    "Good job. That''s amazing. It¡¯s a big hit, a really big hit. Great job, reporter Park!"


    "Wow... It would be crazy if it¡¯s plastered on foreign media."


    ¡°Choi Yu-Seong, wouldn¡¯t he get a nickname right away?¡±


    "Why don¡¯t we give him one ourselves?"


    Everyone looked extremely excited, just like the time when Kim Do-Jin had first cleared the dungeon.


    Park Jin-Hwan, who had been trying his best to remain calm until now, stood up and also took part in the reporters¡¯ enthusiastic talk. He chimed in, "The progress itself was quite smart, and it was amazing that he found a hidden secret passageway.¡±


    "That second skill, right? At first glance, it looked like a tracking system, but doesn¡¯t it look like some kind of sensory skill upon second glance? I don¡¯t think he found the secret passage with that skill.¡±


    "If he has a super-sensory skill, it''s actually hard to say that he is just a regular hunter."


    "But what''s slightly strange is that Choi Yu-Seong''s behavior was so natural. It¡¯s as if he knew there was definitely a secret passage."


    "Did he have any information?"


    "If the information has not yet been revealed, it should be considered a personal ability."


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    Once they opened their mouths, the reporters¡ªwho often referred to themselves as the hunter experts¡ªactively expressed their opinions. While watching them, Park Jin-Hwan slightly pulled his chair back and smiled. Without realizing that Park Jin-Hwan had backed up, the reporters continued on with their conversations.


    "After all, it''s one of the two. It was Yu-Seong''s plan from start to finish, or his super-sense instinctively led him toward the optimal path."


    "It''s crazy either way, but I feel like it¡¯s the former."


    "Was there a hunter in Korea who could plan and do all that during E-rank?"


    For a moment, the reporters looked at each other and fell speechless. They shook their heads firmly.


    "Even for Kim Do-Jin. His power was just overwhelming. He didn¡¯t play strategically.¡±


    "In fact, Kim Do-Jin is a bit like a beast. He''s instinctive and wild. And yet, his swordsmanship is artistically elegant. That¡¯s why he is popular."


    "Then, let¡¯s see. In our opinion, Choi Yu-Seong is a scheming-type player who is one of the best. I mean, the best among the domestic rookies. On the other hand, Kim Do-Jin is certainly an outstanding instinct-type player?¡±


    ¡°Why even bother to distinguish their types? Just by looking at the results right now, Choi Yu-Seong has beaten Kim Do-Jin at least in this Goblin Fortress¡¯ race, right?¡±


    Yu-Seong¡¯s record was about 1 hour and 59 minutes, which was less than two hours too. Recalling this fact once again, the editor-in-chief who had been listening to the reporter''s words, tapped his chin. He said, "It''s not just about planning. I''m sure there was some kind of bone-cutting effort. If you look at it, the movement using skills was quite natural, and the mana operation was incredibly good. I''m sure he trained himself over and over every day.¡±


    "Who called him ¡®the lazy guts¡¯...?"


    "We''ve been completely deceived.¡±


    Park Jin-Hwan sat back up in his seat and raised his head among the smirking reporters. He asked, "Everyone must be surprised. But you all agree that ¡®that¡¯ is the best part, right?"


    "Oh, I think I know what you¡¯re talking about, Sunbae-nim. That, you mean?¡± Seo Yu-Rim raised her hand with sparkling eyes and pulled the already finished video scroll bar slightly forward to play it again.


    It was the point where 1 hour and 41 minutes had just passed. It was when Choi Yu-Seong had encountered a group of Elite Goblins after he had escaped from the secret passage. He had flown into the sky before opening his palm, using a skill that left a strong impression in everyone''s head who watched the video.


    * * *


    Rewinding the time back to dawn, this was when Yu-Seong had encountered the Goblins and flew over to them. He opened his palm and released a group of colorful and dazzling lights.


    A group of Goblins did not even think that such a group of lights would be a disaster for them, but they ended up screaming and swinging their weapons at the group of lights. And at that moment, the group of lights that appeared to be splitting apart from the Goblins¡¯ weapons began to dance like crazy and shook electric shocks in all directions.


    ¡ºSpecial, Fused Inheritance Skill Dancing Electric Doll E


    Fusion is possible.


    Unfold your palm and release the dancing electric doll within 100m of the front. The electric doll emits 12 electric sparks per second to the surrounding area during the dance.


    The duration is 5 seconds. There is no wait time for reuse.


    The mana consumption of this skill is quite intense.¡»


    Spark, which was Yu-Seong''s unique attack skill until now, and Disturbing Dance Moves, the skill Loki had handed over, had combined to become Choi Yu-Seong''s best attack skill in existence. Yu-Seong consecutively used that skill three times in the air.


    ''This is the limit. If I try to invoke another one, I¡¯ll get a mana overload.¡¯


    In the Goblin Fortress¡¯ final core, there were elite monsters clustered in groups.


    Choi Yu-Seong already knew that from the information he had, so he had saved his most powerful attack skill, the Dancing Electric Doll, until now. This was because it would consume a lot of his mana.


    Thanks to this, the group of Elite Goblins, who were preparing to attack Yu-Seong at once, burned in agony and twisted their bodies in a morbid dance alongside him.


    While watching their writhing figures, Yu-Seong drew a smile. He looked somewhat pale. When fighting directly with a spear without the electric doll, he barely caught two or three Goblins in over about five minutes.


    However, as the Dancing Electric Doll began to run wild, ten of the Elite Goblins simultaneously died in less than three seconds.


    If it wasn¡¯t Yu-Seong¡ªwho was the rich conglomerate who could afford to drink the mana juice every day¡ªit would be hard to execute this skill even once a day. This was because it had an excessive mana consumption rate. However, he very much liked this skill.


    At the same time, Yu-Seong was somewhat disappointed.


    ¡®If the bushes were spread out like other terrains, the Goblins would have been exterminated by this already.¡¯


    1. A Korean word that refers to a far more experienced person within the same school, company, or group ?

 CH 67

    The electric sparks basically had thunder properties, but they also had fire properties since they blew fire flames.


    If it was a battlefield full of bushes, like the topography so far, all of the Elite Goblins would have instantly died in this attack no matter how strong they were.


    The Goblin Fortress¡¯ final settlement, where Hobgoblins were located, was like the inside of a cave made of pure stone. It was unfortunate, but in a way, it was a relief for Yu-Seong.


    ¡®If the place burned down, I would have a hard time trying to escape too.¡¯


    Or similarly, Yu-Seong might have had to hide at the end of a secret passage where there were no bushes and wait an hour for the dungeon to naturally recover.


    In any case, Yu-Seong settled in a somewhat safe spot even before the five seconds of the Dancing Electric Doll finished.


    ¡®It¡¯s electrifying!¡¯


    Despite wearing a battle suit with a fairly high electricity cutoff rate, Yu-Seong could feel the thrilling sensation all over his body. The back of his head tingled. However, that lasted for only a short time. Yu-Seong jumped to the Hobgoblin, who stood up from the throne and aggressively jumped.


    The Hobgoblin was wondering what to do with the electric doll¡¯s sudden attack.


    ¡®The Stylistic is at its peak.¡¯


    Yu-Seong''s spear once again became glowing red; it was enhanced by the Magic Spearmanship¡¯s fire property. When it penetrated directly through the Hobgoblin¡¯s shoulder, Yu-Seong could feel the cool sensation that ripped through the boss monster¡¯s flesh and broke its bones. The smell of the Goblin''s disgusting flesh and the fishy blood assailed Yu-Seong¡¯s nose as the monster was grilled in various forms.


    At the same time, Hobgoblin shouted while grabbing Yu-Seong''s spear with one hand despite making an expression of pain and misery.


    -Keeeek!


    Being a head larger than the typical Goblins, the Hobgoblin had a thick forearm. With that, the Hobgoblin tore its shoulder and pulled out the spear. Then, it swung its uniquely curved sword toward Yu-Seong and hit his abdomen.


    Although the sword could not penetrate the battle suit, Yu-Seong was shaken by the blunt weapon¡¯s strong blow. Then, the Hobgoblin''s curved sword did not miss the opportunity and flew toward Yu-Seong''s neck.


    Yu-Seong escaped the crisis by using Wind Control Execution and wiped the blood flowing from his mouth with the back of his hand.


    ¡®So you''re a boss monster after all, huh. You''re a pretty tough guy.¡¯


    Time slipped away and all the electric dolls were soon gone. There were five Elite monsters, and a somewhat scarred Hobgoblin left.


    ¡®Not bad. I can do it.¡¯


    Yu-Seong took a deep breath and completely immersed himself in battle¡­ As a result, after roughly 20 minutes of the bloody battle, he was about to put the long spear blade in the center of the open-eyed Hobgoblin¡¯s neck.


    The level has risen.


    The level has risen.


    The level has risen.


    The level has risen.


    The level has risen¡­


    The E-rank MAX level has been reached. Challenge yourself on the promotion evaluation!


    Yu-Seong read the messages that energized him while sweeping up his sweat-soaked hair. He smiled brightly as he looked at the drone filming himself in the air.


    ¡®Great.¡¯


    If he did this much, it would look amazing to the public from any possible perspective.


    * * *


    Korea, no, the whole world was completely overturned after Yu-Seong''s Goblin Fortress dungeon racing video had been released.


    Kim Jin-Young¡¯s article was a step slower than Park Jin-Hwan, but his video editing process was much faster. The number of views of his uploaded video on NewTube exceeded 50 million views in less than a week. People expected that the video would soon reach 100 million views.


    Park Jin-Hwan did not only step back and watch Jin-Young''s good performance. He had also received a solo report video from Choi Yu-Seong''s stan, edited the video, reported and posted it on both the website and NewTube in less than half a day.


    ¡ùChoi Yu-Seong has already won a fight against the second-rank dungeon''s boss Monster? Feat. Sand Officer


    After half a day passed since Park Jin-Hwan released the second video, the first and second most popular videos on NewTube were all about Choi Yu-Seong. Naturally, the world focused all of its attention on Yu-Seong. There was even news about him in the United States, CNL.


    ¡ù Who is Choi Yu-Seong who broke the record of top prospect Kim Do-Jin?


    ¡ù The Millionaire genius hunter!


    There was also news on the British Broadcast station, BBD.


    ¡ù The Discovery of the New Talent in the Republic of Korea


    ¡ù A fearless villain, revered as a genius


    There was also news on the Japanese Broadcast station, NHN.


    ¡ù Kim Do-Jin and Choi Yu-Seong, the dragon and the tiger.


    ¡ù Yamamoto Kyosuke, the King of Patience, said the Korean talents have reached their starting point. But we should not rush to judge as the bubble may burst soon.


    The world''s leading media reported news and articles about Yu-Seong. There were pouring interview requests. That wasn¡¯t even the end.


    Choi Woo-Jae went to work and sat in his office to read press releases from each country. He suddenly smiled when he remembered receiving a phone call from Chinese President Wang Kai last night.


    After that, he picked up the phone straight away and quickly made a call somewhere. He could hear quite a lot of rings as the call remained unanswered for a long time. If there were others nearby, they would have been quite surprised. Choi Woo-Jae, the Comet Group¡¯s chairman, was calling, and he waited for a long time. This was certainly a rare case.


    Soon, a voice mixed with a loud laugh came from the other end of the phone with a clatter.


    -Oh, look who¡¯s here! What got the busiest man in Korea to call me?


    "Haha... Even if I''m busy, I do what I have to do. You''ve been quiet lately. Everything okay?"


    -Thanks to you, I''m spending my last years very peacefully.


    ¡°Your grandchild is so cute. When are you going to show him off?¡±


    -Ah, I¡¯ll show him off for sure, since it¡¯s you who asked. I, Baek Joon-Kyung, have accomplished all that I have because of you.


    If Choi Yu-Seong heard this name¡ªBaek Joon-Kyung¡ªhe would have understood Choi Woo-Jae''s unfamiliar behavior while looking surprised.


    Baek Joon-Kyung was the Republic of Korea¡¯s former President, who was once an S-rank hunter. During Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s heyday as a hunter, Joon-Kyung had been the hunter who was the team¡¯s leader. Now, Joon-Kyung had taken a step back from the hunter world and retired from politics but was still called one of the living legends of the country.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a big deal. By the way, why don''t we meet and play golf? That way, I can see your grandchild as well. I¡¯ve not seen you in a long time.¡±


    -Golf?


    Perhaps it was an unexpected word, because Baek Joon-kyung uttered that word in an unreadable tone from the other end of the line.


    -Ahhh¡­ Now I see. You called to brag about your son! Yes, Choi Yu-Seong. This clever one caused a serious accident this time, right?


    Choi Woo-Jae shook his head from side to side at his quick-witted friend''s words. He said, "It¡¯s not a big deal and just a small thing to talk about. Oh, well, there was an annoying call yesterday night just when I was going to sleep. Has it been 10 years? You know, King Kai."


    -The Chinese President? You mean that old python? Come to think of it, he¡¯s still alive. But what about him?


    "Oh, well, he said if I send Yu-Seong to China, he will drive sales profits of about 30 trillion won to the Comet Group every year.¡±


    -That scoundrel¡¯s very generous. He seems to like your son very much. So what did you say?


    "What do you mean? You think he¡¯s worth only 30 trillion won? It makes no sense.¡±


    -Of course not. If that rascal had said so, he would have asked you to transfer your ninth child''s nationality. But no way. I''ve heard a rumor, but that child¡ªhe¡¯s our country¡¯s treasure. Don''t even think about giving him away. Otherwise, even I won''t forgive you.


    Woo-Jae nodded while somehow feeling better at Baek Joon-Kyung¡¯s rigorous words. He replied, ¡°Of course not, even if he said he would give 300 trillon won, I wouldn¡¯t send Yu-Seong to China. Not even if they treat him as a King or something.¡±


    Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    -Hahaha, now I see that you have a lot to brag about. Yeah, golf¡ªwe should play sometime for sure. When do you have time?


    "If you''re free, I can go meet you right away."


    -Right now? We''re in Goseong right now. Wouldn¡¯t it be afternoon when you arrive?


    "Oh, it doesn''t matter. It¡¯ll be a perfect time to go there by car, have lunch, and play golf."


    -Hahaha. You are certainly an active hunter¡ª-full of energy. Yeah, I¡¯ll go meet you when you arrive.


    ¡°Then, hang in there.¡± Woo-Jae hung up the phone with a snap and rose from the warm chair that supported him. Then, he connected the intercom to the secretary''s office.


    -Yes, chairman.


    "I''m going to go to Baek Joon-Kyung. Tell them to get ready at once."


    -Yes, sir.


    After the intercom was cut off, humming, Choi Woo-Jae dressed in a tracksuit that looked several times lighter than what he wore to the company. He also wore a thick padded jacket on top of it.


    Then, he suddenly trembled and said, ¡°...If Kim Pil-Doo, that friend, was here, he would be nagging me.¡±


    Choi Woo-Jae briefly recalled his right-hand man, who was currently in England due to his work. Then, he shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°Thanks to Yu-Seong, I¡¯m on cloud nine these days. I should think of a gift for him while playing golf today.¡± Woo-Jae decided so, and left the chairman''s office with a light step.


    ***


    In a sunless eight-story building located somewhere in Jong-ro, Seoul, there was a new signboard hanging on the fifth floor. There was not even an elevator, so it could only be reached by climbing the high stone stairs on one¡¯s two legs. The writing on the signboard said¡ª ''The Hunter Guild, Eclipse.¡¯


    Inside, Kim Do-Jin tilted his head. He had entered a little more than thirty pyeong of space that has not even been organized yet. "Is this all?"


    Right behind Kim Do-Jin, Baek Ah-Rin replied in a depressed voice while putting her hands together as if she were a sinner.


    "...Yes."


    "I think you said you wanted to build a company building."


    "Well¡­ That¡¯s the goal. But this land in Seoul was more expensive than I thought. The building I originally aimed for was exactly ten times more expensive than this! Wahahaha!" shouted Ah-Rin as she burst into laughter. Then, she scratched the back of her head sheepishly.


    "So, you only bought one floor of this building?" asked Do-Jin.


    "No. I only bought this room. At least, I can see my goal building out of the window here," Ah-Rin replied.


    Kim Do-Jin once again glanced around the inside of the room and nodded lightly. "It''s not bad.¡±


    "Okay. Sorry for my greed... What?" Ah-Rin blinked in surprise.


    "If you and I had put our names on the line, there would have been quite a few places to support us. Doesn''t it mean that you rejected everything that started in a small place like this?"


    ¡°Well, that''s true... But usually, people prefer to start with support," Ah-Rin said.


    "Well done. Once you start borrowing someone else''s hand, you¡¯ll have to repay them in any form. And I can''t give you such a small sum of money for what I''m doing myself."


    "But you know, the price of the building I''m going to buy is over 80 billion won."


    "I''m Kim Do-Jin. From now on, my ransom will be ridiculously over ten times that.¡±


    "Um... You¡¯re so full of yourself.¡±


    Whether Baek Ah-Rin cried or not, Kim Do-Jin looked at the city scenery filled with quite a few buildings that looked somewhat suffocating while he was standing in front of the room¡¯s sunny window.


    ¡®So there¡¯s an area that only the guild can buy¡­¡¯


    Do-Jin could roughly predict where it would be. However, that was all, so he didn''t pay much attention.


    ¡®Baek Ah-Rin is a good colleague. I¡¯m not getting the short end of the deal. ¡®


    Anyway, now, the two were in the same boat.

 CH 68

    Kim Do-Jin planned to create a kingdom full of supporters to help him, just like he had achieved from a different dimension. He looked around the place, which seemed rather shabby and unattractive, and said, ¡°And soon, we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the money.¡±


    "What?" Baek Ah-Rin tilted her head at Do-Jin¡¯s sudden comment.


    "My friend, who will soon join our guild, has quite a lot of money."


    "Your friend?" asked Ah-Rin.


    Most people in the world were being deceived by Kim Do-Jin. He appeared to be quite kind, cheerful, and humble on TV and media, but Ah-Rin found him to be a very different person. She had only met him for a short time, but still.


    ¡®He''s confident, shameless, and narcissistic. He believes he is the center of the world¡­ He¡¯s also a little psychotic, for sure.¡¯


    Ah-Rin was surprised that such a person would actually call someone a friend. To be honest, she wondered if she had misheard Do-Jin.


    ¡°It''s a name you would also know well¡ªChoi Yu-Seong," Do-Jin said.


    "Choi Yu-Seong? The new star of the Comet group?" Ah-Rin asked.


    ¡°...Isn¡¯t it the rascal from a Comet group?¡± Kim Do-Jin was the one to express surprise at Baek Ah-Rin¡¯s unexpected reaction this time.


    "Oh, come to think of it, you''ve been stuck in a dungeon for more than a week until this morning so wouldn¡¯t know about this. Choi Yu-Seong, broke your record from¡­.where was it? Oh, from the Goblin Fortress dungeon racing.¡±


    "...What?"


    "It''s still crazy. Why didn¡¯t you watch the news as soon as you came out?"


    "I didn''t have time to watch it, since I washed up and came straight here to keep my promise.¡±


    "I see. Anyway, it was amazing. There''s a video on Newtube. You know, he¡¯s nearly half an hour faster than your record¡­¡±


    "30 minutes?" Kim Do-Jin furrowed his thick black eyebrows and hurriedly took out his cell phone. He quickly opened the NewTube app and searched Choi Yu-Seong''s name. While watching the video, his facial expression changed from minute to minute.


    ''This is fun. What exactly is the relationship between these two?''


    Baek Ah-Rin had never seen Kim Do-Jin¡¯s anxious look before. After watching Do-Jin out of seeming appreciation, she said in a playful voice, "I saw the video and it was no joke. At this rate, wouldn¡¯t Choi Yu-Seong be going to beat you soon?"


    "...Bullshit," Do-Jin answered lightly while clicking his tongue. He continued watching the video, then said with a bright smile, "Choi Yu-Seong¡­ So that wasn''t everything you''ve shown me.¡±


    "Huh? Are you angry, Kim Do-Jin?¡±


    Do-Jin did not answer Ah-Rin''s question and immediately opened the closed window wide.


    "What are you doing?"


    "I''m going to the dungeon. Wherever the boss is created."


    "Suddenly? You just came out from the dungeon, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I have to prove it again.¡±


    "Prove what?"


    "That I''m the best."


    "What... You crazy narcissist¡­ Hey!"


    Do-Jin lightly warmed-up before Ah-Rin finished her words and jumped to the ground from the five-story building without hesitation. Ah-Rin shouted at him while he was moving away from the window, "You crazy guy, I have to pay my guild creation registration by tomorrow-!"


    Fortunately, Kim Do-Jin and Baek Ah-Rin''s guild¡ªEclipse¡ªwere able to be established on the scheduled date.


    * * *


    In today''s era, the most direct way to gauge one¡¯s popularity was rather simple. It could be shown by the number of followers on social media.


    Ferguson, the district''s world-famous soccer coach where Choi Yu-Seong had previously lived, called watching social media a "waste of life.¡± In fact, many people made mistakes and wasted their time on it, but social media and the popularity game were not going away anytime.


    ¡®It¡¯s no different here in this world.¡¯


    In the afternoon, after finishing the morning training, Yu-Seong returned to his room for a short break. Then, he suddenly launched the Outstagram app on his cell phone. Its installation was not needed.


    ''I already have an account.¡¯


    Indeed, since the original Choi Yu-Seong himself was a seed of interest, it would be rather strange if he did not have such social media activities.


    ¡®His number of followers¡­ Only thirty? It''s a lot less than I thought.¡¯


    This was Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s first time using the social media app, but he had an idea that thirty followers was considered very few.


    ¡®There are over tens of thousands of famous people among even some popular ordinary people.¡¯


    Although he was a rascal, it was still quite a small number of followers for the well-known Yu-Seong. After a short while, he found out the reason why.


    ¡°Oh, the account is private."


    There was only one photo uploaded on Yu-Seong¡¯s Outstagram¡ªwhich was just an ordinary selfie he had taken in front of the mirror. Even his account ID was completely unrecognizable.


    ¡®Then what did the original Choi Yu-Seong do on social media?¡¯


    If Choi Yu-Seong had installed social media, it meant that he wanted to get attention. However, his social media account was too quiet for that. Fortunately, it was not difficult to find answers. There were several direct messages, also known as DMs, that had been sent by the original Yu-Seong.


    ¡®Kim So-Ra, Min Hye-Rin, Jung So-Young¡­¡¯


    They were all beautiful female entertainers or players who had been quite successful in the present or in recent times. In the past, Choi Yu-Seong had one-on-one conversations with such women and had left quite a few messages¡­ But he clearly had no intention of meeting them ever.


    Yu-Seong''s face immediately turned red, because he didn''t do it himself. Still, it was practically the same as he did.


    ¡®What the heck has this crazy guy been doing?¡¯


    At this moment, Yu-Seong was almost envious of the original world, which had many loopholes in the setting.


    ¡®Why is there such a detailed setting for the villain who was thrown away by the main character in the beginning?¡¯


    Although he had been driven to the point of madness, it was fortunate that there had only been a few replies.


    ¡®So, about three of them replied.¡¯


    Surprisingly, about three out of twenty women had responded. Of course, the replies were not flattering at all.


    "Crazy, asshole, freak..."


    There were even cases where dozens of unfinished letters ¡®?¡¯[1] had been attached in the replies.


    "The only reason he hasn¡¯t been used is thanks to the influence of his family.¡± Yu-Seong felt that the original one had been quite the garbage.


    ''And now this shame is on me. By the way, this guy even sent a message to Jo Yu-Ri. In a different sense, he''s really fearless.''


    Jo Yu-Ri was a famous curse-type hunter of the S-rank, who became a guild master of the Black Magic Society which was one of the top ten guilds in Korea as a woman. She wore quite thick makeup and was famous for having a toxic personality. There were quite a few rumors that some male hunters who flirted with her had become crippled for the rest of their life.


    ''And one of them was even one of the top ten guild masters.¡¯


    Anyway, Choi Yu-Seong had sent a message to Jo Yu-Ri asking if she would like to meet him seriously. There had been no reply, which made the entire experience even scarier.


    Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ''I''m glad at least I know it now. I should run away if I see Jo Yu-Ri from afar.¡¯


    For some reason, Yu-Seong felt a part of his lower body going numb for no reason. He closed the message window with a dry cough.


    It was naturally meaningless to send a message to explain the old story and make an excuse for his past actions.


    ¡®Now, there¡¯s more reason for me to become strong.¡¯


    After giving one more definite motivation toward his goal, Yu-Seong headed for the original purpose of turning on the social media application.


    "Let''s see. This is the search box and the ID is..."


    While Yu-Seong was focused on the morning training, Jin Yu-Ri¡ªwho was looking at her cell phone next to him¡ªsuddenly burst into a big laugh. Yu-Seong was curious about her reaction and asked her why.


    Yu-Ri tried to show her cell phone right away, but then she changed her mind and wrote an ID on a piece of paper. She told him to find out for himself.


    Yu-Seong opened the white paper that he had folded in his pocket and searched for the Outstagram account "@H_Mohammed." Then, he entered the person¡¯s account and smiled after checking the profile picture.


    ¡®Huh? He seems like an Arab prince who¡¯s interested in such popularity. But what about this person?¡¯


    While he was thinking, Yu-Seong entered the opponent''s account details. Surprisingly, the photo at the top of Muhammad''s account was none other than Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s own. He stuttered, "...Me?"


    Choi Yu-Seong clicked on the picture out of curiosity, and then coughed at Muhammad''s writing in English. He spat out the water that he was drinking. "Hmmm..."


    ¡¸@H_Mohammmed


    He is a favorite hunter.


    That''s why I''m thinking about it.


    How much do I have to call to have him? Hmm...¡¹ [2]


    Fortunately, Muhammad didn¡¯t have the dangerous tastes that Yu-Seong had been worried about. He was just very rich (probably more than Choi Woo-Jae) since he was Saudi Arabia''s prince. He also enjoyed making quite a variety of investments as a hobby. For example, he would buy one of the major league teams in the United States and then spend a lot of money to rebuild the team.


    ¡®He''s like Mansour on Earth where I lived.¡¯


    As he learned about Muhammad little by little, Yu-Seong understood why he wanted him.


    ¡®He¡¯s setting up a team of hunters for dungeon racing. Well, there are a lot of noblemen who think of this as a sport these days.¡¯


    Yu-Seong now knew the intention, but there was no reason for him to panic.


    ''Not as much as Muhammad, but I already have quite a lot of money.¡¯


    By then, a new message was posted on Muhammad''s social media feed.


    ¡¸@H_Mohammmed


    About $1,000,000,000?¡¹


    One billion dollars was more than 1.1 trillion won. If Choi Yu-Seong could have that much money at his disposal, there would be a considerable increase in what he could do.


    "I will. I want to join the team, my prince." Stating that aloud, Yu-Seong tried to start a DM conversation with Muhammad.


    ¡¸@H_Mohammmed


    Only if he''s an S-rank hunter. :) ¡¹


    "...This wicked gentleman is making fun of me.¡±


    Choi Yu-Seong was somewhat distressed. He closed the Outstagram app and checked the time. It has already been an hour, which meant that his break time had come to an end.


    "This is certainly a time-consuming ghost. I shouldn''t turn it on unless I really have to."


    For the first time, Yu-Seong could feel the danger of social media.


    1. It is one of the Korean vowels. If you send ''?'' over text to somebody, you are showing the middle finger to him/her. ?


    2. The English was left as it was written in the raws ?

 CH 69

    A quick look at tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w will leave you more fulfilled.


    It was already afternoon. If still on schedule, it would have been time to head to the dungeon to hunt. However, Yu-Seong had been focusing all his energy on training until now. In particular, his afternoon training was several times more intense than his morning training, so it was inevitable for him to train in multi-family villas that resembled apartment houses. Thus, the entire hunter-only gym located nearby was rented.


    The gym which Yu-Seong had visited with Jin Do-Yoon before he first qualified as a hunter was quite expensive. This was because it had a mana barrier that could withstand all the mana below the A-rank. It was also private and quiet, so it was considered the best place to focus on training alone.


    Yu-Seong had been training his spearmanship and mana skills with extreme concentration for about two hours in the gym. He soon laid down on the floor with thick drops of sweat. "Haa...haa..."


    He panted roughly, his lungs feeling a stabbing sensation. However, he couldn¡¯t help smiling. It was because he believed that the current pain would eventually pay off during a dangerous moment.


    ''It''s good, but... If possible, I¡¯d like to build a mansion like my father and build a similar training center in my house...''


    Clearly, there was no end to human greed. Once he began to enjoy convenience, Yu-Seong naturally started thinking about the next step. The problem was that if he poured money to that extent, his bank account balance would fall really low right away.


    At first, he thought he had a lot of money. When he started spending it, however, it ran out in an instant. As expected, it was exactly right to say that it was difficult to make money and easy to use.


    ¡®It would work if I could go somewhere near Gyeonggi-do with relatively low land prices, but¡­¡¯


    In this case, there would be a waste of time. This was especially considering the time traveling to and from Seoul.


    ¡®I need more plausible sources of income. It would be great if there¡¯s mana rock coming out of the land, but then it would be a matter of luck.''


    For mana stone, even the lowest rank¡ªthe gray-colored one¡ªcost at least 10 million won. The next rank was the red-colored stone, which was 100 million won. Fortunately, Yu-Seong had won a red-colored mana stone in the last Hobgoblin hunt, but he wasn¡¯t very happy about that.


    ''The money I spend in a day is not normal at all.¡¯


    While thinking so, Yu-Seong smiled in vain.


    ¡®Wow, Choi Yu-Seong, you''ve changed a lot.¡¯


    When he was an ordinary office worker, Yu-Seong would have felt good for more than a month if he won second place in the lottery and earned 50 million won¡ªnot even 100 million won.


    However, as the situation changed and his spending naturally increased, 100 million won was not as satisfying for him anymore. It was somewhat inevitable, but he couldn''t help feeling that he had changed.


    ¡®It¡¯s a natural thing since my position has changed.¡¯


    In a way, all the money he spent now was to escape the fate of "death" set in the future. No amount of money could be more valuable than life. If the chances of survival increased with the cost, it was obvious for him to not consider it as a waste.


    After organizing his thoughts, he could calm down his rough breathing.


    By then, he opened the system message window in front of his eyes, which he had already postponed for more than a week.


    ¡¶Player Choi Yu-Seong is currently at the E-rank MAX level.


    Challenge yourself on the promotion evaluation!


    The promotion is divided into two categories¡ªnormal difficulty level and an extreme difficulty level.


    In the normal difficulty level, the number of retries is infinite unless you die. Challenge yourself!


    In the extreme difficulty level, even if you are lucky enough to survive, you cannot try again.


    If you''re ready, challenge yourself!¡·


    Compared to the usual system message, this was a rather friendly one. Choi Yu-Seong had already made his choice.


    ¡®Obviously, I¡¯ll choose the extreme difficulty level, the hard mode.¡®


    The system was not stupid, so why would the difficulty levels be divided for no reason? Naturally, if the player passed a higher difficulty level promotion evaluation¡ªharder than the normal difficulty level¡ªthe player would receive a greater reward. There was only one reason why Yu-Seong was concerned.


    ''Cause there¡¯s only one trial. I''ll go in when I''m ready to clear it for sure.¡¯


    In fact, there was nothing special about preparation. No one knew the details of the promotion evaluation¡¯s extreme difficulty level. It was impossible to use any data or future information because the examination given was different for each individual and the method was arbitrary. In other words, Yu-Seong literally had to pass the promotion evaluation only with his own wit and skills. To do so, he had to bring out the best ability from his current standard rank and level.


    ¡®Maybe during the day after tomorrow? I think I''m finally adjusted to the physical condition of the E-rank Max level, so I¡¯ll try after I take a break tomorrow.¡¯


    In other words, until today, the body had to be pushed through extreme training. Yu-Seong made his decision, jumped from his place, raised himself, and grabbed the spear again. He calmly looked at his condition, feeling calm thanks to the Cool-headed E triggered by the Spearmanship Prodigy effect.


    ¡®I can go a little further.¡¯


    Time passed quickly as Yu-Seong continued his training without much effort. And two days later, he finally challenged the promotion evaluation.


    ***


    It was 7 a.m. on the day Yu-Seong decided to challenge the promotion evaluation. He woke up early in the morning and loosened up a little, using the spear near the front yard as usual.


    The spear was quite expensive, since it was made by the world''s best craftsman. However, despite the extreme training, the blade remained sharp with minimal sharpening. The texture and balance also aided a rather good grip too.


    Usually, Yu-Seong would have focused on the training as if he were drunk on the comfortable sensation of using his spear. However, with important things scheduled for later on, today definitely felt different.


    ¡®Slowly, lightly, as if warming up my body.¡¯


    Yu-Seong spent about an hour and a half in the morning stretching and doing light training. After that, Chae Ye-Ryeong came to work 30 minutes early as usual.


    "Hello, boss!" Ye-Ryeong called out. Still covering her face with shaggy hair, she greeted Yu-Seong who was catching his breath.


    It was a typical daily routine, but today felt slightly different. This was because last night¡¯s short conversation with Jin Yu-Ri passed through Yu-Seong''s mind.


    ¡®She said that all the re-Awakening materials I asked for would be gathered soon.¡¯


    Thus, Yu-Seong grabbed Ye-Ryeong who greeted him energetically as she entered the house. He immediately asked, "Ye-Ryeong, can I talk to you for a second?"


    "Yes." Ye-Ryeong didn¡¯t ask why. She simply tilted her head at him.


    Actually, the conversation wasn¡¯t going to be a long one. That was because Yu-Seong and Ye-Ryeong already talked about the re-Awakening last year.


    "Do you remember the story we talked about in the hospital room before?¡± Yu-Seong asked.


    "Yes."


    "It¡¯s almost ready. And as I said, it can be quite dangerous."


    "Yes."


    "...do you have any other questions or concerns? If you want to quit now, just tell me."


    As it was based on the original novel, Yu-Seong definitely wanted to play it safe. However, it was inevitable that some risk remained. Therefore, he asked Ye-Ryeong with a serious look, and this time, Ye-Ryeong also remained silent as if hesitating to answer.


    Uncomfortable with the rather long silence, Yu-Seong urged, "Ye-Ryeong?"


    "Yes?"


    "Didn''t you hear me just now?¡±


    "Yes, I heard you."


    "Then..."


    "I don¡¯t actually have any questions or concerns. Well, to be honest, I''m a little embarrassed about this but... " With her hair slightly covering her face, Ye-Ryeong scratched her blushing cheek. "You told me back then that it¡¯s dangerous, but I¡¯ll certainly gain a lot of strength if I do it."


    "Yes, that''s what I said," Yu-Seong replied.


    "You said there would be a better life and a lot of rewards waiting for me than now, but I''m not really interested in that. No, it''s not that I''m not interested, but I''m very grateful and satisfied with my current life." Ye-Ryeong looked up at Choi Yu-Seong with sparkling eyes.


    It wasn''t different from when they first met. Ye-Ryeong didn¡¯t become easily desperate in any situation.


    ¡®How could such a person become a disaster in the original novel?¡¯


    Yu-Seong couldn''t even imagine how terrible Ye-Ryeong¡¯s life would have been in the original novel.


    "It''s all thanks to you, boss."


    "Well, to say the least..."


    Yu-Seong had just invested in Chae Ye-Ryeong''s future value. Before Yu-Seong could say anything out of embarrassment, Ye-Ryeong said with her head down once again, "That''s why I''d rather ask you to do it. Please give it a try! If I wake up again, I can be of greater help to you, right?¡±


    "It''s going to be a tremendous help.¡±


    It was because Chae Ye-Ryeong was a talented person who could possibly become a disaster in the future, so her minimum growth potential was about SS+ rank.


    "That''s all I need. I want to be a person who is more helpful to you and to everyone in this house. I''ll work hard and become a person who earns my keep!" With a strong shout, Ye-Ryeong raised her head. Now even her two fists were clenched.


    What else could Yu-Seong say?


    "Okay, then, I''ll tell you again as soon as it''s ready."


    "Yes sir! I''ll be waiting for that."


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day now. Have a good day."


    "You too, boss! Have a good day." After waving a lively greeting at Yu-Seong, Ye-Ryeong entered the house. Around that time, she met Jin Yu-Ri who was coming out of the front door. She enthusiastically said hello once more. Yu-Ri smiled, nodded, and she lightly patted Ye-Ryeong''s head.


    ¡®Come to think of it, the two of them would be the same age... Since Ye-Ryeong calls Yu-Ri "unnie", they kind of look like sisters.¡¯


    Yu-Seong looked at them with a rather pleasant and thoughtful expression as Yu-Ri approached him. Before Yu-Ri could say anything, he asked, ¡°When are you going to tell Ye-Ryeong your age?¡±


    "I think I already told her."


    "And she still calls you ''unnie''?¡±


    "She can do whatever she wants. Haha, she¡¯s such a cute kid," Yu-Ri said.


    In fact, looking at the vibe, Yu-Ri definitely seemed like an older sister.


    "By the way, you said you were going to challenge the promotion evaluation this afternoon, right?¡±


    "Yes."


    "You know, if it''s dangerous, declare your abandonment right away. Someone said that dying in the promotion evaluation is the stupidest thing of all," Yu-Ri said.


    "I know."


    Promotion evaluation was not easy to attempt, since it was an examination. However, if the evaluated person decided to give up, he or she may quickly escape with their life still intact.


    In a way, there seemed to be no death at all, but there had been quite a few people who died in this promotion evaluation. The reason was literally because of their greed. Players felt like they could get promoted after going just a little further, and tried again and again despite consecutive failures. The moment they had a sense of hope and tried to take a step further, they lost their precious lives.


    As such, if the players died during the promotion evaluation, they would seldom receive sincere condolences. That was because everyone could clearly assume their reason for death.

 CH 70

    ¡®In particular, more players died in the extreme difficulty level than the normal difficulty level. That¡¯s because of the risk¡­ Once they give up, they will never be able to re-enter.¡¯


    It wasn''t that Yu-Seong couldn''t understand Jin Yu-Ri''s worries. It was just that he also wanted to enter the extreme difficulty level and obtain the best results.


    "You really know that, right?¡± asked Yu-Ri.


    "Trust me. I¡¯m a person who values my life the most.¡±


    "It doesn¡¯t sound like something that the person repeatedly throwing his life away would say."


    What happened in the past was just Yu-Seong acting in a show. Just by looking at Yu-Ri¡¯s expression, folded arms, and rigid posture, it seemed like she wouldn¡¯t believe it even if Yu-Seong told her that he never intended to throw his life away.


    Therefore, Yu-Seong cleared his throat with a dry cough and quietly looked elsewhere. "Hmm..."


    "Do-Yoon oppa hasn''t been coming home for a few days because he''s reaching his promotion level soon. It''s a shame since if we were together, he would be nagging you with me."


    "I won¡¯t overdo it, so no need to worry about me," said Yu-Seong.


    Listening to Yu-Seong¡¯s determined words, Yu-Ri glanced over at him and loosened her arms. She said, "Actually, even if I speak harshly¡­I do believe in you. And I''m rooting for you. There''s nothing else I can do besides this.¡±


    "Thank you."


    "Oh, and there¡¯s an important thing. This is about Yoo Jin-Hyuk, who you mentioned at the time."


    Yu-Seong''s head jerked back toward Yu-Ri. Paying greater attention to her, he asked, "Did you find him?"


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk, the so-called demonic beast tamer, was a very important figure in Yu-Seong¡¯s future plans along with Chae Ye-Ryeong. In this world, the ability to summon, tame, and handle the demonic beast was rare and had high versatility. Along with such an ability, Yoo Jin-Hyuk even had the ability of the Barrier Master¡ªwhich was very rare. In the original novel, he appeared as a villain and died miserably. However, if he could be a supporter of Yu-Seong, he would truly be a rare and unique talented player.


    "Yes. As you said, he was reported dead."


    The news could be discouraging, but Choi Yu-Seong didn¡¯t seem to be so. He asked, "That''s not all, is it?"


    "Yes. He was reported dead alongside both his parents. The unusual thing is that his brother Yoo Jin-Hwan is alive,¡± replied Yu-Ri.


    "That''s Yoo Jin-Hyuk.¡±


    "You seem to be so sure about that."


    "Yes, you know I have the skill.¡±


    Actually, Yu-Seong knew it from the original novel. Yoo Jin-Hyuk, the Villain, had used the pseudonym Yoo Jin-Hwan in his early appearances. Yu-Seong didn''t know that it was the name of Jin-Hyuk¡¯s brother, but this was enough for him to piece the puzzle together in his head.


    "Anyway, please investigate where Yoo Jin-Hyuk, I mean, Yoo Jin-Hwan, is currently at. If possible, find out all about the accident his family had. I''m going to visit you right after the promotion evaluation. So I¡¯m hoping you can find out as soon as possible..." Yu-Seong said.


    "Don''t worry. It''s already in progress."


    "You¡¯re the best, thanks Yu-Ri. You are our Ace.."


    "Don''t just say empty words. I¡¯d rather you reward me with a vacation soon. I feel like I''m the only one who''s falling behind because Do-Yoon oppa is working hard to raise his level."


    "Isn''t it meaningless when you go on a dungeon hunt as a vacation?"


    "It depends on how you think. So my morning report and your training is all over now, right?¡± Yu-Ri asked.


    "Yes, that''s it for today. I''m going to wash up, have a light meal, and start the promotion evaluation right away.¡±


    "Make sure you eat well. There were people who couldn''t come out for a month once they entered the examination room.¡±


    ¡°That won''t be my case. I''m lucky in this way," Yu-Seong casually answered.


    And after exactly three hours, Yu-Seong blamed the standard that he had set.


    ***


    ¡¶Choi Yu-Seong, the E-rank MAX level player, is entering the extreme difficulty level D-rank promotion evaluation.


    Good luck.¡·


    As soon as he accepted the promotion evaluation, Choi Yu-Seong''s view was covered with darkness after a short message. He felt moisture enveloping his whole body, as if he had been swallowed by a whale. It made him rather anxious.


    A light flashed in front of his eyes, and a rabbit with longer legs than a decent human adult¡ªthat looked to be about 190cm tall¡ªappeared in a tuxedo.


    "Ta-da-!"


    Literally, the rabbit appeared like ¡®ta-da¡¯.


    "Nice to meet you, player Choi Yu-Seong. I''m your judge, Mr. Nice Guy. You can call me Mr. Guy for short."


    In fact, the rabbit looked like a clich¨¦ character that Yu-Seong had previously seen a lot of. However, for some reason, the rabbit¡¯s smiley expression and wide open arms felt strange.


    ¡®Don¡¯t such tuxedo dolls have a rather serious vibe in general?¡¯


    Yu-Seong''s eyes momentarily sparkled in anticipation. He hoped that Mr. Nice Guy would show some magic trick with a hat or black cane in his hand. However, the so-called Mr. Guy made the mistake of dropping his hat while returning to an attentive position with open arms.


    "Oh no! This hat is new. What a waste." Mr. Guy urgently picked up his fallen hat and gave Yu-Seong an embarrassed look. He lightly swept his long mustache into place. For some reason, some of his white fur had been stained red. He commented, "Hong hong! It seems like you are the type of person who doesn''t enjoy talking. Usually, when people come here for the first time, they express a lot of curiosity."


    "Because I knew about it already."


    Upon entering the promotion evaluation, the player would meet the judges assigned to them. This assignment of judges was similar to the promotion evaluation, since there were no specific rules or information. It was simply a random assignment. Depending on the judges¡¯ characteristics, the aspects of the promotion evaluations varied. However, Yu-Seong had no idea what Mr. Guy in front of him would be like.


    "Usually, the players I have met so far always questioned me even if they had some information¡­ By the way, Choi Yu-Seong, you are such an interesting person. For example, don¡¯t you have any questions like where I came from, who created the system, why this happened to the planet?¡±


    There was no way that Yu-Seong would question such a thing. With a subtle smile, he shook his head.


    The existence of the judges were conclusive evidence that an absolute being intervened and artificially made the Awakening system. Therefore, those who meet the judges for the first time would ask even the smallest of questions. They all wanted answers, but would in fact get none.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just tell you right now that I don''t know anything. There''s just a very, very, very important man up there, and below him is a slightly less important man. I¡¯m just doing whatever that slightly less important man told me to do a very long time ago. Hong hong hong!" Mr. Guy said.


    Thanks to this, Choi Yu-Seong could know one thing for sure.


    ¡®I was wondering what that mushy sound was, and it¡¯s a laugh.¡¯


    Yu-Seong encountered a pretty talkative judge after all. After a while, he asked, "What''s my promotion test?"


    Mr.Guy, who had been giving an excited monologue, had a subtle change in his expression. Having heard Yu-Seong''s first question, he made a clear smile without a flutter of laughter. "That''s a very good and wonderful question, player Choi Yu-Seong. But rather than just listen to what I have to say, why not just see it with your own eyes and experience it?¡±


    Not noticing how creeped out Yu-Seong was from his answer, Mr. Guy once again stretched out his arms. Then, except for their surroundings, the overwhelming darkness slowly retreated to make way for a colorful light.


    Yu-Seong felt quite dizzy when he saw the light. As if hypnotized, his mind was getting hazy and everything in front of him was getting very far away.


    "Choi Yu-Seong. If you fall asleep and wake up, a very bad thief would have stolen your very precious thing. Did you ask what that means? Yes, that''s right. Player Choi Yu-Seong''s first promotion evaluation is... Ta-da! It¡¯s Catch the Thief-!"


    Mr. Guy''s voice¡ªwhich resonated within the hallucination¡ªechoed in Yu-Seong¡¯s mind. As Yu-Seong relaxed, his eyes began to close.


    "By the way, player Choi Yu-Seong, your promotion evaluation is very special! I put a lot of effort into it, since the Joke-loving Prankster god asked me to pay attention to it. I hope you get good results," said Mr.Guy. He was referring to Loki when he said ¡®the Joke-loving Prankster¡¯.


    ¡®Loki, all of a sudden?¡¯


    In fact, it was not surprising that a god¡ªwho was interested in his sponsoring player¡ªwould intervene in the promotion evaluation. This was mentioned several times in the original novel. However, if that happened, the level of difficulty would rise by a level.


    Therefore, even Kim Do-Jin, the main character of the original novel, encountered this situation in the promotion evaluation after his D rank. Of course, he would receive better rewards after achieving success.


    ¡®But still, isn¡¯t this too fast?¡¯


    At the same time, complaints could not escape from Yu-Seong, who quickly fell unconscious.


    ***


    When Choi Yu-Seong opened his eyes again, he felt rather heavy and weighed down. It was like a heavy bear had landed on his shoulder, or someone had sandbags tied to both his arms and legs. Thanks to this, he took a considerable amount of time to wake up.


    "Whoa...did I say I¡¯m lucky? Are you kidding me? Damn, Loki." With a deep sigh, Yu-Seong forced himself to lift himself up. He regretted speaking too soon with Yu-Ri earlier on. At the same time, he aired all of the grievances he couldn¡¯t say before falling unconscious just now.


    -A Joke-loving Prankster laughs mischievously. He wishes you good luck.


    "You bad-tempered dude."


    Come to think of it, even in Nordic mythology, the character Loki was unpredictable and could hardly be said to have a good personality.


    Theft is never good, try looking at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡®There¡¯s no point being frustrated about what has already happened... I should figure out the situation first.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was standing alone in a rather bright room. It was just one room, but it was square-shaped and not narrow at all. It seemed to be more than 50 pyeong[1].


    The ceiling was also rather high, high enough for several tens of vigorous men to stand upright like an adult long pole and still not reach it. The need for such a high ceiling was because of the huge doors at the front, left, and right of the room, centering on Yu-Seong who was in the center of the room.


    ''The height of the doors alone would be at least 30 meters.¡¯


    The doors¡¯ width could barely be covered even with five or six open-armed adult men stuck together. Anyway, they were huge and probably led elsewhere. If Yu-Seong had to pick something more unusual here, it was an intaglio engraved on each door.


    ¡®There¡¯s a star on the left, a sun in the center, and a moon on the right.¡¯


    Yu-Seong smiled and recited to himself. "Then I could call each room the Star room, the Sun room, and the Moon room.¡±


    The second thing Yu-Seong had to do after getting up to speed was to understand his health condition.


    ¡¶Currently, player Choi Yu-Seong is in the process of the extreme difficulty level of the promotion evaluation.


    As a result, you will receive a penalty for reducing your ability.


    Mana becomes extremely low.


    Physical strength and strength become extremely low.


    The movement gets slower.


    Player Choi Yu-Seong can declare a ''waiver'' on the promotion evaluation at any time.¡·


    After Yu-Seong turned on the system message window and checked his current state, he unwittingly gave out rave reviews.


    1. 50 pyeong is about 165 square meters ?

 CH 71

    "Wow, what an amazing situation!"


    Of course, it was a sarcastic response to stop any swear words from bubbling up. If Loki or Mr. Guy from earlier was in front of him right now, Yu-Seong might have punched them without much thought.


    "There''s no point in monitoring my condition for a week." Yu-Seong thought he was in a situation similar to a patient. He next checked the main message, which had the contents of the promotion evaluation.


    ¡¶Catch the Thief! Difficulty level ++ version


    A very bad and nasty thief stole half your soul and hid.


    Find the thief and retrieve your soul!


    You only get two chances to choose the door! If you''re lucky, you might find a hint somewhere.


    Special ¡ï


    Part of the penalty can be mitigated by defeating the thieves'' minions scattered in each room.


    Currently, the player Choi Yu-Seong''s condition is 30%.¡·


    Mr. Guy said that the thief had stolen Choi Yu-Seong''s very precious thing. He certainly didn''t seem to be wrong about that.


    ¡®Half of my soul? I don''t know how they did such a thing, but wouldn''t I die quickly without it?¡¯


    The message from the system answered Yu-Seong¡¯s questions by suddenly turning red.


    ¡¶Special ¡ï


    Some of the penalties can be mitigated by defeating the thieves'' minions scattered in each room.


    Hurry up! With half of your soul gone, your condition deteriorates quickly over time. The current condition of player Choi Yu-Seong is 29%.


    When the condition reaches 0%, player Choi Yu-Seong dies.¡·


    ¡°Even better!" Yu-Seong once again magnified his praise. Instead of sighing, he immediately made a move, since he clearly knew what he had to do next.


    ¡®Let''s clean up the wicked thief''s subordinates first. Raising my condition is undoubtedly my first priority.¡¯


    Yu-Seong didn''t have to think about where the minions would be.


    ''There¡¯s probably gonna be a whole crowd of them if I open the door.¡¯


    Yu-Seong first opened the Sun room, which was the center one of the three doors¡ªthe sun, the moon, and the stars.


    ¡®It said I had two chances to make a choice.¡¯


    In other words, out of the three rooms, one had the thief who stole his soul. The probability of finding the right room was about 33.3%. But why would Yu-Seong choose the Sun room as his first choice?


    "A man should only go forward."


    The door rattled. Then, the big door opened easily.


    ***


    After opening the large door, Yu-Seong encountered a wide plain, damp cave, or harsh natural environment such as a stormy cliff. He muttered, "...It¡¯s just like a mansion¡¯s hallway."


    Yu-Seong was literally trapped in a large mansion¡¯s room until just now. In the room, he found a couple of special things. There were colorful windows with large paintings that remind him of Catholicism, complete silence, and cleaning tools that had been randomly tossed around.


    ¡®The cleaning tools became trash too.¡¯


    Yu-Seong wasn¡¯t at all curious about who lived in the mansion and what its purpose was.


    ¡®It¡¯s just a test site anyway. There must be monsters somewhere, and if I¡¯m lucky, I might get a hint.''


    Yu-Seong walked out of the hallway without hesitation. He felt depressed from how heavy his body felt, but he swept his sharp gaze across his surroundings.


    ¡®There must be something¡­¡¯


    While he walked around with a thoughtful expression, the thrown-away broom started to shake and slowly rose into the air. Yu-Seong was ignorant of the quiet movement, and before he knew it, the broom approached his back and swung greatly.


    "Ouch-!" After getting hit in the head, Yu-Seong turned around screaming. He quickly grabbed and broke the broom that attacked once again. He was hit in the head, but he didn¡¯t feel too much pain since it was just an ordinary broom. If anything, he was surprised.


    ¡®What the?¡¯


    Yu-Seong wondered to himself.


    ¡¶Special ¡ï


    The player Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s current condition drops to 27% due to the attack.


    When his condition reaches 0%, the player Choi Yu-Seong dies.¡·


    After checking the message that flashed in front of him and the cleaning tools that were between the corridors, Yu-Seong quickly changed the Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice into a suit and once again spat out an encouraging statement, ¡°Wow, this should certainly be the level of so-called ¡®the Korean difficulty¡¯. Extremely excited!"


    If his words were translated directly, it would be a string of aggressive swear words.


    ***


    The fierce battle, which was short but never easy, had finally ended. The floor was completely littered with cleaning tools that were split in half or broken in vain and scattered in all directions. What was surprising was the mansion¡¯s interior; only a part of the wallpaper was torn from such a battle.


    However, Yu-Seong focused more on knocking down the many cleaning tools. Despite feeling heavier than usual, he moved fluidly and did not allow himself to receive any more attacks.


    ¡®As expected, I''m glad that I did my training consistently.¡¯


    Even though his mind was blurred and his movement was dull compared to his usual condition, Yu-Seong could rely on his muscle memory and reflexes. If not for that, he would have already died or had to declare abandonment from the cleaning tools¡¯ attacks.


    ¡¶Special ¡ï


    Displaying the current state of the player Choi Yu-Seong: 32%¡·


    ¡®Now my condition has improved for sure. 2% higher compared to the start.''


    There were approximately fifty cleaning tools that had been knocked down.


    ¡®Is it +1% per 10 tools?¡¯


    It didn¡¯t seem to be very efficient, but anyway, Yu-Seong could recover his condition by simply knocking down the strangely moving cleaning tools like this. Above all, he realized one definite piece of information from the first battle.


    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t just walk by without thinking.¡¯


    Since even the cleaning tools could move and attack, it was highly likely that each item placed in the mansion was a potential threat. Feeling alert and vigilant, Yu-Seong carefully crossed the hallway, and thanks to this, he was able to defeat quite a few cleaning tools, frames, or flying sedentary toilets without repeating the first mistake.


    ¡®It''s strange. It doesn''t feel like I''m fighting with a monster, but¡­¡¯


    Most importantly, Yu-Seong¡¯s condition rose to a surprising 48% by the time he reached the end of the hallway. He recovered close to half of his usual condition. It wasn¡¯t a bad result compared to the first situation, which was considered the worst.


    ¡®This is the end of the hallway. And do these stairs go downstairs?''


    There was no option to go upstairs. Yu-Seong carefully went down the stairs that continued leading him forward like the open hallway from earlier on. Fortunately, the stairs were not that long, and there were no perils¡­ However, by the time he reached the first floor, he felt chills and fear when he saw a huge armored knight that was over three meters tall in the center of the spacious living room.


    "Would that also move?"


    The armored knight held onto a shield that was as big as Yu-Seong. The giant sword on its shoulder was also twice Yu-Seong¡¯s size. It was natural that Yu-Seong did not want to fight such a huge armored monster in his current condition. However, as always, he didn¡¯t always get what he wanted.


    Screeeech-!


    The huge iron-armored knight turned toward Yu-Seong while throwing up the sound of rusty iron.


    "Ah... Damn it," Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t help but curse. With nothing else to say, he flew from the top of the stairs and quickly climbed up the armored knight. He stabbed a spear into the visor, which was the only gap he could see.


    Yu-Seong did it just in case he might feel anything in his hand, but it was empty. Instead, red flames burst out of the dark black space to form pupils. Yu-Seong smiled awkwardly and greeted it, "Hello?"


    Booooom!


    The response was replaced by a huge tremor. Choi Yu-Seong could feel it intuitively.


    ¡®I won¡¯t be able to beat him in my current state.¡¯


    Yu-Seong didn''t even think about trying to fight. Didn''t Yu-Ri say the same thing?


    ¡®It''s the stupidest thing to die during the promotion evaluation.¡¯


    Therefore, when Yu-Seong saw the armored knight letting go of the huge shield, he reached out toward it and jumped up the stairs using the Wind Control without hesitation.


    Whoo-!


    A quick look at tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w will leave you more fulfilled.


    The giant armored knight¡¯s hand passed through the place where Yu-Seong was standing just now in vain.


    ¡®Fortunately, his moves aren''t that fast.¡¯


    If so, there was only one way for Choi Yu-Seong to proceed. He said, ¡°I give up on you. I''ll see you later if I can.¡±


    Without hesitation, Yu-Seong climbed the stairs he had passed. He then passed the hallway, and returned to the large room where he first opened his eyes. The result was not bad.


    ¡®He doesn''t follow me to the second floor.¡¯


    To some extent, things went according to Yu-Seong¡¯s expectations. In addition, he also confirmed that the Sun door was not closed once it was opened.


    ¡®Maybe that armored knight is the thief or a guy with a hint.¡¯


    It would be enough to designate the armored knight as the boss of this promotion evaluation.


    "Let¡¯s get back to him later. Now my current condition is... 46 percent."


    Certainly, as time went by, the rate of decline in his condition was accelerating.


    ¡®There''s no time for hesitation.¡¯


    The remaining rooms were the Moon room and the Star room. This time, Yu-Seong opened the Star room¡¯s door and encountered a long hallway again. The only difference this time was that the only thing he could see in the hallway were wooden nutcracker dolls instead of cleaning tools.


    ¡®Perfect opponent to recover my condition.¡¯


    Since it was large, the nutcracker dolls were easier to deal with than the cleaning tools. In a flash, Yu-Seong''s spear cut the wooden dolls. Then, he encountered the stairs to the first floor again.


    "And downstairs..."


    There it was. Yu-Seong quickly returned to his original room after spotting the armored knight and checked his condition again. He said, ¡°66%.¡±


    Of course, it was not the best. Even the rate of decline was getting faster.


    ¡®I''ve already opened two doors.¡¯


    Yu-Seong returned to the first room that had three doors. Then, he sat at the center of the room, rubbed his chin, and pondered.


    ¡®Let me think objectively. Can I win the armored knight if my condition is at 100%?¡¯


    Because Yu-Seong was holding a spear with one hand, the effect of skill Cool-headed E continued naturally. Thanks to this, even in such an urgent situation, he remained calm and wasn¡¯t too shaken.


    Although somewhat slow, Yu-Seong calmly compared and analyzed his power against the armored knight. He finally could draw a conclusion¡ªthat it was impossible. He believed that the armored knight was not a monster that was here for the player to catch in the first place.


    ¡®This is why they called it an extreme difficulty level and plus.¡¯


    Complaints such as whether it would have been easier without Loki''s intervention or not had long since been forgotten. Rather than crying over spilled milk, Yu-Seong had to produce clear results now.

 CH 72

    ¡®Is there any way to knock it down? In this large living room, would there be a tool that could hurt the armored knight...''


    Looking around, Yu-Seong found it hard to come up with a good idea. The empty living room was a perfect environment for a fair 1:1 head-on match.


    ''Then, next. What would be the weapon for me? If there¡¯s something special that was used at this time in the original novel...''


    It was not that Yu-Seong didn¡¯t have options, but he would have to consume a lot of Karma points that had been saved in preparation for the upcoming future.


    ¡®I need to save the Karma points for future use. Maybe it''s better to backtrack to the general difficulty level promotion.¡¯


    His condition fell to 56%, so it was clear that the situation was getting worse. Yu-Seong was taking too much time to think.


    ¡®Why did they make a monster that no player can catch? It''s just a promotion test.¡¯


    Of course, the purpose of this may have been to have Yu-Seong suffer since the difficulty level was high. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether it was better to give up here. He didn¡¯t have to risk his life to clear the extreme difficulty level promotion evaluation. It wasn¡¯t a bad thing to go back and choose the general difficulty level.


    His condition fell again to 48%.


    ¡®No¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong mentally shook his head. It was ridiculous, but even Loki, the Joke-loving Prankster had intervened. A great reward was certain if he passed the evaluation test.


    There may still be a chance of success somewhere.


    Yu-Seong¡¯s condition dropped to 39%. The figure dropped quickly, and as a reflection of it, his mind began slowing down. Soon, his condition was 30% again. At that moment, Yu-Seong''s eyes momentarily sparkled. He had been thinking over and over again when a thought occurred to him.


    ''Wait, so it''s not a monster that I¡¯m supposed to capture?¡¯


    Yu-Seong also recalled Mr. Guy saying that if he was lucky, he would find a hint. Suddenly, he jumped up after he realized something. He escaped toward the open door and ran down the stairs on the first floor, where there was the huge armored knight in the spacious living room.


    After checking everything, Yu-Seong¡¯s condition fell to 29%. He thought back to what he remembered about the mansion¡¯s interior structure, returned to his original position, and then checked the structure of the separate room¡¯s first floor. His eyes sparkled.


    Choi Yu-Seong did not continue to hesitate anymore.


    ¡®If my condition falls below 20%, I can''t afford to do anything anyway.¡¯


    It was the time to make a winning move. On the stairs leading down to the first floor of the Star room, Yu-Seong took a breath and stood in front of the armored knight again.


    Screeeech


    As if it had been waiting, the red flames bloomed splendidly in the roaring armored knight¡¯s eyes.


    "Hello."


    In fact, they weren¡¯t on good enough terms to greet each other.


    As if replying to Yu-Seong¡¯s greeting, a huge sword hit the spot where Yu-Seong was standing just now. Looking at the huge explosion, the clouds of dust rising, and the slightly cracked ground, Yu-Seong clicked his tongue.


    ¡®Even if it''s slow, it''s quite risky to avoid its attack standing this close to it.¡¯


    First of all, the armored knight was too big. With a single move, it surpassed the distance that Yu-Seong could only cover in 10 separate moves. Thus, it was not efficient to bump into each other. Yu-Seong believed that even if his condition was 100%, he could not defeat the monster.


    ¡®Unless I know its weaknesses, I¡¯ll lose all of my stamina by fighting with it.¡¯


    Therefore, even at this moment, Yu-Seong''s goal was clear. He didn¡¯t have even the slightest intention of fighting and knocking down the armored knight. He avoided a series of attacks and continued to lead the armored knight on. In the end, Choi Yu-Seong''s back touched the wall.


    "Huwuu..."


    The armored knight lifted the sword with both hands, quickly swinging it down at Yu-Seong as if he was merely a mouse in a corner.


    ¡®Wind Control, shadow.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was tired of the armored knight¡¯s enormous pressure. He slid through its legs quickly, then turned back to look at the huge sword¡¯s power. The sword was falling faster with the force of gravity. Subsequently, Yu-Seong smiled when the huge sword stretched over the edge of the wall.


    ¡®It''s broken.¡¯


    Booooom-!


    A heavy sound was heard. Then, as if lightning had passed, the cracked wall collapsed.


    ¡®It''s my specialty to break something with other people''s strength.¡¯


    Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t see beyond the dust cloud that was thicker than the fog. However, he clearly saw the armored knight wiggling its shoulders as it struggled to yank out the large sword from under the collapsed brick.


    ¡®If I¡¯m right, then there would be¡­¡¯


    There was going to be another change. Choi Yu-Seong stepped back a little, just in case. He prepared to fly to the side at any time while waiting for something to happen.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    Then, a loud clash of iron rang out throughout the room. From right next to Yu-Seong, another giant armored knight flew in the air and landed within the room of less than 10m in width.


    Booom! Clang!


    There were sounds of something breaking and collapsing. Subsequently, a huge doll with red-fire lights in both eyes appeared between the thick clouds of dust as the wall collapsed. It was the second armored knight.


    In a way, it was a gloomy situation, but Yu-Seong thought otherwise. Rather, he quickly jumped up the stairs on the second floor, paying attention to the movement of the second armored knight.


    ''According to the mansion¡¯s interior structure, it was the right wall that broke apart. This should be the armored knight in the Sun room.¡¯


    Since the right wall of the Star room was broken, it should lead to the center of the Sun room. The following situation was crucial, because Yu-Seong had discovered the rules that applied to the armored knights.


    ¡®If it doesn''t feel any movement in its area, it returns to its original position and freezes up again.¡¯


    The question was, do the armored knights come to life even if the movements were coming from the non-living? This was the main question. If it only reacted to the living thing, since Yu-Seong had to return to the second floor, the armored knight had to return to its original place and stop.


    ''Because then it wouldn¡¯t detect any more movement.¡¯


    What would the result be? Soon, the armored knight of the Sun room, which appeared briefly, turned its back as if it had nothing to do and returned to its original position.


    "Ah..." Naturally, sighs flowed from Yu-Seong''s mouth.


    ¡®So it won¡¯t be served up on a plate, nice and easy.¡¯


    However, there were still variables left. As if responding to Yu-Seong''s lament, the armored knight of the Star room, which flew in the air first, slowly raised itself up, and soon began to stomp and run. Then, it hit the Sun room armor knight with its shoulder to return to its original place according to the rules.


    Bang!


    This time the armored knight from the Sun room flew.


    "...What¡¯s going on?"


    While Yu-Seong tilted his head in confusion, the Sun room¡¯s armored knight jumped up after rolling in the middle of the room. It then held its own sword and charged toward the Star room¡¯s armored knight.


    Clang!


    The full-scale clash of the two armored knights began, and Yu-Seong clapped like an excited seal from the stairs.


    ¡®I thought about this on the off-chance, but certainly the armored knights were not made with any specific goal in mind.¡¯


    In other words, basically, when someone entered its territory, the armored knights moved to kill its opponent. If it was attacked, it would fight back. Also, it appeared that the entire first floor was its territory to guard.


    If the armored knight moved only by acknowledging Yu-Seong, he would be exhausted by trying to get the armored knights to fight each other. Fortunately for him, he didn¡¯t have to do that.


    - The Joke-loving Prankster criticizes the player Choi Yu-Seong. He asks the player to go out and show him his bravery in fighting!


    At that moment, Loki''s message appeared in the air. Of course, Yu-Seong''s reaction to seeing the message was simple.


    "Wow-! What a smart idea. But I prefer to sit down and drink honey.¡±[1]


    This was the so-called catching enemies by using enemies, which was an operation that used the enemy themselves to destroy one another.


    "Whoever wins! Winning side, my side!"


    - The Joke-loving Prankster is disappointed and sticks his tongue out at the trickster Choi Yu-Seong.


    After creating the situation where he could drink honey as he wished, Yu-Seong suddenly smacked his lips with regret. He gave the knight of the separate rooms the nickname "the Star Knight" and "Sun Knight" with excitement.


    "Oh, that''s good. But Loki, this is like watching a robot cartoon. Do you have something like popcorn?¡± Yu-Seong responded with a joyful expression to Loki¡ªwho made him suffer¡ªbut there was no answer.


    ¡®Is he upset? Well, it doesn''t matter. Let''s just enjoy it.''


    Yu-Seong enjoyed the scene as if he had returned to his childhood after a long time.


    ***


    The battle between the two armored knights with similar specifications¡ª-no, actually, with exactly the same specifications¡ªlasted quite a long time. Yu-Seong felt the passion and romance of a man, and admired the appearance of armored knights who exchanged fists at each other even though their teeth were broken and their whole bodies were torn in half.


    "Wow, this is not easy, not easy."


    Yu-Seong truly wanted to see who would win, but unfortunately, he couldn''t afford to sit back any longer.


    ¡®My condition is at 18%.¡¯


    It needed to be sorted out.


    ¡®Above all, I can''t give up on the last hit.¡¯


    The armored knights fought among themselves, but the experience points should be Yu-Seong¡¯s. With that goal in mind, Yu-Seong approached the knights that attacked each other and stumbled backward from the last hit. He first went to the "Sun Knight", which struggled to pick itself up. Thanks to this, Yu-Seong could quite comfortably rise above the knight''s head.


    "Were you the Star Knight?" Yu-Seong asked. To be honest, he couldn''t remember its nickname properly. He had been confused since the midpoint of the battle, since the armored knights looked so identical.


    "Anyway, this is my full strength now." Yu-Seong spread his palm toward the red pupils blooming in the dark and shouted, "Skill, the Dancing Electric Doll."


    Yu-Seong was worried that it might not have much effect since the armored knight was just like a lump of metal. However, the moment the dancing electric doll flashed with light after entering its black pupils, the armored knight trembled all over. Soon, the red flame that shone in the pupils completely disappeared.


    ''...Caught it.''


    There was no doubt. Yu-Seong had completely lost his strength due to the use of skills that consumed a lot of mana. However, his physical strength returned in an instant.


    ¡®In fact, my condition figures are... 53%... Wow.''


    Yu-Seong only caught one of them and had recovered about 45 percent.


    "Yes, I knew that the last hit would be the best!"


    Yu-Seong''s excited gaze was now trained on the second armored knight, who raised its upper body halfway through. "Hi, Sun Knight? No, are you the Star Knight? Anyway..."


    Choi Yu-Seong jumped up from his dead¡ªsupposedly Sun Knight¡ªand approached the trembling Star knight on the other side. He opened his palm to the darkness under his helmet.


    Yu-Seong felt like the armored knight was shaking its head from side to side, but he didn''t intend to stop what he was going to do. ¡°Activate, the Dancing Electric Doll."


    The second armored knight danced and shook before Yu-Seong had a huge grin on his face. He confirmed the closest figure of 98% of his condition.


    Whoooog!


    A gray portal¡ªthat seemed to allow a single person to pass¡ªopened between the two fallen knights.


    1. Korean use ¡®honey¡¯ for ¡®delightful or great/ best situations¡¯ so in this case, it would be the best thing for Yu-Seong to sit still, rest easy, and still get the job done. ?

 CH 73

    ¡°Oh, so the real thief isn¡¯t here, right? Wait, then does it mean that these guys were just middle bosses?"


    Somehow, Loki remained silent. Yu-Seong felt a bit anxious by the silence, but he still wanted to believe that he could encounter the rewards after entering the portal.


    ¡®There¡¯s no way the Korean difficulty level is beyond this.¡¯


    With that thought, Yu-Seong took a step toward the portal with a smile.


    ***


    It was a field without any particularly tall reeds or grassy leaves. To be more precise, a very large lawn that was just right for soccer spread out in front of Choi Yu-Seong.


    ¡®What am I supposed to do here?¡¯


    Yu-Seong tilted his head for a moment, looking at the vacant world beyond the portal.


    "Hong hong hong, player Choi Yu-Seong. You knocked down my toy friends in a really clever way. I was very impressed," shouted Mr. Guy with his arms wide open as he hopped toward Yu-Seong.


    Yu-Seong looked at the figure with a rather absurd gaze for a while, then asked, "Is the promotion exam over?"


    "No way. If that¡¯s the case, then wouldn''t the message ¡®Completed¡¯ appear?¡± answered Mr. Guy.


    "Damn, Korean difficulty."


    "Please refrain from harsh swear words. I also get hurt, too. But more importantly,, player Choi Yu-Seong, you haven''t been able to catch the thief yet, right?¡±


    After all, there were no thieves anywhere in the Sun, Star, and the Moon rooms. From the beginning, the three rooms were merely gateways for the player to come to this field.


    ¡®In the meantime, they placed monsters like the armored knights there.¡¯


    If the difficulty level was constructed in this way, there would be so many people who would not be able to pass even the first gate. However, promotion evaluations consisting of step by step levels had one clear advantage.


    ¡®The promotion evaluation is supposed to reward the player as much as they have suffered.¡¯


    Maybe he could hope for a bigger reward than he first expected. With such expectations in mind, Yu-Seong asked Mr. Guy, ¡°Then, do I have to find a needle in a haystack from now on?¡±


    "Hmm, finding a needle in the haystack? That''s quite an interesting expression. It might be similar, but this is different. Player Choi Yu-Seong, look over to where I¡¯m pointing with your eyes wide open."


    "Umm..." Yu-Seong hummed. Following Mr. Guy¡¯s index finger, he looked near the horizon of the field.


    "Can''t you see?¡±


    Theft is never good, try looking at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    "What?"


    "If you look closely, you¡¯ll see a very small and cute..."


    "Bunny?"


    "Yes, that''s right. There''s a bunny."


    Though not visible at first, shadows were gradually blooming across the horizon.


    "...They keep increasing."


    "I haven''t counted them, but there''s probably about 5,000 of them," said Mr. Guy.


    "No way..."


    ¡°Among them, there''s a cute friend I¡¯ve raised. His name is Tory, and he''s got snow-white fur. I''ll tell you one of his characteristics: he''s got a star on the bottom of his belly. But unfortunately, well, he suddenly ran away a few hours ago and hid among the crowd.¡±


    Yu-Seong narrowed his eyes at Mr. Guy, who went on to say, "Yes, that''s right. That brat is the thief who ran away after stealing half of the player Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s soul. Hong hong hong.¡±


    "What nonsense is that¡­ Weren''t you the one who gave it to him?¡±


    "Whatever. That¡¯s not important. For now, just know that our cute Tory is the thief."


    "Then, my promotion screening is to find a bunny named Tory before my condition reaches 0%.¡±


    Choi Yu-Seong immediately started to warm up.


    ¡®The remaining condition, 98%.¡¯


    Perhaps because his condition level was high, the speed it fell was noticeably slower than before.


    ¡®I have to catch all of the rabbits and turn them upside down one by one.¡¯


    Heavy labor could be expected, but it wasn¡¯t an impossible feat. Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t afford to be relaxed though. He had to save time as much as possible.


    Just when Yu-Seong made up his mind and was about to run forward, Mr. Guy put his index finger up and continued to talk. "Oh, wait. You know the basic rules, but there¡¯s another rule in this second round.¡±


    "I don''t have time, just get to the point quickly," said Yu-Seong.


    "You have a quick temper. To explain briefly, this evaluation is a match between me and you, player Choi Yu-Seong," said Mr. Guy.


    "...What?"


    "It''s about finding my cute pet Tory, so I can''t just sit and watch, right? We should find him together.¡±


    "It sounds like a completely disadvantageous match for me. I feel like you already know which one is Tory..." said Yu-Seong.


    "Hong hong hong, you¡¯re quite right. I can tell where he is just by the smell,¡± said Mr. Guy. He swept his long beard once again, and continued, "So, with the penalty, I¡¯ll start in exactly half an hour. Isn''t this a fair match?"


    "It still doesn¡¯t seem fair, but you¡¯re not going to give me more time even if I ask you, right?¡± asked Yu-Seong.


    ¡°That would render the ¡®promotion evaluation¡¯ meaningless, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    "How perfectly reasonable!" Yu-Seong praised sarcastically while looking straight at Mr. Guy who giggled.


    ¡®The time limit is 30 minutes.¡¯


    Within that time, Yu-Seong had to find Mr. Guy''s pet bunny named Tory.


    ''Among those 5,000 rabbits in front of me.¡¯


    No matter how many times he thought about it, there was no way that Yu-Seong could not be stunned.


    Did someone say ¡®lawn¡¯?


    ¡®No, it¡¯s a rabbit field.¡¯


    Yu-Seong scratched the side of his head as he looked at the large number of rabbits.


    ¡®Finding it may not be the problem if I check them one by one.¡¯


    However, could Yu-Seong be faster than Mr. Guy, who would start in half an hour? What was worse, these rabbits were gathered together when they first appeared, but were scattered everywhere now.


    ¡®Just by glancing over the white bunnies, I suppose there¡¯s more than 1,000 of them.¡¯


    Mr. Guy never even said that Tory had ''only'' white fur.


    ¡®Thinking about it in this way, I would have to check about 3,000 of them.¡¯


    If possible, Yu-Seong wanted to levitate the rabbits at once with some great magic spell and easily check their tummies by passing through them. Of course, it was not something that Yu-Seong¡ªwho was about to become a D-rank player¡ªcould do.


    "But instead, I can do this¡­ Summon Dimensional Merchant."


    Ping Pong appeared after opening the dimensional door. He toddled out with his arms folded. Then, he raised his hand toward Yu-Seong and said, "Choi-Hi!"


    "...What?" asked Yu-Seong.


    ¡°It means Choi Yu-Seong, hi. Long time no see!"


    "Where did you learn that?¡±


    "It''s a popular greeting among the merchants these days," said Ping Pong.


    The one who started the trend was probably a fellow who was greatly familiar with the Earth¡¯s internet community in Korea.


    "Anyway, I bet ten lollipops on the next summon, and I have things to ask for quickly,¡± Yu-Seong said.


    "If it''s ten lollipops, I''ll have to show you everything except for what I don''t have!"


    Ping Pong exhaled a big breath and opened a bundle from his chest pocket. Then, he found some of the items that Yu-Seong had in mind. After that, Yu-Seong started to get busy.


    ***


    15 minutes later, Mr. Guy had been lying on the field, looking at the blue sky when he was covered by Yu-Seong¡¯s shadow.


    "Huh? Did you give up already? Just to let you know¡ªif you give up now, I bet you''ll be very disappointed." Mr. Guy turned his head slightly and smiled after seeing Yu-Seong, who looked like a mess from running around and falling over many times. He continued, "The rabbits are pretty quick, aren''t they?¡±


    "Since I have to catch the one I didn¡¯t catch before," said Yu-Seong with a deep sigh. He spun the pen in his left hand.


    "Well, I see that you summoned the dimensional merchant earlier to buy a pen! It¡¯s not a bad method to not repeat the mistake of catching the same guy even though it seems to be a rather primitive way. But, aren¡¯t you pressed for time?"


    "I am pressed for time, but I want to ask you to promise me something,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    ¡°What promise?¡± asked Mr.Guy as he tilted his head with curiosity.


    ¡°This promotion evaluation ends as soon as Tory is found, right? Whether I find him or you find him.¡±


    "Kind of," said Mr.Guy.


    "But I think it would be upsetting if Mr. Guy found Tory first while I was searching for him and I got kicked out of the promotion examination,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    "Well, I understand. But the rules of the examination are inevitable." Mr. Guy brushed his long beard once again and looked at Yu-Seong. He asked, "If you don''t want to be eliminated, why don''t you run around with all your might now?"


    ¡°I¡¯m going to. Though, as I said before, please promise me one thing."


    "Oh, I hope you, player Choi Yu-Seong, will pass the promotion evaluation¡­ But what a shame that you are wasting your time like this.¡± Mr. Guy glanced at Yu-Seong''s innocent look and raised his body as if he had no choice and nodded. "Tell me."


    "If you find Tory first, promise to let me know too. At least I deserve to know what Tory looks like, don¡¯t you think so?¡± said Yu-Seong.


    "Hmm... Well."


    "On top of that, your bunny would be very cute, right?¡±


    People were usually happy to receive compliments of their children and pets, and Mr. Guy was no exception.


    "Of course. I guarantee you, Tory is the cutest bunny in the world." Mr. Guy soon smiled and responded with a nod and a loud, rough sniff. "I promise. If I find Tory first, I will give you a chance to see its cuteness. But I¡¯m telling you in advance, that doesn''t mean that the results of the evaluation will change.¡±


    "Of course, then, promise?" Yu-Seong smiled and put out his pinky covered with black dust.


    Mr. Guy looked at Yu-Seong with a rather strange expression and soon hung his pinkie on Yu-Seong''s dirty finger. He then commented, "You''re quite innocent, player Choi Yu-Seong."


    "I know, haha. Mr. Guy," responded Yu-Seong.


    They unlinked their fingers after showing similar smiles toward each other. Yu-Seong then turned his back and said, ¡°Then, see you later."


    "Keep working hard. For now, I will lie back down to enjoy the rest of my break," said Mr. Guy.


    There were 13 minutes left. Mr. Guy relaxed on the grass while Yu-Seong ran toward the rabbits with all his might.

 CH 74

    Thirteen minutes could feel long for some people and quite short for others.


    "Hmm... I should get started.¡± Mr. Guy sighed after he saw Yu-Seong struggling alone in the distance. Looking at the man catching rabbits and numbering them, Mr. Guy muttered, "That''s too bad. This evaluation could be a good opportunity for him since it¡¯s a special test. But well¡­rules are rules.¡±


    With his long legs, Mr. Guy strode in the opposite direction that Yu-Seong was running in.


    ''You are barking up the wrong tree, Mr. Choi. Unfortunately, you must have run out of luck.¡¯


    When you''re just trying to make great content at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    In fact, even Mr. Guy thought that this rabbit-hunting¡ªthe actual thief-catching test¡ªhad a harsh level of difficulty.


    If Loki¡ªa fairly powerful god¡ªwas not involved and there was no support of the Karma points for the other god who had yet to reveal itself, it would have been impossible to create such a difficult test in the E-rank promotion evaluation.


    ¡®I can see why the Joke-loving Prankster participated, but I didn¡¯t expect even ¡®him¡¯ to be interested in Yu-Seong already.¡¯


    In any case, it was natural for the difficulty of the test to significantly increase since compensation would be excessive with the intervention of two deep pockets. Normally, even if it was considered difficult, the promotion evaluation should have already ended once the armored knights were knocked down.


    "Let''s see. Where are you, my cute Tory?¡± Mr. Guy walked forward with his big ears pricked up and his nostrils flared. He found quite a few small groups of rabbits, but his pet bunny wasn¡¯t there.


    "It''s roughly this way..." Mr. Guy''s eyes glistened as he followed the trail of a familiar scent. A group of about ten bunnies was gathered together less than 300m to the east. Among them, he could smell a familiar and lovely scent. He cried out, "Hong Hong, my Tory. There you are. Hurry up and come into my arms. And now, I only have to go and keep my "promise" to the player Choi Yu-Seong. The test is now over¡­¡±


    Mr. Guy got excited and approached the rabbit herd while waving his arms. At that moment, a flash of light appeared to envelop him.


    Then, Yu-Seong popped out of the gap with a startled expression.


    "Oh..." Yu-Seong pondered for a bit, then saw a group of rabbits located not far from the changed landscape. He ran forward after checking about five white rabbits. He murmured, "It worked."


    It was obvious that Yu-Seong had purchased not only a single pen after summoning Ping Pong, the dimensional merchant.


    ¡®Spell, the promise of a double-sided mirror. I didn¡¯t have enough Karma points to buy something to hunt the armored knights, but this was affordable.''


    In fact, the promise of a double-sided mirror was one of the most common spells sold in the dimension store. It was priced at around 500 karma points per use.


    The method of use was rather simple. After invoking the spell book and hanging the thread that linked the pinky fingers, the user had to set the agreed keyword with the opponent as "Promise." Finally, they had to physically pinky promise as a token of promise.


    The effect was that, if a promise was made through this process, the two could reverse each other''s position through a single spell. It would be as if they were located on the other side of the mirror only in agreed circumstances.


    The important thing here was that the opponent had to clearly say the keyword, that is, the word "promise." In a way, the invocation itself was simple, but it was quite tricky to secretly apply it to the opponent. The promise of a double-sided mirror was basically an invisible spell, but once activated, the thread linking the pinky fingers would flash pink and a strange sensation would bubble up. In the meantime, the user had to secretly make a pinky promise with the opponent and have them utter the keyword.


    Therefore, originally, this double-sided mirror''s promise spell was often used between the allies in the original novel to confuse the enemy by changing their positions.


    ¡®Of course, such methods were only used after the double-sided mirror''s promise spell was revealed to the world¡­¡¯


    The promise of a double-sided mirror was a spell that was yet introduced to the world.


    ¡®According to the novel, it first came out to the world about a year later¡­¡¯


    However, this was a spell book that no one on Earth had ever looked for before then. Thus, after he heard that Mr. Guy was participating in the test, this was the first method that Yu-Seong had thought of.


    ¡®It''s almost impossible for me to find it myself. I had to use the other person''s ability again this time.¡¯


    In fact, it was a strategy that could have failed if the opponent was not a rather talkative judge like Mr. Guy.


    ¡®And I guessed that Mr. Guy would spit out the word in a fatal situation at least once.¡¯


    In other words, Yu-Seong had assumed that Mr. Guy would surely spit out the word, ¡°promise¡± upon finding Tory. His prediction was absolutely correct. Of course, it would have been better if it was just before catching Tory, but the current situation was not bad.


    "Did you see? It''s my victory. Loki. No matter how hard you create a situation, I have a way to overcome it."


    Listening to what Yu-Seong had to say, the silent Loki sent a message as if he had been waiting all this time.


    -The Joke-loving Prankster laughs.


    It was a bit strange, though.


    "Did you just laugh?" Yu-Seong wondered if Loki was proud of him or something. Feeling doubtful, he turned the first rabbit over to look at its tummy, which had no star-shaped dot. He marked it with a pen and anxiously ran toward the second one.


    Feeling suspicious as he ran toward the second bunny, Yu-Seong quickly flipped it over and marked it as well. There was no star-shaped dot. He was starting to feel anxious.


    ''Maybe I won¡¯t get through, but the distance between the fields is quite wide, so it will take Mr. Guy a while to come here.¡¯


    The ability of the judges in charge of the promotion evaluation widely varied. Some were like monsters jerking around with even the Earth''s S-rank hunters, while others couldn¡¯t even deal with D-rank hunters.


    ¡®But from the look of Mr. Guy¡­¡¯


    Just in time, something ran toward Yu-Seong from beyond the horizon. It kicked up a huge cloud of dust like a whirlwind¡­ The ¡®something¡¯ was no surprising guest.


    ¡®He¡¯s a monster.¡¯


    "Hong hong hong! Player Choi Yu-Seong! How dare you deceive me!" cried Mr. Guy with a gravely hardened expression. He seemed to be speaking quietly, but his voice still rang and rattled Yu-Seong¡¯s mind.


    Naturally, the rabbits around Yu-Seong also freaked out and started running in all directions. Yu-Seong was surprised, freaking out like the bunnies when he saw Mr.Guy. Still, he continued to check the second rabbit''s belly.


    ¡®Not this guy either!¡¯


    Yu-Seong naturally turned to the third bunny.


    "Where is he?!¡±


    As if to disprove that he has been somewhat lucky so far, Yu-Seong was definitely struggling.


    "Hong hong, although I¡¯ve been careless, I admit that you did surprise me! But if you fail the promotion evaluation, you know, everything would be meaningless after all!"


    Mr. Guy was just around the corner. He jumped up and flew in the air as if he was a fish swimming in water.


    During that short time, Yu-Seong barely caught the fourth bunny. A bright smile spread across his face when he lifted the rabbit and realized that his last chance worked out for him after all.


    -A Joke-loving Prankster is suffering from extremely sour grapes due to the player Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s luck.


    ¡®Did you see that?! This is the luck of the employee of the Korean game company, no, a son of a conglomerate family!¡¯


    Yu-Seong quickly stuck out a bunny at Mr. Guy, who was falling toward him. He yelled, "Tory! I found it first!"


    Boom-! With a stiff expression, Mr. Guy fell down on the ground with a huge cloud of dust. His facial expression began to twist little by little. Then, his eyes drew a bright smile and his pupils drew a heart.


    "Oh! My love, cute little Tory! There you are!" Mr. Guy took Tory from Yu-Seong''s hand at once, held it in his arms, and began to rub his cheeks against it. "Hong hong hong¡­!"


    Yu-Seong breathed a sigh of relief while looking at Mr. Guy smiling happily. He did manage to find Tory at the very last moment, so he didn¡¯t worry too much.


    ¡¶Catch the Thief! Difficulty level ++ version


    You¡¯ve recovered half your lost soul from a very bad, nasty bunny thief (Tory)! Congratulations!


    Player Choi Yu-Seong will be promoted to D-rank!


    Promotion reward will be given after settlement through the system.


    The user¡¯s consciousness will now return to Earth.¡·


    Yu-Seong did it.


    While Mr. Guy was arrested for losing his pet bunny, Yu-Seong was delighted to see the golden flashing message. Before he knew it, some vague energy from Tory surrounded him and permeated into him.


    ''By the way, Mr. Guy, he really seems to care about Tory...''


    Apart from that, the white bunny Tory was actually really cute.


    Mr. Guy looked at Yu-Seong, who was gradually losing consciousness, after taking his eyes off of Tory. He commented, "Wow, the promise of a double-sided mirror? How did you know something that no one has used yet? Well, you''re not in a situation to answer. Anyway, I will never make a promise to you ever again, player Choi Yu-Seong. Since I have been upsettingly beaten by your wit. See you again, player Choi Yu-Seong. Hong Hong."


    The last thing Yu-Seong heard was Mr. Guy''s rather sulky but warm voice echoing from somewhere.


    - A Joke-loving Prankster offers a reward with a somewhat happy expression.


    - The gracious blue-eyed god received his proposal. He thinks for a moment and agrees to the reward.


    - Under the agreement of the two gods, the hidden... - piece occurs. The Special skill is forcibly passed on to the player Choi Yu-Seong.


    Following that, there were more messages that Yu-Seong would have been surprised to look at.


    ***


    As if he were immersed in deep sleep and was completely relaxed, Yu-Seong''s consciousness slowly rose from a very low place into a higher space. He opened his eyes and looked around, then breathed a sigh of relief.


    ''It¡¯s my bed. I¡¯m back to the exact place where I first entered the promotion.''


    When a player entered the promotion evaluation, the body in the earth disappeared without a trace. After the test, it returned to the location where the player originally entered. What was surprising was the fact that there was no manifestation of any abilities or traces of magic in the process. Some scholars fell into research because they became curious about such miraculous effects, but it had yet to be revealed how the player disappeared and appeared.


    ¡®Even in the original novel, only a few hints were given.¡¯


    It was the movement of consciousness through the system maker¡¯s absolute power. There were two things that could be inferred from this.


    ¡®First, the promotion evaluation itself took place in a different dimension.¡¯


    And secondly, perhaps during the promotion evaluation, the player¡¯s body itself may be hidden somewhere on Earth. Of course, the exact answer was not found.


    ''Also, in the first place, those above reasons were made by Kim Do-Jin.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong shrugged his shoulders and decided to leave the difficult problem behind.


    ¡®It''s not something I can find out for now, anyways.¡¯

 CH 75

    Truthfully, Yu-Seong didn¡¯t actually want to know about the distant future either. Like the saying ¡®ignorance is bliss,¡¯ wouldn¡¯t he possibly be in danger if he knew too much about such a secret?


    After securing a stable position, Yu-Seong''s goal was to live a comfortable life and root for Kim Do-Jin from behind when he saved the Earth. Clearly, he did not want to pay attention to those secrets.


    Therefore, Yu-Seong turned his attention elsewhere. He opened his cell phone to find out the current date and time. "The date is February 3, 2030. It was around January 28th when I entered the promotion evaluation¡­so about five days have passed. Now I understand why they said the flow of time is unpredictable.¡±


    Yu-Seong thought the promotion evaluation ended shorter than he expected, but in reality, five days had already passed.


    "It''s 3 a.m. so everyone should be sleeping by now."


    Of course, in the meantime, if Yu-Seong made a slightly louder sound, the Jin siblings who were waiting in the room nearby would run into this room urgently.


    ¡®Do I need to call them?¡¯


    Having enough rest was also important for his growth. Yu-Seong did not bother to make any noticeable sounds and opened his cell phone notepad to check what he had written down. He had also written down events that have yet to be recorded due to their relatively low importance.


    ¡®Now, if I don''t look at the memo pad, I can''t think of anything except the important episodes in the original novel.¡¯


    At the very least, it was fortunate that the contents of the novel came to Yu-Seong¡¯s mind as if they had been imprinted when he first became possessed by the novel. Otherwise, he could not have even recorded it properly until now.


    ¡®Let''s not neglect this habit. This is as important as training.¡¯


    A good habit was hard to cultivate but easy to forget. Choi Yu-Seong had no intention to stop this process, even if it was a bit annoying and cumbersome. Anyway, this world was now his reality. And in case the cell phone broke, the contents were backed up on the secret hard drive. As he once said, he thought it was foolish not to write it down just because he was afraid that someone would know his secret.


    ¡®There¡¯s no point if I forget before the others know.¡¯


    Like that, Yu-Seong completed his habitual task, sighed briefly, and sat on the bed. He acted leisurely, but he had important work left to do after having completed the promotion evaluation and was back on Earth.


    ''Confirm compensation.''


    Yu-Seong needed to calm himself down so that he wouldn¡¯t scream from happiness. Therefore, even when he spent time doing this and that, his heart would still pound like a five-year-old child distracted by a Christmas present in front of him. It could not be helped.


    ¡®The heart when opening the gift box is no different from that of a child or an adult.¡¯


    Yu-Seong first opened his status window.


    ¡ºName: Choi Yu-Seong


    Age: 21


    Series: All-Rounder


    Rank: E


    Level: 100


    Retention History: 1


    Special Skills: Star Factor Quality E, Fusion E, Spearmanship Prodigy E


    General Skills: Stylish E, Eye of Replication E, Spark E, Insight E, Vision Reinforcement E, Protective Shield E (deleted)-> Physical Strength Reinforcement E, Stamina Reinforcement E


    Special Skills: Wind Control E, Dancing Electric Doll E, Twin snakes biting their tails E, Magic Spearmanship E++ ¡ú D-


    Current Deactivation Skill space: No space left. If necessary, you can delete and overwrite general skills except initial skills.¡»


    ----------------------


    ¡ºName: Choi Yu-Seong


    Age: 21


    Series: All-Rounder


    Rank: E ¡ú D


    Level: 1


    Retention History: 1


    Special Skills: Star Factor Quality D, Fusion D, Spearmanship Prodigy D


    General Skills: Stylish D, Eye of Replication D, Insight E, Vision Reinforcement D, Physical Strength Reinforcement D, Stamina Reinforcement D


    Special Skills: Wind Control E(¡ü), Dancing Electric Doll E(¡ü), Twin snakes biting their tails E(¡ü), Magic Spearmanship E++ ¡ú D+(¡ü), Three Talent Mind Control E (added)


    Current Deactivation Skill space: There are currently 2 spaces left for general skills. Learn and add new skills!¡»


    Just by looking at the interface window, Yu-Seong definitely noticed the letter D rank that was finally achieved. Above all, after using all the Protective Shield he had stolen by the Eye of Replication, the basic maintenance skills such as Physical Strength Reinforcement, Stamina Reinforcement, and Vision Reinforcement had risen to D rank. He could clearly feel the direct growth of his physical ability.


    ¡®I felt like I could roughly do 300kg of bench press in terms of muscle strength, but now I feel like I can easily do 400kg.¡¯


    The same was true of Vision Reinforcement.


    ''I deleted it once when I was in a hurry, but it''s good to have it.¡¯


    As if confirming that it was D rank, Yu-Seong could see his surroundings rather clearly in the dark. Just in case, he checked the raw video of a car running at about 100km/h on his cell phone. It was slow since it was an ordinary punch, like when Yu-Seong was an ordinary game company¡¯s employee.


    ¡®Before, 100km/h was like a fist wielded by a martial arts fighter.¡¯


    Perhaps this effect would be felt more clearly during an urgent battle. There was no way to check Yu-Seong¡¯s Stamina Reinforcement immediately through any media use for now.


    ¡®Before, I didn''t have a problem staying up all night for two nights... So, if the growth figures are roughly compared, I may be able to stay up for three nights and feel alright?¡¯


    In fact, these physical abilities varied greatly as the level rose. The skill only acted as an additional help aside from the level increase. Therefore, Yu-Seong organized his mind about physical-related skills while leaving his speculation aside. He turned his gaze at the initial abilities that helped him improve until now.


    ¡®Let''s first take a look at them all¡­¡¯


    ¡ºSpecial Skill: Star Factor D


    The more people pay attention to the holder, the faster his growth level accelerates. Additional ability unlocked once the level of attention exceeds a certain number (50/100) ¡ú (86/100).


    D-rank perks ¨C Increases focus of attention when exposed to video media such as cameras. (Added)


    Current acceleration rate +70% ¡ú +90%¡»


    ----------------------


    ¡ºGeneral Skill, Stylish D


    Cannot be used with Fusion.


    Additional effects are applied once the user demonstrates acrobatic and cool actions.


    Receive additional effects of always-on application due to rank-up.


    E-rank perks ¨C Increased resilience.


    D-rank perks ¨C Increased pain tolerance (Added) ¡»


    ----------------------


    ¡ºSpecial Skill, Fusion D


    Except for the user¡¯s initial skills, it fuses two general skills into a new one. The contents of that created skill may alter depending on the user¡¯s luck. The skills used for fusion cannot be reused.


    D-rank perks ¨C Increase additional disable skill slots to 5 ¡ú 7 (Added)


    The user can freely delete or overwrite the skills listed in the unactivated skill slots that can be used for fusion. ¡»


    ----------------------


    ¡ºGeneral Skill, Eye of Replication D


    Cannot be used for Fusion.


    When used, a skill with a lower rank is copied by the user. The usage count and capacity of the copied skill varies according to its rank.


    After copying a skill, this skill cannot be used on the same person for three months. Similarly, recopying the same skill also requires three months.


    D-rank perks ¨C Increases the number of times and ability coefficients of copied skills.¡»


    In a way, small but necessary growth had been achieved little by little.


    ''It''s just my first rank up.¡¯


    Yu-Seong left behind some regrets, recalling that little drops make the mighty ocean.


    ¡®The important thing is¡­¡¯


    These special skills with arrows, the ones that still remained in the E-rank¡­


    ¡®As expected, it''s the same with the original novel.¡¯


    Special skills and general skills ranked up immediately. This was based on the premise that the rank was sufficient when the rank rose due to the player¡¯s own unique ability. However, the general special skills were different.


    ¡®You need to spend Karma points to grow.¡¯


    This was why Yu-Seong thought that he should save some of the Karma points he had collected until recently.


    ¡®I need to have enough skill points after I upgrade my rank, right?¡¯


    Yu-Seong immediately pressed the rank-up button for Wind Control, which was one of his most frequently used skills.


    - Player Choi Yu-Seong''s special skill, Wind Control E ¡ú Wind Control D


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    The required karma point is 2,500. Would you like to rank up? Y/N


    Choi Yu-Seong stiffened up slightly after he checked the message.


    ¡®2,500?¡¯


    For now, Yu-Seong''s Karma point was exactly 1,850.


    ¡®There were originally 2,350 points but¡­¡¯


    This figure was achieved with the additional 600 Karma points that had been sponsored by the gods during the dungeon racing. However, the problem was that during the promotion evaluation Yu-Seong had spent 500 karma points to deceive Mr. Guy. Thanks to that, his current Karma points were 1,850.


    "...falls far too short."


    It was unfortunate, but it still wasn¡¯t a big problem. Considering the ability of Wind Control, Yu-Seong could understand why it required this many Karma points.


    ¡®Because powerful skills consume more Karma points¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong thought that he could raise other skills, and checked the second skill and other additional skills. He then muttered, "...Is this for real? The cheapest¡ªTwin snakes biting their tails¡ªis 1,900."


    Yu-Seong¡¯s special skills were very powerful, but he still found this situation unfair. He did try very hard to save Karma points.


    ¡®Is this not a time to cheer for joy? Instead, I have to go hunting right away and somehow get more sponsorship?¡¯


    For a while, Yu-Seong grinned in disappointment.


    ''Wait a second, what was the reward for the promotion¡­?''


    Suddenly, Yu-Seong''s gaze turned to the special skill ¡®Three Talent Mind Control E¡¯.


    ¡ºSpecial Skill, Three Talent Mind Control E


    Cannot be used for Fusion.


    It''s a basic mana breathing technique that anyone in the Murim world has heard.


    When the skill is invoked in a sitting position, the maximum mana constantly increases.


    Skill invocation is automatically canceled when moving or speaking.


    If you use the skill in other postures, you can inject mana into the weapon to increase its strength.


    Perks are given if the rank is raised.


    You are the 168th person on Earth to acquire mana breathing skills.


    Special ¡ï


    There is a blessing of a special god.¡»


    "Wow...! This is awesome! Is this really a reward from the promotion evaluation?"


    After cheering out loud, Yu-Seong''s expression naturally hardened.


    ¡®You think you can let it slide this easily after putting me through all that hard work, huh?¡¯

 CH 76

    Of course, Yu-Seong was aware that the mana breathing skill itself was quite rare. It was considered a great ability in the world. The ability seemed to be insignificant right now, but the difference between those who possessed the ability and those who didn¡¯t only grew greater as the rank rose. Thus, it was also true that Yu-Seong considered it as a skill that he had to acquire someday.


    ¡®Well, it¡¯s true that the sooner I get it, the better it is.¡¯


    Anyway, the sooner Yu-Seong obtained it, the better it was. That was because the maximum mana continued to increase without any cost of money or ability.


    "Honestly, Loki. But isn''t this too much?¡± Yu-Seong talked to himself, but there was no answer.


    ¡®If I suffered that much, wouldn¡¯t it be reasonable for the skill to be as powerful as the most powerful breathing skills of the Murim gods such as Cheonma-gong, Taeguk Ilgi-gong, Cheon Ji-gong, or at least a skill just below that level? But¡­Three Talent Mind Control? Isn¡¯t this the most basic breathing skill?¡¯


    Yu-Seong almost spat out his thoughts out loud, and that would not have been good. He shook his head and rubbed his forehead angrily.


    ¡®Yeah, well, at least I obtained a breathing skill in my D-rank.¡¯


    It was better than nothing. And as previously mentioned, it was unconditionally beneficial to obtain a breathing skill as quickly as possible.


    ¡®At least the Three Talent Mind Control is the breathing skill that hardly has any side effects when changed to other mana breathing skills in the future. He must have handed out such skill so that I could take time and grow step by step. But if I see Loki in person someday, I¡¯ll grab him by the lapels of his coat and slap him on the cheek.¡¯


    Above all, Yu-Seong had considerable expectations for the special message regarding the god''s blessing.


    ¡®Maybe it¡¯s not just an ordinary Three Talent Mind Control method. There might be a great secret hidden within it, which could become incredibly strong¡­ Just like in a martial arts novel, right?¡¯


    Yu-Seong had some disappointment due to his initial anticipation. He invoked the Three Talent Mind Control skill. The blue energy moved as if it were drawn from the surroundings, and flew into him through his nose and mouth.


    ¡®This is how mana breathing feels like¡­¡¯


    This ability was often transmitted by the martial arts gods and was often called the inner core method. It was certainly a unique skill. Yu-Seong felt peaceful, refreshed, and relaxed. His tense expression gradually softened¡­before he heard a sudden crack coming from somewhere.


    ¡®All of a sudden?¡¯


    At the same time, the leisurely swimming manas within Yu-Seong began to scarily rush toward somewhere. For a moment, Yu-Seong could see exactly where his mana was headed.


    ¡®A bracelet?¡¯


    The mana ran arbitrarily toward the gray bracelet that Choi Mi-Na had given Yu-Seong, flooding it entirely. The dark bracelet suddenly glowed with a colorful light that was mixed with red and blue. The lights began forming a letter in front of Yu-Seong''s eyes.


    ¡®What the heck¡­¡¯


    For a while, Yu-Seong was surprised by the unexpected changes and the unknown letters. The swirling text rapidly rushed right in between his eyebrows.


    ¡®Ughhh-!¡¯


    Yu-Seong wanted to scream, but no sound escaped from his mouth. Feeling confused, he thought he heard the ringing of bells or wooden clapping from somewhere. He followed that sound before his mind became hazy.


    ¡®Again?¡¯


    Even before he questioned whether was going to faint again, a colorful message flashed in front of Yu-Seong with a light.


    - A Joke-loving Prankster sent a direct message to the player Choi Yu-Seong, saying, "Be grateful, you ignorant fool. I¡¯ve worked vastly hard for a long time to give you this reward."


    Of course, Yu-Seong had already lost consciousness by then. He couldn¡¯t reply.


    ***


    When Yu-Seong opened his eyes again, the bright morning sun blinded him.


    "Um... it¡¯s about 12:15." Yu-Seong habitually checked the time after waking up. Then, he smiled bitterly after he checked his right arm. He felt very empty, because the bracelet he had worn every day despite its unknown effect had disappeared.


    ¡®So, I still don¡¯t even know the name of this.¡¯


    However, it did seem to have an effect.


    ¡®Since Loki sent me a message at the end¡­¡¯


    The bracelet¡¯s skill wouldn¡¯t be a normal one. Therefore, this time, Yu-Seong opened the system interface window to check the special skill column with an excited face. He was like a child receiving Christmas gifts. No other skills were in sight.


    ¡®This is it.¡¯


    There was a newly added special skill!


    ¡ºSpecial Skill, The God¡¯s Chakra E


    Cannot be used for Fusion.


    The hidden potential in the skill was released by the remnants of a royal god.


    All the mana¡¯s of the player Choi Yu-Seong are replaced with chakras.


    The skill is constantly working on the player¡¯s body.


    This increases the absolute capacity of the chakra.


    This effect also applies when speaking or moving in an unconscious state.


    The current chakra 730/730 has been replaced by player Choi Yu-Seong.


    Daily growth rate + 1.


    Applying D-rank, the first chakra is released.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    D rank ¨C Muladhara Chakra.[1]


    With Muladhara Chakra applied, the physical abilities of the player Choi Yu-Seong will increase to the same level as those of the physical-type player.


    Special ¡ï


    The application of God''s Chakra further enhances the effect of Muladhara Chakra.


    If the rank rises, the second chakra wakes up.


    You are the eighth person on earth to acquire chakra skills.¡»


    Yu-Seong¡¯s jaw dropped wide open.


    ¡®What is this, Chakra?¡¯


    For a moment, Yu-Seong was confused. It seemed to be an ability different from the martial arts skills that the main character Kim Do-Jin would learn in the near future.


    ¡®Is it the skill from an Indian god? But I thought Loki was the one who gave me this skill.¡¯


    Yu-Seong took a while to calmly organize his thoughts.


    ¡®I would have seen it in the original novel if it''s a considerably special ability.¡¯


    This was a problem of human memory. If he didn¡¯t write it down, Yu-Seong would have forgotten all about it. The feeling of frustration was only temporary, and his eyes sparkled soon enough.


    "Anyway, this skill is crazy."


    As its name suggested, the skill would actually suit the main character Kim Do-jin rather than Choi Yu-Seong, who was the villain. No, in a way, Yu-Seong had just acquired a skill that even Kim Do-jin could not obtain in the original novel.


    "God''s Chakra, huh?"


    Yu-Seong somehow felt very proud of himself.


    ''This is amazing.¡¯


    The skill was clearly as good as the ShinGongJeolHak, which was considered the best martial arts in the martial arts world¡ªfar above the other clumsy skills.


    "Wow..." Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t help saying words of admiration.


    - A Joke-loving Prankster became snobby.


    - The Oldest Hunter looks at the player Choi Yu-Seong with a proud expression.


    - Culann¡¯s Hound cheers for the player Choi Yu-Seong.


    - The gracious blue-eyed god nods. He sent a direct message to the player Choi Yu-Seong, ¡®I look forward to the day I return again.¡¯ He gently leaves the player.


    As always, the gods¡¯ messages poured out. This time, there was one more god along with the three familiar names.


    "The gracious blue-eyed god?"


    Yu-Seong did not see the first message that came to mind at the end of the promotion evaluation, so he briefly tilted his head at the new name of the god.


    ¡®Why did he leave? The gracious blue-eyed god...''


    After pondering for a moment, Yu-Seong jumped out of his seat and freaked out. "Oh, my God! God''s chakra! The gracious blue-eyed god!"


    The shout was so loud that it rang throughout the room. Naturally, Jin Do-Yoon, who was guarding the door of Yu-Seong''s room, rushed in. He called out, "Young master!"


    The fact that Jin Do-Yoon was here meant that he also passed the promotion evaluation and had reached the A-rank. However, for now, Yu-Seong had no time to care about him.


    "Wait, let me think for a moment." Yu-Seong sat back in his place and was lost in thought. He could not prevent his heart from pounding.


    ''Oh, my God. I see. The gray bracelet...it was a piece of the god of Destruction.¡¯


    All the pieces of the puzzle came together in Yu-Seong''s head. Choi Mi-Na''s present had been a piece of the god of Destruction.


    In the original novel, it was an ancient relic used by S-rank villain, Dalsim. The problem was that, in the original [Modern Master Returns], it came out as a simple tool to strengthen the ability of Chakra, and the Villain Dalsim was an insignificant character who died in vain.


    ¡®Nevertheless, Kim Do-Jin took the pieces of the god of Destruction as if they were very important tools.¡¯


    Though, the first chapters did not cover the foreshadowing items until the novel ended. In fact, this part of the story was not very important since it was only a small episode which Yu-Seong had forgotten about. However, its importance and significance would become apparent once the gracious blue-eyed god¡¯s name was revealed.


    In fact, by just looking at the nickname alone, which may feel quite good and kind, the gracious blue-eyed god was a god reminiscent of an angel. However, there was another exact nickname that referred to him, and that nickname was quite far from a holy and benevolent vibe.


    ¡®The god of Destruction.¡¯


    Therefore, the power with his blessing had been passed on to Yu-Seong by connecting with the god of destruction¡¯s sculpture.


    What was the meaning behind this?


    ¡®Chakra is deeply related to Hinduism. And if it¡¯s called the god of Destruction¡­¡¯


    In other words, the gracious blue-eyed god was Shiva, one of the three Hindu gods. Shiva had left after he confirmed that his skills had been safely transferred to Yu-Seong. It wasn''t because his interest had disappeared.


    ¡®He said he was looking forward to the day he¡¯ll return again.¡¯


    Shiva would come back. However, he simply thought that Yu-Seong was not important enough for him to devote all of his attention yet.


    ''He is somehow arrogant, but that''s understandable.¡¯


    Although it was said to be one of the three gods, Shiva''s combat power was actually more powerful than Brahma, the creator god in Hinduism. In fact, there was a familiar tale that Shiva could fight against the union of all the Hindu gods and it would still be an equal match.


    ¡®No matter how much Loki was worshiped highly in Northern Europe, if he and Shiva did a 1:1 battle, he would fly to the other side of the world after Shiva raised one of his fists.¡¯


    Of course, it was quite an exaggerated opinion, but for some reason, Yu-Seong imagined that scenario with a certain level of glee.


    In any case, Shiva gave God''s Chakra skill as a reward for the promotion evaluation and had made sufficient Karma point investment in Yu-Seong. It was not just Shiva who had worked hard to make this skill. Loki had also joined in.


    ¡®No, would it be more right to say that Loki called Shiva from the beginning, knowing that I had a piece of the god of Destruction?¡¯


    Trying to discover the logic behind this entire situation, Yu-Seong¡¯s head spun with many rapid thoughts.


    ¡®It¡¯s no wonder that the promotion evaluation was too difficult for just an E-rank¡­¡¯


    Loki and Shiva¡ªthe collaboration between the two gods was not something Yu-Seong could understand at all, but he could tell that the rewards were exceedingly generous.


    ¡®So why would he even say that I wouldn¡¯t regret going back to normal difficulty and give up the reward?¡¯


    Fortunately, Yu-Seong did not make such a foolish mistake in the past.


    ¡®Loki, now I definitely know that you¡¯re not honest.¡¯


    Loki seemed to enjoy bullying Yu-Seong quite a bit, but he had also prepared such a big gift for Yu-Seong. Obviously, this had to be his way of increasing his stake over Yu-Seong, but if it wasn''t for his willingness to help Choi Yu-Seong, he wouldn''t have come this far.


    "Thank you, Loki."


    "Sorry?" Jin Do-yoon replied to Yu-Seong¡¯s mumbling.


    - A Joke-loving Prankster snorts at the player Choi Yu-Seong.


    Then, Loki sent a message.


    1. It was originally written as Mooladhara Chakra but google research shows muladhara chakra ?

 CH 77

    Jin Do-Yoon still looked suspicious when he saw the message. Yu-Seong simply smiled, shook his hand, and checked his cell phone again.


    ¡®It¡¯s 12:30, not a bad time to go to the gym.¡¯


    Once a new ability was gained, it had to be utilized for it to become completely his. For the first time in a long time, Yu-Seong felt a desire for training, so he was about to open his mouth to tell Do-Yoon. Then, he suddenly froze.


    ¡®A text message?¡¯


    To be exact, it was a message sent to Coconut Talk. Yu-Seong never looked at most of those messages properly, but the name that popped up on the screen could not be ignored. He asked, "Do-Yoon, does my father know how to use Coconut Talk?"


    "I heard that he uses it from time to time," answered Do-Yoon.


    "Umm..."


    At least it was not a spam message.


    Looking back, Yu-Seong never received it himself, but there was information that Choi Woo-Jae was quite good at handling new technologies.


    ¡®And Kim Do-Jin sent a coconut talk message a few days ago.¡¯


    Before opening Choi Woo-Jae''s message, Yu-Seong checked Do-Jin¡¯s message briefly. The content of the message had a video and some Internet articles.


    ¡®I''m not interested. I''ll reply later. It''s nice to be quiet these days.''


    Yu-Seong casually ignored the message. Do-Jin would have rolled his eyes if he found out. Subsequently, Yu-Seong read Choi Woo-Jae''s message, which was a short and sweet one.


    -Father: Do you have a gift you want?


    Choi Yu-Seong briefly agonized over the message that delighted him.


    ¡®Obviously there''s a lot I want to get as a gift.¡¯


    However, Yu-Seong shouldn''t ask for too much nor too little. In a way, Choi Woo-Jae''s question was both easy and difficult to answer.


    Yu-Seong slightly scratched his cheeks and wrote exactly what he needed. Then, he sent the message to Woo-Jae.


    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t ignore him after reading his message.¡¯


    Yu-Seong confirmed that his reply had been sent to Woo-Jae in the Coconut Talk app. He then rose from bed and asked, "Jin Do-Yoon, you''re an A-rank now, right?"


    "Yes."


    "What''s your schedule for today?"


    "I don¡¯t have much planned," answered Do-Yoon. Perhaps he read Yu-Seong''s thoughts roughly, because he was soon saying with a smile, "I guess you got a good reward from the promotion evaluation."


    "Yeah, a pretty good one."


    "Then..."


    ¡°Don¡¯t do your best against a D-rank beginner, but let¡¯s warm up moderately,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    "I should be careful not to get too excited,¡± said Do-Yoon.


    Laughing and chatting, the two men naturally headed for the hunter-only gym.


    ***


    Fortunately, the gym was empty for about six hours. Choi Yu-Seong and Jin Do-Yoon rented the entire building and changed into their usual uniforms. They warmed up lightly by exchanging hands and feet. During this moderately-paced process, Do-Yoon smiled and said, ¡°It seems like you¡¯re in a good condition.¡±


    "Do I look so? I think I''m definitely lighter thanks to the promotion effect. Shall we get started?¡± said Yu-Seong.


    "Yes, sir."


    After warming up for about an hour, Yu-Seong held a training wooden stick and Jin Do-Yoon raised his body obliquely with two fists. At first glance, one could be reminded of a kickboxing posture after observing Jin Do-Yoon''s fighting style, which had him putting both feet neatly back and forth, but it was actually far from sports with such set rules.


    ¡®Instead, it''s very instinctive.¡¯


    Do-Yoon¡¯s style of fighting was rough and ferocious, with no hesitation. It was essential that the movement of the body was very anomalous. In general, even the areas that were seldom struck would be hit without hesitation.


    Still, during the confrontation with Yu-Seong, Do-Yoon seemed to be suppressing his movements. Then, in the middle of the battle, he started to clearly strike out with his hands and feet.


    ¡®There was a time when he tried to bite me with his teeth.¡¯


    It felt somewhat threatening, but Yu-Seong really enjoyed the battle with Jin Do-Yoon.


    ¡®It¡¯s good practice to gain the sense of actual fighting. It''s a bonus that most of the potential monster¡¯s threatening vibe becomes nothing from this practice too.''


    If there were skills such as immunity regarding the threatening vibe, Yu-Seong would have naturally become a D-rank by now. Today''s battle was no different. Actually, it was rougher than before. Even though Jin Do-Yoon showed as much restraint as possible after becoming an A-ranked player, he still stabbed Yu-Seong fiercely and sharply during battle.


    Yu-Seong, when looking into Do-Yoon¡¯s eyes during a practice battle, could already feel his body stiffening up.


    ¡®It''s not as terrifying as Rachel''s threatening vibe¡­¡¯


    Considering that Jin Do-Yoon was not doing his best in the first place, it was clearly proof that he had made great progress due to his promotion.


    ¡®He''s an unusually strong player amongst those within the same ranking in the first place.¡¯


    Do-Yoon was not an Irregular, but by ordinary standards, he was a talented person who could handle two or three hunters of the same rank alone. Likewise, it was because of the efforts he put in and the talent he already had. In that sense, there was something strange about it.


    ''Jin Do-Yoon is still strong, for sure.¡¯


    Despite Do-Yoon using less strength upon considering Yu-Seong''s lower ranking, Yu-Seong still found it difficult to even stop him and find a chance to counterattack. From fighting intensely, there were moments when his vision was blurred from the sweat dripping down his eyebrows. Still, for some reason, he felt less burdened than before the promotion evaluation.


    ¡®I became a D-ranker, and Jin Do-Yoon became an A-ranker. Our gap would still remain the same¡­¡¯


    For some reason, Yu-Seong felt like the gap had become slightly smaller. He was not the only one who felt that way.


    During the fast-running battle, Jin Do-Yoon stretched his hand, grabbed Yu-Seong''s stick, and jumped into the air as if he were performing a stunt. Few of Yu-Seong¡¯s hairs were pulled out as he bowed his head and swung the stick at Jin Do-Yoon''s ankle.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    ¡®What happened? I''m sure the young master is just D-rank, level 1¡­¡¯


    Jin Do-Yoon then remembered that Yu-Seong clearly had a somewhat unique aspect within the same E-rank. In fact, after the E-rank 50 level, Yu-Seong had shown a stronger combat power than other average D-rank players. But even so, D-rank and C-rank were very much different.


    There was a saying in the hunter''s world that ¡®There''s a thin line between E-rank and D-rank¡­¡¯. But in reality, it was extremely hard to overcome the difference between the D-rank and the C-rank. It was like going beyond one great stage. As if to prove it, there were quite a few hunters up to the D-rank around the world, but the number of C-rank hunters and above were less than half that number.


    About six out of 10 D-rank Max-level hunters remained in the same rank and level forever. That was because they couldn¡¯t pass the general difficulty level promotion evaluation. This was the gap that existed, causing such a difference in numbers.


    However, Do-Yoon could feel the gap closing during this battle with Yu-Seong.


    ¡®He''s gotten this strong after going up by one rank?¡¯


    Of course, when discussing the world''s top five strongest hunters, there was a story about a hunter named William Rothschild, who was in the D-rank when he won over the two or three C-rank hunters alone. However, it was just an urban legend that was full of rumors. In fact, there were very few people who confirmed this story, making this an unbelievable myth.


    ''If the story is true, the young master¡¯s on the same level as such a monster.¡¯


    Even if the story remained a mere myth, Yu-Seong¡¯s growth was clearly beyond the level that Jin Do-Yoon could imagine. While Do-Yoon was happier with Yu-Seong''s growth than anyone else, he also felt suspicious about the unbelievable situation.


    Do-Yoon grabbed Yu-Seong''s wooden stick with one hand, roughly tearing the air, and asked while feeling the pain in his palms, "Did you raise your level after the promotion evaluation?"


    "No way. I woke up for the first time yesterday morning,¡± answered Yu-Seong.


    Do-Yoon knew that for a fact. Nevertheless, the reason why he had no choice but to ask was because of Yu-Seong¡¯s unbelievable growth.


    From the short conversation, Yu-Seong was convinced of one fact. Jin Do-Yoon shared the thoughts that he kept to himself. With a smile, he then asked Do-Yoon, "Jin Do-Yoon. Can you raise your tension a little more?¡±


    "It''s possible, but it might get a little dangerous."


    So far, Do-Yoon had refrained from his lycanthropic ability to become a wolf as much as possible. Once he became a werewolf, it would become many times harder to suppress his reflexive battle instincts.


    "I don''t care, so raise it more," said Yu-Seong. Despite the danger, he wanted to check. He needed confidence in the growth that was happening within him. He also had some clarity regarding why he became so much stronger with only one raise of rank.


    ¡®God''s Chakra.¡¯


    The new skill was always applied to Yu-Seong and made his physical ability no different from an ordinary physical type player.


    ¡®Actually, the special effects made me stronger than a physical player of the same rank and level as me.¡¯


    When he first saw the message, Yu-Seong didn''t think too much. Although he was an all-rounder type player, which was a rather ambiguous type, he had no reason to be dissatisfied with his physical ability. After all, he had become much stronger and agile than when he was a normal person. However, the feeling was completely different when the God''s Chakra was activated with the stylish skill as well.


    ¡®I mean, talented physical type players like Jin Do-Yoon live in a world like this.¡¯


    It was a whole other level. There was a reason that the ordinary all-rounder type players were called ambiguous, with no specialties.


    While Yu-Seong was organizing his thoughts, Do-Yoon groaned and also fell into agony. "Um..."


    "Don''t worry too much. How do you feel about me?¡± said Yu-Seong.


    "In fact, it''s safe to say that you''re above the state of D-rank level 50. This is my estimation from the talent I¡¯ve witnessed when you¡¯re E-rank. But, you know, this is all quite absurd¡­¡± said Do-Yoon.


    "That''s enough. I don''t have to doubt how good your instincts are," said Yu-Seong.


    In terms of simple intuition, Do-Yoon''s instinct was as good as Kim Do-Jin''s. That was why Yu-Seong could believe Do-Yoon¡¯s evaluation.


    "So, don''t worry and try to do it. You have to learn to control that wildness to a certain extent. If I''m the only one trained by this sparring, there''s no point. Most of all, I''m not fully showing my power yet either,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    As the Dalian was becoming more intense, more and more additional effects were being added to the stylish skill. Actually, Yu-Seong had not even developed skills related to the psychic type yet.


    ¡®No. If I really want to see it clearly¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong had to use insight, which only had four uses left. He activated the skill¡ªalthough he wanted to save it as much as possible¡ªand his eyes became blue-naturalized.


    ¡®Now, the number of trials remaining is three.¡¯


    It was a shame, but its usage was a necessity.


    ¡®It is necessary to know my current state clearly.¡¯


    As seen from the famous saying of Chungmugong, ¡¯If you know both your enemy and yourself, you will never be defeated.¡¯, Yu-Seong thought it was also important to grasp his limitations.


    Naturally, rough hairs began to sprout on Jin Do-Yoon¡¯s arms.

 CH 78

    Do-Yoon¡¯s sharp fangs emerged, revealing themselves from his neat rows of teeth. His gaze also turned fierce. The transformation was not yet complete, but certain distinct changes could already be seen.


    "All right."


    "I''ll go now," said Do-Yoon. He uttered a low, animal cry as he jumped toward Yu-Seong. Although only a part of him had been transformed into a wolf, he appeared to be at least twice as fast as before.


    Choi Yu-Seong could still read the movement with Insight, avoiding Do-Yoon¡¯s attack perfectly and only with a single step.


    ¡®Oh, my goodness.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was astonished. His clothes were torn from Do-Yoon¡¯s following kick, but he couldn¡¯t believe that he had avoided the very first attack. No matter how much he thought about it, he was in complete disbelief.


    ¡®This is certainly a skill of god, the God''s Chakra!¡¯


    Indeed, it was no exaggeration to say that Shiva, the strongest combat god of Hinduism, had blessed the skill himself.


    In fact, the later battles were somewhat one-sided. Do-yoon, who had turned into the wolf, fought fiercely. On the other hand, Yu-Seong poured out all of the skills and power he could, but he only succeeded in slightly touching Do-Yoon¡¯s clothes.


    Eventually, in less than five minutes, while exchanging quick attacks and defenses, Yu-Seong''s clothes became rags and he had gained quite a few scratches and wounds on his toned body. However, Do-Yoon did not stop and Yu-Seong did not shout to quit.


    It was only eight minutes later that Yu-Seong stepped back. He had missed the stick that he was struggling to hold with both hands. He yelled, "That''s enough! That''s it!"


    Jin Do-Yoon came to an immediate stop, no longer running wild like a beast. Noticing this, he realized that his earlier worries had all been for naught.


    ¡®When I heard the young master''s voice, I could immediately control myself.¡¯


    Do-Yoon quickly became human again, and approached Yu-Seong. "Are you all right, young master? I''ll apply medication for you right away.¡±


    "...huff...huff¡­¡± Yu-Seong couldn''t answer, because he was breathing so hard. He closed his eyes and nodded. Despite being short, the battle did push him to his limits. Thanks to this, Yu-Seong was now certain about how strong he had become.


    ¡®Maybe he¡¯s already the best among the D-rank players.¡¯


    It was ridiculous to think that Yu-Seong, who had just advanced to D-rank, was already the best in that rank from the start. However, it wasn¡¯t impossible. After all, Kim Do-Jin was already a C-rank player at this point.


    ¡®I was just trying to survive... but I¡¯ve come all the way here.¡¯


    It did feel strange, but it wasn¡¯t too bad. In fact, it even felt slightly pleasant.


    "Huff... huff..."


    "You may misunderstand because of the gap between our ranks, but the skills you performed were amazing," said Do-Yoon while Yu-Seong tried to breathe easy. He applied disinfectants and lotions to prevent scars all over Yu-Seong. He voiced his thoughts as if worried that Yu-Seong might be disappointed.


    ¡®No, I''m not disappointed, Do-Yoon. I''m very happy.¡¯


    Yu-Seong wanted to offer an answer, but he couldn¡¯t even speak. He was really out of breath.


    "It''s not a joke or a sugar coated statement. I once told you that I think you are the strongest among the E-rank players I know, remember?" said Do-Yoon. Perhaps from excitement or being uncertain of Yu-Seong¡¯s feelings, his face began to turn red.


    ''Of course I remember.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had received that compliment not long after he was possessed, and that had been before he even took the hunter test. His improvement thus far was undeniable.


    ''It''s been a short time, less than half a year.¡¯


    There was still a long way to go, but Yu-Seong was satisfied with his journey so far. The results were pleasing.


    "At that time, I excluded Kim Do-Jin when I said that. In fact, I didn''t even know him well when he was in E-rank," said Do-Yoon. Then, he went on to mention an unexpected person. "I''ve seen a few videos of Kim Do-Jin fighting when he was in D-rank. Even for me, it was amazing.¡±


    "That... Whoo¡­¡±


    As soon as Yu-Seong tried to say¡ª¡®Isn''t that too much?¡¯¡ªhe once again lost his breath.


    "I think... Maybe you are stronger than Kim Do-Jin when he was in D-rank. You may not understand what this means..." continued Do-Yoon.


    Actually, Yu-Seong was very well aware of this.


    "Maybe, within 10 years, you¡¯d be called the world''s best hunter. You''re going to go beyond the chairman, Choi Woo-Jae. Do you understand?¡±


    Yu-Seong was very well aware of this too.


    ¡®But he''s saying something very unfavorable.¡¯


    The title of ¡®the world''s strongest player¡¯ was not actually a bad thing for Yu-Seong. It meant that he had acquired the necessary ability to protect himself as he desired. However, if he had such a title, how would the people look at Yu-Seong when disasters appeared on this earth someday and the devil came down for a visit?


    ¡®People would expect me to somehow step up and stop the disasters.¡¯


    If Yu-Seong turned a blind eye, people would blame him. Maybe someone would hate him enough to chase him down and assassinate him. Yu-Seong got goosebumps just from imagining the situation.


    "I''m so proud of you. People in the world should know more about you and your skills, young master."


    "No... They don''t have to know that much,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    Jin Do-Yoon looked suspicious for a moment, wondering about Yu-Seong¡¯s true intention. Then, he nodded as if he understood. "Are you choosing to be a hidden dragon again this time? Well, I understand that you need to be careful until you''re fully grown. I''ll be absolutely careful and keep this quiet. Of course, but if something happens to harm you, young master, I am ready to risk my life and..."


    "You don''t have to¡­ Just be careful," said Yu-Seong with a smile. He didn¡¯t have the strength to speak too much and clear up Do-Yoon¡¯s misunderstanding.


    Above all, there was one thing that everyone in the world was mistaken about.


    ¡®They think that they know everything about Kim Do-Jin.¡¯


    For reference, Kim Do-Jin usually used a sword and acted as if he were a physical type player. However, in reality, it was completely different.


    ¡®He''s¡­an extremely gifted all-rounder player.¡¯


    Kim Do-Jin was the ruler of the world who mastered both magic and swordsmanship. Therefore, his type shown in the system window was an all-rounder type. And yet, why was he stronger than any other physical type players?


    The moment Yu-Seong got the god¡¯s Chakra skill, he had a single thought.


    ¡®It''s called the skill of the main character.¡¯


    This particular thought came about in a simple way. Kim Do-Jin had been dealing with the power that Yu-Seong had gained by acquisition of god''s Chakra, without any penalties, due to his specialized skill ¡®being genius¡¯ since the beginning of the novel. In fact, at this point, Kim Do-Jin could use magic. He was just choosing to not use it to hide that fact.


    ¡®He is hiding his magic skill to use it as a secret weapon.''


    Yu-Seong broke Do-Jin''s record at the Goblin Fortress.


    ¡®But that¡¯s because Kim Do-Jin hadn¡¯t mastered magic back then.¡¯


    And even if Do-Jin could use magic, he would not have used it. Perhaps roughly a year from now he would continue to hide the fact that he could use magic.


    ¡®People would eventually find out, but¡­¡¯


    In any case, comparing himself to Kim Do-Jin¡ªthe protagonist of such an extraordinary returnee¡ªwas nonsense.


    ¡®It¡¯s up to Kim Do-Jin to protect the Earth. For me, I just want to be known as a moderately strong player, root for him behind the scenes, and live a moderate and safe life.¡¯


    Yu-Seong hoped that he would just keep improving and growing without attracting too much attention from others.


    ¡®How much should I adjust to avoid excessive misunderstandings like those of Jin Do-Yoon?¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong had his own goal and boundaries.


    ¡®Having just enough dignity that would be hard for others to look down on, but encounter dangerous situations very rarely.¡¯


    In this way, Yu-Seong was just like his father, Choi Woo-Jae. Well, but for now, he had to bust his ass and do more than just adjust. While doing so, he had to occasionally disappoint the people around him to manage their expectations.


    ¡®That would be best for me.¡¯


    In fact, even though it was a difficult goal, Yu-Seong was still in a position to move forward without any hesitation. Of course, it wasn¡¯t guaranteed that his goal and desire could be met.


    Suddenly, a thought flashed within Yu-Seong¡¯s mind like lightning.


    ''Oh, wait, but isn¡¯t the god¡¯s Chakra skill a branch of the mana breathing technique? If it goes well¡­I might be able to do something quite fun.¡¯


    Yu-Seong wanted to live in moderation. In other words, he really didn''t have any expectations for this to come true.


    ***


    Thanks to technological developments, Choi Woo-Jae had a cell phone that could usually be worn on his wrist like a watch. He switched to a wide screen and checked the messenger called Coconut Talk. He soon burst into laughter. "Hahaha¡­!"


    "Chairman?" Kim Pil-Doo, who was next to Choi Woo-Jae, asked with a surprised look.


    "Oh, well. I thought I forgot how to smile brightly, but there are plenty of fun things to smile about, no? I laugh so much these days, too,¡± said Woo-Jae.


    "It''s a good thing. But may I ask what''s going on?¡± asked Pil-Doo.


    "You know, I recently played golf with the old man, Baek."


    "Yes, I heard you went to see him while you were on a business trip."


    "That''s right. I went and asked old man Baek, ¡®The ninth child is so cute these days. What kind of gift should I give him?¡¯ Then, he answered in anger, ¡®Why are you asking me and not the person who will receive the present?¡¯ It was a silly question but a wise answer," said Woo-Jae.


    ¡°That sounds like what Mr. Baek would say," said Pil-Doo.


    "Oh, I agreed with him. I then asked the kid what he wanted in a cell phone message earlier."


    Kim Pil-Doo''s eyes became sharp. Choi Woo-Jae''s suggestion seemed like a simple matter, but it was by no means easy to please him. If Yu-Seong wished for a disappointingly small reward, or if he wished for more than what he had done, that rigid old man would burst out in anger and give punishment instead of a gift. However, looking at Choi Woo-Jae''s reaction, Pil-Doo guessed that Yu-Seong seemed to have pinpointed the appropriate middle ground.


    "Do you know what the answer was?" asked Woo-Jae.


    "Did he ask for a person?" said Pil-Doo.


    In general, Choi Woo-Jae cared about talented people, so he usually enjoyed the above answer. That was why Pil-Doo had made that guess.


    However, Woo-Jae laughed and said something unexpected, "He asked for some pocket money."


    "...what?"


    "So, it¡¯s true that there''s nothing like pocket money to praise a good kid. That''s why I had to start laughing. Haha...!" chuckled Woo-Jae.


    "As far as I know, there is quite a lot of money in Master Yu-Seong''s personal bank account," said Pil-Doo.


    "What a fool! Even if you have a lot of money, you would need more and more. If there¡¯s such a thing as ¡®enough money¡¯, why would we be sitting here and doing such a thing like ¡®thinking¡¯?¡±


    "This time, for my silly question, you, Chairman, have given me a wise answer,¡± said Pil-Doo.


    A quick look at bit.ly/3iBfjkV will leave you more fulfilled.


    "Secretary Kim, you take good care of this. Enough amount for a gift in my name.¡±


    "Yes, sir."


    Now, Pil-Doo was also put to the test. Choi Woo-Jae was a person who would easily take Kim Pil-Doo''s authority away if he made a mistake with the amount. Therefore, Kim Pil-Doo''s daily life was close to him walking on the blade¡¯s edge every day, but he still wanted to remain in his position.


    ¡®Since I wouldn¡¯t learn anything from afar.¡¯


    Pil-Doo couldn¡¯t look away, either.


    "Go on. You can leave now."


    "Then I''ll see you tomorrow, Chairman."


    Choi Woo-Jae smiled and waved while Kim Pil-Doo bowed his head, stepped down, and left the office full of books. As soon as he opened the office door, he encountered the person¡ªwho he recently came across often¡ªstanding right in front of his nose. He said, "The second lady, you are here. The chairman is inside."


    "I know. No need to tell me."


    Choi Woo-Jae smiled at Choi Mi-Na, who casually stood up and passed by Pil-Doo who was bowing his head. He said, "Oh, you''re here."


    Mi-Na had recently become one of the few people in the family who made Choi Woo-Jae laugh. It was surprising to think about the small rebellions that she had shown so far and the reactions she got out of her father.

 CH 79

    Choi Woo-Jae''s power in the family was absolute. For this reason, when most of the family members stood in front of him, they had to walk on eggshells. The sharp words he spoke would only cause the family member¡¯s heads to fall low and go numb.


    In fact, Choi Mi-Na was the only one who deviated from that behavior. That naturally earned her the jealousy and envy of many siblings. Sometimes, they became angry at her due to their inferiority complex.


    Thanks to this, and her arrogant personality which clearly resembled Choi Woo-Jae, Choi Mi-Na had become a loner in the whole family.


    ¡®If you are jealous, why don¡¯t you just work hard and do better? They can do nothing but choose to backstab¡­ Just go out to the dungeon, hunt, and train.¡¯


    Choi Mi-Na didn''t filter her thoughts, and she also spoke arrogantly. In fact, she had surprised Choi Woo-Jae more than once because of that.


    ¡®She''s my daughter, but I agree that she''s persistent.¡¯


    From a young age, even before she became a player, Choi Mi-Na was the only child who talked back to Woo-Jae and sometimes refused to listen. The biggest incident that had happened was when Choi Woo-Jae had tried to send Choi Mi-Na to the U.S. to study. She had refused to leave Korea just because she didn''t want to go abroad. She had even asked why she had to leave when she was good at studying anyway.


    Choi Woo-Jae had scolded her at that time, but Mi-Na¡¯s reaction had been very different from his other children. If it were like his other children, she would have dropped her head from the slight scolding. However, she had insisted until the very end and cried that she would not go abroad even if she had to die.


    Back then, Choi Woo-Jae had been so angry that he took away all of her authority, money, and cards, and had kicked her out of the house. Mi-Na had only been left with clothes, shoes, and the bag that she had at the time. She had also been completely broke.


    The interesting thing here was that Choi Mi-Na had simply spat at the front door while crying, shouting that she would not live in this disrespectful house. She had then turned her back and left the neighborhood.


    Choi Mi-Na had gone on to sell the limited-edition sneakers that she usually wore to raise funds to buy new sneakers, which turned out to be another limited-edition pair that she had to stay in line for 12 hours during a cold winter morning.


    However, the most surprising thing was that she had hired about ten foreigners who had low labor costs with the money she had gotten from selling her original pair of limited-edition sneakers. Then, she had them stand in line with her and had eventually gotten her hands on three pairs of limited-edition sneakers, which she easily resold afterward.


    ¡®She left without a penny but deposited 800 won in her bank account in three days.¡¯


    With that money in her bank account, Mi-Na had gone on to start an illegal street business. She had set up the stall right next to those who had been lining up in the cold to buy the limited-edition shoes.


    The daughter of a conglomerate group had become the owner of an illegal street stall! So what did she, the princess who never did harsh work in her life, sell? She had sold the fish cake soup that she had learned to make from a Newtube video. Also, despite being a minor back then, she had even secretly bought and sold alcohol.


    On any ordinary day, a glass of soju with some hot fish cake soup wasn¡¯t anything special. However, due to it being in the middle of winter, the business had turned out to be quite successful. It also did help that Choi Mi-Na was rather beautiful.


    If her story had finished here, Choi Woo-Jae would have just clicked his tongue and thought that Mi-Na would one day regret upon suffering a big loss.


    However, with the money she had earned, Mi-Na had gone on to design a few clothes that she had interest in, set up an Internet pop-up shopping mall, and advertised them through one of her acquaintances, a male entertainer.


    ''Was she 17 years old then? She earned about 160 million won, after five months of leaving the house.¡¯


    It was really incredible and hard to believe. In the end, Choi Woo-Jae had called Choi Mi-Na back home. He had learned to respect her opinion and had said he would never talk about studying abroad again. That had been on the condition that she had to end both the street stall illegal business and the clothing brand business.


    ¡®She¡¯s my daughter, but a crazy one.¡¯


    Choi Mi-Na still was like that. The other children would bow their heads as soon as they entered Woo-Jae¡¯s office, but Mi-Na just nodded slightly and casually went around the office with a big step. After saying, ¡°I¡¯m here¡±, she would simply sprawl out on the wide sofa.


    "Whew, I''m so tired. I''ll take a five minute break, father," Mi-Na said as she closed her eyes.


    Even when Choi Ji-Ho was in a privileged situation, he didn¡¯t act like Choi Mi-Na.


    ¡®When it comes to individual talent, she¡¯s definitely the best in the family.¡¯


    This part included Choi Woo-Jae himself. At the age of 19, Mi-Na had Awakened on her own and became a hunter, quickly achieving an S-rank which was rare in the family. She was also exceptionally strong even within the same S-rank.


    ''Honestly, I think it would be hard for me to fight her directly now.¡¯


    Mi-Na was a daughter who was good at every single thing. Nevertheless, there was only one reason why Woo-Jae did not choose Mi-Na as the heir.


    ¡°Yes, yes, I like a lot of things about you but this one aspect¡­ You didn''t get any of them this time?¡± asked Woo-Jae.


    Choi Mi-Na, who was closing her eyes, opened her eyes and looked at Choi Woo-Jae. She said, ¡°What am I to do? I just don¡¯t like working with people.¡±


    "What''s so hard about sitting back and telling them what to do? And didn''t you do it well when you ran away from home when you were 17?" Choi Woo-Jae clicked his tongue.


    Mi-Na¡¯s talent as a hunter was equal to Choi Ji-Ho, but her sense of battle was overwhelming. Her business skills were also undeniable. She had left home alone at the mere age of 17 and had started a successful business.


    Woo-Jae heard that Mi-Na was still running a store in Itaewon very well. The problem was, as he said, she just hated people so much. She didn¡¯t know how to keep people near her.


    ''What a cock of the walk.¡¯


    It was his daughter, but Woo-Jae couldn''t understand Choi Mi-Na.


    "I only did it then because I thought I was going to die if I didn¡¯t.¡±


    "What about now? You are running a bar in Itaewon.¡±


    Choi Mi-Na messed up her hair as if she was annoyed. "I have that place in case you kick me out of the house again."


    "Don''t you have something else in mind?"


    "No, I don''t. What are you thinking? Even if I did, I can''t fool you with my abilities.¡± Choi Mi-Na scowled and then closed her eyes again as if she was annoyed.


    It was a trivial action, but Woo-Jae could infer something different.


    ¡®There must be something¡­¡¯


    Choi Woo-Jae was somewhat instinctively aware of the fact, but he did not bother to ask.


    ¡®It must be about her mother, tsk.''


    Even Woo-Jae thought her mother¡¯s death, who had been his second wife, was really a pity. Where could Choi Mi-Na''s sharp business sense come from?


    ¡®I would feel very reassured if she took charge of one of my affiliate companies by now¡­ She was a very reliable woman.¡¯


    It was a pity in many ways, but it was already in the past.


    "Forget what you have to forget. If you don''t let it go, it''ll hold you back forever," said Woo-Jae.


    ¡°...¡±


    Choi Woo-Jae lightly clicked his tongue and continued to talk. "The guild registration card is out, and the office is ready. There''s a lot of guys to handle the office, and I just need a central member. Since you said you don¡¯t want anyone from the family, I selected some good candidates. But things haven''t been going on here for days.¡±


    "That''s why I met two of them today. But what should I do if I don''t like any of them?"


    "Are you picking your husband or something? I''m not asking you to find a guy that suits you."


    "What do you mean ¡®husband¡¯? Do I look like I''m going to get married? Please give up and tell Choi In-Young to go to a gooood~ place that suits her," said Mi-Na.


    "Again, you''re going off on a tangent. Aahh..." said Woo-Jae. Once again, he clicked his tongue and hardened his expression. "No more hesitation would be accepted. The Cheon-Ji Group and the Dae-Hyun Group also don''t like us starting our guild business. If you drag it long, they will use whatever means possible to interfere."


    "Well, that¡¯s because they have their own guild. The reason why our company has not become the No. 1 business in Korea so far was because we didn¡¯t have a guild business."


    The current position of the Comet group was third in the domestic business world.


    In fact, it was the result of not being able to carry out the guild business even though they had the upper hand in all other businesses. What was interesting was that everyone thought that Choi Woo-Jae could not carry out his guild business. They weren¡¯t completely wrong.


    "In the meantime, it was inevitable because the man in the presidency received money from the Cheon-Ji and Daeh-Yeon group,¡± said Woo-Jae.


    "But you could have done it if you wanted to, right? It''s not like the president didn''t take your money."


    Choi Woo-Jae smiled and stroked his short beard. "You have to be sure when you put the dagger in. It happened when I was young. Maybe it was because I was still at an age where I had the spirit, so I handled things rather poorly. It could have not gone that far, but a family completely collapsed. One person died, and I also became worried about it."


    "No way, are you feeling sorry for them?"


    When Choi Mi-Na asked him, Choi Woo-Jae smiled strangely instead of giving a clear answer. "At that time, I was still short of strength. There was a lot of trouble when a cornered rat came at me to bite. Besides, the opponents this time are the Dae-Hyun and the Cheon-Ji group,¡± said Woo-Jae.


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    "If you''re going to strike the neck, strike it with certainty," replied Mi-Na.


    Woo-Jae smiled satisfactorily at Mi-Na''s response and stood up from his seat. "So now is the chance. This year marks the fourth year of his presidency. It''s about time that even the political aristocrats started to make a fuss that they cannot give too much attention here as they had to prepare for the next presidential election. Besides, a whimsical person like you decided to work with me. Is it because of Yu-Seong?¡±


    Choi Mi-Na''s eyebrows momentarily trembled from Choi Woo-Jae''s sudden sharp words. It was a small change, but Woo-Jae did not miss that reaction. He said, "No need to get surprised. Recently, Yu-Seong has been doing a lot of noticeable things. Normally, the other children would not stay still. But all of them are turning blind, focused on the guild business. Yu-Seong is just coming up, besides, you''re already too big. At least five of them must form an alliance to stop you."


    "If you know all that, I''d appreciate it if you wouldn''t bother me,¡± Mi-Na said.


    "I can''t do that now. If I fail the guild business this time, I will have another chance someday, but raising children is not like that."

 CH 80

    For Choi Woo-Jae, the guild business was said to be very important. However, it was still less important than the competition between his children. This was rather unsurprising, since his children would be the ones to lead the Comet group in the next generation.


    Woo-Jae valued talented people more than anything else, so he would never step back from what he had done so far, which would cause him to lose money and have to start his business from scratch.


    In other words, even if Woo-Jae¡¯s other children¡ªwho did not want Choi Mi-Na to take full control of the guild business or rise to the position of chairman¡ªinterfered with the company¡¯s plans, Woo-Jae would simply wait and watch them. He would think that he was ¡®sacrificing small things to save great things¡¯ if the plans failed because of his children.


    ¡®But if they crossed the line too much, they¡¯ll pay for that¡­¡¯


    Mi-Na''s siblings were also quite clever, so they would not directly participate and cross the line.


    "It''s amazing, by the way. What favorable aspect of Yu-Seong made you change your mind?" asked Woo-Jae, who was trying to get a sense of Mi-Na¡¯s opinion.


    Mi-Na pouted slightly. "You got it wrong. Why would I like such a rascal?"


    Then, Mi-Na jumped up from her seat and tried to leave the office as if she was running away. Choi Woo-Jae looked at her back with a rather strange gaze, and said, "It''s just three days. Even if you don''t want to, within the next three days, get ready to pick anyone and give them the position. Otherwise..."


    Mi-Na stopped walking.


    "Otherwise, because of your complaint, your innocent brother, Yu-Seong, will be troubled for a while."


    "Do whatever you want." Mi-Na clicked her tongue at Woo-Jae''s words, and left the office with a cold smile.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re pretending to not care, Mi-Na..." said Woo-Jae with a smile. He sat in place again and tapped his chin.


    ¡®My second daughter and my ninth son¡­¡¯


    They each had noticeable shortcomings. However, when they came together, they seemed to make a good team. Thinking about it, Woo-Jae smiled again with satisfaction. Then, his personal cell phone vibrated shortly.


    ¡®Hmm?¡¯


    There were only very few in Korea, no, the whole world who knew Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s personal number. For him to receive a direct call was even rarer. The funny thing was that not all of those with his number were close and comfortable friends, and one of them had called Choi Woo-Jae this time.


    "Yoo Chul-Min, this old man called, all of a sudden?"


    Woo-Jae said the name out loud as if he was calling his neighborhood friend, but the man named Yoo Chul-Min had great influence in Korea. In fact, he was even more well known than Choi Woo-Jae himself.


    Yoo Chul-Min was the chairman of Cheon-Ji Group, the No. 1 business group in the country. This was what the general public thought of first when they heard the name, Yoo Chul-Min.


    Choi Woo-Jae received Yoo Chul-Min¡¯s call with a relaxed hand gesture. He spoke first. "It¡¯s been a while, Chairman Yoo. How have you been?¡±


    - It''s been five years, Chairman Choi. I''m very healthy aside from my worsening back pain. That¡¯s all thanks to you giving me a hard time, haha.


    Yoo Chul-Min was 15 years older than Choi Woo-Jae. He was joking around during this call, but there were many hidden meanings in his words.


    ¡®Five years ago... This narrow-minded fellow seems to still have that in mind.¡¯


    Although Choi Woo-Jae quietly clicked his tongue, he also clearly remembered the incident that had taken place five years ago.


    Goblin leather was considered to be tough and too rough for anything, so it used to be seen as useless. However, a new method for processing Goblin leather was first revealed in Denmark and it soon became a new resource to capitalize on. It became much softer and durable than the ordinary cowhide. Also, Goblin leather was easier to obtain and more common than other monster resources.


    Naturally, the companies began to pay attention to the Danish company that developed the processing method of Goblin leather. The faster they learned the secret technology and dominated the market, the more they could start their business at an advantageous position. How could the companies not like a new business item that was sure to make money?


    At that time, DRD, a Danish technology research company, drew attention from the world''s leading companies and the rich who had acquired information in advance. Unsurprisingly, the Chun-Ji group and the Comet group also naturally participated in the competition.


    ¡®It wasn''t easy at the time, since the Rothschild family in England and the Rockefeller family in America also participated.¡¯


    The two families that originally became successful through their oil business continued to invest in the world''s leading companies, create guilds, and collect mana stones. That was how they rapidly inflated their wealth.


    In a way, simply standing shoulder-to-shoulder with those families was already testament to Choi Woo-Jae achieving his lifetime goal.


    The irony was that the two families participated at the same time, so they could not easily make decisions. They had to keep each other in check.


    During that time when other companies were walking on eggshells because of the two wealthy families, Choi Woo-Jae took action. It was the time when there were still many voices in the Korean business community saying that they should just wait and see.


    ''They missed the boat because of those silly thoughts. It''s always better to punch first in terms of fighting.¡¯


    While everyone was hesitating, Woo-Jae signed the contract earlier than anyone else, proposing a large amount that was difficult to refuse for the DRD company that developed the Goblin leather processing method.


    After that, everything happened in a whirlwind. Since the technology was being supplied, the Comet Group could dominate the market by providing raw materials and accelerating production. Every product that was made of leather¡ªsuch as cell phone cases, wallets, watch straps, bags, etc.¡ªtransformed to become a new product made of Goblin leather. The Comet Group announced such products with a massive promotion saying that it was the ¡®world''s first¡¯.


    For modern people of the present era, the material itself called monster leather was often recognized as a special kind of material. Moreover, the Comet Group brought in processed Goblin leather and turned it into a beautiful emerald-colored form, so someone even called this technology a ¡®modern leather gemology¡¯.


    The price was also cheap and the functionality was excellent. Thus, products made of Goblin leather were extremely popular at the beginning of their release, had very high sales, and were still having steady sales even until now.


    But how about the Rothschild and Rockefeller family which everyone was worried about?


    ¡®Before even writing the contract, they were already buttered up.¡¯


    It was interesting to note that the Comet Group was one of Korea¡¯s best companies, but from the perspective of those two families, it was only one of the large companies in a medium-sized country.


    The suggestion that Woo-Jae offered was that it would be better for them to take the initiative than to let the opponent monopolize the new technology. Of course, quite a lot of money was given to the main figure of each family to persuade them. It was a tug of war with calculated risks, and the eventual profits were close to several tens of times the money they invested at the time.


    It was reasonable for the Cheon-Ji Group to become nervous after the Comet Group actively moved to pave a new foundation and create a way to grow, instead of staying still and watching the situation together.


    ¡®Well, I understand that he¡¯s scared of me. Since I might threaten his company anytime.''


    Woo-Jae could easily guess why the Cheon-Ji Group¡¯s chairman had called him.


    ¡®He¡¯s anxious about the guild business that my second daughter is doing. Hehe.¡¯


    Unlike other businesses, the Comet Group had been quiet and rather conservative in the guild business that was often considered the most important for future investment. However, they had begun to actively move forward with the family¡¯s second daughter, whose face was not even well known.


    There were hurdles that stopped them here and there, but as they had a lot of money and were very determined, the guild business grew faster than Yoo Chul-Min had thought. As the chairman of Cheon-Ji Group, he felt nervous and anxious. He had a feeling that the Comet Group would soon catch up with them.


    In fact, everyone who ran a company would feel the same. The more they had, the more anxiety they had, so they were understandably more sensitive about the other companies in similar industries.


    Therefore, in fact, Yoo Chul-Min wanted to stop further growth before the guild business could even sprout. However, he failed to prune Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s businesses. Perhaps the fact that he had failed to kill Choi Woo-Jae at the only opportunity 13 years ago would still make his heart sting.


    "Oh, thanks to that incident, I was full even though I didn''t eat rice for a while. It''s all thanks to people like you who supported me from afar.¡±


    It was useless for Woo-Jae to argue with a narrow-minded person. They would be upset anyways.


    - Haha...


    Yoo Chul-Min tried hard to smile and continued to speak.


    - Anyway, I heard you started a guild business recently.


    This had been the main point of the call from the beginning. Choi Woo-Jae decided to put out a feeler instead of returning biting words. He asked, "Yes. Well, it may be too late, but shouldn''t I take a step at least now?"


    - I don''t really like going around the bush, so let me talk directly. Chairman Choi, I''m a little worried that a young fellow is being too greedy. If you eat too much alone, you might get sick, right?


    Choi Woo-Jae grinned. "I don''t know what you think, but Chairman Yoo, I''m too old to be called young now. I''m trying to be more greedy, that¡¯s all. But¡­are you afraid or something?¡±


    There was a brief silence over the phone.


    - Hahaha¡­!


    There was a loud laugh, one that was twice as loud as the earlier chuckle. In Choi Woo-Jae''s ear, the laughter sounded like a herbivore anxiously raising its voice upon seeing a beast.


    - It wouldn''t be good to fight each other and get hurt. Let me offer a suggestion, Chairman Choi.


    "I agree that it''s better to not get hurt. Do you have any insight?" asked Woo-Jae.


    As mentioned, Choi Woo-Jae''s goal was not just the Cheon-Ji Group. Was he aiming to be the number one in Korea? In fact, if he wanted to achieve it, he could have already achieved it a few years ago. However, the reason why he kept waiting patiently was because¡­


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    ¡®My business should be overwhelmingly powerful. So that no one can dare look over it.¡¯


    To expand hastily and clumsily would only be a burden in the end. However, if Woo-Jae hit it hard, the burden wouldn¡¯t keep up with his speed and would eventually fall off on its own.


    ¡®That¡¯s when the number one place could be discussed.¡¯


    It may be said that Woo-Jae was now old, but he was still ambitious and determined. Therefore, it was a welcoming thing to minimize the damage to each other.


    - War doesn''t necessarily have to be an all-out one. Let''s make a bet so that we don¡¯t have to bother those high-ranking officials.


    "A bet?"


    - You could view it as a game of Go. I don''t know if you¡¯re aware, but I have a grandson.


    Choi Woo-Jae instantly had a thought flashing through his mind.

 CH 81

    ¡®Bernard Yoo. Korean name, Yoo Jae-Yeol.¡¯


    Yoo Jae-Yeol was a 20 year old Irregular, currently active in Texas, United States. He became a hunter around the middle of last year, which was a little earlier than Choi Yu-Seong.


    He was now a D-rank player, and was best known as the hero who saved the city by breaking through the third-rank dungeon break with about ten E-rank hunters, including the Texas Rangers, and killing the boss monster alone in the city of Alpine.


    Listening to that name, a piece of information automatically popped up in Woo-Jae¡¯s head. He asked, "Ah, I remember. Isn''t he called ¡®the Kim Do-Jin of Texas¡¯?"


    Yoo Chul-Min burst into laughter at Choi Woo-Jae''s words.


    - Oh no, Chairman Choi, you are mistaken. Kim Do-Jin, that fellow, is called the ¡®Bernard Yoo of Korea¡¯. As you may not yet know, my grandchild¡¯s name has been included in the list of top ten rookies in the U.S. released by the U.S. Times. I heard that it¡¯s the first time for a Korean to be in the chart, so it¡¯s a great thing.


    In other words, Kim Do-Jin was known as the best in Korea and had the world¡¯s attention. However, Yoo Chul-Min felt a little unpleasant with the comparison between his grandson and Do-Jin. This was unsurprising, since Kim Do-Jin was a domestic rookie in his eyes.


    - It''s a sad story as a Korean myself, but isn''t the United States the world''s greatest awakening power? Korea will probably announce the news within the next few days, so the domestic evaluation of Do-Jin would slightly change.


    "That remains to be seen."


    - That''s right. We''ll see.


    In any case, there was no need to deny that Bernard Yoo (Yoo Jae-Yeol) was as popular as Kim Do-Jin in Texas, or possibly even more popular in some ways. Also, he was receiving a good outlook evaluation.


    Being aware of that fact, Yoo Cheol-Min finally brought up the main point for this call.


    - That child will come back to Korea in about 15 days.


    "For dungeon racing?"


    Yoo Chul-Min immediately responded to Choi Woo-Jae''s question.


    - As expected, I''m glad that you''re quick-witted. He is returning to break Kim Do-Jin¡¯s record, the one he achieved when he was a D-rank player.


    "So?" Choi Woo-Jae narrowed his eyes. Although he wasn¡¯t sure, he was slowly getting the picture. The main point still wasn¡¯t revealed entirely, but he could roughly assume Yoo Chul-Min''s intention.


    - Recently, there¡¯s a friend in the Comet Group who became a hot topic from a similar incident.


    As expected, it was about Choi Yu-Seong. He had recently broken Kim Do-Jin''s record at the Goblin Fortress. There were only a few people in the world who didn''t know about that, since Kim Do-Jin''s reputation was one that extended beyond Korea.


    Of course, there was no point in arguing with Yoo Chul-Min over this anymore. Choi Woo-Jae stated plainly, "You are asking to compete with dungeon racing.¡±


    - Since they are similar in age, wouldn''t it be an interesting game? I mean, there is a difference of one rank, but since my grandson will be in Seoul for about 2 months, your son should be able to catch up¡­ Although the level difference will slightly widen in the meantime. Oh, unless you¡¯re afraid?


    "No way," Choi Woo-Jae said with a smile.


    This conversation was only happening because neither of them knew that Choi Yu-Seong had reached the D-rank.


    "Let''s notarize it.¡±


    - Great, Chairman Choi. I like how you make quick decisions. Preparations have already been done. The president of Dae-Hyun Group, the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties, and the Chairmans of Chun-Sang, Chang-Jo, Oh-Seong, and Dae-Han¡­ They are among the top 10 guilds. Does this sound like enough witnesses for you?


    Forget about the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties. It was obvious that Yoo Chul-Min had formed an alliance with six of the top ten guilds, including Cheon-Ji Guild of the Cheon-Ji Group and the Dae-Hyun Guild of the Dae-Hyun Group.


    "All right."


    - Then, Chairman Choi, you can decide the time, date, and place. Contact us later.


    "Okay, I''ll see you soon...at the notary."


    -Haha, let''s see each other with a smile.


    Choi Woo-Jae''s expression hardened, looking exceptionally cold, after he hung up the phone.


    ¡®Six out of the ten top guilds, including Chun-Ji and Dae-Hyun.¡¯


    Originally, they would have been scared of Choi Woo-Jae. However, with the big shot named Yoo Chul-Min taking the lead, they had sneakily joined the alliance.


    Once the Comet Group''s guild business got on track, many things would fluctuate¡ªincluding the guild ranking¡ªso there would be people feeling anxious. Therefore, they decided to work together and set up a game to beat Choi Woo-Jae.


    In addition to the competition between Choi Yu-Seong and Bernard Yoo, there would be a lot of secret tricks being played here and there. However, it didn¡¯t matter much to Woo-Jae.


    ¡®If they ask for a war, I should accept it.¡¯


    Choi Woo-Jae had a particularly good memory. He would never forget their names.


    ¡®You all will become dead meat.¡¯


    They had just turned their backs on the most terrifying person in Korea.


    ***


    Inside the hotel suite, a man was entirely covered from head to toe in a white blanket. He was on a bed that was spacious enough for five people. Feeling like someone was around, he slowly opened his eyes and removed the thick blanket that blocked the light coming through the window.


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    A long-haired woman walked out of the hotel shower booth. She was dressed in a gown. Looking at the man, she said, "Are you up? Wake up and get ready for work. My father accepted Chairman Yoo''s proposal.¡±


    The man, Min Young-Hoon, smiled bitterly at the woman with wavy brown hair down to her waist. She was Choi In-Young, the fifth eldest child of the Comet Group. He then said, ¡°Those noblemen, who didn''t even budge at my words, seemed to find Chairman Yoo''s name quite reliable after all.¡±


    "Of course. No matter what, you''re just a vice president of one of the top ten guilds. However, Chun-Ji Group is the number one conglomerate group in Korea, and Chairman Yoo is the head. Isn¡¯t it ridiculous for your pride to get hurt? As far as I know, about 20% of the Heaven Guild¡¯s stake is also held by Chairman Yoo''s family," said Choi In-Young. She grinned and looked at Min Young-Hoon out of the corner of her eye.


    Despite sleeping in the same bed last night, Choi In-Young had an infinitely cool attitude.


    ¡®She would never let me be happy.¡¯


    Min Young-Hoon himself was well aware that Yoo Chul-Min''s Cheon-Ji Group and the Heaven Guild were incomparable companies. Nevertheless, Choi In-Young''s attitude may be the biggest reason for why his pride had been hurt.


    ¡®Why am I in love with a girl like that?¡¯


    Min Young-Hoon didn¡¯t understand himself, but when he looked at Choi In-Young, he could feel the emotions within him running wild. It was not something to be angry about, but he got angry. He didn¡¯t have to be frustrated, but he was intelligent and this bugged him.


    "Oh, so. You know, my brother Yu-Seong."


    "...didn''t we agree to stop talking about him?"


    When the kidnapping of Choi Yu-Seong had failed at the end of last year, Choi In-Young did not exchange a single word with Min Young-Hoon for more than a month. In the end, he had to give up all his pride, got down on his knees, and apologized after visiting her house.


    Back then, the first thing Min Young-Hoon had heard from In-Young was a miserable phrase¡ª¡¯how lame¡¯. He didn¡¯t feel horrible from hearing that.


    ¡®How funny is this? The vice president of the Heaven Guild chasing after a woman, begging on his knees?¡¯


    If the president, Oh Hyun-Woo, had seen Min Young-Hoon, he would have kicked his butt and said that it was pathetic. However, what could Young-Hoon do? It was true that whenever he looked at Choi In-Young, his emotions just never listened to his logic.


    ¡®Especially those eyes.¡¯


    When he looked at Choi In-Young''s arrogant and fascinating brown eyes, Min Young-Hoon could spit out a lot of promises that may be impossible to keep¡­ Was this just a weird sexual fetish of his?


    ¡®I just want to believe it as love.¡¯


    Looking at Young-Hoon being somewhat confused, In-Young approached him and patted his head with a soft smile. At the moment when their moving gazes met naturally, a strange red light poured out of In-Young''s eyes.


    Curiously, Young-Hoon simply frowned and grumbled as if he had not even recognized that. ¡°You also admitted that it was just an unfortunate mistake.¡±


    "I''m not trying to say anything more about that. The future is what¡¯s important to us, not the past,¡± In-Young said.


    "So what?"


    "I know that Bernard Yoo is a fairly capable hunter. Even with common sense, it''s still far too early for Yu-Seong to fight with him."


    "Not yet?" Min Young-Hoon found Choi In-Young''s words rather strange. He tilted his head.


    "I watched the video. My ninth brother¡­was hiding a lot more than I thought. No wonder that you failed.¡± In-Young causally got into bed and held Young-Hoon''s head in her arms. She continued to talk. "Maybe he¡¯ll become an amazingly great guy one day. So it bothers me a lot to just watch him grow, but for now, it''s already too much for me to handle Mi-Na unni."


    "So you want to cause another incident, similar to the kidnapping? I don''t think we should."


    Min Young-Hoon was in In-young''s arms like a baby, but he could still think straight.


    In-Young resembled her father, so she didn¡¯t easily evaluate others highly. If she had to watch out for Choi Yu-Seong¡ªa child who had just come up to the surface¡ªthen it was foolish to think that the same method would work.


    "No. Anyway, this game was prepared by my father himself. If something happens even before the match begins, it''ll be over for both of us," In-Young said. Her voice was shaking as she unconsciously expressed fear. This was surprising because she had been calm even when she had mentioned Yoo Chul-Min, the Chairman of the number one conglomerate group in Korea.


    ¡°I need someone to do it quietly and do things at the right time. Do you know someone who can do it?¡± she asked, confident that he knew someone to carry out the task.


    "I¡¯ll call Bomber," Min Young-Hoon said calmly. Choi In-young smiled at his words.


    Bomber was an A-rank villain. As his nickname suggested, he was one of the three most dangerous terrorists in the United States. Simply considering the offense, he was a S-rank player. What would happen if the world knew that such a villain and the vice president of one of Korea''s top 10 guilds had a close relationship? There would be an outrage.


    Perhaps the entire guild market would be overturned. The majority of guilds who were secretly joining hands with the Villain organization for their growth would be targeted. Among the current top 10 guilds, there was no guild that had never borrowed Villain''s hand, to Min Young-Hoon¡¯s knowledge.


    "Bomber? He won''t be able to enter the dungeon," Choi In-Young pointed out.


    Above all, if Choi Yu-Seong''s death was broadcasted in real time due to the sudden appearance of a terrorist in the dungeon, her position would be made disadvantageous.


    "It''s not well known, but Bomber has a skill called Time Bomb. It''s an ability to plant bombs in the opponent¡¯s body and have it detonate within 30 days through simple contact with Bomber''s hands," Min Young-Hoon said.


    "Oh¡­?" Choi In-Young''s eyes sparkled.


    "Give me a seat. A restaurant would be nice. It would be enough for Bomber to disguise himself as an employee and put his hand on his shoulder," said Min Young-Hoon as he slightly raised his head that had been on Choi In-Young''s chest.

 CH 82

    Min Young-Hoon thought that arranging an informal dinner with Yu-Seong wouldn¡¯t be difficult. However, with everyone being quite wary these days, it might draw others¡¯ suspicion for him to directly contact Yu-Seong.


    In fact, Choi In-Young had secretly been given a warning by Choi Woo-Jae from the time she had made Young-Hoon kidnap Yu-Seong.


    ''Well, I don''t have to do it myself.¡¯


    Fortunately, Choi In-Young was smart. She could already think of a plausible plan. There were quite a few men, such as Min Young-Hoon, around her who would work for her. They acted as if they were bewitched by her.


    "Okay, let¡¯s do it. So, let''s see. After you set up the Time Bomb through Bomber, you¡¯ll go into dungeon racing and explode the bomb at an appropriate time¡­¡± In-Young said.


    "The extent of damage is¡­?"


    "As I said before, please don''t kill him. He''s still my cute little brother. It would be perfect to handicap him to the level of Ji-Ho oppa so that he wouldn¡¯t recover again."


    Min Young-Hoon nodded at Choi In-Young''s cool smile. "I''ll make that happen.¡±


    After the serious conversation, Choi In-Young smiled like a flower in full bloom. She lowered herself and kissed Young-Hoon''s mouth and cheek while he was in her arms. She cooed, "Young-Hoon, such a competent man. You¡¯re so lovely. When did you make all those connections? Huhu.¡±


    Min Young-Hoon was called the crazy dog of the dungeon. Hearing In-Young say that, he sulked and said, "I refuse to be treated like a child.¡±


    "Huhu who said that that¡¯s all I¡¯m going to do with you?¡±


    Young-Hoon blushed, looking shy. Others would be surprised if they saw this particular expression of his.


    Choi In-Young smiled with her eyes, patted Young-Hoon¡¯s cheek softly, and kissed him with her hands holding his face.


    "Mmm..." Young-Hoon wrapped his arms around Choi In-Young.


    ¡®Choi In-Young really is a bitch.¡¯


    However, could Young-Hoon refuse her?


    ¡®But what can I do? I like her so much that it drives me crazy.¡¯


    Young-Hoon jumped In-Young¡¯s bones like an eager dog. His mind was soon overtaken by a fog of desire.


    ***


    The next day, after he had made some progress, Yu-Seong went to the Korea Player Association to receive the D-rank certificate. Then, he was looking at the Han River with a serious expression while sitting at the back of the car which Jin Do-Yoon was driving.


    Do-Yoon remembered that Yu-Seong¡¯s serious expression had first appeared when he left the room this morning. Curious, he asked with caution, "Hope you don''t mind me asking, but sir, do you have a concern?"


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not a serious concern, but I''m just worried that things are getting more and more twisted. This situation gives me a complicated feeling,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    "Hm¡­?¡± Jin Do-Yoon tilted his head in confusion.


    "I forgot to tell you, but I received my father''s call as soon as I woke up," said Yu-Seong.


    "From the Chairman?" asked Do-Yoon.


    "Yes. He asked me when I would be promoted to D-rank."


    "Since you''ve already been promoted, he must have been happy to hear the news," said Do-Yoon.


    "He loved it a lot. He said it was much faster than he thought, and now, he could take Chairman Yoo down a peg or two."


    "When you say Chairman Yoo, do you mean the Cheon-Ji Group''s¡­?¡± asked Do-Yoon while he continued to drive.


    Choi Yu-Seong nodded. In fact, he wouldn''t have thought much about it if that was it. In a way, it was ordinary for any father to want to brag about his children. In this case, the father was Choi Woo-Jae, and that made the situation slightly strange. But still, it wasn¡¯t too odd. The problem was the backstory.


    Choi Yu-Seong briefly explained the situation to Jin-Yoon regarding dungeon racing and Bernard Yoo with a quick summary. He then added, "Oh, I''ll have to call him to say that I''m done reporting my promotion. Haha¡­¡±


    Choi Yu-Seong gave a humorless laugh, then called Choi Woo-Jae. There wasn''t much to say aside from him having gotten the D-rank certificate. However, Choi Woo-Jae did mention a point after Yu-Seong had thought that they were done talking.


    -You should already know this, but I hate losing fights very much.


    Then, he hung up immediately.


    "Isn''t Bernard Yoo the Korean rookie who is famous in the US?" asked Do-Yoon.


    "Yes," answered Yu-Seong.


    "You don''t have to worry too much. He''s a pretty good talent, but I think you''ll definitely win," said Do-Yoon.


    "Thank you," Choi Yu-Seong answered lightly, but complicated thoughts still filled his mind.


    The reason was simple.


    Although Bernard Yoo was currently a player known by this name, according to the original novel, he would globally be known by a different nickname after he completely returned to Korea for two years.


    ¡®The Fast Star.¡¯


    Then, another five years after that, he would be known as ¡®the Starlight Flash¡¯ to the world. However, there was another impression that stood out more intensely in Yu-Seong''s mind.


    ¡®He is the character who¡¯s Kim Do-Jin''s best friend¡ªhis right arm.¡¯


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    As could be seen from the nickname ¡®Fast Star¡¯, Bernard Yoo was commonly referred to as a ¡®Cool Guy¡¯ kind of psychic-type player.


    ¡®In a way, he''s pure and extremely competitive.¡¯


    So, after this entire process, Bernard Yoo would reach A-rank two years later. He would return to Korea and bet on a dungeon racing match with Kim Do-Jin. This occurred in the original novel¡¯s Chapter 3, and because Bernard Yoo did not like his nickname as ¡®Kim Do-Jin of the United States¡¯. However, he would lose the match in a close fight, because the main character of a novel would always win and that was Kim Do-Jin.


    After that, Bernard Yoo would accept Kim Do-Jin and become a member of the Eclipse Guild. He would gradually become a popular character and participate actively in many chapters of the novel.


    ¡®Of course, he¡¯s a major figure who¡¯s indispensable for Kim Do-Jin and his crew.¡¯


    This time was different from the original novel. Bernard Yoo had come to Korea two years earlier and was going to compete with Choi Yu-Seong himself, and not Kim Do-Jin, in dungeon racing.


    ¡®It could be a useless worry, but what if I win and Bernard Yoo wants to become my party?¡¯


    It may be an exaggerated idea, but the original novel¡¯s Bernard Yoo was such a character. He had a simple and cool idea that ¡®no matter who wins the battle, we are friends!¡¯. Also, he had a preference to stay by the person who defeated him due to a strange admiration. That was the character¡¯s traits that the writer had chosen.


    ¡®Okay, let''s think about it.¡¯ Yu-Seong tried to think of Kim Do-Jin without Bernard Yoo and the Eclipse guild without the ¡®Starlight Flash¡¯. He already had concerns about the changed attitude of Baek Chul, who was currently with Choi Ji-Ho.


    ''I think there will be a lot of dangerous incidents as the future comes closer.¡¯


    Yu-Seong wanted to believe that it wouldn¡¯t happen, but another variable had just occurred and this was regarding the planned events coming faster than expected. The upcoming battles in the future showed similar patterns of occurrence as dungeon hunting and the many strong heterogeneous invasions.


    "It shouldn¡¯t be like that. It''s not even enough just to preserve Kim Do-Jin''s manpower as it is in the original novel..."


    At a time when variables were increasing, there was no guarantee that even the enemy invasions in the future would happen as planned. Of course, Yu-Seong couldn''t force himself to be defeated.


    ¡®Then my father wouldn''t sit still. That''s also a problem, but... The threats from the other siblings would start right away.¡¯


    Yu-Seong heard that it was the guild business that got them caught up in this game. If he lost, the falling out with Choi Woo-Jae would be a problem. Another concern would be Choi Mi-Na¡¯s plan of attracting the other siblings¡¯ attention and buying Yu-Seong more time being disrupted.


    If defeated, Yu-Seong would face plenty of immediate risks. On the other hand, Bernard Yoo''s behavior after Yu-Seong beat him was likely to be adjusted to some extent.


    Actually, Yu-Seong had no other way to step back no matter how hard he thought about it.


    "So, in the end, I have no choice but to win," said Yu-Seong.


    "Of course. But don¡¯t worry too much, young master. As I told you, you are by far the best D-rank hunter I know. I am confident that there will be no problems even if your opponent is a C-rank opponent,¡± said Do-Yoon.


    "Even if Bernard Yoo is C-rank?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "...of course," answered Do-Yoon.


    "This time, your answer was a second late," said Yu-Seong.


    Jin Do-Yoon was speaking without knowing exactly how Yu-Seong felt, but the conversation felt quite comforting.


    ''Okay, let''s win.¡¯


    In fact, this wouldn¡¯t be as easy as Yu-Seong wanted. Bernard Yoo was such a strong opponent that even Do-Yoon, who had blind loyalty toward Yu-Seong, also was concerned for a while. In the original novel, he was even called Kim Do-Jin''s right armed man.


    In fact, in the distant future, Bernard Yoo''s combat power would rise to the level of the ¡®Judge¡¯, a level that could confront a serious disaster alone. His talent was enough to have him be considered as the main character of certain scenarios. Even at this point when the rank was still relatively low, he was obviously very strong. He would have no clear weakness.


    Nevertheless, Yu-Seong was still concerned because the increasing variables and the situation that was supposed to occur around Kim Do-Jin were happening to him.


    ¡®At this rate, one day, I might be the one messing with the devils.¡¯


    Yu-Seong really hoped that that wouldn''t be the case. He sincerely hoped and hoped.


    ***


    Yu-Seong received the official D-rank certificate and immediately challenged the third-rank dungeon.


    ¡®Actually, with my condition right now, I think I could also do a level 4 dungeon....¡¯


    There were many similarities between the games and the dungeon in the real world, so stronger monsters appeared farther away from the entrance¡­ Simply put, it was the case with an elite monster.


    Therefore, currently, it might be the most efficient for Yu-Seong to hunt closer to the level 4 dungeon¡¯s entrance. The experience points from the level 4 dungeon¡¯s monsters would probably be higher than the level 3 ones.


    Unfortunately, it was not possible at the moment. The barrier between the level 3 and level 4 dungeons were like the difference between D-rank and C-rank. There was an exponential difference between the two ranks, so the Player Association had set a manual to prevent the entering of parties with less than five players. However, Kim Do-Jin did enter the level 4 dungeons alone after reaching D-rank level 50. How was this possible?


    ¡®Well, it''s because he is a main character and became close to the Player Association¡¯s president.¡¯


    The Korean Player Association regarded Kim Do-Jin as a national treasure. The potential of Kim Do-Jin, who was still treated as a great super rookie abroad, was already a monster close to completion in the eyes of the Player Association¡¯s quick-witted president.


    Do-Jin was like a hero who would represent the country if his rank and level were raised. In fact, the Player Association¡¯s president was not wrong because that was also one of Kim Do-Jin''s roles in the novel.


    ¡®That''s why he helped Kim Do-Jin a lot. He wanted him to grow up.¡¯


    The main character, taking up the novel¡¯s key position, was rather cliche most times. And at this point, there was no point of contact between the Player Association¡¯s president and Yu-Seong himself. No, if the story went according to the original novel, the point of contact would never exist in his whole life.


    ¡®In the end, I have to create a contact point on my own¡­¡¯

 CH 83

    The only person who had the authority to allow exceptions in the association¡¯s manual set was the Player Association¡¯s president. This was something that could not be solved by money. However, there were still alternative solutions to this problem.


    ¡®If I ask Mr. Iron Wall, he might help me set up an appointment with the president¡­¡¯


    Park Cheol-Ho, the Iron Wall, was an influential director within the association. In addition, he had recently been noticing Choi Yu-Seong''s achievements and viewing them favorably, so he was likely to help Yu-Seong.


    However, persuading the Player Association¡¯s president was another thing to worry about.


    ¡®Is the fastest way to get an appointment¡­receiving it as a gift from my father?¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong wore a happy smile on his face, thinking that he would definitely ask for a special hunter''s license like Kim Do-Jin the next time Choi Woo-Jae offered to reward him with a gift.


    ¡®Yeup, father if very generous.¡¯


    Earlier this year, Choi Yu-Seong''s overall bank balance was about 128 billion won. This was just the cash assets, and if the buildings and the houses he owned were included then the amount would be doubled. However, property should not be touched carelessly.


    Yu-Seong spent about 1.4 billion won a month. It could be said to be a huge amount, but this ridiculous amount of money was actually ridiculously easy to spend because of the gym¡¯s rental fee for training, his employees¡¯ salaries, and the purchase and management of hunter equipment.


    ¡®The biggest expense is the mana drink.¡¯


    Mana stone drinks for just two people, Choi Yu-Seong and Chae Ye-Ryeong, were already 1.2 billion won a month. Such luxurious expenses were possible mostly because of his real estate.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    ¡®Since I earn about 1 billion won a month collecting rent.¡¯


    Even so, it was also true that there was a steady deficit of about 400 million.


    In the meantime, Choi Yu-Seong had decided to spend about 20 billion won in assets to help Chae Ye-Ryeong¡¯s re-Awakening. This amount was not used right away, but as it was an important investment for the future, he didn¡¯t want to cut corners either.


    Also, there may be many more times to spend such big money in the future as well.


    ¡®It''s better to build a gym than rent it, so I also have to move¡­¡¯


    Earning money was difficult, but spending it was incredibly easy. This was true even though he was a conglomerate¡¯s son. That was why he had asked Choi Woo-Jae to give him pocket money as a gift, and 50 billion won was recently deposited into his account.


    ¡®If he could give 50 billion won as pocket money, how much money does he have?¡¯


    Thanks to this, Yu-Seong was able to set money aside for Chae Ye-Ryeong and still receive additional income. Although he was somewhat surprised, it really wasn¡¯t a problem for Woo-Jae to give out this exorbitant amount of money. The more Yu-Seong got used to the privilege of being a conglomerate, the funnier it became that he had been so surprised at first when he saw his bank balance that he hadn¡¯t been able to count the digits.


    ¡®My father did know about my balance, he just didn¡¯t care about it.¡¯


    Although Yu-Seong''s bank account balance was considerably worrying, it was not enough for Choi Woo-Jae to bother.


    Yu-Seong had often felt embarrassed by unfamiliar situations since he came from a completely different world. He had been an ordinary game company employee before becoming a conglomerate¡¯s son, but he had to adapt to it after all. After all, this was the world of the novel¡¯s Choi Yu-Seong.


    All of a sudden, Yu-Seong knew exactly what he was going to spend money on.


    ¡®I can support Jin Yu-Ri with 20 billion won for now. The more money you have, the better it is for creating and operating an organization. Maybe she could scale it up.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong remembered Yu-Ri, who had left the dungeon with the excuse of a vacation. Around him, there were quite a lot of carcasses of the level 3 monster, the Thorn Cat.


    The level has risen.


    If it wasn''t for the message that flashed in front of him, Yu-Seong could have continued hunting in a relaxed manner despite having a lot of thoughts on his mind.


    ¡®Come to think of it, this message has appeared several times.¡¯


    It has been about three hours since Yu-Seong first entered the dungeon. He just had this realization since his many thoughts had distracted him, but he was sure that several level-up messages had popped up.


    ¡ºName: Choi Yu-Seong


    Rank: D


    Level: 1 ¡ú 5¡»


    Yu-Seong was surprised by the unexpected increase in levels. Even though he did not consume any potions, he was sure that 90% of this experience acceleration effect was due to the Star Factor. Also, because of the level increases, Yu-Seong felt like his condition and movements were becoming better despite having spent quite a bit of time in the dungeon.


    ¡®The amount of my mana¡­ No, in my case, it would be the amount of Chakra. It¡¯s increased from 732 to 738.¡¯


    As a D-rank, the increase of Chakra was about 2 per increase in level.


    ¡®...certainly, in terms of Chakra, I am way over the average. Oh, come to think of it, the things I ordered are supposed to come tomorrow. I can''t wait to see how God''s Chakra would work.¡¯


    Even though quite a few variables might happen, Yu-Seong had no intention to limit his own growth. He went a little deeper into the dungeon with a spear in one hand.


    ***


    The leveling up was slower than when he was in the low E-rank level, but Yu-Seong looked very satisfied after achieving the D-rank, level 7. This was a raise of 6 levels in a day. This might be because he had just recently become a D-rank player.


    Yu-Seong got in the car to head home. On the way, he checked his cell phone and saw about five CoTalk (Coconut Talk) messages that he had been ignoring for a while.


    ¡®It''s less than I thought.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had given a couple of replies in order to maintain a proper distance. If he didn¡¯t reply at all, Do-Jin might have personally visited Yu-Seong¡¯s house again by now. However, the last message from Do-Jin was somewhat incomprehensible.


    - You saw the video, so why aren¡¯t you saying anything?


    Yu-Seong belatedly remembered the video article among the messages that Kim Do-Jin had sent. He then clicked the link with a bothersome look.


    ¡®Why does he need so much attention? Is he a kid or something?¡¯


    Of course, Yu-Seong was aware of the danger of such thoughts. He should never forget that Kim Do-Jin was not a child but a returnee who had returned to Earth after surviving in a different world for decades.


    Yu-Seong¡¯s best choice was to pay attention to Do-Jin whenever he was this calm, and make an effort to.


    ¡°What the¡­ so he did dungeon racing?¡±


    Of course, Kim Do-Jin did not do it in an ordinary way. He had defeated the Dungeon of the Deads alone, achieving a new world record as a C-rank player. This story was also not in the original novel.


    ¡®Yeup, I definitely need to check everything, even a single message like this.¡¯


    Yu-Seong admitted that he was being complacent. He checked the article¡¯s contents and was once again surprised by the video.


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin, you even used magic?¡¯


    The magic wasn¡¯t very noticeable in the video, but Yu-Seong could clearly hear the uttering of a strange language that others wouldn¡¯t understand in the middle of the video. At that moment, a light appeared and disappeared from Kim Do-Jin, whose movement in the video soon became several times faster and more explosive.


    Although it seemed like a reinforcement skill of a physical talent, Choi Yu-Seong who had read the original novel could see that Kim Do-Jin had used the Lun language¡ªone of the languages of the other world¡ªto perform magic.


    ¡®I don¡¯t get it. That¡¯s a power he hadn¡¯t revealed to the world at this point in the novel.¡¯


    Of course, the magic was used appropriately enough for others to be mistaken, but Yu-Seong still couldn¡¯t deny that Do-Jin had revealed his magic usage a lot quicker than expected. He couldn''t understand.


    ¡®Why? Come on, think Yu-Seong¡­ you know Do-Jin very well.¡¯


    In fact, there was a speculative answer.


    ¡®Even if he had to use magic, he wanted to thoroughly appeal to the other person.¡¯


    Fascinating the opponent with an overwhelming power was a method that Kim Do-Jin often used to seduce someone, which worked quite well in the original novel.


    ¡®Or he might have thought that taking some risks didn¡¯t matter, since his pride was hurt.¡¯


    In fact, Kim Do-Jin, the main character, often ignored small risks and still won in the end. The problem left was, who messed with Kim Do-Jin¡¯s feelings by that much?


    ¡®Who would be the one he¡¯s met? Hao Lan? Suarez?¡®


    After recalling the few characters in the original novel who were strong enough to be called Kim Do-Jin¡¯s rivals, Choi Yu-Seong''s thoughts suddenly stopped. A sudden possibility struck him like a thunderbolt.


    ¡®...Could it be me?¡¯


    It was not an unlikely story, and so Yu-Seong became even more shocked.


    Choi Yu-Seong was originally a villain who was appropriately used by Kim Do-Jin in the novel before being abandoned.


    ¡®But now, he is conscious enough of me to even use magic?¡¯


    The relationship had changed. Yu-Seong''s gaze trembled when he realized such a fact somewhat belatedly.


    "Oh, my¡­!" shouted Jin Do-Yoon urgently. He jammed on the brakes, and Yu-Seong fell forward in his shock.


    "What''s going on?" asked Yu-Seong. He didn¡¯t hit his head because the passenger seat had been pulled forward, but he was still quite surprised.


    "Someone ran in front of the car..."


    Someone had jumped in front of their car. Yu-Seong raised his head and confirmed the person¡¯s identity. He said with a frown, ¡°Choi Min-Seok?¡±


    An unexpected figure was standing in front of the car with a strange expression on his face.


    Anyway, the house was just around the corner. Jin Do-Yoon got out of the car first, and Yu-Seong followed him. Yu-Seong then asked, "What do you think you are doing?"


    Choi Min-Seok, who always had a ridiculous look whenever he saw Yu-Seong, slightly shrugged in a somewhat sloppy manner. He frowned as if annoyed, saying, "...I came to talk to you about something.¡±


    "But why? Did you suddenly jump in front of the car because you wanted to die?¡±


    ¡°I meant to stop the car. I was just trying to reach out my hand to stop you guys.¡±


    "Then why didn¡¯t you wait in front of my house¡­? You know what, just go," said Yu-Seong.


    What was the point of continuing to talk more?


    Yu-Seong sighed deeply, shook his head, and tried to get back in the car. Just then, Min-Seok cried out, "Hey, wait! I have something to tell you.¡±


    "Get to the point," said Yu-Seong.


    "Well, that''s not something that we should talk about here," said Min-Seok.


    Yu-Seong frowned. "What?"


    "...let''s go to the restaurant I know. I''ve got a room. I have something to tell you in private..."


    "You¡¯re crazy. Why should I eat with you? I''m not curious about what you have to say, so let me just go." Yu-Seong grinned and grabbed the car handle again.


    "Kim Do-Jin!" shouted Min-Seok.


    ¡°...¡± Yu-Seong paused because Min-Seok had just mentioned an unexpected name.


    "It''s about Kim Do-Jin. You''re interested in him, aren''t you? Let''s go to the restaurant," said Min-Seok with a smile.


    Certainly, Yu-Seong had thought of that person many times. He swallowed the words in his throat right away and glared at Choi Min-Seok. He retorted, ¡°Do you think I know less about Kim Do-Jin than you do?¡±


    "I don''t know more about Kim Do-Jin than you do," Min-Seok said.


    There was a rumor that Kim Do-Jin and Choi Yu-Seong were quite close. Choi Min-Seok thought the pairing was quite out of place, but there was too much evidence that brought about the rumor. There were even photographs of the two together.


    Because of this, Min-Seok quickly became mute at Yu-Seong''s confident voice. He stomped inside when he saw Yu-Seong opening the car door without further hesitation.


    ¡®What should I do? Byung-Chan hyung-nim told me to take Choi Yu-Seong to the restaurant.¡¯

 CH 84

    Choi In-Young wanted to plant Bomber''s Time Bomb on Choi Yu-Seong. However, she was concerned about Choi Mi-Na''s reaction and even more concerned about catching Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s eyes, which were already focused on her due to the past kidnapping incident. Thus, instead of carrying out her own plans, she had called on Choi Byung-Chan, her sixth younger brother and the one right below her in the hierarchy.


    However, Choi Byung-Chan was not a fool either. He did not want to directly bother with Choi Yu-Seong, who had Woo-Jae¡¯s attention at this time, and be exposed to unnecessary threats. Because of that, he had decided to call Choi Min-Seok in turn.


    It had started as Choi In-Young¡¯s plan, but had been then handed over to Choi Byung-Chan, who in turn had passed the task over to Choi Min-Seok.


    Truthfully, Choi Min-Seok also did not want to encounter Yu-Seong these days, but since he was the weakest in the family now, he could not refuse Byung-Chan¡¯s order when Byung-Chan was the only one supporting him.


    Feeling desperate, Min-Seok had thrown out Kim Do-Jin¡¯s name at Yu-Seong, but even that had not worked. Min-Seok¡¯s mind went blank as fear instantly overwhelmed him.


    ¡®What will happen to me if even Byung-Chan hyung-nim abandons me?¡¯


    Min-Seok suddenly remembered the gazes of contempt and disgust Yu-Seong had always gotten from their siblings. He remembered how much he himself had looked down on Yu-Seong, mocking him that he could not even lift his head up in front of his siblings. But, could he be different from Yu-Seong? No, there was no way Choi Byung-Chan would just leave Min-Seok be if he became useless.


    ¡®I-, I know too much about Byung-Chan hyung-nim''s secrets.¡¯


    As someone easily frightened, it never occurred to Choi Min-Seok to use Byung-Chan¡¯s secrets against him. That was why he was running to grab Yu-Seong¡¯s shoulder before he could get into the car.


    Min-Seok shouted urgently, "Oh, come on, come with me!"


    Practically at the same time, Min-Seok''s view spun around in a blur. It all happened so quickly that only after his back had painfully hit the ground did he realize what happened.


    "Ahhhhhhhhh-!"


    "This is your final warning. Do not touch me,¡± Yu-Seong said as Min-Seok rolled on the ground screaming. He lightly dusted his shoulder, then added, "Next time, if you dare even touch my sleeve, I will break your arm.¡±


    After Yu-Seong got back in the car and sat down, the car drove away from Min-Seok. Only its loud exhaust sound lingered for a while. Looking at the back of the moving car, Min-Seok raised his voice with fear and anger. "Ahh, ahhhhhh!"


    So many things were falling apart.


    ***


    Yu-Seong returned home and had dinner. Then, he took some lollipops and headed into the room. He called Ping Pong and handed the candies over to him for free before sitting on the sofa alone.


    ¡®Bernard Yoo, Kim Do-Jin, and Choi Min-Seok.¡¯


    Things that hadn¡¯t happened in the original story were happening one after another in less than half a year. There was nothing he could do to stop it, but as the number of variables increased, the number of things he had to prepare for also increased. Yu-Seong felt a bit of a headache.


    Yu-Seong went on to open his cell phone notepad to look over the records of the original novel.


    After eating the last lollipop, Ping Pong approached Yu-Seong and said, "Choi Yu-Seong, you have a worried face today."


    "Well, there are a lot of things that bother me these days..." said Yu-Seong.


    "I''ve heard that most of the worries of humans are useless and random," said Ping Pong.


    "That¡¯s not wrong," replied Yu-Seong.


    Those were the kind of words that could appear in any book.


    Yu-Seong took his eyes off the notepad and looked at Ping Pong. As always, Ping Pong had an arrogant expression on his cute face as he stood with his arms crossed, but for some reason, Yu-Seong could feel his worries fading.


    ¡°You may find this hard to believe, but I¡¯ve lived a lot longer than the lifespan of a normal human. I may not have any great wisdom, because I¡¯m from a different race and think differently, but I am open to hearing your stories. So, if you have any concerns, speak frankly. I¡¯ll listen to the end, even if some parts of your concerns are completely useless,¡± offered Ping Pong. After that, he stretched both legs and fell down to the ground, crushing his cotton candy like tail.


    Yu-Seong was in a strange mood when he saw Ping Pong.


    ''His words were pretty cool, but he is so...''


    All Yu-Seong could think of was Ping Pong¡¯s cuteness. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if there were no advantages to that. Before he knew it, a smile was tugging at the ends of his lips. He said, "Thanks to you, I think I''ve already found the answer. Thank you, Mr. Ping Pong."


    "Huh?"


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t cry over spilled milk and worry so much. It''s not something that I can do anything about, anyway.¡±


    This was the right thing to do.


    Thinking so much was Yu-Seong¡¯s strength but it was also his flaw. Could there be anything more ridiculous than worrying about something that hadn''t even happened yet? Did he have to worry about it just in case?


    ''You don¡¯t even know what''s going to happen. Having no idea about what would happen even a second into the future is just¡­ being human.''


    Of course, it was possible to make a prediction. But unless Yu-Seong was a true prophet, he couldn¡¯t possibly know which one of the massive range of possibilities would happen until it actually happened.


    He had pretended to be calm, but after his life had come under control of the novel, he had gone through so many crises that it was possible he had become a bit scared without realizing it. He had to be careful not to be overwhelmed by thoughts of ¡®what-ifs.¡¯


    "I just have to do my best to prepare. And if I come across a situation where nothing works then¡­all I can do is try my best to escape. I don''t want to die, you know?¡± said Yu-Seong.


    Looking at Yu-Seong smiling, Ping Pong, who was sitting on the ground, changed his expression. It was hard to tell whether he was relieved or annoyed.


    Ping Pong said, ¡°Tsk¡­ How boring.¡±


    Then, he jumped up from his seat and opened the pink dimensional door back to his planet.


    A quick look at bit.ly/3iBfjkV will leave you more fulfilled.


    "Are you going?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "I ate all the lollipops, so I don''t have anything to do here. Or do you have anything to buy?"


    "If I had something to buy, I would have bought it already."


    "Then I will go now. Oh, and that promise, you must keep it. Choi Yu-Seong."


    "What?"


    "Don¡¯t ever die. You''re the first and only contractor of this body. If you really think you''re going to die, then I would rather you look for me as soon as possible."


    "What if I find you?" asked Yu-Seong with a smirk.


    Placing his small paw on top of his chest, "Even if I may suffer a loss, I will protect you at least once. This is a promise that I, Ping Pong, the Lion Bear Clan¡¯s great prince, make with my honor on the line, so you can believe it."


    "...Great Prince of the Lion Bear clan?"


    Wasn¡¯t Ping Pong just a lion-bear-shaped doll?


    ¡°Ha! You are the first and only human to know this secret of mine. You should be honored. Bye for now."


    As if unaware of Yu-Seong¡¯s thoughts, Ping Pong toddled through the pink door. His tail puffed up as it always did when he was in a good mood.


    Yu-Seong was now left alone In the room.


    "Anyway, I really do feel better, thanks to him."


    Ping Pong¡¯s oath was cool in its own way, but it didn¡¯t give Yu-Seong any big expectations. Still, it had indeed helped ease Yu-Seong¡¯s worries quite a bit, and it made him smile. Who knew that he would have been comforted and helped by a dimensional merchant? This was another thing that had never happened in the original novel.


    ¡®It¡¯s a variable that happened because of the future that I¡¯ve changed.¡¯


    In other words, the butterfly effect did not necessarily lead to a bad conclusion.


    With many thoughts occupying his mind once more, Yu-Seong got up from his seat to wash up before lying down on his bed. At that moment, his cell phone rang. Choi Yu-Seong frowned as he saw the name on the screen.


    ¡®Choi Byung-Chan?¡¯


    Min-Seok, whom he had encountered on his way home, flashed into Yu-Seong''s mind.


    ''Aha, I was wondering why Min-Seok was so desperate. So he¡¯s carrying out your orders.¡¯


    Choi Min-Seok and Choi Byung-Chan had a long-lasting bond even in the original novel. Yu-Seong was getting a vague idea of what was going on. It was Choi Byung-Chan, not Choi Min-Seok, who wanted to see him. But why?


    In fact, Yu-Seong wanted to ignore this thought and organize his thoughts more, but this was not an easy feat.


    ¡®Choi Byung-Chan, A-rank, level 70 Physical type hunter with a specialty in boxing. And his personality is pretty fiery.¡¯


    The last part was important. If put positively, Choi Byung-Chan had a fiery personality. If put negatively, he was insane. In fact, there were other words that clearly described his personality. In fact, there was another word that definitely suited him.


    ¡®Choi Byung-Chan the villain.¡¯


    That was what Kim Do-Jin said in the novel as he cut Choi Byung-Chan''s neck when the latter had attacked him without fear. Also, when Choi Mi-Na had said some siblings wouldn¡¯t be fooled by her wild distractions, Choi Byung-Chan had been the first name that had come to Yu-Seong¡¯s mind.


    ¡®Yeah. With that personality of his, even if he was concerned about Mi-Na noonim, he wouldn¡¯t be able to sit still and do nothing.¡¯


    If Choi Yu-Seong was a rascal with good qualifications but a sense of inferiority, Choi Byung-Chan was a villain¡­


    ''And a piece of trash full of pride and excessive confidence in himself.''


    Under such circumstances, why was an arrogant person like Byung-Chan bothering with someone like Yu-Seong who was still a D-rank player? There had to be some external pressure.


    ¡®No way... Did Choi In-Young already start moving?¡¯


    When Yu-Seong remembered Choi In-Young, the woman who could be seen as the Comet Group¡¯s true witch in the original novel, his thoughts naturally led to the second-rank dungeon and the kidnapping in the Noll''s cave.


    At the time, Choi Woo-Jae said that the culprit of the incident was one of Yu-Seong¡¯s siblings. Yu-Seong had wondered who it was, but he hadn¡¯t expected that he would be able to find the answer this way.


    Was it mere coincidence that In-Young¡¯s name came to mind after Choi Byung-Chan''s unexpected move?


    ¡®No way.¡¯


    Now, he knew with certainty who in his own family were his enemies.


    He quietly pressed the call button and said, "Yes, Choi Yu-Seong speaking."


    - Why did you take so long to answer?


    "I was about to take a shower."


    - Are you home?


    One-sided statements and questions. There was no reason for Yu-Seong to lie.


    "Yes."


    - I sent a car. Get in.


    ¡°...¡± Choi Yu-Seong remained silent for a moment. It was obvious that it was a trap and that something would be waiting for him. The fact that he had to enter a tiger¡¯s den knowing that it was dangerous didn¡¯t make him happy.


    - I think you''re not aware of this, but just because I¡¯m cautious of Mi-Na noonim doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t do anything to you. If you don''t want to die, stop playing tricks and get in the car.


    Choi Byung-Chan instantly read Yu-Seong''s thoughts and threatened him, like the mighty villain that he was.


    Yu-Seong had no choice. He muttered, "...I''ll see you there."


    Choi Byung-Chan ended the call.


    Yu-Seong, who was about to get some rest, had to leave the house with a deep sigh. He was a little worried, but surprisingly, he didn¡¯t feel too heavy-hearted.


    ''I can think of the possible scenarios and the contingency plan... And if I can''t help it, it''s not something that I can stop from happening.''


    Yu-Seong had never imagined that an unpredictable disaster would come from this meeting.

 CH 85

    Traveling by a car sent by Choi Byung-Chan, Yu-Seong arrived at a high-end restaurant famous for Korean beef omakase. It was located at Cheongdam-dong.


    After getting out of the car, Choi Yu-Seong and Jin Do-Yoon went up to the rooftop of an eleven-story building and entered the reserved room. There, they could see a restless Choi Min-Seok and Choi Byung-Chan, who sat at the head of the table with his arms crossed arrogantly.


    Choi Yu-Seong''s first impression of Choi Byung-Chan, who he had only read about in the original novel, was surprising.


    ¡®I heard that he¡¯s the boss of the back alley even before he awakened. No wonder he has a decent physique.¡¯


    Byung-Chan had wide shoulders and muscles that filled up a fairly large t-shirt. His palms were bigger than the average human¡¯s head, and his limbs were rather long. It was unsurprising to assume that he would have been a fairly strong person even if he were not a hunter. Looking at him, Yu-Seong felt like he was looking at a natural fighter.


    "Hmm?" Choi Byung-Chan''s first sound was a question. Looking at Do-Yoon, he said, ¡°You brought someone.¡±


    "You didn''t say I had to come alone," said Choi Yu-Seong calmly. He took an empty seat opposite of Choi Min-Seok.


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    Byung-Chan offered a cool smile, looking at Yu-Seong with a strange gaze. "You certainly grew a lot. You look many times better than that imbecile over there."


    Byung-Chan was looking at Min-Seok, who hunched to make himself look smaller. He then said, "Leave."


    "...Yes, hyung-nim." Choi Min-Seok, who looked very discouraged, headed out of the door with his eyes lowered. For a moment, his gaze was full of resentment as he passed by Choi Yu-Seong.


    ¡®He is a fool until the end. If you want to blame someone, shouldn¡¯t he blame Byung-Chan rather than me?¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong clicked his tongue inwardly. He knew the reason well. Min-Seok had chosen to resent him because that was the easier choice to make.


    ¡®It''s probably also because of past memories.¡¯


    Anyway, Yu-Seong and Byung-Chan were facing each other. The moment felt rather intense, but it wasn¡¯t too much for Yu-Seong to bear. As they calmly made eye contact, Byung-Chan smiled coldly and scratched his cheek. He said, "I don''t think I look particularly easy or a pushover.¡±


    "But that doesn''t mean you''re a cannibal, right?" said Yu-Seong.


    "...Look at that, you know how to joke. Are you really the Choi Yu-Seong that I know?"


    Instead of answering, Yu-Seong shrugged his shoulders.


    Byung-Chan had to directly contact Yu-Seong since things didn¡¯t work out when he had sent out Choi Min-Seok, but he wouldn¡¯t do anything by himself as long as there was a possibility Choi Woo-Jae could become involved.


    ''How interesting. I was going to simply carry out In-Young''s request, but it¡¯s a waste to just get rid of him.¡¯


    Byung-Chan wanted to have Yu-Seong for himself. Therefore, he picked up his cell phone to put off his plan for a while. "Oh, it''s me. Send the food in after a little while."


    Choi Byung-Chan hung up the phone and uncrossed his arms. He leaned slightly forward as his shiny eyes slowly glance over Yu-Seong. He then asked, "I changed my mind. I want to give you a chance. Choi Yu-Seong, how about coming under me?¡±


    Choi Yu-Seong had no choice but to smile at the fairly flippant recruitment proposal. He asked, "Did you call me to make that suggestion?¡±


    ¡°No, I originally had other things to discuss, but for now, I''m giving you a chance."


    ¡°Thanks for the offer, but I refuse,¡± answered Yu-Seong.


    "You''ll regret it."


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡±


    Choi Byung-Chan''s eyes twinkled as he saw Choi Yu-Seong''s calm attitude.


    ''Ah, I want this guy so much. Is there really no way to have him?¡¯


    Byung-Chan thought about it for a while but soon shook his head.


    ¡®Making the same suggestion twice would hurt my pride.¡¯


    Byung-Chan would have broken at least one of Yu-Seong¡¯s arms and legs if their family wasn¡¯t involved. Of course, if he decided to do so, then even if he would get in trouble, he could harm Yu-Seong to some extent. However, for now, he didn¡¯t actually have the intention of doing so.


    ¡®There¡¯s a reason why In-Young asked me to handle him. There must be some kind of risk.¡¯


    Byung-Chan¡¯s effort would be enough to give In-Young some proper help. Therefore, Byung-Chan licked his lips as he decided to give up on Yu-Seong. ¡°Well, if you refuse, there is nothing I can do. At least enjoy your meal before you go."


    Byung-Chan picked up his cell phone again and ordered someone to bring the food in. Then, he yawned as if he was bored. Even though it was a request with considerable requital, this kind of work did not suit him well.


    ¡®Bomber, the Villain¡­¡¯


    Byung-Chan just had to help the person that Choi In-Young had sent over with the task. Thinking of that, he didn¡¯t have much to say.


    During the short silence, Yu-Seong looked around to figure out what Choi Byung-Chan was up to. Then, he stood up from his seat.


    "Huh? Where are you going?"


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the washroom. Or should I pee here instead?¡±


    ¡°No way, but since I don¡¯t want you to run away, you¡¯ll have to leave that friend here. I still have things to talk to you about.¡±


    Yu-Seong slightly nodded at Byung-Chan with a light smile. After that, he left the room.


    ***


    As soon as Yu-Seong entered the bathroom, he locked the door and checked his cell phone. Just in case, he had sent a message to Jin Yu-Ri and Jenny¡ªwho was known as Yu-Ri¡¯s subordinate¡ªbefore leaving the house. He didn¡¯t receive any reply from Jin Yu-Ri, but there was one from Jenny.


    -Boss, I''m ready. Where should I go?


    It was the first conversation they were having, but it was not difficult to guess Jenny¡¯s personality from her short message.


    ¡®Since Jin Yu-Ri is the one who entrusts work to her, obviously she will be on the ball.¡¯


    After sending his current location over to Jenny, Yu-Seong closed his cell phone and began to think while washing his hands.


    ¡®He offered me to work for him, but Choi Byung-Chan still thinks that I''m a greenhorn.¡¯


    Yu-Seong knew that for a fact without much thought. Byung-Chan looked bored and had no interest in doing his work, so it was clear that he hadn¡¯t planned the dinner because he wanted to.


    ''As expected, this has something to do with Choi In-Young.¡¯


    In such a manner, what did Choi In-Young hope to achieve by arranging this dinner for Choi Yu-Seong and Choi Byung-Chan? Yu-Seong realized he might have to pay attention to a trap that was possibly related to the restaurant itself.


    ¡®Or maybe food?¡¯


    If there were an intention to use poison, then Byung-Chan would have come and twisted Choi Yu-Seong''s neck right away instead. What was the trap, then?


    Yu-Seong thought about it the entire time, but couldn''t find an answer. In the first place, he couldn¡¯t possibly discover the real reason, unless he knew of the Villain Bomber¡¯s existence.


    Yu-Seong once again opened the message window with shame.


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin.¡¯


    In a way, Do-Jin was the most reliable person in such a dangerous situation. The name flashed briefly in front of Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes, but he soon got rid of that thought.


    ¡®I''ll have to repay him if I get his help.¡¯


    It was better not to owe Do-Jin. In the end, Yu-Seong completed all of the possible preparations that were available to him. Later on, he would have to face the danger head-on.


    ¡®I can do it.¡¯


    Yu-Seong believed that he could do it, as long as he kept his efforts up.


    ¡®I just have to face the situation directly to find out. I can do this.¡¯


    Yu-Seong tried to think positively, and left the bathroom.


    ''In case of an emergency, there is Do-Yoon supporting me.¡¯


    Jin Do-Yoon¡ªwho had become A-rank¡ª would not be easily defeated by the natural fighter, Choi Byung-Chan. Thinking of his reliable colleague, Yu-Seong felt more reassured than before.


    Yu-Seong walked leisurely through the long corridor leading back to the room.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯


    Beyond the corridor, Yu-Seong spotted burning red hair that vanished like a dancing flame. His heart sank.


    ¡®Rachel?¡¯


    Rachel, The Slaughter Queen, was known to be designated by the World Player Association as a villain and so would not be able to move recklessly. However, she appeared in a restaurant in the middle of Korea¡¯s capital city.


    Yu-Seong was reminded of Rachel¡¯s terrible penchant for murder and him witnessing her madness just a while ago. Goosebumps sprang up all over his body. His neck became stiff from the indescribable tension, his heart pounded like it was going to explode, and somehow he could smell blood from the tip of his nose.


    For a moment, Yu-Seong had to stand still. He immediately shook his head with a short sigh.


    ''No, there¡¯s no way. It has to be just another customer who came to the restaurant.¡¯


    Yu-Seong only saw the hair. It would be just a coincidence that Rachel''s face came to his mind for a moment.


    ''Yes, if it was really Rachel, she would have already followed me.''


    Yu-Seong thought his situation was just like that old saying, ¡®Once bitten, twice shy¡¯.


    ''Damn PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).¡¯


    Yu-Seong unwittingly relaxed his tense body and returned to the room again. There was already a simple appetizer on the table, as if the staff had already come and gone once. After noticing his return, Choi Byung-Chan started eating without saying anything.


    "Mm, it¡¯s good. Help yourself."


    Yu-Seong returned to his seat and asked while lifting the food. "Is there anything In-Young asked you to tell me?¡±


    If the opponent did not bring it up, then he had to do so. Yu-Seong was not a person who just sat and waited.


    Hearing Yu-Seong¡¯s question, Choi Byung-Chan quickly glanced over. He emptied the appetizer bowl at once and put it down. "You mean, I look like the kind of person who does what Choi In-Young tells me to do?"


    Byung-Chan¡¯s voice was excessively angry. Noticing that, Yu-Seong was even more confident of his deduction. He said with even more confidence, "Well, brothers and sisters can ask for a favor."


    Choi Byung-Chan''s lips twisted at Yu-Seong¡¯s words. Looking as Yu-Seong finished the appetizer in one bite, he said, "Father has been caring about you a lot lately, right? How long do you think it''ll last? Don''t go too far. You''re not going to live just for today, are you? The glory wouldn''t last long."


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to stick it out and see.¡±


    As soon as Yu-Seong answered, the door opened and a skinny Western man in his 30s came in. He was dressed sharply. Naturally holding a plate of food in one hand, he passed right behind Yu-Seong. Jin Do-Yoon was watching the man''s movements very carefully.


    "Oh, yes, you''re right. But I don''t think¡­that you''ll last that long, you know." Byung-Chan laughed and nodded as he received the raw beef served by the employee.


    Yu-Seong looked straight at Byung-Chan.


    ¡®What the hell are you up to?¡¯


    Byung-Chan had an elusive confidence, which was made clear in his voice. If he was truly hiding something, then Yu-Seong would have to find out for himself.


    Choi Yu-Seong wanted to change this situation into an opportunity. He couldn¡¯t do much if he had no clue, after all. It was also true that it would be better to know the opponent¡¯s intentions and prepare beforehand.


    ¡®What are you thinking, Choi Byung-Chan, Choi In-Young?¡¯


    Yu-Seong''s inner thoughts were complicated. He recalled the two names that were considered to be the most wicked in his family.


    "Beef tartare served with a special sauce, sir.¡±


    In the meantime, Yu-Seong could hear the employee speaking somewhat clumsy Korean as he came closer. The employee dropped the plate of food quite naturally, and that surprised Yu-Seong, who turned to look at the broken plate and fallen food.


    ¡®Ah¡­?¡¯


    The employee quickly bowed to Yu-Seong apologetically.


    Yu-Seong was distracted by the spilled food, allowing an unguarded moment.


    "Oh, I''m sorry. I''m sorry." The employee naturally reached out to wipe the stains on Yu-Seong¡¯s top. There was no reason to be wary or suspicious about his behavior.


    ¡®Perfect.¡¯


    Just as the employee¡¯s sharp eyes reflected the very area of Yu-Seong¡¯s exposed flesh he was reaching for¡­


    Tap-!


    With a slapping sound, Jin Do-Yoon snatched the employee¡¯s wrist at high speed. He growled fiercely.


    "Who are you?" asked Do-Yoon. However, he did not wait for an answer. He quickly broke the employee''s wrist and overpowered him, then climbed behind his back and twisted his arm the other way. There was no time for defiance.


    Crush-!


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhh-!¡± With the eerie sound of broken bones, the Villain Bomber¡¯s screams resonated throughout the room.

 CH 86

    Bomber, the villain, was quite pleased with this operation. There was only one reason for this¡ªit was thrilling. If the target¡ªa descendant of a conglomerate family¡ªwas eliminated, a fairly dangerous figure would become an enemy,


    Of course, any villain should move stealthily and go unnoticed. Although Bomber could lose his life if he ws caught, he was a terrorist in the first place. If he were to be afraid of risking his life, he wouldn¡¯t even have become a terrorist.


    ¡®I won¡¯t be making a loss, if I lend a hand in the fight of this conglomerate family. I can profit from this.¡¯


    For Bomber, this was a relaxing start. He was once a U.S. soldier. He had learned Korean while he was stationed in Korea so he could communicate in the language quite easily. For Bomber, this operation was something that would end so easily and pleasantly.


    However, as soon as Jin Do-Yoon suddenly ran, snatched his wrist, and pulled out his shoulder bone, Bomber recognized that he was in some danger and cursed inside. He couldn¡¯t help but scream, "Ahhhhhh-!"


    ¡°I asked, who are you?¡± Jin Do-Yoon repeated his question.


    Choi Byung-Chan frowned as he was sitting down and eating food. He muttered, ¡°How loud¡­ Can¡¯t he see that his masters are eating?¡±


    Then, with a yawn, Byung-Chan stood up and seemingly disappeared.


    At that moment, Yu-Seong, who was organizing what had happened in his head, jumped out of his seat somewhat instinctively. He converted the Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice into a weapon. Then, he invoked Insight and followed the invisible movement before pushing the opponent out of range with the Spearmanship skill, balustrade.


    All of these actions took place during a very short period of time.


    A quick explosion rang out in the room. Jin Do-Yoon had been kicked by Choi Byung-Chan and had flown beyond the building, breaking several walls. Then, he fell and collapsed even more walls.


    "Oh, my bad. Not enough energy was applied, so he¡¯s now just blocking the road. I meant to kill him,¡± said Byung-Chan as if he was annoyed. Then, he saw the sudden appearance of Yu-Seong''s spear and his eyes twinkled. He asked, "It''s an ancient artifact, isn''t it? Did Father give it to you?"


    ¡°...¡± Instead of answering, Yu-Seong widened the distance with Byung-Chan.


    "Why aren''t you answering me? I asked you a question.¡± Byung-Chan smiled at Yu-Seong.


    "What was that?" asked Yu-Seong as he looked sideways at Bomber who laid on the floor.


    Byung-Chan tilted his head at Yu-Seong¡¯s question. He stated, "Hey, I think I asked the question first.¡±


    "I have no obligation to answer," said Yu-Seong.


    "Then I''m not obliged to answer your question either. And there''s no reason why I have to humor a brother who''s disrespectful to me." After speaking, Choi Byung-Chan laughed and disappeared once again.


    Choi Yu-Seong read the movement with Insight and made an illusion by conducting Wind Control. Byung-Chan''s roughly swung fist penetrated his entire illusion and broke the wall with a roar.


    There was a blast as the cold wind of early February swept from the outside. Choi Byung-Chan wriggled his eyebrows and smiled. "Interesting.¡±


    Once again, Yu-Seong widened the distance between them by performing Wind Control Execution. Then, he invoked Spearmanship.


    ¡®The wind property.¡¯


    As Yu-Seong quickly pierced the air, a sharp wind swept across Choi Byung-Chan¡¯s limbs from the end of the spear. Then, before Yu-Seong knew it, Choi Byung-Chan had disappeared from the place he was standing at.


    Immediately after, Choi Byung-Chan''s voice came from behind Yu-Seong. ¡°What¡¯s up with you? Choi Yu-Seong, are you sure you''re a D-rank?"


    Yu-Seong once again tried to widen the distance by invoking an illusion by using Wind Control. However, this time, Choi Byung-Chan was not fooled. Byung-Chan passed through the illusion and smiled right in front of Choi Yu-Seong''s nose.


    ¡®He¡¯s so fast.¡¯


    After all, Choi Byung-Chan was an A-rank player who was even called a natural fighter. No matter how great Choi Yu-Seong''s talent was, the opponent was also an overwhelmingly talented hunter.


    When Byung-Chan grabbed him at once. Yu-Seong groaned. "Gugh¡­!"


    There was no place to escape to, and Yu-Seong was not powerful enough to shake off the A-rank hunter who was trying his best to catch him.


    ''Darn¡­it...''


    Choi Yu-Seong gritted his teeth and glanced around. He needed to find a way. Byung-Chan wouldn¡¯t kill him right away, since there was a high possibility that their conversation would go on for a bit longer. It was time for Yu-Seong to seek an opportunity to strike back.


    Choi Byung-Chan tightened his grip threateningly.


    "Kahh¡­!" Choking, Choi Yu-Seong''s mind slowly became blank. He couldn¡¯t breathe.


    "Choi Yu-Seong, you''re more dangerous than I thought. What the heck are you? Your skill just now looks similar to Choi Ji-Ho¡¯s Wind Control."


    More questions from Choi Byung-Chan followed, but he didn¡¯t ask for an answer. He was a natural fighter, after all, so he had no need to truly understand his opponents.


    It was only a short battle, but Choi Byung-Chan was sure about one thing.


    ¡®This guy, he¡¯ll become really dangerous when he gets older.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong may become stronger than Byung-Chan himself if he was also in A-rank, or even just a B-rank. It was unbelievable, but Byung-Chan¡¯s instinct raised Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s risk evaluation to the highest possible level. It was like seeing Choi Ji-Ho, the man who once overshadowed the entire family in a different way from Choi Woo-Jae.


    If he could do it, Byung-Chan wanted to break Yu-Seong¡¯s neck before Yu-Seong became stronger. However, he couldn¡¯t do it.


    ''Killing him is too much for me¡­ Father is paying attention to him because he knows that this guy is as strong as this.¡¯


    Byung-Chan''s instinctive fear and logical reasoning clashed, preventing him from easily making the final decision. At that moment, he could see the groaning Bomber struggling to stand up.


    ¡®He was beaten stupidly, but¡­¡¯


    Bomber''s ability could quite covertly injure Yu-Seong to a point that was beyond recovery. Above all, Byung-Chan did not have to personally harm Yu-Seong, so it was easy to shrug off the blame.


    Choi Byung-Chan made his decision, smiled coldly, and approached Bomber while grabbing Yu-Seong. He asked, "Hey, you can speak Korean, right?¡±


    "Ugh..." groaned Bomber. He raised his head to see Choi Byung-Chan, and nodded.


    ¡°Good. I don''t like English very much. Speaking of which¡­¡±


    Before Choi Byung-Chan could complete his sentence, a wolf¡¯s howl rose from the ground. A werewolf with its back against the moonlight flew over from the outside wall.


    "Damn those beasts. I should have killed him with one shot earlier..." Muttering to himself, Choi Byung-Chan invoked his skill and stretched out his fist. A strong wind soared into the air. As far as he knew, most of the physical players of his rank couldn¡¯t endure this attack.


    However, Jin Do-Yoon, who had turned into a werewolf, broke through the attack head-on.


    A quick look at tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w will leave you more fulfilled.


    ¡®What?¡¯


    It was a somewhat surprising moment, and thanks to this, Byung-Chan¡¯s wrist was caught by Do-Yoon. When Byung-Chan pulled himself together again, Jin Do-Yoon kicked Byung-Chan''s temple.


    Boom-!


    This time, Choi Byung-Chan flew in the air. At that moment, Byung-Chan had to let go of Choi Yu-Seong and loosen his grip. Jin Do-Yoon did not miss the opportunity and held Choi Yu-Seong in his arms.


    "Kaugh-!" Yu-Seong suddenly started breathing, coughing roughly several times.


    ¡®Fortunately, he¡¯s okay.¡¯


    Do-Yoon looked at Choi Yu-Seong with a sense of relief.


    "Damn you, werewolf. Screw you." Bomber approached them, grabbed Jin Do-Yoon''s ankle, and cursed.


    Jin Do-Yoon stepped away to shake off Bomber¡¯s hand easily, and Bomber flew in the air just like Choi Byung-Chan. However, Bomber kept smiling even when flying through the air. His lips slightly moved, and Do-Yoon could see and read what he had said.


    ¡®Bang¡­?¡¯


    At the same time, there was a large explosion. As his entire ankle exploded apart, Do-Yoon screamed in anguish, "Khaaaaa-!"


    The blood, flesh, and fur flew all over the place. Do-Yoon fell to the ground while trying to protect Yu-Seong from the explosion, using his back as a shield.


    In the tremendous uproar, Yu-Seong began to recover little by little and called out in surprise, "Jin Do-Yoon..."


    "I''m fine, young master..."


    Even before Do-Yoon¡¯s bestial cry ended, a rough wind swept across Yu-Seong and struck Do-Yoon on the head.


    "Woof-!"


    Jin Do-Yoon cried out and rolled the floor several times. Then, he smashed against the corner of the wall.


    Kurrrr-!


    Choi Byung-Chan fell from above Do-Yoon and trampled on his chest.


    Bang-!


    Jin Do-Yoon couldn''t even scream, spewing blood. He fell down the stairs.


    "Jin Do-Yoon!" yelled Choi Yu-Seong and he clenched his fist. He could feel his fury quickly dominating his sense of reason.


    ¡®Choi Byung-Chan, you punk!¡¯


    "How dare the dog of the house bite its owner!" Choi Byung-Chan looked angry while he swept his hair back, wiping the blood away from his forehead. He then smiled at Yu-Seong. "If the dog does something wrong, the owner should punish it accordingly. Too bad, I cannot stand it anymore. At least, father wouldn''t kill me."


    ¡®Thud-, thud-.¡¯


    Byung-Chan approached Yu-Seong with heavy footsteps, twisting his neck left and right.


    Yu-Seong remained standing, using his spear as a support. He looked at Byung-Chan with a cold gaze.


    ¡®Just one-off¡­¡¯


    If given the chance, Yu-Seong could destroy Choi Byung-Chan''s heart. He himself had the same risk, since his opponent had the intention of killing him. There was no reason for him to hesitate to kill even though Byung-Chan was his brother.


    "Oh, Choi Yu-Seong. I really don''t like that cheeky look. Well, that''s probably the last one. Now, it¡¯s time for you to die." Byung-Chan clenched his fists.


    Choi Yu-Seong and Choi Byung-Chan were less than 10 steps away from each other.


    ¡®Not yet. Just a little closer¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong wouldn¡¯t be able to get the chance at such a distance.


    Choi Byung-Chan smiled brutally and stretched his arms, as if he could read Yu-Seong¡¯s mind. He sent a punch flying toward Yu-Seong¡¯s heart, and there was no place for escape.


    ¡®If I block that¡­ Would I be able to stand up again?¡¯


    While Choi Yu-Seong was thinking, his vision was blocked by someone''s back.


    ¡®A waitress?¡¯


    Bomber was hit by Choi Byung-Chan''s wind punch. He flew toward Choi Yu-Seong, vomiting blood. Thanks to this, Yu-Seong had to roll on the floor several times with Bomber in his arms.


    ¡®Why?¡¯


    Yu-Seong had no idea why Bomber had shielded him from the attack. However, before his doubts cleared up, he realized that Bomber had already died.


    ¡®He¡¯s not breathing.¡¯


    Someone had killed Bomber and had thrown him out as a shield.


    "I¡¯m done watching~ That cute kid is mine."


    Even before Yu-Seong could unravel his thoughts, he heard a woman¡¯s voice ringing out. He trembled somewhat instinctively.


    ¡®No way!¡¯


    An image of madness flashed across Yu-Seong¡¯s mind. As he got rid of the Bomber¡¯s body, Yu-Seong could hear Byung-Chan''s fearless voice.


    "Who the heck are you?"


    "Me?"


    Flaming red hair flew through the air. A woman holding a short ax with her right hand pointed to herself with her left index finger and tilted her head. Then, she smiled and turned to look at Yu-Seong with deep blood-colored eyes. She said in a creepy fashion, "Will you answer that for me, gold nugget?¡±


    Yu-Seong answered with a shiver, "...Rachel."


    Rachel was the Slaughter Queen. Above the city center full of darkness, the disaster finally descended.

 CH 87

    At first, Choi Byung-Chan did not seem to be able to get the picture right away. He snapped, "Hey, Rachel or something, what kind of whore are you to interrupt my work? Get out, how dare you barge in here.¡±


    Perhaps it was because he was pulled in too many directions, such as vigilance against Choi Yu-Seong, anger from getting hit by Do-Yoon, and the prolonged disturbance and escalation of this altercation. However, his anger did not last for very long.


    Without saying anything, Rachel looked at the cursing Choi Byung-Chan. She was, in fact, expressionless.


    Around that time, Byung-Chan noticed the change of the vibe. He frowned and questioned, "Wait, Rachel? That villain, the Slaughter Queen?"


    However, it was too late when Byung-Chan finally realized.


    ¡®No matter how pissed off he is, he absolutely has an impaired judgment.¡¯


    It was not for no reason that Choi Woo-Jae did not delegate much to Choi Byung-Chan and had let him fit in with the back alley organization. Choi Byung-Chan was slow-witted, and had a small mind. His natural sense of battle was not bad, but it was impossible for him to lead a large company such as Comet group with only that quality.


    It was a rather hopeless situation for Choi Yu-Seong.


    ''Even though I don¡¯t feel like doing so, there¡¯s no way for us to get away from Rachel together.¡¯


    Choi Byung-Chan had long crossed the line. It was only a small consolation that Rachel simply looked at him in silence. He cursed, ¡°...Damn it.¡±


    He belatedly noticed the madness in Rachel¡¯s eyes and slightly stepped back.


    "Are you done barking?" Rachel finally asked with a big smile.


    "What¡­?"


    "I get so bored when a barking dog gets quiet," Rachel said. At the same time, her ax flew forward.


    Choi Byung-Chan freaked out, leaned to the side, and folded his waist to avoid the flying ax which cut the tip of his nose.


    ¡®As expected, he has a good sense of battle.¡¯


    However, the opponent was too strong. Rachel was already right in front of Choi Byung-Chan. She grabbed him by the collar with one hand and lifted him. Then, she held her one-handed ax which returned, and struck it vertically¡­ The sound of torn flesh and broken bones echoed eerily.


    With wide open eyes, Choi Byung-Chan screamed, "Ahhhhhhhh-!"


    Choi Byung-Chan lost an arm in an instant. He struggled in pain while twisting his body recklessly. However, Rachel was holding onto him so strongly that all of his movements merely shook her slightly.


    ¡®It''s not the physical force.¡¯


    Rachel was easily holding onto Choi Byung-Chan, using his turbulent movement as rebound energy. As if this was all a joke, she played with him like he was a doll, then threw him on the floor. She now looked tired of him.


    With a belch, Choi Byung-Chan was buried in the ground. He was completely wrecked. The villain, who was too strong for Choi Yu-Seong, had been overpowered in a single moment.


    ''Damn that monster. I¡¯m sure that Mi-Na noo-nim cut her right wrist off but how did it regenerate back? Is it my turn next?¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong felt both curiosity and astonishment. He was also trying to find a way out of the current situation, because he knew that Rachel was a completely unpredictable cannonball.


    Here, Choi Yu-Seong had misunderstood another thing. It was the thought that Rachel would be satisfied after overpowering her opponent. Without even looking at Yu-Seong, she strongly slapped Choi Byung-Chan''s cheek.


    "I don''t like it when others touch the things I chose. So I was really angry when I first saw you pick on it, but it was cute seeing that cute gold nugget struggling. Hahaha,¡± Rachel said with a smile, looking at Byung-Chan shivering all over.


    "Ah...ahhh..." Choi Byung-Chan avoided eye contact with Rachel and groaned, perhaps because he surrendered to the overwhelming power or because he couldn''t withstand the madness rising within her eyes.


    "But you should have done it moderately. You dare to kill the kid I chose? Whose permission did you get?" Rachel questioned as she slowly raised her hand ax.


    Choi Byung-Chan saw that and shook his head urgently. He begged, "Please, please don''t..."


    "Don¡¯t do what?" asked Rachel.


    "Please don¡¯t kill me. Please..."


    Choi Byung-Chan''s desperate gaze met Rachel''s red eyes. Rachel smiled brightly at him and said, ¡°Do you take only one bite of your meal?¡±


    Rachel''s hand ax bisected Choi Byung-Chan''s head at once. Under the moonlight, blood soared like a fountain in the black night sky, covering Rachel''s red hair and white skin in an instant. Rachel closed her eyes as if enjoying it, and raised her head as she commented, "Ah, not a bad taste."


    Rachel slowly turned toward Choi Yu-Seong.


    Choi Byung-Chan was dead. Recognizing that fact one step later, Choi Yu-Seong bit his lip and raised himself up. He wasn¡¯t close to this particular brother anyway, and this sibling had tried to kill him. There was no reason to feel sad.


    "Why are you not happy, my gold nugget? Didn¡¯t you want to kill him?¡±


    Though, there was no reason to be happy either.


    "I had to because I didn''t want to die,¡± Yu-Seong said.


    Now, Choi Yu-Seong clearly knew that there was no justification for murder. But at least, he didn''t want to be a human being who killed people mercilessly like Rachel. Therefore, he answered Rachel''s question firmly once he caught his breath.


    In fact, he didn''t think defense would be helpful since his current opponent was Rachel, the Slaughter Queen. However, he was still going to do his best to survive. He had no intention to die.


    Also, Choi Yu-Seong''s life has always been a series of surviving and overcoming such wars.


    "As expected, you''re funny, you gold nugget. I can¡¯t even tell if you are scared or not¡­" Rachel said with a grin. Then, she instantly vanished. In the blink of an eye, her hot breath mixed with a bloody odor touched the tip of Choi Yu-Seong''s nose.


    ¡°...?!¡± Yu-Seong wielded his spear as if struggling desperately, but his attempt was easily blocked by Rachel''s left hand.


    "If you don''t want to die, stay calm." Rachel smiled and placed her right hand on Yu-Seong''s head. She commented, "In the meantime, you''ve gotten a little stronger. You worked hard, didn''t you?"


    Yu-Seong aimed his fist for a gap, but Rachel simply grabbed it and twisted it in the other direction. He cried out, "Ahhhhhah-!¡±


    ¡°Shh!" Rachel smiled and blocked Yu-Seong''s screaming lips with her index finger. She went on to ask, "I think you should come into my arms joyfully. Why are you so rebellious? You''re saying he¡¯s still your brother?¡±


    "I know I¡¯ll die the moment I hug you. Do you think I¡¯m crazy?¡± Yu-Seong answered defiantly through clenched teeth.


    ¡®As expected, Rachel killed him even though she knew he was my family.¡¯


    In other words, Rachel didn¡¯t even care about Choi Woo-Jae, who everyone in this country was afraid of. It wouldn¡¯t be a big deal for Rachel to kill Choi Yu-Seong even in such a place without taking much time. It was just like she had cut Choi Byung-Chan''s head in half.


    "Hahaha! That''s right. If you''re such an easy-going man, it''s not fun to raise and eat you up."


    "...what? Ugh!"


    Rachel hit Yu-Seong¡¯s ankle and collapsed him on the floor at once. She lifted Yu-Seong''s chin with her index finger and thumb. She then cooed, "Do you really think I haven''t been able to find you just because I''m being chased by the Player Association or something?¡±


    Yu-Seong felt breathless when he saw Rachel¡¯s insane gaze just a stone''s throw away.


    "It''s a misunderstanding, you gold nugget. I¡¯m just keeping you alive. I always wait until the very end to taste the delicious food.¡± Rachel smiled and moved her fingertips slowly down from Yu-Seong''s chin. With eyes gleaming with madness, she said, "Actually, I''m not patient, so I keep wanting to open your head and check to see what¡¯s in your brain..."


    Rachel used her index finger to swipe up a bit of Yu-Seong''s blood, which lightly flowed down his forehead.


    "I want to¡­hear that scream right now. But¡­" Rachel slightly licked the tip of her index finger for a taste. Then, she got up and continued, "I''ll endure it until you become more mature and delicious. I am curious how much you can grow. You know, a strong man is my cup of tea¡­"


    Bang!


    At that moment, Rachel bent her waist back at the sound of gunfire. The bullet hit the ground, and she immediately turned to look at the roof of the building on the other side.


    Jenny, the Western woman with scattering blonde hair, had been looking for a chance to shoot. She clicked her tongue. At the same time, a hand ax flew in front of her nose.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    Kwakwang-!


    Jenny rolled on the floor several times, pulled out her gun again, and shot a bent hand ax. A series of shots hit the night air in Seoul, and the sound of sirens and helicopter propellers began to ring out from all sides.


    It wasn''t until then that Rachel slowly pulled herself up from Yu-Seong and recovered her hand ax.


    Yu-Seong could feel the signs of the Player Association¡¯s hunters and the Special Police Force flying through the dawn of Seoul.


    "Unfortunately, that''s it for today. My gold nugget, you can cheer up for now. If you don''t meet my expectations until the next time we meet...." Rachel licked her lips and smiled. "I don''t think I can show any more patience. Whoo whoo."


    Shortly afterwards, Rachel disappeared like smoke.


    "Ha..." Yu-Seong reflexively breathed a big sigh and jumped up from his seat. The air that was dense and heavy enough to almost suffocate him had become light again. He felt like his whole body was torn apart, but he didn''t intend to relax.


    ¡®Jin Do-Yoon!¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong ran downstairs, rolling on the floor several times before approaching the unconscious Do-Yoon who was back into his human form. Yu-Seong put his ear on Do-Yoon¡¯s left chest.


    Boom, boom, boom.


    It was slow, but his heart was still beating.


    ¡®He¡¯s alive.¡¯


    Do-Yoon didn¡¯t look okay, but at least he was alive.


    As soon as the tension was eased a little, a special police officer who was wearing a familiar rabbit mask appeared in front of Yu-Seong.


    In a way, this disturbance had been going on for a long time, so it could be said that this was a rather late appearance.


    ¡®Why are you so late?¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong questioned inwardly.


    "...The damn head of the Special Police Force informed me very late." Surprisingly, the police officer Myo, Choi Mi-Na, spoke as if responding to Yu-Seong''s inner feelings. Then, she turned back and asked, "You can move, right?"


    "...yes."


    "It''s going to be a pretty long, tough night. Cheer up." With a deep sigh, Choi Mi-Na left.


    After that, police flocked over, and Yu-Seong shouted as he raised his arms at them pointing guns in the dark, "I''m Choi Yu-Seong, the ninth child of the Comet group! Please, I''m begging you, I ask for medical staff who can come immediately."


    The disastrous night was reaching its end.

 CH 88

    As Choi Mi-Na had said, the night lasted longer than expected for Yu-Seong. He looked somewhat fine despite being mentally exhausted, so he had to explain or tell quite a lot of stories to others.


    Of course, Yu-Seong did not reveal the entire truth in a face-to-face meeting with the detective team or the Special Police Force. For example, he omitted the family circumstances such as the story of Choi Byung-Chan trying to kill him.


    Naturally, all the nasty deeds were blamed upon the dead villain Bomber and Rachel who ran away.


    And again, this time, Rachel had gently shaken off the special police officers¡¯ pursuit and had left the city center. And fortunately, Jenny, who used a sniper rifle to support Choi Yu-Seong, did not seem to have been caught by the police either.


    ¡®She would have a way to sneak out.¡¯


    Jenny would not have fired in the middle of downtown Seoul without any further preparations. Although it was from a long distance, considering that she had avoided Rachel''s hand ax, Jenny also had to be a hunter of considerable talent.


    After the investigation¡ªwhich required Yu-Seong to talk about one thing or another¡ªwas over, a person who identified himself as Soal, a member of the special police force, left. And around that time, the person who was waiting for Choi Yu-Seong to really explain the situation entered the hospital room. It was a very angry Choi Woo-Jae.


    Choi Woo-Jae walked into the hospital room alone after asking Kim Pil-Doo to stand at the entrance. He glanced at Choi Yu-Seong''s bandaged shoulder and began to speak. "Explain what happened, from beginning to end. Without missing a single thing."


    Upon hearing that short and concise command, Choi Yu-Seong honestly explained what he had experienced in as much detail as possible and left no details out. He didn¡¯t have to hide something or fake anything. He just calmly tried to convey the situation as objectively as possible. Choi Woo-Jae listened to the story without saying a word.


    ¡°...I told the truth about everything except the story about Byung-Chan hyung-nim to the police.¡±


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    After the story ended, Choi Woo-Jae smiled coldly. He uttered words that were far beyond Yu-Seong''s expectations, "The sixth crossed the line. He deserved to die."


    ¡°...¡±


    "I understand if one is killed or injured while fighting between brothers. But those stories about betrayal¡­ I shouldn¡¯t hear of them.¡±


    This time, Choi Yu-Seong couldn''t find anything else to say.


    "That doesn''t mean that a vile foreign girl can kill my child." Choi Woo-Jae got up from his seat with a cold gaze. He said, "I will kill the Slaughter Queen. You do your job."


    That was the end of the conversation. Choi Woo-Jae left the hospital room, and Yu-Seong was left alone. He felt goosebumps behind his back.


    ''My father has decided to kill Rachel.¡¯


    In fact, the moment Choi Byung-Chan died, this was already an expected outcome. However, Yu-Seong only had that sink in when he heard it in person.


    ¡®No matter how strong Rachel is... could she get away with it?¡¯


    The opponent was Choi Woo-Jae. Rachel was a monster, but Choi Woo-Jae was no less a monstrosity than her. The difference was that Rachel was an individual and Choi Woo-Jae was an organization.


    At first glance, it was true that Choi Woo-Jae was overwhelmingly advantageous in this situation.


    ¡®It would be impossible unless she had the Demon King Worshiper¡¯s support.¡¯


    Anyway, in the current situation, Rachel belonged to the Demon King Worshipers. She was selfish and uncontrollable, but the founder of the devil worshiper, the so-called godfather, cherished her for her strong abilities.


    In the end, Choi Woo-Jae''s declaration just now meant that it would be a battle between the Comet Group and the Demon King Worshipers.


    ¡®No, that¡¯s not it.¡¯


    Considering the influence of the Comet Group on the Republic of Korea, it could become a battle between the entire country and the Demon King Worshipers¡­ This battle was a tremendous variable that could not be compared to the previous ones.


    ¡®In fact, the original novel had such a situation too.¡¯


    The variable was as big as the battle between the Demon King Worshipers and the Republic of Korea. However, there was clearly a difference from the original novel.


    ¡®In the original novel, it was actually a fight between Kim Do-Jin and the Demon King Worshipers.¡¯


    The confusion about the variable only lingered for a short moment. As he had already experienced before, Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t cry over spilled milk. His priority right now was to be prepared against variables, as always. Also, these big events were not the most important thing to him for now.


    ¡®Jin Do-Yoon¡­ I hope he''s safe.¡¯


    Upon arriving at the scene, the rescue team first checked on Jin Do-Yoon''s condition and said that it was a miracle for him to still be alive. The concussed Do-Yoon had an internal rupture, a few ribs broken, and his right ankle was completely broken and had disappeared without a trace.


    Do-Yoon¡¯s injuries were much more serious than Yu-Seong had seen on the outside and were slowly shortening his life. If it wasn''t for the peculiar constitution of a physical hunter, moreover a werewolf with considerable natural resilience, his injuries would have been serious enough for him to die without hanging on for a long time.


    Fortunately, Jin Do-Yoon continued to breathe until he arrived at the hospital, and went straight to the operating table. That did not mean that Choi Yu-Seong could relax.


    Even when explaining the situation to the special police force officer, Soal, and meeting Choi Woo-Jae to tell the story, Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t let go of Jin Do-Yoon¡¯s name in his mind. What if Do-Yoon died like this?


    ¡®What could I tell Jin Yu-Ri?¡¯


    In confusion and anxiety, sleepless nights dragged on, dawn went by, and it was soon morning. A rather haggard-looking female nurse rushed in after opening the hospital room door. Choi Yu-Seong looked at her dark circles under his eyes. He had requested this nurse to let him know once Jin Do-Yoon''s surgery was over.


    The nurse tried catching her breath a couple of times, then opened her mouth to tell the news that Yu-Seong had been waiting for. She said, "The operation...is over."


    "What does that mean?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "Jin Do-Yoon, he¡¯s fine. Now, we just have to wait for the recovery."


    "Ah..." Yu-Seong unconsciously signed with deep relief in his red eyes. He murmured, "What a relief."


    What else could Yu-Seong say? It was the end of the long and difficult night that haunted him with worries, pains, and earnest prayers.


    "It¡¯s really¡­a relief." Choi Yu-Seong shed tears and he slowly closed his eyes.


    ***


    Choi Yu-Seong slept all day long.


    In that short period of time, the country was in turmoil. In the middle of downtown Gangnam, Seoul, a terrorist had appeared, died, and the Slaughter Queen, a villain designated as a refugee, had killed the sixth child of the Comet Group. The government was reprimanded for its slow response, and anxiety swept the country. This was unsurprising because the Special Police Force announced that they had not yet caught the Slaughter Queen.


    In the meantime, Choi Woo-Jae held a press conference and announced his official position on capturing Rachel in the name of the Comet Group. He said ¡®to capture¡¯, but it actually meant he was going to kill her. Everyone knew the implied meaning, and media outlets in each country described the current situation as a fairly unusual case.


    In fact, currently, in the Republic of Korea, there was a law that allowed the general public to play hardball only in the case of the known villain. Villains could murder so easily, but they could only be stopped by the Special Police Force. This unprecedented special law was passed because the manpower was too insufficient to prevent a large number of individual villains from causing a big accident at any time.


    However, it was really rare and unusual for a person to make such an announcement as a company representative.


    Some people said that they should be more careful because they had a large social influence, but the country chose to remain silent, which was the easiest choice, and had called it an act of contemplation. Above all, from the country¡¯s perspective, it was satisfied that the public''s anxiety was somewhat reduced after Choi Woo-Jae''s announcement of his official position on the matter.


    There were quite a few people who said that the leading Conglomerate group in Korea was more reliable than the national agency which already missed the Slaughter Queen several times.


    Choi Yu-Seong''s injury was also known in public. The article that he survived after meeting the Slaughter Queen two times became a huge hit, even giving him a new nickname, ¡®the Miracle Man.¡¯


    Of course, some doubted Choi Yu-Seong. It was a natural suspicion that Rachel and Choi Yu-Seong were on the same side. As such, rumors spread that Yu-Seong had become a villain to score a high point in a family fight.


    All this happened in just one day and night.


    ***


    Jin Yu-Ri returned to her main job after hearing the news the next afternoon. She was sitting alone in front of Yu-Seong''s hospital room. Then, a Western woman with bright blonde hair, wearing a deep hood, approached her. Jin Yu-Ri gave her a sideways glance and asked, "...what about the Slaughter Queen?"


    "I can''t find a trace at all. She moves very cleverly for a simple murderer. If we chase her openly, we would be able to approach her to some extent, but we''d get caught."


    Jin Yu-Ri nodded as if she was convinced of the situation. Unlike others, Jenny''s organization put secrecy first. As such, it was difficult for her to come forward and investigate directly. Moreover, quite a lot of people were involved in this case.


    "You don''t have to dig too deep, but be careful not to miss the opportunity when you see the movement."


    "For sure," said Jenny. She nodded her head in a short reply and silently stayed by Jin Yu-Ri''s side. About three minutes passed without any conversation. Suddenly, Jenny opened her mouth again while both of them were looking at the wall. "...are you all right?¡±


    "What?"


    "I heard about your brother''s case.¡±


    "You don''t die from having a missing foot,¡± said Yu-Ri.


    Jin Do-Yoon was miraculously alive, but his missing ankle by Bomber''s powerful bomb had failed to regenerate. It could be considered that his life as a physical-type hunter was virtually over.


    "He was a great hunter and a bodyguard,¡± said Jenny.


    "I know. I appreciate your consolation."


    "I''m looking for a way. Once some money is spent, it could be replaced with a machine so he could live his daily life."


    ¡°...¡± Jin Yu-Ri didn¡¯t answer. Her current worry wasn¡¯t regarding Do-Yoon¡¯s physical condition.


    ¡®He must be very distressed by the fact that he can''t be of much help to Yu-Seong oppa.¡¯


    A retired hunter living an ordinary routine wouldn¡¯t be a problem for Do-Yoon. The amount of money he had saved so far was pretty significant, and if he just transplanted a machine on one leg to walk, he would have a much stronger physical condition than the ordinary person. In a way, a kind of retirement that any hunter dreamed of.


    ¡®But not for him.¡¯


    Of course, Jin Do-Yoon, who Yu-Ri knew, would not collapse in agony right away. Rather, he would try to find an opportunity to make a comeback. However, what could he do when he realized that there was no way to overcome this problem even if he put all his energy into it?


    In the same situation, Yu-Ri could not even guess how she would possibly feel too.

 CH 89

    What made Jin Yu-Ri even angrier was that she couldn¡¯t get revenge since the target, Bomber, the Villain, was already dead. She couldn¡¯t express her resentment through any outlet, and no other methods to destress came up.


    Just as Jenny patted Yu-Ri¡¯s back lightly with a worried face and tried to comfort her...


    "Jin Yu-Ri, you''re outside, right? Come in."


    The voice of Choi Yu-Seong, who was asleep in the room, rang out. Hearing him, Jin Yu-Ri grabbed the door handle while trying to look as bright as possible.


    "Jenny." Yu-Ri then grabbed Jenny who was about to leave and pointed to the closed hospital room door with her chin. She said, "Let''s go in together and say hello to the boss."


    "...Okay," said Jenny before entering the hospital room together with Yu-Ri.


    Yu-Seong was vaguely aware of the fact that there was another person next to Jin Yu-Ri. Looking more calm than surprised, he looked at Jenny who was wearing a hood.


    Jenny looked at Yu-Seong, took off her hood, and lowered her head lightly with shining blue eyes.


    "She¡¯s Jenny," said Yu-Ri.


    At Jin Yu-Ri''s introduction, Choi Yu-Seong nodded. He had already guessed who the other woman was. He said, "Great. It¡¯s a story that would be better for you two to listen to together. It¡¯s a very important one.¡±


    "Go ahead," replied Jin Yu-Ri.


    "Jin Do-Yoon''s foot, I¡¯ve thought of a person who can regenerate it again."


    "...What?"


    "Boss?"


    Jin Yu-Ri and Jenny widened their eyes. Their reaction was so alike that one might think they were sisters.


    ¡°Then you want to let Do-Yoon retire after this?¡± said Yu-Seong.


    "Certainly not, but who could ever... "


    It was not that Jin Yu-Ri also didn''t think of a way, either. In particular, she had thought of using the psychic-type player with a strong and powerful healing ability dozens of times all night.


    However, it was impossible. If the cut was neat or clean, there might be some people who could reattach the limb, but no one could ever regenerate a body part that had completely disappeared. In conclusion, no matter how powerful the healing ability was, it was impossible to save the body parts that have disappeared without a trace.


    However, was it because Choi Yu-Seong started the story? A name passed through Jin Yu-Ri''s mind. She knew there was a person with such abilities.


    There was only one person on the planet who could do such a thing. Jenny was listening to the story next to Yu-Ri and muttered in a low voice, as if she thought of the same person. Jenny said, "...The Miraculous Alchemist."


    "Helen Mirren," said Yu-Ri.


    Choi Yu-Seong nodded slightly when he heard them.


    "No way," Jin Yu-Ri then said with a determined refusal.


    From Jin Yu-Ri''s point of view, this was about her brother. When she heard that Do-Yoon had lost his ankle and it was impossible for him to make a comeback as a hunter, she devised more ways than anyone else. Moreover, Helen Mirren, the Miraculous Alchemist, did pass through her mind at that time.


    Helen Mirren''s ability was far more powerful than the ordinary alchemist''s ability. She could do anything but save the dead. For example, she could use the dead body to create new life, even if she couldn¡¯t revive the person. Also, she could turn ordinary stones into gold.


    Since she had such a powerful skill, Helen Mirren would definitely be able to regenerate a missing ankle. However, Jin Yu-Ri had no choice but to erase the name ¡®Helen Mirren¡¯ from her head with a bitter smile.


    Helen Mirren had another nickname other than ¡®the Miraculous Alchemist¡¯. Her other nickname was ¡®Seductive Demon¡¯.


    As an S-rank hunter, Helen Mirren had a specialized skill to do great things that could only be expressed by the word ''miracle'' in the world. However, as could be seen from the nickname ¡®alchemist¡¯, the exchange was an unconditional equivalent exchange. To receive something, one would have to give another thing up.


    In a way, it was an honest exchange, but Helen Mirren always wanted a worse price than the other person wanted. It was like the deal of Mephistopheles, the devil in Goethe''s famous novel, ¡®Faust¡¯.


    Like the devil''s temptation to take away his soul instead of giving Faust his youth, Helen Mirren''s alchemy required an unimaginable price, so no one was happy with her dealings. After a short enjoyable time, the abyss of despair would surely come after that. That was the general deal with Helen Mirren.


    "Never. The deal with her will only bring the perdition."


    Therefore, Jin Yu-Ri firmly expressed her will once again by looking right at Choi Yu-Seong.


    "You know, money can''t buy her alchemy. Helen Mirren''s alchemy is to sacrifice more lives if you want life. At least one person would have to die if you want a recovery of a body. For a hunter with a strong body like my brother, we might need more than a few dozen people."


    No one here, even Do-Yoon himself, would want to regenerate his ankle by committing such a massacre.


    "Of course, there is a way,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    "If you''re going to sacrifice yourself, I disagree with that, too. I''d rather... " said Yu-Ri.


    "I know where the Sorcerer''s Stone is."


    Yu-Ri immediately couldn¡¯t continue speaking. She was so surprised that her eyes widened to the point of falling out of their sockets.


    Jenny was just watching the situation without saying anything, but she was also surprised. She then asked, "...do you, boss, have the Sorcerer''s Stone?¡±


    Choi Yu-Seong shook his head at Jenny¡¯s question. He clarified, "I said I knew where it was, I didn''t say I had it."


    Yu-Ri flinched greatly. It now seemed clear why Yu-Seong had confidently said that there was a way. It was because there was a declaration made by Helen Mirren herself in public.


    - If you know about the Sorcerer''s Stone, or if you have it, I promise you a single unconditional miracle for you. Even if you are a demon who is trying to destroy the world, I will still want the Sorcerer''s Stone.


    There was a lot of public anger and outrage after Helen Mirren¡¯s quite provocative declaration. However, it was also true that the rich and powerful hunters all over the world had gone out looking for the Sorcerer''s Stone.


    ''It was seven years ago that Helen Mirren declared the search for the Sorcerer''s Stone.''


    But until now, the Sorcerer''s Stone had not appeared. Of course, there were many people who had tried to deceive Helen Mirren with a fake Sorcerer''s Stone. In the end, all of them had been cursed by her and lived the rest of their lives like hell.


    "Are you sure about this?" asked Yu-Ri again.


    It was not because Yu-Ri didn¡¯t trust Choi Yu-Seong, but this was a deal with an S-rank hunter who was pretty much in an absolute position at this point. Helen Mirren was even known to be one of the highest-level figures among the existing S-ranks. If Yu-Seong was mistaken, something he couldn¡¯t handle may happen.


    "Yes, I''m sure."


    Even though much has changed from the original novel, it was extremely unlikely that the butterfly effect would change the position of the Sorcerer''s Stone. It was not for no reason that even all of the famous powerful, wealthy, and talented hunters, including Helen Mirren herself, the S-rank hunter, had tried to find it but couldn¡¯t find it so far.


    In addition, even if the Sorcerer''s Stone was moved to a different place from the original novel, Yu-Seong had a plan B. This was possible because Yu-Seong himself knew the exact reason why Helen Mirren was looking for the Sorcerer''s Stone.


    Nevertheless, Jin Yu-Ri continued to agonize. If Yu-Seong was the only person who knew the location of the Sorcerer''s Stone, was it right for him to use such privilege to save Do-Yoon''s ankle? Of course, she was extremely eager to do so. However, what bothered her was that there were a lot of things that Helen Mirren could get in exchange for the Sorcerer''s Stone.


    Choi Yu-Seong fully guessed Yu-Ri¡¯s concerns and said with a smile, "Jin Yu-Ri, you don''t have to worry. There''s only one thing that matters. Do-Yoon sacrificed himself to protect me and got seriously injured. And in the future, Do-Yoon will always be by my side. Isn''t a miracle supposed to be used for my precious person in the first place?"


    "I also greatly agree with the boss'' words. Yu-Ri, miracles are always used to help people,¡± said Jenny.


    After Yu-Seong and Jenny¡¯s encouragement, Yu-Ri finally shed tears with red eyes. She said, "Thank you...really¡­ Thank you so much."


    Yu-Seong scratched his cheek and made an awkward expression while looking at Yu-Ri bursting into tears. Jenny, who was next to Yu-Ri, patted her back without saying a word.


    ¡®Originally, Kim Do-Jin should have used the Sorcerer''s Stone but¡­¡¯


    Before, Choi Yu-Seong resolved not to touch the characters and objects that would play an important role for Kim Do-Jin in the original novel as much as possible, but this was an exception.


    ¡®I¡¯ll just take that one thing¡ªthe Sorcerer''s Stone, Kim Do-Jin.''


    Yu-Seong had already made a decision.


    ***


    Even though he knew the location of the Sorcerer''s Stone''s stone, that didn¡¯t mean that Yu-Seong could immediately summon Helen Mirren. She enjoyed being alone quite a bit, and loved the darkness and dungeons. Once in the dungeon, it was quite common for her not to show up on Earth for months, so Yu-Seong and Yu-Ri decided to wait patiently first. A week passed quickly after that.


    In the meantime, Choi Byung-Chan''s funeral was held with Choi Woo-Jae and other immediate family members. Other siblings also tried to participate in the ceremony, but Choi Byung-Chan''s mother and immediate family refused. Choi Yu-Seong also called Choi Woo-Jae thinking that he should still visit, however he was told to focus on the match against Bernard Yoo immediately after the situation was over.


    Anyway, after one week passed, Yu-Seong and Yu-Ri completely recovered their best form at a rapid pace like hunters and visited Do-Yoon to explain the situation.


    "...that''s what happened. If we spread rumors that we know the location of the Sorcerer''s Stone, we could meet Helen Mirren sooner. However, there will be a lot of disturbance."


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    As mentioned, Helen Mirren was not the only one aiming for the Sorcerer''s Stone. Everyone who wanted a miracle of hers was looking for the Sorcerer''s Stone. After hearing all of their explanations, Do-Yoon¡¯s reaction was not much different from that of Jin Yu-Ri.


    "I''m okay. When you really need a miracle¡­¡± said Do-Yoon.


    ¡°The moment is now," said Yu-Seong.


    "But..."


    "Jin Do-Yoon, I don''t want to listen to your objection. This is already decided, and I don''t want to go back on it."


    "...Young master."


    ¡°So don''t despair, and be prepared to return to my side whenever you''re done with treatment. You can enjoy your vacation until then. It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve come by my side..."


    For a moment, Choi Yu-Seong''s head throbbed. He thought of a memory of when he had been six years old before even entering elementary school. Right in front of him had been a dirty boy crying with his sister in his arms.

 CH 90

    A quick look at bit.ly/3iBfjkV will leave you more fulfilled.


    ¡®This is¡­?¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong came down to earth and simply blurted out, "It''s been about 15 years, so it''s really been very long since you had a vacation.¡±


    "Thank you, young master," said Jin Do-Yoon. Like Yu-Ri, he shed a tear.


    With the end of that conversation, Yu-Seong tapped Do-Yoon on the shoulder and immediately left the hospital. He headed to the dungeon, since he didn¡¯t feel like wasting any more time.


    Just like the two siblings, Choi Yu-Seong also learned a lot after Do-Yoon was injury. He was definitely getting stronger at a fast enough pace, but there were so many threatening enemies in the world. A little carelessness of his could come at a heavy price.


    There was no need to worry about the unknown future, but there was also no reason to not try hard on things that had to be done.


    ¡®There''s no time to rest. I need to grow.¡¯


    Therefore, even while lying in the hospital room, Yu-Seong constantly made efforts to become stronger. For example, he trained using his most powerful skill at the moment, the God¡¯s Chakra. God''s Chakra increased the absolute amount of his Chakra little by little every day, even when he was unconscious.


    ¡®It¡¯s increased exactly one unit a day.¡¯


    In addition, whenever the level rose by one, two units of Yu-Seong¡¯s mana increased.


    The skill seemed to increase very slowly at first glance, so Yu-Seong wondered if there was a way to use this skill more efficiently. First, he thought about the singularity of God''s Chakra skill itself.


    ¡®It¡®s called Chakra, but the way to utilize the ability itself is no different from fantasy''s mana breathing method and the martial arts'' inner core method. Then, consequently...''


    Rather than being used unconsciously, it would be possible to see a bigger effect if God¡¯s Chakra was used consciously. This was especially true after the flow was found and the respiration was directly controlled over.


    It was a strange thing to overlook and miss this fact as a game developer and genre novel reader. Yu-Seong immediately began to search about controlling the respiration, and found out that there were such training methods existing in today''s modern day.


    ¡®There were also people who did Chakra training.¡¯


    And surprisingly, there were many people who practiced the basics through breathing on both sides. Yu-Seong followed the control respiration posture, which was similar to the warriors from a martial arts novel, and focused on breathing¡ªinhalation and exhalation.


    During his breathing, Yu-Seong tried to feel the Chakra flowing inside his body. It wasn''t easy from the start. However, on the third day, Yu-Seong could feel the flow of Chakra inside his body. On the fifth day, he became aware of the mana, or spirit, that existed outside.


    Naturally, on the sixth day, a day before discharge, he acknowledged the Chakra¡¯s repetitive flowing path, was able to consciously use it, and even accelerated the flow himself.


    That alone added acceleration to the Chakra operation training, which was needed to quickly activate the skill. There was more to it too.


    ¡®The rate of the Chakra¡¯s rise increased¡­¡¯


    The amount of Chakra, which had been increasing by one, began to increase by eight a day when Yu-Seong focused on his consciousness and repeatedly did Chakra breathing for two hours every day. Indeed, it was an explosive increase.


    When he drank a gray-colored mana drink that was 10 million won per cup, he obtained about 5 Chakras. Thus, even with simple calculation, he had the effect of exceeding 10 million won just by concentrating 2 hours a day.


    Realizing this, Yu-Seong immediately began his second study.


    ¡®In terms of martial arts novels, the mana drink is a kind of medicine that improves endurance.¡¯


    If so, rather than just drinking thoughtlessly, the absorption rate could be better if he directly operated God''s Chakra after ingestion. He had already thought of this when he first got the God¡¯s Chakra and had competed with Jin Do-Yoon.


    Although by then, he didn''t know the absolute amount of mana he had and his every day increasing rate, so there was no comparison and he couldn''t find any answer. However, this time it was different.


    It was the 7th day and the last day of discharge.


    Since it was his first experiment, instead of drinking the dark gray-colored mana drink, Yu-Seong ingested the one rank lower one, the gray-colored mana drink. Then, he tried the Chakra breathing method. As a result, he cheered with joy at the overwhelming increase of nineteen.


    The slight disappointment was that the amount of mana did not increase by even one degree after he drank another cup straight away.


    ¡®So there¡¯s a limit of one per day?¡¯


    Originally, Yu-Seong was holding back to save some money, but now it literally became useless to have as much as he wanted even if he could spend as much as he wanted. It was a situation where he had no choice but to lick his lips, but in fact, the situation itself was blessed. He had the ability to buy and eat even one cup of expensive mana drink every day. That made Yu-Seong satisfied enough.


    Then, Yu-Seong began to test one more thing.


    ¡®And probably like general medicine, it would be more likely to lose its effect if it is absorbed repeatedly.¡¯


    If that happened, Yu-Seong could simply just take a higher-rank medicine, the mana drink.


    With that in mind, when he again measured after drinking the gray-colored mana drink the next day, he saw that the increase was significantly reduced from +19 to +15. So far, Choi Yu-Seong''s expectations were exactly right.


    The unusual thing happened later, when he tried the 30 million won dark gray-colored mana drink, which was one rank higher than the gray-colored mana drink, the increase of mana did not significantly change.


    "What?" Surprised, Yu-Seong fell into thought for a moment, and he could soon guess why.


    ¡®It¡¯s because the dark gray-colored drink is simply the increased concentration version of the gray-colored drink.¡¯


    In other words, it was only sold under another label on the market. In actual fact, the drink was no different from the gray one.


    In fact, the term ¡®dark gray-colored¡¯ was not the existing rank of the mana stone in the first place. After Yu-Seong figured out the reason, he immediately started to drink the red mana drink the next day, since it was higher than the gray-colored one. Although it was only one rank higher, the red-colored mana drinks had a market price of 100 million won. Compared to the 10 million won gray-colored mana drink, it was ten times more expensive, and more than three times more expensive than the 30 million won dark gray-colored mana drink.


    At this point, it was a huge luxury that could never be done without the background of a conglomerate. However, Yu-Seong didn''t think of it as a waste of money, since it was for his survival and to not easily lose the precious ones around him. In fact, Yu-Seong''s amount of Chakra had increased significantly compared to before the hospitalization.


    Chakra: 745 ¡ú 803


    ¡®It''s a little over 800.¡¯


    Currently, Yu-Seong¡¯s priority target was the Chakra''s absolute quantity of 1,000.


    ''The most mana consuming skill I have now is the Dancing Electric Doll.¡¯


    As a result of the experiment, the Dancing Electric Doll consumed about 200 mana per use. Therefore, Yu-Seong could only use up to three Dancing Electric Dolls. He could invoke it the fourth time, but the remaining Chakra, commonly called mana, would become zero.


    Even if the fourth Dancing Electric Doll was activated using exactly 800 mana points, it would be meaningless if there was not enough left to continue the next battle. Thus, the first goal was to increase Yu-Seong¡¯s Chakra points to 1000.


    For reference, while searching for his growth, Choi Yu-Seong found an interesting overseas website where an individual posted a comparative analysis of the virtual battle results, mana points, properties, and the rankings of world famous powerful hunters or rookies for fun.


    The homepage listed data on top rankers or equivalents, such as China''s Lin Xiao Nuo¡ªthe Flame Emperor, Sweden''s Timewalker Christian, and Korea''s Swordmaster Chuck Jun-Hui, as well as names of Kim Do-Jin and Bernard Yoo being classified as super rookies. Surprisingly, Yu-Seong¡¯s name was also in the list with the word ¡®New¡¯, although it was below the others.


    ¡®I assume that the name was added after clearing the Goblin Fortress Dungeon¡­¡¯


    The most surprising thing was that this website¡¯s owner wrote down Yu-Seong''s estimated magic at the time quite accurately.


    ¡®710...¡¯


    At that time, Yu-Seong did not know exactly how much his mana was because he did not have the skill of God''s Chakra at that time. However, estimating it now, it would be about in the low 700s. Though this was only known because he could physically check his system interface window. The website¡¯s owner guessed Choi Yu-Seong''s mana possession quite accurately even without such information.


    It could be just a coincidence. Still, Yu-Seong couldn''t help but be interested to move forward. Naturally, he looked at the top rankers¡¯ D-rank records written by the website¡¯s owner. There were two hunters who stood out exceptionally in terms of the amount of mana they had: it was the Flame Emperor and the Timewalker.


    ¡®Both of them are psychic-type players.¡¯


    According to the website¡¯s owner, the amount of mana the two had before the 50th level of the D-rank was about 1,600 to 1,800. They were huge numbers, as expected for the top rankers. Even so, the two were actually overwhelming. For the other top rankers, there were few people with more than 1,000 mana in the low-level section of the D-rank.


    If Choi Yu-Seong, who was an all-rounder type player who had more than 1000 mana points, he might be more overwhelmed among the same ranked players when compared by overall integration capabilities. In fact, in the case of Lin Xiao Nuo, the Flame Emperor, the mana level itself was quite high, but in other physical ability levels, it was extremely low.


    ¡®So, his standard score of the D-rank given by the website¡¯s owner is 8.3 points out of 10.¡¯


    For reference, Choi Yu-Seong''s score at the time of Goblin Fortress Dungeon was tied at 8.3. He was ranked 7th in terms of the current D-rank hunters.


    ¡®And for Kim Do-Jin¡­ His record when he was D-rank is 8.9 points, ranking first place. And he¡¯s currently third place in the C-rank rankings with 9.2 points. Is this for real?¡¯


    Kim Do-Jin¡¯s score was overwhelmingly higher than Yu-Seong¡¯s even without revealing his magic skills to the public. If the website¡¯s owner was correct, Kim Do-Jin¡¯s power could also be regarded as a great outstanding ability of the main character.


    ¡®Bernard Yoo scored 8.8 points. Is he second place among the active D-rank players?¡¯


    Of course, Yu-Seong didn''t forget to check the evaluation of the person who he had to compete in the dungeon racing game after a while. It was exactly the same evaluation score as Kim Do-Jin of D-rank.


    Currently, Bernard Yoo¡¯s score was 0.5 points higher than Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s. Obviously, this score was not absolute. The website¡¯s owner, who recorded it for personal fun in the first place, also said that the results could vary significantly depending on the situation and environment, and that it could change sufficiently depending on the time and rank.


    ¡®First of all, if my Chakra exceeds 1000, it would change significantly.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong''s potential would become much higher just by using the powerful attack skill, the Dancing Electric Doll, once more.


    For ordinary hunters, the process of achieving 1000 mana points would be quite rough. However, it was a quite reachable goal for Choi Yu-Seong, who could drink the red-colored mana drinks from tomorrow and even perform the Chakra breathing methods.


    On the day of his discharge, Choi Yu-Seong went to the dungeon and contacted the two reporters who could drive the magic tech drones, Park Jin-Hwan and Kim Jin-Young, and asked them to sign a three-month-long contract with him.


    The work of those reporters would not be much different compared to when they worked in the media. However, from now on, whenever Choi Yu-Seong went to the dungeon in the future, they had ro film accordingly. Since then, it had been the job of the two to post the filming to each media company, portal sites, and NewTube.

 CH 91

    Yu-Seong proposed a short-term contract first, which could then be upgraded to a long-term contract depending on the reporters'' performance. He thought they would be a bit reluctant, but they seemed delighted as they rushed back with a response the very next day.


    That wasn¡¯t all. The media company that the reporters belonged to gladly let them work with Yu-Seong and keep their employment contracts. There was also a rumor that both the editor and CEO were excited when they heard Choi Yu-Seong''s name. The company¡¯s condition was to post the video taken by the two reporters to their media outlets first.


    Yu-Seong wanted the same outcome, so there was no problem whatsoever. And just like that, he was able to sign a short-term contract with the two reporters quite easily. In addition, he reactivated his social media Outstagram account, which he had been keeping private, because he was dismayed by how quickly time was passing him by.


    He had already decided to become an attention seeker anyway, and was planning to build his reputation by sharing his useless private life onto social media just like a celebrity would. The goal was more than just to expose himself to the public and reduce the threat.


    ¡®It¡¯s for the full growth of Star Factor skill.¡¯


    As a result, Yu-Seong planned to increase the efficiency of increasing experience points and opening up additional capabilities that were still sealed. After all, the basis of the hunter was high rank and high level. It was no different from the games that Yu-Seong had once worked hard to develop. No matter how powerful the skills he had and how useful they were during battles, no gap in ranks and levels could be easily bridged by them. This was especially true when the rank itself was overwhelmingly different.


    Eventually, he would have to raise the level. In that sense, the Star Factor skill that benefited the rate of level increase through increasing experience points was the best treasure.


    For this reason, Yu-Seong began to share his daily life on social media, such as taking pictures while dressed up with people commonly called influencers or celebrities.


    A week soon passed. Yu-Seong drank red mana drinks every day, went to the dungeon, drank Hunting experience boost potions, and focused on level growth. He also exposed his pictures and videos throughout the media. The result was quite good.


    ¡ºName: Choi Yu-Seong


    Age: 21


    Type: All-Rounder


    Rank: D


    Level: 7 ¡ú 22


    Retention History: 1


    Chakra: 803 ¡ú 1,023¡»


    Just looking at the necessary parts, Yu-Seong could confirm his rapid growth.


    ¡®I passed 1,000 Chakra points.¡¯


    The tremendous increase of level in just one week was certainly helpful, but the biggest improvement was because of the Chakra breathing through the mana drink.


    ¡®It felt great when I first drank the red mana drink and gained 50 points.¡¯


    Yu-Seong''s prediction was just right. When he changed the color itself, he noticed a big increase compared to the dark gray drink. Of course, the cost-effectiveness began to decrease exponentially, and the next day, the increased points were 40, then 35, and so on. However, it stopped falling from the moment it hit exactly 15 increased points.


    ¡®As I expected, I got the best result when I drank it the first time.¡¯


    The eventual effect was quite disappointing for 100 million won, but Yu-Seong had already ordered the higher-rank orange and yellow mana drinks already. If possible, it would be best for him to drink at least the first glass of mana drinks in all colors.


    However, unlike gray and red mana drinks, it was not easy and could take some time to obtain the two higher rank mana drinks. However, the search would not be too long and they would be found after waiting a little while. In addition, Choi Yu-Seong was planning to continue drinking red mana drinks that kept the minimum mana increase of 15.


    ¡®Actually, the minimum increase of points for the gray mana drinks eventually dropped to 10. If I consider the price and efficiency, I know it''s right to choose a gray drink instead, but¡­¡¯


    In fact, the accumulation of losing five points each time would make a considerable difference.


    Yu-Seong might face a slight lack of money later on, but since he was a conglomerate¡¯s son, he could easily find many ways to obtain money. So, he chose the definite way to grow faster rather than to spend less money.


    Though, it seemed that these efforts of his were certainly meaningful. On the overseas personal website ¡®Ranker¡¯ ¡ªwhich he had recently discovered¡ªChoi Yu-Seong''s ability stats had changed.


    ¡®Chakra... I mean, mana, since this homepage is all written in terms of mana¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong¡¯s absolute amount of mana had been updated to 980 yesterday.


    ¡®Yesterday, my Chakra was already barely over 1,000. It''s not exactly right, but it''s pretty accurate. It¡¯s likely that the website¡¯s owner has the skill to know the abilities of the player?¡¯


    If one had a similar ability to Kim Do-Jin''s insight, it was possible. However, there seemed to be a limit to what could be known.


    ''There is an evaluation of publicly known skills, but there is no information about skills that are not directly revealed by the player.¡¯


    For example, Choi Yu-Seong''s mana was actually Chakra. The basic effect of Chakra was similar to mana, but additional abilities existed separately, such as strengthening the body directly. In addition, there may be hidden abilities that Yu-Seong himself did not know yet.


    However, there was no such record on the website. The fact that Yu-Seong''s Chakra was marked as mana like other hunters in the first place would mean that not everything could be perfectly known.


    ¡®Still, that important part is that it''s quite reliable.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t perfectly trustworthy, but quite reliable information about the hunters was given. In fact, there were quite a few similar websites around the world. However, it was rare that the accuracy was as high as this website.


    Suddenly, Yu-Seong was curious about the face and name of the website¡¯s owner. But unfortunately, the owner did not write down any personal information.


    ¡®Yeah, it would be a problem if a ranker who¡¯s not satisfied with his score comes after him.¡¯


    That would be unsurprising, of course. Choi Yu-Seong shrugged his shoulders and switched the screen to check his score and ranking, which would clearly have rebounded.


    A week before the day of discharge, Yu-Seong''s evaluation was ranked 7th with 8.3 points in the D-rank. Since his mana points were noticeably higher compared to by the time after his dungeon video was released, he expected the ranking to rise by at least one or as many as three. However, he tilted his head after looking at the D-rank ranking table.


    Support us at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯


    Among the names listed from top to bottom, from first place to the last, Yu-Seong¡¯s rank was still seventh. That was right after the sixth-place Indian hunter, Ram Mukherji. At first, he was shocked for a while, but he did find a change after looking at it closely.


    ''The ranking and rating records are all underlined.¡¯


    In addition, there was a saying ¡®Measurement hold¡¯ in small letters next to Choi Yu-Seong''s name.


    ¡®Does that mean there''s not enough data about me? Or is it difficult for the website¡¯s owner to judge?¡¯


    Whatever it was, it was a bit disappointing for Yu-Seong, since he was curious about the immediate record.


    ¡®Well... This wouldn¡¯t change anything.¡¯


    Although it was true that he was interested in it, Yu-Seong was more excited than disappointed by this situation.


    ¡®The results might be better after the measurement hold is over.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong was rapidly becoming stronger than other rankers with the help of various environments, situations, and skills. Perhaps the owner of the website noticed the fact and put his stats on hold.


    After a short bitterness, he closed the website ¡®Ranker¡¯ and moved on to his next goal¨Cchecking NewTube.


    The journalists, Park Jin-Hwan and Kim Jin-Young, who had great writing skills themselves, even hired a professional video editor and reached 700,000 subscribers in a week. The two reporters said it was regrettable that they failed to reach their goal of 1 million, but it was satisfactory enough for Choi Yu-Seong. They did something that could take years for someone in just a week. Moreover, the length of the video was not short and the number of views was quite high, so the advertising revenue would be immediately paid.


    Choi Yu-Seong had a lot of money already, but he thought it would be good to have more. For him, hunting was something he had to do anyway so making income from that was like killing two birds with one stone.


    "All right, all right."


    Was it because he never lived a busy week doing various things like this? Yu-Seong was quite tired but was satisfied with the results. He then finally checked his social media Outstagram account.


    ¡®10,000 followers so far.¡¯


    The word ¡®follower¡¯ was interpreted as supporter or believer. In other words, it meant that the number of supporters of Choi Yu-Seong on Outstagram, a social media platform, had already surpassed 10,000.


    Compared to NewTube, it seemed like a fairly slow speed. However, fundamentally, Outstagram was a space where people gather to see the character named Choi Yu-Seong, not just a specific content.


    In addition, since it was not possible for him to promote his account much, it was inevitable that the speed of increase of followers was relatively slow as one would have to find the account manually.


    ¡®Even so, it¡¯s still a bit disappointing considering there are over 1,000 comments in the NewTube video, but¡­¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong briefly checked his followers'' numbers and tilted his head.


    ¡®What?¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t just ten thousand. Yu-Seong was momentarily confused because it was written in a mysterious way¡ª¡®100k¡¯¡ªbut when he checked it closely, it was exactly 10 times more than he first thought. It was 100,000.


    "...Wow."


    In addition, the number of followers still increased in real-time. Even though, there were only five photos of himself posted on his Outstagram, so-called Outstar.


    ¡®Wait, isn''t this growth considered super fast?¡¯


    All over the world, it was quite common for superstars, or celebrities, to be hunters. The job of ¡®celebrity hunter¡¯ became common since it was a good progression for attention seekers who were originally either a hunter or a celebrity.


    Of course, there were quite a few such figures in Korea as well. So far, the most influential figure on social media was Kim Hyuk-Joon, an A-rank hunter. He had 98,000 followers more than a week after he started Outstar. As a result, it became a huge headline with various entertainment media making a fuss and reporting.


    "I have 2,000 more followers than him¡­ And Kim Do-Jin... He doesn''t use social media. That''s a surprise."


    It was somewhat childish, but Yu-Seong felt good after comparing his follower count with Hyuk-Joon¡¯s. Then, he looked up Kim Do-Jin''s name and scratched his cheek. Needless to say, he thought Kim Do-Jin was also a person who enjoyed public attention and so would have social media.

 CH 92

    ¡®Then again, the original novel doesn¡¯t mention anything about social media.¡¯


    Thinking about the story¡¯s basic setting, it made more sense that Kim Do-Jin did not have a social media account. Yu-Seong was just wondering since there were so many plot holes in the novel so far.


    Anyway, the biggest advantage of revealing himself to various media was something else entirely.


    ¡®My Star Factor skill has¡­¡¯


    ¡ºSpecial Skill: Star Factor D


    The more people pay attention to the holder, the faster his growth level accelerates. Additional ability unlocked once the level of attention exceeds a certain number (86/100) ¡ú (93/100).


    D-rank perks ¨C Increases focus of attention when exposed to audiovisual media such as cameras.


    Current acceleration rate +90% ¡ú +100%¡»


    In a short period of time, Yu-Seong had grown up magnificently. He could now grow at a level about three times faster than others when the hunting experience boost potion was used. Upon that discovery, he felt his NewTube and social media activities were clearly meaningful.


    ¡®Unlocking the additional ability is just around the corner.¡¯


    By then, Yu-Seong''s cell phone rang from receiving a text message. It came from Park Jin-Hwan.


    -Are you watching TV? If you''re home, turn on KBC channel 2.


    "What?"


    Before Choi Yu-Seong tilted his head and could reply back with incoherent words, questioning the message contents, Jin Yu-Ri appeared in front of the door and said somewhat excitedly, "Yu-Seong oppa, are you busy right now?"


    "Huh?"


    "If you''re not busy, come out to the living room and watch TV."


    Yu-Seong erased the reply he was writing to Park Jin-Hwan and stood up.


    ¡®It¡¯ll be faster to just check it out in person.¡¯


    Yu-Seong shrugged his shoulders lightly, left the room, and headed to the living room.


    ***


    ¡°The Hunter''s Night,¡± KBS channel 2''s TV program, was a popular late-night show with an average viewer rating of around 5%. As the program name suggested, the main content was hunter-related. The program was about various contents, such as inviting and interviewing hunters in-person or investigating the hunters¡¯ illegal behavior and corruption.


    Sometimes, the content covered lighthearted things, but there were quite provocative parts as well. The two hosts who basically led the program were quite blunt speakers, so it was a bit contentious in the public. However, as seen from the high audience rating, the program had a big fan base.


    There were two main characters of ¡°The Hunter''s Night¡± today. The first one was Kim Hyuk-Joon, who was a popular entertainer, an A-rank hunter, and an influencer on social media. The second character was Choi Yu-Seong, a rookie who had been rising at a frightening pace recently.


    In the beginning, it started with an interview with Kim Hyuk-Joon, who came out as a guest. There were conversations about the future direction of his activities, records and somewhat personal questions.


    "...A while ago, there was a rumor that you were dating a celebrity from a girl band. Do you have anything to say about this?¡± asked the interviewer.


    ¡°We are just close friends, but word got around after our picture was taken when we went out to eat together once. I gave an explanation as an official announcement before, but that was really just a rumor. If it was real, I would rather show off about it. Haha,¡± said Hyuk-Joon.


    "Oh, does that mean you do have feelings for her?¡±


    "To tell the truth, there are no feelings at all. It''s too much for me to think about having a relationship right now since I''m busy working as both a celebrity and hunter.¡±


    The two hosts, Kim Dong-Sook and Han Jin-Hyo, often asked difficult personal questions that were not written in the script beforehand. However, Kim Hyuk-Joon, who had been a celebrity for 8 years, skillfully responded to those questions.


    ¡°Then now, let''s move on to the second main character. It''s one of the most popular keywords in the Korean hunter society these days, right?¡±


    "Furthermore, he may become world-famous soon. We''re going to talk about Choi Yu-Seong. What do you think of him, Hyuk-Joon? As you know, you both are very handsome. Don''t you feel competitive?" asked Kim Dong-Sook.


    Kim Hyuk-Joon shrugged his shoulders and answered, "To be honest, I can''t compete with Choi Yu-Seong in terms of looks. In fact, aren''t they the top two handsome guys in the domestic hunter industry? I mean Kim Do-Jin and Choi Yu-Seong. It''s just a matter of taste."


    "A lot of people say you guys are the top three. You¡¯re being too humble."


    "Wow, I am honored to hear that.¡±


    "It could be an honor for Choi Yu-Seong, too. Now, before the next conversation, let''s watch a video.¡±


    Amid a natural flow, the show revealed the hunting videos that Choi Yu-Seong had posted on NewTube recently. The three people silently watched Choi Yu-Seong, who ran around the dungeon wearing a battle suit holding a spear, fight. The video ended, and Kim Dong-Sook gave a comment first, "How fancy."


    ¡°He is wearing outstanding equipment, like he is showing off his status as a conglomerate¡¯s son. What do you think, Hyuk-Joon?¡± asked Han Jin-Hyo.


    Kim Hyuk-Joon, who was watching the hunting video with rather sharp eyes, smiled awkwardly. He looked surprised at that question. "Oh, I''m sorry. It''s my first time watching a video¡­and I was really surprised."


    "If you don''t mind, can I ask you to explain why you¡¯re surprised?¡±


    "That dungeon, isn''t it the Bat Cave? I used to go there a lot when I was a D-rank hunter.¡±


    "Yes, yes. Actually, his hunting speed is pretty fast," said Kim Dong-Sook.


    Kim Hyuk-Joon looked somewhat upset at Dong-Sook¡¯s words and pointed out, "Do people usually describe that as ¡®pretty fast¡¯? I''d have to say ¡®incredibly fast¡¯. Can I see another video?¡±


    At Kim Hyuk-Joon''s request, several other videos were played. After the videos ended, it was Dong-Sook again to speak up first. He said, "Wow, I have nothing to say. I also thought I watched tons of dungeon hunting videos while being a host of this show ¡°The Hunter''s Night,¡± but this just catches my eye."


    He shrugged his shoulders and looked at Han Jin-Hyo. "I actually didn''t get it after the first video, but now I get what Kim Hyuk-Joon said. His battle is like a movie. How could he hunt like that?¡±


    "I half agree with you, Jin-Hyo. But my thoughts are a little different. If it''s simply flashy and ineffective, it¡¯ll really be just like a movie. But if you see that move where he pushes the wall to catch the red bat¡­ That''s a perfectly calculated move. Look at that, can you see that one move leading him into the best position to fight? Let¡¯s see it once again¡­ I don''t think I''ll get sick of watching it over again ten times.¡±


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    Kim Hyuk-Joon raised his voice while pointing at one part of the video. "Wow... Isn''t that like an art? Oh, my goodness. Can I ask him to film a movie with me? Haha...."


    The two hosts laughed and nodded at Kim Hyuk-Joon¡¯s words. In fact, such a similar pattern of conversation continued afterward.


    Kim Hyuk-Joon personally asked for the video several times, expressed admiration, and sometimes evaluated Choi Yu-Seong''s battle from the A-rank hunter¡¯s point of view. He said, ¡°He is also good at effectively using his physical strength. He uses it at the exact time when it¡¯s necessary. When there is no need, he smoothly dodges with relaxed motions. Besides, how many leveling effects were there in this video? It seemed to be at a rather fast pace¡­ There''s a possibility that he has some special skill related to the experience points."


    It was a fact that even ordinary people, not only players, knew that the silver airflow was wrapped around the player from head to toe when leveling up took place. However, it was not easy to notice that the level-up speed was faster than the general standard. Moreover, the video was edited and cut throughout, so it would be even more difficult to recognize.


    Even Kim Dong-Sook and Han Jin-Hyo, who watched a bunch of hunter videos as hosts of the show "The Hunter''s Night," also didn¡¯t realize such a fact. However, Kim Hyuk-Joon correctly pointed it out.


    "That''s true. It does seem to occur quite often."


    "Wow, I guess A-rank hunters have different insights.¡±


    Kim Hyuk-Joon laughed at the two hosts¡¯ compliments and continued explaining Choi Yu-Seong''s skills and utility. Of course, it was all positive. Amid such admiration, Han Jin-Hyo asked a pretty sharp question, "What do you think of him compared to Kim Do-Jin?¡±


    "Uh..."


    For the first time, Kim Hyuk-Joon became speechless.


    "Come to think of it, there was a news article a while ago about you saying that the best rookie of this era is Kim Do-Jin. Have you changed your mind at all?¡±


    When Kim Dong-Sook quickly added an additional question, Kim Hyuk-Joon scratched his cheek with an awkward look. He said, ¡°I think they have different charming points, just like their appearance.¡±


    "Oh, wait a minute. Does that mean that you think the two of them have similar abilities?"


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not say. But I think Choi Yu-Seong is the best among the active D-rank hunters currently."


    "Oh, what a clever answer." Han Jin-Hyo smacked her lips as if she was disappointed.


    "In fact, I think Kim Do-Jin is a little more superior. I can say that his battle is neater. When I saw him clearing the sixth rank dungeon a while ago, wow¡­ I was proud that such a person is Korean," Kim Hyuk-Joon said.


    ¡°We''ll have to wait and see since Choi Yu-Seong is still growing. Anyway, he¡¯s a super rookie who will lead Korea in the future, right?" said Dong-Sook.


    At the two hosts¡¯ natural comment, Hyuk-Joon who was deep in thought suddenly applauded. He commented, "If the two grow above the A-rank and work together, it would be really incredible."


    It was an unexpected point of view for the two hosts, since they only thought of the hunters as rivals. They widened their eyes in surprise.


    ¡°That''s... Maybe Korea''s first attack team in the world''s top 10?¡±


    ¡°Maybe they could become the first attack squad globally ranking in the top 10 for the first time in Korea?¡±


    Guilds and attack parties were slightly different.


    If the guild focused on developing the size of the business through a dungeon attack because it had a rather private and strong purpose for operating profit, the attack parties did more work that was public and challenging.


    The attack parties were groups who tried to restore people¡¯s territory after the dungeon breaks appeared, and made it a hellish land where humans could not live. Of course, the guild could make such an attack team. And so far, the most accomplished attack team in Korea was very clear.


    "The best record in Korea so far is the attack team where Chuck Jun-Hui, Korea''s Swordmaster, is the leader, right? The team is ranked 12th in the world.¡±


    ¡°They were the ones who vanquished the 9th ranked dungeon ¡®The Frozen Land¡¯ in Ulleungdo Island.¡±


    At that time, the five members of Taegeuk attack team, including Chuck Jun-Hui, Korea''s Swordmaster, were the top ten guilds¡¯ presidents. However, just now, the pair of Choi Yu-Seong and Kim Do-Jin was evaluated a little higher than them.


    All three secretly thought the same thing, but they didn''t say it out loud.


    "Anyway, I want to get closer to Choi Yu-Seong. With that momentum, I think he''ll be more famous than me sooner or later," said Hyuk-Joon.


    "That is something you''ve never said to Kim Do-Jin."


    "To be honest, strangely, I¡¯m a little scared of Do-Jin. Haha."


    After Hyuk-Joon¡¯s joke, a short chat continued for a while. Then, the show ¡®The Hunter''s Night¡¯ ended with the two hosts¡¯ closing remarks. They said that they were looking forward to the growth of Kim Hyuk-Joon and Choi Yu-Seong.

 CH 93

    "I''ve seen you appear on TV a few times. You know, when you held onto a vodka bottle and were taken out of the club in the morning, and when you suddenly ran up on top of someone else''s car with a bat, and..." said Yu-Ri.


    "Stop," said Choi Yu-Seong while watching the TV program with a rather strange expression. He cut Jin Yu-Ri off and tried to cool down his red face by shaking his hand, fanning himself.


    "I''m not trying to make fun of you. I''ve always heard such bad news, but it feels so new to hear about your good stories too. I should buy a VOD (video on demand) and show it to my brother. I''m sure he¡¯ll love it,¡± Yu-Ri said.


    "I know what you mean, but... Wow, this is...¡± Even though he fanned himself rigorously, Yu-Seong¡¯s red face did not cool down.


    ¡®This just raises my reputation by too much.¡¯


    It was embarrassing to hear them commenting on his intelligent, calculated movement, excellent combat sense, and the evaluation saying that he would lead South Korea in the future. Most of all, he was compared to the Taegeuk attack team made by the Sword Master Chuck Jun-Hui. They even implicitly evaluated the pairing of him, Yu-Seong, and Kim Do-Jin above that attack team.


    ¡®I have not a single thought of pairing up with Kim Do-Jin, but¡­¡¯


    Anyway, it felt strange to hear such a story.


    "No way, are you embarrassed?"


    "Uh..."


    "Why¡¯re you embarrassed all of a sudden? You''ve been hearing a lot of compliments in newspaper articles and social media comments, right?¡± Jin Yu-Ri asked.


    "That''s just in writing. It''s my first time hearing people actually talk about me like that on TV,¡± Yu-Seong said.


    ¡°Ah¡­?"


    "Oh, I''m really embarrassed. It''s no joke,¡± said Yu-Seong. His face was completely heated. He buried his face into the cushion that was beside the couch in the living room. At this moment, he really couldn¡¯t raise his head.


    "You''re especially cute today."


    "Hush, Yu-Ri,¡± Yu-Seong said.


    Then, there was the sound of cell phone vibrations ringing in quick succession. It sounded somewhat unusual and was similar to the sound when Yu-Seong was receiving a call.


    Choi Yu-Seong, still red-faced, scoured his pocket, lifted his cell phone, and looked at the screen. It wasn''t a phone call. When he looked at the top of the screen, he could see countless notifications.


    ¡®What is this?¡¯


    Frustrated, Yu-Seong unlocked his cell phone. The first thing he saw was Choi Woo-Jae''s message in the Coconut Talk.


    - You''re doing great. I''ll send you some more pocket money. I also have set a schedule with Chairman Yoo. Be fully prepared.


    Choi Yu-Seong couldn''t hide his smile even though his face was still red. He immediately sent a reply saying, ¡®Thank you so much.¡¯ The problem was that the notifications were still continuing.


    ¡®What the heck?¡¯


    - djas2356 started following you.


    - Shin-999 started following you.


    - lexkim started following you.


    - ...started following you.


    - ...started following you.


    Perhaps it was because of the TV show, but his phone was suddenly going crazy with notifications of new followers on his social media.


    ¡®But the show just ended¡­¡¯


    A quick look at tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w will leave you more fulfilled.


    Actually, it was not difficult to figure out why there were suddenly so many followers. This was because a person with a profile picture of a fairly familiar face sent Yu-Seong a direct message on social media.


    ¡®Kim Hyuk-Joon?¡¯


    It was Korea¡¯s top celebrity hunter.


    - Did you watch the show? I posted a link with your ID after I figured out that you are active on social media. I''ll delete it right away if you are uncomfortable with it, so please send me a direct message. I''m rooting for you.


    Kim Hyuk-Joon had sent quite a cautious message to Choi Yu-Seong. It seemed like he was trying to be careful since Yu-Seong was a member of a conglomerate family. That was the reason that Yu-Seong had a flood of new followers.


    ¡®The Star Factor skill had¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong''s system interface window suddenly popped up in front of him with the word ¡®*New¡¯ flashing in gold next to the Star Star skill. He easily guessed what that meant.


    ¡®The additional ability is unlocked!¡¯


    Did Kim Hyuk-Joon say that he would delete the link to the account he posted on Outstar if Choi Yu-Seong was uncomfortable?


    ¡®There¡¯s no way!¡¯


    Kim Hyuk-Joon, who was the best celebrity hunter in Korea, had 18 million followers on social media.


    ¡°I cannot thank you enough,¡± Yu-Seong shouted out loud. He quickly sent a reply to Kim Hyuk-Joon and immediately checked the flashing additional information of the Star Factor skill. He yelled, "Wow, this is awesome¡­!"


    It was an admiration from the heart. Yu-Seong was extremely happy that he forgot how embarrassed he was by the compliments he got from the show ¡®The Hunter''s Night¡¯.


    ***


    The Guild Eclipse''s small office was no longer empty. There were a lot of office supplies and partitions, and a lot of employees hired to work. When Kim Do-Jin came to work late morning in a rather comfortable outfit, the employees with surprised and envious looks stood up and greeted him.


    "Hello," said one of the employees.


    "You are late," said another employee.


    "Don''t worry about it and do your job," said Do-Jin. He waved, then entered the president''s office.


    It was the first time Do-Jin came to work in the morning since he lived mostly in the dungeon. It was not surprising that he received such attention from the employees, which he found somewhat uncomfortable.


    Do-Jin did not actually pay too much attention to the employees. He was mostly preoccupied with his annoyance of going to work this afternoon for an interview.


    ¡®I need to recover my strength as soon as possible and get revenge¡­¡¯


    Do-Jin once again recalled the name ¡®Choi Woo-Jae¡¯ that remained deep in his mind. Then, he checked his system interface window.


    ¡®C-rank, level 60.¡¯


    Others who saw it would think this was a surprising increase of the level, but Do-Jin wasn¡¯t satisfied by the result.


    ¡®I haven''t regained even half of the power that I had when I was in the Aliod continent yet.¡¯


    Maybe that was the reason why Choi Yu-Seong''s name had greatly piqued Do-Jin¡¯s interest these days. At first, Yu-Seong was a person to use and throw away. Then, at some point, he became a person that Do-Jin wanted to have on his side. Now, he felt a little different.


    ¡®It''s... It''s not a pleasant feeling, but¡­¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t something unpleasant. These days, even when Do-Jin thought of the name ¡°Choi Yu-Seong¡±, he was overwhelmed with the desire to go to the dungeon and become even stronger. This was just like how he thought of Choi Woo-Jae as motivation to train. The problem was that Kim Do-Jin did not know exactly what this feeling was.


    ''I thought I''d mastered a lot of emotions over 50 years, but I really can''t figure it out.¡¯


    It was an ¡®unknown¡¯ feeling. The word ¡®unknown¡¯ was one that Do-Jin hadn''t experienced in a long time, and this made him feel a bit uncomfortable.


    ¡®It''s a feeling that I don''t need.¡¯


    Kim Do-Jin lightly shook off that thought and reached out to a few resumes that were on the desk. He checked the faces of the people that he was supposed to interview today. When someone knocked on the closed door of the president''s office, he said with a frown, "Come in."


    A male employee in his 20s carefully opened the door. With a somewhat red face, the employee rambled some words. "Well, I mean, boss, we''ve got a visitor just now¡­¡±


    "Speak directly."


    "...The visitor wants to see how strong you are, boss.¡±


    In the male employee¡¯s following summary, Kim Do-Jin smiled and stood up from his seat without hesitation. He commented, ¡°Nice to hear it concisely.¡±


    A perfect guest had come when Do-Jin was already annoyed by the strange unpleasant feeling.


    ***


    Kim Do-Jin and Baek Ah-Rin, the current two super rookies who represented each gender in Korea, had set up a guild. It was a plausible story. However, there were quite a few people who didn¡¯t view it in a good way. For example, the top ten guild¡¯s executives who worked hard to recruit the two, or the figures of the conglomerates, were some of the unhappy ones. Therefore, it was expected that there would be a person to come and pick a fight with them at least once. Though, even if they did, Do-Jin thought that they wouldn''t cross certain lines.


    ¡®Since it¡¯s hard to hear good things if a person who is an S-rank or higher comes and picks a fight at the guild where the president is only a C-rank hunter.¡¯


    In other words, they wouldn¡¯t be able to directly take action in a situation like that. They might somehow hurt Do-Jin, but they would quickly turn into a laughing stock for the public. After all, they could be seen as bullying the weak.


    Therefore, Do-Jin thought those big shots would only send a couple of B-rank hunters to simply threaten him.


    "But..." said the employee.


    Kim Do-Jin''s eyebrows wiggled heavily when he saw a group of funny-looking people blocking the office¡¯s entrance as soon as he left the president''s office.


    ¡°I''m Cha Sun-Wook," said the man who looked like the head of the party.


    ¡®Cha Sun-Wook¡­¡¯


    Kim Do-Jin tried to recall the name several times in his head but smiled subtly. "Never heard of you.¡±


    "Well, I¡¯m not as famous as you or the vice president here. I may not look like much, but I¡¯m¨E"


    "You would be about A-rank.¡±


    Cha Sun-Wook¡¯s words were cut off since his skills were revealed at once. He scratched his cheek and muttered, "How did you know that? Is it a skill?"


    "I don''t think there''s any reason for me to answer," said Do-Jin.


    Cha Sun-Wook smirked at Kim Do-Jin''s words, shrugged, and nodded. Do-Jin felt that the vibe of the conversation was strangely different from what he first thought. He tilted his head and pointed out, "You don¡¯t seem to have come here to pick a fight.¡±


    "Half right, half wrong. Didn''t your staff tell you?" Cha Sun-Wook looked at the young employee who was partially hiding right behind Kim Do-Jin.


    "I''ve heard that you wanted to see how strong I am," said Do-Jin.


    "That''s right. Your company is planning to set up a team of hunters these days, right?¡±


    Cha Sun-Wook wasn¡¯t completely wrong, since the interview that Kim Do-Jin had to do when he came to work today was to find a hunter team member to go to the dungeon with. If it wasn¡¯t about that, he wouldn¡¯t even have come to work in the first place.


    In fact, the team was not necessary for Kim Do-Jin, who was targeting the sixth-rank dungeon so far. However, it would be a little different from the 7th rank dungeon, since it was said the difficulty increased in an instant. It was as if the difficulty went over a wall.


    ¡®If I regain a little more strength and do my best, I¡¯ll still be able to clear it, but it would be a little easier with a strong enough team member.¡¯


    Kim Do-Jin clearly had a strong maverick character, but that didn''t mean that he completely ignored the positives of having colleagues. He was so sure that it would have taken more than 10 years if he were alone, toppling the demon king on the Aliod continent.


    In conclusion, in Kim Do-Jin''s opinion, it was not a bad thing to keep a supporter by his side as long as the supporter was capable of chasing him.


    "So what?" asked Do-Jin.


    "I''ll be straightforward. My friends and I all want to join the Eclipse Guild."


    At Cha Sun-Wook''s words, Kim Do-Jin looked closely at the people behind Sun-Wook. They came in groups like some kind of bullies, but their vibes were not normal.


    ¡®All of them are at least B-rank.''


    There were a few more A-rank hunters mixed in, excluding Cha Sun-Wook. No matter the fact that the super rookie made the guild, they were not people to enter these newly-formed small companies. There must be a story.

 CH 94

    "If you want to join the guild, submit your resume and have an interview. It¡¯s for an immediate opening, anyway," said Kim Do-Jin coldly after considering various things for a moment.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the ability what matters for a hunter¡¯s resume?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want people who only have ability and have a bad personality," said Do-Jin.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite different from what I saw on TV. Doesn¡¯t that expectation apply to you too, president?¡±


    ¡°It means that one person with a bad personality is enough in my company.¡±


    It was when Kim Do-Jin shook off his hand and tried to enter the president''s office again that Cha Sun-Wook continued.


    "There are fifteen others besides us."


    For a moment, Do-Jin stopped walking.


    "I assume the top ten guild are making things quite annoying for you, but wouldn''t it be quite advantageous for you if nearly thirty talented hunters enter your company?¡±


    The reason why Kim Do-Jin hesitated after hearing Cha Sun-Wook''s proposal was due to the top ten guilds trying to keep him and his guild in check.


    ¡®It''s been a long time since I officially posted a job opening, but only five resumes have been received.¡¯


    Do-Jin also wasn¡¯t quite satisfied with those five applicants. Nevertheless, he still had expectations, which was why he had come to interview them in person. Although there were no results yet, he might meet talented people with unexpected potential and he could raise them up himself.


    ¡®It''s a pain in the ass, but I have no choice since Baek Ah-Rin is busy right now.¡¯


    Recently, Baek Ah-Rin''s main task was to deal with the constraints of various guild activities due to the top ten guilds¡¯ accusations. Even if just a tiny problem occurred in terms of the law, the other guilds crazily disparaged them. She was extremely busy blocking their attacks one by one.


    If Kim Do-Jin couldn''t come to work and remained busy clearing the dungeon, it would be hard for Baek Ah-Rin to even keep her position because of the fight with the top ten guilds. Under such circumstances, Cha Sun-Wook''s proposal was definitely pleasant.


    "I agree that there should be a procedure since this place is also a guild, but you know, beggars can''t be choosers,¡± said Sun-Wook.


    In the end, Kim Do-Jin looked at Cha Sun-Wook again and said, "...Who the heck are you guys?"


    Cha Sun-Wook was not a talented person that anyone could recognize by his name, but he was pretty useful even judging by Do-Jin¡¯s expectations. Also, Do-Jin quite liked the guy¡¯s cool impression.


    "We¡¯re in a similar situation. People who want to do personal activities but can''t do anything because of the top ten guilds¡¯ pressure. We¡¯ve gathered and formed a group,¡± Sun-Wook said.


    "Why do you want to join our guild, then¡­?" asked Do-Jin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? It¡¯s because we lack strength. But that doesn¡¯t mean that we want to stick with the top ten guilds,¡± Sun-Wook replied.


    There were about twenty B-rank hunters and about five to six A-rank hunters. Obviously, they were not a weak group, but their power wasn¡¯t even half of the Gorilla Guild, which was the weakest of the top ten guilds. However, what if they joined Kim Do-Jin and Baek Ah-Rin, who would both grow above an A-rank?


    ''Not bad.¡¯


    In fact, if you only looked at the number of people and their ranks, their company size would grow enough to make an attack team, albeit a small one.


    In the end, Kim Do-Jin nodded, and Cha Sun-Wook, who seemed somewhat nervous, also smiled peculiarly. Do-Jin then said, "All right."


    "Of course, there are conditions on this side before that,¡± said Sun-Wook.


    "Isn''t it about the skills?"


    "Exactly. I''ve heard rumors about you and have watched your video, but we''re confident in our own way. If we experienced your skills in person and you didn''t meet our expectations, it would be too much of a loss for us.¡±


    "Who''s the opponent?"


    "You''re still in the C-rank, right? We have a conscience. I''ll have a man of about B-rank, level 50 ready. If you can beat him, then...." said Sun-Wook.


    "I don''t like it. Aren''t you the captain?¡± said Do-Jin as he looked directly into Sun-Wook''s eyes.


    "What?"


    ¡°The leader should fight against another leader.¡±


    "...Well, well." Cha Sun-Wook made a crooked smile. It was because his pride was hurt. He pointed out, "I''m an A-rank hunter and my level is over 50."


    "Do you think I can''t win?" asked Do-Jin.


    "What a big ego," Sun-Wook sneered.


    "No, I just have great ability," said Kim Do-Jin.


    Their eyes met fiercely in the air.


    "I¡¯m quite offended. If you lose¡­"


    ¡°Me and Baek Ah-Rin, we¡¯ll both go under you," said Do-Jin.


    "What?¡± said Sun-Wook.


    ¡°It means that you can be our company¡¯s president. And I''ll do what you want. Will a minimum of five years be enough for the contract?"


    "Are you confident that you won''t regret saying that?¡± asked Sun-Wook as his eyes sparkled. He also had pride. No matter how much potential Do-Jin had, he was only a C-rank hunter right now after all. Also, Sun-Wook¡¯s own decision to go under Kim Do-Jin was not easy.


    "Rather, I hope you understand that if you lose, you won¡¯t be treated as well as your current status,¡± said Do-Jin.


    ¡°Well, that wouldn¡¯t be a problem. In the first place, I didn¡¯t have any expectations in the company that doesn¡¯t even have an attack team yet,¡± said Sun-Wook.


    "Then do you accept the bet?" asked Do-Jin.


    "Don''t regret it."


    ¡°You too.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the date?¡±


    "Is there a reason to drag it out? Let¡¯s do it right now. Follow me," said Do-Jin as he took the lead, heading toward the hunter-only gym.


    In the distant future, when Sun-Wook recalled this day again, he had to explain with an absurd-looking smile.


    - Our boss is an absolutely insidious person, contrary to his appearance. Did anyone know he could use magic until then? Damn it, I was totally swindled back then. I wouldn''t have lost if I had known that magic would be used. You don''t believe me? Hey, or how could an A-rank hunter lose to C-rank? Oh~ You have to believe me, it''s a true story. If I knew, I would have won!


    Of course, it was already spilled milk.


    ***


    After Choi Byung-Chan''s death, Choi Min-Seok''s life began going downhill. He struggled with panic disorder, social phobia, and alcoholism. He was wary of all who approached him, and he could not sleep without being drunk¡­ It all started out from a place of fear.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong, he''s the one who killed him.¡¯


    Choi Min-Seok remembered the last time he had seen Choi Byung-Chan. As always, Byung-Chan had been strong and scary right until the moment¡­he died.


    The criminal was said to be the Slaughter Queen, but mysteriously, Choi Yu-Seong had survived that entire incident.


    Theft is never good, try looking at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡®This is not the first time Choi Yu-Seong has survived after meeting the Slaughter Queen.¡¯


    Would this just be a coincidence? Choi Min-Seok could not think so.


    ¡®There must be something between the two¡­¡¯


    And sooner or later, the Slaughter Queen would come to visit him. Why? It was because Choi Min-Seok had been the one who bothered Choi Yu-Seong the most when he had been wandering.


    Not long after Yu-Seong was Awakened, Min-Seok had been the one who hired Lee Jin-Wook as a killer and had tried to kill Yu-Seong. If he put himself in Yu-Seong¡¯s shoes, there was no reason not to kill him.


    Even if Choi Byung-Chan had been scary and violent, if he was still alive, Min-Seok wouldn¡¯t be this scared. It was because Byung-Chan had been his strong supporter. However, now he was completely alone.


    Feeling scared, Min-Seok had called Choi Woo-Jae, crying and praying for his life, but he had heard absolutely nothing except the sound of a slight click of a tongue. The call had cut off, and Choi Min-Seok then repeated his days of falling into a deep sleep, struggling in hellish fear, recalling numerous deaths.


    Swoosh-!


    The thick blackout curtains that were set swept aside and sunlight suddenly jabbed the sleeping Min-Seok¡¯s eyes. Normally, he would have raised his voice in irritation, but for some reason, he opened his eyes quite calmly. He soon stiffened when he saw the long brown wavy hair of the woman in a tight dress in front of him.


    "Are you awake? Oh, my. Look at you, what happened?" the woman, Choi In-Young, said in a soft voice. She saw a messy-looking Min-Seok sitting around with a strong alcoholic odor. She dragged a chair that was randomly thrown in the room, sat down, and asked, "Can you hear me?"


    "In-... In-Young noo-nim," Min-Seok replied.


    Choi In-Young smiled with her big, thin eyes.


    Min-Seok didn¡¯t speak irritatedly regarding the sudden sunshine, not because he had changed his mind or had been surprised. It was somewhat more of a survival instinct. He had a feeling that if he had shouted, he would have lost everything even if he was not completely Awakened.


    ¡®In-Young noo-nim came to me.¡¯


    When In-Young asked if he had woken up, Choi Min-Seok was even touched by her words. He was relieved, thinking that he was not completely abandoned. He thought that, if Choi In-Young visited him now, he still might have a chance.


    The power structure within the Comet Group, especially the Choi family, clearly existed. As of now, the person at the peak was definitely Chairman Choi Woo-Jae. The second person in power was Choi Jin-Woo, the third son. Then, the next person was Choi Seok-Young, the fourth son.


    Choi In-Young was the fifth child who had the same mother as Choi Seok-Young. Therefore, there was no person who could ignore Choi In-Young in the family, even though she did not have a direct relationship with any executives or figures with power.


    The reason why Choi Mi-Na''s name was not included in Choi Min-Seok''s mind was simple. She was clearly the most overwhelming individual among the current siblings, but she didn''t have decent supporters to support and share the power with. Unlike other siblings who subtly competed and secretly fought to occupy wealth in the family, she was completely alone. Therefore, in Choi Min-Seok''s mind, Choi Mi-Na was simply a scary and powerful sister rather than a person with authority.


    Of course, there were signs of change in terms of the power flow after Choi Mi-Na''s participation in the Comet Group¡¯s guild project. However, by Choi Min-Seok''s standards, the situation seemed close to a somewhat volatile variable.


    It was wishful thinking that Min-Seok wouldn¡¯t face problems since he had been alone all this time. He was foolish, ignorant to the reason why the other siblings with high authority were trying to keep Choi Mi-Na''s guild business in check. Although, in this situation, that fact was not important to both Choi Min-Seok and Choi In-Young.


    Choi Min-Seok was delighted to find a stronger-than-expected lifeline, and Choi In-Young was satisfied that he was not completely ruined yet when she saw light returning to his eyes. She called out, "Choi Min-Seok."


    "Yes!" answered Min-Seok in a strong and energetic voice.


    "Do you want to live?" Choi In-Young asked and twisted her lips.


    Although it was close to a sneer rather than a smile, and there was a sense of death in her voice, as it was mentioned before, these details were not important to Choi Min-Seok. He just nodded crazily at Choi In-Young''s question. Of course, he wanted to live. He was too scared to die.


    "I don''t want you to die, either. Nevertheless, you''re my younger brother, right?¡±


    "That means..."


    "But helping you for free is not our family¡¯s style, is it?¡±


    "I''ll do anything. I''ll do exactly what you tell me to do."

 CH 95

    Choi Min-Seok shouted with determination, no longer looking like the alcoholic wanderer from just moments ago.


    ¡®Yes, after all, he¡¯s still my blood relative from my father''s side.¡¯


    Choi In-Young smiled inwardly and slowly crossed her legs. She commented, "It''s not a difficult task. Yu-Seong is so arrogant these days, right?¡±


    "What? Oh, yes. That''s right¡­but¡­¡° Choi Min-Seok trembled. He hadn¡¯t experienced any good outcome from getting involved with Choi Yu-Seong recently. Although he tried to suppress it, hearing Yu-Seong¡¯s name alone made him feel fear once again.


    ¡®And he''s even acquainted with the Slaughter Queen!¡¯


    Min-Seok wasn¡¯t stupid enough to spit out his inner cry. He simply said, "Th-Then, you want me to kill Yu-Seong¡­?"


    "What...?! How can you say such a scary thing?¡± In-Young responded with a surprised look. She jumped up from her seat and shook her head, looking at Choi Min-Seok like he was a disgusting bug.


    Naturally, Choi Min-Seok became impatient. He quickly said, "No, that''s not what I meant! I... I made a ridiculous remark. Noo-nim, please don''t misunderstand."


    "No matter how much you dislike him, you can''t use such scary threats between siblings. Got it, Min-Seok?"


    "Yes, yes, got it. Hehe," Min-Seok said.


    "Okay, then, let''s put it this way. It''s true that Yu-Seong is arrogant these days, so I want to punish him as his sister,¡± Choi In-Young said.


    "Well..."


    "I wish I could, but there are actually only a few ways to do so."


    "...Yes."


    "But isn''t that all thanks to Father''s attention?¡±


    "What?"


    "Father is paying attention to Yu-Seong, so it''s not easy to punish him."


    Choi Min-Seok was stupid enough to misunderstand Choi In-Young''s words. He asked, "Is there a way I can distract Father?¡±


    "Yes, but it''s not easy. As you know, Father cares more about Yu-Seong these days. Hmm..." said In-Young.


    Choi Min-Seok furrowed his brow, but he couldn¡¯t think of any ideas.


    Choi In-Young watched Min-Seok for about five minutes before saying with a short yawn, "Wouldn''t it be good for Choi Yu-Seong to get into trouble and lose Father¡¯s affection?¡±


    "But he eagerly takes care of his reputation these days..." Choi Min-Seok blurted out, shutting up only after looking into In-Young¡¯s eyes. He couldn¡¯t get over the creepy smile that reached In-Young¡¯s eyes.


    "The fall of a popular star is surprisingly easy. A small slip of the tongue, a disappointing action, an unexpected flaw would be enough,¡° In-Young stated.


    This was the reason why some people who lived a life in the limelight didn¡¯t want their identities to be revealed.


    "Choi Yu-Seong is a little special. He has always been a troublemaker, right?¡±


    A small incident couldn¡¯t easily capture people¡¯s attention. Also, Choi Woo-Jae''s interest in Yu-Seong would not easily fade away. But what if Yu-Seong made a really big and unexpected mistake? Or what if he had some kind of weakness?


    ¡®If he doesn''t have a weakness, we can simply just make one up.¡¯


    Choi Min-Seok was too scared to face Yu-Seong directly anymore. However, he could take the risk to harm Yu-Seong¡¯s reputation from behind the scenes and perhaps succeed. Above all, it seemed incredibly fascinating to join In-Young¡¯s side. To be exact, he would then essentially be on Choi Seok-Young¡¯s side.


    "I''ll do my best. It wouldn¡¯t be a problem for Yu-Seong himself too. Since he¡¯s used to those displeasures, right?¡± Choi Min-Seok¡¯s eyes twinkled as he spoke.


    Choi In-Young nodded, then got up from her seat. "Do well. I''ll be looking forward to it."


    "Yes, noo-nim! Please tell our brother that I¡¯m thankful for him!"


    Choi In-Young stopped walking for a moment when she heard that. Her eyes glowed coldly, reddening. Then, as if that sudden moment of tension had never existed, she revealed her usual smile, looked back, and waved lightly. "Oppa will root for you, too."


    "Thank you!" Min-Seok shouted.


    Leaving her brother behind, Choi In-Young left the room and held her cell phone with a cold look in her eyes.


    ¡®Choi Seok-Young.¡¯


    At that moment, her brother, Choi Seok-Young, coincidentally called. After checking the caller¡¯s name, In-Young accepted the call and said quietly, "Choi Min-Seok asked me to thank you.¡±


    - ¡­I don''t understand what you''re saying.[1]


    ¡°Because I gave him a task. I guess he believes you are the one who pulls the strings.¡± Choi In-Young smiled, thinking of Choi Seok-Young''s stumped expression.


    - He''s just a kid who knows nothing.


    "But I don''t feel good. What should I do?" In-Young asked.


    The conversation was absolutely strange, bearing no resemblance to a talk between an older brother and younger sister. During such a conversation, Choi Seok-Young knew what he had to say.


    - I''ll sort it out.


    "Not right away, let''s do it after watching how he deals with Yu-Seong. Oh, and don¡¯t do it yourself. Call Director Geum and let him do it for you. I¡¯ll let him know.¡±


    - Yes, and to the chairman¡­


    ¡°Father doesn''t care about Choi Min-Seok at all. Didn¡¯t I say that Yu-Seong is a unique case? So make sure to treat Choi Min-Seok as cruelly as possible. I think it''d be perfect if you threw him as bait,¡± In-Young said.


    - ...Okay.


    "Haha! I''m kidding, I''m kidding." Choi In-Young laughed loudly into her cell phone. Then, she left Choi Min-Seok''s house and got in the back seat of the car that was waiting for her. She asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you get my joke? Do I really look like someone who''s going to kill my younger brother?"


    - ...


    "Let''s just scold him a little after seeing how he works. You know my style, right? Driver Kim, start heading out."


    "Yes, ma''am."


    Choi Seok-Young and Driver Kim, who was behind the wheel, answered at the same time.


    Satisfied, Choi In-Young nodded and hung up after hearing Choi Seok-Young''s report. From the car window, she could see the entire city center which she had always found cool-looking.


    In-Young vividly remembered one night when a thunderstorm raged. Her only blood relative screamed while tied to a wooden chair on a hexagram drawn with red blood.


    ¡®Oppa, I hated you.¡¯


    Choi Seok-Young had said that he loved her and begged for his life, but his soul had been taken by the devil and torn to shreds. Then, a new soul took over his body.


    Choi In-Young had gone on to teach the innocent soul many things, as if she were his mother. She had taught him how to live a life, the laws of the world, and to have complete loyalty to her.


    Very few people actually knew this, but there existed terrifying means in the world in which even a person¡¯s soul could be exchanged.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    Therefore, when Yu-Seong had shown a sudden change, Choi In-Young had suspected that someone with the same specialized skill as her, "Witch," had done the trick. Since the person had become completely different after that, she assumed that the soul had been changed. However, she had to stop being suspicious after a while.


    ''You need blood from at least ten maidens to have a soul-swapping ceremony.¡¯


    Since the soul absorbed such a great amount of blood, it would always exude a strong bloody odor. However, from In-Young¡¯s distant observations, Yu-Seong never stank of blood.


    Above all, the new person born from a spirit exchange ritual was no different from a clean and blank sheet of paper¡ªinnocent¡ªat the beginning. They were almost like a baby who couldn¡¯t speak a word. This was nothing unusual, since what was created using the blood of ten maidens was a brand new soul. In other words, growth in a short period of time like Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s was impossible.


    In the end, Choi In-Young had to come to the same conclusion as everyone else.


    ¡®He has been hiding himself so far but has now revealed himself. It means he has something to believe in.¡¯


    What would it be?


    Choi In-Young was cautious and had no intention of directly bothering Choi Yu-Seong until she found out the secret.


    ''I''ll have to get to the bottom of this.¡¯


    Even if he was a disposable card, it would be nice if Choi Min-Seok could carry out the task well. Choi In-Young closed her eyes to take a break.


    ***


    Choi Yu-Seong''s growth was on a rapidly-rising curve.


    ¡®I gained nine levels in just three days.¡¯


    Thanks to this, Yu-Seong was now at level 13. If he recalled the time when he had hunted for a week to gain 15 levels, this was certainly considered a rapid growth.


    ¡®Moreover, my level then was lower than it is now.¡¯


    Since his level and rank had increased, Yu-Seong needed more experience points to level up again. This was simply common sense, everyone knew about this fact. Nevertheless, with the tremendous help of the Star Factor skill, which had recently developed rapidly, he could still record a faster growth rate.


    ¡ºSpecial Skill: Star Factor D


    The more people pay attention to the holder, the faster his growth level accelerates. Additional ability unlocked once the level of attention exceeds a certain number.


    D-rank perks ¨C Increases focus of attention when exposed to video media such as cameras.


    Current acceleration rate +100% ¡ú +130%


    *New: Additional privileges are opened by achieving new interest figures. Experience points required for growth -1% ¡ú -3% ¡»


    ¡®Oh wow, I still can¡¯t believe this no matter how much I look at it.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong had obtained the best skill for increasing his level. In fact, it was not that there were no hunters with skills related to increasing growth speed. To be more precise, they were quite common among the top rankers. Among them, the most famous skill known to the public was the ¡®Titanic Growth¡¯ skill of Yamamoto Kyosuke, the Nioh of Japan. At the D-rank, that skill had offered Nioh a growth rate of 150%.


    When the skill had been released to the public, the whole world had been surprised. Nioh had proved the skill¡¯s tremendous effect by reaching the S-rank, level 100, in record time. He hadn¡¯t been able to reach the SS rank because he had failed to pass the promotion evaluation, but¡­


    ¡®Even so, he is one of the top five in Japan.¡¯


    The record growth boost had been at 130% just before Nioh had revealed his skills. It was the same as the current rate of Yu-Seong¡¯s Star Factor skill. However, unlike Nioh and others with growth acceleration skills, Yu-Seong had an additional effect.


    ''Reducing the experience points requirements for leveling up.''


    Everyone knew that even more experience points were required as the rank and level got higher. However, Choi Yu-Seong could reduce the percentages of such penalties by unlocking the Star Factor skills¡¯ additional privileges.


    The gains from this were inevitably greater since they increased proportionately with higher ranks and levels. If the experience points required to level up from D-rank, level 79, was 100,000, then a 5 percent decrease could save 5,000 experience points. If the same decrease was maintained for 20 levels, it was no different from gaining one additional level.


    Of course, it was technically impossible, because the experience required to level up would gradually increase as the level rose. Still, the accumulation of these gains could never be underestimated.


    1. It¡¯s worth noting that although Choi Seok-Young is In-Young¡¯s older brother, he speaks very politely and formally to her¡ªalmost as if he¡¯s the younger sibling. ?

 CH 96

    On top of everything else, the percentage level of Choi Yu-Seong''s Star Factor rose every time he received a certain degree of attention. Thus, it could be seen as a skill that was several times greater than the Nioh¡¯s ¡®Titanic Growth¡¯ skill.


    ¡®I mean, maybe it¡¯s not even comparable to a skill that only accelerates growth?¡¯


    Although Nioh¡¯s skill was called the best among the growth acceleration skills that were known to the public, Yu-Seong knew some better skills since he had read the original novel. The best among those skills was Kim Do-Jin''s specialized skill, "Genius."


    As could be seen from the name, the skill ¡®Genius¡¯ was simply the protagonist¡¯s supernatural ability. It was no different from a collection of all features of a ¡®main character¡¯, such as deleting penalties of All-Rounder, specializing in all weapons, significantly increasing skill growth, significantly increasing the gain of experience points, reducing the required experience points, and transcending the ranks of some skills. It was a single skill which worked beyond the confines of one.


    ¡®Come to think of it, I shouldn¡¯t be so happy just because I have three specialized skills.¡¯


    After all, there was a real imbalanced character.


    Anyway, among the abilities of the skill ¡®Genius,¡¯ Yu-Seong could at least catch up to the growth-related abilities thanks to his Star Factor skill.


    ¡®Actually, if I do well, I might be faster than Kim Do-Jin when he was D-rank.¡¯


    When he had first obtained the skill ¡®Star Factor,¡¯ Yu-Seong had felt that he could keep up with some aspects of Kim Do-Jin¡¯s growth. Now, Yu-Seong even thought that he could be even a little faster than Do-Jin. On top of that, in a situation where Kim Do-Jin didn¡¯t know the existence of the hunting experience boost potion, Yu-Seong could raise his level considerably faster than Do-Jin too.


    In conclusion, thanks to the Star Factor skill, Yu-Seong could grow at a faster pace than the returnee who had fought against the devil in another world.


    Of course, the quality and quantity of combat experience, basic combat sense, and talent would be different, so Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t perform the exact same skills at the same level. However, he at least had an ability that was much more powerful than the original novel¡¯s main character.


    ¡®Of course, this will also be meaningless if Kim Do-Jin uses the hunting experience boost potion and his rank of the Genius skill becomes far higher.¡¯


    At least he had won for now. Knowing this made Yu-Seong feel strangely good. On the other hand, he was worried.


    ¡®Now that this happened, I''m worried that I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s growing too fast¡­¡¯


    This was because Chae Ye-Ryeong and Yoo Jin-Hyuk, who were both supposed to grow up with him soon, had come to Yu-Seong¡¯s mind.


    ¡®But that doesn¡¯t mean that I have to slow down, right?¡¯


    The sooner Yu-Seong became stronger, the better it was for him. He decided not to doubt this part of his plan, since he had already suffered from overthinking once. Above all, Chae Ye-Ryeong and Yoo Jin-Hyuk were characters who were portrayed as a disaster or a high potential of disaster in the original novel. Maybe he might have to worry about falling behind them even though he was gaining strength so quickly.


    ¡®Anyway, it¡¯s a good problem to have, after all.¡¯


    Yu-Seong chuckled with enjoyment. At that moment, he received a message.


    - A Joke-loving Prankster feels strangely discontent while seeing Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s smile.


    - The Oldest Hunter thinks the player Yu-Seong has a beautiful smile. He sponsors 30 Karma points.


    - Culann¡¯s Hound looks at the growth of the player Choi Yu-Seong with satisfaction. He sponsors 10 Karma points.


    Looking at the three remaining gods¡¯ messages, Yu-Seong inwardly clicked his tongue.


    ¡®Loki, what''s wrong with that man, I mean, god¡­?¡¯


    Loki was acting up for nothing, but thinking of it, he was also good at subtly taking care of Yu-Seong. With this thought in mind, Yu-Seong assumed that Loki had become crooked because of his disingenuity.


    - A Joke-loving Prankster snorts at the player Choi Yu-Seong.


    Yu-Seong ignored the message that followed and went out of the dungeon.


    Jin Yu-Ri approached him and said, "You did a great job today.¡±


    "Yeah. Thanks for waiting," Yu-Seong replied.


    "I¡¯ll have to cheer up more until my brother comes back. It¡¯s true that I got busier since I¡¯m doing it alone, but it¡¯s bearable since Jenny is helping me in between. Oh, by the way. About the money that you supported me with, do you want to know how it''s used?" Yu-Ri asked.


    Not long ago, Yu-Seong had provided about 30 billion won to the ¡®Hidden Team¡¯, which was created by Jin Yu-Ri and run directly by Jenny, who was another A-rank hunter. Originally, he had planned to provide 20 billion won, but since Choi Woo-Jae had given him about 25 billion more pocket money after watching the "Hunter''s Night" program and being proud of him, Yu-Seong had decided to invest nearly half of it in the Hidden Team without much thought.


    Thanks to this, a considerable amount of 30 billion won had been spent at once. However, Yu-Seong didn¡¯t consider it as a waste at all, since the Hidden Team was virtually an organization that worked solely for his own purposes. He would benefit from as much as he had invested or even more. He also believed that Jin Yu-Ri would definitely make that happen.


    "No need to." Aside from believing in Yu-Ri, Yu-Seong simply didn''t bother to pay attention to where his money went. He just wanted to purely focus on his growth rather than pay attention to such things.


    "...thank you. I won''t let you down,¡± Yu-Ri replied in a clear voice. She seemed to understand Yu-Seong¡¯s current priorities. She opened the car door. Then, she added, "I have something else to report. I have good news and bad news, which one do you want to hear first?¡±


    "Hmm..."


    While Yu-Seong took some time to think, Jin Yu-Ri sat in the driver¡¯s seat. Yu-Seong sat in the back seat.


    The car started with a single button, and the loud exhaust sound rang out. It was the unique sound of an Italian vehicle. It was the taste of villain Choi Yu-Seong, who had originally been the owner of the body. Yu-Seong had initially found this sound a pain, but he was now quite used to it.


    ¡®It would be rather disappointing if I couldn¡¯t hear it anymore.¡¯


    Did they say that the position changes manners? Yu-Seong felt as if he were becoming accustomed to the tastes of the body¡¯s original owner.


    "Are you still thinking?" asked Yu-Ri as she headed out.


    Choi Yu-Seong smiled awkwardly. "Ah, I''m sorry. I thought about something else for a second. If that''s the case, it''s better to face the music. I want to hear the bad news first."


    "I heard last night that Helen Mirren came out of the dungeon,¡± Yu-Ri said.


    "And?"


    "In less than two hours, she went straight back to the dungeon. Because of that, I didn''t have time to contact her.¡±


    It was a sad story for the two who hoped that Jin Do-Yoon would recover as soon as possible. Moreover, as mentioned, Helen Mirren sometimes disappeared for months once she entered the dungeon.


    "Ah..." Choi Yu-Seong let out a sad sigh without realizing it, but soon nodded. "It¡¯s sudden, so it can''t be helped. Let''s look forward to the next opportunity."


    "Jenny is trying to find people who have direct connections with Helen Mirren. There are extremely few, but she should be able to find someone."


    "Right."


    A quick look at tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w will leave you more fulfilled.


    "Next is the good news. Do you remember the mana stones you asked us to collect?¡± Yu-Ri asked.


    "Of course."


    This was what Yu-Seong had asked for Chae Ye-Ryeong''s Re-Awakening, who would be as greatly helpful to Yu-Seong as both Jin Do-Yoon and Jin Yu-Ri in the future.


    "I bought it. 48 orange and 7 yellow mana stones. 55 in total. It''s worth about 20 billion if you calculate it at the market price."


    "That''s insane. We¡¯ll be broke sooner or later.¡±


    Although Yu-Seong was somewhat flustered, there was no big problem, because he had already expected to spend this much. Also, Choi Woo-Jae had recently given him a lot of pocket money. As he had thought, he was benefiting from being close to Choi Woo-Jae.


    ¡®Though it¡¯s true that he¡¯s a little scary.¡¯


    In many ways, Yu-Seong suddenly thought it was a good thing that he had worked hard to stand out in Choi Woo-Jae''s eyes.


    ¡®How nice to be born with a silver spoon in my mouth.¡¯


    Jin Yu-Ri did not know what he was thinking, but she replied with a smile, "Of course, if I was going to buy it for the original price, I wouldn''t have suffered this long."


    "You look quite confident," Yu-Seong said.


    "I bought all the items I just mentioned for 18 billion won," Yu-Ri revealed.


    "Wow..." Choi Yu-Seong expressed his admiration almost automatically.


    Mana stones were the most important and precious resource in the world, and they were also mentioned in the original novel. They could produce a significant amount of energy with no risk of radiation, and there were also new technologies created that used mana stones. Of course, their value was bound to be high, and it was quite difficult to buy them at a lower price. However, Jin Yu-Ri had managed to purchase the goods at a discount as high as ten percent.


    "Are you happy with it? I did my best."


    "Very happy."


    Two billion won was more than enough money to buy orange and yellow mana drinks. There was no reason for Yu-Seong to not be happy. He then said, "If you can buy them at a low price like this, please secure as many mana stones as possible within 30 billion won.¡±


    "Again?"


    "I was originally planning to do that, but since I have a talented person like you, Jin Yu-Ri, I would like to kick-start the plan a little earlier."


    Jin Yu-Ri''s eyes sparkled at the word ¡®originally planned¡¯. She asked, "Can I ask what you''re going to use it for?"


    "It¡¯s a secret."


    "...That¡¯s a little cheeky."


    "Haha." Choi Yu-Seong smiled insidiously and shrugged.


    In fact, the value of mana stones was expected to increase gradually over time. However, if it were for this reason alone, Choi Yu-Seong would not have invested as much as 30 billion won to buy a new mana stone right now.


    ''The timing is a bit uncertain, but when artifact creators start to appear, the price of mana stones will go through the roof.¡¯


    Artifact creators were literally players who made artifacts. Their direct combat power was low as they were production-type players, but because of their appearance in the near future, the hunter world would face another cataclysm.


    ''Until now, the hunter equipment was all about the ancient relics, the treasures of the world, the iron weapons made by Earth¡¯s craftsmen...''


    Of course, many things would change when the new equipment type, the artifact, appeared. Artifacts were considered to be somewhat weak compared to ancient relics and treasures of the world, but they boasted quite good performance with the addition of magical abilities that ordinary iron weapons could not have. Their greatest advantage was the fact that they did not require large amounts of karma points, like ancient relics or exotic treasures did. One could buy an artifact as long as one had enough money.

 CH 97

    The artifact was an object much easier to obtain compared to other magical items such as ancient relics or treasures from the other world, but it could produce similar utility. In addition, Choi Yu-Seong knew about the creators of these artifacts, the so-called Meister, who would be able to create magical objects comparable to other ancient relics and the treasures from the other world.


    ¡®There are exactly five Meisters by the time Book 1 of the original novel was completed.¡¯


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    Choi Yu-Seong knew one of the Meisters by name and origin. Obviously, it was one of Kim Do-Jin''s colleagues who Yu-Seong tried not to get in contact with as much as possible.


    ¡®What I need to find is the other four Meisters.¡¯


    There were many questions about them, since in many parts of the original novel, they were mentioned only by nicknames and characteristics. Therefore, Choi Yu-Seong left his thoughts of the Meister behind for now.


    However, as could be seen from this Meister¡¯s appearance, the number of artifact producers increased exponentially over time. This meant the type ¡®productive¡¯ was added to the player types. Therefore, when the artifact creators appeared, the price of mana stone naturally rose.


    Before that, Choi Yu-Seong wanted to acquire the mana stone, which was still somewhat cheap. In addition, before the artifact sales market was fully established, he planned to preoccupy the market by investing some capital.


    ¡®Since I can''t spend the pocket money from my father forever.¡¯


    Originally, it would take a lot of human resources, money, and time to enter this market, but Choi Yu-Seong had future information he knew through the original novel. In other words, it was highly possible for him to enter the market while saving on all three aspects considerably.


    In fact, the best way might be to secretly reveal this future information to Choi Woo-Jae. Just as Yu-Seong had told Jin Yu-Ri that he had a similar skill such as Future Foresight, he could tell Choi Woo-Jae and show him a few actions to prove it. That way, even Woo-Jae would become interested in what Yu-Seong had to say. Moreover, by using the Comet Group¡¯s enormous capital, he might be able to achieve monopoly rather than the market preoccupation.


    ¡®Since it¡¯s father, he would most likely take a careful look at the opportunity, and as soon as the artifact creator appeared, he would invest in the market with all his might.¡¯


    In addition, it would be slightly easier to obtain information about the remaining four Meisters, who Yu-Seong currently only knew about their nicknames and characteristics.


    Whatever Woo-Jae did, regardless with a huge amount of capital or talented men, none of which Yu-Seong could even be able to imagine, could change according to the circumstances in an instant.


    ¡®Since it would bring it a huge business profit, I would be able to bring father completely to my side and share the profit somewhat.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was confident that, in this way, he could unconditionally gain much more than trying to enter the market alone.


    However, Choi Yu-Seong decided not to tell Choi Woo-Jae in the end. He already had a lot of dangerous experiences due to the butterfly effect. Such a big action would cause more than just a small change, and he couldn¡¯t even imagine what kind of disaster it would bring.


    ¡®Anyway, artifact makers would only appear after the appearance of a tower. I don''t have to hastily change the future by trying to preoccupy talent or resources for now.¡¯


    The plan was to refrain from mentioning information about artificial creators and new technologies that Yu-Seong already knew and snatch profits by taking the bait at exactly the right time. Choi Yu-Seong had chosen a stable path, rather than being overly greedy for a big gain, even if the profit would be less. This was because survival was his top priority, as always. Any gain would be meaningless if it brought about a fatal disaster.


    ¡°Then, is it also a secret where you¡¯ll use the prepared mana stone?¡± asked Yu-Ri.


    "Oh, I can tell you that,¡± replied Yu-Seong. For him, preparation for reawakening would be quite difficult without Jin Yu-Ri''s help anyway.


    "Oh... I''ll listen carefully,¡± Yu-Ri said.


    "First of all, please prepare an empty warehouse outside Seoul, or Gyeonggi-do, where people don''t go as often. And we need to recruit a hypnotist who¡¯s about D-rank. Also, I have a few more items to prepare..."


    "Wait. Can I hear the conclusion first?¡±


    "I''m going to try to Re-Awaken.¡±


    Jin Yu-Ri''s head spun quickly while driving, because she was momentarily confused. She asked, "...is that possible artificially?¡±


    "Probably."


    "For who..." Jin Yu-Ri closed her mouth tightly, no longer asking questions. In fact, even without asking, a person¡¯s face already came to her mind. She remembered just as she asked the earlier question. Also, with the preparations requested by Choi Yu-Seong, she realized the danger of this work. She asked, ¡°Does Ye-Ryeong know?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember when I was hospitalized after an accident in Mok-dong Dungeon?¡±


    "Yes, Ye-Ryeong visited the hospital. Come to think of it, it was at that time that you asked me to prepare for mana stone."


    "Yeah. I''ve talked about it again since then, and she is also quite determined.¡±


    "...I''ll do my best to prepare, so that no one gets hurt as much as possible," said Yu-Ri.


    As expected, it was quite comfortable talking to someone as smart as Yu-Ri. Choi Yu-Seong smiled at Jin Yu-Ri. She seemed to clearly recognize what she had to do with just a few short conversations. He said gratefully, "I''m going to try my best for that, too. Thank you as always, Jin Yu-Ri.¡±


    "Don''t mention it." Jin Yu-Ri smiled.


    ***


    Choi Min-Seok spent several days hiring people to keep an eye on Choi Yu-Seong''s every move. He self-justified such actions by thinking that he didn¡¯t need to and didn¡¯t want to take much effort on such work. However, it was also true that he was scared to do it alone, even if it was simply watching Yu-Seong from a distance. There was just no plausible outcome from spending a few days like that.


    ¡®Does this crazy guy have nowhere else to go besides the house and dungeon? I remember he used to drink a lot during the earlier times.¡¯


    It was difficult to find any flaws or weaknesses of a perfect student who only traveled between school and home. While Yu-Seong continued living a perfectly flawless life where it was difficult for Min-Seok to even make up a flaw, an interesting piece of news made its way to him.


    ¡®What? Choi Yu-Seong''s car suddenly left Seoul?¡¯


    What was he up to? After agonizing for a while, Choi Min-Seok made up his mind, jumped up, and made a phone call. It was a little intuitive, but he got a hunch that the opportunity had come. He said, "Continue chasing and tracking him."


    Choi Min-Seok urgently started preparing before heading outside. Then, he suddenly stopped.


    ¡®But what can I do alone?¡¯


    Those Min-Seok had sent to spy on Choi Yu-Seong were D-rank chase hunters at the most. Could they be helpful in case of an emergency? He shook his head inwardly. Therefore, he stomped on the ground and fell deep into thought.


    ''If I contact In-Young noo-nim, she''ll be disappointed. Maybe even Seok-Young hyung-nim would hear about it if I called her.¡¯


    It was meaningless if Min-Seok couldn¡¯t prove his worth and join their side. If that was the case, should he work alone? He also didn¡¯t have much time.


    ¡®Dang it, I have no choice but to use the secret fund.¡¯


    After some thought, Choi Min-Seok decided to hire mercenaries using the secret funds that he had hidden without anyone knowing. This took place when he had worked with Byung-Chan. Using such money seemed fine to him, since it would be difficult for one to find the source of it and track it down, so even Choi Woo-Jae wouldn¡¯t bother as well.


    Of course, Min-Seok didn''t intend to use a regular mercenary. It would be okay to use them during dungeon hunting or a simple escort mission, but in this case, there might be too many difficulties and issues for them to deal with. Therefore, Choi Min-Seok decided to call some ¡®dangerous¡¯ characters.


    "I need the black mercenary¡ªGuys at A-rank level who can start right now. About..." Choi Min-Seok ordered one of his subordinates over the phone while biting his nails.


    Hiring a typical A-rank mercenary for a day would cost about 1 billion won. However, in the case of black mercenaries, who were in charge of these dirty tasks, the unit price was at least two to three times higher. Moreover, if they were called in a hurry like right now, there was a high probability that the premium fee would be added.


    ¡®I have about 20 billion won in shush funds that I¡¯ve saved up. I might be able to call up to four people¡­¡¯


    However, Min-Seok¡¯s reason for wanting to save the fund and the instinct he had to call upon extra help to do his best collided in his mind. He was conflicted.


    ''If I fail this time, I may not have another chance. But there¡¯s no need to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut, right? Most of all, I might have to fight him in person.''


    Choi Min-Seok struggled to speak at the opponent''s careful urging over the phone. He managed to say, "I¡¯ll hire one, no, two of them."


    Then, Choi Min-Seok hung up the phone and rushed out of the house.


    ''Dang, my precious shush fund. Yu-Seong, I don''t know what you''re up to, but you better be on your toes. I¡¯ll drop you into hell.¡¯


    Choi Min-Seok''s eyes burned with hatred.


    ***


    On the edge of Paju, Gyeonggi-do, beyond the river, one could see the 38th parallel between South and North Korea in the distance. A luxury sedan noisily drove into an abandoned rice field.


    Choi Yu-Seong nodded as he lowered the car window, checking out a fairly large wooden building that stood alone on the rice field. He said, "It''s a perfect place. It''s where I wanted it."


    There wasn¡¯t even a single person walking around here. There were also no buildings or farm areas that could cause harm in case of emergency.


    "It wasn''t easy to find. No matter how far out an area is, if there is no dungeon, most of it is used for farming," said Yu-Ri.


    "Great work."


    Unlike Choi Yu-Seong, who smiled slightly at Jin Yu-Ri''s proud expression, Ye-Ryeong looked strangely tense while sitting right next to Yu-Ri. Noticing her expression, Yu-Seong said softly, "If you''re worried, you can give up now.¡±


    Ye-Ryeong shook her head from side to side. She clenched her fist. Then, as if shaking something off, she sighed deeply and looked right into Choi Yu-Seong''s eyes over her long bangs. She said, "The only thing I''m worried about is my possibility of failure and disappointing the boss, Yu-Ri unnie, and the people around me."


    "I think it''s okay as long as you don''t get hurt even if you fail..." said Yu-Seong.


    "Me, too. Actually, it''s my first time hearing about this particular method. I''m not looking forward to it anyways. Really," said Yu-Ri.


    Smiling at what Choi Yu-Seong and Jin Yu-Ri just said, Ye-Ryeong nodded. She started to cheer with her arms up high. "But I want to do well if I can. As I told the boss the other day, I want to be more supportive to you.¡±


    As always, Chae Ye-Ryeong was confident. She always gave people a reason to feel good, for some reason.

 CH 98

    "Don''t be too burdened by this. Are you done setting up?¡± asked Yu-Seong.


    "Of course, I came early in the morning to do everything in advance. The hypnotist will be waiting in the warehouse,¡± said Yu-Ri.


    Choi Yu-Seong nodded before grabbing the closed car door handle. He made a suggestion. "Then, shall we go? Whether it works or not, let¡¯s have a barbeque dinner together with all of Ye-Ryeong''s younger siblings.¡±


    Chae Ye-Ryeong had been reaching out to open her door, but she stopped to look at Yu-Seong.


    "My siblings too?¡±


    Chae Ye-Ryeong had three younger siblings, who were of elementary and middle school age. They were growing up, so they should be eating well. Therefore, Yu-Seong thought that even though Ye-Ryeong''s economic situation was pretty much solved by now, she wouldn¡¯t refuse a dinner invite. However, when he saw her surprised reaction, he asked with slight suspicion, "Are you not comfortable for dinner? Then..."


    "No way!" Surprised, Ye-Ryeong shouted and quickly got out of the car. She bowed her head toward Choi Yu-Seong. "I''ll definitely eat well."


    "Great. Let''s go then."


    The three people, including the relaxed-looking Ye-Ryeong, started to walk into the wooden warehouse.


    Meanwhile, on a rural road four kilometers away from where Choi Yu-Seong''s car was parked, a man was checking the three people¡¯s movements through binoculars from a van. Watching them, he hit the cell phone¡¯s location transmission button. Then, a message arrived immediately.


    - I''ll be there in 20 minutes. Stand by.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    It was a message from Choi Min-Seok.


    ***


    The inside of the wooden warehouse was as big as it appeared to be from the outside. There was nothing inside, so they quickly found the three people who had been waiting for them. The people inside had been sitting on wooden chairs right next to the black tent, which concealed from view a long rectangular frame, in the center of the warehouse.


    It was the first time Choi Yu-Seong was seeing the three of them. The first person that caught his eye was a young man in his early- to mid-20s who straightened his back as soon as the group entered the warehouse. The young man quickly said, "Hello. Boss, I''m Kim Doo-Jun. To add to my introduction, I respect Yu-Ri noo-nim."


    The young man was somewhat of a talkative chap. Yu-Seong could easily tell that he was a member of the Hidden Team led by Jin Yu-Ri and Jenny. It was quite curious, however, that Kim Doo-Jun looked older than the two women.


    ¡°If they pretty and strong, then I address them as noo-nim,¡± Doo-Jun said with a smile. It was as if he had read Yu-Seong¡¯s questioning gaze.


    Choi Yu-Seong could roughly understand the situation when he saw Jin Yu-Ri shaking her head as if she thought him pathetic.


    He said with a nod, "Nice to meet you, Doo-Jun, and the rest of you are..."


    "Oh, let me introduce them. First of all, this is Kim Hee-Jin. She''s a D-rank hypnotist. She¡¯s pretty, don¡¯t you think so?¡± said Doo-Jun.


    Kim Hee-Jin, a woman in her mid-30s, looked awkward at Kim Doo-Jun''s introduction. She bowed her head slightly. "I''m Kim Hee-Jin. Nice to meet you."


    A hypnotist had a very important role because she had to inflict a fairly strong mental shock to Chae Ye-Ryeong.


    "Don''t be too nervous, and I look forward to your kind cooperation. I¡¯m Choi Yu-Seong," said Yu-Seong. He smiled and asked for a handshake with the hypnotist Kim Hee-Jin, who seemed to be somewhat shy. It was a kind gesture on his part to ease the tension, even just by a little bit.


    "And this is Hwang Ki-Chul. He¡¯s a B-rank hunter who has a Mana-Blocking skill. We had a bit of a struggle bringing him in. For your information, he doesn''t talk much."


    "...I''m Hwang Ki-Chul." Hwang Ki-Chul reached out with his hand, looking somewhat tired of Kim Doo-Jun''s chatter. He was, in a sense, the most important safety guard in this Re-Awakening work.


    The two requirements for the original novel¡¯s Re-Awakening were rather intense trauma and exposure to unleashed mana. This process carried relatively high risk, as Jin Yu-Ri predicted.


    ''If she completes the Re-Awakening safely, she may have stronger power than ordinary players from the start. But¡­¡¯


    If Chae Ye-Ryeong was stimulated incorrectly during the Re-Awakening, the mana that resonated between Chae Ye-Ryeong and mana stone would be triggered to try to agglomerate. That would end in a violent collision as a result. It was very easy to explain what would happen because of this.


    ¡®Boom and bang¡­.¡¯


    In other words, like a mana bomb exploding in front of their eyes, it would be an explosion of mana. The predicted range could actually blow the entire wooden warehouse away. If they were caught up, everyone here would be wiped out.


    Maybe Jin Yu-Ri, who was an A-rank hunter, could lead and avoid sustaining injuries for herself and Choi Yu-Seong upon seeing the signs of an explosion.


    However, there was no such intention at all. If the mana explosion occurred, Ye-Ryeong would certainly die, since she would be the source of the explosion. No matter how important his life was, Yu-Seong did not want to run away and leave Ye-Ryeong alone. Even though she was aware of the danger, he was the one who had challenged her to Re-Awaken. Therefore, Yu-Seong hired Hwang Ki-Chul, who had the Mana-Blocking specialized skill, as a type of protective measure.


    Just as its name suggested, the Mana-Blocking skill was the ability to seal mana released to the outside. In a way, it was an ability that could be considered a well-matched skill for the Psychic type hunters, but the mana blockade itself required such high concentration that the player could not move a single step during the skill exercise. Needless to say, the skill was not that useful in practice.


    ¡®In the beginning, it was said that it could be good to take on one of those attackers with such skills when fighting the dungeon¡¯s boss monster, but¡­¡¯


    Those who could not move a single step, in exchange for tying up the mana released externally, were likely to die an instant death from the boss monster¡¯s attack. Above all, the boss monster did not weaken just because its externally released mana was bound.


    ¡®If one skill is blocked, it could use another.¡¯


    Thus, it was a somewhat neglected ability. When controlling situations such as mana explosions, no one would be as safe and well-prepared as players with the Mana-Blocking skill. Therefore, Hwang Ki-Chul''s presence was, above all, a reliable and safe insurance.


    "I''m Choi Yu-Seong. Even if I don''t say anything, don¡¯t hesitate to block the mana once you judge the situation to be bad,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    "Yes, sir," said Hwang Ki-Chu.


    Ki-Chul would also die if there was a mana explosion. Therefore, Yu-Seong believed that he would take the initiative to do his best even without his reminder.


    After introducing himself to Kim Doo-Jun from the Hidden Team and the two Re-Awakening assistants, Yu-Seong then looked at the two women behind him. He then introduced them, saying, "This is Jin Yu-Ri, who will prevent any possible threats, and this is Chae Ye-Ryeong, the person for this Re-Awakening. I look forward to your kind cooperation, everyone."


    "I''m Jin Yu-Ri."


    "I look forward to your kind cooperation. I¡¯m Chae Ye-Ryeong."


    "You are much smaller than I thought¡­ and you look young. May I ask how old you are?¡± Kim Hee-Jin asked with a surprised look after seeing Ye-Ryeong.


    The person she had to carry out some shocking hypnosis on was a girl who appeared to be very young.


    "I''m 20 years old now. But sometimes, people judge me to be younger,¡± answered Ye-Ryeong. In fact, she was treated younger than her age by almost everyone, but she usually showed it off as a good thing in such situations.


    "I¡¯m not sure if you will be able to endure..." Kim Hee-Jin, on the other hand, looked worried for Ye-Ryeong. It was an understandable feeling.


    "Small doesn''t necessarily mean weak," said Ye-Ryeong. She ignored the concern and looked at the rectangular frame covered up in the black tent. She then said, "That''s it, right, boss?"


    "That''s right. Chae Ye-Ryeong, you¡¯ll go in there."


    "Let¡¯s get the tent off right away. For your information, it''s quite beautiful," said Kim Doo-Jun. He quickly ran to lift the tent, as if he had been waiting for those very words.


    At first glance, it was like a small room made of glass filled with rather colorful light. The only unique thing was that the center of the room had a chair. However, slightly looking up at the ceiling, one would change their mind. Despite the absence of any lighting, the orange and yellow source filling the glass room was pouring down like an aurora, emitting a mysterious light.


    "Wow..." Kim Hee-Jin unconsciously expressed a gasp of admiration.


    "Hmm..." Even Hwang Ki-Chul, who was mostly speechless, sighed in response.


    The two of them had followed Kim Doo-Jun even after knowing what they would be doing, but they had never actually seen the glass room without the tent.


    "That''s all mana stone, right?¡± asked Chae Ye-Ryeong.


    "Yes," answered Yu-Seong.


    "And I have to go in there and sit in that chair."


    "That''s right." Choi Yu-Seong nodded.


    As mentioned, the two requirements of Re-Awakening were the intense trauma and mana exposure. The reason why fifty-five mana stones filled the glass room, which was a pretty narrow space, was to make sure that the mana exposure was clearly pushed to the maximum.


    ¡°If I fail, will all those mana stones be wasted?¡±


    "Yes. To be exact, whether you succeed or fail, that will soon become just an ordinary rock." Choi Yu-Seong nodded and answered Ye-Ryeong¡¯s question honestly without hesitation.


    Ye-Ryeong turned somewhat pale after roughly calculating the price of the mana stones in her head.


    In fact, Choi Yu-Seong thought that if she succeeded in Re-Awakening, the mana stones worth almost 20 billion won would not be a waste at all. This was because, considering the best possible result, Chae Ye-Ryeong''s body would accept most of the mana as she finished Re-Awakening. In such a case, the money spent would not be a waste at all.


    Secondly, Yu-Seong also thought about the what could happen if they were unlucky. In the process of resonating with each other''s mana, the mana stone¡¯s energy may be scattered into nature without being absorbed. In this case, the Re-Awakening failed.


    Either way, mana would disappear, so the mana stones would be no different from an ordinary stone.


    ''But it''s okay up until this point.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong could simply get new mana stones when he needed them. Rather, the problem was the mental trauma that Chae Ye-Ryeong could receive due to hypnosis. But, this could be clearly alleviated through treatment.


    The worst-case scenario came down to one thing¡ªmana explosion caused by a variable. Of course, there was Hwang Ki-Chul here, so even that was not a big problem after all. There was no need to doubt the fact that the B-rank¡¯s Mana-Blocking skill would completely prevent mana explosion to a certain extent.


    ¡®Since the ability itself is quite strong, the penalty is proportionately big.¡¯


    No wonder it could even stop the boss monster¡¯s powerful skill. However, Yu-Seong was worried that Ye-Ryeong could be injured, since she would become the source of the mana explosion in this case. Even if he prevented a mana explosion, it would still be the worst case for her to suffer from hypnosis or have physical damage from being the source.

 CH 99

    ¡®At least no one would die.¡¯


    No one would be crippled, and there wouldn¡¯t be any major problems either. As this was a high-risk job, Choi Yu-Seong had put in much thought, and now, he was fully prepared for all possibilities.


    "...Shouldn''t I be treating you to barbeque, boss?" asked Chae Ye-Ryeong. Unlike Choi Yu-Seong, who felt somewhat relieved, she looked at the mana stones on the glass room¡¯s ceiling nervously.


    Yu-Seong smiled gently at Ye-Ryeong. ¡°You know that I have a lot of money, right? So don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Of course, Choi Yu-Seong was not rich enough to put on a display of mana stones like this as much as, and as often as, he wanted since it consumed nearly 20 billion won each time. But at this moment, he thought it wouldn''t be bad to bluff a little.


    "And anyway, you are the one who is taking the biggest risk. So really, don''t worry about money."


    "But still, I want to treat you to barbeque."


    Choi Yu-Seong turned and made eye contact with Chae Ye-Ryeong. She looked very gentle, but she was surprisingly stubborn. In the end, Yu-Seong shrugged as if he had lost. "Alright then, do as you please."


    "Thank you. Then... shall we go in immediately?" Ye-Ryeong asked.


    ¡°It''s not urgent, so you can take your time," Yu-Seong answered.


    "Taking more time doesn''t change anything, does it?" With that rather astute remark, Ye-Ryeong exhaled again and looked at Kim Hee-Jin. "Hypnotist unnie, don''t go easy on me. I can bear it! I know I can count on you.¡±


    "Oh, okay!"


    Chae Ye-Ryeong then took as wide a step as she could with her short legs and approached the glass room. She grabbed the small handle, then entered without hesitation.


    "Then, let''s get started,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    At Choi Yu-Seong''s words, Kim Doo-Jun quickly moved a chair across the glass wall so Yu-Seong could sit and face her.


    Kim Hee-Jin took a short but deep breath, sat on a chair, and looked at the calm-looking Ye-Ryeong. Then, she reached out with one hand to generate blue energy. The energy soon fell under her palm and formed a watch with a thin line.


    "Okay then, I''ll start. The hypnosis I''m going to show you is..."


    For a moment, Kim Hee-Jin looked at Choi Yu-Seong. He had already requested what he wanted Ye-Ryeong to be shown.


    ''An illusion of being pushed by someone and sinking into the deep sea.''


    Last night, Choi Yu-Seong confirmed through his notes on his cell phone on what could be inferred about Chae Ye-Ryeong''s Re-Awakening in the original novel.


    ¡®The Sorceress of the Flood¡­was kidnapped by gangsters and dumped off the coast of Incheon after all her younger siblings died.¡¯


    Such an ordinary girl, who was the head of the household to her younger siblings, became a witch who threatened the world by Re-Awakening in the fear of dying and the sadness of losing everything. It was described in a short sentence, but it was still a very sad story.


    At that time, Yu-Seong didn¡¯t think about it seriously, since it wasn¡¯t reality but the setting of the novel¡¯s villain. However, it was different now.


    ¡®Chae Ye-Ryeong is a living person.¡¯


    Moreover, she was not a villain either. She was an innocent, confident, and generous young woman. Even if it wasn¡¯t real, it still felt harsh to have her experience something not only sad, but something that was exactly the same as what the Sorceress of the Flood had experienced. That was why Yu-Seong could not ask for the hypnosis to be exactly the same content as the original novel.


    ¡®If it''s about losing everyone around her¡­¡¯


    Even Choi Yu-Seong himself wouldn¡¯t want to go through it, be it a false experience through hypnosis or not.


    ''Even if Re-Awakening happens, it would be very painful to have such terrible memories.¡¯


    So even if his consideration led to failure, Yu-Seong wouldn¡¯t regret it.


    Choi Yu-Seong nodded. He looked calm and firm like Chae Ye-Ryeong. Kim Hee-Jin''s watch, which was waiting for the signal, began to move side to side like a pendulum. And according to plan, Chae Ye-Ryeong closed her eyes.


    ***


    Two more cars arrived on the bumpy country road. One was the luxury sedan that Choi Min-Seok had been in, and the other was a sports sedan that made a rather loud exhaust sound. Choi Min-Seok arrived first, and his arrival was reported by the watchers. He frowned when he saw the sports sedan that arrived a little later.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡®You crazy guys, what if those over there hear the sound and react?¡¯


    As if they didn¡¯t care about his thoughts, a man and woman got out of the car. Their music played loud enough to echo all across the surroundings.


    "Are you Choi Min-Seok?"


    The person speaking to Choi Min-Seok was in his mid-40s, with a fairly small stature for a man, an impressively long ponytail, and scars on his cheeks.


    "Yeah, I am Choi Min-Seok," said Min-Seok.


    "See, I told you he¡¯s the employer.¡±


    The man nodded slightly, as if the confirmation process was over, and hugged the waist of the woman in her early 30s who came near him. She also had long pink-dyed hair that came down to her hips and wore pink sunglasses so impressive that she looked like she would stand out wherever she went.


    "I didn''t recognize him because he looked more like a toad in person than I saw in the picture."


    "My love, he¡¯s still our employer, so you should watch your words.¡±


    "Well, as long as he gives us the right money, it doesn''t matter what he looks like, right? Haha.¡±


    Choi Min-Seok tried to hold back a curse as he listened to the couple¡¯s conversation. His face was heavily distorted.


    ¡®What kind of guys are they?¡¯


    He had already experienced the grumpiness of the black mercenaries and villains a few times, but these two seemed to be worse. Their behavior of cursing him right to his face was also ridiculous, angering him.


    ¡®I want nothing more than to kill them, but¡­¡¯


    There were villainous A-rank black mercenaries. Choi Min-Seok had nothing to gain from offending them, especially when he only had a few D-rank hunters beside him.


    "Good, I¡¯m glad you came. What''s your name?¡± Choi Min-Seok asked.


    "You¡¯re curious about that? Isn¡¯t it the ability that is important?" the woman tilted her head as she responded.


    ¡®I¡¯m asking so I can remember it and kill you later, you crazy bi¡­¡¯


    Choi Min-Seok suppressed his true feelings and smiled clumsily. "Yeah, that¡¯s why I¡¯m asking. I need to know your name in order to know your skills.¡±


    ¡°Since you don¡¯t seem strong enough to know just by looking at us, I guess we¡¯ll just have to introduce ourselves. I¡¯m Geom-Gui, and this beauty is¡­¡±


    "I¡¯m Medusa,¡± said the woman with a smile.


    Medusa''s long hair instantly soared high in the sky. Her pink hair turned dark black, and the ends of her hair began to wriggle in the shape of a snake.


    ¡®Kyah-!¡¯


    As soon as the snake opened its mouth and hissed, Choi Min-Seok and the chasers'' expressions quickly turned to shock when they saw the poison beading on the sharp fangs. It was the first time Min-Seok saw their faces, but he knew exactly who the two were. Obviously, the two didn¡¯t use their real names to introduce themselves either.


    ¡®The villains, Geom-Gui and Medusa!¡¯


    Choi Min-Seok screamed inside.


    ''Oh, my God, they really are crazy bastards.¡¯


    Min-Seok finally saw the two swords on Geom-Gui¡¯s waist. If it were as seen in the news, one would be an ordinary sword that was good for stabbing people, and the other would be in the form of a saw blade that tore through a person''s flesh.


    Geom-Gui was a villain who wore a horned mask resembling a demon and whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be attacked with his second sword, then no matter how much pain they were in or how much they wailed, he never let them die easily.


    ''The psycho killer who tears and rips the person for a prolonged period of time.''


    Therefore, Geom-Gui¡¯s victims were often torn into pieces as if they were eaten by animals. The only part he didn''t touch was the victim¡¯s face, and he previously said that the reason was that he preferred seeing their suffering.


    Medusa was a woman no less mad than Geom-Gui. She specialized in the ability to turn her hair into a venomous snake. The snakes¡¯ venom was so powerful that even a single bite could kill large animals such as elephants and hippos. It was known that even A-rank hunters could die within 30 minutes. As such, Medusa''s ability itself was scary and creepy, but the scariest rumor was something different¡­


    "There''s a rumor that she eats human flesh¡­." One of the chasers looked at Medusa and said with a pale face.


    Medusa smiled at him as she stroked a hair snake that had gently winded around her neck.


    "It''s not that I like it, but my babies enjoy it quite a lot. It''s not bad. My hair feels even better than getting a lot of treatment done." She responded to his comment.


    The chaser trembled when he made eye contact with Medusa.


    Nevertheless, Choi Min-Seok became aware of their ability after the villains revealed their names.


    ¡®Both of them have been working as villains for a year, but they have not been caught by the Special Police Force.¡¯


    Korea was said to be quite a safe country as the average period of activity for new villains in Korea was about two months. This was because the Special Police Force, which only had a small number of people but excellent skills, persistently followed and arrested or killed most of the villains. The fact that these two villains had survived for nearly a year alone proved their abilities.


    ''These crazy guys wouldn¡¯t have any guilt in dealing with things.¡¯


    That was a rather good thing.


    "Picture!" shouted Choi Min-Seok. He extended his hand to the chasers who had arrived first.


    Geom-Gui checked the picture and tilted his head. He asked, "They''re kids. Well, isn''t this handsome guy quite a celebrity?"


    "Handsome? Let me see," said Medusa. She saw the picture together with Geom-Gui, who was next to her. She smiled and clapped. "Oh, he''s Choi Yu-Seong!"


    "Right? The ninth child of the Comet Group," said Geom-Gui.


    "Yes. Come to think of it, our ugly employer''s name is..."


    "Does that matter?¡± Choi Min-Seok shouted sharply to the two who were looking down at the picture.


    "Um, well, it doesn''t matter as long as you pay us. But it¡¯s a bigger case than I thought since it¡¯s the Comet Group¡¯s family fight,¡± said Geom-Gui.


    "Hey, ugly employer! I think we''ll have to stay abroad for a while after this. Doesn''t it seem like 5 billion won is not enough?¡± asked Medusa.


    "What?" asked Min-Seok. The corners of his lips began to tremble.


    "The risk is too high. You¡¯ll have to add 2 billion won each. Or we''ll be out,¡± Geom-Gui said with a shrug.


    "You crazy¡­!"


    Naturally, Choi Min-Seok started to curse and swear. If 2 billion won per two were added to the original amount he had promised, the amount per person would be 7 billion won. If he spent about 3 billion more, he would be able to hire low-level S-rank mercenaries. Moreover, the combined cost of the two would be 14 billion won.


    ¡®Does this make sense?¡¯


    Choi Min-Seok wanted to argue about common sense, but these two were villains who were called the Black Mercenary.

 CH 100

    "That¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s go, my love. There''s no reason for us to risk any danger..."


    "Wait!" Choi Min-Seok gritted his teeth and raised his voice at the two people who were turning to return to the car without hesitation. "I''m not asking you to do anything to Choi Yu-Seong."


    From the very beginning, Min-Seok had no intention of touching Choi Yu-Seong.


    ¡®I¡¯d be happy if I could do that, but if Choi Yu-Seong dies right after Byung-Chan hyung-nim, the whole family will flip out.¡¯


    It would become a big incident that would anger Choi Woo-Jae, who would then be determined to find the answer and easily discover where Choi Min-Seok had used his secret funds.


    Just like it had been previously discussed with Choi In-Young, Min-Seok¡¯s goal was to reduce Woo-Jae¡¯s favorable interest toward Yu-Seong. As a matter of fact, when he first arrived here and saw the picture, he had come up with a decent idea.


    "There are two women in the picture. Check it out."


    "Women?"


    As Geom-Gui asked, the two villains looked back at the picture.


    "You just have to kill the shorter one,¡± said Choi Min-Seok with his eyes shining.


    "She looks like a student. What grudge would you have against her?"


    ¡°Since when did you care about reasons when murdering?¡± commented Min-Seok.


    "I wondered what''s different about being born lucky, but your thoughts are no different from mine,¡± Geom-Gui revealed a strange smile.


    Min-Seok had a simple reason for targeting Chae Ye-Ryeong.


    Unlike Jin Yu-Ri, Ye-Ryeong was not a hunter but an ordinary player. In addition, there was also information that Choi Yu-Seong had hired her somewhat urgently not too long ago. This certainly raised suspicions.


    ¡®He brought an ordinary E-rank player into his house, employed her, and suddenly dragged her to a quiet place like this?¡¯


    Min-Seok could already think of many malicious things he would do in that situation.


    ¡®Yeah, I wondered how a troublemaker like you endured it until now!¡¯


    It would be a good excuse to ruin Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s reputation, especially since Choi Woo-Jae favored him so much these days.


    "Are you going to do it or not?¡± asked Min-Seok.


    Just as Medusa was about to nod at Min-Seok¡¯s urging¡­


    "But it has to be 7 billion won. After all, we are interfering with the Comet Group. We have to get paid for the extra risk we have to take,¡± Geom-Gui said as he stepped forward.


    ¡®Damn it¡­¡¯


    At first, Min-Seok thought Medusa, who dealt with snakes, was more cunning, but he could now tell that Geom-Gui was the truly cunning one. It was clear from the look in Geom-Gui¡¯s eyes that he had already accepted the request but it seemed like he had no intention of accepting the request for just 5 billion won. He knew very well who the desperate one was in this scenario.


    Choi Min-Seok became impatient.


    ¡®If I miss this opportunity, I don''t know when I''ll get another.¡¯


    Eventually, Min-Seok closed his eyes tightly and nodded. "...6 billion."


    "I should just head on home.¡±


    "Damn, okay okay! 7 billion!"


    "So, Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s the only one I have to keep alive, right?" said Geom-Gui with a huge grin.


    "What?" asked Min-Seok.


    "There could possibly be more people, right? It''s not our cup of tea to choose and kill only one,¡± Medusa said with a cool smile.


    Choi Min-Seok, who looked worried for a while, nodded. He said, "That would be even better.¡±


    Every single death would become another black mark against Choi Yu-Seong.


    ***


    While making eye contact with Chae Ye-Ryeong, Kim Hee-Jin slowly swung the superwatch, which was made by a skill, for a long time. Then, she suddenly stopped her movement with a surprised look. She looked straight at Choi Yu-Seong who was standing in the back and said, ¡°The hypnosis has worn off."


    Nevertheless, Chae Ye-Ryeong was staring into the distance with a pretty blank expression. She still looked hypnotized. What could have changed?


    Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s intuition quickly picked up on something when he looked at Ye-Ryeong, who had stopped struggling. She no longer looked like she was suffering while being hypnotized.


    ¡®It¡¯s here.¡¯


    Around that time, a gushing sound rang out, and the mana stones¡¯ mana rained down from the ceiling and onto Chae Ye-Ryeong. This was the start of the next step¡ªthe mana transition.


    ¡®The really important part starts from now.¡¯


    This was the most sensitive period. If something were incorrectly touched, a mana explosion would occur.


    "What''s going on?" asked Kim Doo-Jun. He looked at the unexpected turn of events in surprise. His surprise was understandable since, besides Jin Yu-Ri and Chae Ye-Ryeong, no one else here had heard Yu-Seong¡¯s explanation of the Re-Awakening.


    "We''ll talk about the details later. Ms. Kim Hee-Jin, since there¡¯s nothing for you to do now, you can go ahead and leave. Thank you.¡±


    "Ah¡­?" Kim Hee-Jin looked at Chae Ye-Ryeong''s change with a somewhat surprised look. She looked around before getting up from her seat with a nod. She didn¡¯t know what exactly had happened, but she knew that Choi Yu-Seong was a chaebol family¡¯s son and that nothing good could come about from knowing a chaebol family¡¯s secrets.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take my leave now¡­¡±


    When Kim Hee-Jin began making moves to leave, Kim Doo-Jun looked over at Choi Yu-Seong.


    Choi Yu-Seong nodded at him.


    Doo-Jun said, "I''ll take you home."


    After getting permission, Kim Doo-Jun quickly led Kim Hee-Jin out.


    Despite the conversation happening next to him, Hwang Ki-Chul continued to quietly focus on the flow of mana inside the glass room. If the situation took a turn for the worse, he had to immediately activate his Mana-Blocking skill.


    A brief period of silence went by.


    "Ahhhhhhh-!" Kim Hee-Jin suddenly screamed after heading outside, shattering the surrounding silence.


    Everyone turned their heads in surprise, but Jin Yu-Ri was one step ahead of them. She immediately opened the warehouse door and ran outside. Then, looking toward where the scream had come from, she frowned.


    On a desolate rice field less than 500m away, Kim Doo-Jun was dead with dozens of snakes burrowing into his back. It was clear that he had died a miserable death. Kim Hee-Jin, who had screamed in terror earlier, had all her limbs torn off, and her face was frozen in pain and fear.


    "What the..." Jin Yu-Ri cursed upon looking at the terrible scene. She turned to look at the attacking woman, who wore a mask with dozens of snakes drawn on a white background. Looking at the woman¡¯s hair, which had become black snakes, Yu-Ri could easily guess who she was. She called out, "Villain Medusa. Are you the one who killed both of them?¡±


    "Maybe, huehue," said Medusa with a light shrug.


    In case of an emergency, Geom-Gui was hiding nearby, but there was no reason for Medusa to reveal that fact. At the same time, Medusa''s hair snakes lengthened and shot toward Jin Yu-Ri.


    Yu-Ri stretched her arm out. Her quick action brought about a thick, black shroud. She obscured the vision of Medusa¡¯s snakes, which rose higher into the air upon making contact with the black shroud.


    The snakes had lethal venom, but individually, they didn¡¯t have much strength. Therefore, it was unsurprising that they couldn¡¯t penetrate the magic shroud created by hunters of the same rank, A-rank, like Jin Yu-Ri.


    However, Medusa had two main thoughts.


    ¡®Why did she block the view?¡¯


    Medusa also wondered what Jin Yu-Ri''s ability could be.


    Even before the first question was answered, a long sharp sword stretched out from Yu-Ri¡¯s hand, swinging out from below the black shroud. She cut off hundreds of snakes, which all fell to the ground.


    At that moment, Jin Yu-Ri stepped back and widened the distance. She looked at the bisected snakes, which touched the ground and became fluttering strands of hair again.


    ¡®Does it lose power after getting cut? Or is it a trap?¡¯


    During a fight between the same rank, even similar talents, the most important thing was to clearly grasp the opponent''s ability. Generally, A-rank hunters had at least 15 skills. Among those skills, most of them had Physical Strength, Stamina, and Vision Reinforcement, so it was safe to guess that slightly more than 10 skills would be used in combat.


    ¡®If she is a psychic type hunter, she is more likely to have mana-enhancing skills.¡¯


    In other words, besides the one or two main skills, all the other skills could be guessed and appropriate preparations should be made to counter them. Therefore, even though Jin Yu-Ri took the opportunity to attack, she was quick to take a step back so she could try to figure out Medusa''s ability.


    "You are pretty strong, but you get frightened easily.¡±


    "I¡¯m just being cautious," snorted Yu-Ri.


    Medusa''s eyes flashed when she looked at Jin Yu-Ri.


    ¡®The skill is black in color and she is a psychic type player like me. It¡¯s possible that she has the same Shapeshift skills as me¡­but I don¡¯t see a medium.¡¯


    Soon, Medusa widened her eyes upon remembering something.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡®No way¡­! Does she have a Phenomenal skill?¡¯


    There were various and diverse skills that hunters dealt with. In general, if it was divided into large categories such as Physical type and Psychic type, as indicated in the system interface, it could also be divided into even more detailed and distinct subcategories.


    Typically, the Psychic type was divided into five types, not to mention the most common Projection skill. Everything with the ability to shoot something in connection with a particular movement was called Projection skill, such as shooting fire, shooting ice, or blowing wind. Thus, a large number of subcategories was necessary.


    The next skill type with a large number of subcategories was the Shapeshift skill, like Medusa¡¯s. These Shapeshift skills had several characteristics that differ from the Projection skill. For one, mana that was expressed after the activation of the first skill would mostly be dark-toned. This was the reason why Medusa''s hair would change from pink to black.


    Second, as it was called a Shapeshift skill, there was a condition that a shape-altering medium had to exist. For example, Medusa¡¯s hair would be a medium. Fingers would also be a possibility. Even if it was not a body part, it could be any tool such as chopsticks or spoons.


    Those skills could rarely be used by physical type players. These included people such as Jin Do-Yoon, who was classified as a werewolf.


    The types that followed such a skill were the Restoration skill and the Support skill. In the case of the Restoration skill, it could be said that almost 99 percent of them were combat assistants rather than direct attackers. On the other hand, in the case of Support skill, the people often belonged to direct combat forces according to the skill utilization method, in addition to the role of simple combat assistance.


    Last but not least, the final skill type that existed with the least number of subcategories was the Phenomenal skill. The biggest feature and disadvantage of Phenomenal skill was¡­ In some ways, it seemed to be a top-level skill of the Shapeshift skill. It was somewhat general-purpose compared to the other types, and it was accompanied by intense mana consumption every time it was used, so as to produce more power. Therefore, the psychic players who had Phenomenal skill did not like to prolong the battle.


    "You use Phenomenal skills,¡± said Medusa with a knowing smile before shooting a snake toward Yu-Ri.


    "Maybe?"


    And once again, the black shroud unfolded.

 CH 101

    "From the bottom again?¡±


    Since Medusa had correctly guessed her skill type and didn¡¯t let her come near, Jin Yu-Ri tried to approach and close the distance as soon as possible. She tried to agitate Medusa.


    Medusa''s snakes swung like a whip and shot into the black shroud with wide-open jaws. However, there was no prey for them to swallow.


    ¡®What?¡¯


    Medusa frowned, feeling momentarily surprised. As her hair snakes got into the black shroud, Jin Yu-Ri''s figure started to blur. In fact, most of Medusa''s guesses were correct.


    Jin Yu-Ri''s Psychic type special skill was Selection Implementation, a Phenomenal skill that could create several items she had chosen with mana at any time. Therefore, every single usage of the skill would have high mana consumption.


    However, Jin Yu-Ri grew up by Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s side from a young age and had enjoyed unexpected luxury while protecting him.


    For example, she drank the mana extracts given to her by Choi Woo-Jae for a while after becoming a player. The reason for that was simple: to better protect Choi Yu-Seong. Therefore, she had more, no, considerably more mana than a typical hunter using Phenomenal skill. In other words, she could expand several skills at the same time.


    ¡®Take the shroud down, camouflage, and accelerate simultaneously.''


    In just three seconds, camouflage¡ªa skill that assimilated with the surrounding landscape and allowed her to basically turn invisible¡ªwas activated. In addition, Jin Yu-Ri even used acceleration to shoot at Medusa, who looked around to find her.


    There was the slight sound of tearing wind. Even though she was confident in winning since had predicted Yu-Ri¡¯s type, Medusa wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the incoming surprise.


    "Thanks for the hair show Medusa, but I guess you''re not as good as your reputation, huh?" Jin Yu-Ri''s voice caused a chill to go down Medusa¡¯s back and pierced her ears.


    Medusa gasped and tried to call back her stretched-out hair, but the black dagger in Jin Yu-Ri''s hand was faster. But at that moment, another dagger suddenly shot out of nowhere to strike Jin Yu-Ri''s hand.


    ¡®There¡¯s another one?¡¯


    It was an unexpected situation; Yu-Ri had to choose between giving her hand up and cutting Medusa¡¯s throat or wait for another chance. She clenched her teeth in frustration. However, this was a battle and there was no time to ponder.


    ¡®One is better than none.¡¯


    The flying dagger was deeply embedded into Yu-Ri¡¯s hand and blood splattered. She shook slightly, but her own dagger drew a long scar on Medusa.


    "Stop. If you continue slashing with that dagger, you won¡¯t die a comfortable death.¡±


    Before Jin Yu-Ri knew it, a saw-like long sword came right next to her and parked itself there. Then, a short time went by.


    ¡®If I was a little slow¡­¡¯


    Or if the opponent had been just a little slower, either Jin Yu-Ri or Medusa would have died. No one could guarantee which one of them would be dead.


    Feeling a cold sweat on her forehead, Jin Yu-Ri eventually leaned her head back. She had no choice but to retreat quickly. She avoided an attack by Medusa, whose hair had turned into snakes again and were biting at where Yu-Ri¡¯s head had been. It snapped at empty air.


    "You¡¯re pretty fast. It''ll be fun to play.¡±


    A chilly voice rang out right next to Jin Yu-Ri.


    ¡®He¡¯s fast.¡¯


    Jin Yu-Ri even used the acceleration skill to step back but the opponent still caught up. If the opponent was a Psychic type player, there was a high probability that he had the same acceleration skill. If he was a Physical type player, he was just incredibly fast.


    ¡®I''d rather prefer the former in this situation.¡¯


    Feeling the terrible pain of the attacks, it seemed to be the latter.


    "Tsk¡­!"


    Dripping blood, Jin Yu-Ri activated her acceleration skills several times in a row to widen the distance between her and her opponent. It was a burdensome move that consumed quite a lot of mana due to her Phenomenal skills, but she had no choice.


    Psychic type hunters were generally disadvantageous when fighting Physical type hunters with little distance between them. Thus, it was necessary for Yu-Ri to widen the distance somehow.


    The opponent did not react according to Jin Yu-Ri¡¯s plan. It was like he had expected such a move. He stopped and licked the blood flowing through the saw-edged sword with his tongue. He then revealed a cool smile.


    ¡®The demon mask¡­Geom-Gui!¡¯


    The villains were Medusa and Geom-Gui. Jin Yu-Ri silently groaned when she recognized both of them.


    ¡®This time, we are up against these troublesome guys. Why did they follow us here?¡¯


    Several questions came to mind, but Yu-Ri couldn''t afford to find the answer. To her, Medusa was a moderate opponent, and Geom-Gui was an unexpectedly strong opponent. In this situation, she couldn''t afford to think about anything else.


    "Get out of my way! She''s mine!" Medusa stepped right next to Geom-Gui and shouted angrily.


    "Calm down, my love. The more excited you get when you fight, the worse the outcome.¡± Geom-Gui, who carefully soothed Medusa, never stopped looking at Yu-Ri. He wasn¡¯t going to reveal any blind spots to Yu-Ri.


    ¡®He¡¯s a pro.¡¯


    At least among the A-rank players Yu-Ri knew, Geom-Gui was strong and had an excellent fighting sense.


    "It''s just that I was off-guard earlier. I''ll do it properly now, so leave her to me," said Medusa.


    "Hm..." Geom-Gui hummed somewhat worriedly.


    "You sure you don¡¯t want to fight me together?¡± Jin Yu-Ri smiled at Geom-Gu as she beckoned with her finger. Her thigh hurt and was a burden, but she needed to seem relaxed. She was also trying to get Medusa, who was excited easily, to lose her composure.


    "I''ll kill you!" shouted Medusa.


    Jin Yu-Ri''s idea clearly worked. Medusa''s hair shot straight at her, and she once again formed a black shroud to prevent the snakes from attacking.


    ¡®And Geom-Gui is¡­¡¯


    Yu-Ri could at least predict Geom-Gui¡¯s movements. He would probably run forward with the snakes, cut through the black shroud at once, and continue the joint attack. Could she defend herself? To be honest, she suffered a thigh injury, and now that her ability had been revealed to some extent, she was not confident that she would last long against the two. However, there was still some hope.


    ¡®...Hope she¡¯s not too late¡­¡¯


    And, as expected, Geom-Gui¡¯s sword cut Yu-Ri¡¯s black shroud just as hundreds of Medusa¡¯s snakes striked all at once.


    Jin Yu-Ri created a whip to hold in her left hand and a sword in her right, wielding them at the same time. The whip danced to block Geom-Gui¡¯s attack while the sword cut off the heads of the approaching snakes. Moving quickly to continue widening the distance between her and her opponents, Yu-Ri kept in constant motion. She gradually forgot the pain in her thighs.


    When her sweat flowed down her forehead, dripping from the end of her eyebrows, Jin Yu-Ri heard a gunshot. Her sense of hope surged at that moment.


    Bang-!


    At the same time, Geom-gi, who was chasing Jin Yu-Ri, quickly turned to the side and brought his sword down vertically. The bullet split in half as it fell to the ground.


    The rumbling sound of a motorcycle could be heard in the fields.


    ¡°Finally, the numbers match.¡± Jin Yu-Ri breathed a sigh of relief.


    With her blonde hair tied into a ponytail, Jenny appeared on a motorcycle, holding a rifle in her hands. She quickly tossed it aside to pull out two handguns from around her waist. She pulled the trigger recklessly.


    Tadadadang-!


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    Geom-Gui blocked the bullets by continuously swinging his long sword, then turned toward Medusa.


    Unlike before when she had been agitated over being caught off-guard, Medusa seemed to have calmed down. She said, "Go. I told you, she''s my prey."


    Geom-Gui nodded and rushed toward Jenny, just like Jin Yu-Ri had hoped for.


    ''That¡¯s because Medusa and Jenny are not compatible opponents.¡¯


    Having caught a break, Yu-Ri stopped backing up. She said while catching her breath, "What should you do now that your bodyguard is gone?¡±


    "Huh, how long do you think a foolish mercenary who only shoots guns can stand against my honey?¡± Medusa scoffed.


    "What? A mercenary who knows nothing but shooting?" Jin Yu-Ri snorted in response.


    ¡®That¡¯s better for us if that¡¯s what you think.¡¯


    Idiots who didn¡¯t know Jenny¡¯s skill would say such things, since she carried a gun that wouldn¡¯t work on monsters. Yu-Ri acknowledged that Geom-Gui was a strong opponent, but he would not be a problem for Jenny.


    ¡®Rather, she¡¯ll be a problem for him.¡¯


    That was how the two-versus-two fight began.


    ***


    Choi Yu-Seong looked back again and again. He trembled at the screams, the uproar, and the subsequent gunfire coming from the outside. Even though Jin Yu-Ri was out there, the situation hadn¡¯t been resolved and the battle continued. Even Jenny seemed to be there since he could hear the gunfire.


    ¡®In this situation, I would become a burden if I go out since I¡¯m just a D-rank hunter.¡¯


    If things were being dragged out when there were two A-rank hunters, then it was safe to say that the battles were evenly matched. If Yu-Seong stepped up and became a burden, it could be a problem. Above all, in a very unexpected situation, his job was to protect Chae Ye-Ryeong from surrounding dangers so nothing would happen to her.


    ¡®But who the hell is it? Why at a time like this?¡¯


    He had assumed it would be difficult for his sibling to keep him in check for a while because of the incident with Choi Byung-Chan and Bomber and so, he was having a hard time figuring otu who was behind this.


    ¡®Choi Byung-Chan is dead. At this point, if Father knows that the family fight has spread significantly, he won''t stand still...''


    Was there an idiot in the family who couldn¡¯t even think of that? As a reader who completed the original novel, Choi Yu-Seong thought of two such characters.


    ¡®Me or...would it be Choi Min-Seok?¡¯


    Yu-Seong wanted to shake his head, but it felt strange. Recently, South Korea was in turmoil because of the Comet Group¡¯s guild business. At this point, it was difficult for other guilds or companies to keep Choi Yu-Seong in check.


    ¡®Or is it just a villain''s attack?¡¯


    Logically, Yu-Seong felt that this was probably the likeliest answer. It was rather understandable if the villains, who were after the Comet Group''s money, had come to kidnap him.


    ¡®Of course, that¡¯s on the premise that they don''t know Father''s personality¡­¡¯


    Choi Woo-Jae would rather kill Choi Yu-Seong himself and slit the villain''s throat than give them money.


    ¡®But why? Why does Choi Min-Seok keep coming to mind?¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong''s gaze wavered. He just had so many questions.


    "Oh, my¡­!" Hwang Ki-Chul, who had been staring at Chae Ye-Ryeong without saying a word, shouted in bewilderment. The mana stones¡¯ mana, which was pouring down like rain, suddenly fluctuate. He thought the Re-Awakening would go smoothly until the end, but a sudden problem had occurred.


    ''But why? Is it because of the noise?¡¯


    Before Choi Yu-Seong could ponder about the reason, Chae Ye-Ryeong suddenly opened her mouth from inside the wall of mana.

 CH 102

    "Ahhhhhhh-!¡±


    A scream rang out, cracking the glass wall. Surprised, Hwang Ki-Chul began to trigger the Mana-Blocking skill. As he held his hands together in front of him, the fluctuating mana slightly calmed down.


    ¡®Was there any Re-Awakened person who screamed in the original novel?¡¯


    Although taken aback, Choi Yu-Seong calmly organized his thoughts. There wasn¡¯t anybody who came to mind. No matter how much he thought about it, there was no person who reacted the same way as Chae Ye-Ryeong just did.


    Hwang Ki-Chul frowned. He stretched his hands forward, sweating profusely. "It''s a little...dangerous."


    "Pardon?"


    ¡°Even compared to the mana stones¡¯ mana, the lady¡¯s mana is extraordinary.¡±


    "...Do we have to think of the worst case?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "We don¡¯t have to, not yet. It''s just¡­¡±


    At that moment, the mana emanating from Chae Ye-Ryeong began to pour out much more intensely.


    "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh-!¡±


    The following scream shook the entire wooden building, which threatened to collapse.


    ¡®It''s dangerous.¡¯


    This situation hadn¡¯t occurred in the original novel so Yu-Seong turned to ask Hwang Ki-Chul. "What can I do to help?¡±


    "Nothing. Just pray we are lucky enough that things don''t get any worse than this."


    Before Hwang Ki-Chul finished speaking, a sharp energy of the flickering red light pierced through the warehouse walls and flew through the air as if dancing. Terrified, Yu-Seong turned the Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice into a spear and struck the red light that flew toward him.


    Clang!


    The spear rang loudly as Yu-Seong took several steps back. He confirmed that it was a dagger that shot through the air. He widened his eyes.


    ¡®Even the dagger is very heavy.¡¯


    As expected, the person outside was quite a strong opponent, but the problem was that. three more beams of red light flew in after the first.


    ¡®Oops¡­!¡¯


    Yu-Seong quickly ran forward and tried to use the Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice, expanding it to the size and length of a spear to swing it.


    Clang!


    The shock of the dagger hitting the Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice was so great that Yu-Seong rolled on the floor as the daggers rebounded into the air.


    ¡®There¡¯s one, two... Two?¡¯


    Just as Choi Yu-Seong confirmed the number of daggers and turned to look at Hwang Ki-Chul in surprise¡­


    Thud-!


    He heard the terrible sound of something piercing through flesh and bone.


    ***


    It was ten minutes before Hwang Ki-Chul''s death.


    Geom-Gui hadn¡¯t thought much differently from Medusa after encountering Jenny, the woman who had just appeared with a gun. He scoffed. ¡°Do you think a foreign mercenary who only shoots guns can deal with me?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Instead of answering, Jenny pulled the two handguns¡¯ triggers in succession, blocking Geom-Gui from approaching her. In fact, guns were more effective when fighting against humans than monsters.


    Monsters inside the dungeon were protected by the dungeon¡¯s magic and were not harmed by firearms. In addition, even if a dungeon break occurred and the monsters ran outside the dungeon, bullets would bounce off the fat or leather of the large monsters. It was common knowledge that an ogre, which was a typical large monster, would have to be hit by at least a missile. Thus, it was safe to say that hunters rarely, if ever, used firearms.


    For this reason, both Geom-Gui and Medusa saw Jenny as an ordinary foreign mercenary, rather than a hunter. Also, it was a fairly common story in the world that specially trained soldiers or mercenaries killed or knocked down hunters. That was why Geom-Gui snorted at Jenny so condescendingly.


    ¡®Those hunters who die from ordinary mercenaries with special training are just idiots.¡¯


    Even globally, there had never been a hunter beyond the rank-A who had been shot by firearms.


    ¡®She¡¯s thinking of fighting against me with a method that only works for C-rank hunters?¡¯


    There was no need to drag out the fight. Geom-Gui pulled out two swords at the same time and began to cut or avoid the flying bullets. In an instant, the distance shortened, and the guns started to smoke.


    Click, click.


    Hearing the sound of an empty cartridge every time the trigger was pulled, Geom-Gui no longer wove and ducked but began to run straight ahead. Nevertheless, he did not let his guard down.


    ¡®It could be a trap.¡¯


    The opponent might be trying to trick him with the last bullet. Therefore, Geom-Gui did not relax until he reached Jenny, who was trying to replace the magazine with a flustered expression.


    When Jenny dropped the magazine to the floor by accident, a demon mask came close and cast a shadow on her face.


    "It''s over, my foreign friend," said Geom-Gui with a cold smile. His sword extended from the ground to the sky, aiming to cut Jenny¡¯s arm.


    Of her two pistols, Jenny held the one in her left hand upside down like a tonfa. She blocked the approaching sword.


    ¡®Did she just block it?¡¯


    At this point, Geom-Gui felt a coolness on his skin. When Jenny pointed the pistol in her right hand to his forehead, his eyes naturally turned to the floor.


    ¡®I''m sure the magazine was on the floor¡­¡¯


    In this world, it was possible that a bullet wasn¡¯t necessarily needed to shoot.


    "I do agree with you that it''s over, Korean friend."


    When a blue flame burst from the bullet-free pistol, Geom-Gui bent his back more than 90 degrees backward and avoided the fire. His limbs appeared to be dancing in the air.


    ¡®The skill, the Sword¡¯s Flower.¡¯


    Geom-Gui just unexpectedly revealed one of his skills. He wiped off his cold sweat.


    On the other hand, Jenny widened the distance to avoid Geom-Gui¡¯s skill and smacked her lips. "I could have finished him."


    Inducing the opponent to be careless and then ending their life was a technique mainly used by Jenny, who had a similar tendency as Jin Yu-Ri. However, in this case, Geom-Gui¡¯s speed, ability, and fighting sense were excessively good.


    "You have a Projection skill.¡±


    Even more, Geom-Gui was pretty smart. With just one attack from Jenny, he immediately found out what her specialized skill was.


    "But how do you use the Projection skill through a gun? I''ve never heard of that type of hunter..." Geom-Gui made an assumption.


    A typical mana Projection skill usually required one prerequisite, which was a preliminary action or an invoking word. Through this prerequisite, most Physical type hunters could predict and avoid attacks by Psychic type hunters with Projection skill. From this assumption, Jenny''s movement before using Projection skill could be seen as pulling the gun¡¯s trigger.


    ¡®If my guess is right... Even though I don¡¯t know the power, the speed of her Projection skill is in the world''s top ranks.¡¯


    Jin Yu-Ri herself was unexpectedly fast and strong, but this woman was also formidable.


    ¡®How did the ninth child of the Comet Group gather such talented people? It¡¯s said that he''s improved a little recently, but I¡¯ve been completely fooled. He¡¯s a dragon hiding under the sea.¡¯


    Geom-Gui felt that his lips were dry and his saliva was particularly bitter.


    ¡®The calculation was wrong. I should have refused even if he said he would give us 15 billion won instead of 7 billion won.¡¯


    The request Geom-Gui had accepted thoughtlessly proved to be more difficult than he thought.


    Tense, he fully focused on Jenny''s fingers, which were on the trigger.


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    "Are you curious?" Jenny had been silent until now, but she spoke as she pointed her pistol at Geom-Gui. The mana¡¯s flame erupted at a high speed.


    Geom-Gui asked while tilting his head to the side to avoid Jenny¡¯s attack, "Are you going to tell me?"


    "I''m willing to answer if you give me your life."


    Geom-Gui placed his saw-edged sword into the scabbard. He said, "You''re a good speaker. From now on, I won¡¯t go easy on you.¡±


    "But that won¡¯t change the outcome..."


    Out of sight, Geom-Gui reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a dagger. It flew across Jenny¡¯s cheek, drawing blood from her fair skin. He then made a comment. "For your information, my specialized skill is Secret Warehouse."


    The reason why Geom-Gui had confidently revealed his specialized skills was simple. It was difficult to accurately grasp the ability¡¯s capacity just by its name alone.


    "What¡­?"


    Because of that, Jenny¡¯s thoughts went elsewhere for a moment.


    There was no reason to miss such an opportunity. Geom-Gui instantly narrowed the distance, kicking the ground like the Physical type hunter that he was.


    Jenny, who had lost focus for a moment, frowned. She fired mana one after another through her two pistols.


    Swinging his sword to cut the bullet, Geom-Gui then used his Secret warehouse skill, one that could bring up stuff that was put in the subspace with a tattoo on the arm. He took out a dagger and retaliated.


    However, it was a problem for Geom-Gui that Jenny also had more than one skill. Jenny continued to pull the trigger by using Moonwalk, a skill that could widen the distance faster than the Acceleration skill.


    Geom-Gui tried to close the distance, and Jenny kept trying to move away. The more this battle continued, the more nervous Geom-Gui became. Although there had not yet been a fatal move to determine the battle¡¯s outcome, the battle was going at the perfect pace for Jenny.


    ¡®This will be no good if I keep getting drawn into her tempo.¡¯


    Suddenly the wooden warehouse came into Geom-Gui¡¯s view.


    ¡®Come to think of it, since earlier¡­¡¯


    Both Jin Yu-Ri, who was fighting Medusa, and Jenny tried to secretly widen their distance from the wooden warehouse.


    ¡®If I think about it, the employer''s target is the woman in the wooden warehouse, right?¡¯


    Geom-Gui¡¯s eyes flashed. He turned his back to Jenny and started running toward the wooden warehouse.


    ¡°...?!¡±


    Jenny quickly followed with a surprised expression.


    ¡®As expected!¡¯


    Sensing Jenny¡¯s movement, Geom-Gui smiled brightly. Knowing the opponent¡¯s weakness made them much easier to deal with. He taunted Jenny as he threw the dagger he had obtained through his skill Secret Warehouse at the wooden warehouse.


    "Hey, foreign friend. If you''re late, all your friends in that warehouse will die."


    "No, Jenny! You must block it!" shouted Yu-Ri urgently after she cut dozens of strands of Medusa''s hair.


    Jenny and Yu-Ri could no longer pretend to keep calm to hide their inner thoughts. It was too dangerous for a mana explosion to occur during Chae Ye-Ryeong''s Re-Awakening.


    Geom-Gui chuckled and threw the dagger again, and Jenny''s bullet hurriedly shot it away. He commented, "Wow...! You are indeed good at shooting!"


    It was getting closer. Geom-Gui¡¯s eyes shone sharply as he sought a chance to kill them at once. Then, his senses clearly felt the mana emanating from inside the wooden warehouse.


    ¡®What the¡­?¡¯


    It was a dangerous sensation that made chills run down Geom-Gui¡¯s back. He didn¡¯t know what was happening inside the wooden warehouse, but he felt it was not a good thing.


    [Ahhhhhhhh-!]


    Subsequently, a scream erupted from inside the warehouse.

 CH 103

    Geom-Gui wondered if he should heed his intuition¡¯s warning and back down or eliminate the danger before it approached. In fact, the decision had already been made. As always, his choice was to take the bull by its horns rather than avoid it.


    Five daggers from Geom-Gui¡¯s Secret Warehouse flew into the air and headed to the warehouse. Jenny''s bullets chased after the daggers but only managed to strike two. That was because Geom-Gui himself jumped into the air and swung his sword to deflect the other bullets. In the end, three daggers flew into the wooden warehouse.


    "No!" Jin Yu-Ri shouted urgently. She ran toward the warehouse.


    "Where do you think you¡¯re going!" said Medusa. She brandished her hair to stop Yu-Ri, but Jenny¡¯s bullet blocked her.


    At the same time, Geom-Gui stiffened at the mana reaction from inside the wooden building.


    ¡®Mana explosion?¡¯


    Geom-Gui had a gut feeling. He yelled, "Stay away, Medusa!"


    Jenny fired at Medusa again. Confused and unsure of what was happening, Medusa started to defend herself with a rather vague expression. Then, the wooden warehouse was engulfed in light.


    ***


    Choi Yu-Seong had one thought when he saw Hwang Ki-Chul, the B-rank Mana-Blocking skill player, fall to the ground helplessly as if he had been pushed.


    ¡®I¡¯m fucked.¡¯


    The mana reaction around Ye-Ryeong had seem to be calming down, but not anymore.


    The mana reaction around Ye-Ryeong was no longer calming down like before. It began to agglomerate like crazy.


    ¡®The moment the mana comes together, it¡¯ll explode.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had two options. The first option was to run outside the wooden building as soon as possible. He would live, but Chae Ye-Ryeong would die. He had no time, so his instincts were telling him to run away without hesitation.


    ¡®You want to live, right? Is there any reason to risk your life to protect Chae Ye-Ryeong?¡¯


    The issue was his rationale.


    ¡®If I forsake Chae Ye-Ryeong here¡­¡¯


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    Would he be able to bear the guilt of surviving alone? Faced with such questions, Yu-Seong¡¯s instinct once again cried out.


    ¡®But you have to survive first to worry about the future.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong fully agreed with his own instinct. He didn''t want to die. How many crises had he gone through to get to this point? It would be very unfortunate to be caught up in a mana explosion that would inevitably take place in front of him.


    Truthfully, Yu-Seong knew exactly what he wanted to do.


    ¡®I want to live, but I want to save Chae Ye-Ryeong, too.¡¯


    But how? There was not much time left. At that moment, Yu-Seong recalled something and ran madly toward Chae Ye-Ryeong. Her mana was currently resonating with the mana stones. He wrapped her in his arms.


    ¡®Please¡­say that it''s not too late!¡¯


    The collision soon became an explosion.


    When his vision momentarily turned white, the ring on Yu-Seong¡¯s index finger, the one he never removed, also began emitting light.


    ***


    The wooden warehouse was engulfed in a large explosion, and the shock wave shook the ground and spread everywhere. Choi Min-Seok watched the scene through binoculars from afar. His jaw dropped as he stumbled and almost fell in place, but he managed to regain his balance.


    ¡®Oh, my goodness. Mana explosion?¡¯


    If he was not mistaken, Min-Seok had certainly just seen a mana explosion. Moreover, it had a fairly large range and an unusual power, so even a fairly talented hunter would have difficulty surviving if they had been inside the building. He also realized that Choi Yu-Seong had never come out of that wooden warehouse the entire time he had been observing it.


    ¡®Is Yu-Seong dead?¡¯


    Choi Min-Seok smiled brightly for a while, but his expression soon crumpled.


    ¡®Ugh, Father will hear about this soon!¡¯


    The situation had become bigger than Min-Seok thought. Now that this had happened, all traces of his involvement had to be erased.


    "Damn it!" Choi Min-Seok cursed and looked at the D-rank professional chasers, who were as shocked as he was.


    ''I have to shut their mouths first.¡¯


    However, Choi Min-Seok wasn¡¯t strong enough to do so. In other words, he had to escape with them for now.


    "Let''s run away."


    At his words, the two chasers immediately headed toward the car they had driven in.


    "No, not that one. Get in my car," said Min-Seok.


    "Pardon?"


    "What if we get caught running away with that shitty car? I''ll buy you a new car, so just leave that here!" That¡¯s what Min-Seok said, but truthfully, he was afraid the chasers would try to flee.


    Fortunately, there were only two chasers, so it was not difficult for all of them to ride in a four-seater sedan.


    "Let''s go back to Seoul right away."


    "Yes? Yes!"


    Min-Seok¡¯s driver had also been surprised by the explosion.


    ¡®I¡¯ll have to kill this guy, too.¡¯


    The driver didn¡¯t know the details of what happened and who they were chasing. However, if Min-Seok were careless and left even a single clue behind, then Choi Woo-Jae would find it and come after him. That was why Min-Seok was determined that everyone in the car, besides himself, had to die.


    ¡®As for Geom-Gui and Medusa¡­¡¯


    The ideal scenario would be for the villains to have been caught in the mana explosion and die. But if they survived, he would be able to buy their silence for a while.


    ¡®If I have a chance, I should also kill those two.¡¯


    However, this was something to worry about a little later. The important thing right now was to get rid of the three people who were with him in the car. Min-Seok¡¯s heart pounded as he kept his phone out of sight as he hired another B-rank contract black mercenary via text.


    ¡®Anyway, Choi Yu-Seong is dead.¡¯


    There were too many issues for Min-Seok to be happy with that result.


    ''Father can never¡­ no, no one can ever know that I¡¯m involved in this.¡¯


    Choi Min-Seok was in agony, sweating in his seat.


    ***


    Jin Yu-Ri had been directly caught up in the mana explosion. She rolled on the floor with blood all over her body.


    "Yu-Ri!" With a pale face, Jenny quickly tried to approach Jin Yu-Ri. However, before she could reach her, Yu-Ri kicked off the floor and got back up. Yu-Ri started running toward the warehouse. Unfortunately, her wounds were too severe. She took less than ten steps before dropping to the floor again.


    Jenny reached out her arms and quickly helped Yu-Ri up. "Are you okay?"


    Yu-Ri¡¯s usually neat hair was now scattered all over the place. Although she appeared to be bleeding from many areas, she didn¡¯t seem to feel any pain. She simply murmured, "Yu-Seong oppa...Yu-Seong oppa is in there.¡±


    Jenny had to swallow the words that popped into her head.


    ¡®He was inside.¡¯


    It was highly likely that Choi Yu-Seong wouldn¡¯t be inside anymore. Even an A-rank Physical hunter would be unable to survive such a powerful mana explosion and would have turned to dust.


    There was no way a person as smart as Yu-Ri didn¡¯t know that. However, she wanted to believe that Choi Yu-Seong was still alive. She couldn¡¯t bear the thought of him being dead.


    "The boss would have escaped safely. Your injury is also serious, so let''s take a break first..."


    "Ahhhhhh-!"


    Even before Jenny finished talking, a monstrous howl rang out and shook the surroundings. She turned toward the sound even as she continued to support Yu-Ri when she couldn¡¯t bear her own weight.


    It was Geom-Gui. He wore his demon mask as he screamed in the middle of the field with a dying woman in his arms. She was covered in blood.


    Medusa had tried to defend against Jenny¡¯s bullet but had failed to react in time due to the mana explosion. As a result, two mana bullets had struck her, and unfortunately for Medusa, one of the bullets had pierced her temple. Naturally, even an A-rank hunter could not survive if their brain was hit.


    His white clothes were covered with Medusa''s dark red blood. Geom-Gui shook his head as he wailed, "Ah... No. This is not real. Wake up! Wake up, Kim Hee-Yeon!"


    Kim Hee-Yeon seemed to be Medusa''s real name. Even after she died, Geom-Gui continued screaming in disbelief.


    Jin Yu-Ri''s empty gaze slowly turned toward Geom-Gui. Then, she said, "Jenny."


    "...Yes?"


    "Gun."


    "What?"


    "I''m going to kill him." After giving that simple answer, Jin Yu-Ri pulled out the pistol that Jenny had on her waist and unhesitantly fired at Geom-Gui.


    Click, click!


    "There are no bullets. Yu-Ri. Calm down."


    Click, click, click, click, click, click...!


    Jin Yu-Ri pulled on the trigger crazily and cried out with tears in her eyes, "Bullets! Give me the bullets, Jenny!"


    "I used up all the bullets I brought. And if you kill him, we''ll never know who''s behind this attack.¡±


    After listening to what Jenny had to say, Yu-Ri, who appeared to have lost her reason, regained some light in her eyes. She muttered, "The one behind the attack?¡±


    "There¡¯s no way that they came here for no reason. There must be someone behind him,¡± said Jenny.


    ¡°...¡± Jin Yu-Ri put down the gun without saying a word. Then, she said, "You''re right, Jenny. This revenge wouldn¡¯t be enough."


    "...I agree with that, you bitch," said Geom-Gui coldly.


    After screaming out his pain and denial one last time, he looked up blankly at the blue sky. He wiped the blood flowing from Medusa¡¯s temple with his fingers and painted a line under the black pupils of his white demon mask. Then, he slowly rose to carefully place Medusa¡¯s dead body on the ground.


    Jenny grabbed her gun as she pushed Jin Yu-Ri behind her.


    As the aura of red mana began to fluctuate like crazy around him, Geom-Gui said, "Until now, I have never killed anyone out of resentment.¡±


    It seemed like bloody tears were flowing down the white demon mask as Geom-Gui muttered, "This is the first time that I am so angry that I just want to kill someone¡­¡±


    Five daggers suddenly appeared and shot at Jenny, flying through the air. Subsequently, Geom-Gui''s sword stretched long and approached quickly too.


    Jenny frowned as she fired a pistol and deflected all the daggers. This was a close-distance fight, so it was not advantageous for her.


    ''But if I back off... Yu-Ri would be in danger.''


    Even if she had put her life on the line, Jenny had to defend her position. She had no choice. Noticing that Geom-Gui was just around the corner, she held two pistols upside down, like tonfas, and started her defense.


    Kagak-gak!


    The grinding of iron could be heard as a sword emitting red mana and a gun containing blue mana collided. Soon, there was a strong bloody odor.


    Jenny looked at Geom-Gui¡¯s creepy eyes and pulled the trigger. Fire spouted out from the tip of the gun and tore at Geom-Gui¡¯s ears. When she was eventually overpowered, she was thrown into the air.


    ¡®Oh, no¡­!¡¯


    Jenny gasped once Geom-Gui turned to look at Yu-Ri. From the start, his target was Jin Yu-Ri. But then, both Geom-Gui and Jenny¡¯s eyes turned to look in the direction Yu-Ri was staring at blankly.


    A figure could be seen right above the wide rice field.

 CH 104

    Artifacts were much easier to obtain compared to other magical items such as ancient relics or treasures from other worlds, yet they were almost equally as useful. In addition, Yu-Seong knew that some of the creators of these artifacts, the so-called Meisters, would be able to create magical objects comparable to ancient relics and otherworldly treasures.


    ¡®There are exactly five Meisters by the time Part 1 of the original novel was completed.¡¯


    Yu-Seong knew one of the Meisters by name and origin. Obviously, it was one of Kim Do-Jin''s colleagues, whom Yu-Seong actively tried to avoid as much as possible.


    ¡®What I need to find is the other four Meisters.¡¯


    There were many questions about them, since, in many parts of the original novel, they were only mentioned by nicknames and characteristics. Therefore, Yu-Seong left his thoughts of the Meisters behind for now.


    However, following the Meisters¡¯ appearance, the number of artifact producers would increase exponentially over time. In turn, a new player type would be coined¡ªthe Production type¡ªand they would require massive amounts of mana stones. Therefore, when artifact creators appeared, the price of mana stone would naturally rise.


    With that in mind, Yu-Seong wanted to acquire mana stones while they were still comparatively cheap. In addition, before the artifact sales market was fully established, he planned to grab a share of the market by investing some capital early on.


    ¡®Since I can''t just keep spending the pocket money from my father forever.¡¯


    Originally, it would have taken a lot of human resources, money, and time to enter this market, but Yu-Seong had future information that he knew from the original novel. In other words, it was highly possible for him to enter the market while saving on all three aspects considerably.


    In fact, the best way to go about this could be to secretly reveal this future information to Choi Woo-Jae. Just as Yu-Seong had told Jin Yu-Ri that he had a skill similar to Foresight, he could tell Choi Woo-Jae the same thing and show him a few things in order to prove it. That way, even Woo-Jae would become interested in what Yu-Seong had to say. Moreover, by using the Comet Group¡¯s enormous capital, he would be able to achieve a plain old monopoly rather than merely taking a share of the market.


    ¡®Father is Father after all, he would most likely take a careful look at the opportunity, and as soon as artifact creators appeared, he would invest in the market with all his might.¡¯


    In addition, it would be slightly easier to obtain information about the remaining four Meisters, who Yu-Seong currently only knew by nickname.


    Whatever Woo-Jae did, he would be able to instantly move such a huge amount of capital or talented men that it would be difficult for Yu-Seong to even imagine.


    ¡®Since it would bring it a huge business profit, I would be able to bring father completely to my side and share the profit somewhat.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was confident that, in this way, he could unconditionally gain much more than trying to enter the market alone.


    But in the end, Yu-Seong decided not to tell Choi Woo-Jae. He had already experienced a lot of dangers due to the butterfly effect. Such a big action would cause more than just a small change, and he couldn¡¯t even imagine what kind of disaster it would bring.


    ¡®Anyway, artifact makers would only appear after the appearance of a tower. I don''t have to hastily change the future by trying to take over talent or resources for now.¡¯


    The plan was to refrain from mentioning information about artifact creators and new technologies that Yu-Seong already knew and snatch profits by throwing in some bait and pulling the line at exactly the right time. Yu-Seong thus chose a stable path rather than being overly greedy for major gains, even if the end profit would not be as high. This was because survival was his top priority, as always. Any gains would be meaningless if they brought about a fatal disaster.


    ¡°Then, is it also a secret where you¡¯ll use the mana stones I prepared?¡± asked Yu-Ri.


    "Oh, I can tell you that,¡± replied Yu-Seong. For him, preparation for Re-Awakening would be quite difficult without Jin Yu-Ri''s help anyway.


    "Oh... I''ll listen carefully,¡± Yu-Ri said.


    "First of all, please prepare an empty warehouse outside Seoul, Gyeonggi-do maybe, where people don''t go as often. We also need to recruit a hypnotist who¡¯s about D-rank. Also, I have a few more items to prepare..."


    "Wait¡­where are you going with all this?¡±


    "I''m going to try to Re-Awaken.¡±


    Jin Yu-Ri paused for a moment and her eyes lost focus, even though she was driving. She asked, "...What? Is it even possible to induce artificial Re-Awakening?¡±


    "Probably."


    "For whom..." Jin Yu-Ri closed her mouth tightly, no longer asking questions. In fact, even without asking, a person¡¯s face already came to her mind. She remembered just as she asked the earlier question. Also, with the preparations requested by Yu-Seong, she realized the danger of this work. She asked, ¡°Does Ye-Ryeong know?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember when I was hospitalized after an accident in Mok-dong Dungeon?¡±


    "Yes, Ye-Ryeong visited the hospital. Come to think of it, it was at that time that you asked me to prepare the mana stones."


    "Yeah. I''ve talked about it again since then, and she is also quite determined.¡±


    "...I''ll do my best to prepare so that we can do everything safely, as much as possible," said Yu-Ri.


    As expected, it was quite comfortable talking to someone as smart as Yu-Ri. Yu-Seong smiled at her. She seemed to clearly recognize what she had to do with just a few short conversations.


    "I''m going to try my best for that, too. Thank you, as always, Jin Yu-Ri.¡±


    "Don''t mention it." Jin Yu-Ri smiled.


    ***


    Choi Min-Seok spent several days hiring people to keep an eye on Yu-Seong''s every move. He self-justified such actions by thinking that he didn¡¯t need to and didn¡¯t want to make much of an effort for such trivial work. However, it was also true that he was scared to do it alone, even if it was simply watching Yu-Seong from a distance. Unfortunately, even after wasting a few days like that, he had nothing to show for it.


    ¡®Does this crazy guy have nowhere else to go besides the house and dungeon? I remember he used to drink a lot during the earlier times.¡¯


    It was difficult to find any flaws or weaknesses of a perfect student who only traveled between school and home. While Yu-Seong continued living a perfectly flawless life where it was difficult for Min-Seok to even make up a flaw if he wanted to, an interesting piece of news made its way to him.


    ¡®What? Yu-Seong''s car suddenly left Seoul?¡¯


    What was he up to? After agonizing for a while, Min-Seok made up his mind, jumped up, and made a phone call. It was nothing more than his intuition speaking, but he got a hunch that the opportunity had come.


    "Continue chasing and tracking him."


    Min-Seok prepared in a rush and hurried outside. Then, he suddenly stopped.


    ¡®But what can I do alone?¡¯


    Those Min-Seok had sent to spy on Yu-Seong were D-rank scout hunters at the most. Could they be helpful in case of an emergency? He shook his head inwardly, then stomped on the ground and fell deep into thought.


    ''If I contact In-Young noo-nim, she''ll be disappointed. Maybe even Seok-Young hyung-nim would hear about it if I called her.¡¯


    It was meaningless if Min-Seok couldn¡¯t prove his worth and join their side. If that was the case, should he work alone? He also didn¡¯t have much time.


    ¡®Dang it, I have no choice but to use the secret fund.¡¯


    After some thought, Min-Seok decided to hire mercenaries using the secret funds that he had hidden without anyone knowing. This had taken place while he had been working with Byung-Chan. Using this money seemed fine to him, since it was difficult for anyone to find the source of it and track it down, so even Choi Woo-Jae was unlikely to bother.


    Of course, Min-Seok didn''t intend to use a regular mercenary. It would have been fine to hire normal ones for dungeon hunting or a simple escort mission, but in this case, there were bound to be too many difficulties and issues for them to deal with. Therefore, Choi Min-Seok decided to call some¡­dangerous characters.


    "I need the black mercenaries¡ªA-rank guys who can start right now. I need..." Min-Seok ordered one of his subordinates over the phone while biting his nails.


    Hiring a typical A-rank mercenary for a day would cost about a billion won. However, in the case of black mercenaries, who normally dealt with dirty tasks, the price per unit was at least two or three times higher. Moreover, if they were called in a hurry, like right now, there was a high probability that they would demand a premium fee.


    ¡®I have about 20 billion won in slush funds that I¡¯ve saved up. I might be able to call up to four people¡­¡¯


    Min-Seok¡¯s reason for wanting to save the fund and the instinct he had to call for extra help in order to achieve the best results clashed in his mind. He was conflicted.


    ''If I fail this time, I may not have another chance. But there¡¯s no need to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut, right? Most of all, I might have to fight him in person.''


    When the person on the other side of the phone urged him to continue, he managed to say with difficulty, "I¡¯ll take one¡ªno, send two people."


    Then, Min-Seok hung up the phone and rushed out of the house.


    ''Dang, my precious slush fund. Yu-Seong, I don''t know what you''re up to, but you better be on your toes. I¡¯ll drop you into hell.¡¯


    Min-Seok''s eyes burned with hatred.


    ***


    On the edge of Paju, Gyeonggi-do, beyond the river, one could see the 38th parallel between South and North Korea in the distance. A luxury sedan noisily drove into an abandoned rice field.


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    Yu-Seong nodded as he lowered the car window, checking out a fairly large wooden building that stood alone on the rice field. He said, "It''s a perfect place. It''s where I wanted it."


    There wasn¡¯t even a single person walking around here. There were also no buildings or farm areas that could be damaged in case something went wrong.


    "It wasn''t easy to find. No matter how far out an area is, if there is no dungeon around, most of the land is used for farming," said Yu-Ri.


    "Great work."


    Unlike Yu-Seong, who smiled slightly at Jin Yu-Ri''s proud expression, Ye-Ryeong looked strangely tense while sitting right next to Yu-Ri. Noticing her expression, Yu-Seong said softly, "If you''re worried, you can give up now.¡±


    Ye-Ryeong shook her head from side to side. She clenched her fists. Then, as if shaking something off, she sighed deeply and looked Yu-Seong right in the eye. She said, "The only thing I''m worried about is the possibility of failure and disappointing you, boss, Yu-Ri unnie, and the people around me."


    "It¡¯s okay even if you fail, as long as you don''t get hurt..." said Yu-Seong.


    "I think so too. Actually, it''s my first time hearing about this particular method. I''m not looking forward to it anyways. Really," said Yu-Ri.


    Smiling at Yu-Seong and Jin Yu-Ri¡¯s words, Ye-Ryeong nodded and threw a fist in the air in a self-encouraging gesture.


    "But I want to do well if I can. As I told you the other day, I want to be more helpful to you.¡±


    As always, Chae Ye-Ryeong was confident. The aura she gave off always made people feel good for some reason.

 CH 105

    Jenny¡¯s agile movements and excellent shooting skills did not seem like an ordinary person¡¯s.


    "They¡¯re from my family, so they won¡¯t be easy opponents,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    "If I start investigating everyone, I may lose some detail."


    ¡°Since I gave you more capital, you should have more than enough, but I¡¯m guessing that you¡¯re lacking manpower. That¡¯s fine, though. There are only two, no¡­ three people I want you to look into anyway."


    "Then I¡¯ll have enough," said Jenny.


    "The three are Choi Min-Seok, In-Young, and Seok-Young."


    "We''ll start the investigation right away."


    "Thanks, Jenny."


    At first, Yu-Seong thought it was somewhat unreasonable to suspect his family had anything to do with the recent villain attack. However, Choi Min-Seok kept coming to mind when he had been inside the wooden warehouse. Instead of changing his mind, he felt even more certain now.


    ¡®I¡¯m 90% sure that Choi Min-Seok is the culprit.¡¯


    The reason was simple.


    After bringing Choi Yu-Seong and Jin Yu-Ri to the hospital, Jenny had called several members of the Hidden Team to investigate the surrounding area. They found an abandoned van along with traces that someone had been there. The van¡¯s owner was unknown since it was an unregistered car, but there were still many things that could be guessed from what they had found.


    People from a detective agency had followed him before reporting it to someone else. Then, that someone had called the villains in order to harm him, but upon witnessing their failure, they ran away. This last part was very important.


    ¡®Why would the guy who''s trying to harm me run away? He must be afraid to be involved with my death.¡¯


    Why would the person be afraid of it? The reason for that was also simple.


    ¡®He¡¯s scared of Father. Choi Byung-Chan has just died, and now, if even I die, then Father would definitely be really angry.''


    If that really happened, Choi Woo-Jae wouldn¡¯t stop with just a scolding. He would try to find the culprit, and even if that culprit was family, he would still take everything away from them.


    ¡®Maybe even his life.¡¯


    Given all these circumstances, Yu-Seong could tell that the opponent was quite timid, but more importantly, that they didn¡¯t want to appear directly in front of him. To expand upon that last detail further, the culprit either didn¡¯t want to personally confront him or was afraid of him. That was why Yu-Seong only had a ten percent uncertainty that Choi Min-Seok might not be the culprit.


    To come to a final conclusion, only one thing had to be investigated. Choi Yu-Seong picked up his cell phone and called Choi Woo-Jae. After a few rings, Choi Woo-Jae''s voice was heard.


    - What''s going on?


    It seemed like Choi Woo-Jae knew that Yu-Seong didn¡¯t call him just to say hello.


    For some reason, Yu-Seong suddenly felt embarrassed at the moment, but he understood Woo-Jae¡¯s reaction. It was true that he had called his father for a reason.


    "...I was attacked and almost killed by someone. The thing is, the culprit appears to be a member of the family," said Yu-Seong. Since he called his father for a reason, he decided to be as honest as possible.


    - Someone picked a fight¡­at a time like this?


    Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s voice immediately turned cold. Choi Yu-Seong gulped at the anger but continued to speak.


    ¡°Did any of my hyung-nims or noo-mins visit you yesterday or today?¡±


    Choi Yu-Seong was the ninth child out of ten. In other words, he had a younger sibling. But the youngest was still just a high school student, and Yu-Seong knew that his youngest sibling didn¡¯t have the temperament for something like this. That was why he did not ask about the youngest.


    - No one came to see me. But why do you ask that?


    At this point, Choi Yu-Seong was convinced that Choi Min-Seok was the culprit.


    ¡®Stupid, he has no idea that his timid personality would reveal him as the culprit.¡¯


    His other siblings might have initially run away in fear after killing him, but they would have soon visited Choi Woo-Jae. Then, they would have knelt down and begged him for forgiveness.


    ¡®That way, there''s a much higher chance they would survive.¡¯


    Yu-Seong wondered whether Min-Seok really thought he could consider this over after killing him and then killing another couple of people. Of course, an ordinary person could probably escape a situation like that. However, as Choi Yu-Seong had once said to Choi Mi-Na, it was impossible for his family to deceive Choi Woo-Jae.


    Getting caught was inevitable, and at that time, no matter how much they begged for forgiveness, Choi Woo-Jae would forgive them. Rather, he would punish them even more severely since they had deceived him.


    ''Maybe they would go through something much more terrible than a peaceful death.¡¯


    The only idiots or cowards in the family who wouldn¡¯t even think of this were the past Choi Yu-Seong and Choi Min-Seok.


    ¡®That bastard!¡¯


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    As soon as the culprit was confirmed to be Choi Min-Seok, Yu-Seong endlessly cursed inwardly. Chae Ye-Ryeong had successfully Re-Awakened, but too many people had been killed and injured by the incident. He would never forgive Choi Min-Seok. Outraged, Choi Yu-Seong suddenly thought that this was also an opportunity.


    ¡®Choi Min-Seok¡­ If it''s Choi Min-Seok... It''s worth a try. Actually, it''ll be pretty easy for me to do that right now.¡¯


    If Yu-Seong planned on attacking, then he had to seize all the advantages that he could right now. Therefore, he chose to take a rather aggressive stance. He revealed to Woo-Jae, "Five people were killed in this incident, and my bodyguard and I were injured. I want to make the person responsible pay for this.¡±


    There was a short silence over the phone before Choi Woo-Jae gave a pretty sweet suggestion.


    -...If you want, I can personally deal with it for you.


    ¡®If I say yes here, everything would work out quite comfortably.¡¯


    However, Yu-Seong had to refuse this offer. Intuitively, he could tell that this was both a test and an opportunity. Until now, he had never shown any aggression toward his siblings in front of Choi Woo-Jae.


    ¡®Rather, I was always in a losing position.¡¯


    The reason was simple. From a long time ago, the weakest in the family had always been Yu-Seong himself. He had been in a position where he had not dared to attract anyone¡¯s attention, let alone stare at them. He lived a life avoiding eye contact and shrinking into himself whenever he saw his family members.


    These behaviors had surprisingly created a habit of ¡®servility¡¯. He had forgotten how to fight and only could think of obeying. This was also why Choi Woo-Jae had mostly considered Choi Mi-Na his next successor.


    ¡®Mi-Na noo-nim is not afraid of fighting. She can even argue with Father.¡¯


    However, Choi Mi-Na also lacked one trait that Choi Woo-Jae valued.


    ¡®She won''t fight and then conquer.¡¯


    The head of a company had to have the desire to conquer. Everyone else in the family, even the good-natured Choi Ji-Ho, had that disposition, but Mi-Na did not. That was why Choi Yu-Seong refused Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s offer.


    "It''s my enemy. I just wanted to tell you that since I suffered first, I won¡¯t easily let them go."


    First, Choi Yu-Seong expressed his willingness to fight and his courage. He wanted to show that he was unafraid.


    - Are you going to kill them?


    Listening to Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s cold voice, Choi Yu-Seong gulped down once and said sincerely, "Yes."


    - Not now. Wait until I catch that girl, the Slaughter Queen.


    ¡°It¡¯s not my way to not take revenge,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    - Does that mean you are not going to listen to me?


    Again, Choi Woo-Jae''s voice contained subtle anger. However, his voice was still quite pleasant to listen to.


    "I don''t mean to kill them right away. But I¡¯ll need to at least cut their limbs off to calm down.¡±


    - Without killing?


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to. Not yet.¡±


    - Then go for it.


    Yu-Seong got Choi Woo-Jae''s permission, but he did not intend to end the conversation yet. He then said, "I have a favor to ask of you."


    -Tell me.


    If it was compared to the Middle Ages, Choi Woo-Jae was a country¡¯s king¡ªthe Comet Group. Yu-Seong had gained permission from the king to eliminate another prince. That would certainly present another kind of opportunity.


    "After I succeed in my revenge, I will take all the authority and property that my brother or sister originally had.¡±


    - ...!!


    As previously mentioned, it was still a kind of revenge and an expression of his anger, but Yu-Seong did not intend to fight for free.


    After Choi Yu-Seong''s words, Choi Woo-Jae remained silent for a long time over the phone before bursting into a loud laugh.


    - Khakha-! Yeah, do whatever you want. However, will your other brothers and sisters stay still when a decent prey appears?


    After Choi Woo-Jae left behind a strange question, the call was cut off. Woo-Jae¡¯s words meant that it wouldn¡¯t be easy for Yu-Seong to take the following privileges after he finished dealing with Choi Min-Seok.


    ¡®But if I can take it, it will be entirely mine.¡¯


    It was no different from Choi Woo-Jae giving him a gift, but it was a thorny gift that would make it difficult to enjoy.


    ''I''ll enjoy it all at once before the other siblings can even notice it.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong did not know, but this idea was originally Choi Woo-Jae''s favorite way of fighting.


    ***


    Choi Woo-Jae had been reading the report brought by the group''s president for a while with a serious expression. However, after he hung up the phone, he burst into laughter.


    ¡®Has he ever laughed like this before?¡¯


    Kim Pil-Doo could not hide his surprise. Although Pil-Doo had been by Woo-Jae¡¯s side for quite a long time, he had never seen Woo-Jae laughing so heartily until today. Nevertheless, the laugh did not look awkward or uncomfortable. It was simply an expression of the man feeling good.


    "Khakhaha, khahahahaha-! '''' After bursting into laughter for a long time, Woo-Jae turned to Kim Pil-Doo. "Secretary Kim-, no, Pil-Doo."


    It had been a while since Choi Woo-Jae had called Pil-Doo by his name instead of his position, so it made him feel pretty nervous. One might feel it was an expression of friendliness, but it felt different for Kim Pil-Doo.


    Choi Woo-Jae used to call his name only when he was about to say something very important. And whenever that happened, in most cases, it became a turning point in Pil-Doo''s life.


    "Later on, if I ask you to serve Yu-Seong instead of serving me, will you listen to me?"


    ¡°...¡±


    At first glance, there was no change in Kim Pil-Doo''s expression. However, Choi Woo-Jae did not miss the tremble in his gaze.


    "I understand. Your pride won¡¯t allow it yet. After all, you''re also aiming for my position.¡±


    "...I''m sorry, Mr. Chairman."


    "You don''t have to be sorry. Let me ask you openly. On the premise that I am not involved, if you do your best, how high of a position are you confident in reaching?" Woo-Jae asked, wondering how much skill Pil-Doo could show off among the Choi''s siblings.


    "I''m confident that I could reach at least the top 5," replied Pil-Doo.


    "Let''s see... Then, you are after the second, third, and fourth?"


    Kim Pil-Doo shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll be after Lady Mi-Na and In-Young.¡±


    At the answer, Choi Woo-Jae made a strange smile. ¡°So you are saying that the third is below you?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sir.¡±


    "Why are you sorry after putting down all the other guys already? I''m fine. Let me make a suggestion instead, Pil-Doo."


    "Yes, sir."


    "What if the ninth goes above the third¡­?"


    "Mr. Chairman," Pil-Doo interrupted before Choi Woo-Jae finished speaking


    "Hm?"


    "What you are saying is not a suggestion, it''s an order."


    "What..." Choi Woo-Jae furrowed his thick eyebrows.


    "Young Master Yu-Seong will definitely surpass Young Master Jin-Woo."


    At this point, Kim Pil-Doo said something that no one would think of. He just said that the ninth, who had just barely stretched his arms, would exceed the third who had been constantly establishing his foundation.

 CH 106

    "What? Khahaha!" Choi Woo-Jae burst into laughter again.


    Kim Pil-Doo smiled bitterly. He hadn¡¯t said it simply to make Choi Woo-Jae feel good. Even though it was only the beginning, Choi Yu-Seong''s growth was exponential.


    ¡®He is also lucky and fearless.¡¯


    Pil-Doo thought that of Yu-Seong for a very good reason. He was certain that no one else in the Comet Group had caught Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s attention in such a short time. Seeing how Yu-Seong¡¯s actions were always what Woo-Jae wanted and liked, it was only natural that Woo-Jae favored him.


    The thing was, Woo-Jae could not be understood through logic or common sense.


    Kim Pil-Doo thought that Choi Woo-Jae''s interest was not much different from a poisoned chalice. However, the fact that Choi Yu-Seong had not been poisoned after drinking from the poisoned chalice made Pil-Doo highly appreciative of Yu-Seong''s luck. Of course, he had no clue what was going to happen in the future, since certain poisons gnawed at the body and mind silently and without knowledge.


    ¡®And Choi Yu-Seong clearly knows that the chalice he is drinking from is poisoned.¡¯


    What if Yu-Seong fearlessly gulped down from the poisoned chalice and was lucky enough to absorb it all?


    ''Then a monster would be born.¡¯


    As mentioned before, there were no guarantees that Choi Yu-Seong could reach the finish line. However, there was no doubt that if the young man moved at this pace, he would be able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with his other siblings in a somewhat even competition.


    "Okay, then, how about a bet instead of a suggestion?" asked Woo-Jae.


    "Sir, isn''t that six of one and half a dozen of the other?" said Pil-Doo.


    ¡°Hey, do you really think I just want to make fun of you? Let''s make the opponent the fifth, not the third.¡±


    Kim Pil-Doo recalled Choi In-Young, the fifth child of Choi''s Comet Group. Then, he realized that Choi Woo-Jae had had this conversation in mind from the beginning.


    ¡®It''s only a matter of time before Choi Yu-Seong gets ahead of Choi Jin-Woo. But it¡¯ll be different with Choi In-Young.¡¯


    Choi In-Young was one of the family¡¯s monsters that Kim Pil-Doo could think of. She was a terrible hybrid who once drank from the poisoned chalice just like Choi Yu-Seong was doing, but she had abandoned the chalice and embraced only the poison.


    There was no way that Choi Woo-Jae had not thought of something that Kim Pil-Doo had thought of. From the beginning, Choi Woo-Jae had brought up Choi Jin-Woo just to drag out the conversation to this point in order to stack the deck.


    "What do you think? Since I suggested this bet, I''m going to bet on Yu-Seong. Do you still consider this as an order?¡± asked Woo-Jae.


    Kim Pil-Doo looked up at Choi Woo-Jae, whose deep gaze did not reveal his inner thoughts. In fact, knowing that he essentially had no choice, Pil-Doo said, "How could I say no to you? It''s just that¡­¡±


    He had to make sure he received everything that he should.


    "What do I get if I win?¡±


    Choi Woo-Jae grinned. This was a common trait between Choi Yu-Seong, Choi In-Young, and Kim Pil-Doo.


    ¡®They are greedy.¡¯


    Aside from their ability, Choi Woo-Jae very much favored their attitude. He also clearly knew what Kim Pil-Doo wanted. He offered, "I''ll give you the authority to officially seek this position.¡±


    "Does that mean...?" asked Pil-Doo.


    ¡°Your name will become Choi Pil-Doo. What do you think?"


    Choi Woo-Jae''s eyes shone as brightly as the scales of a snake.


    ¡®You clever old man.¡¯


    Pil-Doo knew that Choi Woo-Jae never intended to give Pil-Doo his last name. The man had absolute faith in his blood relatives. Nevertheless, the reason for the above conditions actually suggested one thing.


    ¡®You think I''m going to lose, don¡¯t you?¡¯


    Even if Kim Pil-Doo won the bet, he wouldn¡¯t be able to win the chairmanship in the end. There was no way that Woo-Jae¡¯s blood relatives would leave Kim Pil-Doo alone once he threw himself right into Choi''s Comet Group.


    ''We''ll see who wins.¡¯


    Pill-Doo swallowed the bitter taste and looked at Woo-Jae. He wondered if Woo-Jae knew that the look in their eyes was the same.


    "I''m honored, sir."


    "There are a lot of interesting bets these days that I can enjoy. By the way, Secretary Kim. You have a meeting with Chairman Yoo tomorrow, right?¡±


    As such, the big event which would change the whole future of Kim Pil-Doo passed so casually.


    ***


    Three days passed, and Choi Min-Seok spent that time feeling nervous. He trembled in fear when he saw the guest who had come to visit him.


    "What''s wrong? You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost or something."


    "You, you..." Choi Min-Seok stuttered at Choi Yu-Seong, who entered the house with a smile. Hardening his expression, he asked, "Why did you come to my house?"


    We are bit.ly/3iBfjkV, find us on google.


    Min-Seok was still a member of the Choi family, so his emotional turmoil did not last long. However, Yu-Seong did not seem to care about his reaction.


    "Is it a problem for brothers to visit each other? Anyway¡­ should we talk here or somewhere else?¡± asked Yu-Seong.


    Choi Min-Seok frowned, trying to read in between the lines. Being cautious, he had hired three security hunters above B-rank, and around them were also some housemaids who helped with the housework. There were too many eyes around them. He wanted to believe that it was not a big deal, but what if Choi Yu-Seong had come after uncovering everything?


    ¡®It would be better if there is no one listening.¡¯


    But what if that wasn¡¯t the case? If Choi Yu-Seong had come to harm him, Min-Seok had to have the security hunters near him.


    ¡®What should I do?¡¯


    Looking at the worried Choi Min-Seok, Yu-Seong approached the living room sofa. "Well, if you''re worried, let''s just talk here."


    "No! Let''s go to my room!" Min-Seok shouted.


    He quickly blocked Yu-Seong¡¯s way. His heart was pounding as he trembled. He had blocked the way hurriedly without much thought because the uncertainty was worrying him greatly.


    Choi Yu-Seong smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "Lead the way."


    Choi Min-Seok led the way, and the security hunters looked at Yu-Seong with wary eyes before following them. Min-Seok spoke about 100 meters away from his room.


    "You guys wait here. I need to talk to my brother."


    He had the security hunters on standby in a position where they could come to save him at any time and lead Yu-Seong into his room.


    Choi Yu-Seong then sat close to the sofa in the room like he was the homeowner. He asked, "What are you doing? Why don''t you sit down?"


    Choi Min-Seok could feel it intuitively this time.


    ¡®Ah, this guy knows everything!¡¯


    His every step to the sofa felt heavy. His mind was full of complicated thoughts, so each step forward wasn¡¯t easy at all.


    "Are you that scared?¡±


    Choi Min-Seok paused at Choi Yu-Seong''s question.


    "Then why did you do that?" asked Yu-Seong.


    Choi Min-Seok decided to stop overthinking. he asked, "...What do you want?"


    "What?"


    "Damn, I''m asking you what you want!¡±


    "Oh, I guess you haven''t figured it out yet.¡± Yu-Seong took out the file from his briefcase and threw it to Choi Min-Seok, who hurriedly caught it.


    Min-Seok read through the file and turned pale. The file was thick with a pile of papers, all of which contained details of his criminal activities, his overseas bank accounts, traces of alliances with government and business, voice messages he had sent to threaten Yu-Seong¡¯s life, photos of him making a deal for the mana stone bomb at the time of Lee Jin-Wook''s incident, and even some minor things that were unknown to him. The information had all been collected by Jenny.


    "How, how could you..." asked Min-Seok in a shaky voice.


    Choi Yu-Seong continued to talk after yawning. ¡°Let me get straight to the point. I don''t intend to hand the file over to the police because there are a lot of problems that could embarrass our whole family. But I''m certainly going to show it to Father.¡±


    Choi Min-Seok immediately fell to his knees and began to beg Choi Yu-Seong for forgiveness. "Yu, Yu-Seong, you can''t hand this over to Father. You know what will happen, right? If I get caught with all of this, I¡¯ll be done for."


    He would be driven out of the family immediately, and all his power and wealth would be taken away. In that case, the only thing left in Choi Min-Seok''s life would be to fall into hell.


    "Then you should have lived a good life. Too many people died because of you.¡±


    "Yu-Seong, no, Yu-Seong-nim. Please¡­!" begged Min-Seok. He crawled toward Choi Yu-Seong, who was sitting on the sofa. Then, he continued to rub his hands and bow his head. He couldn¡¯t afford to be abandoned by the family. He was desperate to be forgiven because knew better than anyone else that his suffering would be worse than death.


    Yu-Seong looked at Choi Min-Seok indifferently.


    "Please, I''ll do whatever you tell me to do. Anything. I''ll tell you who told me to slander you. I''ll tell you, sir! I mean it, please¡­¡±


    ¡°It was Choi In-Young, wasn''t it?¡±


    Choi Min-Seok could not hide his surprised expression. He was hoping to use that name as a bargaining chip, so he didn¡¯t expect it to be revealed so quickly. Moreover, Choi Yu-Seong''s eyes seemed to look into him so thoroughly that he felt naked.


    The look in Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes reminded Choi Min-Seok of someone.


    ¡®Father¡­¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong reminded Min-Seok of Choi Woo-Jae, the absolute king of their family who always sat high above and looked down at them.


    "I''ll give you one chance, Choi Min-Seok. I won''t let you get kicked out of this family. Instead, you''ll have to give me the majority of what you''ve been enjoying so far," said Yu-Seong.


    "Bu-, but this is¡­¡±


    "I¡¯ve already got permission from Father. Let''s start with this house. How many buildings and cars do you have? Oh, and I''m sure you manage a team with your influential power.¡±


    "Yu-Seong-nim, if you take all that away from me..."


    "But at least your last name ¡®Choi¡¯ will remain, right?¡±


    Choi Yu-Seong was right. If Min-Seok gave up his last name, there wouldn¡¯t ever be an opportunity for him to climb back up again. This was especially true if Choi Woo-Jae found out about what he had done.


    Choi Yu-Seong continued to talk to Min-Seok, who had his back against the wall with no escape. "And you know who was managing the slush funds created by the dead Choi Byung-Chan, right?"


    "Not up to that point...."


    "You don¡¯t? If you don''t know, go and find out. I''ll give you two days."


    "What?"


    ¡°Also, investigate and collect all the external forces created by Choi Byung-Chan. I¡¯ll give you two days to find this out as well."


    "Now, wait, there''s so much work to be done..." Choi Min-Seok answered anxiously.


    However, Choi Yu-Seong did not stop talking. ¡°The important thing is that you should not be caught by anyone while doing this. If other siblings find out about this and I''m in trouble, then¡­ I''ll leave the next thing to your imagination.¡±


    "I''ll do it, I will. But I''m saying it¡¯s a race against the clock!"


    "Is it a race against the clock?"


    "Yes, I mean, yes, sir."


    Choi Yu-Seong smiled and looked at the watch on his wrist. "But you¡¯re still here."


    "What?"


    "What are you doing? Go out and run!"


    Choi Min-Seok became frightened at those words and quickly ran out of his room. Having reaffirmed the fact that Choi Yu-Seong did not intend to give him any more time, he wrecked his brains to figure out how to handle things as secretly and quickly as possible.


    ¡®So there¡¯s a lot of work to be done... Damn it, it''s too much.¡¯


    Choi Min-Seok became desperate for the first time in his life and had to think and run with all his might.

 CH 107

    During the three days that Choi Yu-Seong had been in the hospital, there had been one thing he contemplated as he looked over the various data and reports Jenny brought him


    ¡®What should I do to take as much as possible from Choi Min-Seok?¡¯


    The easiest way was to share the information with his siblings. If they knew that Yu-Seong had gotten Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s permission, they would target Choi Min-Seok to take everything he had since he had been living above the familial social standing. Min-Seok would soon lose the shirt on his back and be kicked out of the house even before he could react.


    But that was the problem.


    ¡®Then all I could get would be a piece of meat.¡¯


    The only benefit from that would be completing the work easily and being allied with one of his siblings. However, the latter''s gains weren''t important to Yu-Seong.


    ¡®It''s an alliance that can break at any time.¡¯


    There was definitely a limit to how much he could grow if he borrowed help from others. But more importantly, there was a higher chance Choi Woo-Jae would be disappointed.


    He also thought about revealing Choi Min-Seok¡¯s faults to the media.


    ¡®It''ll be the stupidest decision, but¡­.¡¯


    Since Min-Seok would then be judged by the law and considering the crimes he had committed until now, it would be the neatest way to deal with the whole situation. However, that plan could damage the entire Comet Group. Choi Min-Seok was also part of the Choi family, so it could not be helped.


    It was the most desirable situation for Choi Yu-Seong himself, but Choi Woo-Jae would be shouldering a loss. Similar to the first method, there were not many benefits for Choi Yu-Seong, who stood more to lose than gain since he would only be able to nibble on the scraps.


    ¡®I can put this off a little longer.¡¯


    Thus, Yu-Seong chose the third method.


    ¡®If I want it all for myself, then the best thing to do would be to give Choi Min-Seok some breathing room and use him as much as I can.¡®


    After all, it didn¡¯t matter what one ate. Everything could cause indigestion if eaten too quickly, and Yu-Seong considered Choi Min-Seok''s wealth and power to be no different.


    ¡®I¡¯ll need to chew it slowly and digest it well.¡¯


    Having made his decision, Yu-Seong went to visit Choi Min-Seok with the information, and the results were pretty good. Exactly two days later, Choi Yu-Seong looked at the data Choi Min-Seok brought to his house in Hannam-dong with satisfaction.


    ¡®As expected, Choi Byung-Chan was managing the slush fund separately.¡¯


    Having specialized in illegal operations in Korea, Byung-Chan had quite a lot of money tucked away secretly. About 100 billion won was hidden in accounts in countries like Europe and the United States under other people¡¯s names. Fortunately, there was only one person who managed his money.


    Yu-Seong liked how the manager was timid and had not touched any of this money even after Choi Byung-Chan''s death. He confirmed this fact and focused on what was next on the agenda.


    ¡®The board of directors and outside forces that supported Byung-Chan have already been split between the third, fourth, and fifth brothers and sisters.¡¯


    This was already expected, and Choi Yu-Seong had no intention of reaching out to them even if they remained.


    ¡®This is still too big a portion for me to take.¡¯


    To make an analogy, it would be like starting a fire on the oil of rising vigilance.


    Nevertheless, Yu-Seong had been requesting data from Choi Min-Seok so he could identify the exact opponent if an attack targeted him.


    ¡®It''s not 100% reliable information, but¡­.¡¯


    It was better than nothing. Min-Seok was still a member of Choi''s family, so he wasn¡¯t completely useless.


    ¡°It¡¯s not completely useless,¡± said Choi Yu-Seong to Min-Seok.


    At Yu-Seong¡¯s final evaluation, Choi Min-Seok¡¯s face lit up. His tense expression gradually fell away as he said, "I-I''m glad.¡±


    "I''ll give you the next mission. Take all these slush funds out so that I can use them anytime."


    Even if that money was ill-gotten gains, it would eventually be used for another illegal and immoral business or be hidden forever if it was kept hidden.


    Choi Yu-Seong decided to take it for himself. He said, "I''ll give you a month for this.¡±


    It would take time to persuade the manager, integrate money from all over the world, and launder it.


    When Choi Min-Seok looked somewhat relieved at his words, Choi Yu-Seong smiled insidiously and put aside the document Min-Seok had brought. He said, "I won''t take your house, car, and property right away.¡±


    "Then you mean...?" asked Min-Seok.


    "Do a good job and behave yourself. If the other siblings make suspicious moves or approach you, report it immediately."


    Choi Yu-Seong''s remarks sounded almost like forgiveness. It made Choi Min-Seok''s eyes widen as they moistened with tears. Unable to control his overwhelming emotions, Min-Seok shouted, "Yu¡­Yu-Seong¡­ Cough!"


    Choi Yu-Seonghad immediately kicked Choi Min-Seok in the face with a frown. He barked, "How dare you address me like that? Do you want to die?"


    "I, I didn¡¯t mean..."


    "Listen, you said you''d do everything you were told, right? Choi Min-Seok, you are just like my slave from now on."


    Choi Min-Seok gulped as he trembled. His pride was hurt.


    ¡®Well, even that wouldn¡¯t last long¡­.¡¯


    Choi Min-Seok was very proud, but he was not mentally strong enough to protect that much pride. If he continued to be used and ignored, then he would eventually adapt. It was just like how he had so far surrendered to his other siblings.


    ¡®I know exactly what people like you are like. Strong against the weak, weak against the strong. You''ll never be able to climb up above me.¡¯


    To be honest, Yu-Seong didn¡¯t care about getting caught by the other siblings while using Min-Seok like this.


    ¡®Who would like a guy who used to be a spy?¡¯


    At that time, the person who would be abandoned would be Choi Min-Seok himself. Thus, Yu-Seong could use him as much as he wanted before abandoning him, just like the original Choi Yu-Seong did.


    ¡®Choi Min-Seok, I will give you a break to make you suffer more than the number of people you killed.¡¯


    After Choi Yu-Seong sent Choi Min-Seok off with a new job, he checked his cell phone. He had a message from Chae Ye-Ryeong.


    - Boss! I''m over level 50.


    After she had Re-Awakened, Ye-Ryeong¡¯s growth rate was surprisingly fast. Considering that she couldn''t go to a dungeon for about two days since she had to wait for the hunter''s test, only about six days had passed. However, she still exceeded 50 levels.


    Even if Choi Yu-Seong had provided her with the Hunting Experience Boost potion, the growth was faster than he thought. In fact, it was also hard for Choi Yu-Seong to get used to this ridiculous speed at first, so he had asked Kim Jin-Young to film Ye-Ryeong with magic tech drones. It was because he wondered how she hunted to have such an exponential growth rate.


    ¡®It¡¯s much faster than when I was in E-rank.¡¯


    This was not just a matter of gaining a lot of experience points. Through the video, Yu-Seong could figure out the secret of Chae Ye-Ryeong''s level growth rate.


    ¡®How could all monsters die with a single shot of an E-rank level 1 hunter?¡¯


    Moreover, Chae Ye-Ryeong was the player who used the Projection skill, so all she had to do was to shoot her skills wherever she wanted without having to move. Of course, she didn''t need the help of a party member. As a result, the monster was not taken away by anyone else and was hers entirely.


    By the time she reached level 20 in the E-rank, Chae Ye-Ryeong had moved to a rank 2 dungeon, where she also exhibited a one-shot one-kill show. In other words, the hunting efficiency itself was overwhelmingly better than Choi Yu-Seong when he had been in E-rank.


    It wasn''t that Yu-Seong didn''t understand this.


    ¡®This is the power of the villain who even Kim Do-Jin, the original novel¡¯s main character, struggled to strike down with his supporters!¡¯


    This was a real villain¡¯s growth potential. It was different from Choi Yu-Seong, who, in the original novel, was the villain with a supporting role who was abandoned after being used in the beginning and eventually died.


    There was a saying that the real power of the main character¡¯s group was ganging up and teamwork. Although it would not be possible due to the novel''s balance, Yu-Seong suddenly thought that Kim Do-Jin might have lost if Chae Ye-Ryeong was not alone but had a colleague.


    ¡®On top of that, I supported Chae Ye-Ryeong even before she Re-Awakened, so¡­¡¯


    Ye-Ryeong was already spending her days drinking a lot of gray mana extracts. In addition, there was also the mana received from the yellow and orange mana stones during the Re-Awakening incident. In other words, the Chae Ye-Ryeong was currently full of mana. She was also using the powerful skill, which in the original novel, even the main character and his group struggled with.


    At the time of the hunter''s test, Chae Ye-Ryeong had said that she got the top passing grade even though she was gentle in case her opponent got hurt. Her words seemed almost unbelievable.


    ¡®In fact, at that time, she could also avoid them with a single shot¡­¡¯


    It was not difficult to shake off the countless guild scouts who chased after her with a single-minded focus. This was because Ye-Ryeong immediately declared it with a big smile to the reporter who came to the interview.


    ¡¸I''ve already signed a contract with president Choi Yu-Seong!¡¹


    With that declaration, the Republic of Korea was once again in chaos. It started with the phrase "The Comet Group''s monopolization of talent" to the story of ¡°Choi Yu-Seong''s individual competence¡±. In conclusion, the rumor spread and evolved. It was thanks to Park Jin-Hwan and Kim Jin-Young, both of whom were hired by Choi Yu-Seong.


    ¡®I can''t share what is mine, not even with Father.''


    Choi Yu-Seong thought that Choi Woo-Jae would also be pleased with his actions. Based on the original novel, Choi Yu-Seong gradually came to understand the world of the rich.


    ***


    For more than a week, Choi Yu-Seong had not gone on a dungeon hunt. There were two reasons. The first reason was the absence of both Jin Yu-Ri and Jin Do-Yoon.


    ¡®It''s dangerous to walk around without them.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong valued his life more than his greed for growth in recent years. He did not want to be in trouble from walking around alone. Jenny was a reliable person, but she had a lot of other work to do. He couldn''t spend 24 hours together with her like he used to with the Jin siblings.


    However, that did not mean he had just lazed around. He drank mana extracts every day and trained in the morning and evening. In particular, he spent more time than usual on spear training. There was one clear reason for this.


    ¡®How Geom-Gui moved back then.¡¯


    Apart from being an A-rank villain, Geom-Gui had boasted quite excellent swordsmanship.


    ¡®Something different from Kim Do-Jin.¡¯


    Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    It looked rough and straight, but it was flexible. For some reason, Choi Yu-Seong felt that Geom-Gui¡¯s sword technique was not unfamiliar. To be exact, it seemed to be just out of his grasp and out of his sight. Maybe it was something he could feel because he had watched Geom-Gui¡¯s swordsmanship through the Insight skill, which he had only two trials left.


    Or, it might be due to extreme concentration forced by the worst situation where his neck was on the line. In any case, Choi Yu-Seong found a certain flow in Geom-Gui''s swordsmanship, which could be combined with his own spear skills. Yu-Seong pursued that and focused on training, with results showing exactly on Day 8.


    As always, Choi Yu-Seong went out early in the morning with a clear mind. He wielded a spear in the front garden. He felt that the feel of the spear wrapping around his hand today was different from usual.


    ¡®The spear¡¯s blade feels especially sharp today.¡¯


    His movements could be clearly seen, as if he were observing them from a third person''s point of view. What kind of harmony would this be? Even before questioning deeply, Yu-Seong fell into a trance.

 CH 108

    Choi Yu-Seong mainly used the basic spear techniques¡ªspinning(Lan), pushing(Na), and stabbing(Chal) techniques. However, his spear skills started to change. The basic techniques remained, but the steps from Wind Control were naturally combined with them. That was all that changed, but his attack moves became different from before. His spear was light as a feather.


    Ecstatic, Choi Yu-Seong began to perform the spear skill by mixing the steps of Wind Control toward invisible opponents only visible in his imagination. Then, the spear¡¯s blade splendidly decorated the empty space as if it were blooming buds.


    Without knowing how much time had passed, Choi Yu-Seong swung the spear until he felt exhausted. Soaked with sweat, he collapsed and exhaled a rough breath. "Hhhhhhhh¡­!"


    He was out of breath and felt dizzy, but he also felt refreshed.


    ¡®I somehow got past a wall¡­!¡¯


    Not only did his rank get higher, but Yu-Seong¡¯s skill in using his spear increased. It was as if the system wanted him to clearly recognize the fact because there were many messages popping up in front of his eyes.


    - A Joke-loving Prankster looks at the growth of player Choi Yu-Seong with an interested eye. 500 karma points are sponsored.


    - The Oldest Hunter values the player Choi Yu-Seong beautifully. 500 karma points are sponsored.


    - Culann¡¯s Hound is happier than anyone else with the improvement of the player Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s spear skills. 1,500 karma points are sponsored!


    - Special Skill, Spear Prodigy D ¡ú Spear Practioner D


    Three gods supporting Choi Yu-Seong sent congratulatory gifts. Not only that, but the name of the Special skill had changed. In addition, a silver whirlwind wrapped around Choi Yu-Seong.


    - The level has risen.


    Without much thought, Choi Yu-Seong yelled out joyfully. It had been a while since his level had risen from training. He felt great satisfaction energizing his entire being. "YESSSSSSS-!"


    Choi Yu-Seong, who was originally a nugatory villain who would originally be used and abandoned, was growing steadily and continuously.


    ***


    Yu-Seong wanted to look up his upgraded skills in a comfortable state after he returned home, finished showering, and laid in bed. That way, he could freely express his joyfulness in bed. Like that, Choi Yu-Seong got comfortable and first checked his Spear Practioner skill.


    ¡ºSpear Practioner D


    Has a very good understanding and proficiency in pole weapons and spears.


    Get the effect of the general skill ¨C Cool-headed D ¨C when using the spear.


    Get the effect of the general skill ¨C Stamina Reinforcement D ¨C when using the spear. Duplicate is possible.


    Get the effect of the general skill ¨C Physical Strength Reinforcement D ¨C when using the spear. Duplicate is possible.


    Attack power increases when using the spear.


    When learning techniques related to spear, the learning rate will be faster.


    When acquiring skills related to spear, the starting point will be set at a rank one higher.¡»


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    There wasn¡¯t a single aspect it was lacking; everything was just perfect.


    ¡°This one skill plays the role of at least three skills.¡±


    In particular, in the case of Stamina Reinforcement and Physical Strength Reinforcement, Yu-Seong liked it even more since duplications were possible.


    ¡®If this happens, my Stamina Reinforcement skill could actually be about D+ rank?¡¯


    An individual''s overall ability sometimes made one perform better than the rank, but generally, there were limitations to a skill¡¯s rank. Even if he had a duplicate effect, it was natural to think it would be impossible to go beyond C-rank.


    ¡®Since I used to bench press 400kg...it''s safe to say that I can do 500kg now.¡¯


    Yu-Seong wanted to try it right away, but unfortunately, he had no realistic way to experiment with it.


    ''That¡¯s because I can''t bench press with a spear in one hand.¡¯


    Of course, he did not want to accidentally be mortally wounded after bench pressing with a spear attached to his hand. Above all, he had his own evidence that his guess would be quite right.


    ¡®In the original novel, it was mentioned that if there¡¯s a ¡®+¡¯ added to the rank, the efficiency increases by an additional 50 percent.¡¯


    The Stamina Reinforcement effect was also excellent. The longer the battle lasted, the more a player¡¯s stamina levels would impact even their concentration. Choi Yu-Seong was certain that his stamina would definitely be very helpful in long-term combat. In fact, it was extremely pleasant that all of his skills¡¯ growth was somewhat incidental.


    ¡®The important thing is that, even though it doesn¡¯t show up in the system skill window¡­ My spear skills have improved.¡¯


    Yu-Seong¡¯s basic spear skill had combined with his Wind Control skill. As a result, he was able to overcome a wall and exceed the limit. Thanks to that, he shook off the anxiety he had been feeling because of his stalled growth after being unable to train in the dungeons these days.


    ¡®Even if I don¡¯t raise my level, I¡¯m in the process of growing, so let¡¯s cheer up.¡¯


    For now, it looked a little slow, but all of these things would stack up and eventually form a castle. The strong people of this era must have also walked a similar path. Above all, the gods seemed to like Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s growth quite a lot.


    ¡®I got a figure of karma points that I''ve never received before.¡¯


    The sum of karma points from the three gods was 2,500. This was more than the amount of 2,200 he had saved up, not to mention this amount would be a lot less if he hadn¡¯t received karma points from the cheering gods as he fought against Geom-Gui during Chae Ye-Ryeong¡¯s Re-Awakening.


    ¡®Anyway, my new total is 4,700 karma points.¡¯


    The first thing that came to mind from this fairly large figure was the growth of special skills that had stagnated in the E-rank.


    ¡®With this amount, I can improve two of my skills¡­ But which skill should I choose?¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong didn''t contemplate for a long time.


    ¡®I''ve already decided on one.¡¯


    First, he chose to improve the Wind Control skill. It consumed about 2,500 karma points, but it was the best survival or escape skill among his skills. Moreover, since it was combined with his spear skills, it would now also be quite efficient for attacking.


    ¡®So¡­I¡¯ll consume the karma points for the Wind Control.¡¯


    When Yu-Seong made the decision, the writing of ¡®Wind Control¡¯ glowed golden as it floated on the window in front of him. Since then, the flames started at the bottom of the letter E and swallowed it up quickly. It soon turned into ashes and changed into a golden D.


    ¡®Oh, the system interface cared about the visual effects.¡¯


    Yu-Seong¡¯s exclamation about the unexpected flamboyance did not last long. He immediately checked the updated Wind Control skill¡¯s stats and performance.


    ¡ºSpecial Skills, Wind Control (D)


    Fusion not possible.


    Inheritance not possible.


    At the end of 18 steps that flow like water, a dragon that catches the wind travels through the clouds. This is a skill that has been completely inherited.


    You can only use seven out of eighteen steps due to the current low grade.


    It is easier to dodge the opponent¡¯s attacks.


    You can kill some of your presence.


    For seven steps after skill activation, you can instantly accelerate your movement.


    Immediately after skill activation, you can instantly create a short illusion using five steps.


    If you use an illusion 3 or more times in a row, re-use waiting time (30 minutes) will occur. ¡»


    "Fu..." Choi Yu-Seong covered his mouth after he unknowingly cursed out loud. His Wind Control, which had been limited to five steps, increased to seven steps. There were three advantages to this.


    ¡®First of all, the danger due to the cut off of Wind Control when avoiding attacks could be held off a bit.¡¯


    In addition, the connection performance had improved when it came to attacking with the spear. Finally, the most important part was that Choi Yu-Seong could now use the five steps to make the illusion and still have two steps remaining. All skills had a very short delay before they were reactivated. However, since there was no such delay, both attacking and avoiding could be done flawlessly.


    ¡®I think I can now catch rank 3 dungeon boss monsters by myself.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong''s subjective judgment was that he could hunt rank 3 elite monsters alone if the conditions were stable. If it was a rank 4 dungeon, he could handle the weak monsters near the entrance. However, the situation was different now.


    ¡®If it¡¯s rank 3 elite monster, I may handle up to five of them. Also, I can now hunt the dungeon boss monster alone.¡¯


    Of course, Yu-Seong could do more than this if he took a risk.


    ¡®If it¡¯s rank 4 elite monsters¡­.I may handle up to three of them. If I risk my life and am lucky enough, I might be able to hunt the raid rank boss monster.¡¯


    Generally, it was known that raid monsters, which were also known to be special within the rank 4 monsters, could be hunted by at least ten D-rank high-level hunters gathered with all different types of skills. That would be the only reasonable attempt.


    Suddenly, Choi Yu-Seong thought that he would be able to hunt it alone. This was something that even Kim Do-Jin could only do if he risked his life and was lucky, but now, Yu-Seong thought it would be possible for him as well. Thinking about it in this way, he couldn¡¯t help but realize again how great his improvement was.


    ¡®Wait, no matter how many preconditions there are, did I just think that I could fight at a similar level as Kim Do-Jin?¡¯


    Did that even make sense?


    In the original novel, Choi Yu-Seong was supposed to die after being used incompetently in this world. How could he be compared to Kim Do-Jin, the returnee of another world? If he thought about it differently, that meant with the premise of being lucky, there was a possibility of him beating Kim Do-Jin when he was D-rank.


    ¡®I could beat the main character of the novel?¡¯


    Of course, he could be conceited. In addition, as his level went up, it would be harder to climb up the stairs, so someday, it might become difficult to even reach Kim Do-Jin¡¯s toes in the end with how high he might rise.


    However, in the comparative analysis that was drawn in his head right now, Choi Yu-Seong and Kim Do-Jin in the D-rank era were clearly at the same level. It was a sense that Yu-Seong had felt the other day, but this time it was clearly different.


    ¡®If Kim Do-Jin was still a D-rank... then I would have wanted to give it a shot.¡¯


    Of course, there was a way for Yu-Seong to compare with Do-Jin right away. For example, he could challenge the Orc War Chief Raid alone, which Kim Do-Jin hunted when he was D-rank.


    ¡®If I break his record as I did in the Goblin Fortress¡­¡¯


    Wouldn''t Kim Do-Jin be shocked silly? Clearing the simple dungeon and also hunting raid monsters were different. Choi Yu-Seong contemplated for a moment but soon shook his head.


    ¡®Still, survival is the most important thing, not the desire to win.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong was also a human being, so he felt his heart burning with passion. However, he gave up his thoughts immediately because he valued his life more than such feelings. Instead, he continued thinking about where to spend the remaining 2,200 karma points.


    ''I kept putting it off, but now I¡¯ll have to decide.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong jumped up from his seat and held a stick candy he had prepared in the room. "Summon Dimensional Merchant."


    "Did you call me?!" said Ping Pong.


    Choi Yu-Seong first handed a lollipop to Ping Pong, who appeared as if he had been waiting. He then said, "Mr. Ping Pong, it''s finally time."


    "What?" Ping Pong was holding the peeled stick candy with both hands and licking it with his pink tongue. He tilted his head and asked.


    "I''ll ask for a level-up of the dimensional bundle.¡±


    Pingpong¡¯s eyes glistened at Yu-Seong¡¯s words, and jumped up from his seat. He shouted, "Oh-! That''s a wise choice. But in a little while!"


    He then licked the remaining lollipops and spoke in a dignified voice. "Let''s put it off after eating all this great invention, lollipops. Choi Yu-Seong.¡±

 CH 109

    Exactly 2,000 karma points were needed to upgrade the level 1 dimension bundle to level 2. However, before that, there was something he had to do.


    ''First of all, I need to purchase 1,000 karma points.¡¯


    One might wonder what kind of mile achievement work this was,[1] but there was no other choice for Choi Yu-Seong but to follow the rules. Anyway, because of that, Choi Yu-Seong steadily consumed karma points to purchase goods and achieved 1,000 purchased karma points without difficulty. After that, he couldn¡¯t make up his mind after he exceeded 2,000 purchased points.


    ¡®Should I collect a bit more for the Wind Control skill¡¯s upgrade? Or should I use it for the dimension store first?¡¯


    First of all, Yu-Seong thought it was a good move to upgrade his Wind Control skill first, but upgrading the dimensional package was considerably useful, too, so he couldn¡¯t stop contemplating his options. However, after his recent growth, he received 2,500 karma points which were enough for him to do both.


    ¡®I can raise both the Wind Control skill and the dimensional bundle¡¯s level.¡¯


    Since he had collected enough karma points to literally do whatever he wanted, Yu-Seong could consume it without any hesitation. After that, the pink bundle that Ping Pong took out of his front pocket was enveloped in white light. The light disappeared before pink letters flashed in front of Choi Yu-Seong''s eyes.


    - Bambapaba-! The dimensional bundle has leveled up! Congratulations!


    In the future, you will be able to purchase rare-class dimensional items.


    The Lion Bear Clan¡¯s characteristics have activated! As a level-up bonus, you will be given a free lottery ticket for rare-class items.


    The letter then turned into a piece of paper that fell onto Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s palm.


    ¡®A free lottery ticket!¡¯


    This special item could only be received when the dimensional bundle¡¯s level was raised. It was a special gift that could only be received when signing a contract with the Lion Bear Clan among dimensional merchants.


    "Whoa... You must be surprised. To explain the lottery ticket..." said Ping Pong. He looked excited since it was a bonus effect of his clan¡¯s.


    "It''s randomly changes of one of the rare-class items in the dimensional bundle,¡± said Yu-Seong even before Ping Pong could start to explain.


    "What? How did you ...?"


    "Well, because I have a bigger secret than that. Of course, it''s a secret to Mr. Ping Pong,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    "This is not fair¡­?!"


    Choi Yu-Seong slightly teased Ping Pong and looked at the lottery ticket with a faraway look. As a person who once worked as a game company employee, how could he not know the lottery system?


    ¡®It¡¯s the flower¡­ No, it¡¯s the poop of the game.¡¯


    Many people pointed their fingers or cursed in severe cases at the highly unlikely probability of the lottery system. However, from the perspective of a company that distributed games for free, the lottery was the only way to earn money.


    ¡®Games should be fun and drawing the lottery should be just as enjoyable.¡¯


    It was not fun to just pick. The company had to make the act of drawing itself enjoyable or make one feel the item was worthy. Since Yu-Seong had had to think about this problem more than anyone else, it would be silly if he could not remember those details. Therefore, he wanted to use this lottery ticket right away and get more immersed in the nostalgia of his past, but it was not the right time yet.


    After getting rid of his disappointment, Yu-Seong first handed the lottery ticket to Ping Pong.


    "Don''t you want to try it right away?" asked Ping Pong.


    "No, since this lottery ticket is upgradeable," said Yu-Seong.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t free. It took as many as 2,000 karma points to upgrade the rare-class lottery ticket. However, looking beyond, it was a choice that held much more benefits.


    ¡°I need to work hard to collect more karma points," said Yu-Seong.


    Ping Pong big eyes grew even bigger at Yu-Seong¡¯s words. He murmured, "Oh-ho¡­ Only a few people know about that..."


    "If I were to just rip it, wouldn''t you have told me?" asked Yu-Seong.


    Ping Pong smiled at Choi Yu-Seong''s question and asked, "What if I was going to keep my mouth shut because I had annoyed about your secret?¡±


    "Sure enough, so that¡¯s why you watched until the end. Then, unfortunately, I guess I can never tell Mr. Ping Pong my secret," said Yu-Seong.


    "Ah-! That''s too much. Choi Yu-Seong!" shouted Ping Pong. As someone who couldn''t even break after trying to attack Yu-Seong, he puffed up his cheeks.


    Of course, it was simple to soothe Ping Pong from being upset.


    "I''ll give you this, so don''t be too upset," said Yu-Seong.


    "I don''t need it!" said Ping Pong.


    "Even if you say so, your body language says otherwise.¡±


    Ping Pong received a stick candy from Choi Yu-Seong by sticking out his short arms. His cheeks were red as he sat in place and stuck out his tongue again. As always, when he felt better, his round tail began to puff up like a bubble.


    ¡®Cute guy.¡¯


    Yu-Seong thought to himself and smiled while he looked at Ping Pong. At that moment, he got a call.


    ¡®Huh? Father?¡¯


    It was a phone call that he had no choice but to answer immediately.


    "Yes, Father?"


    We are bit.ly/3iBfjkV, find us on google.


    - The date of the match is set.


    The topic had come out of nowhere, but Yu-Seong could understand what Choi Woo-Jae was talking about.


    ¡®The dungeon racing with Bernard Yoo!¡¯


    In fact, if it wasn''t for Choi Byung-Chan''s death, it would have been a match that would have occurred immediately. The match had been pushed back due to that incident.


    Yu-Seong remained silent and waited for Choi Woo-Jae''s next words.


    - The match is a week later, in the Orc Village, the rank 4 dungeon.


    "Pardon?" Taken aback, Yu-Seong unconsciously expressed an objection.


    - The government and the association seem to have already taken measures. As I always say, I do not like losing.


    Choi Woo-Jae understood Yu-Seong''s question as an objection asking how he could enter the rank 4 dungeon alone, so he hung up after a short explanation. However, that wasn¡¯t exactly why Choi Yu-Seong was flustered.


    ¡®It''s in the Orc Village?¡¯


    Even within the rank 4 dungeon, the Orc Village''s was more infamous than the rank 2 dungeon, the Goblin Fortress.


    ¡®Well¡­ It makes sense since¡­¡¯


    The Orc Village¡¯s boss monster was the Orc War Chief¡ªa monster meant for a group raid. It was said to be impossible to hunt unless five C-rank hunters gathered to fight it, so it was practically unheard of for a D-rank hunter to hunt the raid-class boss monster alone. Actually, under similar conditions, there was one person who had hunted alone in Korea.


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin was the only one.¡¯


    Thinking about it, Yu-Seong could see why the Cheon-Ji Group¡¯s Chairman Yoo chose the Orc Village as the battlefield.


    ¡®At the beginning of the original novel, Kim Do-Jin and Bernard Yoo were described as rivals to some extent¡­¡¯


    In fact, there must have been quite a bit of competition. Needless to say, this was especially true for the rich chairman, who hated losing to others.


    ¡®In fact, it¡¯s the same for our family and Cheon-Ji Group.¡¯


    The rich were human nature itself; they were greed and desire in a human form. This was why the rich continued to fight with each other, even though it seemed enough to the other people to be in the business world¡¯s top 100. Choi Yu-Seong was clearly aware now that the desire should not be underestimated.


    There was only one problem. Only 10 minutes ago, he had thought that if he risked his life, and if he was lucky, he might be able to hunt Orc War Chief, which was the rank 4 raid monster.


    ''And I gave up on that thought.¡¯


    He thought there was no reason to challenge the solo play to the raid monster while risking his life. A smile automatically tugged at his lips.


    ''Should I tell my father that it¡¯s impossible?¡¯


    He wanted to be honest and tell his father he couldn¡¯t, but that was a ridiculous thing to do since Choi Woo-Jae clearly said that he hated losing. So if Yu-Seong gave up before they even fought, then¡­


    ¡®I might live a life that would be worse than death.¡¯


    Since Yu-Seong thought that it was better to be a live coward than a dead hero, this choice didn¡¯t seem bad. But, there was a clear reason for not saying he would give up to Choi Woo-Jae.


    ¡®Anyway, I did think that I could catch it, right?¡¯


    Two preconditions did apply¡ªat the risk of his life and if he was lucky. However, risking his life didn¡¯t mean he would die.


    ¡®It means that it¡¯ll be deathly difficult.¡¯


    However, if he was lucky enough, Yu-Seong would definitely succeed in hunting. But if he was unlucky, then he would die.


    ¡®Above all else, if I think I can¡¯t do it, I can just run away.¡¯


    In fact, running away from a fight was not that difficult for Yu-Seong, since he had acquired the Wind Control skill. If so, there was actually only one thing he had to think about.


    ''I''m going to think about how to hunt the Orc War Chief as best as possible.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong''s eyes sparkled as he opened his cell phone and began to look through the original novel¡¯s notes again. Since this was going to happen, he was going to do his best.


    ¡®Also, it would be fun to surprise Kim Do-Jin.¡¯


    Before he knew it, Choi Yu-Seong was burning with a desire to win against Kim Do-Jin.


    Less than half a day later, Yu-Seong heard some good news. Yu-Ri had fully recovered, so she could make a comeback. It was a day for Yu-Seong which he had many incidents he had to go through.


    ***


    Choi Min-Seok¡¯s daily life became extremely busy compared to the days when he spent most of the day relaxing in school. The hardest thing was to persuade the timid manager who originally handled Choi Byung-Chan''s money. The manager was too scared to even touch the money that had become ownerless and so was excessively wary and suspected Min-Seok¡¯s approach.


    However, Choi Min-Seok could not give up. If he could not persuade the manager, Choi Yu-Seong would reveal all his secrets to Choi Woo-Jae and push him off a cliff. Did the manager feel his desperation?


    After five days, Choi Min-Seok was finally able to persuade the manager. Next, he had to carefully launder the money that had been in the overseas accounts and then bring it back to Korea. It wasn''t easy either. If this was unfortunately caught by the National Tax Service, the entire Comet Group could be overturned. Because of that, there were many things to be careful of.


    As a result, Choi Min-Seok became more sensitive day by day. This was only expected since he had never lived such a busy life until now.


    ¡®Damn you, Choi Yu-Seong. Maybe I should just say fuck it and just give up on everything.¡¯


    Sometimes, Min-Seok had such thoughts in his mind. However, Choi Yu-Seong''s eyes suddenly came to his mind. When he remembered Yu-Seong¡¯s momentum, which resembled Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s, he automatically trembled, and his rebellious thoughts immediately subsided.


    ¡®Terrifying bastard!¡¯


    Since when did Choi Yu-Seong become so different? Too much had changed in such a short time. Choi Min-Seok shook as he thought of Yu-Seong. Then, he suddenly saw the TV news and the recent report on the bizarre murder of the Villains Geom-Gui and Medusa near Paju.


    The news said that Soal, the investigative expert of the Special Police Force, had been dispatched, and the traces of the battles and the mana explosion were found. Soal speculated that the outline of the case was due to a certain enemy relationship related to the two villains. Listening to that, Min-Seok felt relieved.


    ''But who reported that countryside event?¡¯


    Just in case, Min-Seok looked into the reporter and found a name he had never heard of before, Hwang Ji-Woo. Choi Min-Seok would never know that he was an agent for the Hidden Team who was put forward by Choi Yu-Seong to not create bad rumors by coming forward himself. Anyway, Choi Min-Seok was wary once again after watching the TV report.


    ''Let''s behave. There''s nothing good about being hated by Choi Yu-Seong.¡¯


    Choi Min-Seok became pale when he received a phone call less than two hours after thinking about it.


    1. We believe this is referring to the Nook Miles on Animal Crossing where you can earn Miles by completing challenges. ?

 CH 110

    It was a call from Choi In-Young.


    ¡®Why now¡­ What should I do?¡¯


    Choi Min-Seok contemplated until the cell phone stopped ringing. He only hit the answer button in surprise when the cell phone rang again.


    "Noo-nim, sorry I couldn''t answer the phone. I was a bit busy," Choi Min-Seok said as carefully and politely as possible.


    - It''s okay. So, how''s the Yu-Seong thing going?


    Choi Min-Seok stiffened when In-Young got to the main subject right away. Cold sweat formed on his forehead. Knowing the point of this conversation, he felt thankful to do it over a phone call.


    ''If I had faced her in person, I would have been caught.¡¯


    Choi Min-Seok had many reasons to be afraid of getting caught. If Choi In-Young started to doubt him, and if the consequence of that caused harm to Choi Yu-Seong, he would be completely doomed.


    "...It''s going well," said Min-Seok. It was a little late, but he pretended to be as calm as possible.


    After that, there was a short silence over the phone.


    - My dear Min-Seok, are you hiding anything from me?


    Min-Seok trembled, but he shook his head immediately. He quickly denied it. "How could I? What do I have to gain by deceiving you?"


    -Haha... But why do I feel like you are lying? You know that my intuition is pretty sharp.


    "Maybe you''ve gotten sensitive because you''ve been paying attention to many things lately. I''m also pretty sensitive these days,¡± said Min-Seok. He wasn¡¯t exactly lying, so he could speak more smoothly.


    - Hmmm...


    Nevertheless, Choi In-Young''s suspicion over the phone did not go away easily.


    - Does Yu-Seong have something on you?


    At that moment, Choi Min-Seok almost screamed.


    ¡®She said that she has a good intuition, but she can actually open a fortune-telling shop.¡¯


    Min-Seok broke into a cold sweat, his back getting wet.


    - If that''s the case, feel free to tell me. I¡¯m your sister, and I can easily solve that. We are siblings, aren''t we?


    Choi Min-Seok''s gaze shook at Choi In-Young''s seductive voice.


    ¡®Yeah, wouldn''t In-Young noo-nim¡­be reliable?¡¯


    He thought that sharing the burden might be better than continuing to be dragged by Choi Yu-Seong. He agonized over it for a while.


    - Min-Seok, you can be honest with me.


    "That..." Choi Min-Seok''s dry lips slightly moved upon hearing Choi In-Young''s voice.


    In-Young immediately spoke again as if she couldn¡¯t miss the opportunity.


    - Yes, go ahead.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    It was like the devil was tempting Choi Min-Seok, but he still answered, "There is no such thing.¡±


    Choi Min-Seok had a hard time answering while hiding his nervousness. He made a clumsy smile.


    - Really?


    "There''s no way Yu-Seong would have something on me, right? There¡¯s no problem at all. I will contact you with good news soon, nu-nim."


    - Okay then, since you¡¯re saying that, I¡¯ll believe you. Let''s talk face-to-face when we have time.


    "Of course, noo-nim. Please feel free to contact me any time," Min-Seok said. With that, he ended the call and unknowingly breathed a deep sigh of relief.


    "Any time, my..."


    Of course, Min-Seok certainly didn¡¯t want to see In-Young in person. In fact, he didn¡¯t even want to talk on the phone with her again.


    Not too long ago, Choi In-Young''s voice had sounded pleasing, but it had become creepy now.


    ¡®Damn, it¡¯s all because Choi Yu-Seong has something on me¡­¡¯


    Even now, Min-Seok thought about calling Choi In-Young again and honestly telling her the truth. However, he knew instinctively and logically that¡­


    ¡®It''s already too late.¡¯


    If he turned to her now, he would be like the dog got killed after the hunt was over. Now, he had no choice but to follow Choi Yu-Seong to the best of his abilities.


    ***


    Yoo Chul-Min, the Cheon-Ji Group¡¯s Chairman, opened his arms and hugged his beloved grandson. With a bright smile, he said, "My dear Bernard, you''re here. I heard it''s been a while since you came to Korea but only now do I get to see your face.¡±


    "I''m sorry. I was also busy wandering around as soon as I came to Korea,¡± said Jae-Yeol.


    "But you should have run to see me, your grandfather, first!" Yoo Chul-Min spoke harshly but still with a smile on his face. He held the hands of Jae-Yeol¡ªBernard Yoo¡ªand led him to the sofa in the living room. Then, he asked, "Ah Jae-Yeol, my dear grandson. I''ve kept up with the news. Wasn''t it hard to live abroad?"


    "There''s nothing hard about it. I just had to do everything according to plan, just like you¡¯ve prepared, grandfather,¡± Bernard Yoo said with a shrug.


    Bernard Yoo had short hair and strong facial features. His pale skin, gentle eyes, and soft smile gave an impression of a beautifully grown greenhouse flower. However, in terms of his true nature, he was quite the fighter. He hated to lose and was a very possessive person.


    To some extent, he delayed visiting Chairman Yoo at the house after returning to Korea because he had gone to trace Kim Do-Jin¡¯s footsteps. He had wanted to visit, experience, and evaluate his opponent''s skills in person, not just watch videos or hear rumors. Even his cautious personality was very much favored by Chairman Yoo.


    They inquired about each other''s health as they talked about what each had been up to. To Chairman Yoo, Bernard Yoo was just a cute grandson who always listened to him well and achieved everything he wanted. There was no reason to nag him. Naturally, the conversation continued in a friendly way.


    "Oh, and you''re well prepared for next week''s race, right?¡± asked Chairman Yoo.


    "You mean the Orc Village, right? I''ve sent a couple of people to take a quick look at it...but can I be honest with you?¡± said Bernard Yoo.


    "Tell me."


    Bernard Yoo shrugged his shoulders with a slightly bitter smile. "Other monsters are not a problem. But the Boss Monster might be a little difficult to defeat alone.¡±


    "Ah, I see¡­ you said that you''re at level 80 of D-rank?" asked Chairman Yoo.


    "I''ll be at level 90 soon."


    "You are fast."


    Nevertheless, it was difficult to hunt Raid Boss alone in the Orc Village.


    Chairman Yoo was not just a proud man. It had not yet been revealed to Bernard Yoo, but Chairman Yoo had made all sorts of preparations. Only when he began talking was the secret revealed.


    "It''s hard, but I think I can handle it. I just felt slightly unsure... Kim Do-Jin, that friend, he¡¯s such a monster," said Bernard Yoo.


    "So you think you can handle it?" asked Chairman Yoo. What caught his attention was Bernard Yoo¡¯s earlier words.


    "It''s going to take a while. Also, it''ll be dangerous...but I still want to give it a shot. After looking around, I want to break Kim Do-Jin¡¯s record in this dungeon once. It''s my first time being a challenger since I started hunting, so I''m even more excited," said Bernard Yoo.


    Chairman Yoo smiled. He was proud of every word Bernard Yoo had uttered so far. Then, a question arose in his mind for a moment. He asked, "Do you want to break his record?"


    "Yes, I heard that Choi Yu-Seong, my opponent, has already broken Kim Do-Jin''s record once."


    "Ah¡­ That..." Chairman Yoo nodded as he recalled the news that riled up Korea not long ago. He added, "It was a bit of luck to find a secret passage, but the result was pretty good."


    "Grandpa. Luck is a skill to have in the dungeon," said Bernard Yoo.


    Chairman Yoo eyes widened at those unexpected words. In fact, it wasn¡¯t a particularly bad feeling. Rather, it made him curious.


    "When I looked into Choi Yu-Seong, he didn''t have a great reputation. There were still quite a few people who ignored him. I might lose if I get fooled by this reputation of his,¡± said Bernard Yoo.


    "You mean that Choi Yu-Seong has pretty useful skills, too.¡±


    "No, Grandpa." Bernard Yoo shook his head firmly. "It''s not just useful, it''s excellent."


    "Hahaha-!" Chairman Yoo couldn¡¯t help laughing. He then asked, "But you''re going to win, right?¡±


    "Because I don''t intend to lose," said Bernard Yoo.


    "Okay, then let this old man help you," said Chairman Yoo.


    "What?"


    Bernard Yoo¡¯s eyes were full of questions at his grandfather¡¯s unexpected words. Chairman Yoo took out a jewelry box from a drawer next to the sofa and pushed it toward Bernard Yoo. He urged, "Open it."


    Still questioning, Bernard Yoo opened the jewelry box, which had a gold ring inside. At first glance, the ring looked normal. However, it was not difficult to figure out that the ring was not an ordinary object. It had a unique form of text written on its sides.


    "It''s an ancient relic," said Bernard Yoo.


    "It''s a hard-earned item for this match. It''s called ¡®Orc Hunt¡¯."


    "Uh... Then its ability is¡­?"


    "You are right. Wearing this ring can make you infinitely powerful against the Orc species. If the target is an Orc, even a small injury could fatally poison it with this ancient artifact¡¯s ability."


    "How did you get this quickly?¡±


    "What do you mean quickly?" Chairman Yoo snorted. "I¡¯ve been looking for this for two months. I began looking the moment you came from the U.S. and said you wanted to try to break Kim Do-Jin¡¯s record. I spent a lot of money trying to get this, so use it well and make sure you win this game and achieve the record you want."


    "Wait, Grandpa. You mean that next week''s game is...."


    "Right. I chose the Orc Village so that you can use this.¡±


    "Grandpa, I don''t want to win the game like this."


    When Bernard carefully rejected it, Chairman Yoo looked at Bernard Yoo''s surprised face indifferently. Bernard Yoo looked stubborn and full of pride. Although Chairman Yoo felt proud as Bernard Yoo looked exactly like him in his early days, he did not reveal his inner feelings and continued to talk with a hard expression.


    "All right, let''s say you don''t use it. Can you confidently say that you can beat Choi Yu-Seong?¡±


    "It''s... it''s not something I can be sure of..." answered Bernard Yoo after some thought.


    Choi Yu-Seong''s videos already showed how extraordinary he was, and Bernard Yoo was not very generous with praise. There was a reason he valued Yu-Seong¡¯s ability as excellent.


    ¡®Right, until recently, Kim Do-Jin was the only hunter in Korea who he praised.¡¯


    In addition, Bernard Yoo also praised Choi Yu-Seong as excellent.


    From the first time Chairman Yoo had heard Bernard Yoo praising Choi Yu-Seong, he had already expected this conversation to happen.


    ¡°As you said, luck is also a valued skill in dungeons. And that guy in the Comet Group has been pretty lucky lately. You could lose. But what if you use this ring?¡± asked Chairman Yoo.


    "...I''m sure I can win," said Bernard Yoo. His confident words made Chairman Yoo smile gently.


    "Bernard, no, Jae-Yeol. From now on, keep in mind what I tell you."


    "Yes, Grandpa."


    ¡°It''s not a bad idea to win a fair game. Though for people like us, I¡¯m talking about Chairman Choi, Chairman Kim, myself, and perhaps even the future you, we need to put aside the idea of fairness.¡±


    "But Grandpa, I..."


    "Tsk¡­! Listen to me.¡± Chairman Yoo raised his voice and looked at Bernard Yoo with a hardened face. "If what we do is a game, we definitely need to be fair. That''s justice. But Jae-Yeol. It''s not a game we''re playing. It''s a war. If you lose, Comet Group will go into the guild business and take away our jobs, and a considerable number of employees will have to leave their jobs behind and be kicked out of the company. When one person is kicked out, the whole family stumbles. If ten people are kicked out, ten families are in danger at once. Jae-Yeol."


    "Yes¡­ Grandpa."


    "This is the responsibility of the monarch, which you should know. The position where I am now, everything you enjoy is made up of the blood and sweat of the employers¡ªwho is our nation. What you have to do is to protect your position and take away your opponent''s. That is why it''s a war. We have to win by any means. Only then would it benefit everyone. Do you understand?"


    "...Yes."


    Chairman Yoo looked kind once again. Looking at his grandson, he laughed heartily.


    Bernard Yoo dropped his head somewhat weakly.


    "Hahaha¡­ You don''t have to accept everything right away. But, Jae-Yeol, keep this in mind. The word cowardice does not exist in a war. Now, put on your ring. I have to see how well it suits you," said Chairman Yoo.


    In the end, Bernard Yoo could not refuse the ancient relics offered by Chairman Yoo. He wore them on his right index finger.


    "It suits you very well. Haha...!" Chairman Yoo''s big laugh seemed to shake the entire house.

 CH 111

    Early next morning, Choi Yu-Seong received a call from Choi Woo-Jae and then headed immediately toward the family home in Yeonhui-dong.


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    As always, Choi Woo-Jae was sitting in the office with his back to the window. When Woo-Jae looked at Yu-Seong, Yu-Seong could feel the suffocatingly cold vibe but it was not as bad as before.


    ¡®Is it because of this unique smell of wood? Or is it because this place is where Father has stayed for a long time?¡¯


    It was a question of whether places could start to take after people or people could take after places.


    While Choi Yu-Seong was questioning such a vibe, Choi Woo-Jae gestured to the sofa with his chin as he said, "Have a seat.¡±


    "Yes, sir."


    "It is no exaggeration to say that the fate of the guild business is on next week¡¯s match.¡±


    "...I am aware of it." Choi Yu-Seong nodded slowly at the abrupt conversation starter.


    "Chairman Yoo, that sly old man is not an easy one. There must be a reason why he chose Orc Village as the place for the match," said Woo-Jae.


    "I see.¡±


    "He will do everything he can. He may have prepared a special Ancient Relic or dug a trap that only applies to you.¡±


    While Choi Woo-Jae continued speaking, Choi Yu-Seong contemplated even further.


    ¡®Why¡¯s he telling me all this?¡¯


    Choi Woo-Jae was not a person who would invite people over to chat about nonsense, so Yu-Seong was trying to uncover the real intention behind this conversation.


    Woo-Jae smiled at Yu-Seong¡¯s worried expression and leaned forward slightly. ¡°Again, I won¡¯t accept any defeat. It¡¯s not just because of my greed. If you lose, the guild business that the second oldest had been dragged into managing would be completely overthrown.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°From the third to the fifth, all of your siblings are secretly paying attention to you, Yu-Seong. Also, the second oldest would never look back on something that has once failed.¡± Speaking in such a way, it was obvious that Choi Woo-Jae had already sensed the relationship between Choi Yu-Seong and Choi Mi-Na.


    Rather than trying to deny it, Yu-Seong admitted to the truth and nodded. He said, "So I must win at all costs.¡±


    "Finally, you''re agreeing with me." Choi Woo-Jae smiled as if satisfied. Then, he lifted two fingers and said, "There are two options."


    Choi Yu-Seong intuitively felt that this was the point of the whole conversation. He met Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s gaze.


    ¡®Look at this guy.¡¯


    Woo-Jae thought Yu-Seong making direct eye contact was a great improvement. He recalled that his son hadn¡¯t been able to do so when he first came here. Choi Woo-Jae smiled inwardly, but he continued to speak with a stiff face.


    "Ask me for help. I''ll give you all the information, equipment, and support you need. If that side does anything by any means, then we can do the same thing. I''ll make it so that you cannot lose."


    "If you say that, then I can predict the second option without having to hear it," said Yu-Seong. The second option would be for him to solve the situation alone without any help from Woo-Jae.


    "That¡¯s only if you are confident in winning. Whatever you choose, it''s up to you,¡± said Woo-Jae while folding his arms.


    Looking at Woo-Jae, who was waiting for his decision, Choi Yu-Seong had a rather strange smile on his face. Then, he scratched his cheek. Had he adapted to the human named Choi Woo-Jae? Without further thought, he could tell that both options weren¡¯t the answer that Woo-Jae wanted.


    He asked, "If I win this game alone, what do I get?"


    Looking at Choi Yu-Seong, who naturally showed his greed, Choi Woo-Jae smiled. That was the answer he wanted.


    If Yu-Seong had chosen the first option, Woo-Jae would have laughed and called him a coward. If he had chosen the second option, Woo-Jae would have cursed him as a prideful fool. Anyone who would lead a company should think about the profit they could earn first, no matter what they eventually chose.


    Choi Woo-Jae found Choi Yu-Seong more and more favorable.


    "What do you want?" asked Woo-Jae.


    "There are two things that I want to have," answered Yu-Seong.


    "I''ll give them to you," said Woo-Jae without overthinking it. Perhaps his response would have been the same if Yu-Seong wanted three, not two, things.


    ¡®This is the first local battle against Cheon-Ji Group.¡¯


    Yu-Seong immediately thought of ¡®war¡¯ once he heard that Cheon-Ji Group Chairman Yoo would do anything to win. The declaration of war had already been announced, and the winner of the first local battle would increase morale and invade the opponent''s territory at once. In other words, it was not just the guild business that was at stake. It was a big war where the fate of the two groups may be at stake.


    Clearly, upon winning the battle, Choi Woo-Jae intended to overturn the Korean business hierarchy itself.


    ¡®If I had chosen the first suggestion, he might have to wait even longer to do so, but¡­¡¯


    By choosing the second option, Choi Woo-Jae was able to save his strength and seek the opportunity to completely neutralize the Cheon-Ji Group with one critical hit. Yu-Seong had announced that he would make such a contribution, so what would it matter how many rewards he wanted?


    Nevertheless, the reason why Choi Yu-Seong only asked for two rewards was simple.


    ¡®He¡¯ll have at least one gift in mind to reward me with himself.¡¯


    No beloved child would unconditionally ask for everything he or she could possibly ask for.


    Choi Woo-Jae enjoyed witnessing Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s greed, but he wouldn¡¯t want his children to covet his things carelessly. In fact, that was the true nature of a greedy human being. Even if he could pass everything down someday, Woo-Jae would clutch it in his hands while he was alive.


    However, if Yu-Seong tried to carelessly take things away from Choi Woo-Jae, even if it was a favorable action to take, it would still make Woo-Jae uncomfortable. Therefore, Yu-Seong thought it was better to be moderately greedy when receiving things from Choi Woo-Jae.


    ¡®Since he would take care of his lovely child himself.¡¯


    Whether Choi Yu-Seong''s thoughts had got it exactly right or whether he had guessed Yu-Seong¡¯s inner thoughts, Woo-Jae revealed an unexpected smile. He asked, "You are aware of the risk you might have to take on, right?"


    ¡°¡®You''re not going to kill me, are you?¡± asked Yu-Seong.


    ¡°I can make you penniless and kick you out of Korea.¡±


    That was good enough. If he could live, Choi Yu-Seong was confident of starting over wherever he went. He had been an orphan before getting possessed by the novel. Thus, now that he had the ability as a hunter, his position would be more advantageous than before if he had to start over.


    "I wouldn¡¯t say that if I wasn¡¯t determined."


    The punishment really didn¡¯t matter to Yu-Seong as long as he could stay alive. Looking at how calm he was, Choi Woo-Jae finally nodded. He said, "I¡¯ll trust you. You may leave."


    ***


    Choi Yu-Seong''s day was a busy one. He had to go see Choi Woo-Jae after he received a sudden morning call from him. He also had an appointment that had been arranged in advance the other day.


    At 2 p.m. on a quiet weekday, Choi Yu-Seong sat on the second floor of the cafe located in Itaewon''s commercial district. He waved at his opponent, Kim Do-Jin, who arrived a little later than him. "Here."


    Kim Do-Jin approached with a rather cold face as always and sat across from Yu-Seong. He commented, "Well, this is surprising.¡±


    "What?"


    "Since you contacted me and asked to see me first.¡±


    "Umm..."


    Come to think of it, Yu-Seong had a tendency to somewhat ignore Do-Jin¡¯s contact. Anyway, this was unsurprising, since he thought there was no good reason to be close to Kim Do-Jin.


    ¡®Come to think of it, this guy has been pretty patient with me regardless of that.''


    Kim Do-Jin was the original novel¡¯s main character with an extreme personality. He always overturned the game whenever it became unfavorable to him. Thinking of that, he had been pretty patient regarding this situation. There were two possible reasons.


    ''Whether he has found an alternative answer, or he hasn¡¯t found a reason to discard me¡­¡¯


    This was the most desirable situation for Yu-Seong since it was closer to the best possible conclusion. He could avoid his fate of death naturally.


    ¡®Or he has rated me high enough to take this much time.¡¯


    Among the original novels, this was the only case when Kim Do-Jin did not give up and was trying to befriend Yu-Seong with extreme patience.


    ¡®This is obviously not the case.¡¯


    After some thought, Yu-Seong laughed without realizing it.


    "Why are you laughing?" asked Do-Jin.


    "Oh, I just had a lot on my mind for a moment," responded Yu-Seong.


    "Hmm... How did you feel after watching the video?"


    "What video? Oh, that dungeon of the dead..." As his voice trailed off, Choi Yu-Seong''s eyes sparkled when he briefly recalled the video. He asked, "Oh, right. Why did you suddenly use magic¡­!"


    Yu-Seong never completed his sentence, but whatever Kim Do-Jin heard was enough for his gaze to change. The vibe around him also fluctuated.


    ''...I made a mistake.''


    Yu-Seong did well most of the time but made a mistake once in a while. Unfortunately, most of these mistakes were made in front of Kim Do-Jin, of all men. For this particular situation, it might have been due to Yu-Seong zoning out momentarily.


    "...Magical movement, you fought like a wizard," continued Yu-Seong.


    "...Since when did you know?" asked Do-Jin.


    Yu-Seong tried to correct himself as quickly as possible, but he knew that he was too clumsy to have Do-Jin not doubt him at all.


    Yet, surprisingly, Kim Do-Jin simply said, "I¡¯ve always known that you are hiding many things. Yet, you continue to exceed my expectations. You even know how to distinguish magic?"


    "...What?"


    "You can stop pretending to be a fool in front of me now. I already know that you have very good insight, a deep mind, and plenty of wisdom,¡± said Do-Jin.


    Yu-Seong never thought that he was competent enough for Kim Do-Jin, the returnee, to praise him. Listening to what Do-Jin had to say, he naturally shook his head from side to side.


    "You can''t fool me even if you choose to be modest. Aren¡¯t you getting close to me because you want my help when you settle down in the Comet Group someday?" asked Do-Jin.


    ¡®Not at all.¡¯


    At that time, Choi Yu-Seong, the villain, had simply wanted to make use of the privilege from Do-Jin¡¯s reputation and name. But now, the Choi Yu-Seong today thought it best to have a civil and friendly relationship with Do-Jin.


    As Yu-Seong continued to contemplate, he became speechless at the unexpected situation.


    "I¡¯m thinking that, aside from myself, you would spend time making careful preparations. However, do not think that you can use me easily," said Do-Jin.


    "No, that''s...."


    "However, you can change my mind. It depends on how you act," said Do-Jin before Yu-Seong could clarify anything.


    Then, there was silence in the cafe where a few people were dining inside.


    ¡®What kind of an enormous misunderstanding is this guy having?¡¯


    For some reason, Kim Do-Jin seemed to see Choi Yu-Seong as a great person.


    ¡®I recognized your magic only because I was a reader of the novel¡­¡¯


    It was not because of something incredible, or any insight and wisdom. Choi Yu-Seong thought that Do-Jin was naive, not smart.


    ¡®That''s why I made such a mistake just now.¡¯


    Though, Yu-Seong was only confused for a moment.


    ''No way, this guy. Is he feeling me out?¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong had many thoughts regarding Kim Do-Jin''s sudden excessive praise. Having read the original novel, he knew that Do-Jin was stingier at giving praises than anyone else.


    ¡®Is he trying to see if I noticed his revenge?¡¯


    After thinking that much, Choi Yu-Seong became cool as a cucumber.

 CH 112

    After some thought, Choi Yu-Seong made a decision. He said, "You''re right.¡±


    If Kim Do-Jin approached him with a certain thought, it was better for Yu-Seong to accept Do-Jin¡¯s impression rather than deny it. What was important here was Kim Do-Jin praising him, after all.


    ''Excessively praising me.¡¯


    It didn¡¯t have to be sincere. Choi Yu-Seong thought it was more important not to make Kim Do-Jin suspicious of the situation. If he simply agreed now, Do-Jin would have nothing else to say.


    "As expected..." replied Kim Do-Jin with a light nod.


    Yu-Seong expected this exact reaction. He simply found it strange that Kim Do-Jin accepted the situation rather calmly and was not uncomfortable at all.


    "Am I the first one? To know your secret?" asked Do-Jin.


    Choi Yu-Seong quickly tried to understand the meaning of the question.


    ¡®My secret?¡¯


    The situation was slightly confusing, but it was a slight relief that Kim Do-Jin didn¡¯t ask Yu-Seong whether he knew his secret.


    ¡®And I don''t think he noticed that I¡¯m possessed.¡¯


    Making up his mind, Yu-Seong nodded in agreement once again. "Yeah."


    "I like that,¡± said Do-Jin.


    "Yeah... What?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "The more thoroughly you hide such secrets, the better. You''re doing well," said Do-Jin with a slightly happy expression.


    Why would he say that? Choi Yu-Seong had no choice but to feel strange as he looked at Kim Do-Jin.


    ¡®Is he serious?¡¯


    Yu-Seong was doubtful about Do-Jin¡¯s words, feeling uncertain about this entire situation. If this was the acting skill of a returnee who had been working for 30 years in another world, such a performance would make sense.


    "Well, that''s enough about me. I asked you to meet me today because I wanted to ask you something,¡± said Yu-Seong. He shouldn''t and didn¡¯t want to be lured into following the beat of Do-Jin¡¯s drum.


    Kim Do-Jin nodded lightly and accepted the change in conversation. He repeated, "To ask me something?"


    "Yeah. You''ve done the Orc War Chief Raid by yourself before, right?¡± asked Yu-Seong.


    "Are you trying to challenge it?"


    Choi Yu-Seong scratched his cheek at the direct question. He muttered, ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to. This has something to do with my family.¡±


    "It must be related to the Comet Group¡¯s guild business,¡± said Do-Jin.


    "Exactly," responded Yu-Seong. He did not deny Kim Do-Jin''s speculation.


    Do-Jin sounded certain. Even if he didn¡¯t, he would eventually find out the truth. Above all, he had no power to stop the Comet Group''s guild business. Kim Do-Jin was not ready enough to stop the process that was already well underway.


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    "Let me ask you one thing. If the Comet Group''s guild is created, will you also be actively involved with them?" asked Do-Jin.


    "Probably."


    This was to be expected. From the moment it was created, the Comet Group''s guild was going to grow at a rapid pace, an unprecedented speed in the history of Korea. For Choi Yu-Seong, who was already receiving a lot of attention from Choi Woo-Jae, it would be the best choice for him to enter the guild while receiving many benefits.


    ¡®Although there will be some responsibility following¡­¡¯


    Considering his continuous effort in building a relationship with Choi Woo-Jae, Yu-Seong found that even accepting some responsibility could be rather advantageous.


    "...Then there is nothing I can tell you," said Do-Jin.


    "What?"


    ¡°Did you forget that I asked you to join my guild?¡±


    "I didn''t forget, but isn''t this inevitable? For me, I¡¯m..."


    Before Yu-Seong was done speaking, Kim Do-Jin jumped up from his seat and snorted. With a cold smile, he said, "Solve your problems on your own."


    There was no time for further conversation since Kim Do-Jin hardened his face and immediately left the cafe. Choi Yu-Seong did not bother to catch up with him.


    "Is he bipolar or something? I thought he was in a good mood, but he got angry all of a sudden¡­ What a strange guy.¡±


    In the end, Choi Yu-Seong gained no benefits at all from the meeting.


    ***


    Kim Do-Jin left his meeting with Choi Yu-Seong and headed straight to the dungeon. He had a stiff expression, looking annoyed.


    ''It¡¯s always been my intention to use Choi Yu-Seong to get closer to and eventually kill Choi Woo-Jae. That¡¯s clear.¡¯


    However, recently, Do-Jin had changed his mind.


    ¡®There''s no need to use Choi Yu-Seong to kill Choi Woo-Jae.¡¯


    It was true that using Choi Yu-Seong was the fastest way for Do-Jin to achieve his revenge. However, looking at Choi Yu-Seong in recent years, it seemed clear that this would not be easy.


    ''He''s pretty smart. It''ll seem suspicious if I suddenly try to approach Choi Woo-Jae¡¯


    Of course, if Choi Yu-Seong positively accepted Kim Do-Jin''s thoughts at this stage, the results would be decent. But what if he became wary, or if he rejected him?


    ¡®Then it''ll become harder for me to kill Choi Woo-Jae.¡¯


    In other words, Do-Jin should not reveal his goal of revenge. As soon as he came to this conclusion, Kim Do-Jin felt slightly confused about one particular decision he had made.


    ¡®Why do I have to hang on to my relationship with Choi Yu-Seong?¡¯


    This was Do-Jin¡¯s first time feeling like that, so his thoughts were complicated. Though, he was skillful at understanding his inner thoughts.


    ¡®I guess I just like him.¡¯


    Do-Jin had quite a lot of reasons for liking Choi Yu-Seong. Quite high growth potential, excellent insight, and quite good bases were several external reasons why he liked Yu-Seong. However, there was a much more fundamental reason than that.


    ¡®When I look at him, I feel a strange sense of kinship.¡¯


    It was a mysterious feeling, like they had been together for a long time. In a way, the word "just" was the right reason. It was incomprehensible, but on the other hand, it was also understandable.


    ¡®If it''s Choi Yu-Seong, he can stand next to me someday.¡¯


    By the time Kim Do-Jin had fought against the Demon King, there were countless people, including his colleagues who supported him, but no one had stood by him. Everyone had simply pushed Kim Do-Jin from behind. They were together with him but Kim Do-Jin''s speed had been too fast for them to follow.


    However, Do-Jin felt that Choi Yu-Seong would be different. Someday, there would definitely be a day when they could fight together. Kim Do-Jin did not have much doubt about this fact. After all, his sixth sense was quite right. Even if he didn¡¯t try hard, he could quickly grasp the majority of the situation¡ªjust like now.


    ¡®Someone''s chasing me.¡¯


    Kim Do-Jin just entered a deserted dark alley somewhat intentionally. He tilted his head and asked with both hands in his pockets. "How long are you going to follow me like such a sneaky rat?"


    "...Kim Do-Jin."


    As if responding to a call, two foreigners appeared between alleys.


    ¡®Two B-rank hunters.¡¯


    Do-Jin made a fishy smile and immediately used his Insight and confirmed his opponent''s ability. He asked, "Another Demon King Worshiper?"


    "Godfather just wants to give you a chance."


    "Godfather..."


    Do-Jin had heard of the ¡®godfather¡¯, the head of the Demon King Worshipers. He was one of the top three hunters in the world.


    "By all means, he has a nice name on the subject of being the Demon King¡¯s servant."


    Kim Do-Jin had already once knocked down the Demon King before. In that sense, he was not being arrogant at all. Of course, it was only for those who belonged to the worshipers of the Demon King that his words sounded pretty distasteful.


    "How rude! We''ll see if you can say that even after you''re captured," said one of the worshipers.


    "I admit you''re pretty good... but I don''t know how far you can go without a sword," said the other.


    Looking at them angrily, Kim Do-Jin jutted his chin. Then, he pulled out his hands from his pocket. ¡°Bring it on. I can beat you with my bare hands."


    In the first place, the sword was only a relatively easy-to-use weapon for Kim Do-Jin. There was nothing he was bad at including spears, sticks, bows, axes, irons, or bear fighting skills.


    ¡®But at this point, I''ll also have to use magic to deal with them¡­¡¯


    It wouldn¡¯t be long.


    ¡®Two more years.¡¯


    Kim Do-Jin grabbed the wrist of one of the approaching Devil King Worshippers, recalling the time when he had completely regained his power.


    ¡®How much longer can you keep up with me, Choi Yu-Seong.''


    A cruel smile came over his face.


    ***


    Time went by quickly and soon it was the day of the match. Before that date had arrived, Choi Yu-Seong had focused on raising his level by going hunting in dungeons.


    ¡®I heard that Bernard Yoo is over level 90 in D-rank.¡¯


    On the other hand, Choi Yu-Seong was over level 30 in D-rank. Considering that Bernard Yoo was also a considerable talent, it was inevitably difficult for Yu-Seong to overcome this excessive level difference simply with skills alone. Therefore, he had spent more time training than usual and had focused on hunting in the dungeons, which allowed him to achieve more level growth than he expected.


    ¡®D-rank, level 53.¡¯


    In less than a week, Yu-Seong had grown by nearly 20 levels. In fact, his growth rate was faster than anyone else in the D-rank. It was fast even considering his Star Factor skill and the help of experience boost potions.


    ¡®If I am given enough time to focus on hunting like now, I¡¯ll be able to get to C-rank quickly. And if I can monopolize the experience after hunting Orc War Chief in this state, I could possibly reach the max level in less than a month.¡¯


    It was not far off from Yu-Seong¡¯s expectation of promotion to the C-rank, which clearly implied one thing.


    ¡®Maybe I can stay in the same rank as Kim Do-Jin.¡¯


    It wouldn¡¯t be instantaneous, but Yu-Seong could catch up with Kim Do-Jin''s growth. That was rather pleasant news for him.


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin suspects me. I should never overlook the fact that we might fight directly with each other someday.¡¯


    When that moment came, the narrower the power gap between the two, the better it would be for Yu-Seong.


    ¡®It¡¯s really not easy. I can''t believe I have to get to the same level as the main character after being possessed by a villain who originally dies at the beginning of the novel¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong smiled bitterly. Though, on the other hand, the fact itself was exciting.


    ''Unless I don''t have to fight the demons directly, it''s best to have that much power.¡¯


    Yu-Seong also felt assured when he thought of confronting the party of Kim Do-Jin¡¯s supporters. Chae Ye-Ryeong, the disaster-level villain who drove Kim Do-Jin into some crisis in the original novel, was growing at a really crazy pace.


    ¡®On top of that, there¡¯s Yoo Jin-Hyuk.¡¯


    His new teammate, who would be recruited immediately after the match, was also a person with as much potential as Ye-Ryeong. In addition, after Jin Do-Yoon¡¯s recovery, Yu-Seong was planning to accelerate the growth speed of the Jin sibling.


    ¡®Anyway, starting with S Rank, it''ll be incredibly difficult to raise even one level.¡¯


    Thus, first of all, Yu-Seong would focus on his goal for everyone to reach S-rank. For matters after that point, he found it safer to think about them afterward.


    ¡®In fact, based on the original novel, a party of villains would be created.¡¯


    Except for Choi Yu-Seong himself, all of his supporters were characters who put the main character Kim Do-Jin in danger.


    ¡®After it''s completed, my party might be stronger than Kim Do-Jin''s party.¡¯


    It was not bad. Actually, it was a rather good thing.


    ¡®As long as I don''t have to fight with the demons.¡¯


    As mentioned before, Choi Yu-Seong wanted to be in the position to secretly support Kim Do-Jin, who would fight against the demons with strong power. Fortunately, as a result of considering not wanting to fight dangerous demons, there was a good chance that he would achieve what he wanted.


    ¡®If I could just get my father''s trust and use the family¡¯s power appropriately¡­¡¯


    The power of the conglomerate and the power of money shouldn¡¯t be underestimated. Nevertheless, it was capitalism which this world used as the basic economic system.

 CH 113

    In order to gain the most benefits, Choi Yu-Seong had to win the upcoming match. Of course, raising his level was not the only preparation he had to make for the match.


    ¡®I thought it would be helpful to get some information about the fight with the Orc War Chief from Kim Do-Jin¡­¡¯


    Unfortunately, the original novel did not have details of the fight between Kim Do-Jin and the Orc War Chief. There was just a short explanation of Kim Do-Jin¡¯s success in the Orc War Chief Raid. That was the reason why Yu-Seong had tried to get information by directly meeting up with Do-Jin. Unfortunately, he had failed to get answers.


    This was an unfortunate situation, but it wasn¡¯t a big problem.


    ¡®It would be helpful if I could get some information, but it¡¯s fine if I can¡¯t get any.¡¯


    Besides Kim Do-Jin, there were quite a few other hunters who had hunted the Orc War Chief.


    ''They just hunted in parties or groups, not individually.¡¯


    It was best if Yu-Seong could acquire key knowledge from an individual player, but getting general information about the Orc War Chief would be helpful too. Above all, there was an ace in the hole which Yu-Seong had prepared for this match.


    Yu-Seong didn¡¯t hastily choose to fight alone when Choi Woo-Jae had offered him the two options.


    ¡®They would have their own strategies, but I also have some information from the original novel¡­and this is the time for me to use it.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was aware that clumsy methods would not work here in the real world.


    Before heading to Bangbae-dong, Seoul, where Orc Village, the dungeon match¡¯s chosen destination was located, Yu-Seong woke up early and was doing his usual morning training.


    Yu-Ri passed Yu-Seong with a smile. She asked, "Jenny said she got the item you asked for. She¡¯s at the airport. What should I do?¡±


    This was the news Yu-Seong had been waiting for. Wiping off his sweat with a smile, he said, "Tell her to come to Bangbae-dong right away. Let''s get ready and start.¡±


    ***


    Originally, the dungeon racing match between Bernard Yoo and Choi Yu-Seong should have drawn great attention from the media, since both of them were rookies in the global limelight. However, the fight was essentially between the two giant groups, Cheon-Ji Group and Comet Group, so they prevented the contents of the match from being leaked to the public.


    The reason was simple. Since it was a dungeon race between the son and the grandson of two conglomerate families, there would be reporters who would use drones to record what was happening inside the dungeon. However, it would be difficult to control if a large crowd gathered, not to mention, there wouldn¡¯t be any guarantee that there weren¡¯t any dangerous villains amongst the crowd.


    In any case, both groups did not want a threat from these villains to occur amid a confrontation between their beloved grandchild and son. Naturally, the match was not known to the public and had to be carried out in secret.


    A woman in her early 30s looked at Bernard Yoo, who had arrived in Bangbae-dong before her. He sat across from her on the second floor of a building overlooking Dungeon Square and was drinking coffee through a straw. She asked, "Are you nervous?"


    With big and sharp eyes, the woman was a cat-like beauty with fair skin. She was like family, having helped Bernard Yoo adapt to a rather lonely life abroad.


    "Nervous? No way... That word doesn''t fit me, Meghan.¡± Bernard Yoo stopped sipping on his coffee and revealed his teeth with a bright smile.


    "Bernard, do you know that the ends of your eyes are trembling? This is just like the time you took the first hunter test," she said.


    "...How do you even remember that?" he said.


    "Don''t be too nervous. Bernard, I have no doubt that you will win. I guarantee you as an S-rank hunter," she said calmly, her facial expression showing no change at all.


    Looking at her, Bernard Yoo knew better than anyone that Meghan was expressing her true feelings. To him, she was an excellent hunter, a warm sister, and a great teacher.


    "Thank you, Meghan, but...what should I do with this?" Bernard asked. He took out a golden ring from his jacket pocket and placed it on the cafe table. He had deep conflict in his eyes as he twirled the ring on the cafe table.


    "Whatever choice you make, I will respect it, Bernard, " she said.


    "I think I''d feel more comfortable if you forced me to do something..." he said.


    "Like the chairman?"


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯d refuse if that were the case. I would get scared if you forced me like grandfather did,¡± said Bernard Yoo with a smile. He held the straw in his mouth again and looked at the ring with thoughtful eyes.


    ¡®As Meghan said, I am pretty strong now.¡¯


    Bernard was probably the strongest out of all the existing D-ranks. He wasn''t just confident of his own ability.


    Bernard Yoo once had an unofficial match with Geras, who had been the top D-ranked player on the hunter¡¯s ranking website, ¡®Ranker¡¯. Geras was quite a well-known hunter overseas. The very close match had ended with Bernard Yoo''s victory. Geras had clearly admitted his defeat, affirming that the result would not change even if they fought again. In fact, Bernard Yoo''s thoughts had been no different from his.


    ¡®Rather, if we fought again, my victory would come a lot easier.¡¯


    Even Geras, a strong enough player to have been officially listed as the top D-rank player on the Ranker¡¯s website, hadn¡¯t been able to follow Bernard¡¯s sense of battle. This simply proved that simple figures on a website could not capture and express all of a hunter¡¯s abilities.


    The problem was that Bernard Yoo thought that Choi Yu-Seong, who was not even at the D-rank Max level, was as strong and threatening as Geras. Thinking about this a bit more, Bernard then asked Meghan, "Meghan, don''t just cheer for me, but tell me honestly. If Choi Yu-Seong and I had a simple 1:1 match, what are my chances of winning?¡±


    "Fifty-fifty," responded Meghan without any hesitation.


    "But you said that I¡¯d win just a moment ago?"


    "You asked for an honest answer. And apart from that, I think you will win this game."


    "Why?"


    "Because you are nervous. Your weakness is that you tend to look down on your opponent, and that stops you from doing your best. You being nervous can be seen as a good sign.¡±


    ¡°Am I that full of myself?¡±


    "It can be seen as a compliment. Depends on your perspective.¡±


    When he thought about it, Bernard Yoo had never won an argument with Meghan.


    "Dang it, everything is my fault. Anyway, those odds... What if I lose to Choi Yu-Seong?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to lose?"


    "Do I lose because I want to? It can''t be helped if the opponent is too strong. Dang it, this game is too burdensome," he grumbled. With a smile, he carefully put the ring on the table, no longer spinning it around with the tip of his index finger.


    At that moment, his cell phone rang. Bernard Yoo answered the phone immediately after confirming that it was from Chairman Yoo.


    "Yes, Grandpa?¡±


    - The Comet Group said they are ready. Choi Yu-Seong has arrived.


    Bernard Yoo''s expression changed immediately. Apart from the tension, he felt a strong competitive spirit surging inside him. He quickly said, "I''m ready as soon as I wear the battle suit. When¡¯s the leaving time?"


    - We''re entering in an hour. More than that, Bernard, you haven¡¯t forgotten this old man''s words, have you? There¡¯s a lot of responsibility resting on your shoulders.


    "...Of course, Grandpa."


    -Try not to think foolishly. You''ll have to remember that you are Cheon-Ji Group itself during the match.


    Bernard Yoo sighed deeply after the call ended. He picked up the ring from the table and put it inside his pocket. Getting up from his seat, he said, "Let''s go, Meghan."


    "Yes, sir." Meghan, who was struggling to think about what she could say to cheer for Bernard Yoo, stood up and followed him. She walked by his side.


    Bernard Yoo¡¯s previously tense and anxious expression was no longer there. He tried to appear calm, but his eyes revealed his overwhelming desire to win. The tension, the pressure, and all the emotions that could hold him back had disappeared.


    ¡®Did he say that he can¡¯t help it if his opponent is strong? I don¡¯t think he has the slightest intention of losing.¡¯


    Meghan smiled at the change and looked out of the cafe window. In the distance, an Italian luxury car was heading to the parking lot.


    ¡®It¡¯s a shame, Choi Yu-Seong.''


    The ninth child in the Comet Group¡¯s complex family was just starting to get attention from the family, but he would have to experience a bitter defeat this time. Of course, the risks that Yu-Seong had to face after his defeat was not anything Meghan had to think about.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    ***


    Before entering Dungeon Square and heading to Orc Village, Choi Yu-Seong met Jenny, who was waiting at the entrance. He received a heavy bag from her.


    "It cost about 10 billion won to get both items. I spent a little more money because I was in a hurry to get it," said Jenny.


    "It''s okay. At least I got them in time. Good work, Jenny," thanked Yu-Seong.


    When Choi Yu-Seong patted her shoulder lightly, Jenny slightly bowed her head. It wasn''t just a habitual nod. To be exact, her body reacted reflexively.


    ¡®Is this what Yu-Ri said about the boss¡¯ real worth?¡¯


    In order to fill the vacant position of Jin Do-Yoon, who was away for a while, Jenny had been meeting Yu-Seong face to face often recently. She felt like she was getting to know more about Choi Yu-Seong little by little. He had a threatening vibe even though he was still a D-rank player.


    Jenny could now completely understand Jin Yu-Ri¡¯s words about Yu-Seong, that while he might occasionally act like a rascal, he would someday come to his senses.


    ¡®He is a person of high caliber.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was a late bloomer, and his ability was steadily developing day by day. Jenny wasn''t the only one who felt that way.


    Park Jin-Hwan and Jin-Young Kim, who were waiting for the filming, hurriedly followed behind Choi Yu-Seong and exchanged looks.


    ¡®What''s this vibe?¡¯


    ¡®It''s no joke.¡¯


    It could not be expressed in words, but Yu-Seong¡¯s dignified presence naturally made them bow their heads.


    Was it because of how relaxed Yu-Seong was even though a pretty tense match was coming up? The two reporters thought that this vibe was not bad, although it was ambiguous. After all, one¡¯s vibe would also be reflected in photos and videos.


    Starting from today''s filming, they had a hunch that Choi Yu-Seong''s popularity would soar even further.


    Park Jin-Hwan demonstrated his good journalism instincts and took out his camera and filmed Choi Yu-Seong''s back view. When they reached the Dungeon Square¡¯s entrance, the peak structure was fully framed in his shot too.


    One person, among those who were usually called a "robot" because they only silently identified people without expressing any emotion, greeted Choi Yu-Seong with a light bow. "It''s an honor to meet you. Choi Yu-Seong."


    "Don''t mention it. Thank you always for your hard work."


    The two shook hands lightly, and Park Jin-Hwan naturally pressed the shutter and licked his lips with his tongue.


    ¡®It''s a scoop.¡¯


    Even before the match began, articles were already starting to burst.

 CH 114

    An orc was a monster with green skin, blue blood like a demon, and a curved back. Adult men could look down at the orcs when the orcs were hunched over but when they were upright, they were over two meters in height. There were three main features of the orcs: humongous strength, ferocity to handle all opponents, and massive numbers due to a great breeding rate!


    It was such a well-known story that, as soon as hunters entered the Orc Village, they became obsessed with hunting. They lost their minds. As a result, opinions regarding the Orc Village dungeon were naturally divided into two sides. One side thought it was the ideal dungeon to raise one¡¯s level, thanks to the influx of orcs. The others said that it was a perfect dungeon to die of exhaustion fighting with the orcs. In fact, the Orc Village was famous for the highest number of deaths per year out of all dungeons.


    Choi Yu-Seong and Bernard Yoo naturally showed off their skills as soon as they entered the dungeon. As Choi Yu-Seong''s spear cut through the air, sweeping the surroundings, the four orcs running from all directions were beheaded at the same time. As Bernard Yoo punched forward, his fast movement left an afterimage behind. He easily penetrated the two or three orcs standing in front of him at the same time.


    Then, to not be defeated, Choi Yu-Seong passed through the gaps between the orcs that flocked after Bernard Yoo with impressive footwork, thrust his spear into the back of their necks, quickly retrieved it, and moved forward to the next targets.


    There was a sense of wonder and admiration in the eyes of the reporters who were filming them through dozens of drones scattered in the dungeon.


    "Wow, they''re both incredible," said Kim Jin-Young.


    Park Jin-Hwan nodded in admiration. He said, "They¡¯ve long since gone beyond the D rank in terms of ability. They''re monsters.¡±


    Previously, there had been clear limitations to the Korean hunter industry, with reaching the top 10 in the world being the best possible scenario. Korea would not have been able to hold a candle to the world ranking without Cheok Jun-Hui, Korea''s Swordmaster. Kim Do-Jin, the super rookie that had appeared recently, was expected to enter the top five if he got lucky. However, the gap between Korea and the U.S., which was the world''s top ranker, was too wide. In fact, it was confirmed that Korea was within the top 5 countries in the World Player Association.


    ¡®If those two are added to the list with Kim Do-Jin and the Swordmaster Cheok Jun-Hui in the lead¡­¡¯


    Next to Park Jin-Hwan and Jin-Young Kim, who were both there as they had been hired by Choi Yu-Seong, all the reporters sponsored by the Comet Group and the Cheon-Ji Group had a common thought.


    ¡®Maybe we could even beat China¡­¡¯


    China was the overwhelming second place in the world rankings. Reporters even imagined going beyond China, which was regarded as the only country comparable to the United States in the hunter industry.


    The reporters soon approached this particular job from a different angle. They had been asked to be here by their sponsors in order to make bad comments about their opponents. The problem was that, just by looking at the two people rushing back and forth from each other in the Orc Village, they felt guilty for gossiping about the opponent. No matter how much reporters valued their incomes, they had a conscience.


    ¡°If we blast them on our media channels, we might be shooting ourselves in the foot,¡± said one of the reporters from the Cheon-Ji Group carefully.


    "Doesn¡¯t matter that it¡¯s our job to badmouth them, this is crossing the line,¡± responded a reporter from the Comet Group while nodding.


    Until now, the reporters had not even been looking at each other, even though they were in the same space and so close to each other. Park Jin-Hwan, who was stuck in the center of it, smiled.


    "You guys know the answer anyway, don''t you? Rather than denigrating them, we should compliment the hunter who belongs to the group we are getting paid by.¡±


    ¡°If someone crosses the line and stabs the rest of us in the back, that person should quit their job. What do you think?" said Kim Jin-Young with a smile, pushing Park Jin-Hwan''s proposal even further.


    Fortunately, neither side had any major complaints.


    "Seriously, we¡¯re going to catch the backstabber and force him to quit.¡±


    ¡°That''s what I''m saying.¡± Park Jin-Hwan shrugged as he listened to the conversation between the reporters representing the Comet Group and the Cheon-Ji Group.


    ¡®We¡¯ve got a good sponsor for sure.¡¯


    Everything he did was a scoop. Now Park Jin-Hwan admitted that Choi Yu-Seong didn¡¯t just look amazing, but also extremely lovely.


    ***


    After running hectically around and killing the orcs coming at them from the entrance of the dungeon, Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s level had risen twice. He clicked his tongue as he watched Bernard Yoo, who was secretly getting ahead little by little.


    ¡®As expected, Bernard Yoo is strong. After all, he was Kim Do-Jin''s closest colleague in the original novel.¡¯


    Bernard Yoo was a Physical-type hunter who specialized in reinforcement. It was said that the most common Physical type was the Reinforcement type, but there were two special things about Bernard Yoo.


    First of all, as expected from the main supporting character, he had tremendous combat instinct. As it could be seen from the case of Choi Yu-Seong and Kim Do-Jin, even if they had the same skills, their ability to use them and achieve great results was extremely different. In addition to that, Bernard Yoo¡¯s skill palette consisted of skills that far surpassed general reinforcement ones.


    ¡®He has overwhelming power, great stamina, and the skill Eye of the Beast¡­¡¯


    It was unusual to have such skills, which were the advanced versions of Strength Reinforcement, Stamina Reinforcement, and Vision Reinforcement. Moreover, he even had the special skill ¡®Descent of the Great Power King.¡¯ On top of that, this special skill, which was strong just by itself, also explosively increased all of the physical abilities.


    In addition, there was one more cheat-like skill that earned Bernard Yoo the title ¡®Fast Star¡¯. Explosion Shot, as its name suggested, was the ability to fire off explosions. Bernard Yoo was a Physical-type hunter, so he could not use them to blast apart things in the distance. Instead, he trained to make the explosions to cover the surface of his body, and this allowed him to do something simple.


    ''Gaining acceleration the moment he uses the explosion.¡¯


    A typical hunter¡¯s body would be ruined, as it couldn''t withstand the explosions, but Bernard Yoo had a powerful physical buff that allowed him to easily endure it and he could even absorb the force for later use.


    Among these skills of Bernard Yoo, Choi Yu-Seong naturally stole the Eye of the Beast by using his Eye of Replication.


    ¡ºCopied Skill, Eye of the Beast D-.


    Can be used for Fusion.


    When used, the user can easily look at the world wider and farther.


    Copy penalty is applied, changing Persistent skill -> Activation skill.


    Copy penalty limits the number of uses to ten times.


    Copy penalty reduces the effect of the skill to 70%.¡»


    ''Now I only have two more uses of Insight left.''


    When he was left with one last trial, Yu-Seong was planning to merge it with the Eye of the Beast. After several experiments with Fusion, he had already confirmed that the better the base, the higher the probability of excellent skills coming up after the merging.


    There was no reason to reject a good base, the Eye of the Beast, in a situation where it could not be delayed any longer.


    In the meantime, Bernard Yoo broke through. He shot forward using his Explosion Shot skill, punching the air and showing extreme coolness.


    ¡®Yet, he can only do it once.¡¯


    In the near future, Bernard Yoo would be able to use the Explosion Shot skill two or three times in a row, leaving behind only a silvery stream like a meteor. In fact, if he did his best now, he was able to break a big rock in a single blow. Thus, after using Explosion Shot, he could punch a big hole through a giant monster that even a missile could not pierce through.


    Choi Yu-Seong was hunting the fiercely attacking orcs using his Wind Control skill while chasing after Bernard but he didn¡¯t think the gap that was increasing between them could be narrowed.


    ''In the first place, my movements are too simple.¡¯


    As Stylish was activated, Yu-Seong¡¯s condition was getting better and better. However, no matter how hard he tried, the distance was somehow maintained. However, it was not a big concern at the moment.


    ¡®Once we reach the elite monster section, there will be a chance to turn the tables.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong''s prediction was not wrong. About an hour after the start of the dungeon race, Bernard Yoo''s fist was blocked for the first time when he reached deep inside the Orc Village dungeon and met the elite monster.


    Kreeeaaa-!


    The Orc elite monster, the Orc Warrior, howled, shaking the entire area. Hearing the distant cry, about a minute away from him, Choi Yu-Seong shook off the group of Orcs rushing toward him and exhaled loudly.


    At the same time, he remembered the skill he had copied from the person he had recruited during the last preparation period.


    ¡ºCopied Skill, Acceleration D-.


    Can be used for Fusion.


    The user¡¯s movement speeds up momentarily.


    Copy penalty limits the number of uses to ten times.


    Copy penalty reduces effect to 70%. ¡»


    This skill, which sped up instantaneous movement, was quite valuable. Even the common acceleration skill could be achieved after some training. Although possibly limited by his rank, Choi Yu-Seong liked this acceleration skill enough to fill one of his skill spaces.


    ¡®If I can read how Bernard Yoo uses his Explosion Shot skill, I might also use it.¡¯


    When Choi Yu-Seong shook the spear and spun it around, the rushing Orcs faltered and made an opening for him to strike.


    ¡®Execute Eye of the Beast.¡¯


    With a single glance, Choi Yu-Seong found the small opening with his overlapping Vision Reinforcement skill. Then, he spun and thrust his spear straight ahead. At the same time, he activated two more skills.


    ''Acceleration, Wind Control.''


    Those two skills maximized movement speed.


    As he kicked the ground, Yu-Seong became like a ray of light shooting forward, only leaving behind a flash. This was a combat formation used in the Middle Ages, by knights on horseback, to collapse the opponent''s shield formation in one blow. Thus, of course, its power was also great.


    ¡®Lance charging!¡¯


    As Choi Yu-Seong used his skills to fire himself off like a cannonball, about twenty massive Orcs pushed themselves into the gap he was aiming for. They ended up being torn like paper, falling dead without even a single scream. In that way, Choi Yu-Seong quickly caught up to Bernard Yoo.


    At the moment, Bernard Yoo was fighting with the Orc Warrior. Yu-Seong screamed and complained inwardly because of the extreme physical pain that he was experiencing.


    ¡®Goodness, the Orcs. Why are they so tough?!¡¯


    Lance charging itself was a powerful lance formation that originally used horses, spears, and the weight of armor. Of course, Yu-Seong was partially prepared for the rebound effect when going up against the Orcs, which had tough physiques. However, the rebound he felt was more than he expected.


    ¡®I can''t do this twice in a row.¡¯


    It could be possible if a Support-type player or a Psychic-type player supported him from the back, but Yu-Seong could not dare to try it again by himself. Yu-Seong smiled as he instinctively tripped the Orcs and pierced his spear through their heads one by one.


    - Your level has risen.


    With the following message, Yu-Seong¡¯s physical pain disappeared due to the healing effect of the level-up.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡®As expected, leveling up is the best.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong looked back at Bernard Yoo, who looked surprised.

 CH 115

    "Wow¡­ Choi Yu-Seong!¡±


    ¡°Did you get the scene?¡±


    ¡°Someone check the filmed video!¡±


    There was a huge commotion among the filming reporters, who were all exclaiming at Yu-Seong. Park Jin-Hwan and Kim Jin-Young, who believed they were quite used to Choi Yu-Seong''s amazing talents and tricks, were also astonished by Yu-Seong. His short-lived Lance Charging scene just now was extremely shocking to them.


    "Holy Moly! Reporter Park, that one just now....¡±


    "He didn''t just invoke one skill. The timing of the launch was a little slow for that," commented Park Jin-Hwan.


    Usually, the effect would be immediate if the most common skills were used. However, Choi Yu-Seong''s Lance Charging needed a short preparation time for the launch itself.


    "Maybe it wasn¡¯t an instant occurring skill in the first place?¡± One of the reporters who was listening to Park Jin-Hwan''s soft voice asked while looking somewhat bewildered.


    ¡°That doesn''t look like the power of a D-rank skill. Maybe it¡¯s rank C¡­ No, is it a special move? No way," speculated another reporter.


    Soon, the buzz and uproar between the reporters grew much bigger.


    "Hey! Get a hold of yourself!"


    "Oh, sorry."


    To add to the chaos, some reporters hadn¡¯t been paying attention to flying the drones and caused a collision in the air. Their surprise could only be described as natural.


    Anyone could simply use skills to achieve something. In addition, invoking several skills at once was a rare but often used battle method by hunters with plenty of mana. However, creating special moves through skill coordination was truly otherworldly in its difficulty.


    The only known hunter in Korea who had developed the special move to this day was Cheok Jun-Hui, Korea''s Swordmaster. In fact, there were exactly twelve hunters who could do it in the entire world. For this reason, the World Player Association even gave the title of ¡®Death Star¡¯ to the twelve people who had created and used such special skills.


    The greatest advantage of these special moves was simple; they were not very much affected by rank. The base ability was indeed a registered skill, but it was the hunter himself who developed it. In other words, the special move¡¯s power could be infinitely increased through repetitive training, practice, and the attachment of new skills.


    The development of such special moves was desired by all hunters. However, there was a simple reason why the people who could develop this move were rare. As stated above, the difficulty level was too high. Not only did the hunter need to have a skill structure for his special move, but he also needed to come up with the idea of weaving the skills together.


    On top of that, there was the burden of mana when activating various skills at the same time, using the powerful force that could conquer even powerful boss monsters with a single blow, and finally, a physical ability that could withstand the repercussions. Only when all of these were achieved would a move be recognized and called a special move.


    However, Choi Yu-Seong, who was still only D-rank, had developed a special move.


    ¡°If it¡¯s really the special move which Choi Yu-Seong developed... Wouldn¡¯t this be the first time in Korea since Korea''s Swordmaster?" asked Kim Jin-Young.


    "We won''t know for sure until we see the precision video and our skill analysis experts confirm it, but I have a feeling that Choi Yu-Seong was activating the skills by overlapping them right before the dash,¡± answered Park Jin-Hwan.


    At that moment, a careful voice came from the Cheon-Ji Group reporters group.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think even Kim Do-Jin has been able to make a special move yet¡­¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s true that Yu-Seong Choi developed a special move¡­"


    Noticing the brief silence, Park Jin-Hwan smiled as he stood in the center of them. He then asked, ¡°Now, who is the best super rookie in Korea?¡±


    If the question had been asked just an hour ago, the reporters would have shouted the name of ¡®Kim Do-Jin¡¯ without hesitation. However, there was nothing but a heavy silence across the entire press corps now.


    ***


    Bernard Yoo had no choice but to gulp as soon as he felt Choi Yu-Seong catching up with an explosive sound. He could feel the man coming up right behind his back.


    ¡®What was that just now?¡¯


    Bernard Yoo did not see Choi Yu-Seong doing the Lance Charging, because he was concentrating on the battle against Orc Warrior. Even before he could become more curious about it, Choi Yu-Seong wove his way through the battlefield where he and Orc Warrior were fighting and started running ahead.


    ¡®Jeez!¡¯


    Realizing that he had been overtaken, Bernard Yoo clenched his teeth and grabbed the thick ax blade wielded by the Orc Warrior with his bare hands. Then, he turned his waist to gain momentum, and with his outstretched fist, he punched a large hole in the left chest where the Orc¡¯s heart was located.


    As Bernard Yoo had hurriedly grabbed the ax with his bare hands, part of his battle suit was torn and blood flowed out. However, he couldn''t afford to pay attention to it. This was because Choi Yu-Seong continued to run using the Wind Control and widening the distance with him while waving into the opening of the Orc Warrior who was attacking him.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong, he''s also a monster. How can a D-rank player avoid all of the elite Orcs¡¯ attacks?¡¯


    Bernard Yoo had no choice but to smile bitterly.


    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t even dare to copy his movement.¡¯


    Bernard Yoo¡¯s favorite skill, Explosion Shot, could instantaneously accelerate, but it still wouldn¡¯t be possible for him to squeeze between the opening like how Choi Yu-Seong had done.


    For this reason, Bernard Yoo had to inevitably fight when two or more Orc Warriors rushed in. If this situation continued, it was clear that their distance would widen by more than ten minutes until they reached the boss room.


    ¡®Though, I still have a chance.¡¯


    In the end, Choi Yu-Seong would not keep avoiding the Orcs forever. The dungeon racing¡¯s final goal was to knock down the Orc War Chief, the powerful boss monster. Thus, there would surely be a moment of battle with the Orc War Chief.


    ¡®The Orc War Chief won''t fall so easily and¡­¡¯


    Perhaps it was advantageous for Bernard Yoo to follow Yu-Seong at such a rather slow pace. By the time Choi Yu-Seong and the Orc War Chief were exhausted from each other, it would be possible for Bernard Yoo himself to become the final winner with a coup de grace.


    It was the same with sports, such as soccer. No matter how well the advantageous team played the game, if they didn''t score in the end, they would lose the game. Then, even the disadvantaged team could win if they score a goal. Bernard Yoo''s current situation was similar to that. There was only one problem.


    ¡®Ahh¡­ But I don''t want to win like that.¡¯


    It was Bernard Yoo¡¯s competitive spirit. Taking the last hit of the monster that his opponent had been fighting against wasn¡¯t something he would do. However, if the distance continued to widen like this, he would definitely lose the match. Choi Yu-Seong was as strong as he expected and smarter than he thought.


    ¡°Did you really have to choose such a sneaky way¡ªnot directly fighting the elite monsters?¡± Without realizing it, complaints he would not normally say escaped from Bernard Yoo¡¯s mouth. However, his feelings were not toward Choi Yu-Seong but toward himself. A great conflict lingered in his eyes as he grabbed the approaching Orc Warrior''s throat and threw it on the ground.


    ¡®If I wear the ancient relics that my grandfather gave me now¡­¡¯


    Bernard Yoo could catch up with Yu-Seong. This was because, while using the ancient relics¡ª¡®Orc Hunt¡¯, even the elite monster, the Orc Warrior, could be defeated and passed by as easily as an ordinary Orc. However, his pride did not allow him to use it so easily.


    ¡®I''d rather lose like this¡­¡¯


    By the time Bernard Yoo thought he would rather feel comfortable losing this way, Chairman Yoo¡¯s face, the man who had scolded him with a stern face, seemed to appear in front of him.


    - Jae-Yeol, don''t forget that you have the whole Cheon-Ji Group¡¯s employees and their families on your shoulders.


    Due to the conflict between pride and responsibility, Bernard Yoo was struck by the Orc Warrior on the side. He flew into the air, swearing, "Dang it!"


    In fact, the answer had already been decided. If he really did not want to use it, Bernard Yoo shouldn''t have brought it. His eyes became hard as his hands squeezed the Oak Hunt that was in his battlesuit¡¯s storage box.


    After this match, he might hate himself and wander for a while. He was even starting to hate seeing his grandfather¡¯s face already.


    ¡®But how could I not?¡¯


    With a responsibility to save countless families, Bernard Yoo took off the battlesuit¡¯s gloves at a high speed and wore the Orc Hunt on his right index finger. He began to run at a breakneck speed.


    ***


    Bernard Yoo, who seemed to be getting farther away, began to follow Yu-Seong closely.


    ¡®I thought I had at least three minutes to spare¡­¡¯


    Before he knew it, the difference was reduced to about two minutes. There was nothing Yu-Seong could do about it. He was quick-footed, but he also had to sneak through the openings quickly to be ignored by the Orc Warrior. On the other hand, Bernard Yoo was chasing after him at some point, slaughtering Orc Warriors as if he was only dealing with a stronger general Orc.


    Unlike Choi Yu-Seong, Bernard Yoo was pushing the Orcs hard without having to find the gaps. Thus, his speed was bound to be fast.


    ¡®The Cheon-Ji Group¡¯s secret weapon is an ancient relic.¡¯


    Seeing the sudden change in Bernard Yoo, Choi Yu-Seong easily guessed the reason. At the same time, confusion arose.


    ¡®But why did he start using it now? Is it not an ancient relic, but a kind of secret weapon that¡¯s similar to what I prepared?¡¯


    Of course, Choi Yu-Seong had also prepared a trump card. The first of them was the Lightning Burst, a medicine that had been hidden in a statue of a small shrine located somewhere in the northern tip of Hokkaido, Japan. It allowed the user''s physical and mental abilities to significantly surpass the rank as soon as it was taken. Of course, as great as the temporary effect was, the risk was also equally great.


    ¡®It lasts five minutes at the most.¡¯


    Also, when the medicine¡¯s short effect was over, all system stats were locked, and the user would become incapable of combat for about five days. In the original novel, after the Japanese S-rank hunter Nioh was defeated in a fight with Kim Do-Jin, he discovered the Lightning Burst and dreamed of revenge. However, he ended up with the conclusion that he could not surpass the main character.


    ¡®But the effect itself was described in a great way.¡¯


    In the original novel, the medicine was powerful that Nioh, who had stagnated in the S-rank, was able to cut off the arm of the SS-rank Kim Do-Jin. Kim Do-Jin had been able to survive because he had an S-ranked alchemist as well as Baek Ah-Rin, who would later be the only SS-ranked restoration-type and support-type in the world, by his side. Thus, it was clear that there was no doubt about the medicine¡¯s strong effect.


    Therefore, Choi Yu-Seong shortly suspected that Bernard Yoo had prepared a means to increase the firepower at the same moment as the Lightning Burst, but he soon shook his head.


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    ¡®Such a medicinal item is not common in this world.¡¯


    It was said to be quite common in China, where it was no different from the divergence point of the Martial Arts¡¯ world. However, it was not commonly used elsewhere since the risks were tremendously terrible. It ruined people to the extent that they would not be able to recover as a hunter forever. They couldn¡¯t even recover after lying down for a few days.


    Then, could there be two of the Lightning Burst? That was also impossible.


    ¡®The original novel said that the alchemist who made the Lightning Burst hid it in a statue and died.¡¯


    Of course, there were so many errors in the novel¡¯s setting that there might be a possibility. However, Choi Yu-Seong was also convinced that it could never happen.


    ¡®The alchemist who developed the Lightning Burst was Kaito Sang, the shrine¡¯s owner.¡¯


    And when Jenny''s hidden team had visited the shrine, Kaito Sang was found dead.

 CH 116

    There was only one thing to note. In the original novel, the cause of Kaito, the alchemist¡¯s death, was suicide. However, according to the Hidden Team¡¯s research, murder was a possibility.


    Choi Yu-Seong had asked for an investigation just in case, but nothing unusual was found. Needless to say, there was only one existing Lightning Burst. If Bernard had it in his possession, then he certainly wouldn¡¯t have used it so hastily.


    The race was about ten minutes long. After ignoring dozens of Orc Warriors, Choi Yu-Seong found the entrance to the boss room. He was once again convinced of one fact.


    ¡®That''s an ancient relic.¡¯


    Just then, Bernard Yoo pierced the heart of the Orc Warrior that was blocking Choi Yu-Seong. He successfully overtook Yu-Seong. For a moment, they made eye contact.


    ¡°...I''m sorry,¡± Bernard Yoo said.


    Choi Yu-Seong tilted his head in surprise. "What?"


    However, Bernard Yoo offered no answer to that question. He simply continued to move forward.


    ¡®Does he feel guilty about using an ancient artifact?¡¯


    In the original novel, Bernard Yoo was described as a pretty loyal man. If that was still the case, he might be feeling guilty about it. Of course, Choi Yu-Seong didn''t think it was a problem at all.


    ¡®Being able to use proper items at the right time can also be seen as a proper ability. Anyway, if I get overtaken right here¡­ Should I try to steal the Orc War Chief?¡¯


    Naturally, Choi Yu-Seong also thought of what Bernard Yoo had been thinking. He shouldn¡¯t have a problem with stealing the Orc War Chief since victory was all that mattered. However, for some strange reason, the word "steal" felt heavy and pricked his conscience.


    ¡®No matter what methods I use, I just have to win. I have to win¡­¡¯


    This particular race had a lot at stake. By losing, Yu-Seong¡¯s safety would also be at risk. In fact, Yu-Seong¡¯s greatest consideration was his personal safety. Therefore, he would choose whichever method that could help him win easily.


    That was a logical consideration, but Yu-Seong¡¯s heart told him something different. After all, this was a competition where they were supposed to show off their skills. He did not want to end the competition and seize victory through what he considered to be ¡°stealing¡±.


    Eventually, Yu-Seong came to a conclusion.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to win by using such a cheap method.¡¯


    Yu-Seong obviously did not want to lose the competition and expose himself to danger. He still had to win. Fortunately, there was a way for him to do so.


    ¡®I wanted to save both of my tools, including the Lightning Burst, but¡­¡¯


    Beggars could not be choosers.


    Choi Yu-Seong had asked for more than just one Lightning Burst from the Hidden Team over the past week. He had prepared a second secret weapon.


    ¡®I have the battle suit that has excellent flexibility and it has small holes that allows for attachments on top.¡¯


    ¡¯Of course, excellent defense was essential here.


    To help Yu-Seong achieve this, some of the Hidden Team members had gone to Germany, the kingdom of mass production, to hire five battle suit craftsmen. They had requested for the battle suit to be produced quickly. In the end, they had custom-made a battle suit just for Choi Yu-Seong.


    ¡®And its price alone is 10 billion won!¡¯


    There was a simple reason why Yu-Seong could sell the first, and very expensive, battlesuit and buy a new armor that could be considered a secret weapon.


    ¡®It¡¯s all thanks to Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice.¡¯


    Choi Ji-Ho¡¯s incredible ancient artifact had many great factors. Under current circumstances, its ability to transform into a vast number of forms was very useful.


    ¡®In other words, it can transform into a rubber garment that wraps around the body.¡¯


    With a luxury spear made by a French craftsman in one hand, Choi Yu-Seong wore a battle suit made by a German craftsman. He quickly transformed the Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice into a rubber material and attached it to his suit, so it wrapped around his entire body. Even his head was protected.


    Even with the additional protection, Yu-Seong retained his clear vision.


    ¡®It¡¯s made of rubber, but I made it transparent around the eye area to facilitate vision. Wow, I know I already experimented with it before, but I¡¯m still surprised that my vision is clear as day.¡¯


    The more he used the Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice, the more Yu-Seong realized the incredible flexibility of the transformation of the Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice. It could help him greatly increase the range of his battle abilities.


    "Invoke, Dancing Electric Doll."


    The Dancing Electric Doll was invoked right before Yu-Seong. It was the most powerful skill among the wide range of skills he had.


    Orc Warriors were being electrocuted by the attack. They screamed and twisted their bodies like they were dancing wildly.


    However, not even the Dancing Electric Doll¡¯s powerful force could affect Yu-Seong much. He had the protection of the rubber battle suit.


    ¡®My skin tingles a bit, but I can endure this much!¡¯


    Hunters who mainly utilized lightning power had an advantage, because lightning was the strongest out of all the attributes. As for their weakness, lightning was so powerful that it would become dangerous even for the hunters themselves. The hunters would also become powerless in the face of an opponent with the discharge ability.


    Yu-Seong constantly checked the stats of his own abilities to survive, so he was aware of their weaknesses and even thought of ways to overcome them. That was why he thought that the Dancing Electric Doll and his custom-made battle suit were the best for this competition.


    This competition helped Yu-Seong to confirm those speculations as facts. When he used his Magic Spear skill and delivered an even stronger electric shock to the stumped Orc Warrior that was caught by the Dancing Electric Doll, he instantly killed the Orc Warrior in one hit. It was similar to how Chae Ye-Ryeong had hunted the monsters in a first-class dungeon.


    ¡®I can do it, too. One shot, one kill!¡¯


    Of course, due to the nature of the Dancing Electric Doll, Choi Yu-Seong''s mana and chakra consumption was quite high. He couldn¡¯t use it too frequently. To be exact, he thought he would not be able to use it again.


    Your level has risen.


    A level-up message appeared once Yu-Seong defeated five Orc Warriors. Through the system interface, he confirmed the amount of chakra that he had quickly consumed was restored. His physical condition recovered as well.


    Beneath the rather stuffy rubber helmet, Yu-Seong wore a disappointed expression.


    ¡®Oh, if I knew about this, I would have just come here without leveling up.¡¯


    Day by day, Yu-Seong¡¯s greed increased.


    ***


    Choi Yu-Seong had succeeded in overtaking Bernard Yoo, but Bernard had come back to overtake him. Throughout the entire competition, the reporters paid close attention and filmed with the drones. They sighed, cheered, and groaned with tense feelings.


    Boom-!


    With a loud explosion, the dungeon square shook violently.


    "What''s going on?!¡±


    "Is it terrorism?"


    The surprised reporters jumped up from their seats and shouted. The Hunter Association¡¯s hunters who guarded the inside of Dungeon Square received a radio transmission, so they quickly regrouped and had a discussion.


    ¡°There¡¯s an external attack from a villain. Everyone, evacuate to a safe place! If you leave now, you will die!¡±


    The reporters looked at each other and their expressions naturally hardened. The competition had strict security measures in place, just in case the villains attacked. Due to that reason, most of the reporters themselves did not even know why they had been called to Bangbae-dong until they had arrived here.


    However, villains still attacked.


    "Someone tipped the villains off!"


    The reporters wanted to believe one another, but¡­ They couldn¡¯t help but feel suspicious of one another.


    "Don''t be preposterous! I was called here without any prior knowledge.¡±


    "You could have been contacted while already here.¡±


    "How could I? You know that they took our cell phones and searched our belongings...!"


    BOOOM-!


    As the fierce and intense accusations began flying around, another explosion could be heard. Dungeon Square couldn¡¯t withstand the villain¡¯s consecutive attacks. Its magic barrier was starting to collapse.


    ¡°Run-!¡±


    ¡°The villains are coming!¡±


    The reporters began running to find a safe zone.


    "What are you doing? Aren''t you going?!" Kim Jin-Young shouted.


    Park Jin-Hwan, who was watching the monitor from his seat, bit his lower lip. "Ah¡­ This is a scoop...¡±


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    ¡°You madman, is that more important than your life right now?!"


    Park Jin-Hwan was already aware that it would be dangerous for him not to escape now.


    Beyond the perforated mana barrier, a huge commotion and loud screams could be heard. From the distant cloud of dust, a black huddle could be seen coming closer and closer.


    ¡°Reporter Park!¡±


    "I''m going. I''m going. Damn it, what a waste!"


    Kim Jin-Young forcibly grabbed Park Jin-Hwan by the collar and pulled him along, at which point Park Jin-Hwan finally got up from his seat and started to run.


    - Five S-rank villains, twelve A-rank villains, and thirty or more B-rank villains! All of them were Demon King Worshipers!


    The Player Association¡¯s hunters protecting Dungeon Square all had stiff expressions.


    ¡®We only have about ten people even when combining internal and external forces¡­¡¯


    The situation was made worse by the fact that not a single S-rank hunter was guarding the rank 4 dungeon. There were only two A-rank hunters here. At best, the rest were B-rank or C-rank hunters.


    However, the enemies who attacked were the Demon King Worshipers, a terrorist group with villains all over the world. Among them were S-rank hunters too.


    The hunters couldn''t help but feel tense.


    - The supporting hunters from the Comet Group and Cheon-Ji Group are on their way. Stop the enemy from entering the dungeon no matter what!


    Once they heard that radio transmission, everyone inside the Dungeon Square felt a slight sense of relief. Of course, that did not mean they were letting their guard down.


    "Everyone stay focused. We don''t know when the villains will come...¡±


    Before the chief hunter inside Dungeon Square could finish speaking, a round and small object flew across the dust cloud. Looking at the object, the chief hunter shouted, ¡°It¡¯s a stun grenade. Everyone close your eyes...!¡±


    At the same time, the stun grenade exploded, and villains began to rush into Dungeon Square. Fortunately, there weren¡¯t too many of them. Perhaps it was due to the deployment of outside forces and the two Groups working together, but the villains seemed like a number that could be dealt with.


    ¡®Ten?¡¯


    After counting the number of villains, the chief hunter took out two batons, which were his main weapons, and stood in front of the dungeon entrance. He commanded, "Do not let them enter the dungeon by any means!"


    A black-masked villain attacked the chief hunter with a baseball bat.


    Bang-!


    The chief hunter was slightly pushed back along with the explosion.


    ¡®This guy is also an A-ranker!¡¯


    The opponent also paused with a slightly surprised expression upon grasping the chief hunter¡¯s rank and the fact that the others were also B- or C-rank hunters.


    ¡®There¡¯s a total of five internal hunter troops.¡¯


    Soldiers who had just been waiting there rushed out and began to fire warning shots. Of course, it was impossible for them to fire direct bullets because of the narrow interior space.


    ¡®The villains¡­are cleverly using us as a shield.¡¯


    The location restricted their movements. Although they were at a disadvantage in terms of the number of hunters, they could still prevent the villains from entering the dungeon.


    The chief hunter focused on the fight against the nearest villain who used a baseball bat. Well, he tried to do so.


    Perhaps nervous about the first large-scale villain''s attack, a hunter belonging to the Hunter Association got struck. His legs were twisted before he collapsed in vain and died.


    ¡°Kuagh-!¡±


    Hearing the scream, the chief hunter turned slightly toward the noise.


    The A-rank villain, who was looking for an opening, approached and swung his bat widely. He yelled, "Stupid¡­ Where are you looking?¡±


    Kwang-!


    A loud noise rang out once again before the chief hunter concentrated all of his power on the enemy.


    ¡°Hey-! It''s an entry!"


    "Get in there-!"


    Two B-rank villains stepped over a Hunter Association¡¯s dead hunter to enter Dungeon Square.

 CH 117

    After he started using the Dancing Electric Doll, the speed difference between Choi Yu-Seong and Bernard Yoo became smaller. Noticing how close Yu-Seong was getting, even without using ancient relics, Bernard smiled bitterly.


    ¡®I¡¯m using Orc Hunt, but his speed is still similar to mine?¡¯


    Many people were mistaken about Yu-Seong¡¯s ability. To Bernard, Yu-Seong was probably the best among the D-rank players right now.


    ¡°Not to mention, he¡¯s overwhelming.¡±


    Still, Bernard Yoo was considered a genius. He had a bitter smile, but his expression soon hardened.


    ''I mean, I didn''t have a choice from the beginning. I had to put my own conscience aside and use the ancient relic.¡¯


    Others used to say that Bernard Yoo''s greatest advantage was his family or natural talent. However, Meghan, who was his teacher and had been watching him the closest and longest, used to tell him that his unique strengths were actually quick understanding and ready acceptance of himself and his circumstances.


    ''I have to accept it. Choi Yu-Seong is stronger than me right now.¡¯


    Ironically, it was only at this point that Bernard Yoo''s real talent began to emerge. It was sparked by a simple reason.


    Bernard Yoo had trouble concentrating for a long time. Perhaps it was due to overconfidence or his relaxed personality. Therefore, the longer the battle, the more minor mistakes or useless movements he made. However, all these shortcomings disappeared when his concentration increased to an extreme.


    That was why the S-rank hunter Meghan used to say this.


    - Bernard, if you can keep your concentration for more than two hours, you will be called the strongest D-rank player ever.


    Of course, Bernard Yoo didn''t really care about that. As Meghan said, he was quick to acknowledge his own strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, he knew very well that he could never concentrate for more than an hour.


    ''Choi Yu-Seong, I''m sorry, but I''m not in a position where I can lose you.¡¯


    Bernard Yoo''s concentration began rising to the limit. Soon, he fell into a trance. He smashed and moved past the Orc Warriors without looking back and quickly reached the entrance of the boss room.


    Bernard appeared to be unstoppable. Even until the moment he reached the entrance to the boss room and grabbed the giant doorknob, Bernard Yoo was excited about the battle and his victory.


    Distracted by his own thoughts, Bernard did not hesitate to turn around and send a punch flying when he felt Yu-Seong urgently grabbing his shoulder. His fist was strengthened by his will to break the head of anyone who interfered. He delivered a powerful punch that tore Yu-Seong¡¯s ear in the process.


    Bang-!


    Choi Yu-Seong swayed side to side as an explosive sound rang out.


    "Are you deaf? Why aren''t you listening to me?¡± shouted Yu-Seong, who turned around with a groan.


    It wasn''t until then that Bernard Yoo realized that he had done something quite dangerous. His gaze softened, returning to its normal state. He then asked, "What do you mean...?¡±


    Choi Yu-Seong was lying on the floor and wiping the blood flowing down his ear. He said with a sigh, "Dang it. I''m so dizzy. I''ll try to recover so you stop the Orcs from rushing in.¡±


    "I don''t understand. We''re still competing, and there seems to be no reason for me to help you make up for your mistake."


    "Look at the sky, you idiot."


    Bernard Yoo raised his head while frowning at Choi Yu-Seong''s words. He tilted his head in confusion. ¡°A gray sky is nothing special.¡±


    "That''s not what I meant... The drone¡­" Choi Yu-Seong''s words came out slow and heavy because his head hurt too much for him to continue speaking. He sat down in place cross-legged while clutching his head. The God¡¯s Chakra was activated, and red and blue energy soon enveloped his body.


    After watching Yu-Seong for a while, Bernard Yoo widened his eyes as he blocked the fist of the rushing Orc Warrior.


    ''There isn¡¯t a single drone?¡¯


    Since it was a competition between the two big groups, the match¡¯s process and conclusion had to have clear evidence.


    As soon as Bernard Yoo first entered the dungeon, he had plenty of reporters following him and many drones that filmed his every action. It made him feel quite strange. But now, there wasn''t even a single one when drones had been swarming him like bees everywhere.


    At that moment, Bernard Yoo snapped back into reality. After struggling with an Orc Warrior who blocked his punch, Bernard lifted the monster and threw it at the others. Then, he looked around.


    ¡®There are pieces of a broken drone lying there. Seems like the drones all collided with one another.¡¯


    Bernard Yoo quickly got the picture. He muttered, "Someone attacked from the outside.¡±


    He was soon boiling with anger.


    "How dare they... Bastards!"


    It was a competition between the two biggest groups in Korea. It was a game that thrilled Bernard Yoo so much that he even gave up on his pride and chose to cheat. However, the game was now messed up by outside interference.


    ''Who the heck did this? Grandpa and Chairman Choi wouldn''t have made a mistake.''


    If it was not a mistake, it would be a conspiracy. Someone must have betrayed the two chairmen. The traitor would certainly be caught once this situation was over, but Bernard himself wouldn¡¯t be able to vent his anger over the situation.


    It seemed like Choi Yu-Seong had figured out the situation quite early on. In fact, the drone had suddenly exploded overhead, so he would be a fool to still not understand the situation.


    However, Bernard Yoo had become a fool while in a trance and had hurt Yu-Seong, who had tried to stop him. It was certainly his fault.


    Once he began adopting that perspective, Bernard Yoo¡¯s anger soared to the highest point. He went ballistic. But thankfully, he managed to calm himself after a moment. He caught his breath and remembered what he had to do.


    ''It''s definitely the villains. I don''t know how many of them can get inside the dungeon, but¡­I have to stop them.¡¯


    If possible, it would be best if the villains did not enter the dungeon. Forces from the Cheon-Ji Group, Comet Group, and the Player Association located outside would do their best to achieve that. However, as it was an unexpected attack, there would definitely be a window allowing the villains to enter the dungeon.


    In fact, the attacking Orc Warriors that prevented Bernard Yoo and Choi Yu-Seong from entering the boss room gradually decreased. This was because the monsters that unconditionally rushed towards them were now running in the opposite direction.


    ¡®The villains came in.¡¯


    After noticing the situation, Bernard Yoo clenched his fist and readied his body for battle.


    ''I''m protecting Choi Yu-Seong.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong was injured because Bernard Yoo had run wild without even looking around. If Yu-Seong were to get seriously injured or killed by a villain, Bernard Yoo would feel unbearably remorseful.


    Moments later, two villains wearing black masks that resembled demon faces appeared in the distance. Bernard Yoo immediately recognized who they were.


    ¡®Demon King Worshipers!¡¯


    They were the only villains who wore black masks that resembled demons. It was not difficult to understand why such a global terrorist group had entered this dungeon.


    ''Crazy bastards! They are trying to make money by kidnapping the two of us...!¡¯


    Smiling through the gaps in the masks, the villains quickly approached Bernad Yoo who ground his teeth in anger. The villains easily slaughtered the approaching Orc Warriors around them, so they were most likely above D-rank.


    ¡®They are C-rank or higher. For the weapons: one has two daggers, and the other one¡­ Is he a Projection skill type?¡¯


    Looking at the villains who might be B-rank, Bernard Yoo bit his lower lip and stood in front of Choi Yu-Seong.


    "You''re not going to run away? You''re fearless, young man!"


    ¡°Kyahaha-!¡±


    The two villains talked leisurely with loud voices. However, they got it all wrong. Bernard Yoo wasn¡¯t fearless; he was very much afraid.


    ¡®They are definitely stronger than me.¡¯


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    And since he was up against more than one villain, Bernard Yoo believed that he was going to die.


    ''No, I won¡¯t die. They''re gonna have to take me alive somehow.¡¯


    The experience wouldn¡¯t be a great one, but Bernard Yoo thought it wasn¡¯t a bad thing to keep in mind the fact that they could not kill him.


    ''If I use that to my advantage, I''ll get a chance to get out of this.¡¯


    At that moment, Bernard Yoo''s mind was filled with determination to risk his life. Again, he felt someone urgently grabbing his collar. He turned around in surprise and saw Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s urgent expression.


    Noticing how tense Bernard was, Yu-Seong shouted, ¡°Are you crazy? What are you doing?! We have to go inside.¡±


    "What¡­?¡±


    "They are obviously B-ranks. If we fight here, we will definitely lose."


    Would entering the boss room offer them a different and better situation? Bernard Yoo thought back to what he knew, remembering that the boss room with the Orc War Chief inside was a huge cave.


    Bernard Yoo could only think it over for a second, because he didn¡¯t have too much time. Before he knew it, the villains were going to reach them in about 30 seconds. He quickly made a decision, turning around and following Yu-Seong. He ran toward the boss room.


    ¡°But how come you don''t budge when I pull you?¡±


    Bernard Yoo contemplated for a moment at Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s question. Then, he suggested, ¡°Maybe you are weak?¡±


    "No way."


    With a chuckle, Bernard Yoo leaped in front of Choi Yu-Seong and yanked hard on the boss room¡¯s doorknob.


    Once the huge door opened wide, Choi Yu-Seong and Bernard Yoo looked at each other and nodded lightly. They quickly threw themselves inside. Ten seconds later, the two villains followed them through the entrance to the boss room.


    ***


    If a normal Orc was about two meters tall, an Orc Warrior was about three meters tall. Then, what about the Orc War Chief, who was the raid-level boss monster?


    ¡®At least five meters. No wonder people said it looks quite like an Ogre¡­¡¯


    They were right. As soon as Yu-Seong entered the boss room, he looked at the giant monster that had bloodshot eyes and gulped. In fact, looking at that huge monster in front of his eyes, he seemed to understand why it was given the special title, ¡®the Raid Boss¡¯.


    ¡®Keuooo-!¡¯


    The giant Orc War Chief started running towards Choi Yu-Seong and Bernard Yoo with a roar.


    "Don''t attack for now and spread out! We need to make things difficult for the villains.¡±


    Before he could even finish speaking, Bernard Yoo was already running deep into the huge cave. Choi Yu-Seong also ran quickly.


    Following them, the two villains entered the boss room and frowned when they saw the Orc War Chief in front of them. A huge ax then fell overhead, and the villain armed with two daggers leaped up on the jumping Orc War Chief¡¯s thick arms.


    The villains looked for Choi Yu-Seong and Bernard Yoo, who were scattered in both directions.


    ''You think we don¡¯t know your ulterior motives?¡¯


    Just as the dagger villain laughed and contemplated who to prey on first, Choi Yu-Seong activated Magic Spear and quickly struck forward with his spear in succession.


    Three blades of wind cut through the air and flew across space.


    ¡®He has Projection skill?¡¯


    The dagger villain was shocked by Choi Yu-Seong''s unexpected ability, but he soon hardened his expression. He stared at the Wind Blade that was approaching him.


    For the Projection skill types, especially those with the natural element attributes, they had considerable power. However, since Yu-Seong was only at the level of D-rank, his skill could simply be defeated with the physical force of a B-rank hunter.


    As if to prove such a fact, the villain ripped the Wind Blade apart with his daggers.


    The Wind Blade that brushed past the dagger villain scratched the Orc War Chief¡¯s face, since the monster was standing right behind the villain.


    Pit-!


    Naturally, sticky blue blood dripped down the dagger villain¡¯s back.


    Keuleuleu-!


    The Orc War Chief¡¯s angry roar could be heard from behind.


    ¡®Why am I caught in the crossfire?¡¯


    The dagger villain slowly raised his head and met the huge eyes that stared at him. He had no choice but to moan bitterly.

 CH 118

    ¡®Keuwaaa-!¡¯


    The dagger villain stumbled, feeling dazed by the Orc War Chief¡¯s roar. As the Orc War Chief swung violently, the dagger villain lost his balance and fell to the floor.


    Seeing his comrade lying on the floor awkwardly, the villain who fired a blue Mana Orb toward Choi Yu-Seong and Bernard Yoo burst into laughter. "Kyahaha-! What are you doing? Jackie!"


    "Shut up, Marlon!"


    "Do you have time to talk? You are going to become a flattened pizza!"


    "What?"


    Sure enough, the villain with the dagger, Jackie, acted swiftly when he saw a huge shadow of the Orc War Chief¡¯s foot over his head. He tumbled on the floor several times, avoiding the Orc War Chief''s feet, and swallowed the clouds of dust that had arisen in his place.


    "Cough, Cough. Damn it!"


    "Oh, it¡¯s coming again, Jackie!"


    Choi Yu-Seong had been listening to the conversation between the two and was quite disappointed.


    ''It would be nice if I could guess their abilities from their names.''


    In direct battles in the player¡¯s world, victory or defeat often depended on how well they knew each other''s abilities. And in the case of most villains, it was possible to guess to a certain extent because they usually picked nicknames based on their main abilities. However, the two villains in front of Choi Yu-Seong seemed to use their real names with each other.


    Choi Yu-Seong quickly fired the Wind Blade made by the Magic Spear at the villain called Marlon, who was the Mana Orb Projection skill type player. He wanted to check the opponent''s ability from a distance.


    "Is this a joke? Are you trying to disturb me with these kids'' games? Do I look easy, you damn silver spooner!" screamed Marlon.


    Marlon easily blocked Choi Yu-Seong''s attack by sticking one of the Magic Balls forward and using it as a shield. At the same time, he sent five Mana Orbs in all the directions of Yu-Seong''s movements and they flew a synchronized attack.


    In order to avoid all those attacks, Yu-Seong began to invoke Wind Control. However, there was a violent explosion that swept behind him. He felt a shock traveling up his back, but thanks to the enhanced physical abilities of the God''s Chakra, he didn''t lose his balance or tip over.


    ¡°Die, die, die!"


    At Marlon''s cry, Choi Yu-Seong''s eyes gleamed as he narrowly avoided a series of attacks through the Wind Control.


    ''The number of Mana Orbs that he can fire at once is limited to three to five, and he is definitely not a Physical-type.''


    The dagger villain called Jackie did not seem to be able to afford to take care of Yu-Seong and Bernard because he had to deal with the Orc War Chief, who was pursuing him. To be precise, he seemed even angrier with the Orc War Chief.


    "This insolent mass of muscle¡­!"


    At this point, Choi Yu-Seong felt fortunate that the group of Demon King Worshipers themselves were a group of crazy villains.


    ''If he doesn''t have anger management issues¡­then he''s probably thinking that Marlon alone can handle both me and Bernard Yoo by himself.¡¯


    An ordinary B-rank hunter could handle up to ten or 20 D-rank hunters on his own, so Yu-Seong wasn¡¯t entirely mistaken.


    ¡®But...it''s making me feel unpleasant.¡¯


    From Yu-Seong''s perspective, he had to seize this opportunity and make the most of it. Bernard Yoo thought the same and his eyes shone as their gazes met.


    ¡®Who''s going first?¡¯


    ¡®I''ll lead the way.¡¯


    Bernard Yoo flashed a cool smile in response to Choi Yu-Seong''s unspoken question and activated his Explosion Shot.


    Bang-!


    With a loud explosion, Bernard Yoo lunged toward Marlon.


    "You''re rushing to your death!"


    Marlon''s Mana Orb immediately enveloped Bernard Yoo.


    Despite being a rare physical D-rank hunter, Bernard Yoo was more of an attacker than a defensive tank. If he were hit by a Magic Ball of B-rank or higher, he would inevitably be knocked down in an instant.


    Marlon, Jackie, and even Choi Yu-Seong stared at the scene in astonishment.


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    ¡®That idiot! What the hell were you thinking, rushing in like that?¡¯


    Before Yu-Seong could let out a sigh of absurdity, another explosion rocked the air.


    Bernard Yoo''s voice resounded loud and clear. "Wake up, Choi Yu-Seong!"


    Bernard Yoo hadn''t fallen. Convinced by the strong voice, Yu-Seong didn''t hesitate any longer.


    ¡®I can''t afford to hold back now.¡¯


    Yu-Seong chomped down on the Lightning Burst that was tucked between his teeth, ready to swallow it at a moment''s notice. The bitter taste was worse than any cold medicine, and a heat radiated from within his body. It felt like he was in a boiling furnace. His face reddened briefly from the slightly painful sensation.


    Choi Yu-Seong shivered. He was hyper-aware of his body, which increased in temperature. The heat quickly got to his head.


    ¡®This is more than I thought¡­''


    It pushed Yu-Seong beyond his limits.


    However, the duration of this transcendent power was by no means long. Also, Yu-Seong felt the lingering effects of the wind pressure he had encountered while dodging Bernard Yoo''s attack.


    ''I¡¯m acting like I am okay, but my focus isn''t very good now.''


    The direction of the attack would be affected if Yu-Seong¡¯s concentration was even slightly disturbed. Needless to say, he couldn¡¯t prolong the battle time. He had to act as quickly as possible.


    ''There are only three opponents to overpower.''


    The three were Marlon, who used Mana Orbs, Jackie, who used daggers, and the Orc War Chief. Yu-Seong captured the opponents in one glance and used the only two remaining skills first.


    ¡®Activate Insight.¡¯


    Flames of ghost fire burned in Yu-Seong''s eyes.


    ¡®Chakra is overflowing.¡¯


    It exploded with an unpredictable intensity.


    ¡®Invocate Magic Spear, Wind Control, and Acceleration.¡¯


    Even though he used four or more skills at the same time, there was still a lot of Chakra left to spare. Yu-Seong launched himself forward in this state. With Magic Spear, he twisted the thunderbolt. With Wind Control, he flew through the wind, soaring through the high dome.


    Marlon, who had been focusing all his attention on the wildly charging Bernard Yoo, turned his gaze to the sky. He exclaimed, "Are you telling me that''s a leap of a D-rank hunter?!"


    Marlon momentarily panicked before regaining his composure. He fired one of his Mana Orbs toward Bernard Yoo, like a seasoned villain. He then turned his gaze back towards the front. Despite being surprised by Choi Yu-Seong''s leap, Marlon remembered that Yu-Seong was only an All-Rounder.


    ¡®He¡¯s not a monster like the Orc War Chief, and so he would never be able to stand my Mana Orb!¡¯


    Bernard Yoo raised his arms and covered his head as he charged forward like a rhinoceros though he was not in good shape. Even if his ultra-expensive battle suit had a defense ability as good as Yu-Seong''s, it was torn to shreds and his whole body was covered in bloody wounds. He was so wounded that even in the darkest and most chaotic of battlefields, the smell of his blood seemed to burrow into Marlon''s nose.


    However, Bernard Yoo''s gaze did not waver. Despite not using any special skills, his eyes were so bright that they seemed to be glowing with sparks. That alone gave Marlon goosebumps because Bernard Yoo was just a D-rank.


    When Marlon thought back to that moment, he realized just how stubborn and ridiculously strong this monster, Bernard Yoo, was. As a chill ran down his back, his bloodshot eyes filled with anger.


    ¡®I''ll make this guy cower in fear¡­¡¯


    Marlon felt he had to do this or else he would have to worry about retribution later. But a part of him began to feel afraid. He noticed a change in Bernard Yoo''s expression.


    "...Are you laughing?"


    With a curious expression, Choi Yu-Seong tore through the dust clouds high up in the sky and thrust his spear.


    Kuang-!


    ¡°Ack-?!¡± Marlon, who couldn''t predict the explosion that shattered the stone floor, let out a scream and stumbled. He tried to find Choi Yu-Seong when something hard hit his back.


    "Hey..."


    Surprised by the small voice, Marlon widened his eyes and quickly turned around, backing away.


    There was Choi Yu-Seong, with a bewildered face, holding onto the spear he had thrown. He said, "I was trying to finish you off with this, but the aim was a bit off."


    With an angry face, Marlon expressed his doubt. ¡°What¡­?¡±


    There was a loud explosion as Bernard appeared from behind Marlon.


    "Forget it. I have to finish this guy off to let off some steam."


    Bernard swung his waist around like a gymnast.


    "...?!¡± Marlon quickly split his Mana Orb into two and shot them out to both targets.


    "You shall feel the full force of my wrath, you damn villain!" Bernard Yoo gave a rough shout.


    The loudest explosion that Marlon had ever heard took place. Then, Bernard Yoo''s fist slammed into the corner of Marlon''s jaw.


    "Keuack-!" Marlon sputtered blood and his Mana Orb hit the ground in vain.


    Bernard Yoo did not miss his chance and chased after Marlon with a raised fist again. He growled, ¡°This is punishment for you ruining the match.¡±


    "How could just...a D-rank...!"


    Boom-!


    With another loud explosion, Marlon''s eyes rolled back and he fell backward. After Marlon fell down, Bernard Yoo climbed on top of him and began repeatedly punching him.


    Even if the difference in rank was significant, there was still a big difference in Physical and Psychic typed players. Above all, Marlon did not have the mental fortitude to endure pain and continue fighting like Bernard Yoo.


    Completely overpowered, Marlon was unable to say anything more. He became completely battered and lost consciousness.


    "Marlon. That bastard..."


    Having inflicted numerous wounds on the startled Orc War Chief¡¯s arm, Jackie threw a dagger toward Bernard Yoo. However, his weapon was easily blocked by Choi Yu-Seong''s spear.


    "Your opponent is me." Breathing heavily, Choi Yu-Seung swung his spear tip so that it faced Jackie and the Orc War Chief. He then added, "Or should I claim that both you and the Orc War Chief are mine to defeat?"


    "Ha¡­ This All-Rounder brat condescending me like this.." Jackie, wielding two daggers, created an illusion to deceive the Orc War Chief and aimed straight for Choi Yu-Seong''s back.


    Without missing a single beat, Yu-Seong turned slowly. He said with a smile, "It looks like your specialty is the Illusion skill.¡±


    The villain Jackie¡¯s dagger cut Yu-Seong in half. No, it seemed like he had.


    ''An Illusion...?''


    Just when Jackie was surprised by such a similar ability and was about to turn his gaze, he felt Yu-Seong¡¯s light tap on his shoulder.


    ¡°Kyaaak-!¡± Jackie screamed in pain. It was as if his shoulder was being crushed by an enormous force.


    "Unfortunately, even someone you deem as inferior, like myself, possesses the same skill as you." Choi Yu-Seong acted somewhat arrogantly, sneering at Jackie who had ignored him with ease.


    "Actually, I thought I was really short on time...?"


    He was mistaken.


    "But it looks like we have time to spare."


    Despite seeing enough description in the original novel, he did not properly understand the difference between S-rank and SS-rank, and the difference between the protagonist of a returning hero and a natural-born hero.


    Now that he had the Lightning Burst, Yu-Seong was confident he could win even if an A-rank villain appeared as an enemy.


    With his bare hands, Choi Yu-Seong lightly caught the dagger which Jackie swung.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    Afterward, Yu-Seong smiled and activated a gift toward the flustered villain. He said, ¡°Invoke, Dancing Electric Doll.¡±

 CH 119

    ¡°...?!¡± Jackie shook once he was wrapped in a thunderbolt. His eyes rolled back.


    Yu-Seong swung the spear outward and lightly bounced it off the ax wielded by the Orc War Chief, who had followed him.


    The Orc War Chief fell back. Then, a loud roar rang in the cave¡¯s surroundings.


    Thud-!


    There was a cloud of dust.


    ¡®He''s more than a monster! I''m going to die, I''m definitely going to die! How is this a D-rank?¡¯


    After having a lucky escape from the Dancing Electric Doll¡¯s attack, Jackie ran toward the entrance of the boss room. As he made his escape, he left a vision behind. Despite his speed, it was not difficult for Choi Yu-Seong to follow.


    "Lance Charging."


    Once that command was uttered, the villain Jackie fell forward with a large hole from his left side of his chest to his right shoulder. He struggled. "Cough¡­!"


    Jackie watched the trembling tip of Choi Yu-Seong''s spear pass him at a velocity that he could not even attempt to keep up with. As Yu-Seong¡¯s spear smashed through a part of the massive cave, Jackie couldn''t help but utter a curse internally.


    ¡®The information we received was way¡­off.¡¯


    Jackie was losing consciousness. He thought he should risk his life since this was a big operation, but he didn''t know he was going to die against a D-rank opponent. His end was very quiet.


    Keoow!


    Meanwhile, the Orc War Chief, who had fallen from Choi Yu-Seong''s attack, raised itself up with a scream.


    With a last blow, Bernard Yoo broke Marlon''s neck bone and fell forward from his position. Bernard Yoo looked at Choi Yu-Seong, meeting each other¡¯s gaze.


    ¡®I don''t know what you''ve done, but¡­¡¯


    As Jackie thought, the current Choi Yu-Seong was not a D-rank hunter. Bernard Yoo didn''t think it was a cheap shot.


    ¡®At least one hidden weapon... Everyone has prepared for the worst.¡¯


    Bernard Yoo knew that cheap tricks weren¡¯t to be looked down upon. Starting from the middle of the competition, even Bernard Yoo himself had used an ancient relic, the Orc Hunt, to win. Nevertheless, he couldn''t help feeling angry and upset. There wasn¡¯t a particular reason.


    ¡®I lost.¡¯


    The feeling of defeat shook Bernard Yoo''s heart. Fortunately, he managed to shake off the dark feeling quickly.


    It was a shame, but the competition was already over. And most of all, the fact that he lost to Choi Yu-Seong, who was the same D-rank and a lower level than him, made him feel relieved rather than feeling empty.


    ¡®And I wasn''t necessarily bad, right?¡¯


    It was just that Choi Yu-Seong was incredibly strong.


    Bernard Yoo organized his feelings in a short period of time. Then, without a word, he gave his trademark sophisticated smile to Choi Yu-Seong who had been waiting for him. Bernard Yoo strained to tense the index finger of his clenched fist.


    ''You win. I only have the strength to hold up a finger.''


    As Bernard wondered if he received the message, Yu-Seong lightly nodded and showed respect toward Bernard Yoo. Then, he suddenly faced the fierce, red eyes of the Orc War Chief that had come to him.


    ''Originally...I thought I would have to struggle a lot to catch it...''


    Yu-Seong had prepared many strategies to catch this stupid raid monster, but now they were all meaningless. Even the unique rough energy of the giant raid boss monster now seemed insignificant to Yu-Seong.


    ''This is why people are addicted to power.''


    As he looked at the ax slowly falling towards his head, Yu-Seong quickly thrust the end of his spear forward. His weapon traveled approximately 500 meters in an instant using his Wind Control.


    ¡®Activate Magic Spear, attribute: thunderbolt.¡¯


    Thunderbolt shot up from the end of the spear, releasing a shallow noise. Preparations were completed in an instant.


    ¡®Lance Charging.¡¯


    As if the air was being compressed and then exploded, Yu-Seong leaped forward at the moment of his attack.


    KABOOM-!


    Across the short 500 meters gap, a single bolt of lightning tore through the air like it was tearing through paper. When the giant raid boss monster, Orc War Chief, was roaring and trying to swing its ax down, a massive hole had already been created from its chest to below its belly.


    The Orc War Chief couldn''t even keep up with its movements. Just by lifting its ax high, it breathed heavily and stumbled forward.


    Thud.


    Slightly shaking off the effects of the earlier concussion, Yu-Seong looked up at the cave¡¯s expansive ceiling.


    - Your level has risen.


    - Your level has risen.


    - Your level has ri¡­.


    Like rain pouring down, the never-ending stream of level-up messages appeared first. Choi Yu-Seong didn''t even try to count how many there were.


    ''I can just check the system interface to see how many there are anyway...''


    Instead, he focused on the other messages that followed.


    - The Friend of Thunder and Hammer is paying attention to the player Choi Yu-Seong. 200 karma points are donated.


    - The Green Spring of the East is paying attention to the player Choi Yu-Seong. 200 karma points are donated.


    - Sparkling God Who Loves to Love is interested in player Choi Yu-Seong. 100 karma points are donated.


    - The Father of Magical Hymns has discovered player Choi Yu-Seong. 100 karma points are donated.


    - The Oldest Hunter happily smiles at player Choi Yu-Seong. 500 karma points are donated.


    - Culann¡¯s Hound sends a message saying ''May your life be filled with only glory...''. 500 karma points are donated.


    - A Joke-loving Prankster sends a message saying ''Stop eyeing my friend, you trashbags.'' 3000 karma points are donated!


    - Many gods with mythologies related to thunder and lightning are paying attention to the player Choi Yu-Seong. A history of "receiving the protection of the thunder god" is formed.


    There were pouring messages of the gods and the acquisition of a new history after so long. If Bernard Yoo, who had lost consciousness, were able to see, he would have let out a scream of astonishment at the sight of the compensation.


    Yu-Seong smiled contentedly and slowly slumped back in his seat. He was relieved that the tension was gone and his body was starting to lose strength due to the after-effects of the Lightning Burst. He wouldn¡¯t be able to go on a proper dungeon hunt for at least five days, but he wasn''t particularly unhappy about it.


    ''Anyway, I did well.''


    He just won the match with one of the protagonist¡¯s companions in the novel and he even defeated the villain who had suddenly attacked them. Choi Yu-Seong closed his eyes with a joyful smile on his face. He felt a satisfaction that he hadn¡¯t felt in a while.


    ''Since it¡¯ll take more than a month for the boss monster to be regenerated...''


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    He wanted to rest a little.


    ***


    When Yu-Seong opened his eyes again, he was in a hospital room. He looked at the familiar white ceiling before smiling bitterly.


    ''Now it''s as familiar as home.''


    As if responding to the small movement, Jin Yu-Ri, who had been looking somewhere else, turned her gaze to Yu-Seong. She asked, "Are you awake?"


    "Yeah."


    As Choi Yu-Seong naturally tried to sit up, Jin Yu-Ri shook her head and said, "Lie down. Don''t overdo it."


    "I''m not overdoing it. Don''t worry."


    "Please... Yu-Seong oppa," Yu-Ri said.


    Yu-Seong looked puzzled because Yu-Ri wasn¡¯t saying much. Come to think of it, he found it strange just how serious Yu-Ri¡¯s expression was. He was momentarily lost in thought when he saw Yu-Ri had tears in her eyes.


    ''Why is she like this?''


    Just in case, Yu-Seong checked if any of his body parts that he couldn''t feel were missing, but there was still no problem. He tried to sit up again when he said, ¡°I¡¯m okay, Yu-Ri.¡±


    Yu-Ri held onto Yu-Seong¡¯s shoulder tightly as she shook her head from side to side. She exclaimed, "There''s no way you''re okay!"


    Yu-Seong raised his eyebrows in surprise and asked, "Why are you saying that?"


    "Have you tried using your mana?" asked Yu-Ri.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Only then did Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes widen in understanding.


    ¡®Oh... Does that mean¡­¡¯


    One side effect of using the Lightning Burst was the inability to use mana for a while. One would then become no different from a normal person.


    After being rescued by someone from the Player Association and taken to the hospital, Yu-Seong and Bernard''s conditions were checked. If they had paid attention, they would have realized that Yu-Seong was unable to use mana for the time being.


    ¡®Come to think of it, I can¡¯t even feel the Chakra¡¯s effects¡­¡¯


    It was like he had completely returned to a normal person.


    Yu-Seong knew that this condition would recover in a few days, but Yu-Ri had no idea. After all, it was Yu-Seong''s own fault for not properly explaining the situation to anyone around him when requesting to use the Lightning Burst. He couldn''t help but laugh at himself.


    He started to explain in detail the effects and side effects of the Lightning Burst. He had thought that Yu-Ri might have trouble understanding since it was a type of medicine still unknown in this world. It was fortunate that Yu-Ri seemed to easily grasp the concept.


    "So you''ll be okay in a few days, right?" Yu-Ri asked.


    "Yeah. Trust me and, you know, my hidden ability."


    "Is it...the future foresight?"


    ¡°Similar,¡± replied Yu-Seong with a mischievous smile. With a shrug, he continued, "I can still do regular things except go on dungeon hunts or do intense training. Just think of me as a normal person.¡±


    In the first place, Yu-Seong had spent most of his life living as a normal person rather than as a person with supernatural abilities. He had become strong and accustomed to this way of life, so while he did find his current condition somewhat uncomfortable, it wasn''t unbearable.


    ¡®In fact, I''m not feeling that powerless. Maybe It¡¯s because I''ve been trained to some extent.¡¯


    That might be the reason Yu-Seong was able to smile comfortably.


    "The doctor said that if you''re not careful, you could become a person incapable of using mana," Yu-Ri warned.


    "That''s just the usual side effect of using the skill," Yu-Seong replied while looking at Yu-Ri. He then said reassuringly, "So let''s just move on. I''ll be fine in a few days. Rather than that, I¡¯d like to hear about what happened."


    Yu-Ri no longer doubted Yu-Seong. She explained, "You probably already know, but there was a villain attack. They were the Demon King Worshipers, and there were quite a lot of them. I think that there were five S-rank villains deployed. The commotion was quite intense, but with the combined efforts of the Cheon-Ji Group and us, it was quickly suppressed. The strange part was that the S-rank villains retreated too easily. If it weren''t for that, the damage to the city would have been much worse.¡±


    Upon hearing the name of the worst terrorist group in the world, the Demon King Worshipers, and the situation, Yu-Seong tried to think of the reason for their strange behavior. He then looked at Yu-Ri in surprise and asked, "Was the Slaughter Queen also there?"


    "No, why are you..." Yu-Ri¡¯s voice trailed off as she too looked at Yu-Seong with wide eyes. She then asked, "Was the plan from the beginning to take her out?"


    It was clear that the leader of the Demon King Worshipers, the head of the clan, had taken in the Slaughter Queen, Rachel. However, it would not have been an easy task to quietly take out Rachel, who was being pursued by the entire Korean government and the Comet Group.


    ¡®So they caused confusion...and took the opportunity to send Rachel out of the country.¡¯


    In this operation, it was likely that the Demon King Worshipers had judged that it was worth the risk to simply feel them out since they could capture either Choi Yu-Seong or Bernard Yoo.


    "Since they treat all the hunters ranked lower than S-rank as expendables, so..."


    By now, Rachel must have safely left Korea behind. For the South Korean government and for Choi Woo-Jae, it was like they had been punched in the face by the Demon King Worshipers¡¯ leader.

 CH 120

    The next day, Choi Yu-Seong was discharged from the hospital. There wasn''t really a need for him to stay in the hospital, and he thought it would be better for him to move around a little.


    It was only under the doctor¡¯s extreme insistence that Yu-Seong reluctantly underwent additional treatments from the Recovery player¡¯s skills. Although the treatments were somewhat cumbersome, he was somewhat addicted after receiving them.


    ¡®I felt powerless when the Chakra disappeared¡­but this feels quite refreshing.¡¯


    The treatments infused energy into Yu-Seong, who was more revitalized than when he had gotten a glucose IV after his corporate days had tired him out.


    ¡®I wish the Recovery skill could also heal Jin Do-Yoon''s injury.¡¯


    Unfortunately, to be able to fix broken body parts with the Recovery skill in this world, one had to achieve at least the minimum rank of SS. And so far, there were no SS-ranked Recovery hunters who could possibly help.


    ¡®Recovery hunters probably have a hard time passing the promotion exam.¡¯


    That was why recovery hunters of B-rank or higher were often promised significantly higher pay than the other type of players. It was also the reason why the vice chairman of Kim Do-Jin¡¯s guild¡ªEclipse, Baek Ah-Rin, had become a companion of the protagonist.


    ¡®She is a future SS-rank Recovery hunter, and also has Support-type abilities as well.¡¯


    Although she hasn''t particularly encountered Yu-Seong yet, Baek Ah-Rin was also a character as reliable as the protagonist Kim Do-Jin''s companion.


    ¡®And there¡¯s Jin Do-Yoon¡¯s incident... Ultimately, my party also needs someone with great recovery abilities like Baek Ah-Rin."


    However, among hunters, there was no one other than Baek Ah-Rin with such outstanding recovery abilities. That was why Choi Yu-Seong was looking more toward the future.


    ¡®If the tower opens, I''ll definitely get my hands on it no matter what other things happen.¡¯


    ¡®Pet¡¯ was considered the strongest title among those of simple recovery.


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    ¡®The Cyanic Wind Spirit Cat.¡¯


    If Yu-Seong could only get this mythical creature, he knew that it would surely be more reliable than any other Recovery hunter.


    ¡®And...what kind of incident or object will there be around spring? Oh right, there¡¯s the ancient artifact, the Book of Faust. I''ll have to give that to Chae Ye-Ryeong. Maybe not the ones Kim Do-Jin will obtain, but I¡¯ll monopolize all the objects that the villains used, as long as their source is certain.¡¯


    During the remaining time until his mana recovered, Choi Yu-Seong spent his days organizing his thoughts and checking the original novel''s contents. He did some light exercises to loosen up his body, but he didn''t push himself too hard or exert himself too much during his training. It was a short period of rest until his abilities returned.


    While he was doing that, Choi Yu-Seong called Choi Woo-Jae, who would be the most curious about the match. However, for some reason, he didn''t pick up the phone. Not only that, but he didn''t call Yu-Seong back.


    ¡®I wonder if something happened to him?¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong was momentarily worried. He couldn''t help but be surprised at his own emotions.


    ¡®Is it because I''m so used to calling him father, father¡­¡¯


    Suddenly, the thought that he considered the chairman, who used to only seem scary and intimidating to him, as a family member crossed his mind. The strange thing was that the thought didn''t feel bad.


    - I am too busy to contact you for a while.


    Fortunately, Choi Woo-Jae responded before another day passed by. It was a short message, but since it was written in his characteristic manner, there was nothing to be suspicious about.


    And around the time when Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s mana fully returned, which was five days later, Bernard Yoo regained consciousness in the hospital room.


    ***


    Bernard Yoo opened his eyes in the hospital room. The first thing that came to his mind, as expected, was the match. He muttered, ¡°I lost."


    Despite the certain words, Meghan, who was silently standing by Bernard¡¯s side, nodded in agreement. "It''s a disappointing result."


    "Are you not surprised?" Bernard asked.


    Meghan smirked and sat down next to Bernard Yoo. She said, "Bernard. You did your best but still couldn''t defeat Choi Yu-Seong. Doesn¡¯t that mean he was that amazing?"


    "Yes."


    "Then that''s enough. It was an amazing competition. How can you always win? It''s possible to lose, too. You will win next time."


    "...Thanks, Meghan," said Bernard Yoo, smiling wryly.


    He then nodded firmly.


    ''Next time...''


    Bernard Yoo could win and he would make sure that happened. His gaze became determined again. Then, he asked Meghan for his cell phone and called his grandfather, Chairman Yoo, right away.


    - Oh, my dear grandson, Bernard. Are you alright?


    As if he had checked the caller id, Chairman Yoo answered the phone with a friendly voice and asked about Bernard¡¯s well-being first.


    "Yes, grandfather. My body is rather strong... I think I will be fine in a few days."


    - The doctor said that your injuries are on the more serious side, but you will recover soon. On the other hand, Choi Yu-Seong...


    Bernard Yoo thought that Chairman Yoo was dragging out the sentence on purpose. Feeling too curious when Chairman Yoo''s voice trailed off, Bernard couldn¡¯t help but ask, "What happened to Choi Yu-Seong?"


    - It seems that he might become Mana-deficient. He may have over-exerted himself during the Demon King Worshipers¡¯ sudden assault.


    "...Mana-deficient?" Bernard Yoo looked at Meghan in surprise. He noticed that she looked equally surprised by the news, shaking her head in disbelief.


    - This is information obtained in secrecy. It hasn''t been told to anyone yet. Anyway, it became a fierce game because of the mages¡ªthe Demon King Worshipers. But since the outcome caused the boy to be Mana-deficient, it''s okay to consider it your victory.


    ¡°No, no. Wait a moment, grandfather,¡± said Bernard Yoo as he quickly lowered his head. He was quickly overwhelmed by a complicated mix of thoughts in his head.


    ''Now that I think about it... Choi Yu-Seong was somewhat strange.''


    The villains¡¯ sudden attack and the fierce battle that followed had happened so quickly that he hadn¡¯t had the time to think about it. However, looking back, there were definitely many strange things that had occurred during that time.


    ''Choi Yu-Seong single-handedly took down a B-rank villain, and even an Orc War Chief?''


    Yu-Seong was just a D-rank player, and even a lower level than Bernard himself.


    Without Yu-Seong trapping Marlon in a corner, Bernard would not have been able to get close enough to defeat him. In fact, it was likely that Bernard would have been the one to fall in the battle. No matter how much the mind surpassed the limits of the body and pushed it, there was still only so much that could do.


    ''Choi Yu-Seong''s movements...definitely weren''t D-rank.''


    Bernard Yoo felt like he had a headache.


    Sometimes, there were players who possessed the ability to temporarily gain immense strength by compromising their own lives or futures. Bernard had the impression that Choi Yu-Seong possessed such a skill, so he also wondered why Yu-Seong had used it.


    ¡®It''s my fault.¡¯


    Bernard was somewhat closer to a power type, while Yu-Seong was a little closer to a speed type. If Yu-Seong had used Bernard as bait for the two B-rank villains, then he could have escaped once a window of opportunity had shown up.


    ¡®But because of the injury I inflicted on him¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong might have chosen to sacrifice himself and not abandon Bernard Yoo because he couldn''t bring himself to do such a selfish thing. With that thought, Bernard''s head pounded.


    "I lost," Bernard Yoo said with difficulty.


    - What?


    Chairman Yoo asked, expressing surprise.


    "Grandfather, Choi Yu-Seong is really strong," Bernard said.


    - ¡­


    There was a brief silence. It only broke when the chairman spoke in a low, heavy voice over the phone.


    - Anyway, that guy is Mana-deficient. The video didn¡¯t even capture you guys entering the boss room. If it¡¯s announced that he failed because he lost control and went berserk, we can change the record for it to be your win. "


    "...What?" Bernard was surprised by the chairman¡¯s unexpected suggestion.


    - We will announce that you won. It''s fine, Bernard. Trust this old man. I will make sure that no one ruins your career...


    "Grandfather!" Bernard shouted in opposition.


    - Listen to this old man! If it becomes known that we lost in this state, do you think that venomous Chairman Choi will stay quiet? Like I said, on your shoulders...


    The chairman raised his voice as if to drown Bernard out. However, before he could finish speaking, Bernard interrupted him.


    "Grandfather, please listen to me!" Bernard yelled. His face was flushed from the anger he felt.


    He had already accepted the outcome of the match. Even amidst all this, he had come to realize the sacrifices that Choi Yu-Seong had made. But now, his grandfather was suggesting to manipulate the official record of the match. That was outrageous. At least in regards to the result of this match, he couldn''t compromise.


    This was the first time Bernard had raised his voice in front of Chairman Yoo. He was driven by his refusal to accept this decision.


    - Yoo Jae-Yeol.


    The chairman''s voice was laced with both anger and confusion.


    "I did my best because of the burden on my shoulders. I gave it my all because I didn''t want to disappoint those who rely on me. But is this just about me? Am I the only one being affected here?"


    - Being selfish isn''t always a bad thing, Jae-Yeol. You just don''t understand the world yet.


    "No, your world is a bad one, grandfather."


    - Yoo Jae-Yeol¡­


    "Make the announcement as you see fit. But if you lie, then...I won''t stay quiet either."


    - Are you really going to bully this old man? Do you dare? Do you think you can get away with it?


    "It doesn''t matter if it''s not okay! Money, honor, whatever you have given me¡­ Take it all back. I am Bernard Yoo. I am not a toy for you to brag about," said Bernard Yoo, cutting off the call gruffly.


    If the call was prolonged, it would only be Chairman Yoo trying to convince Bernard to change his mind. Bernard didn''t want to listen to that anymore. It was the first time the once beloved and kind voice of his grandfather had sounded so unpleasant to him.


    ¡®Buzzzzz, uz-!¡¯


    The phone that had been thrown on the hospital bed continued to buzz, scolding Bernard Yoo. He buried his face in the blankets and blocked his ears as if to ignore it.


    Meghan, who had been watching Bernard from the side, slowly moved. She picked up the phone from the hospital bed and looked at Bernard. Then, without hesitation, she opened the hospital window and extended her hand with the phone in her grip. She slowly strengthened her grip¡­


    Smash-!


    The small phone was crushed by the merciless strength of an S-rank hunter and scattered into the air. Bernard Yoo raised his head at the sudden cold wind and confirmed the scene. He then widened his eyes.


    "Well done, Bernard. As your teacher, it feels good to see a worthy disciple," said Meghan with a satisfied smile.


    "...Thank you, Meghan," said Bernard Yoo.


    "What do you want to do?" asked Meghan.


    "Let''s run away. Grandfather will come looking for me soon," suggested Bernard Yoo.


    "Understood. I will protect you to the best of my abilities, Bernard," said Meghan as she silently lifted Bernard¡¯s rigid body.


    In that short time, Bernard Yoo''s eyes shone as he wondered where they should run to. He quickly said, "There is a place, Meghan. A place where Grandfather can''t easily approach. That¡¯s also where you need to be.¡±


    It was easy for Meghan to figure out the location that Bernard was suggesting. With a nod, she asked, "Are you going to protect him from now on?"


    "Yes¡­ If he doesn''t refuse," replied Bernard Yoo with a smile. He looked up at Meghan.


    "If that''s your will, then I will follow it to the end," said Meghan. With a smile that mirrored Bernard¡¯s, she held onto him tight and flew out of the hospital window.


    ''Wait for me, Choi Yu-Seong. I''m coming.''


    Bernard¡¯s destination was Choi Yu-Seong''s house.

 CH 121

    "I will protect you."


    Yu-Seong was taken aback by the unexpected guest¡¯s first words. Looking at Bernard Yoo, Yu-Seong said, "I don''t understand what you''re saying..."


    "I heard that you''ve become Mana-deficient..." Bernard Yoo explained.


    "What?"


    Bernard then stood up from his seat and knelt down. Before Yu-Seong could say anything, he let out a deep sigh and bowed his head. "I know that you didn''t sacrifice yourself for me and it was a choice you made to protect yourself. But I can''t deny the fact that the outcome might have been different if it wasn''t for the injury I had inflicted on you."


    "Wait, Bernard¡­?"


    "Mana-deficient hunters live miserable lives. It is natural to feel helpless after losing the power they initially had. I even heard that some of them chose to end their own lives because it was easier that way. I just¡­ I just want to show you that..."


    "Stop. I bet it¡¯s easier to just show you rather than say it." Choi Yu-Seong let out a deep sigh. He activated Wind Control and created an illusion.


    Bernard Yoo, surprised at the illusion of Choi Yu-Seong splitting into two, widened his eyes. Meghan, who stood near him, also shook her head.


    "I''ve never become Mana-deficient. I don''t know how the rumor started, but as you can see, I''m in perfect health," said Yu-Seong.


    "But, but surely during the villain¡¯s attacks, you became stronger by explosively releasing your mana..." said Bernard Yoo.


    "It was a medicine¡¯s effects. It was for a single use only. And fortunately, it doesn''t have serious side effects," replied Yu-Seong.


    "A medicine¡¯s effects?"


    "Overgeared, medicine-buffs, skill-buffs, what¡­ Isn''t that a common thing?" asked Yu-Seong.


    It was indeed a common thing. However, Bernard Yoo had not anticipated this situation at all. He couldn''t hide his trembling gaze.


    "...Seems like the Chairman was about to make a huge mistake, and Bernard stopped him," Meghan said, having grasped the situation faster than Bernard Yoo.


    At first, Bernard Yoo was confused, so he simply shook his head. Then, finally understanding the situation, he laughed loudly and nodded. "I see. Because Grandfather Yoo thought that Choi Yu-Seong had become Mana-deficient, he was about to make a false announcement¡­ If he had been careless, he would have made a big mistake."


    Through the conversation between the two, Choi Yu-Seong was also able to guess the reason why Bernard Yoo had come to find him.


    ''Seems like Chairman Yoo heard that I had become Mana-deficient and tried to manipulate the outcome of the competition.''


    And Bernard Yoo, who was not pleased with the conversation, had come to find Choi Yu-Seong. If this were the original novel''s righteous Bernard Yoo, it would not have been a strange thing at all.


    ''He''s a cool guy as expected.''


    Bernard was one of the original novel¡¯s characters that he liked while reading, so when Yu-Seong met Bernard¡¯s gaze, he felt a strange sense of gratification. Then, he said, "Anyway, there¡¯s no reason you have to protect me like that.¡±


    "Agreed," Bernard replied. He stood up from where he had been kneeling.


    Yu-Seong waved his hand lightly, watching Bernard''s relieved expression. "Now if you are done here, you should go. I''m sure the reporters will be swarming you soon enough, now that they know you''re awake."


    The competition between the two men had been kept secret, but it had become known to the entire country due to the Demon King Worshipers¡¯ attack. Needless to say, many people were now curious about the competition¡¯s result.


    Park Jin-Hwan and Kim Jin-Young also asked Yu-Seong if they could be the first to know the result, but Yu-Seong had told them that he would announce it only after Bernard had woken up.


    It was finally time to do so.


    However, Bernard, who Yu-Seong had thought would leave right away, remained in his seat. He sat across Yu-Seong and asked seriously, "Yu-Seong, we are friends, right?"


    Yu-Seong''s eyes widened at the sudden question.


    ''I mean, it''s not like we''ve even seen each other that much¡­ We¡¯ve only seen each other twice.''


    Even their first meeting had been a fight. However, it had been a fair fight and Yu-Seong had a good impression of Bernard. If there was anything to worry about, it was whether Bernard would want to become Kim Do-Jin''s colleague or not. Although, those worries didn''t last long.


    Yu-Seong didn''t want to live in constant anxiety that he couldn''t even become friends with the person he liked.


    " Mm, I don''t dislike you," replied Yu-Seong.


    "Can I take that to mean we''re friends?"


    "We''ve been speaking informally to each other since you came to my house."


    In fact, that wasn''t awkward. When he thought about it, was there anything special about being friends? Bernard smiled brightly at Yu-Seong¡¯s acceptance and said confidently, "Then help me hide."


    Bernard showed a cool smile that was no different from a trademark. Then, he nodded vigorously at Yu-Seong.


    "What...?"


    "My grandfather is really angry at me right now. I''ll be in trouble if I get caught. I''ll book a flight to the U.S. tomorrow, so please hide me until then. I can announce the competition results there, right? Please, friend?"


    Yu-Seong looked as if he had been hit by something. Meanwhile, Bernard leaned forward as if to kneel in front of Yu-Seong again.


    "Please, don''t do that. We''re friends, there''s no need to kneel."


    "So are you going to let me stay for the night? You have plenty of empty rooms anyway. Meghan and I would need one each," said Bernard.


    "Dude, you truly have thick skin,¡± said Yu-Seong to Bernard.


    Choi Yu-Seong was surprised by the request, so he shifted his gaze to Meghan, who was standing behind Bernard. She was a cat-like beauty.


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    "Please," said Meghan. She also bowed her head toward Choi Yu-Seong.


    The two of them were so similar, it was almost as if they were a ridiculous pair of teacher and student.


    Choi Yu-Seong eventually had no choice but to lean his head back on the sofa and accept. He said, "Fine. But you guys are leaving right away tomorrow. I¡¯ll feel pressured by your grandfather otherwise."


    "Of course. Then tonight is a beer party to celebrate our friendship!"


    "...Weren''t you just discharged from the hospital? Your condition..."


    "There''s no problem at all."


    Even if Yu-Seong had tried to stop him, Bernard wouldn''t listen. Yu-Seong sighed again and nodded as if to say ¡®do as you please.¡¯


    Jin Yu-Ri, who was standing behind Choi Yu-Seong with a similar expression, took out Choi Yu-Seong''s cell phone that she had been keeping. The phone rang again with a short vibration. After checking the caller id, she said to Choi Yu-Seong, "It''s the chairman.¡±


    It was a call from Choi Woo-Jae.


    ***


    The party was pushed back. Choi Yu-Seong received the call from Choi Woo-Jae and immediately left the house. He headed towards the grand mansion in Yeonhui-dong.


    "You''ve become much more handsome lately, young master. You look good.¡±


    "Thank you, nanny. How are you doing?"


    "I¡¯m doing well. Thank you for caring about me... Hehe, please come in. The chairman is waiting for you."


    As always, when Yu-Seong came to the main house, his nanny welcomed him with a warm smile. As soon as he entered the house, he felt a heavy atmosphere. The mood was naturally heavy due to Choi Woo-Jae''s preference for dark wallpaper and heavy materials, but from Choi Yu-Seong''s perspective, this atmosphere didn''t seem particularly out of place.


    ''It''s kind of cool... If I think about it, wearing a coat over my battle suit might even be helpful with my Stylish skill. Like a main character in a game.''


    If he had the new custom-made battle suit that was just produced, it wouldn''t be impossible for him to use Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice to form a somewhat special coat material.


    ''Spear, coat, and if there¡¯s even a gun... It might look cool. ''


    The Stylish skills¡¯ effects would be greatly enhanced, and it would also likely be a great help in increasing the number of views on Yu-Seong¡¯s new NewTube videos. In reality, the videos had higher views when the fights were more spectacular rather than an efficient battle with minimal moves.


    Since the number of subscribers steadily increased and the income from NewTube was expected to be promising, it would be good for Yu-Seong to equip himself with skills that would allow him to use a gun.


    With these thoughts in mind, Choi Yu-Seong''s eyes sparkled.


    ''Should I ask Jenny?''


    Jenny was one of the hunters who used guns. Maybe her gun might be able to deal damage to monsters, since it used mana.


    ''I''ll ask her tomorrow.''


    While distracted by the many thoughts in his head, Choi Yu-Seong entered Choi Woo-Jae''s study. He walked down the dark hallway. As always, the study was full of a woody scent.


    Choi Woo-Jae was sitting by the window. He glanced at Choi Yu-Seong and gestured toward the empty sofa. "Sit down.¡±


    Yu-Seong moved quietly to sit on the sofa. Only then did Choi Woo-Jae toss a stack of documents toward him. Despite the documents being thrown from a distance, the papers landed perfectly in front of Choi Yu-Seong without a single crease.


    Yu-Seong was not too surprised by that move. Choi Woo-Jae, an S-ranked hunter and the leader of the Comet Group, was capable of such accuracy.


    It was only after looking at the documents that Choi Yu-Seong expressed surprise. He said, "The M&A report for Cheon-Ji Ironworks?"


    Cheon-Ji Ironworks was a subsidiary of the Cheon-Ji Group. It was known for its high profits and sales. If the automobile industry was the heart of a person, then ironworks was at least a person¡¯s legs. Choi Woo-Jae and the Comet Group were planning to easily acquire and merge with Cheon-Ji Ironworks.


    "Take a look at that," said Woo-Jae.


    Yu-Seong quickly flipped through the documents and swallowed hard. The contents of the documents included the faces of people affiliated with the Cheon-Ji Group Board of Directors.


    ''Geez, it''s hard to find someone who doesn''t have some dirt on them, but why are there so many of them here?''


    Tax evasion, embezzlement, and illegal gambling were the norm. It was difficult to find someone who didn''t engage in these activities, and there were also many people who had committed horrible acts such as extortion and murder. In reality, it was as if these corporate individuals were no different from gangsters.


    ''But why is this report on a merger and acquisition?''


    As Yu-Seong quickly flipped through the documents, a question arose in his mind.


    "The best way to fight war is through surprise attacks, not head-on battles. You have to strike your opponent when they least expect it and secure your victory. It''s a very useful surprise attack to shake up the enemy''s generals."


    Choi Yu-Seong jerked his head up. He muttered, "Then this list of crimes is...?"


    "We''ll have to blow off steam. When the announcement of your match with Bernard Yoo is made, and Chairman Yoo is distracted trying to cover it up, we''ll strike. I¡¯ve already had talks with the media and government."


    It was like sharpening a blade to chop off the Cheon-Ji Group''s leg. Choi Woo-Jae had finished preparing money and forging connections to cut it off with a single stroke. His calm, quiet eyes seemed to burn with hot flames.


    ''He''s excited.''


    Feeling a chill run down his spine, Cho Yu-Seong realized something else. Although Choi Woo-Jae didn''t yet know the outcome of the match between him and Bernard Yoo, he had already prepared a definite outcome. It was hard to predict how much money, time, and people Woo-Jae had manipulated and spent since he had even persuaded the media and political circles.


    "Father, then if I lost...?"


    "Then the responsibility would be all yours," said Woo-Jae.


    Thud.


    The burning in Choi Woo-Jae''s eyes was frightening. It was a surprise attack, but he had truly bet everything on this match. If he were to fail, he had even planned to use his own son, Choi Yu-Seong, whom he held dear, as a sacrifice.


    "You''re surprised. But at least I wouldn''t have killed you like the other guys. You just wouldn''t have been able to set foot in Korea again."


    Choi Yu-Seong smiled awkwardly at Woo-Jae¡¯s dismal words. He wiped the sweat off of his forehead. It was the first time he realized how scary those words could be, even though Woo-Jae had said he wouldn¡¯t kill him.


    ¡°So, did you win?¡±


    ¡°...Of course, I won.¡± Yu-Seong smiled bitterly.


    ¡°Of course you won. You burnt yourself out so much that you became Mana-deficient... It''s a pity, really. That''s why I showed you the strategy plan,¡± said Woo-Jae.


    ¡°What...?¡±


    Choi Woo-Jae must be having the same misunderstanding that Bernard Yoo had.

 CH 122

    Choi Yu-Seong chose to give Choi Woo-Jae a demonstration to clear his misunderstanding. He showed the illusion made by Wind Control and walked over to sit on the sofa on the other side. The two versions of Yu-Seong sat across from each other on separate sofas and their gazes met for a fleeting moment. Then, it was all gone like a mirage.


    ¡°...¡± Choi Woo-Jae watched silently. After that, he let out a loud laugh. "Haha!"


    Yu-Seong had never heard such loud laughter; it rang throughout the entire office and seemed to rattle the whole building like an earthquake. When he heard that laugh, Choi Yu-Seong felt a chill run down his spine. There was only one thing on his mind.


    ''S-rank hunter?''


    It was known that Choi Woo-Jae was an S-rank hunter. Moreover, when Choi Woo-Jae was killed by Kim Do-Jin in the original novel, he had been described as an S-rank. Even so, Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s uneasiness could be easily explained. The feeling of energy that suddenly came out of Choi Woo-Jae was heavier and more suffocating than he had imagined.


    Although Choi Yu-Seong was currently just a D-rank hunter, he had faced quite a few S-rank hunters. That was why he could be sure.


    ''I¡¯ve faced Park Cheol-Ho, Baek Chul, and Rachel before...but he''s stronger than anyone else.''


    It was said that after achieving S-rank, Choi Woo-Jae had been focused on work and had not ventured into dungeons. But was that speculation really true?


    When Choi Yu-Seong gulped, Choi Woo-Jae stopped laughing and released a blade of black light from his fingers. The black light instantly burned the strategy plan that Choi Yu-Seong had been looking at just a moment ago. Despite the fierce flames, there was no damage to either Choi Yu-Seong, the sofa he was sitting on, or the wooden table.


    ¡®He has complete control over the flame¡¯s power.¡¯


    It was the first time Choi Yu-Seong had seen this ability of Choi Woo-Jae This situation made it easy to realize Woo-Jae¡¯s extraordinary abilities.


    "Anyway, I''ve memorized all the content. In fact, I''m not going to do the job myself, so it would be foolish to leave it as a document," Woo-Jae explained why he had personally burned the strategy plan. Then, he asked, ¡°How did you pull off the deception?"


    In fact, there was nothing deceptive about it; Choi Yu-Seong had used a drug that did not exist yet. Thus, everyone had been mistaken about it, including his doctor. Since the doctor was a trustworthy doctor Choi Woo-Jae employed, it resulted in a series of misconceptions, causing Choi Yu-Seong to hoodwink the public.


    At this point, Choi Yu-Seong was deep in thought.


    ''How can I use this to my advantage?''


    Just as he had told done with Jin Yu-Ri, he could completely reveal everything. However, since the opponent was Choi Woo-Jae, it was necessary to think a little differently.


    In the end, Choi Yu-Seong said, "...If everyone knows the secret, it won''t be a secret anymore, right?"


    Choi Woo-Jae furrowed his gray eyebrows and said, "So you won¡¯t even tell me, your father?"


    "You never know. If the fight at home becomes too one-sided, you might become bored and start supporting the opposing side, Father.¡±


    Choi Woo-Jae''s lips tugged up into a cold smile.


    ¡®I am still underestimating my ninth child.¡¯


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    Although Yu-Seong¡¯s somewhat rebellious behavior was not pleasing, Woo-Jae also didn''t dislike it.


    From start to finish, holding suspicions and not trusting the opponent¡ªwas exactly what Woo-Jae himself would do. Perhaps that was why, instead of finding Choi Yu-Seong''s rebellion annoying, it seemed somewhat endearing for Woo-Jae. Most of all, this was a time for Choi Yu-Seong to receive a gift¡ªnot punishment.


    ¡°Well, you should also keep a trick or two left up your sleeves,¡± said Woo-Jae, nodding in agreement. He then continued, "I originally intended to entrust you with the task of managing Cheon-Ji Ironworks. If you had lost your abilities as a hunter, I have hoped you would grow as a company manager.¡±


    In fact, it would also be a test of sorts. If Yu-Seong had taken on the task of managing Cheon-Ji Ironworks, but failed to fulfill his responsibilities, Woo-Jae would have soon replaced him with someone else as the new CEO. That would be the reason Woo-Jae didn''t mention it as a gift.


    "But I see it was a needless concern. You''ve done well. You''ve accomplished more than I had asked for. Since Chairman Yoo knows about your condition, you''ll be able to do something quite interesting soon."


    Through these words, Choi Yu-Seong was able to understand one more thing.


    ''Father must have been the one to reveal to Chairman Yoo that I had become Mana-deficient!¡¯


    When Chairman Yoo had spoken of using this as a tool in this victory, Choi Woo-Jae had thought of undermining his and Cheon-Ji Group''s morality and scraping it off. Then, utilizing the company''s money, in other words, capital, he would drive the stock prices down during a bad business climate and smoothly carry out a merger and acquisition.


    Upon realizing the plan that Choi Woo-Jae had come up with, the back of Choi Yu-Seong''s neck felt icy cold.


    ''Frightening person.''


    Choi Yu-Seong lowered his head and looked at his father, whose eyes were glacier cold.


    " ...There''s one thing that''s going to be disappointing for you, Father."


    "Hm?"


    "Chairman Yoo will not be able to write a false article about the contents of the match as you desire."


    "Why do you think that?"


    "Because Bernard Yoo, the one who had the match with me, will probably reject that proposal," said Yu-Seong.


    "What are you saying? That doesn''t make sense. That man, Chairman Yoo, is a manipulator. He''ll try to use anyone, even his own grandson, if he believes it will benefit him."


    ¡®Like you, father?¡¯


    Yu-Seong held back a comment that almost escaped him, gave a wry chuckle, and shook his head. He simply replied, "It¡¯s impossible.¡±


    "Why do you say that?" his father asked.


    "Because Bernard Yoo has left.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He''s at my home right now, planning to depart for the US tomorrow. He plans to personally announce the competition¡¯s outcome from there."


    Woo-Jae narrowed his eyes before a sly grin appeared on his face. Fully understanding the situation now, he said, "Looks like his dear grandson has helped ease the tension around that old man¡¯s neck.¡±


    Woo-Jae clicked his tongue in disappointment before making a phone call.


    "Secretary Kim, have them revise the plan. Chairman Yoo will announce the result of the competition, that''s right, it''ll happen. At the latest, tomorrow morning, we''ll make the official announcement... Within 24 hours. If anyone says they can''t make it, fire them. I don''t want any good-for-nothing cowards on my team. And you should move too. We need to reel in the old politicians again. I''ll also be ready in 30 minutes. Alright, do it."


    As the conversation proceeded in front of him, it became clear to Choi Yu-Seong how the Korean business world moved.


    After a succinct phone call, Choi Woo-Jae put down the phone. His eyes burned with greed, like a volcano on the verge of eruption. It was a look that Yu-Seong certainly noticed. Then, Woo-Jae said, "As you''ve heard, the time is short. Tell me what you want as a gift. I''ll give you anything.¡±


    Choi Yu-Seong''s eyes also revealed a similar emotion when he replied, "...That certainly sounds tempting.¡±


    ***


    Choi Yu-Seong stepped out of Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s mansion with a somewhat exhausted expression on his face. He climbed into his car.


    Dealing with Choi Woo-Jae was never easy, but the hardest part about this encounter was choosing a gift. When Yu-Seong picked a gift, he had to be careful about one thing: he couldn''t just express his true intentions to Choi Woo-Jae and ask for anything, even though Woo-Jae had offered to give him anything he desired.


    ¡®After all, I can¡¯t just directly ask for control of the Comet Group.¡¯


    If interpreted correctly, Choi Woo-Jae''s words meant that he would give Yu-Seong anything he desired, as long as it was within reason and proportional to the favor he had done. Thus, he had to tread carefully. If he asked for too little, he would regret it later, and if he asked for too much, he would be in trouble.


    Choi Yu-Seong had already roughly thought of an appropriate gift that fell within the acceptable range, but during his conversation with Choi Woo-Jae, he began to think that he could push for a bit more. The reason for this was simple.


    ¡®Since I told him where Bernard Yoo will be in the future.¡¯


    Because of that, Choi Woo-Jae could quickly make adjustments to his original plan and make even more out of the information provided. Thus, Choi Yu-Seong made his request for two gifts after much deliberation.


    Choi Yu-Seong first requested for a special access pass similar to that of Kim Do-Jin. This was because being in a party of ten or even twenty people for every dungeon raid was not convenient for him.


    ¡®Soon, Chae Ye-Ryeong would be ascending to D-rank.¡¯


    Also, his next colleague, Yoo Jin-Hyuk, was also set to be recruited soon.


    ¡®Three of us would be sufficient.¡¯


    Originally, each one of them was a powerful villain enough to fight against Kim Do-Jin. Recently, Choi Yu-Seong had also been showing great progress, so he believed he would be able to exert better combat power than the same rank party members with ten people.


    ¡®And once I rise to rank A or higher, Jin Yu-Ri and Jin Do-Yoon will be able to join¡­¡¯


    Moreover, Jenny would be there.


    On the other hand, the party members¡ªthat even their faces were unknown¡ªcould become a burden that would drag down the whole party. Due to this consideration, Choi Yu-Seong had a deep longing for a special access pass.


    Regarding this, Choi Woo-Jae said that he could easily solve that problem.


    The second thing was about a new house. The apartment where Choi Yu-Seong currently lived in Hannam-dong was certainly nice, but as previously mentioned, he wanted a house with a mana barrier installed in the backyard.


    In truth, in this aspect, Choi Yu-Seong became more greedy.


    ¡®Originally, I had only intended to request for a level of training ground that could be used up to A-rank, but¡­¡¯


    However, Yu-Seong thought he could show a bit more greed and requested for a house with training grounds that could be used even up to S-rank.


    Obtaining a good-sized plot of land within the city of Seoul was not easy. Also, to make a training ground with a mana barrier that one could use even after reaching S-rank required an enormous amount of money. Considering the number of mana stones that would be used, as well as the cost of hiring experts to operate them, Yu-Seong roughly estimated it to be at least 300 billion won.


    As it was a time when a lot of money needed to be moved due to the merger and acquisition of Cheon-Ji Construction, Choi Yu-Seong made the request like he was walking on eggshells.


    However, Choi Woo-Jae nodded, indicating that this would also not be a problem.


    The fulfillment of his requests would have been enough to make him feel good, but Choi Yu-Seong was able to get another unexpected gift in addition to what he wanted.


    ¡®Ancient relic, the Sun God''s Protection.¡¯


    This gift that Choi Woo-Jae¡ªwho thought Yu-Seong had become Mana-deficient¡ª had obtained for Choi Yu-Seong was a tremendous object that also appeared in the original novel. The effects were simple.


    ¡®Enhancement of natural healing ability, maintenance of the best condition, and even being able to block the abilities of S-rank hunters by summoning a shield, limited to three times.¡¯


    The value of this object, which didn''t even have a wearing limit, was so high that it didn''t even need to be said.


    ¡®Maybe it''s worth even more than 500 billion won?¡¯


    Choi Woo-Jae had certainly prepared a big present for Choi Yu-Seong. Despite being tired, Yu-Seong was able to smile at the unexpected additional rewards.


    ¡®He said there''s still a present left.¡¯


    The problem was, Yu-Seong didn''t know what the present was yet. All Woo-Jae gave was a hint that Yu-Seong would soon find out. Yu-Seong felt anticipation and worry. For some reason, as he arrived home, he had the intuition that the last present would be mind-blowing.

 CH 123

    As mentioned once, Meghan was a Western beauty with a cat-like appearance. To further describe her physical characteristics: her skin was exceptionally fair, her hair was a light shade of brown, and even though she was an S-rank hunter, she always wore her frameless glasses. She liked dark-toned sleek suits and wore them often with matching shoes.


    Therefore, when Meghan dressed in a suit and sat silently in the backseat of Bernard Yoo''s car, she seemed to exemplify the definition of professionalism through her appearance alone.


    Contrary to her usual appearance, currently, Meghan¡¯s hair was tied back comfortably and she was wearing round and slightly foolish-looking glasses as well as gray pants and a hoodie, the source of which was unknown, with the hood covering her face. As she entered Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s house, she stopped in her tracks and looked back with her hood still covering her face.


    "You¡¯re back, Mr. Choi," Meghan said, tilting her head with a smile in greeting. She and Yu-Seong had arrived at the house at the same time.


    Her outfit was completely gray that Meghan would blend in with the background as if she were a cement statue. She tossed aside the three-striped slippers that Choi Yu-Seong normally wore when he went out to the nearby market and held up a white plastic bag filled to the brim with the logo of a nearby mart.


    "I went grocery shopping. Bernard wants to have a party.¡±


    Yu-Seong had been quite satisfied to see her in real life, as she embodied the cold and resolute character of "Meghan" as depicted in the original novel. So he was speechless when he saw her like this, with a completely different appearance from her usual cold self.


    Touching his forehead, Yu-Seong asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Bernard?¡±


    ¡°He is sitting quietly on the sofa and watching TV,¡± Meghan replied.


    "At least¡­he seems to know his own situation well," Yu-Seong commented.


    "Oh, I''m fine. There are fewer people who recognize me than Bernard, and most of all... If I walk around like this, even my acquaintances wouldn''t recognize me."


    "I understand," said Yu-Seong.


    Meghan¡¯s current appearance was a big enough change that even Choi Yu-Seong would have unknowingly passed by her on the street.


    "If you don''t mind, I would like to cook the party food myself," said Meghan.


    "Isn''t that a question you should ask before going grocery shopping?"


    "...You¡¯re right."


    "Something is strange, but anyway..." Choi Yu-Seong let out a short sigh and walked past Meghan toward the living room. Meghan and Jin Yu-Ri followed him.


    He then continued, "So you are a good cook?"


    "According to Bernard, my cooking is second best after his mother''s," Meghan replied.


    "Oh, that''s great. I don''t have any talent for cooking..." said Yu-Ri.


    "It''s actually easier than you think once you start¡­ My cooking skills have improved as I have been taking care of Bernard..."


    While listening to their comfortable conversation, Yu-Seong took a few steps and looked in the living room. He saw Bernard sitting with a stiff posture, like a soldier in his military days. He casually asked, "What are you doing?"


    Bernard got up from his seat and smiled sheepishly. "Oh, for some reason, I felt embarrassed when the owner of the house wasn¡¯t in. I can¡¯t seem¡­to relax.¡±


    "You feel that way all of a sudden? You even changed Meghan¡¯s clothes¡­¡± said Yu-Seong.


    "That¡¯s a necessary step for a perfect disguise. In any case, did your mission go well? You know, your father is quite infamous for being scary," replied Bernard Yoo as he raised his right hand, making a gesture like a horn.


    "He''s not as scary as his reputation, and furthermore, isn¡¯t it impolite to talk about someone else''s father that way?"


    "Yeah, I guess. Sorry, if the joke was too harsh, Yu-Seong," said Bernard Yoo.


    In truth, even Choi Yu-Seong couldn''t understand why he himself was reacting so sensitively to this matter. Since he had received a quick apology, Yu-Seong didn''t dwell on it. Instead, he turned his attention back to Meghan and said, "Anyway, Ms¡­. Meghan? Sorry for not knowing your surname and addressing you that way.¡±


    "It''s okay. Just call me Meghan. Anyway, you¡¯re also a friend of Bernard''s," replied Meghan.


    "Thank you for saying that. Oh, and I''ll leave the food to you. Actually, I really like to eat good food," said Yu-Seong.


    "That''s good to hear. I won''t disappoint you," Meghan said with a nod. She then headed to the kitchen. Even though the housekeepers also offered to help her, it seemed like she wanted to be alone to focus on cooking.


    "Don''t worry too much. Meghan really is a good cook," said Bernard Yoo.


    "It seems like you prefer western food," commented Yu-Seong.


    Support us at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    "No, Meghan is actually an expert in Korean cuisine. Since the beginning, she learned to cook because of me," said Bernard Yoo.


    "Oh... I''m definitely starting to look forward to it."


    Bernard Yoo nodded in response to Yu-Seong''s words, conveying that it would be worth Yu-Seong''s anticipation.


    ¡°Now that the homeowner has arrived, I can relax a bit. May I also request some clothing to change into?" Bernard Yoo asked.


    Yu-Seong turned to Yu-Ri and said, "Just any comfortable workout clothes will do. As for the size... I think just something large will suffice.¡±


    "I''ll go grab some," Yu-Ri said. With a quick glance at Bernard Yoo¡¯s muscular physique, she headed towards the room where the clothes were kept.


    With just the two of them left, Bernard Yoo scratched his head and spoke with a somewhat awkward expression.


    "To be honest, my grandfather is quite scary. He pretends he¡¯s not, but there are moments when he''s quite tough. I just thought that maybe you might be in a similar situation.¡±


    "Don''t worry about what was said earlier. You¡¯ve already apologized for it," said Yu-Seong.


    "But it¡¯s still on my mind. In any case, from my perspective, this is a situation where I''m in debt to you... "


    Just then, the doorbell of Yu-Seong¡¯s house suddenly rang. The maid, who had moved hastily, looked at the visitor''s face through the intercom and was surprised. " ...Young master?"


    At the maid''s cautious words, Yu-Seong looked at the intercom screen and saw the visitor¡¯s face. "Kim Do-Jin?"


    - Hey, Choi Yu-Seong, are you home?


    It was the visit of a third unexpected guest.


    ***


    The living room was now occupied by three men. In the center of the sofa sat Yu-Seong, on the left was Bernard Yoo, and on the right was Kim Do-Jin. An eerie silence filled the room as they sat there staring at one another. Except Meghan who was cooking, even Jin Yu-Ri only watched from a distance. The entire atmosphere was strangely tense.


    Kim Do-Jin eventually broke the silence, asking, "Bernard Yoo, why are you here?¡±


    "Where I am is none of your business. But why are you calling me informally like that?"


    "Choi Yu-Seong. Explain this," said Do-Jin.


    "I don''t see why he should answer when I refuse to," said Bernard Yoo.


    When Choi Yu-Seong looked uncomfortable and scratched the back of his head, Kim Do-Jin gave him a confused look. He cried out, "Choi Yu-Seong, don''t you feel wronged? I heard that you became Mana-deficient because of your fight with this foolish guy. How could you..."


    "Hey, wait a minute. How do you even know about that?" said Yu-Seong.


    Yu-Seong¡¯s ¡°Mana-deficiency¡± was no longer a secret. It was now a rumor that had spread throughout the neighborhood. In the case of the Cheon-Ji Group, it seemed that Choi Woo-Jae had spread the rumor intentionally, but it raised the question of how Kim Do-Jin had also heard the rumor.


    "The association chairman told me," Do-Jin replied.


    "The association chairman? The chairman of the Player Association?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "Yes. He heard it from the Cheon-Ji Group¡¯s chairman. He was saddened by the loss of such a great talent in South Korea.¡±


    As expected, rumors spread quickly once someone started talking about it.


    "That information will be updated soon," said Bernard Yoo.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Choi Yu-Seong is not Mana-deficient."


    "I didn¡¯t ask you, did I?" said Do-Jin.


    "You''ve got an attitude. Were you like this before? On TV, you seemed to be quite witty and gentle," pointed out Bernard Yoo.


    "Perhaps he would have won all the awards at the Cannes Film Festival, if he was an actor," replied Yu-Seong with a grin as he shook his shoulders.


    For some reason, the atmosphere had become strange, but the feeling of the three men being together was not uncomfortable. Kim Do-Jin seemed a bit more sharp-tongued than usual, but that was a minor thing.


    ''After all, the two of them did become colleagues in the original novel.''


    In fact, it wouldn''t be bad for them to become acquainted with each other at this point.


    "Wait, by the way, why did you come looking for me after you heard that I became Mana-deficient?"


    "The reason should be obvious. I was worried," said Do-Jin.


    "...Are you crazy?"


    "I need to use your ability someday. If you lose your power in a negligible victory or defeat like this... Well, if that were the case, I would have been disappointed." Kim Do-Jin wore a cold expression and stood up from his seat. He said, "Anyway, I''m glad to know that you''re fine. I''ll leave now. It was a pointless errand.¡±


    "See ya, brat," Bernard Yoo said, waving Do-Jin off as if he were chasing him away.


    Kim Do-Jin looked at Choi Yu-Seong with an unreadable smile before leaving.


    ''What? What''s going on?''


    Choi Yu-Seong wondered as he looked back at Do-Jin with a questioning look.


    ''Come to think of it, in the original novel, these two also had a similarly rough start.¡¯


    The rough start wouldn¡¯t last long and the two of them, while clearing difficult dungeons and repelling demon invasions, would develop a deep camaraderie with each other. Although the current sensitive atmosphere was strange, Yu-Seong decided not to worry about it too much.


    ¡®After all, it''s a future event that the two of them will become colleagues.¡¯


    Eventually, they would meet each other when the right time came.


    While Yu-Seong had that thought in mind, Kim Do-Jin, who was leaving the house, suddenly halted his steps. He looked towards the kitchen where Meghan was cooking. He tilted his head and let out a sigh, ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Bernard Yoo paid no attention to Kim Do-Jin''s behavior and spoke to Yu-Seong. "Ah, isn¡¯t this smell amazing? Meghan is making Budae Jjigae[ref]Budae Jjigae is a Korean stew dish that originated during the post-Korean War era, when food was scarce. It is made by combining various meats and vegetables with a spicy broth, and is commonly known as "Army Stew". [\ref]. It''s one of my favorite dishes. It pairs perfectly with alcohol.¡±


    As Yu-Seong sniffed the air, he realized the smell that came from the kitchen was fascinating.


    "The quality of this Budae Jjigae relies on the ham being used. We don''t skimp on the cost and use good quality ham. But if it''s too salty, it ruins the taste. Meghan has a good handle on that," explained Bernard Yoo.


    "I fully agree," said Kim Do-Jin, who, for some reason, had returned to the sofa. He appeared to have changed his mind about leaving the house.


    "You...?" Bernard Yoo looked at Do-Jin with a baffled expression.


    Kim Do-Jin did not look at Bernard Yoo. He simply looked straight at Yu-Seong and asked, ¡°Don''t tell me you''re not going to offer me a meal as a guest?¡±


    When Choi Yu-Seong thought about it, Do-Jin was an extreme fan of Budae Jjigae. Yu-Seong smiled wryly at the sudden realization. He said, "It''s not a meal, it''s a party..."


    "It doesn''t matter. I can just eat and go."


    Yu-Seong wore a strange smile and looked at Kim Do-Jin, who gave a threatening glare. It was as if Do-Jin would kill him if he refused. Yu-Seong nodded.


    ¡®I''m growing increasingly fond of him¡­.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was aware that Kim Do-Jin was a dangerous person, but he didn''t think of refusing him as a guest at this point.


    ''Well, it''s true that he has some kind of positive interest for me at the moment...''


    Rather than being scared, it was better to use the relationship properly. Yu-Seong thought as he nodded.


    Just then, someone opened the closed door and entered the living room in a hurry. They shouted, "Choi Yu-Seong!"


    ¡°Noo-nim?¡±


    It was Choi Mi-Na. Without paying attention to the people around Yu-Seong, including Bernard Yoo and Kim Do-Jin, she grabbed Yu-Seong''s shoulder with a trembling gaze. She exclaimed, "I heard that you became Mana-deficient. Who the hell...?"


    "No, that¡¯s not it!" Choi Yu-Seong now let out a shout. He sounded like he was being driven close to tears.

 CH 124

    Choi Mi-Na ran so fast that she might as well have flown over to see Yu-Seong when she heard the news. She blushed after realizing that he was fine and that she had caused a ruckus for nothing. After saying she felt flustered and guilty because she failed to keep her promise to help Yu-Seong to some extent. Then, as if running away, she quickly left her seat.


    It was understandable. She had always been uncomfortable in crowded spaces, and today, she had shown an embarrassing side of her so it was only natural for her to run away.


    Not long after, the party started and quickly became much more chaotic than Yu-Seong had anticipated. Bernard Yoo enthusiastically showed off his skills, and surprisingly, Jin Yu-Ri and Meghan had a lot of common ground and were constantly chatting. They even exchanged numbers.


    The strange thing was that Kim Do-Jin, who had seemed like he would leave as soon as he finished eating, stayed in his seat and drank. His face turned slightly red as he said that he didn¡¯t hate getting drunk and laughed more openly than usual.


    However, from Choi Yu-Seong''s perspective, it was a situation where his own heart was getting colder. Though, such feelings didn¡¯t last for long. He gradually got drunk and got into a good mood. He was gradually letting go of his inhibitions and was truly taking a leisurely break for the first time in a long time. He truly let loose without a care in the world.


    "...I drank a lot," said Yu-Seong as he looked at Jin Yu-Ri sitting next to him. It seemed like he had fallen asleep on the couch in a somewhat disheveled state and was woken up by the morning sun.


    "Yes, it was no joke. It''s been a while since you drank as much as you wanted. Haha¡­" Jin Yu-Ri chuckled and nodded.


    It must be because Jin Yu-Ri and Meghan had been by Yu-Seong¡¯s side in the comfort of his own home, but he had felt a sense of ease and relaxation wash over him.


    ''Or maybe I just really wanted to get drunk.''


    The problem was that Yu-Seong had some memory loss because of it.


    "What about Bernard Yoo and Meghan?¡± asked Yu-Seong.


    "They left early in the morning. They''re on a plane right now.¡±


    "They probably went straight to America. I wonder if Chairman Yoo of Cheon-Ji Group Yoon stayed calm...¡±


    "Meghan also mentioned that. I was worried that he might have imposed restrictions on their departure, but it seems that he simply suspended their card. I think Chairman Yoo of Cheon-Ji Group is so angry that he¡¯s throwing Bernard Yoo out to get a taste of life living on his own.¡±


    "I don''t think the older man will be able to bear it for long, considering how much he cares for Bernard," said Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Yes, it is a well-known rumor,¡± replied Yu-Ri.


    Furthermore, in the original novel, Bernard would often act against his grandfather¡¯s intentions, and ultimately, Chairman Yoo always ended up on the losing side. Yu-Seong believed this time would be no different.


    ¡°What about Kim Do-Jin?" Yu-Seong asked. The memory of Kim Do-Jin and Bernard Yoo fighting suddenly came to his mind. He then asked, "Didn''t he fight with Bernard Yoo?"


    "They did. But you truly don¡¯t remember it at all?"


    "Sorry. I truly don''t remember," said Yu-Seong.


    Jin Yu-Ri smiled mysteriously before saying, "Well then, it is a secret. You can hear it from the two yourself.¡±


    "You mean, to meet the two of them together again?" Choi Yu-Seong looked at Jin Yu-Ri with a surprised expression.


    It was understandable to include Bernard Yoo in the story, but the sudden mention of Kim Do-Jin was too unexpected. After all, Yu-Seong knew that Jin Yu-Ri held a certain level of disdain for him.


    ¡°It¡¯s because I have some newfound certainty from the previous day''s events. At least I am now convinced that Kim Do-Jin holds no ill will towards you, young master¡­ And most of all, the three of you seem to look better together than I had imagined."


    "You talking like that only makes me even more curious. What exactly happened yesterday?"


    "Hmm... Why don''t you ask Kim Do-Jin directly?" Yu-Ri said.


    "Is he still at our house?"


    "No, he left for a dungeon when Bernard Yoo was leaving.¡±


    "I guess I''m the only lazy one."


    "You must be the weakest drinker."


    "Dang..." Choi Yu-Seong chuckled and jumped up from his seat.


    The spinning sensation of being hungover made Yu-Seong feel like he couldn''t do anything if he didn¡¯t stay on the couch.


    However, he couldn''t let that happen. He had to move forward just as much as, if not more than, Kim Do-Jin and Bernard Yoo. After all, both of them were working diligently.


    Choi Yu-Seong picked up the iron rod on the wall and said to Jin Yu-Ri, "Ahh, the smell of alcohol is still strong in my mouth. I''m going to exercise and freshen up, so tell Jenny to give me a call and come over. I have something to ask her. Also, I''ll be leaving for somewhere quite far in the afternoon."


    "Where are you going?" asked Yu-Ri.


    "Goseong in Gangwon-do."


    "Ah¡­ You are finally going to meet him." Jin Yu-Ri''s eyes sparkled.


    As she was the one who had investigated, Yu-Ri knew very well just who was in Goseong, Gangwon-do.


    "Since I shouldn¡¯t leave too late. I¡¯ll leave it to you, Yu-Ri."


    It was time for Choi Yu-Seong to meet his last colleague, Yoo Jin-Hyuk.


    ***


    After sweating out in morning training and getting rid of all the alcohol in his body, Choi Yu-Seong took a shower and dressed neatly before leaving his house.


    "Oh, boss! Hello!" A cute girl with a plump appearance and bright eyes greeted Choi Yu-Seong by bowing her head.


    At first, Choi Yu-Seong couldn''t recognize the girl for a moment. He finally realized who she was a moment later. "Oh... Chae Ye-Ryeong? You changed your hair."


    Every day, Ye-Ryeong would walk around with her bangs covering more than half of her face. Only when she flipped her long bangs to the side would her childish-looking face be revealed. With slightly squinted eyes, a round face, small dimples, and a delicate body, it was hard to believe that she was the "The Sorceress of the Flood" who had sent many to their deaths in her original story.


    ¡®She still has baby fat on her face. She is certainly still a child. Haha¡­¡¯


    Even though Choi Yu-Seong and Ye-Ryeong were only a year apart, because of Yu-Seong¡¯s memories of his past life, he felt that Ye-Ryeong was way younger. Choi Yu-Seong smiled like an old uncle.


    "Well, it¡¯s quite cumbersome when hunting, and I don¡¯t feel the need to cover it, so... What do you think? Is it strange?¡± asked Ye-Ryeong.


    "Not at all. You look good. By the way, what''s going on? I thought you were focusing on hunting for your promotion examination?"


    "Oh, that''s why I came to see you." Ye-Ryeong laughed and made a peace sign. "I am D-rank, sir."


    "...What?"


    "I got promoted yesterday! So, I cut my hair to celebrate my achievement," Ye-Ryeong said.


    That was fast. He had expected it, but Yu-Seong was still surprised by Ye-Ryeong''s rapid growth.


    ¡®Maybe it''s because it''s not my own progress. It feels even faster.¡¯


    Before Yu-Seong knew it, the cold weather was getting warmer and spring was approaching. If he thought about it, Ye-Ryeong''s rate of growth was enough for her to have been promoted. However, something still felt quite strange for Yu-Seong.


    Anyways, apart from that, Yu-Seong felt good about the news. A natural smile soon appeared on his face.


    Jin Yu-Ri, who also looked surprised, was the first to speak. "Congratulations, Ye-Ryeong. You''re growing really fast."


    "Thank you, unni. I still can¡¯t believe it yet...but everyone says it''s a big thing. I even got my new D-rank certification. Hehe."


    "That''s good news."


    "Yeah! So now I can go to the same dungeon as the boss.¡±


    "Hmm... That''s also good news. But I regret to inform you that I have to go somewhere else today," said Yu-Seong.


    "Oh, if you''re busy, then it can''t be helped. I''ll just do some personal hunting then. Anyway, since the boss is on a higher level than me, I''ll try my best to catch up." Ye-Ryeong clenched her fists and looked determined.


    Yu-Seong watched the girl and smiled. Then, he looked at her as if something had suddenly occurred to him. He asked, "Or how about you consider today a day off and come with us?"


    "A day off?"


    "We''re planning to go to Goseong in Gangwon-do. It''s right next to Sokcho, so we can see the beach too. It''ll be nice."


    "If the boss says so, then I''ll do that," said Ye-Ryeong.


    "No, I''m not forcing you... " said Yu-Seong as he scratched his head.


    "I''m just joking. I was excited about taking the day off. I also want to see the sea! But can I really follow along?" With her tongue sticking out, Ye-Ryeong grinned and looked back and forth between Choi Yu-Seong and Jin Yu-Ri.


    "Of course," replied Yu-Seong.


    "If Yu-Seong oppa is okay with it, then I''m good with it too," said Yu-Ri.


    And so, the three of them became a group and got into the car.


    ***


    Since Yu-Seong had requested to visit Jin Do-Yoon at the hospital first, Jin Yu-Ri''s car did not head directly towards Gangwon-do, Goseong. Despite losing one foot, Do-Yoon was undergoing consistent rehabilitation treatment and was expected to be able to be discharged soon.


    There would be inconveniences such as using a wheelchair and living with crutches, but if there was no need to stay in the hospital, it was better for Do-Yoon to be discharged. Choi Yu-Seong eagerly awaited the day Jin Do-Yoon would return home as he left the hospital.


    Only after the hospital visit did the car head toward Goseong. As it would take about three hours from Seoul, it was not a short journey. During that time, Choi Yu-Seong sat in the back seat and checked his social media and NewTube channel. When a popular video appeared on his feed, his attention was soon drawn to it.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    - Promising D-rank tanker, Park Hyuk-Jin, leads the charge in challenging the Goblin Fortress dungeon racing as a tanker.


    In fact, since records were important in dungeon racing, it was not something that a tanker, who mainly focused on defensive abilities, would often challenge. As Choi Yu-Seong had experienced, even the Goblin Fortress dungeon was a dungeon with many challenges.


    ¡®Even if he is D-rank, it won''t be easy as a tanker¡­¡¯


    Since Park Hyuk-Jin was described as a promising player, he was a pretty well-known player. Based on the fact that he had made this difficult decision, it was an event that would raise his reputation. It was not just a simple challenge announcement that made the video popular.


    ¡®Anyway, Park Hyuk-Jin...looks familiar. I wonder who he is.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong scratched his cheek and opened the notepad to check the contents of the original novel. He had a thought that Hyuk-Jin might be an important character. He checked to see if there was anyone with the same name, but soon turned off his phone when he found no matching name.


    The brief encounter during his E-rank days, when he had first entered the dungeon, had made a small impression on Choi Yu-Seong. However, it had been forgotten.


    Afterward, Choi Yu-Seong looked at his own system interface.


    ¡®Wow, I have over 5,000 karma points.¡¯


    Due to his great performance in the battle with Bernard Yoo, Yu-Seong had received more attention from the gods than he thought. Many of the gods'' names were related to thunder, including Odin and Thor.


    Because of this, Loki, who seemed somehow jealous, had suddenly given away 3,000 karma points. This resulted in the current huge numbers being recorded on the interface window. It was a source of satisfaction for Choi Yu-Seong to see the number, but it was time to put it to use instead of saving it all up.


    Yu-Seong thought about which skill to raise. He also thought about the fusion of Insight and Eye of the Beast, which only had one use left.


    It would take about three hours to go to Goseong, so the journey wouldn¡¯t be as long as he thought.


    ¡®It''s skill enhancement time.¡¯


    In that way, Choi Yu-Seong began the work he had been putting off for several days.

 CH 125

    Karma points were used to enhance skills. For Choi Yu-Seong, who had already raised his Wind Control skill to D-rank, there were three choices left.


    ¡®Twin Snakes Biting Their Tails, Dancing Electric Doll, and Magic Spear.¡¯


    With the karma points Yu-Seong had now, he could enhance two of these. The first priority for upgrading was obvious.


    ¡®Of course, it¡¯s going to be the Magic Spear.¡¯


    The spell may have seemed somewhat disappointing, as it only granted a short period of powering up in E-rank, but the Magic Spear was so much more than that.


    ¡®In the end, it''s a skill that combines magic and spear techniques to reach the ultimate level.¡¯


    The best thing about Magic Spear was that the user could choose their own direction of growth.


    ¡®Shall I start right away?¡¯


    This was the moment Choi Yu-Seong requested the upgrade of his Magic Spear skill on his system interface.


    - The Magic Spear skill at E-rank is upgraded to D-rank by consuming 2,500 karma points.


    Instead of a message indicating that he had risen through the ranks as a Spear Expert, Choi Yu-Seong''s system interface brightened with a golden light. Afterward, messages appeared one after another in front of Choi Yu-Seong.


    - The Magic Spear at D rank is a Special Skill and has improved to C- due to the influence of Spear Practioner D.


    - Overpower is expressed due to the Special Skill.


    - From C rank, the direction of development for Magic Spear skill can be chosen: 1. Specialization. 2. Diversity.


    Choi Yu-Seong looked at the messages and grinned.


    ¡®I''m really reaping great benefits thanks to the Spear Practioner.¡¯


    The full potential of Magic Spear could be fully realized from C-rank, which was also known as a turning point. Therefore, the skill that originally had no significant effect was forcibly elevated, presenting the user with choices.


    It was as expected, but the results unfolding before him made Choi Yu-Seong feel excited.


    ¡®Wait a minute. If this continues to progress in over-grade, wouldn''t I reach the same level as the Spear King¡­with pure spear skills?¡¯


    In the original novel, the Spear King, Bencliffe, had been inundated with offers of sponsorship from gods associated with spears. He had ultimately become one of only ten judges in the world. Such a player had disregarded the offers of countless gods who used spears and had chosen the Magic Spear of Cu Chulainn.


    ¡®Bencliffe said that as long as he had the Magic Spear, he did not fear the Demon King.¡¯


    In fact, in the latter half of the original novel, he had fought the Demon King with just one spear, using his innate talent and the Magic Spear.


    ¡®Ultimately, he couldn''t win, but.....¡¯


    He had fought the Demon King alone, inflicted a great wound that destroyed half of the Demon King''s physical body, and had managed to escape alive.


    Bencliffe had said that two things made up the essence of the Magic Spear.


    ¡®First is the talent for the spear, and second is the special skill that provides over-power only for spear-related skills.¡¯


    Coincidentally, Yu-Seong had both. Thus, simply following in Bencliffe''s footsteps, he could become a much more powerful person in a world where many strong people were fighting just with spear techniques alone.


    ¡®Bencliffe said he had chosen ¡®Diversity¡¯ in this Choice.¡¯


    As a result, Bencliffe had gained two benefits. The first was the record of countless spear techniques inherent in the Magic Spear skill. The original foundation of the Magic Spear skill was the spear technique used by Cu Chulainn, the king of Ireland. As it was mentioned earlier, the Magic Spear that had changed to a skill was created with the ultimate spear skills in mind. So, Cu Chulainn had recorded all the Spear skills that he had experienced during his lifetime in this Magic Spear skill.


    In terms of the direction of skill development, if Choi Yu-Seong chose Diversity, he would be able to store all of these techniques in his mind and could watch those techniques be played out like a video at any time. And if he had a high understanding of spear skills, through this, he could constantly reach new levels continuously.


    ¡®The second is the expression of various attributes.¡¯


    The attribute that Choi Yu-Seong could only use for a short time now would gradually become easier to use as the rank of the Magic Spear skill increased. Later on, it would eventually change into a permanent form.


    Even the number of attributes increased greatly so that various attacks could be made like magic. Bencliffe was famous for making use of this as a trick by linking and combining the attributes to make the Demon King''s gap.


    ¡®Certainly, if I think about the versatility brought about by Diversity, option 2 is the right choice.¡¯


    However, at this point, Choi Yu-Seong thought that he would choose the opposite of Diversity which was option 1¡ªSpecialization. Although it was not mentioned in the original novel, it was likely that Specialization had some kind of advantage.


    ¡®If I follow the original novel, choosing Diversity like Bencliffe would be better, but in my case, Specialization has a higher probability of being helpful.¡¯


    Therefore, there was no hesitation in Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s choice.


    - The choice made by player Choi Yu-Seong leads to an upgrade in the C-rank Magic Spear skill, Specialization.


    - The Irish style Spear skill of Cu Chulainn is passed on to player Choi Yu-Seong.


    - From now on, player Choi Yu-Seong can only express one attribute through magic. Please select one. 1. Fire. 2. Water 3. Wind 4. Earth 5. Thunder 6. Wood¡­


    As the rank of Magic Spear skill rose, more options of attributes became available. In fact, even though Yu-Seong was currently only at C-rank, there were almost ten options to choose from. However, the skill that he ultimately chose had already been determined.


    ''Thunder.''


    The moment Choi Yu-Seong chose that attribute, a blue light flickered in front of his eyes. Then, the blue light turned into a doll-like figure that held onto a spear and began to wildly unleash thunderbolts as if it were going to tear the world apart. Surely, the figure¡¯s movements with the spear were not clean. It was intense and flashy, but also surprisingly practical.


    Choi Yu-Seong knew that this was the true vision of Cu Chulainn. It was the spear technique he had chosen, which was the spear god¡¯s method after experiencing countless forms.


    Choi Yu-Seong stared blankly at the doll-like figure¡¯s movements and was suddenly enveloped by a powerful light that burst out as if the world was exploding. In its place, a new, evolved Magic Spear skill appeared in front of Choi Yu-Seong''s eyes.


    ¡ºInheritance Skill, Magic Spear C-.


    Fusion is not possible.


    Cu Chulainn, the ¡®Culann¡¯s Hound,¡¯ was a hero who excelled in both Spear and magic.


    ¡´¡´The skill exceeds the limit grade due to Special Skill, Spear Practioner D.¡µ¡µ


    The basic Irish Royal Court style is merged with the user¡¯s Spear.


    The attribute ability is fixed to ¡®thunder¡¯ through Specialization selection.


    When using a spear, you can continuously consume mana to display the fixed attribute.


    A powerful ability is sealed. Please raise your rank to release the sealed ability.¡»


    The skill information window had become cleaner compared to before, but the effectiveness presented was difficult to compare to the previous one.


    Now, Choi Yu-Seong could freely use the attribute that he was most familiar with and best at handling¡ªthunder. Of course, he would have to keep in mind the mana consumption, but the fact that there was no time limit like before meant the removal of penalties.


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    Above all, Choi Yu-Seong now had a master of the spear.


    ''I wonder if that blue light is the remnants of Cu Chulainn?''


    When he tried to think about it, Choi Yu-Seong felt his fingertips tingle as he mentally saw Cu Chulainn''s spear technique like a video playing in his mind. He wanted to immediately run outside and experiment to see how well he could mimic the spear technique he saw.


    - Culann¡¯s Hound looks at the player Choi Yu-Seong with a captivated gaze.


    Choi Yu-Seong forced down the feeling of excitement that was rising within him as he read the message.


    ¡®This is only the beginning.¡¯


    Despite the fact that the original novel had shown a definite direction and answer in selecting Diversity, there was a reason why Choi Yu-Seong had chosen Specialization.


    ¡®If I can control the wind by Wind Control and the thunder through the Magic Spear to perfection¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong would be able to use the ¡®Wind Thunder Dragon God Art¡¯ that was only mentioned by name in the original novel and was impossible for anyone to learn.


    ¡®Although I can''t be sure of its power since it wasn¡¯t described in the novel.¡¯


    He clearly remembered one phrase from the description. It was the ultimate skill that could threaten even Kim Do-Jin, who had reached the EX-rank, if someone with a wicked heart were to master this.


    ¡®Let¡¯s trust this.¡¯


    This was a phrase said by someone who Kim Do-Jin, the arrogant returnee who was known as the strongest among others, would call his teacher.


    Choi Yu-Seong once believed that mastering the technique ¡®Wind Thunder Dragon God Art¡¯ was unattainable and therefore had excluded it from his personal growth guide. However, his perspective has since changed.


    ¡®If I continue in this phase, it will be possible.¡¯


    The more power Choi Yu-Seong had to protect himself, the better it was¡ªeven if that power was not used to fight. In that sense, his determination fired up again, and he looked at the skill interface.


    ¡®There is still time, and there are still karma points left.¡¯


    Now the remaining choices were the Dancing Electric Doll and the Twin Snakes Biting Their Tails. Originally, Choi Yu-Seong was deeply worried about which one to promote, but as soon as he promoted the Magic Spear skill, he was clear about his next choice.


    ¡®I have enough attack skills currently.¡¯


    Thus, his choice was Twin Snakes Biting Their Tails.


    ¡®After raising it¡­¡¯


    He was planning to combine the final Insight and the Eye of the Beast. Since these two skills did not have a separate choice for him to make like the Magic Spear skill, Yu-Seong did not hesitate to simultaneously cast fusion and promotion. Then, he closed his eyes tightly and prayed inside his heart without checking the expected results.


    ¡®Not worried about the promotion, but for fusion since I am giving up Insight. I really need a good one. Please give me something good... something really good!¡¯


    Fusion often brought good results when used strategically, but this time, as it was based on such a powerful skill as Insight, Yu-Seong could not help but feel tense. That was why he had waited a long time for a skill that could be combined with Insight.


    "...right, really?"


    "Yes. His concentration is also good, so..."


    The soft music and conversation between Jin Yu-Ri and Chae Ye-Ryeong had not been heard until now since Choi Yu-Seong was focusing on skill promotion. Yu-Seong, who had been praying with both hands tightly clasped near his heart, slowly opened his eyes after a short sigh.


    ¡®Is it up? Is it?¡¯


    At first, Choi Yu-Seong raised one eye heavily and looked at the blurry view between them. Then, he looked at the message that was not easily readable. He once again tried to calm down and opened both eyes wide.


    ¡°...¡± After checking the results, Choi Yu-Seong let out a stifled sound. With one hand covering half of his face, he fell into a short silence.


    "Hm?"


    "Boss? Are you crying?"


    The two girls sitting in front looked at Choi Yu-Seong with a flustered look and asked. They did find the sound a bit too strange to be crying.


    "Kuek-kuek... Kuek-kuek... "


    "Yu-Seong oppa?"


    "Is this...crying?" Choi Yu-Seong showed a big smile as he uncovered his face once again. With a slightly flushed expression, he said, "Guys, life is way too sweet. Sweeter than chocolate. Cough cough.¡±


    After that, Choi Yu-Seong turned away from the girls¡¯ slightly bewildered looks, pulled out his cell phone, and began searching.


    ''Goseong 3rd rank dungeon in Gangwon-do.''


    He was itching for action. It felt as if he could no longer hold himself back.

 CH 126

    The only rank 3 dungeon located near Goseong, Gangwon-do, was ¡®The Mountain Ridge of the Green Sheep¡¯. Its name made it sound like a rather peaceful place, but in reality, the Mountain Ridge of the Green Sheep wasn¡¯t a dungeon to be looked down upon.


    ¡®A party of minimum five adventurers with an average rank of D and level 50 is recommended¡¯.


    Sheep generally had gentle appearances, but their true nature was a violent one, so it wasn¡¯t particularly difficult to predict how ferocious they became once they turned into monsters.


    Moreover, these green sheep were easily twice as large as regular sheep, and they even possessed sharp horns. It was only natural for the dungeon to be difficult since one had to fend off such ferocious creatures, all the while climbing the ridge.


    However, proceeding through the dungeon was a breeze for Choi Yu-Seong, even though he was accompanied only by Chae Ye-Ryeong. They hunted the green sheep without any difficulties, and there was a rather simple explanation for it.


    The most troublesome and ferocious aspects of the green sheep were their brashness, mobility, and tenacity. However, the green sheep were rather dull in their movements when they descended the slanted ridge. They weren¡¯t slow, but considering that they were charging downhill, they weren¡¯t fast either. If a comparison had to be made, it could be compared to a disciplined cyclist cycling while warming up for a competition.


    ¡®I can¡¯t say for sure, but it must be close to about 30 kilometers per hour.¡¯


    The sheep were clearly fast by human standards, but slow considering that they were speedy monsters specialized in traversing rugged terrain. Originally, the monsters would have been as fast as speeding cars, but the reason for their sluggishness was simple.


    ¡ºInheritance Skill ¨C Twin Snakes Biting Their Tails D.


    Fusion impossible.


    The oldest hunter, Scathi, has never lost their target. Summon a translucent form of twin snakes that are not easily visible to the naked eye and track your opponents. Recall the name and appearance of your opponents as accurately as possible in your mind.


    *New D-rank perk ¨C those being tracked by the twin tail-biting snakes will be slowed dramatically.


    Unlock new perks by increasing the rank.


    The snakes cannot pass through walls or obstacles.


    The snakes will automatically disappear if the distance to the opponents exceeds a radius of 2 kilometers.


    Cooldown ¨C two minutes. ¡»


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    Choi Yu-Seong had promoted Twin Snakes Biting Their Tails to D-rank, which granted an additional effect of slowing down the opponents it tracked. He had targeted the green sheep with the twin snakes; that was why the vicious monsters that should have been charging at nearly 200 kilometers per hour were so slow compared to their usual selves.


    ¡®The only disappointing thing is that there¡¯s a cooldown of two minutes.¡¯


    Even so, two minutes was better than three minutes, the previous waiting time. No matter how many times Yu-Seong thought about it, the added effect of limiting his opponents¡¯ movements was simply too powerful.


    If he utilized the twin snake to slow the movements of a hunter of similar rank and level to himself, his opponent would be forced to show a gap in their defense. Choi Yu-Seong could easily take advantage of that to overpower the enemy at once.


    In fact, the green sheep failed to even come close to Ye-Ryeong, who continued to bombard the monsters with water from her hands. The monsters continued to fall one after another with gaping wounds in their bodies.


    ¡°Yes, level up!¡± Chae Ye-Ryeong shouted excitedly while being enveloped by a silver light once again.


    About one hour had passed since the two of them first entered the Mountain Ridge of the Green Sheep and in that time, Ye-Ryeong had leveled up three times. Her elation at her unbelievable rate of progress wasn¡¯t strange at all.


    ¡®Come to think of it, Chae Ye-Ryeong said she has Titanic Growth.¡¯


    Titanic Growth was the greatest skill that Nioh, the pride of Japan, possessed. However, Chae Ye-Reyong had started off with Titanic Growth at E-rank. In addition, Choi Yu-Seong was providing her with an experience boost potion. It was only natural for her to be growing stronger at such an explosive pace.


    Yu-Seong was somewhat envious, but he felt reassured that he had such a reliable comrade. In fact, Ye-Ryeong was the reason why Choi Yu-Seong could leisurely walk up the ridge with his hands behind his back.


    ¡®Even if I didn¡¯t use the twin snakes, she would have blown up the monsters before they could even reach me.¡¯


    There was nothing for Yu-Seong to do. At first, he rather felt useless, but not anymore.


    ¡®It would be better to test how much I¡¯ve grown against an elite monster.¡¯


    Even though the twin snakes proved to be tremendously useful, it was nothing in comparison to the new skill Yu-Seong had obtained from Fusion.


    ¡®Come on out, elite monster.¡¯


    About five minutes had passed since Choi Yu-Seong started hoping for an encounter with an elite monster to experiment with.


    ¡°Ah, boss. That monster¡­¡± Ye-Ryeong called out.


    It was definitely a green sheep, but it was about 1.3 times bigger than the others. Moreover, its twin horns were thicker and taller than those belonging to its peers. Even its eyes looked sharper than the other green sheep. It was obvious even at a glance that this was an elite monster.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this one,¡± Choi Yu-Seong replied while taking out his spear. Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice took on its coat form as his eyes glimmered with light. He ran forward before Chae Ye-Ryeong could say anything.


    Three regular monsters and the elite monster cried out when they spotted Yu-Seong. He did not contemplate for long at all.


    ¡®First, I¡¯ll undo the snakes.¡¯


    He then had both snakes target the elite monster since it would prove to be the most burdensome opponent. Choi Yu-Seong briefly looked away after confirming the slowing of the monster¡¯s movement. Then, he activated the skill he had gained from combining Insight and Eye of the Beast ¡ª his lucky break.


    ¡ºSpecial Skill, Third Eye D.


    Fusion impossible.


    See the opponent using the Third Eye and display their information data as messages.


    You can only see the data of opponents on the same rank or lower rank than yourself.


    It can be blocked by the opponent¡¯s mental barrier skills.


    Predict the opponent¡¯s movements with the Third Eye.


    A mental barrier capable of defending against attacks up to C rank will automatically be applied.


    You can use psychokinesis through the Third Eye.


    Maximum force available to be used against D-rank objects ¨C 10 kilograms.


    There is a cooldown ¨C 30 seconds.


    ¡ù Special : The Third Eye skill is only applied and activated through the use of special energy, ¡®Chakra¡¯.


    If the Chakra user develops Azna Chakra, they can unlock their transcendental capabilities! ¡»


    On his way to Goseong, Yu-Seong could not help but be truly astonished when he saw the description of his new skill, Third Eye. In fact, he had burst out laughing. The skill bestowed him the abilities of Insight, as well as special abilities like psychokinesis and the automatic application of a mental barrier.


    Furthermore, there was only one penalty accompanying the incredible ability ¨C it could only be activated by Chakra rather than mana. Fortunately, Choi Yu-Seong had already replaced all of his mana with Chakra via God¡¯s Chakra. In other words, he had already met the basic conditions for activating the Third Eye.


    ¡®Moreover, I could develop it further by developing God¡¯s Chakra. It has a synergistic effect.¡¯


    It was the best thing he could have hoped for. If Yu-Seong could develop his skills as such, it was reasonable to say that the God¡¯s Chakra skill was the equivalent of, or even better than, the inner cultivation methods of the martial arts world, what was commonly known as Divine Arts.


    Flames did not appear in Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes when he activated the Third Eye; instead, a faint eye-shaped tattoo appeared on his forehead. He utilized the Third Eye to exert the maximum force he could apply with psychokinesis toward the charging monster.


    ¡®Max force. 10 kilograms.¡¯


    At first glance, it appeared to be rather lacking to be used against powerful monsters. However, with sufficient acceleration, the force behind 10 kilograms could become an outrageous.


    ¡®Just like this.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong gulped when he saw the green sheep¡¯s large head explode right in front of his eyes. It was as if the sheep had been hit by a large truck. His psychokinetic force did not travel very fast, but when faced with the green sheep¡¯s momentum, it made for an incredible result.


    ¡®This could be amazing if I practiced the applications for real battles.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong was still faced with the two remaining green sheep. He wound a thunderbolt around the tip of his spear, then let his coat flutter in the wind while triggering Stylish.


    ¡®Small fries like these aren¡¯t important.¡¯


    Yu-Seong kicked off the ground and opened his palm to activate the Dancing Electric Doll.


    The two green sheep charged toward Yu-Seong after jumping over the corpse of their kin but cried out in pain as their wool burnt to a crisp due to the powerful electric shock. It was an obvious outcome. There was no way they could withstand the attack.


    Choi Yu-Seong knew the power of his attacks better than anyone else, so he stepped over a tree located on the ridge without hesitation and quickly arrived in front of the elite monster. It was preparing to charge while huffing.


    As if desperate, the elite monster charged toward Yu-Seong.


    ¡®Slowed movements.¡¯


    Combined with the perception that Third Eye granted him, the movements of an elite monster of a rank 3 dungeon felt as if they were playing out in slow motion. Choi Yu-Seong waited until the monster was right in front of his eyes before using Wind Control to take a single step to the side. He dodged the monster¡¯s attack and used Cu Chulainn¡¯s secret spear technique.


    The essence of the newly acquired spear skill was quite clear.


    ¡®Variability and Speed.¡¯


    It was the culmination of elegance. Choi Yu-Seong attempted to replicate the first of Cu Chulainn¡¯s secret spear techniques ¨C Raging Snake.


    It was an imitation.


    ¡®I¡¯m not capable of completely replicating it right now.¡¯


    But even a mere imitation brought a display of sharp curving lines. It was as if a giant snake was gliding above the giant elite monster. As Yu-Seong retrieved his spear, blood started to gush out from the five chunks of what once was the elite green sheep.


    Choi Yu-Seong sighed while using his coat to guard himself against the splashing blood. He was satisfied in many ways. He had killed an elite monster with only one strike. It was a strike he had gained from his skills, but it was useless unless he could digest it on his own.


    ¡®I truly am getting stronger.¡¯


    He was getting stronger and stronger while surviving and facing various crises. However, he wasn¡¯t without regrets either. If Choi Yu-Seong had executed the Raging Snake as he intended, the monster would have been split into more than ten pieces rather than five.


    ¡®I lacked both speed and variability.¡¯


    It was disappointing, but he could not help it. After all, it was his first time executing it.


    ¡®Let¡¯s practice.¡¯


    And when he mastered it¡­


    ¡®It will be my second after Lance Charging.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong would gain yet another ace up his sleeve. He was getting stronger at a rapid pace, and the path to even greater strength was clearly visible. Naturally, he had no plans to put a brake on his growth.


    ¡°Uh, boss. That¡¯s¡­¡± Chae-Ryeong said with a surprised look while looking at the end of the ridge. A large black pillar had disappeared with a flash, and both of them knew what the pillar represented.


    ¡®It¡¯s time for the boss monster to regenerate.


    Any other party of two D-rank hunters would have retreated. However, the two of them were more than capable of hunting it down. Rather, it was safe to say that this was a golden opportunity for them to gain many levels. This was no time to be putting on the brakes.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go get it,¡± Yu-Seong said.


    Chae Ye-Ryeong nodded.


    Although it wasn¡¯t recorded officially, on that day, Yu-Seong and Ye-Ryeong achieved a new record of 1 hour 39 minutes for clearing the Mountain Ridge of the Green Sheep as a duo. It overwhelmingly exceeded the previous record of 2 hours and 20 minutes.

 CH 127

    Choi Yu-Seong reached the max level of D-rank after hunting the Mountain Ridge of the Green Sheep¡¯s boss monster.


    ¡®That was faster than I expected.¡¯


    But there was a simple explanation. Boss monsters were difficult to hunt in various ways and presented different types of challenges to hunters, but they gave proportionate rewards.


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    Not only did the max level give him the chance to challenge the promotion test to the next rank, but he also felt that his physical ability and mana had grown much stronger than before.


    He felt reassured and confident as he glanced at Chae Ye-Ryeong, who stood by his side.


    ¡®Without Chae Ye-Ryeong¡¯s help, I would have had a much harder time dealing with the boss, the three-headed green sheep.¡¯


    Even though there were only two of them, this was the easiest time Yu-Seong had against a boss monster, except for the time he had taken the Lightning Burst.[1] So what if a third person, Yoo Jin-Hyuk, joined their group?


    ¡®¡­We could form a three-man attack squad.¡¯


    Originally, an attack party at this point in time referred to a large group that was capable of hunting a raid boss monster. However, Choi Yu-Seong had a different outlook regarding the term. He wanted something more future-oriented.


    ¡®The numbers don¡¯t matter. Rather, we should prioritize the quality.¡¯


    Of course, it was necessary to allow Chae Ye-Ryeong to grow as fast as possible in order to do so, and fortunately, her pace of growth was very satisfying.


    ¡°Are you at level thirty now?¡± Yu-Seong asked.


    ¡°Yes. At this rate, I should be able to reach max level within the month,¡± Ye-Ryeong replied.


    Choi Yu-Seong closed his eyes and fell into thought.


    ¡®Since it¡¯s mid-April right now¡­¡¯


    It was already spring, so Chae Ye-Ryeong could probably achieve C rank before the passage into summer. Choi Yu-Seong was quite knowledgeable when it came to such a trend.


    ¡®She¡¯s gained momentum.¡¯


    There was a saying ¨C man proposes, but gods dispose. Even if a man diligently performed his duties, what he reaped was the will of heaven. Until now, Choi Yu-Seong had faced numerous challenges and difficulties regardless of how hard he tried, but there was a good chance that things would be different from now on.


    ¡®It¡¯s hard to regain momentum once it¡¯s been lost, but¡­¡¯


    On the other hand, once you started riding and climbing, it would push you forward like a tailwind.


    Choi Yu-Seong had been contemplating. In the original novel, Choi Yu-Seong had performed the role assigned to him ¨C a proper rascal ¨C without any problems or difficulties until his death, so why was his life so difficult now?


    The answer was yet another simple one.


    ¡®I¡¯ve been running into one problem after another because I¡¯ve continued to defy Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s death, which was destined to happen.¡¯


    Such was destiny. Even if one tried to escape, fate would never loosen its grip on their ankle. It would hold on for dear life.


    But the momentum Yu-Seong felt now was clearly something new.


    ¡®Fate may still be holding onto my ankle, but¡­¡¯


    Everything was set in place for him to begin his journey upward.


    Just in time, Choi Yu-Seong arrived in front of Yoo Jin-Hyuk¡¯s house. This was the last card he needed to set the foundation for his climb. He looked at the rather old building, a five-story apartment complex with no lift.


    ¡®On the top floor¡­¡¯


    18-year-old Yoo Jin-Hyuk, who had feigned even his own death, was living there.


    ***


    The apartment was quite small, just a 10-pyeong space[ref]About 35 square feet] which consisted of only a bedroom and living room. In it was a young man curled up on a computer chair, messing around with a mouse and keyboard while staring at his monitor. Inside the monitor, a character was moving under his command and it swept the battlefield to eventually occupy the enemy base and take the victory.


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk was always at the center of the victorious battles, and his teammates always praised his plays. It was to the point where he was referred to as a monster by some of the opposing players. But from Yoo Jin-Hyuk¡¯s point of view, it was a rather curious phenomenon. Most of his strategies and plays had been made without much consideration.


    ¡®Is this supposed to be difficult?¡¯


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk had been left without anything to do after his parents¡¯ death and began to play as a hobby. He didn¡¯t know what others thought of it, but he didn¡¯t want to die, so he played games to quiet his mind.


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk dismissed the notification on his screen, which screamed ¡°Promoted to Challenger!¡±. His monitor was constantly being bombarded with messages. There was a flood of friend requests from coaches, managers, and players of professional teams. He stared at the messages indifferently before closing the game. It wasn¡¯t that he hated attention from others, but he found it scary.


    ¡®They don¡¯t know me.¡¯


    After leaving behind the monitor, Yoo Jin-Hyuk rolled onto the narrow bed before stretching out his hand toward the ceiling. A red hexagram appeared, and something started to push its head through it when¡­


    Ding-dong-!


    Someone rang the doorbell. Yoo Jin-Hyuk hesitated for a moment, then disregarded it. It was probably a delivery for daily necessities anyways. Thanks to the insurance money from the death of his parents and brother, he was able to live isolated from everyone else, but that didn¡¯t mean he wanted to die. As such, he purchased various goods for daily living off the internet, so he has learned to ignore such small disturbances.


    Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Ding-dong-!


    However, the intruder appeared to be quite obsessive this time around. They continued ringing the doorbell, then proceeded to knock on the door as if they were impatient.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk felt quite annoyed by the loud disturbance. He turned his gaze towards the front door.


    ¡®Who is it?¡¯


    His curiosity was quickly satisfied.


    ¡°Yoo Jin-Hwan! I know you¡¯re in there. Open the door!¡± The intruder called out.


    The intruder was calling out his alias, the name of his dead brother, to be exact. Yoo Jin-Hyuk felt slightly curious about the intruder, so he slowly rose from his bed and approached the door with staggering steps. He peeked through the small peephole and confirmed the intruder¡¯s identity.


    ¡®Who is this?¡¯


    The unfamiliar face felt strangely familiar for some reason¡­ Yoo Jin-Hyuk quickly realized why.


    ¡°It¡¯s your uncle. Open the door.¡±


    The intruder was a man who resembled his dead father.


    ***


    After much consideration, Yoo Jin-Hyuk carefully pushed the door handle, which was shaped like a long horizontal stick. Although it only gave way for a small slit, the sunlight stung his pale skin for the first time in a long while.


    A moment later, the middle-aged man said, ¡°And you finally open the door. It¡¯s been a long time. You remember your uncle, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Yoo Jin-Hyuk shook his head instead of answering.


    ¡°Well, you were only five years old the last time we met, so you may not remember me. By the way, you¡­¡± A strange look glimmered in the eyes of the middle-aged man, Yoo Choong-Ryeol, as he scanned Jin-Hyuk from head to toe. With an awkward smile and an oddly sharp gaze, he commented, ¡°My, you¡¯re barely skin and bones. You must be having a difficult time going through this alone, right?¡±


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk stared at the man with an indifferent gaze while asking, ¡°¡­Why did you come?¡±


    Had he noticed that Jin-Hyuk was living a life using his brother¡¯s name? It couldn¡¯t be, since Yoo Jin-Hyuk had taken care of everything as secretly as possible. He thought he would never be found out, but he was understandably worried now that a relative was visiting him out of the blue.


    ¡°What do you mean why? I heard the news. I heard that my brother, sister-in-law, and even Jin-Hyuk have died in a dungeon break. My heart broke to think that you¡¯re suffering alone. I couldn¡¯t help it,¡± the middle-aged man answered.


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk was a cautious person, and he had lived a life while being wary of others. It was easy for him to see straight through Yoo Choong-Ryeol¡¯s lie. However, Jin-Hyuk had no intention of calling him out.


    ¡®This is dangerous.¡¯


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk was quick-witted, and he was quite capable when it came to seeing through people¡¯s true intentions. He knew well that the goodwill offered to him by Yoo Choong-Ryeol was something that could change at any moment, depending on the situation. Perhaps it was impossible for an ordinary person to harm Yoo Jin-Hyuk since he was a player, but the same might not hold true for Yoo Choong-Ryeol.


    Jin-Hyuk instantly noticed the brown sheathe hanging from Yoo Choong-Ryeol¡¯s waist. He asked, ¡°¡­Are you a hunter?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Huh¡­? Haha, I guess my brother told you. That¡¯s right. I¡¯m currently working as a hunter. Despite how I may look, I¡¯m actually a B-rank.¡± Yoo Choong-Ryeol flashed his hunter license, then lightly tapped his waist.


    He then said, ¡°Of course, I have a certificate of possession for the sword, and it¡¯s officially registered with the government. I carry it around just in case something unexpected happens. You never know when and where you might need to fight as a hunter. By the way, are you just going to keep me out here?¡±


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk opened and closed his mouth a few times before answering, ¡°¡­The house is dirty right now.¡±


    ¡°What does that matter? We¡¯re family. Let¡¯s just go in and have a good chat. I just want to know how you¡¯ve been living until now and¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Can you come back tomorrow?¡± Yoo Jin-Hyuk asked after interrupting.


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°Jin-Hwan. If there happens to be a misunderstanding¡­¡±


    Just then¡­


    ¡°Ah, excuse me. Is this Mister Yoo Jin-Hwan¡¯s place?¡± Choi Yu-Seong approached and called out to Choong-Ryeol, who was still speaking to Jin-Hyuk through the gap in the door.


    ¡°Hmm? And who might you be?¡± Yoo Choong-Ryeol asked. It was clear from his tone that he was raising his guard.


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk was rather surprised when he saw Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s face through the small opening.


    ¡®He¡¯s good-looking.¡¯


    Indeed, Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s appearance was quite stunning, enough to startle even Yoo Jin-Hyuk, who was normally indifferent. However, that was all.


    ¡°Ah, I am¡­¡±


    ¡°Both of you, please go back. I don¡¯t really want to meet with anyone today,¡± Yoo Jin-Hyuk said before Choi Yu-Seong could finish, then slammed the door.


    ¡°Jin-Hwan! Again, don¡¯t get me wrong. I only came here because I was worried about you. I will come back tomorrow. Please believe me, okay?¡±


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol shouted towards the door, then sighed before turning his gaze towards Choi Yu-Seong. His stare was cold and filled with greed. He looked completely different from just moments ago when he had been speaking to Yoo Jin-Hyuk.


    Glaring at Choi Yu-Seong with annoyance, Choong-Ryeol muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t know what rumors have brought you to this place, pretty boy, but¡­you better back off when you have the chance. That is, unless you want to waste your life.¡±


    Then, he attempted to shove Choi Yu-Seong on the shoulder. However, his eyes were filled with disbelief when Jin Yu-Ri¡¯s hand came out of nowhere and grabbed a hold of his wrist.


    ¡°You should watch what you say if you want to keep that glib tongue of yours,¡± Jin Yu-Ri said with a grin. She made her index and middle finger into the shape of scissors, then placed them together while muttering, ¡°That is¡­if you don¡¯t want it to be snipped. Hoho¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Yoo Choong-Ryeol was shocked as cold sweat dripped down his back. He had been caught completely unaware; he hadn¡¯t even noticed Yu-Ri¡¯s presence.


    When Jin Yu-Ri released him from her grip, Choong-Ryeol turned back and bolted down the stairs as if he were being chased. He didn¡¯t even dare to glance in Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s direction as he fled.


    Choi Yu-Seong stared indifferently as Choong-Ryeol ran, then said to Jin Yu-Ri, ¡°Please find out who he is and what he does. One day should be enough, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Yu-Ri answered.


    Choi Yu-Seong then stepped forward and glanced at the tightly shut door. For a moment, a sad glimmer appeared in his eyes.


    ¡®Yoo Jin-Hyuk.¡¯


    Yoo-Jin Hyuk had been known as the Demonic Beast Tamer, then the Demonic Beast King in the original novel. He had lived an extremely harsh childhood too. Even so, he had chosen to live an isolated life instead of resenting the world. How much pain and suffering had he experienced before finally transforming into a terrible disaster?


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk and Chae Ye-Ryeong were similar in some ways.


    ¡®An artificial evil created by the twisted world.¡¯


    The difference was that Choi Yu-Seong had managed to meet Chae Ye-Ryeong before she experienced her suffering. As such, it had been easy to convince and win her over. However, Yoo Jin-Hyuk had already been hurt because of his parents and brother.


    How could it be easy to persuade him in such a situation?


    ¡®It¡¯s obviously going to be difficult.¡¯


    Even so, it needed to be done. It was obvious that Yoo Jin-Hyuk¡¯s presence would greatly assist Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s plans. Moreover, Choi Yu-Seong had felt the greatest sympathy for Yoo Jin-Hyuk when he read the novel. As such, he sincerely hoped for Yoo Jin-Hyuk to avoid a tragic ending.


    1. Previously, translated as Lightning Bolt ?

 CH 128

    As if running away, Yoo Choong-Ryeol hastily left the apartment complex and then got into a sedan that was parked between the alleys. He took a moment to catch his breath.


    ¡°Those little punks. They look pretty young but don¡¯t even know to respect their elders¡­!¡± After muttering under his breath, Choong-Ryeol fell into contemplation with a frown. ¡°But I feel like I¡¯ve seen that pretty boy around somewhere¡­¡±


    He searched deep within his memories, and just as he was on the verge of remembering¡­ he was interrupted by his cell phone¡¯s loud ringing.


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol jumped, then quickly checked who the caller was. He hesitated while chewing on his bottom lip, then finally answered the phone. What greeted him was unrestrained profanity, such as a female dog and donkey, to put it nicely.


    -¡­So where are you?


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol slowly brought the phone closer to his ear. He had been holding it at a distance with a frown while receiving harsh abuse from the caller. He said carefully, ¡°I am in Goseong, Gangwon-do for a bit.¡±


    -Goseong? Why? Don¡¯t you know that there¡¯s a lot of work to be done?


    To be honest, Yoo Choong-Ryeol was desperate for money. He was a B-rank hunter, and he boasted a fairly good income thanks to his activities as a black mercenary. However, he was always struggling financially due to his extravagant spending and serious gambling addiction.


    Even so, with his capabilities, he could usually fill his pockets to his satisfaction if he took on jobs that were offered by this particular caller. However, that wasn¡¯t currently an option for him.


    ¡®The reason there¡¯s a lot of work is because no one wants to take them on.¡¯


    There was always work to be done in the mercenary industry, especially for the villains known as the black mercenaries. Even so, it was quite rare for so much work to be left untouched¡­ There was a simple explanation for the current situation.


    ¡°How could I possibly go back and work now? The Cheon-Ji Group, Comet Group, not to mention the Special Police Force are running amok and pummeling all the villains¡­¡± Yoo Choong-Ryeol retorted.


    -Hey, you little punk. We still need someone to take care of the jobs. And you owe me, don¡¯t you? Three billion won. Are you not going to pay it back? If you don¡¯t return right this second, you¡¯re going to need to pay me back by tomorrow. Otherwise, I¡¯ll find you and kill you. You know me, right? I¡¯m a man of my word.


    ¡°Ah, hyung-nim. Come on, is this all that we are? Why are you acting like that when it¡¯s just pocket change?¡±


    -Pocket change? You call three billion pocket change? You little bastard, you really need to¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back real soon. I just need to take care of something here. Don¡¯t you know me? I¡¯m Choong-Ryeol, bro. How many years have we been working together? Don¡¯t you trust me?¡±


    -Oi. I don¡¯t trust villains, and I especially don¡¯t trust debtors. As for you, Yoo Choong-Ryeol, I wouldn¡¯t even trust you to look after my pet goldfish. Get to the point. When are you going to return?


    ¡°Not today,¡± Yoo Choong-Ryeol answered as he looked back at the apartment complex.


    Strangely enough, it appeared as if the apartment complex was seeped in an unusually black shadow.


    -What about tomorrow?


    ¡°That will be difficult. I¡¯ll make sure to return within the week.¡±


    -Within the week? Hey, it¡¯s only Tuesday. Stop spewing nonsense. Come back tomorrow, no matter what.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    ¡°Ah, hyung¡­¡±


    -If I don¡¯t see you tomorrow, I''m going to send in the pursuers. Your life''s on the line here, so think before you act.


    ¡°Hyung-nim, that¡¯s too harsh¡­¡±


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol was not given a chance to finish before the call abruptly ended.


    ¡°Motherfu¡­!¡± Yoo Choong-Ryeol swore loudly in a fit of rage while throwing his phone to the passenger seat. His eyes were bloodshot.


    ¡®From the looks of it, he didn¡¯t spend much of the insurance money. He¡¯s been living quietly¡­¡¯


    In truth, Yoo Choong-Ryeol didn¡¯t know much about Yoo Jin-Hyuk¡¯s family. In fact, he hadn¡¯t been close to that family at all. However, he was familiar with Yoo Choong-Ho, his brother and Yoo Jin-Hyuk¡¯s father.


    ¡®He must have left behind a lot of money. That little punk must be hiding it somewhere. Yoo Jin-Hwan¡­¡¯


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol licked his lips, then impatiently grabbed his car handle with his shaky hands.


    Rumble-!


    The sound of thunder suddenly resonated from the sky, which appeared rather darker than usual. Yoo Choong-Ryeol let out a sigh after looking up at the sky. He muttered, ¡°Damn it. Even the weather¡¯s crappy.¡±


    Choong-Ryeol wanted to talk Yoo Jin-Hyuk out of all the hidden assets, but he didn¡¯t have much time. He was given only a single day, so he came to a decision after much thought.


    ¡°He couldn¡¯t have hidden it anywhere besides the house. And knowing my brother, the insurance money won¡¯t be small either,¡± he said before licking his lips once more. He reached for a bag located on the back seats, then took out a small bag containing white powder.


    ¡®Glocaine poison.¡¯


    The medication bag looked nothing out of ordinary, but the white powder contained inside was a lethal poison. The moment someone ingested it, their organs would melt, and they would die painfully.


    If Yoo Jin-Hyuk had acted even slightly more friendly towards him or if he had some more time, Choong-Ryeol would not have resorted to this option. However, since the teenage was clearly wary and suspicious, he couldn¡¯t see any good reason in keeping Yoo Jin-Hyuk alive any longer.


    ¡®I can¡¯t let him hide away the money while I¡¯m not here. I¡¯ll have to kill him tomorrow.¡¯


    When Yoo Choong-Ryeol came to a decision, a distant flash of lightning struck outside his sedan.


    Rumble-!


    Soon, heavy rain began to pour down in turn with a deep growl of the sky.


    ***


    Choi Yu-Seong was staying in a small place located near Yoo Jin-Hyuk¡¯s house. It was rather small and modest to be called a hotel.


    Choi Yu-Seong called Jin Yu-Ri to his room and the two continued their conversation.


    ¡°So, what you are saying is that Yoo Jin-Hwan is actually Yoo Jin-Hyuk, who is supposed to be dead, right?¡± Yu-Ri asked.


    ¡°Yeah. He probably faked his identity because of the insurance money. After all, Yoo Jin-Hyuk is still 18 years old, a minor,¡± Yu-Seong answered.


    ¡°How?¡± Yu-Ri asked.


    ¡°Yoo Choong-Ho, his father, was an expert in forging identification cards. It wouldn¡¯t have been a difficult task for him, since he learned from his father and actually took on a couple jobs as well,¡± Yu-Seong said.


    ¡°¡­Wait, so what about the deaths of the three people?¡± Yu-Ri asked with a surprised expression.


    Choi Yu-Seong shook his head with a bitter smile before answering, ¡°No, that was really an accident. You know about it too, right? The dungeon break in Gyeongju from a year ago.¡±


    ¡°It was a big deal. There were a lot of casualties. Right, I guess you couldn¡¯t really fake or manipulate something like a dungeon break,¡± Yu-Ri said.


    ¡°Yeah, more importantly, there¡¯s no way Yoo Jin-Hyuk could have hurt his family,¡± Yu-Seong said.


    ¡°Right¡­ His mother was a player. Her ability was¡­¡± Jin Yu-Ri quickly skimmed over the documents she had received from Choi Yu-Seong. She continued, ¡°D-rank hypnosis. I had forgotten because it¡¯s been some time, but now I remember. Their family¡¯s records were unusual as well. His father had a history of murder, and his brother, as a student, had been at a juvenile detention center.¡±


    ¡°But Yoo Jin-Hyuk is clean, right?¡± Yu-Seong asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just clean. It¡¯s strange, it¡¯s like¡­there¡¯s no record of him. In the first place, there¡¯s no record of him at any schools either,¡± Yu-Ri answered.


    ¡°It¡¯s because he would have rarely left the house,¡± Yu-Seong said while looking out the window with a bitter smile. The rain accompanying the thunder was getting quite dense.


    ¡°It would be safe to say that he was abused as a child,¡± Yu-Ri commented.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    To be exact, Yoo Jin-Hyuk had been abused as a child and into his teenage years. There was a reason why he was the only one treated like this in the family of four. Although his name was Yoo Jin-Hyuk and he was officially registered as Yoo Choong-Ho¡¯s son, he was actually an orphan who had been picked up from the streets.


    ¡®An abandoned child.¡¯


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk, a child no one cared about, had been picked up from the streets and made their possession. By brainwashing and training him, he had been controlled and used completely and thoroughly.


    Jin-Hyuk had also been abused. To be exact, it was the wife and Yoo Jin-Hwan, not Yoo Choong-Ho, who had wielded violence against him to relieve their stress while Yoo Choong-Ho had watched. In the first place, Yoo Choong-Ho had only decided to bring in Yoo Jin-Hyuk and raise him because he had seen the child quietly using a barrier skill in a dark alleyway.


    ¡°Yoo Jin-Hyuk was born Awakened. He could use his abilities from birth, and one of them was the barrier he erected,¡± Choi Yu-Seong explained.


    ¡°Then, the reason Yoo Choong-Ho took him in was¡­¡± Jin Yu-Ri said.


    ¡°He had hopes that the small child would bring them money,¡± Yu-Seong said.


    ¡°But why¡­?¡±


    ¡°The first thing Yoo Choong-Ho did after bringing him home was to have his wife brainwash the child using her skill. Jin-Hyuk was made to consider the three people as his family, people he had to show absolute, unconditional love toward to repay their kindness. It wouldn¡¯t have been easy since the skill rank was low, but¡­ Yoo Jin-Hyuk was a child. Soon, they succeeded in brainwashing him. However, that¡¯s when the problem arose,¡± Yu-Seong explained.


    Although Yoo Jin-Hyuk was born with abilities, he could not use them any more after being brainwashed.


    Yu-Seong continued, ¡°How angry do you think that made Yoo Choong-Ho? He went through the trouble of picking up the kid and adopting him, but the kid suddenly became unable to use his abilities. So he tossed the kid outside, but the hypnosis kept its grip on Yoo Jin-Hyuk, so¡­¡±


    ¡°He returned. Back home. For him, his family must have been more precious than anything else in the world,¡± Yu-Ri said.


    ¡°Yeah. That was always the outcome, no matter how far he was abandoned.¡±


    Like a dog abandoned by its owners, Yoo Jin-Hyuk always returned home, and Yoo Choong-Ho had chosen to take him in in the end. Then he had taught Yoo Jin-Hyuk how to forge identification cards and had made him work, sometimes letting him become a punching bag for his family to relieve their stress.


    ¡°Bastards¡­¡± Jin Yu-Ri growled angrily after hearing Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s explanation. She balled her hands into fists and her eyes reddened. ¡°I¡¯m glad they died. No, rather, that¡¯s too bad. Dogs like them should have had their limbs ripped one by one after experiencing hell¡­¡±


    Her hands even dug into the wooden table that she had been touching. She added softly, ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. It just made me so angry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m not in a good mood either,¡± Yu-Seong answered.


    Rumbleee-!


    Choi Yu-Seong looked out at the thundering scenery while recalling Yoo Jin-Hyuk¡¯s face. The hypnosis had been undone after the deaths of Yoo Choong-Ho and his wife.


    However, Jin-Hyuk had loved Yoo Choong-Ho¡¯s family for a long time and had craved their love. Although he was freed from the brainwashing, it did not mean that the remnants of his emotions had disappeared as well. Currently, Yoo Jin-Hyuk was struggling, stuck between resentment, anger, and a craving for affection.


    ¡®I don¡¯t dare to think I can cure that wound.¡¯


    However, according to the original novel, Yoo Jin-Hyuk would continue to experience countless betrayals. His resentment against the world for abandoning and hurting him would continue to grow. In the end, he would become a disaster with hatred and anger toward humans, a creature with more malice against humans than even the devil. He would become the worst disaster, the Demonic Beast King.


    ¡°Ah, the man you asked about earlier. I got the data.¡± Jin Yu-Ri checked her phone after receiving a notification, then frowned. She proceeded to read the information, ¡°He¡¯s the brother of the deceased Yoo Choong-Ho. His age is¡­¡±


    Rumble-!


    At that moment, an unusually large flash of lightning descended along with a roar causing the whole room to tremble.

 CH 129

    "Wait¡­"


    At the same time, Choi Yu-Seong remembered the content of the original novel he had recorded on his cellphone''s notepad, particularly the story about Yoo Jin-Hyuk, whom he had read quite attentively.


    ¡ºThe Demonic Beast King committed his first murder on a day when thunder was roaring, and rain was pouring down. It was when his lying uncle had come to see him.


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk indifferently watched his victim die and began to question whether taking someone¡¯s life was wrong. It had been much easier than he had thought. Eventually, evil began to sprout from such a small starting point.¡»


    The content of the original novel was rather vague, so Yu-Seong did not know the exact circumstances nor did know how Yoo Jin-Hyuk had killed his uncle, who was a B-rank hunter. However, one thing was certain¡ªsoon Yoo Jin-Hyuk would commit murder, and this would be the first step leading him deeper into the dark.


    Thus, Choi Yu-Seong no longer had time to hesitate. He jumped up from his seat and looked outside the window where the spring rain was pouring down. He asked, "Would running or riding a car be faster?¡±


    "On a day like this, it''s definitely faster to run. Are you going straight to Yoo Jin-Hyuk''s house?" asked Jin Yu-Ri.


    Yu-Ri was quick-witted as usual as she sensed the seriousness of the situation. Without any further words, she put on her coat quickly.


    "What''s the shortest time?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "10 minutes," she said.


    "I''ll leave it to you."


    When Choi Yu-Seong opened the window and stood in front of the pouring rain, Yu-Ri grabbed him and said, "Hold on tight.¡±


    "I already am¡­"


    At that moment, Yu-Ri leaped out of the window like a bird. Unfortunately, there was no romantic mood under the current circumstances. The pouring rain pelted their faces relentlessly.


    ***


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk was hunched on a narrow chair while moving his mouse about. His eyes shone.


    "Choi Yu-Seong."


    The face of the handsome man who had briefly visited him during the day had suddenly came to his mind, so Jin-Hyuk searched the internet. The man was quite a celebrity, so a lot of information came up.


    ¡ù Comet Group''s troublemaker, progressively transforming his image in a good direction.


    ¡ù Choi Yu-Seong once again breaks new records!


    ¡ù From the rascal son of a chaebol to Korea''s top Super Rookie


    ¡ù How much is Choi Yu-Seong''s NewTube revenue?


    ¡ù Choi Yu-Seong''s social network photos are a sensation!


    Reading the articles one by one out of idle curiosity, Yoo Jin-Hyuk furrowed his brows.


    ''Why did this person come to see me?''


    To be honest, Yoo Jin-Hyuk thought that Choi Yu-Seong was much more suspicious than Yoo Choong-Ryeol.


    ''Come to think of it, I did claim a considerable amount of death insurance from Comet Insurance...''


    Even if there were a problem, the insurance company employee would come instead of the son of a chaebol.


    "...I haven¡¯t a clue."


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk light licked his lips and suddenly looked outside the window where lightning flashed. He really liked rainy weather. He found the dark scenery comfortable, and the sound of rain pouring down made his ears buzz. He looked at the raindrops hitting the window with a somewhat complicated expression.


    ¡®Uncle¡­¡¯


    Although there were slight differences, Yoo Choong-Ryeol¡¯s face resembled Yoo Choong-Ho, and their body shape, body size, and the vibe were also quite similar.


    Was that the reason? Yoo Jin-Hyuk intuitively thought that Yoo Choong-Ryeol was scheming something, yet the influence of the brainwashing on his mind made him have good feelings toward Yoo Choong-Ryeol. To be more precise, it made him crave the man¡¯s love.


    ¡®Maybe he came looking for the money that father hid?¡¯


    If he gave his uncle the money, could he be loved?


    ¡®Stupid thought.¡¯


    However, he couldn¡¯t avoid the thought that it may not be a bad idea to fill the hollow feeling in his heart in such a way.


    Feeling the sudden pain that gripped his heart, Yoo Jin-Hyuk rolled around on the chair while letting out a rough breath. "Huff...huff..."


    The familiar yet harsh smell of cigarettes from under his nose brought up memories of the dead rose, reminding him of the faces of his loved ones. He remembered his mother who had laughed while covering him with a blanket and stepping on him, all the while saying she that loved him. He remembered his older brother calling his small and delicate hands adorable and then suddenly breaking his finger. And he remembered his father smoking a cigarette while watching with a viciously delighted yet indifferent expression.


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk had been told to love them. In fact, he had lived with feelings that he would do anything for them.


    "But why¡­?!"


    Bang!


    As thunder roared and shook the entire house, someone pounded on the front door.


    Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.


    "Jin-Hwan, it''s your uncle. Did something happen? Open the door, please."


    The firmly closed front door was blurry. Still groaning in pain, he slowly stood up and took a deep breath. He opened the front door with great effort, once again seeing the middle-aged man whose shoulders were slightly wet from the rain.


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol looked at Yoo Jin-Hyuk with a bright expression while holding a black plastic bag in one hand. He said, "You finally open the door. How are you, kiddo? Are you even eating properly?"


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk did nothing to stop Yoo Choong-Ryeol when he naturally entered the house as if it was his own. Instead, Jin-Hyuk moved aside and let him pass.


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol¡¯s gaze quickly scanned the surroundings. He then commented, "Nothing seems special.¡±


    "...Because I live alone," replied Jin-Hyuk.


    "The things that were in the original house... You didn¡¯t leave them behind, did you?"


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk''s eyebrows twitched at Choong-Reyol¡¯s question. He quietly closed the open front door and locked it.


    Clank.


    ¡°I brought everything I need. I just left everything else in the warehouse.¡±


    ¡°Warehouse? You have a separate warehouse?¡± asked Choong-Ryeol.


    ¡°What did you bring with you?¡± replied Jin-Hyuk with a question.


    Finally, Yoo Choong-Ryeol turned around and smiled brightly. "I assume you couldn''t eat properly living alone. I asked for a take-out from a nearby haejangguk[1]restaurant. You don¡¯t dislike it, don¡¯t you?"


    Without waiting for Jin-Hyuk¡¯s response, Yoo Choong-Ryeol started reheating the haejangguk in the kitchen. Yoo Jin-Hyuk sat in the corner of the living room, silently staring at him cooking.


    ¡®Damn punk, did he already hide the money somewhere else?¡¯


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol¡¯s eyes flickered. He had been planning to search the house after killing Yoo Jin-Hyuk with the poison hidden in the haejangguk.


    ¡®Should I try a little persuasion before feeding him the poison?¡¯


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol originally planned to wait for one more day but decided to move up his plan. The reason for this was simple.


    ¡®That sissy-looking guy I saw earlier.¡¯


    For some reason, that guy was stuck in his mind. Yoo Choong-Ryeol felt like something big would happen if he delayed the plan even a little. That was why he acted urgently and came to Jin-Hyuk at dawn. Fortunately, Yoo Jin-Hyuk did not defy him this time.


    ¡®Let''s talk slowly. He''s still young. He doesn''t know anything yet¡­ If I just coax him a little, he''ll spill everything.¡¯


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol''s eyes were filled with desire as he watched the haejangguk simmering, and the flame of the gas stove burning underneath.


    "Isn¡¯t it hard living alone? I have a house in Seoul. If you want, you can come and live there anytime. It¡¯s not something to brag about, but since I''m not married and don''t have any other family, nobody else would be there. I would be happy if you came."


    Taking advantage of the conversation, Yoo Choong-Ryeol opened a drawer, took out a few serving dishes, and slowly ladled out the hot haejangguk.


    "The house is big too. All of your stuff from the storage should fit, and there should still be room left, but I won¡¯t'' be sure until I see it for myself¡­ Where is the dining table?"


    As Choong-Ryeol asked Yoo Jin-Hyuk while slowly turning his head, Jin-Hyuk gestured towards the side of the fridge. There was a small and neatly folded dining table.


    "Even though things may be tough, it''s good to see that you''re taking care of yourself and have all the essentials you need for eating."


    "...Because I am scared of dying."


    "Did you ever think of suicide?" asked Choong-Ryeol.


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk smiled slightly at Choon-Ryeol, who pretended to be surprised. He muttered, "I was considering it¡­when I had the courage to die. I just thought about it."


    "You kiddo," said Yoo Choong-Ryeol. He spoke calmly, but at that moment, he felt his heart pounding when he saw Jun-Hyuk¡¯s gaze.


    ¡®Now that I think about it, this guy''s eyes look...similar to mine.¡¯


    To be more specific, the expression on Jun-Hyuk¡¯s face seemed to suggest that he was quite familiar with death. It was unlike his words about being scared to die.


    ¡®It seems like he killed someone before...but there''s no smell of blood.¡¯


    Choong-Ryeol awkwardly laughed and tilted his head, then brought the unfolded table with a bowl of haejangguk to Jun-Hyuk. Afterward, he looked for cutleries and asked, "Where''s the warehouse? While you eat, I''ll go and look around by myself. At the very least, I need to know the approximate size so it will be easier when we move."


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol continued speaking, assuming that Yoo Jin-Hyuk would follow him. Though his method was somewhat clumsy, Jin-Hyuk didn''t seem to have any objections and obediently received the spoon that Choong-Ryeol had handed him.


    ¡°It¡¯s not far from here. Since I¡¯ll have to take items out and use them whenever I need them¡­¡±


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol smiled brightly.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure there''s money in the warehouse.¡¯


    He felt a slight tinge of nervousness. However, he didn''t show it on his face. Instead, he slowly looked at Yoo Jin-Hyuk, who was stirring the soup with his spoon. He asked in a friendly manner, "That''s fortunate. I¡¯ll be back soon. So, where was it located...?"


    "Want to know?" Yoo Jin-Hyuk raised his head and smiled, holding his spoon filled with soup.


    "What?"


    "I''ll tell you, but you have to eat with me."


    "Ah... I¡¯m okay. I had it before I came¡­¡±


    "Eat with me." Jin-Hyuk emphasized again, and then he pushed the spoon toward Choong-Ryeol. He added, "I get lonely by myself."


    Choong-Ryeol looked at the soup and held his spoon with a trembling hand. He couldn''t help but feel a chill run down his spine.


    ''Did this kid notice something?''


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol wondered while trying to read Jin-Hyuk¡¯s expression. However, Jin-Hyuk had a calm look on his face, like a seasoned gambler, not showing any hint of emotion.


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    ¡®I can''t read his thoughts.¡¯


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol sighed, eventually settling into his seat. He urged, "I understand. I¡¯ll stay by your side, but I need you to eat first. After all, I brought it here for you¡­"


    "Our country has been known as the land of Eastern manners since ancient times," said Jin-Hyuk.


    "What?"


    "Father always hated it when I started eating before him. Sometimes he would get so angry that he would splash boiling water on me."


    "What does that have to do with¡­?"


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol couldn''t understand Jin-Hyuk¡¯s words. Behind him, a figure with dark red eyes slowly rose from the floor.


    1. It refers to hangover soup that relieves the stomach after drinking alcohol. ?

 CH 130

    Booom-!


    There was a loud thunderclap along with the sound of pouring rain.


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol was so busy paying attention to Yoo Jin-Hyuk who was staring at him indifferently that he didn¡¯t notice a presence behind him at all.


    "Please, go ahead. Here," said Jin-Hyuk.


    "As I said, I am quite full..." replied Choong-Ryeol. When something suddenly covered his back, he cried out in surprise, "Whoa¡­?!"


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol quickly turned around, noticing the monster that covered his body. Looking at the monster that was like a sticky liquid, he muttered, "What, what is this...? A monster?"


    A monster had suddenly appeared in the house. Even in this incomprehensible situation, Yoo Choong-Ryeol began gathering mana without any hesitation, as he had plenty of experience as a villain.


    Just then, Yoo Jin-Hyuk flipped the table and threw the haejangguk bowl toward Yoo Choong-Ryeol''s face.


    Choong-Ryeol gasped and covered his face with his arms as he knew very well that the soup had a deadly poison that would kill him in seconds once it entered his body.


    At that moment, the pile of swamp slime that had appeared around him began to engulf his entire body.


    "...?! Are you the one who is¡­?"


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol finally understood the situation and looked at Yoo Jin-Hyuk in shock.


    Jin-Hyuk moved somewhat leisurely without any emotion in his eyes. He asked, "Are you afraid to eat first? Why?"


    "Yoo Jin-Hwan¡­! Even if you are my older brother''s son, I am not going to put up with such behavior,¡± warned Yoo Choong-Ryeol furiously.


    At Jin-Hyuk¡¯s question, Choong-Ryeol started to use mana. His muscles bulged all over his body. He planned on defeating Jin-Hyuk with physical force.


    ¡®I have no idea how this brat became a player, but¡­¡¯


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol was a Physical-type B-rank hunter. He didn¡¯t know what kind of experience Jin-Hyuk had, but he didn''t remember hearing anything about Jin-Hyuk having any hunting experience. Thus, he thought that it shouldn''t be difficult for him to block whatever skill Yoo Jin-Hyuk was using.


    "...?!"


    But even though Choong-Ryeol thought that the slime sticking to his body could not be easily shaken off. Instead, the more he used his strength, the more the slime pressed down on him.


    "Give up. Those guys are leech slimes."


    "...What?"


    With a surprised expression, Yoo Choong-Ryeol suddenly looked up at Yoo Jin-Hyuk who had approached him and was slowly crouching down.


    Normally, leech slimes appeared in rank 1 or 2 dungeons, and were not considered to be threatening monsters. They had slow, easily startled by small movements, and were not strong enough to kill a human. That was why there were many hunters who didn''t know the characteristics of leech slimes.


    "How could a dungeon monster be here¡­? You, you''re not a summoner, are you? Even if you are, it''s impossible for a rank 1 monster to block my power¡­?¡±


    "Hm, you don''t seem to know much, uncle. You should probably study more." Yoo Jin-Hyuk¡¯s pale face showed a cool smile. He continued, ¡°Leech slimes cannot kill a person, but once they latch on, it is hard to shake them off. They especially love those who use their mana recklessly, like you did just now. Do you know why?¡±


    "How the hell should I know? Jin-Hyuk, stop messing around and stop this now."


    "Really. Listen to the end of the story, uncle. These little guys live by eating mana. The more they get, the more they like. Don''t you understand?"


    "Ugh..."


    In reality, Yoo Choong-Ryeol¡¯s bulging muscles were quickly shrinking.


    As he watched Yoo Choong-Ryeol slowly weaken, Jin-Hyuk picked up a rag lying on the floor with a look of disgust on his face. He picked up a cabbage leaf from the spilled haejangguk with his bare hands.


    Then, with a sly smile, Jin-Hyuk brought the food to Yoo Choong-Ryeol¡¯s face and shook it left and right. "Don''t be so scared. As I said earlier, let¡¯s eat together. Once you finish, I''ll let you go."


    "You¡­ You...!"


    "Open your mouth."


    "You are crazy, do you even know what you''re doing now?!"


    "You''re making it so difficult till the end."


    With a smirk, Jin-Hyuk forcibly twisted the jaw of Yoo Choong-Ryeol whose hands and feet were now tied. The middle-aged man¡¯s face crumpled. Seeing the fearful expression that somewhat resembled his father¡¯s, Jin-Hyuk showed a bright smile and said, "Haha, it seems like you also like to eat with me."


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    "No...stop...!" With the majority of his mana taken away by the leech slimes and his limbs bound, Choong-Ryeol could only resist by shaking his head left and right with great effort.


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk took his uncle¡¯s face in both hands and slowly pushed food that was stuck on the man¡¯s cheek to his dry lips. He said, "Please enjoy, uncle."


    A bright lightning bolt flashed in the back as Yoo Jin-Hyuk laughed brightly, shedding tears.


    Boom-!


    Along with another roar, the firmly closed front door shattered onto the floor. Choi Yu-Seong appeared and quickly overpowered Yoo Jin-Hyuk, who hadn¡¯t even flinched at the noise.


    "Let go! Let me go!" shouted Yoo Jin-Hyuk. He struggled and attacked Choi Yu-Seong who had overpowered him. His actions were quite fierce, but he still failed to shake Yu-Seong off.


    ¡®He''s quite clever and might be a future Demonic Beast King, but for now, he''s just an E-rank.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong, a D-rank max level, and Yoo Jin-Hyuk had a significant gap in their physical abilities and strength.


    At that moment, Jin Yu-Ri, who had slowly entered the house to check on the situation, saw Yoo Choong-Ryeol lying on the floor. Her eyes brightened. She said, "Yoo Choong-Ryeol."


    "Please, please help me. These leeches..."


    "Villain name, Jang-Gi."


    "You... How do you know¡­?" questioned Choong-Ryeol in surprise.


    Yu-Ri was now wringing out her wet hair. She smiled faintly as she spoke. "You have an impressive criminal record, murder, arson, rape, and so on..."


    "Oh... Damn it..."


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol¡¯s eyes widened. In fact, he wasn''t a complete idiot. It didn''t take long for him to realize that this sudden rescue-like situation was not a good situation for him.


    "What should I do with him?" Jin Yu-Ri asked Choi Yu-Seong.


    By that time, Yu-Seong had completely overpowered Yoo Jin-Hyuk who was panting on the ground. Without even a glance, he instructed, "Hand that man over to the Special Police Force."


    After surviving a dangerous situation where he was about to be killed, Yoo Choong-Ryeol had a somewhat relieved but complicated expression. However, he soon realized something and his face turned pale.


    ¡®No, if I get handed over to the police now, the guild will abandon me.¡¯


    Then, eventually, the debt collectors would come chasing after Choong-Ryeol to collect their money. He would end up dead, or even worse, be forced to endure endless suffering.


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol''s face turned pale as he shook his head.


    Just like Yoo Jin-Hyuk earlier, Jin Yu-Ri approached the middle-aged man with a sly smile. She cooed, "Hm, you''re a sharp one. Of course, I¡¯m not just going to hand you over easily."


    "No, that''s not it... Please, don¡¯t."


    "Don''t worry, I won''t kill you. Hehe... Remember what I said earlier?" Jin Yu-Ri once again made a scissors shape with her fingers, and whispered, "Snip.¡±


    In a swift move, Yu-Ri struck Choong-Ryeol''s neck, rendering him unconscious. Then, she looked at Yoo Jin-Hyuk, who was breathing heavily and crying, with a sidelong glance and took a short breath.


    ¡®As expected, Yu-Seong oppa hasn''t changed.¡¯


    Yu-Ri smiled gently as she dragged away the unconscious man.


    ***


    Only the sound of pouring rain could be heard in the dark room. Choi Yu-Seong slowly let go of the exhausted-looking Yoo Jin-Hyuk. Then, Yu-Seong sat down next to him and leaned back. A deep silence descended upon them.


    After Yoo Choong-Ryeol disappeared, Jin-Hyuk quickly regained his composure and showed no further signs of agitation. In this situation, there was nothing that Choi Yu-Seong could say.


    ''But at least I managed to prevent him from committing his first murder.''


    Yu-Seong already knew, from experience, that this life as a hunter was not easy. One day, whether intentional or not, he himself would inevitably commit murder.


    ¡®If I come across a predicament where failing to take action could ultimately lead to my own demise, I will do whatever it takes to ensure my survival.¡¯


    In fact, the earlier situation might have ended up not much different. However, Yu-Seong didn''t want to let Jin-Hyuk be swept away by dark emotions. He didn¡¯t want the teenager to commit murder without even knowing what he was doing and leaving his prey to die carelessly. That was why Choi Yu-Seong had rushed here, wildly running through the rain to successfully prevent Jin-Hyuk''s first murder at the last moment.


    Yu-Seong had been tense because it had been a rather urgent situation but the tension that had deeply seized hold of his body began to slowly dissipate as he began to relax.


    At that moment, Yoo Jin-Hyuk¡ªwho Yu-Seong thought would yell upon opening his mouth to speak¡ªspoke with a surprisingly calm voice.


    "...Why did you come?"


    "Can''t you tell by looking?" Since Yoo Jin-Hyuk dropped the formalities first, Yu-Seong replied equally casually.


    "You mean it¡¯s because you knew that I was going to kill that man?"


    Instead of going around in circles, Choi Yu-Seong activated his Third Eye skill. With some degree of audacity, he then said, "I can see a little bit of the future.¡±


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk easily nodded in understanding. "So that was why...those videos were¡­"


    "Oh, you watched my videos?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "A few of them. I was surprised at how you were moving as if you already predicted the situation," said Jin-Hyuk.


    "Well, yes, it''s roughly like that."


    "But... Even so, the fact that you came here to stop me is still hard to believe."


    "Hmm?"


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk slowly lifted his head that was hanging low. His eyes were emotionless. It seemed as if there were no expectations or desires, but a deep sadness within them.


    Meeting the teenager¡¯s gaze, Choi Yu-Seong briefly trembled.


    "This is Goseong in Gangwon-do. And you live in Seoul."


    "Oh, that..."


    "And to you, I am a stranger who has never even met you before. But you came all the way here to stop my murder? Because of some convenient justice or compassion?"


    "Yoo Jin-Hyuk."


    "As I thought, you know my name exactly."


    It seemed like a mistake, but actually, it was a deliberate statement. Choi Yu-Seong looked at Yoo Jin-Hyuk and slowly said, "Right. I feel sorry for you. One could call that convenient compassion."


    Of course, to some, it may appear as if Yu-Seong was indulging in a luxurious sense of compassion or looking down on Jin-Hyuk. However, as Choi Yu-Seong said, Yu-Seong was a reader who, more than anyone, had felt heartache over Yoo Jin-Hyuk''s story when reading the original novel.


    It was true that he didn''t know Jin-Hyuk¡¯s face.


    ¡®Because I just read the novel.¡¯


    Still, he didn''t think of Jin-Hyuk as a complete stranger.


    ¡®In fact, I really liked the novel, [Modern Master Returns].¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong sometimes cursed inwardly or had written comments of anger and frustration while reading the novel alone. But fundamentally, he enjoyed reading the [Modern Master Returns] quite a bit.


    The platform on which [Modern Master Returns] was serialized was quite difficult to read on a computer, and almost always had to be read and commented on through a mobile phone. Needless to say, it was quite difficult to write such a long criticism. For Yu-Seong, the effort itself was a demonstration of his love for the series.


    And during the time he was reading that novel, Yu-Seong had been most immersed and invested in Yoo Jin-Hyuk¡¯s origin story among all the villains. Now, Yoo Jin-Hyuk was standing in front of him in reality.


    ¡®Convenient compassion?¡¯


    Yu-Seong didn¡¯t care about the labels or how his actions could be deemed at all.


    "I am sincere."


    Yu-Seong truly did not want the boy in front of him to get caught in the same deep darkness as the original novel.

 CH 131

    When Choi Yu-Seong mentioned the word ''sincere'', it was not spoken easily. Out of all the villains, the Demonic Beast King played a big role in the original novel. Was it because Choi Yu-Seong himself was an orphan? While reading the story, Yu-Seong had also wondered several times if he could have made a different choice if he were in Yoo Jin-Hyuk¡¯s situation.


    ¡®If I were in your situation...¡¯


    It wouldn¡¯t have mattered who was in Jin-Hyuk¡¯s situation, they would all have had a difficult time. It would not be strange to curse such a cruel world to disappear.


    ¡°You¡­have no idea.¡± Yoo Jin-Hyuk raised his head and looked at Choi Yu-Seong with sharp eyes. Emotions surged in his eyes, which only showed an indifferent gaze before. His distorted face made him look like a twisted demon.


    "I can''t say I know everything, but... I understand you,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    Yu-Seong deeply empathized with what he had read about Yoo Jin-Hyuk''s feelings in the novel.


    "Bullshit. Where are you coming from with such hypocrisy?"


    Filled with anger, Yoo Jin-Hyuk rose from his seat. He then stalked into the kitchen and picked up a sharp knife. He pointed the handle of the knife toward Choi Yu-Seong. He spat, "If you''re sincere, then go ahead and die. Don''t tremble like a scaredy-cat and show me that you can do anything for me."


    "Yoo Jin-Hyuk."


    "You sympathize with me?" A cunning smile appeared on Yoo Jin-Hyuk''s face as he said, "Don''t talk nonsense. What would a spoiled rich kid who''s been eating well and living well all his life know about sympathy? And sincerity? Ha."


    Jin-Hyuk spat on Yu-Seong''s face and brought the knife close to his own fair neck. He said, "I would have died for those people. But it was all a lie.¡±


    Choi Yu-Seong, watching Yoo Jin-Hyuk cry, quickly grabbed the teenager¡¯s wrist, snatched the knife, and threw it into the air. He said, "You don''t have to prove your beliefs by making extreme choices like death.¡±


    ¡°For me, that was my only choice. So, you try to die. Didn¡¯t you say that you sincerely sympathized with me? That¡¯s what you can do for me. You can''t do it, can you?"


    "Of course, I can''t. Even if I sympathized with you, my life is not something that I would put above you, you fool," Choi Yu-Seong said coldly.


    He wanted to stop Yoo Jin-Hyuk''s pitiful life from falling into a bad place, but he had no thought of sacrificing his own life for him. Why would he throw his life away just to save someone else when all this time, he had been working harder than anyone else to survive? Choi Yu-Seong sighed deeply and furrowed his eyebrows.


    "It doesn''t seem like a good time to talk right now. I''ll come back tomorrow. Think about it until then. No matter what you think, I¡¯m not a bad person, and I won¡¯t do anything to harm you.¡±


    Already agitated by the incident with Choong-Ryeol, Yoo Jin-Hyuk gave a loud shout just as Choi Yu-Seong was about to leave.


    "Don''t go!"


    Blazing red energy began to swirl around Yoo Jin-Hyuk. The energy then formed a passageway that was larger than Jin-Hyuk himself, leading somewhere beyond.


    Choi Yu-Seong widened his eyes as he witnessed the entire process unfold in a mere instant.


    ¡®This is...a Mana Overload?¡¯


    Mana Overload was a rare phenomenon that occurred when the player experienced a drastic change in emotional state. It had two main characteristics. Firstly, as its name suggested, the target would suddenly use a massive amount of mana. Secondly, the cost was the consumption of one''s own life force, commonly known as innate energy in the martial world.


    "Don''t leave me alone," said Yoo Jin-Hyuk. With tears streaming down his face, his eyes were already out of focus. Not only had he lost his composure, but he had also lost control of himself and his rationality.


    "Oh my..."


    In a state of panic, Yu-Seong forcibly grabbed onto Jin-Hyuk¡¯s shoulders. The mana that was pouring out of the teenager pushed him back by about ten steps. When he met Jin-Hyuk¡¯s eyes with a desperate gaze, he realized that it was already too late.


    Crrrrrrrr-!


    A beast-like screech echoed as the terrifyingly sharp front legs of a creature resembling a mantis enveloped Yoo Jin-Hyuk. It was glaring at Yu-Seong.


    ''This is insane... That thing... It''s the raid boss monster, Clark, the Mantis Hunter...!''


    Clark was the rank 4 dungeon¡¯s raid boss monster. As a named monster, it was obviously the strongest among those of the same rank. In fact, its strength was evaluated to be higher than Krutak, the Orc War Chief that Choi Yu-Seong had defeated after eating the Lightning Burst.


    Of course, even if Yoo Jin-Hyuk was a natural-born talent, Clark wasn¡¯t a monster that an E-rank player could easily summon.


    ¡®It was summoned by the Mana Overload.¡¯


    In other words, in order to control that demon, Yoo Jin-Hyuk would have to continuously use his own life force.


    ¡®He can somehow handle it for a short period of time...but¡­¡¯


    As time passed, Yoo Jin-Hyuk would inevitably die. He wouldn¡¯t be able to endure this consumption of life force for long.


    Additionally, the suddenly released Mantis Hunter, Clark, would also create many victims.


    ¡®A sudden Mana Overload¡­¡¯


    This was a development that had not occurred in the original novel. The reason for this situation was obvious.


    ¡®Is it because I prevented Yoo Choong-Ryeol''s death?¡¯


    It might be that the butterfly effect had come more quickly than expected. Perhaps it was a fate predetermined by the original novel that someone must succumb to death tonight.


    "Yu-Seong oppa!" shouted Jin Yu-Ri.


    After feeling the sudden burst of immense energy, Yu-Ri had quickly overpowered Yoo Choong-Ryeol and rushed to Yu-Seong.


    At that moment, Clark flung its body and swung its sickle towards Jin Yu-Ri. It was a surprise attack, but Yu-Ri, who was an A-rank hunter, calmly made a black barrier and blocked the attack. She then created a black blade in both hands while standing beside Choi Yu-Seong.


    "I''ll handle this. Yu-Seong oppa, you..." said Yu-Ri.


    "Wait, hold on," interrupted Yu-Seong as he looked into Jin-Hyuk''s eyes.


    Jin-Hyuk¡¯s eyes were unfocused as if he had lost his rationality. In that state, he said, "Sincere? That¡¯s a joke. You''re just trying to deceive me as a wealthy individual.¡±


    Did Jin-Hyuk truly lose his senses? Or perhaps he was fully aware of the entire situation, but he was unable to control himself due to his overwhelming emotions.


    ¡®Then...¡¯


    The responsibility was on Choi Yu-Seong. He had to do this. To save Yoo Jin-Hyuk, who had been greatly disappointed by the world, Yu-Seong had no choice but to step forward and try to gain some of Jin-Hyuk¡¯s trust.


    Yu-Seong looked at Clark, which was tearing the black barrier and coming at them. He said, "I''ll do it.¡±


    "Yu-Seong oppa?"


    "I can do it."


    This was not simply a boast or a gamble with his life.


    ¡®I was going to fight with the Orc War Chief anyway.¡¯


    Clark was a raid boss monster that was considered slightly stronger than the Orc War Chief. And now, Yu-Seong believed that he was much stronger than he had been. Perhaps this situation could offer a relatively ideal outcome in the end.


    ¡®I might be able to teach that damn brat a valuable lesson.¡¯


    To stop his Mana Overload, Jin-Hyuk¡¯s unconscious mind also had to be completely turned off.


    There was just one problem.


    ¡®I have to suppress him before it''s too late.¡¯


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    The Mantis Hunter, Clark, was a relatively strong boss monster. Despite Yoo Jin-Hyuk being a naturally born Awakened player, and even if he had exhausted his powers through a Mana Overload, it was still impossible for him, as an E-rank hunter, to summon a powerful creature such as Clark.


    ''As expected... Yoo Jin-Hyeok''s talent is truly immense.''


    If he came to realize his own worth through this incident, could Yoo Jin-Hyuk learn to live on self-love rather than love from others?


    Yu-Seong contemplated only for a moment.


    ''Activate the Third Eye.''


    Yu-Seong activated the Third Eye skill that he had temporarily deactivated, turned Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice into a spear, and ran forward. He swung his spear as he met the sharp front legs of the approaching Clark.


    Without any hesitation, the spear''s sharp edge broke and shattered everything in its trajectory. The surroundings became a sea of debris.


    Yu-Seong read every move with his Third Eye at an extremely fast pace, not missing a single thing. However, there was a problem. He found that it was getting harder to keep up with Clark¡¯s movement.


    ''This monster...is getting even faster?''


    Clark¡¯s energy source was the dark red energy that was flowing from Yoo Jin-Hyuk''s body. Since Choi Yu-Seong''s abilities were much better than Jin-Hyuk had expected, the teenager must have begun to pull and use more of his life force.


    ''Are you serious?''


    Yu-Seong sighed inwardly, but he couldn''t keep his eyes closed for long.


    ''I don¡¯t have the battlesuit. I''ll be defeated upon getting hit.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had to overpower Clark without any major injuries.


    ''I''m definitely being pushed back in this state.''


    However, an opportunity soon came about. Amidst the exchange of attacks, Choi Yu-Seong unleashed the Raging Snake skill of Cu Chulainn. Clark''s front legs swept through the air at that sudden attack, and Yu-Seong didn''t miss the opportunity. He quickly activated another skill.


    ''Twin Snakes Biting Their Tails. Target: Clark.''


    Upon seeing the two twin snakes chasing after it, Clark widened its eyes. It swung its front claws once again. Thanks to that, Yu-Seong was able to pierce through its shoulder with his spear. However, Clark was successful in cutting the twin snakes. Clark rolled its big eyes and roared.


    Screeeech-!


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±


    When Choi Yu-Seong covered his ear in surprise, Clark stood up and spread its large wings.


    ''What the...?''


    Then, Clark broke through the ceiling and flew into the sky.


    Thuu-uuu-uud-!


    Choi Yu-Seong stepped back to avoid the collapsing ceiling and looked up. He made eye contact with Clark, which was flying in the rainy sky. Clark''s protruding mouth seemed to show a smile.


    Since Clark possessed a large body and wings, a long battle in the narrow room would be disadvantageous for it. Breaking through the ceiling was a wise decision on its part.


    ''Look at that one...''


    Choi Yu-Seong was surprised, but soon had a bitter smile on his face.


    ¡®So you want a piece of me.¡¯


    In fact, the cramped space inside the house was a source of discomfort for Choi Yu-Seong as well.


    ¡®I couldn¡¯t do any big attacks, because I was worried that the damage would spread to other houses and people might get hurt.¡¯


    In the pouring rain, Yu-Seong jumped up to the rooftop and looked up at Clark wandering through the sky. Then, he gripped his spear tightly. Perhaps it was due to the power of the Third Eye, but he could clearly read Clark¡¯s intention.


    Clark was seeking an opportunity to strike. Once tension reached its peak, and Yu-Seong¡¯s concentration was compromised, it wanted to swiftly sever Yu-Seong¡¯s neck and kill him.


    Having read Clark¡¯s intention, Yu-Seong kept his distance from the monster.


    As expected, Clark did not let Yu-Seong out of its sight and made a sharp sound as it tore through the air. With a strong swipe of its sharp front legs, it cut Yu-Seong in half. Deep emotions rose in Clark¡¯s eyes as it experienced a sense of victory.


    Yu-Seong retreated while utilizing the remaining Wind Control skill, which had created the hazy illusion of being split in half by Clark. He then met Clark''s gaze and smiled, having finally revealed that it was an illusion.


    ¡®Why would I risk my life in a battle like this?¡¯


    No matter how he thought about it, Yu-Seong found it foolish to take on the boss monster''s strike with his bare body in mid-air. Thus, he had set a trap and had caught Clark.


    He had taken the wide rooftop, the bright outdoors, and the proper distance all into consideration. After all, just as Clark was feeling suffocated in the narrow house, Yu-Seong himself was also not pleased with the previous situation.


    ¡®I was actually waiting for this moment.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong could see Clark trying to escape while desperately flying back into the sky. However, it was already too late for it to run away.


    ¡®Lance Charging.¡¯


    Choi Yu-Seong''s finishing move ripped through the dark night and became a beam of light.

 CH 132

    After leaving a long trail like a falling comet, the ray of light that shone through the pouring rain and the dark night sky finally completely disappeared.


    Choi Yu-Seong felt that the big incident had come to an end, and Jin Yu-Ri let out a deep sigh of relief with him.


    At that moment, Yoo Jin-Hyuk¡¯s eyes regained their initial light. He also looked at the trail of light in the sky and muttered in admiration, ¡°Oh..."


    Jumping back down to the apartment through the hole in the ceiling, Yu-Seong stood right in front of Yoo Jin-Hyuk. He asked, ¡°Have you regained your senses?¡±


    "..." Yoo Jin-Hyuk looked at Yu-Seong in surprise.


    Jin-Hyuk hadn¡¯t been fully conscious, but he also recognized that the situation had been urgent and dangerous. If it weren''t for Choi Yu-Seong''s assistance, Jin-Hyuk would have likely met a tragic end, whether by committing murder or losing his own life. He had believed that as long as he didn¡¯t have any significant regrets, he wouldn¡¯t care whichever end would claim him.


    However, when the critical situation was finally over, and when he thought of the tragic end he could have had, Jin-Hyuk began to shake uncontrollably. He couldn''t withstand the short trembling and collapsed on the spot.


    "Ah..." Yoo Jin-Hyuk let out a sigh and struggled to look up at Choi Yu-Seong. His gaze was blurry.


    "You¡¯re going to feel weak for a while since you used up your mana completely and even tapped on your life force. Actually, it¡¯s strange that you regained consciousness so quickly.¡±


    "Ah... That..."


    Jin-Hyuk''s mind was like a blank sheet of paper, completely empty. However, he had things that he wanted to say. He just couldn¡¯t think of a way to express them right now.


    "I know. You fool," said Choi Yu-Seong as he changed the Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice into a warm blanket and covered the trembling Yoo Jin-Hyuk with it. He added, "How could I leave you alone? You¡¯re about to collapse. Don''t worry and rest. I won''t leave you alone, ever.¡±


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk looked at Yu-Seong with wide eyes.


    "I told you. Even if you can''t see it, I sincerely care for you," said Yu-Seong with a bright smile. He began stroking Jin-Hyuk''s wet hair with a warm hand. Then, he added, "And remember, who cares if the foundation of goodness is only sympathy? All good intentions start from sympathy, you kid."


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk began to make a face like an abandoned pet on the streets. He started to whimper. "Ahh..."


    His tears flowed alongside the rain falling on his face. Then, unable to maintain consciousness any longer, he collapsed with his eyes closed.


    Naturally, Choi Yu-Seong held Jin-Hyuk in his arms and slowly stood up from his seat.


    ¡®What boy is this light.¡¯


    Inwardly clicking his tongue, Yu-Seong smiled when he saw Jin Yu-Ri. He said, "Apologies, but would you mind fetching the car? He¡¯s a patient, after all, so I can¡¯t carry him through this rain."


    "Yes," replied Yu-Ri with a nod. She turned towards the window and threw her body out.


    ***


    Just as Jin Yu-Ri brought the car through the pouring rain, the rain gradually lightened up. Looking at the sudden change in weather, Yu-Seong felt rather annoyed that he had asked Yu-Ri to put in pointless effort.


    Then, Yu-Seong suddenly remembered and asked Jin Yu-Ri, "What about Yoo Choong-Ryeol?"


    "Oh, that bastard. I tied him up in the hallway earlier. I utilized my skills so he shouldn¡¯t have escaped." Yu-Ri laughed while tightly grasping the black rope made by her Shapeshift skill. Then, she flew into the sky again.


    However, when Jin Yu-Ri returned, her expression was not good. She also came back empty-handed.


    "He didn''t run away, did he?" Yu-Seong asked in surprise.


    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t escape.¡± Yu-Ri shook her head and shrugged. She frowned to express her frustration. "But when I went to find him, he was already dead.¡±


    "What?"


    "He died from shock and excessive bleeding under his tongue. It¡¯s suicide," Yu-Ri said.


    "...But why?" asked Yu-Seong.


    Yoo Choong-Ryeol thought that being dragged to prison with unpaid debts was a far more bitter fate than death. The guild''s chasers being sent to collect his debt would strip him of everything he had, so perhaps it was better for him to die now.


    The two had no idea about Yoo Choong-Ryeol¡¯s entire situation, so they found the middle-aged man¡¯s suicide rather shocking.


    Meanwhile, from Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s point of view, another thought came to mind.


    ''Is this ultimately his fate to die...?''


    If Yoo Choong-Ryeol had followed the original plot of the novel, he should have been killed by Yoo Jin-Hyuk today. But thanks to Yu-Seong¡¯s involvement in the incident, his life was saved.


    And as a result, Yoo Jin-Hyuk caused a Mana Overload and summoned a raid monster, which was eventually defeated by Choi Yu-Seong.


    What if Yoo Choong-Ryeol''s death had led to a return to the original plot? After all, a single change in fate could cause all other variables to deviate.


    ''...Doesn¡¯t that mean that I am in danger too?''


    Choi Yu-Seong had this sudden thought.


    He had improved his relationship with Kim Do-Jin to a certain extent, and it seemed that it would take a while for Do-Jin to approach Choi Woo-Jae. However, Kim Do-Jin would inevitably try to kill Choi Woo-Jae in some way. This would not change no matter how the plot changed.


    ''Because Kim Do-Jin is now obsessed with revenge.''


    Choi Woo-Jae might ultimately face the death that had been predetermined for him. Following his death would be, as planned, Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s.


    ''A predetermined death...''


    Choi Yu-Seong got into his car and suddenly checked the date on his phone.


    ''April 9, 2030.''


    The original novel had stated that Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s death was scheduled for around 2032.


    For a moment, a cold feeling gripped Yu-Seong¡¯s chest. However, he knew that he should not be swayed by it.


    ''I''m doing well enough.''


    He was walking a completely different path from the original Choi Yu-Seong, so he had to trust himself.


    ''I''m doing great.''


    And he just needed to keep doing well in the future.


    Yu-Seong calmed himself down and slowly closed his eyes. He also needed to get some rest.


    ***


    When he returned to his lodging, Yu-Seong walked into his room in a daze and immediately lay down on the bed. He also remembered to request Jin Yu-Ri to take care of Yoo Jin-Hyuk''s room separately.


    As asked, Jin Yu-Ri found Jin-Hyuk a room and put him to bed. When she walked out of the room, she saw that Chae Ye-Ryeong had been waiting for her by the door. She asked with a smile, "Why aren¡¯t you sleeping?"


    "I heard you two suddenly going out."


    A quick look at bit.ly/3iBfjkV will leave you more fulfilled.


    "Don''t worry about it. I''m quite strong, unlike my appearance," said Yu-Ri. She raised her thin arm and revealed the muscles hidden beneath her fair skin, bulging to the surface as if showcasing her strength.


    Chae Ye-Ryeong looked at Yu-Ri with an amazed expression. "Wow¡­ If I become an A-rank, would I also have muscles like you, unni?"


    "For those who are Psychic-type players, the body does become stronger as the rank increases. However, to reach this point, you must also directly train the body."


    "Ah¡­ Just as I expected!" said Ye-Ryeong.


    "Hahaha, you¡¯re adorable. As you already know, even if you are a hunter, training is still important. There are only two reasons why there is a big difference in skill even within the same rank¡ªInborn talent, and constant training. Those who are commonly referred to as Super Rookies possess both of these qualities," said Yu-Ri.


    "That¡¯s why Yu-Seong oppa also trains every morning."


    "Yeah. When I wake up every morning, the first thing I do is invoke my Shapeshift skill in various forms."


    "Ah¡­ You can train that way too?"


    "Of course. Training isn''t just about moving your body. See, for example¡­ This is easy for me." Jin Yu-Ri spread her hand wide and made a long black whip.


    "If I apply it a bit more..."


    After that, Yu-Ri threw the whip up into the air. The shape of the whip immediately changed into a black curtain, blocking all vision.


    "You use your ability like an Alteration skill," asked Ye-Ryeong with shining eyes.


    ¡°Yeah, basically we divide Psychic-type abilities into various categories. In fact, if you put in the effort, you can mimic abilities that you weren''t born with to some extent. Just like how I''m mimicking Alteration skill."


    "Wait, something''s coming to mind." Ye-Ryeong immediately raised a large water droplet in the air with shining eyes.


    The water droplet looked harmless, but it had significant pressure. Upon bursting, its power could knock out most monsters of the same level.


    ''That''s the realm of a natural talent.''


    Ye-Ryeong naturally had skills that were already far beyond those of a typical player. However, as always, talent was not limited to just one area.


    "If I¡­change it like this..."


    After gaining inspiration from Jin Yu-Ri''s ability usage, Ye-Ryeong concentrated and reached out her hand. Sweat began to bead on her forehead.


    In the end, the results were considerable. The shape of the droplet, which used to be round, had transformed into a sharp spike.


    "Got it! This is how it''s done, right, unni?" Ye-Ryeong shouted with excitement.


    Yu-Ri, after she witnessed the amazing transformation with her own eyes, couldn''t help but laugh. "Exactly."


    "But...it took too long. To use this in a real battle, I would need to practice a lot like you said, unni," said Ye-Ryeong. She let out a deep sigh and lowered her hand.


    The spike of water disappeared into the vast sky.


    Jin Yu-Ri shook her head. "Don''t be too disappointed. It''s normal that you can''t succeed right away."


    "Really?"


    "Of course. Originally, your skill type is Projection skill, but you just used the Alteration skill. Even for me, it took... " Jin Yu-Ri closed her mouth and made a bitter face.


    ''It took a week.''


    Yu-Ri came to realize that talent that had risen from the depths of oneself was truly formidable. She even thought that it would be dangerous if she didn''t exert more effort.


    In fact, Jin Yu-Ri was also a well-known genius in the entire hunting industry. She said that it could be ¡®done by effort¡¯, but most hunters actually found it almost impossible to imitate other skill types.


    And looking at Ye-Ryeong, who had proved her talent by invoking it as soon as she saw an example¡­


    ''I have to really put in effort if I don''t want to be left behind.''


    Jin Yu-Ri was consumed by a burning desire to compete. At that moment, her thoughts turned to Yoo Jin-Hyuk, whom she had just put to sleep.


    ''No way¡­ Is that person also a preeminent genius like Ye-Ryeong?''


    At first, Choi Yu-Seong was convinced that Ye-Ryeong had incredible talent, so he showed no hesitation in hiring her. That proved to be true, and Yu-Ri had seen great examples several times with her own eyes. And when Choi Yu-Seong had asked for an investigation on Yoo Jin-Hyuk, he had expressed similar intentions.


    ¡®He said that he¡¯s a supporter who must be kept close.¡¯


    Looking at today''s incident, it might simply be due to Yu-Seong¡¯s sympathy. However, Yu-Ri was somehow convinced that he would not make such a decision out of sympathy alone.


    ''...Even if there was a Mana Overload, how could an unlicensed hunter summon a raid monster?''


    Jin-Hyuk would undoubtedly be a genius, perhaps even surpassing Ye-Ryeong in brilliance.


    ''Maybe an Irregular or Inborn Awakened...''


    Yu-Ri pondered. Her initial plan of retiring to bed after thoroughly cleaning her sticky body completely fell through.


    ¡®If I don''t do well, I''ll be replaced by my juniors. I don''t have time to sleep.¡¯


    Jin Yu-Ri swiftly returned to her room, leaving behind Yu-Ryeong who was absorbed in her newly acquired skill. It was as if a passion that had been dormant in Yu-Ri¡¯s heart for a long time had been reignited.

 CH 133

    Choi Yu-Seong woke up in the morning, promptly arising from bed and making his way to the bathroom. He filled the tub with warm water.


    He was still feeling drained from the previous night''s battle and getting caught in the rain. As he soaked in the warm water, the exhaustion from the previous day seemed to melt away swiftly. The only downside was that the tub in his lodging was quite small.


    ¡®No, I should be thankful for this¡­¡¯


    In fact, it was just that the bathtub in his own house was abnormally big.


    ¡®Human beings are animals of adaptation.¡¯


    Since he adapted so easily to the large bathtub before, Yu-Seong would easily adjust to the small tub as well. As if to prove this, he began to organize his thoughts right after he sat in the bathtub.


    ¡®Anyhow, it seems like Yoo Jin-Hyuk will join us...¡¯


    The aftermath of the various events that had occurred last night seemed to have been resolved by Jin Yu-Ri in the early morning. She must have been exhausted from working all night, since she had even sent Yu-Seong a message saying that she would oversleep this morning.


    Thanks to that, Yu-Seong was also able to enjoy such a relaxed morning in another province.


    ¡®Come to think of it, Bernard Yoo must have arrived in the United States by now.¡¯


    Perhaps the results of the match had already been announced and the news had reached Korea.


    While thinking such thoughts, Choi Yu-Seong finished his comfortable bath and stood in front of the mirror. His body was covered in long and short wounds that had not existed when he first possessed this body, in fact at that time, there hadn¡¯t even been a single blemish. Even though he was a hunter with a strong recovery rate, it was unrealistic to expect his body to remain unharmed after being battered like that.


    "Mm¡­ not bad," Yu-Seong said to himself as he smiled slightly. He looked for a hairdryer.


    In fact, he considered these wounds as badges of honor, since the number of wounds was not the only thing that had increased in his body. His body had improved also in terms of muscle mass.


    ¡®My shoulders have become wider and I can now do things that I never thought possible when I was just a game company employee¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong suddenly felt disconnected from reality. Before he knew it, he was in a state of admiration.


    ¡®And also, my hair has grown quite long. Would it be easier to move if I cut a bit?¡¯


    Yu-Seong dried his hair, put on the robe provided by the lodging, and picked up his phone that he had plugged into the charger. He couldn''t help but make a strange expression when he looked at his phone screen.


    ¡®Why do I have so many notifications from social media...?¡¯


    His phone screen was filled with an endless stream of new notifications. He was momentarily flustered, but quickly understood the current situation. He blocked the notifications before checking the news screen on a portal site.


    ~


    ¡ù Choi Yu-Seong, the ninth child of Comet Group, shakes the world!


    ~


    The headline was not an exaggeration or a simple metaphor, because the world was truly captivated by the name ¡®Choi Yu-Seong¡¯.


    ***


    Upon returning to his home in the United States, Bernard Yoo contacted all major domestic and foreign media companies through Meghan.


    The journalists who were waiting for the competition results felt both surprise and admiration. Up to this point, they only knew that there had been a match between the two groups. They immediately began writing their articles after they received the news.


    After being contacted by Meghan, the journalists who were eager to break the story took less than an hour to write their articles. They disseminated the news that the winner of the dungeon racing among the descendants of South Korea''s conglomerate groups was Choi Yu-Seong. They had no videos, unfortunately.


    If the lack of video evidence were the only factor, it would not have resulted in such a widespread upheaval in the world. However, there was only one reason why the name ¡®Choi Yu-Seong¡¯ shook the world.


    A journalist sent by CNL, one of the largest media companies in the United States, had directly gone to meet Bernard Yoo and attempted an interview. They were to broadcast the video on the news screen and upload it onto NewTube. Within a day, the video had recorded a world mega hit with one billion views.


    In fact, the video''s content was not that spectacular. It started with Bernard Yoo, who was sitting on a sofa, showing off his trademark smile.


    The journalist was the first to speak. "I heard about your defeat at the rank 4 dungeon, the Orc Village, in Korea, Bernard Yoo. I imagine you must be feeling quite conflicted¡­but you seem surprisingly at ease."


    "It¡¯s because I''ve already settled my mind," replied Bernard Yoo.


    "Should I take it that you have some regrets about the outcome?" asked the journalist.


    "Of course, the outcome is disappointing. Is there any way not to be disappointed? Anyway, I fought the battle and lost, so I can''t be feeling great, can I? Haha," said Bernard Yoo with a laugh.


    The journalist smiled and continued the interview. "Then, if you were given the opportunity to go back again, do you think you would win this time?"


    Bernard Yoo was fiercely competitive. He was not a man who would easily admit defeat after losing once. Above all, he was a hunter who was being supported by the United States despite being Korean. There were even rumors that the government was secretly preparing a bill to accept him as an American. Therefore, the journalist¡¯s question was to boost his self-esteem.


    However, Bernard¡¯s answer was beyond the journalist''s expectations.


    "No, how could I? Choi Yu-Seong is a monster. It''s disappointing to lose, but I don''t have the confidence to fight and win if I go back," said Bernard Yoo.


    "You just described Choi Yu-Seong as a monster. But didn''t you also hear the same from many people, Bernard?"


    In the video, Bernard Yoo shrugged his shoulders, and the journalist was unable to hide the slight surprise.


    "There are differences in levels among monsters as well. Goblins, orcs, and ogres are all referred to as monsters, but we do not see them as being of the same level."


    "I understand. You respect Choi Yu-Seong as a fellow Korean."


    "Let me be clear, I, Bernard Yoo, a hunter who is well-respected by many, do not want this to be viewed as an act of patriotism. I would be disappointed if that were the case."


    "I heard that, before you came back to America, you stayed at Choi Yu-Seong''s house. Is there any special relationship between the two of you?"


    "How did you already find out? Yes, I am friends with Choi Yu-Seong. But that doesn''t mean I evaluate him and his strength based on personal feelings. I evaluate him purely as a rival. Don''t doubt me. Well, let me put it this way. Choi Yu-Seong is the best Super Rookie that I know of in South Korea."


    "I see. Wait, what? Isn''t there already one in South Korea?"


    "Are you talking about Kim Do-Jin, right?"


    ¡°Yes, Kim Do-Jin, the Super Rookie of South Korea. The man who will be the hero of the future."


    ¡°I agree that he''s also a monster. But..."


    "But...?"


    "In my personal opinion, he''s below Choi Yu-Seong. Above all, he lacks character."


    "Pardon...?" the journalist stammered, feeling surprised by Bernard¡¯s unexpected fiery statement.


    Bernard Yoo smiled comfortably and leaned back on the sofa. "Everything that Kim Do-Jin does on TV is all fake. I have a lot more to say, but it''s not something that can be said in this short interview, so let''s move on. You keep bringing up doubts about Choi Yu-Seong, and I know that I''m not ordinary. Fortunately, I have enough ability to be loved by many people. Is it too simple to call me the orc among monsters? Let''s just say that I''m an ogre.¡±


    He then showed a sly smile. "And let''s talk about Kim Do-Jin. To be honest, I haven''t had direct experience with this friend, so I can''t say for sure¡­ But let''s say he¡¯s a drake.¡±


    Drake was a monster that only appeared in dungeons with a minimum rank of nine and was considered to be one of the higher ranked monsters within the dragon-type subspecies.


    "But isn''t it true that there are cases where drake is hunted by an ogre if they fight on land?" asked the journalist.


    Bernard Yoo grinned and gestured to himself with his index finger at the question. He said, "That''s what I mean¡ªto watch out for me.¡±


    "Haha... Does that mean Choi Yu-Seong is slightly stronger?"


    "A little stronger? No, not at all. Can you believe me? Choi Yu-Seong, he is just a D-rank. And even in a state where he was not at the max level, he has hunted one B-rank villain alone and a rank 4 named monster, the Orc War Chief."


    "What¡­?" the journalist asked in disbelief, once again feeling surprised.


    ¡°In history, who were the hunters who had accomplished such a feat? James Rochchild? Bernard Leos? Steve Lindberg, America''s hero?¡±


    These were all names of the world¡¯s greatest hunters. But even they would not have been able to survive the deathly situation of simultaneously hunting a B-rank villain and a 4th-rank dungeon-named monster during their D-rank days. Yet, Choi Yu-Seong had managed to accomplish such an incredible task alone.


    "Unbelievable..." the journalist exclaimed, unable to hide his emotions any longer.


    "What''s more surprising is that, while I may have been hallucinating, Choi Yu-Seong single-handedly killed the Orc War Chief," said Bernard Yoo.


    ¡°What did you just say¡­?"


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    ¡°You are asking me to repeat myself a lot today.¡±


    As if the achievement was his own personal story, Bernard Yoo had a wide smile on his face. He said, "He killed an Orc War Chief in one blow as a D-rank player. This is something that no one could have done before until now.¡±


    This time, Bernard Yoo did not bring up anyone else''s name as a comparison. This was because Choi Yu-Seong had accomplished something that no one had ever attempted before and something that had always been thought to be impossible. Even bringing up a comparison would be an insult to Choi Yu-Seong.


    "...This is a joke, right? Bernard Yoo?"


    "Then let me put it this way. On my honor, name, and everything, I swear that all I said in this interview is true.¡±


    "You said you were delirious, so it could have been a mistake..."


    "I absolutely don''t think so." Bernard Yoo, who had a smile on his face a moment ago, stiffened his expression and slightly leaned forward. He said, "If Kim Do-Jin is the drake, Choi Yu-Seong is the dragon. Just watch and see. Someday, he might stand at the top of the world, which is yet to be determined. Haha."


    The video ended with Bernard Yoo¡¯s distinct laughter.


    ***


    Kim Do-Jin woke up early one morning and checked out a video interview of Bernard Yoo that had been posted on NewTube. As he watched, he couldn''t help but distort his handsome face.


    "Me as drake, and Choi Yu-Seong as dragon...?"


    Of course, Kim Do-Jin admitted that Choi Yu-Seong was indeed an impressive individual. In fact, Yu-Seong was the first person in modern times who fired up his competitive spirit. Also, he didn¡¯t doubt Bernard Yoo''s words saying that Choi Yu-Seong had defeated the Orc War Chief with a single blow.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong, he must have used a hidden skill.¡¯


    Thinking calmly, Do-Jin remembered the image of the Orc War Chief which he had once knocked down before. He remembered how he had used his full mana and had combined magic to unleash his secret weapon.


    ¡®...It''s enough.¡¯


    Do-Jin could also do it. It may not be absurd to bisect the giant body with one blow, so it was definitely within the realm of possibility. However, what if another B-rank villain were to intervene?


    ¡®Since it¡¯s after a battle, his condition would be at 60%.¡¯


    Even in this state, could he cut the Orc War Chief in half with one blow?


    "...I don''t know."


    Kim Do-Jin was flabbergasted at the words he himself had spoken. It was something that even he, who had returned from another dimension with the experience and knowledge of taking the life of the Demon King, felt unsure about. It was strange. He felt an eerie feeling.


    He was expecting that Choi Yu-Seong had a hidden skill, but would the skill be this powerful?


    Suddenly, Kim Do-Jin looked towards a corner of the room where a picture and the information of the Comet Group''s Choi family was hanging. He focused on the face of Choi Yu-Seong, who stood out among his family members with his remarkable appearance.


    Then, widening his eyes, Do-Jin shouted, ¡°No way¡­ Could it be that he is too?¡±


    Kim Do-Jin¡¯s gaze hardened. He realized that there was something he needed to check.

 CH 134

    Having become a world star in just one day, the very first thing that Choi Yu-Seong had to do was to explain the situation to the people around him. In fact, he only had to talk to a select few.


    ¡®Just father, Mi-Na noo-nim, Jin Yu-Ri, and Jin Do-Yoon¡­¡¯


    Of course, Yu-Seong most urgently had to speak to his father, Choi Woo-Jae. Choi Woo-Jae had left a message for Yu-Seong, telling him to call back as soon as he woke up.


    Yu-Seong made the call, and Choi Woo-Jae answered within 10 seconds.


    - Is it all true?


    "It''s not a lie, but the thing is¡­ if you tell me to do it again, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do it," said Yu-Seong.


    The events during the dungeon racing had been possible because he had used the power of the Lightning Burst. Unless there was another pill of the same level or he tried something so life-threatening that it would cause a Mana Overload, it was impossible for him to even attempt such a performance again.


    - It must be related to the fact that you were temporarily declared as mana-deficient.


    Fortunately, there was no need for Choi Yu-Seong to explain the situation in detail to Choi Woo-Jae. Choi Woo-Jae easily understood the current situation and, after a short silence, burst out laughing.


    - It''s interesting. Your brothers and sisters will think that this news is true.


    Choi Woo-Jae had a simple reason for saying that. Up until now, Yu-Seong had been somewhat of a minor concern to his brothers and sisters, since he was too young and insignificant to be considered a real threat. However, it was certain that this incident would completely change their thinking.


    ''They will consider me as a dangerous threat that should be caught right away.¡¯


    Some of them would prioritize eliminating Yu-Seong despite the potential consequences from Mi-Na. What would be the best thing Yu-Seong could do in this situation?


    ¡°Please help me.¡±


    Choi Yu-Seong didn''t hesitate for long, because this wasn¡¯t a difficult decision for him to make. All he needed was a word from Choi Woo-Jae. No matter how much his brothers and sisters fought, no one had enough strength to ignore Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s directive.


    - Why should I?


    The problem was Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s response, as mentioned above. He had been indifferent to the competition between Yu-Seong¡¯s brothers and sisters for a while. But what would be the outcome if he were to suddenly intervene in their dispute?


    - Someone would certainly raise the issue of fairness. Even if you¡¯re performing well, they will claim you are not doing well.


    In other words, there was no real justification for it.


    Choi Yu-Seong had a small smile on his face as he replied, "I''m not certain if I should say this... but you¡¯re not someone who worries about justification, are you, Father?"


    Somewhat taken aback by Yu-Seong''s words, Woo-Jae stayed momentarily silent over the phone.


    Yu-Seong didn''t let the opportunity slip away. He continued speaking. Of course, the words he had spoken were not said without any confidence.


    ¡°Not to mention, I am more important to you, or rather, to the Comet Group, than my siblings¡¯ objections, doubts, or anger.¡±


    - Are you saying that your value is higher than that of all of your brothers and sisters combined? Right in front of me?


    ¡°Yes,¡± Choi Yu-Seong confidently replied.


    It was inevitable for his heart to pound from the tension of having Woo-Jae as his opponent. However, he had no need to doubt the outcome.


    Until now, there had been many direct descendants of the Choi family in the Comet Group who had made a name for themselves domestically. However, there were only a few who had made a name for themselves globally.


    ¡®Ji-Ho hyung-nim, Mi-Na noo-nim, and finally, myself.¡¯


    However, Choi Yu-Seong was making a name for himself with the ambition of surpassing the world''s top-ranked player. This was a title that the previous two did not hold.


    Of course, there were many who had doubts about this. There were also quite a few people who criticized it as being overrated.


    ¡®It''s actually true that it¡¯s overrated due to my use of the Lightning Burst.¡¯


    However, what could this name bring to the Comet Group? The answer was obvious just by looking at the stock prices of the Comet Group''s affiliated companies¡ªthey were currently hitting new highs.


    ¡®There¡¯s an increase of 12% on average compared to yesterday.¡¯


    In a giant group like Comet Group, a stock price increase of 12% in one day was not a common occurrence, but more importantly, this figure was not at its limitation yet. As long as Choi Yu-Seong continued to grow and consistently perform, this figure would continue to rise within the company. How could this be possible?


    ¡°You¡¯ve finished preparing to take down the guilds related to the Cheon-Ji Group, right? And Comet Guild will officially launch within this month as well. You would certainly have left a place for me at this point, Father... "


    - Hmm¡­


    Choi Woo-Jae let out a short sigh. The tone of his voice alone revealed that he felt both curiosity and appreciation.


    "If I continue to progress like this, you can completely swallow the Cheon-Ji Group within two years. You might even be able to do it without any bloodshed."


    Humans fought wars because of their own desires. The fight between companies was no different. In such a situation, the idea of not shedding a single drop of blood would be too tempting to resist. Winning without fighting¡ªwouldn¡¯t it be the ultimate strategy?


    - You''re becoming more and more ruthless as the days go by.


    "I learned from you, Father," said Yu-Seong.


    Like father, like son. As the father and son exchanged compliments, Choi Woo-Jae chuckled softly.


    - Since you''re pleading with me like that, I''ll comply with your request. But if you can''t take responsibility for the consequences¡­ you know what''s going to happen, correct?


    "Father."


    - Hmm?


    "Have I ever disappointed you?"


    - No, never. Haha!


    Choi Woo-Jae ended the call with a big laugh.


    Yu-Seong put down his phone, which continued ringing with new calls. He took a deep breath.


    ''Everyone could make mistakes at some point.''


    However, Yu-Seong was planning to minimize those mistakes as much as possible.


    ''Because I am desperate.¡¯


    As he had said upon first meeting Choi Woo-Jae, Yu-Seong was putting his life on the line in this war called life.


    Yu-Seong turned his attention to the sparkling system message. Although the interview with Bernard Yoo had led him to a state of confusion, there was no doubt that he had made a large profit.


    ¡®Star Factor!¡¯


    With anticipation for its progress, Choi Yu-Seong''s eyes sparkled as he opened the system interface window. He exclaimed, "Wow..."


    He quickly picked up his phone and sent a message to Bernard Yoo.


    - I''m so grateful to you, do you want a kiss?


    The reply that came back was as sharp as a knife.


    - ...? Are you crazy?


    - I feel crazily good.


    - Blocking you.


    Even though he had been called crazy, Yu-Seong kept smiling. With a happy tune, he said, "Life has become sweeter recently.¡±


    ***


    Choi Yu-Seong explained the situation and requested help from Woo-Jae early in the morning. After that, time passed by quickly, and it was soon evening.


    And at that time, Yoo Jin-Hyuk slowly opened his eyes and looked around at the unfamiliar ceiling and surroundings with a dazed expression. He slowly sat up. He mumbled, "Nobody...is here.¡±


    Just as Jin-Hyuk tilted his head, the closed door opened, and a small, delicate-faced girl entered. Surprised by the appearance of an unexpected person, he revealed his full astonishment as he quickly clung to the edge of the bed and summoned his powers.


    "Oh... You''re awake?"


    The girl who looked at Jin-Hyuk with a calm gaze was the first to speak.


    "Who are you?"


    "I''m Chae Ye-Ryeong."


    "..."


    "Don''t be on guard. I heard from the boss a moment ago that we will be together from now on as a family."


    "Boss? Family? Where''s Choi Yu-Seong?"


    "The boss I''m talking about is the one you''re looking for. And as for family... don''t you know the meaning of that word?" asked Ye-Ryeong.


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk''s face twisted in confusion at Ye-Ryeong''s strange provocation. He yelled, "Do you think I¡¯m stupid¡­?!"


    "Then why did you ask?"


    "Choi Yu-Seong is..."


    "He just left to have a meal after checking on your condition."


    "How am I supposed to believe that?"


    "You''re a suspicious one," said Ye-Ryeong, letting out a sigh and slowly shaking her head. "Believe it or not, this doesn''t matter to me. I''m not here because I have any special feelings for you; I''m just here because the boss asked me to check on you."


    ¡°...¡±


    Did his suspicions ease a little? As Jin-Hyuk slowly lowered his guard, Ye-Ryeong looked at him with a hint of a smirk on her face and walked toward the chair on the other side of the room.


    When Jin-Hyuk flinched, Ye-Ryeong said calmly, "Don''t be scared. I won¡¯t hit you."


    "You... "


    "And no matter how I look at it, I think I¡¯m older than you. Be polite. Or do you want to die?"


    "...What?"


    Surprised by Ye-Ryeong''s sudden fierce words, which belied her innocent and cute appearance, Jin-Hyuk flinched again slightly.


    "You''re not in middle school? You look like my second younger brother or something."


    "I''m 19."


    This time, Ye-Ryeong was surprised. She said, "You''re older than I thought. But you''re still a kid."


    Jin-Hyuk trembled as he asked, "How old are you...?"


    Ye-Ryeong, sitting comfortably in her chair, shot Jin-Hyuk a sharp gaze. "20 years old. Call me noona."


    "...Just a one-year difference."


    "So what? What¡¯s the problem?"


    Jin-Hyuk could not help but feel perplexed as he forced out the words he wanted to say.


    ''What''s going on? Why am I getting so flustered by this girl?''


    Jin-Hyuk had grown up surrounded by violence and vulgarities, and he had always thought that he would not be easily pushed around by anyone. In fact, even when faced with the subtle pressure emitted by his uncle, a B-rank villain named Yoo Choong-Ryeol, Jin-Hyuk hadn¡¯t been pushed around.


    But now, strangely, he couldn''t face the small girl who looked about his height.


    ¡®Where does this kiddo think he''s going to beat me, his noona¡­ Hmph.¡¯


    This was a skill that Ye-Ryeong had acquired from long years of training and raising her three younger brothers as the eldest sister. In front of Choi Yu-Seong and Jin-Yu-Ri, Ye-Ryeong appeared as a gentle lamb. However, how could it be easy for her to raise her three younger brothers alone? Ye-Ryeong had never been pushed around, not even in the fierce fights with the notorious mothers in the neighborhood.


    Jin-Hyuk felt a certain instinctual fear towards her, and Ye-Ryeong, who sensed the opportunity, pounced. She urged, "Come on, call me noona."


    "..."


    It should be impossible for a kid like him to endure this. Contrary to Ye-Ryeong''s confident thoughts, Jin-Hyuk''s words of resistance came out.


    "....I don''t want to."


    "What?"


    "Stupid."


    "...What?"


    While looking at Ye-Ryeong flustered, Jin-Hyuk laid on the bed and pulled the blanket over himself.


    Ye-Ryeong was not an easy person, but Jin-Hyuk also hated to lose.


    "You, you...?"


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    "I''m going to sleep, when your boss Choi Yu-Seong¡­ No, Yu-Seong hyung comes, wake me up.¡±


    "What?"


    Jin-Hyuk groaned from under the blanket. He raised his voice towards Ye-Ryeong, who was flustered. He moaned, "Ugh¡­ My head hurts¡­ Thanks to someone¡¯s voice, my head hurts even more. Oww..."


    Ye-Ryeong couldn''t come up with a response to Jin-Hyuk''s harsh words. She held her aching head and shook it back and forth, trying to stay determined.


    ¡®What''s with this brat¡­ Just you wait, I''ll make you call me ''noona'' somehow.¡¯


    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyuk, hidden under the blanket, also made a promise to himself.


    ¡®I will never call her ''noona,'' no matter what. In fact, that girl looks close to my age.¡¯


    From Choi Yu-Seong''s perspective, it was the moment when the two kids'' childish battle of pride began.

 CH 135

    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re here!¡± said Chae Ye-Ryeong.


    "Yu-Seong hyung, you''re here!" said Yoo Jin-Hyuk.


    Yu-Seong, who had just returned from dinner, could only nod in a slightly flustered manner to the eager greetings from Chae Ye-Ryeong and Yoo Jin-Hyuk.


    ''What''s with these guys?''


    Before Yu-Seong could settle in, Ye-Ryeong and Jin-Hyuk began bickering with each other.


    "Boss, do we have to hang out with that brat from now on?"


    "Yu-Seong hyung, I don''t think I can be friends with that shortie."


    "What? Shortie!? Hey, how tall are you?"


    "I think I''m taller than you. And you were the one who called me a brat first!"


    Yu-Seong was confused by the intense conversation between the two. He pulled them away from each other to stop them. He said, "Just a moment. I have two things that I haven''t adjusted to yet.¡±


    Yu-Seong then asked, "First, why are you suddenly calling me hyung, Jin-Hyuk?"


    "Well... You are older than me."


    Jin-Hyuk¡¯s response made sense in some way. However, the difference between the Yoo Jin-Hyuk who Yu-Seong had just met and the one he had known before was so great that it was hard for him to adjust.


    Yu-Seong gave Jin-Hyuk a doubtful look.


    Jin-Hyuk, with an embarrassed expression, scratched his red cheek lightly. "Can I¡­?"


    "It''s not that it won''t work out, it''s just that I wish it had been like this from the beginning."


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    "I''m sorry..."


    "It''s fine. At least you know now." Yu-Seong smiled and patted Jin-Hyuk¡¯s head lightly.


    Jin-Hyuk looked even more embarrassed now.


    ''Maybe because of his small build and fair skin, I''ve never felt that a guy could be this cute.¡¯


    It felt like looking at a wounded cat. Yu-Seong did not dislike this change in Yoo Jin-Hyuk.


    ¡®It''s better to be hopeful.¡¯


    It was a change because Jin-Hyuk had made up his mind to rely on Yu-Seong.


    ''As long as I don''t disappoint him.''


    Yu-Seong didn''t need to pour excessive affection on the teenager either. Once, he had heard the words of a famous South Korean escaped prisoner¡ªif someone had just given him a warm word or a safe touch in his childhood, the devil wouldn''t have grown in his heart. It was a way to free one person from the fate of a terrible disaster. Thus, there was no reason why Yu-Seong couldn''t make this much effort.


    ''To be honest, compared to father''s conditions, it''s easy.''


    Yu-Seong looked at Jin-Hyuk with a somewhat pleased gaze.


    Ye-Ryeong stared at Jin-Hyuk with a sharp gaze. "But I''m older than you too.¡±


    "But you''re shorter than me," said Jin-Hyuk.


    "I''m not short! You seriously..."


    "Stop. I haven''t finished my question yet," said Yu-Seong


    "Hyung thinks you are noisy, you stupid," said Jin-Hyuk.


    "Ugh..." Chae Ye-Ryeong balled up her fists and trembled in anger when she lost to Jin-Hyuk.


    Yu-Seong, who had not seen Ye-Ryeong like this before, felt a strange feeling. He made a peace sign and asked with a playful expression, "Second question. When did the two of you become so close?"


    "Hyung, that''s a bit ..."


    ¡°Boss, I have never expressed any disagreement with your words before, but the words spoken just now were not pleasant. I ask for you to take them back.¡±


    "Both of you, stop. If you are not close to each other yet, start being closer now. We''re all going to be together for the rest of our lives."


    "For the rest of our lives...?" Ye-Ryeong asked in surprise, her eyes widening.


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk looked at Yu-Seong with a slightly moved expression.


    "Yes, from now on, we''re friends for life. Anyway, it seems you''ve both calmed down, so go and have fun spending time together. I still have something to do. We''ll be going back to Seoul tomorrow, so Jin-Hyuk, you should make preparations too."


    "Hyung, me too?" asked Jin-Hyuk.


    "You don''t want to go?"


    Jin-Hyuk shook his head briskly.


    "Okay, let''s be together." Yu-Seong gave Jin-Hyuk a slightly gentle smile. Then, he looked at Cha Ye-Ryeong, who had a look full of dissatisfaction. He said, "Ye-Ryeong, you too, be reasonable. When you''re in society, everyone becomes friends despite a year or two of age difference.¡±


    ¡°Boomer Boss.¡±


    "Ugh... Your words are too harsh."


    "I dislike you."


    Yu-Seong made a somewhat pained expression, shrugged his shoulders, and left the room.


    In the end, they were the only two left. Yoo Jin-Hyuk made a smile of victory as he raised his chin and looked at Ye-Ryeong, who lowered her head, clenched her fist, and furrowed her brows in anger.


    ¡°The boss might have told us to be friends, but if you really think we are equal, you''ll die.¡±


    "...hic." Without realizing it, Jin-Hyuk hiccupped. Still, he kept shaking his head.


    ***


    The next day, early in the morning, the three of them returned to their home in Seoul. Choi Yu-Seong spent the next few days happily humming due to his crazy growth in NewTube subscribers and Instagram followers. He wondered, "My NewTube channel has 3 million subscribers... Is that within the top 5 hunters in the country?"


    Also, the average number of views per video was over 5 million. Popular videos like Goblin Fortress also surpassed 50 million views. Thanks to this, Yu-Seong had received a call from Park Jin-Hwan that his NewTube revenue was rapidly increasing.


    ¡®It is always better to have more and more money.¡¯


    Although hunters had become a desirable profession for many people around the world, the foundation of it was still money and honor. Even someone like Choi Yu-Seong, the descendant of a chaebol family, couldn''t completely say that he was entirely free from those shackles.


    ¡®Anyway, I am gradually breaking away from being dependent on my father''s allowance, right?¡¯


    If he could start accumulating some wealth at this point, Yu-Seong could make enough money in the next five years to surprise even Choi Woo-Jae.


    He began making big plans for his assets, then contacted Jenny and relayed the material of the ancient artifacts that he had decided to use. He had written these down in excitement, and the artifacts were those that had appeared in the original novel.


    ¡®She said it would take about three months to get everything.¡¯


    The wait wasn¡¯t that bad. At this point, Yu-Seong also thought that Jin-Hyuk and Ye-Ryeong would be able to steadily rise up to C-rank.


    ¡®I bet that Yoo Jin-Hyuk would need a lot of support.¡¯


    The fortunate thing was that, as befitting of his fate as a former disaster-class villain, Yoo Jin-Hyuk also had a skill called ¡®Titanic Growth.¡¯


    ¡®It''s a skill that Nioh of Japan was so proud of¡­¡¯


    Looking around him, Yu-Seong found growth to be very common. In fact, his Star Factor had also grown significantly in recent days. That was because people''s interest in him had continued to increase.


    ¡®It''s quite a big deal.¡¯


    Had it been ridiculous to say that he would have kissed Bernard Yoo¡¯s cheek for this? Yu-Seong checked his Star Factor, which had grown even more in the last day, with a satisfied gaze.


    ¡ºSpecial Skill: Star Factor D+


    The more people pay attention to the holder, the faster his growth level accelerates.


    In a short amount of time, the interest towards skill holders has drastically increased to the point of absurdity, and a rank adjustment effect has occurred.


    Hidden Piece is opened.


    D-rank perks ¨C Increases focus of attention when exposed to video media such as cameras.


    Current acceleration rate +130% ¡ú 180%


    Additional privileges are opened by achieving new interest figures. Experience points required for growth -3% ¡ú -5%


    The Hidden Piece skill ¡®Prestige Show Off¡¯ can now be used in addition.


    The skill ¡®Prestige Show Off¡¯ does not have a rank.


    When using the skill, it allows the user to check the fame of the target. If the target''s fame is lower than the user''s, it can randomly trigger a curse.


    The current fame of player Choi Yu-Seong: 560.


    Note: If fame drops below 100, the ¡®Prestige Show Off¡¯ skill will disappear.


    ¡»


    The acceleration rate and decrease in necessary experience points had both been explosively raised.


    ¡®Jin-Hyuk and Ye-Ryeong''s acceleration effect of Titanic Growth skill is 300% during E rank.¡¯


    If Nioh of Japan knew this, he would absolutely lose his mind. His Titanic Growth skill had only 150% acceleration effect during E rank. This led to the simple fact that¡­


    ¡®Two people with the same skill can have different effects depending on their talents.¡¯


    Thinking about it in this way, Yu-Seong could not help but wonder how much of a cheat the Titanic Growth skill that the two had was and how they could quickly follow Yu-Seong¡¯s footsteps.


    ¡®Don''t be too surprised. Those two were destined to fight even with Kim Do-Jin.¡¯


    Most of all, Yu-Seong''s Star Factor skill was not simply a possession of acceleration, but also had an experience decrease effect. Most of all, thanks to Bernard Yoo, a hidden piece had also been unlocked. Even after looking several times, his Star Factor skill was several times better than the Titanic Growth.


    ¡®And the Prestige Show Off skill is really good.¡¯


    Prestige Show Off skill could randomly curse people who were less famous than Yu-Seong. Mana was consumed, but there was no reuse cooldown. Most of all, there were no ranks. The only thing that would be affected was the opponent¡¯s fame.


    To understand this exactly, Yu-Seong first used his Prestige Show Off skill to find out about the fame of the people around him.


    ¡®Jin Yu-Ri is 120, Chae Ye-Ryeong is 60, and Yoo Jin-Hyuk is 3.¡¯


    Jin Yu-Ri was known to be a fairly successful A-rank hunter and had a considerable amount of fame due to the fans who followed her because of her beauty. After all, she had been seen by Yu-Seong¡¯s side.


    ¡®Chae Ye-Ryeong is known as the top domestic prospect following me, so her fame is reasonable.¡¯


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk had almost no external activities, so his fame was at a very low level. Maybe his score would rise considerably after taking the hunter exam, just like Chae Ye-Ryeong.


    In comparison, Yu-Seong''s current fame was 560.


    At first, Yu-Seong shrugged his shoulders at the score that was below expectations. However, when he saw the score of Kim Hyuk-Joon, the most popular hunter in South Korea, Yu-Seong could easily understand the situation.


    ¡®His fame is 430.¡¯


    Kim Hyuk-Joon was well-known in South Korea and also had many fans worldwide due to his celebrity status. However, there was only one reason for his score being lower than expected.


    ¡®It¡¯s the same as the level. The higher the score, the harder it is to raise.¡¯


    Anyway, Yu-Seong''s fame score of 560 was by no means low. Even now, any person of average ability could not avoid this Prestige Show off skill. Someday, no one would be able to avoid his skill. To put it simply, it was a curse skill with 100% accuracy.


    ¡®Even though it''s randomly applied¡­¡¯


    No curse-caster in the world would be able to curse someone else as easily as this. In fact, cursing someone of a higher rank was considered almost impossible. Although, Yu-Seong could now do it through the hidden ability in his Star Factor.


    ¡®I am not a real jack-of-all-trades... I''m becoming a master-of-all, ¡®the All-Rounder¡¯!¡¯


    Being a jack-of-all-trades and a master-of-all was just like a piece of paper.


    ¡®The difference is whether there¡¯s something special or not.¡¯


    And currently, Yu-Seong was clearly someone special for anyone to look up to. As he became more famous, he might have to face an invasion of demons in the future, but at this point, he could not escape from such a fate.


    ¡®And Bernand Yoo has already caused a big scene¡­¡¯


    In exchange, Yu-Seong had gotten an enormous reward. In fact, he thought it possible for there to be even more hidden abilities in his Star Factor skill.


    ¡®Above all... fame is not something that continues forever.¡¯


    When popularity decreased, the Prestige Show off skill would disappear. If he had known that from the start, Yu-Seong wouldn''t have gone after it. Now, he would just try his best to not lose it.


    ¡®I''ll have to give it my all, even if it means I have to bite the bullet.¡¯


    Yu-Seong decided to stop thinking about the demon invasion. With that decision, he began preparing for another challenge, the C-rank promotion evaluation.


    ''Skills and training are enough.''


    He was definitely strong enough to transcend rank. However, since he was thinking of taking an extremely difficult test and aimed to clear it, he was going to try his best to make all sorts of preparations. So what was left to prepare? Of course, it was the equipment.


    "Summon Dimensional Merchant."


    In response to Yu-Seong¡¯s call, a cute little creature appeared in the room with a ¡®pop!¡¯ sound.

 CH 136

    Opening a small pink-colored door, Ping Pong confidently and majestically strode in, or so he thought. To the eyes of a third party, though, the way he walked was adorable. He toddled and wagged his tail, only raising his hand when he saw Choi Yu-Seong. He greeted with a lively voice, "Choi-Hi! It means Choi Yu-Seong, hi!¡±


    Ping Pong¡¯s round black eyes sparkled when Yu-Seong quickly peeled off the wrapper and handed over a lollipop that he had prepared in advance.


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    "Ping-Hi! It means Mr. Ping Pong, hi."


    "Woo hoo hoo... Choi Yu-Seong, you''re quite the playful one. Just wait a moment. I''ll finish this and start with business," said Ping Pong. Perhaps he liked that Yu-Seong had used a similar greeting because Ping Pong¡¯s tail was wagging so much. This was a rare sight. He eagerly munched on the lollipop.


    Watching Ping Pong incessantly licking the candy, Yu-Seong suddenly muttered to himself, "Isn''t just watching you eat candy itself part of starting business...?"


    "Huh? What do you mean?" asked Ping Pong.


    "It means you are cute."


    "What! How dare you, Choi Yu-Seong! Using such an expression for a powerful and dignified Lion Bear Clan member like myself! It¡¯s very disrespectful!"


    "...Is it really that disrespectful?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "Of course." With that, Ping Pong swallowed part of the candy whole and stood up, puffing out his chest. He added, "Especially for one who has figured out my exact taste..."


    "Alright, fine. Just finish eating your candy first, Mr. Ping Pong. Otherwise, you¡¯ll have a cut on the roof of your mouth.¡±


    Not able to properly enunciate while eating candy, Ping Pong rolled his eyes and nodded. He continued to chew on the rest of the lollipop.


    ¡®Even so, he must like the taste of the candy.¡¯


    As Yu-Seong gazed at Ping Pong''s tail that puffed up, Ping Pong said, "Hm, well¡­ In any case, since you, Choi Yu-Seong, understand my taste, I''ll let you off the hook. But from now on, be more careful with your words!"


    "Yeah, yeah. By the way, is the candy enough?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "How can you think that I would be addicted to mere candy..."


    When Yu-Seong pulled out five more lollipops from his pocket, Ping Pong¡¯s eyes widened. He trembled, and his cheeks turned red. In no time, his tail that only just stopped wagging started moving from side to side again. It also became even more puffed up.


    ¡®That''s why the Lion Bear Clan cannot lie. What a cute creature.¡¯


    Not voicing his true thoughts, Yu-Seong handed over the five more lollipops to Ping Pong. Then, he finally got to the main point of Ping Pong¡¯s visit. He said, "By the way, I was thinking about trying that thing out.¡±


    "Hmm? What thing?" Ping Pong asked. Then, realizing what Yu-Seong was talking about, he said with a smile, "You''re thinking about using the free lottery ticket!"


    "Correct."


    Choi Yu-Seong hadn''t used the free lottery ticket he had obtained from leveling up before dungeon racing with Bernard Yoo only because of one reason.


    ¡®If I spend 2000 karma points to upgrade the free lottery ticket, I can get a Treasure-Class item.¡¯


    The free lottery ticket Yu-Seong had originally obtained would only give him a chance to get a Rare-Class item at best. However, by upgrading it with 2000 karma points, he could increase his chances of obtaining a Treasure-Class item.


    ¡®In other words, if I am unlucky, I could still get a Rare-Class item.¡¯


    This was why, despite having accumulated over 2000 karma points, Yu-Seong prioritized investing in skill rank upgrades. As a result, he currently held all skills at D-rank or higher, excluding the special skill ''Dancing Electric Doll.¡¯


    There were two reasons why Yu-Seong did not rank up the remaining skill, ''Dancing Electric Doll''. First, he believed that the attack power of ''Dancing Electric Doll'' was still sufficient. Yu-Seong judged that ''Dancing Electric Doll'' was a more effective skill in large-scale battles than in one-on-one battles. It was more useful for dealing with a large number of small monsters than with a single powerful monster. Therefore, there was no need to seek a higher power from ''Dancing Electric Doll'' in his current situation.


    ¡®Since I can use Lance Charging when I need a big offensive power.¡¯


    The second reason was that Yu-Seong did not lack offensive power.


    ¡®If possible, I should try to enhance my defensive capabilities by getting abilities or items that would boost my defenses.¡¯


    For that reason, Yu-Seong had utilized the empty skill slot to learn D-rank Protective Shield skill, Natural Healing skill, and Bleeding Resistance skill for emergency situations. However, these were not enough to block all threats.


    ''There are countless resistance skills, such as Poison Resistance, Fracture Resistance, Curse Resistance, Burn Resistance, and so on¡­¡¯


    The fact that there were so many resistance skills meant that there were many situations that could prove to be dangerous.


    ''To some extent, it could be solved with basic physical abilities as a hunter, but having resistance skills is much better.''


    Even so, there was a simple reason why Yu-Seong did not fill most of the empty slots with resistance skills.


    ''It''s due to the limitations of the Eye of Replication skill.''


    Most resistance skills were passive skills, but they would become active skills upon being brought over with Eye of Replication skill. This was due to the penalties. For example, burns or frostbite could be dealt with an active type skill by recognizing one¡¯s surroundings or the opponent''s abilities. However, in cases of poison or curses, those were often not easily recognizable as they came with little warning. Therefore, resistance skills were always better as passive skills.


    ¡®The problem is, I was born without any resistance skills.¡¯


    In this case, there were two solutions. First, to gain support from the gods for resistance skills. Second, to overcome it by wearing items, and this was what Yu-Seong was trying to do right now.


    ¡®In the original novel, there was an Insignia of Protection among the Treasure-Class items¡­¡¯


    For Yu-Seong, the Insignia of Protection could be considered the best for a resistance ability type.


    With a clear goal in mind, Yu-Seong licked his lips and looked at Ping Pong while stretching out his hand. ¡°Upgrade, please.¡±


    Ping Pong put his small round front foot on Yu-Seong¡¯s hand. After trembling briefly, he absorbed a bright purple gas that flowed through Yu-Seong¡¯s palm into his paw. He shouted, ¡°2000 karma points, received well!¡±


    Then, Ping Pong pulled out a free lottery ticket from his pocket, which originally shone in blue, and the room was suddenly filled with a scarlet light. Yu-Seong blinked from the brief glare of light.


    Ping Pong smiled and handed over the ticket that now shone in scarlet. "Alright, now all you have to do is tear this, Choi Yu-Seong.¡±


    Looking at the random lottery ticket, Yu-Seong¡¯s heart raced. He held the edges of the ticket, which looked like an old movie ticket, with slightly trembling hands and tugged.


    Rip-!


    As the Treasure-Class free lottery ticket was being torn, something enormous suddenly burst forth. A huge commotion took place with a popping sound.


    Charrrrrrrrrr-! Pampaba-!


    As if baby angels were playing trumpets atop a roulette machine at some casino, the loud melody echoed throughout the room. Time seemed to slow down as Yu-Seong was completely distracted by the spectacle.


    In fact, Yu-Seong had a great deal of knowledge about lotteries as a game developer.


    ''The cause of all lotteries is nothing but to bring revenue to the company!''


    It was a ruthless business model created by corporations and chairmen of great companies to make money. Needless to say, the lottery had no rules or regulations. Instead, it relied on percentages and probability based on a system. Occasionally, some unscrupulous companies would manipulate the odds of the lottery, but it was unlikely for the roulette machine operated by the Dimensional Merchants to do the same.


    ''In other words, the result of the lottery is based on luck!''


    Boldly grasping the roulette machine¡¯s lever, Yu-Seong looked at Ping Pong. He said, "I''ll spend an additional 100 karma points to buy the Luck Potion!"


    "Hmm? I don''t recommend it, Choi Yu-Seong. The Luck Potion is like a city legend among Dimensional Merchants. There¡¯s a saying that almost nobody has actually seen its effects..."


    "Mr. Ping Pong, trust me," said Yu-Seong with gleaming eyes.


    Ping Pong pulled out a small vial of red liquid and handed it over to Choi Yu-Seong with a somewhat suspicious look. He said, "This is for free.¡±


    As expected, the Lion Bear Clan had good business skills. Yu-Seong laughed and grasped the roulette handle tighter, then stared straight ahead. He was taking a long time to prepare, but he only had this one chance!


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin never truly benefited from this lottery.¡¯


    However, that was not a big deal for Yu-Seong.


    ¡®I have a feeling that I''ll be different.¡¯


    With the same unfounded confidence as most people who failed at lotteries, Yu-Seong grasped the roulette handle without hesitation. As he pulled the lever with a thud, the numbers on the roulette wheel began to spin wildly. The numbers that came up were predetermined to be 777. However, that did not mean that good items always came up.


    ¡®Please, please, please. Give me the Insignia of Protection. Please.¡¯


    Yu-Seong prayed desperately with his eyes closed and hands clasped together. His heart pounded with anxiety. He unintentionally frowned.


    - A Joke-loving Prankster looks at the agitated Choi Yu-Seong with a disdainful eye.


    Even though it had been a while since Loki''s message had come, Yu-Seong didn''t even notice it as he had been focused on his prayer with his eyes closed.


    After a moment, the numbers stopped at 777, and the bottom of the roulette machine opened. With a thud, the machine spat out one item before making a loud bang noise and disappearing.


    Even though he already knew it was over, Yu-Seong found it difficult to bring himself to look at the results. He took a deep breath before opening his eyes. The first thing he saw was Ping Pong''s expression.


    "Wow..." Ping Pong had a look of slight awe as he smiled at Yu-Seong. "Congratulations, Choi Yu-Seong. You seem to have better luck than I had anticipated."


    Yu-Seong knew then that the outcome was at least not unfavorable.


    ''Just because it''s a Treasure-Class item doesn''t mean it is always going to be a good one, but at least the item is above average.''


    Would it be the long-awaited item¡ªInsignia of Protection¡ª that he had been hoping for? Yu-Seong quickly looked at the object that had rolled across the floor and held it in his hands. He then widened his eyes.


    The object was a small bead that emitted light as if it was burning. There were so many colors being mixed together, such as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.


    "At first glance, you wouldn¡¯t know what it is, Choi Yu-Seong. That is a treasure called the Insignia of Protection. The usage is..."


    Choi Yu-Seong clearly knew the usage of the item.


    "Jackpot!"


    Convinced that this was the item he had been waiting for, Yu-Seong quickly put the bead in his mouth and swallowed it.


    "Really? You already knew about it?" asked Ping Pong.


    "Of course. I''ve been wanting it," said Yu-Seong.


    Yu-Seong¡¯s left clavicle began to heat up as he answered. He moaned slightly from the intense pain, but he knew that it was worth it. An angel-winged shield with a cross was now tattooed across his left clavicle. He looked at it with a wide smile.


    ¡®The engraving item, the Insignia of Protection.''


    The Insignia of Protection could be considered the best among all Treasure-Class items, granting the effect of obtaining all resistance skills that matched the Player¡¯s rank.


    ''It costs 30,000 karma points to officially purchase it!''


    It truly was a sweet deal.


    ''No, it''s like a gorgonzola pizza with honey poured all over it, it tastes fantastic...''


    Yu-Seong was caught in a fantasy of happiness as his mouth curled into a contented smile.

 CH 137

    In this world, items such as ancient relics or treasures of the otherworld had ranks. They functioned almost like they would in games.


    ¡®In the original novel, the ranks were revealed to be Common, Rare, Treasure, Unique, Legendary, and Mythic.¡¯


    Among these, items of the Unique rank or above were said to be the only ones in existence throughout the entire universe.


    ¡®Ultimately, the best that one could normally obtain were items of the Treasure-Class.¡¯


    Even so, there was a simple reason why the Insignia of Protection was particularly special. It was an engraving item. Treasures of the otherworld were somehow visible to others because the items often had peculiarities that stood out, and they could be acquired by killing the owner. However, the engraving item was different.


    ¡®In any case, it is engraved on the body like a tattoo, so it cannot be easily taken away.¡¯


    Even though it was visible as a tattoo, it was something that essentially engraved itself on the soul, so it was impossible to take it away from the owner. Death was no exception. Due to this reason, even though they were also Treasure-Class items, the engraving item''s value was much higher.


    ¡®And among these engraving items, the Insignia of Protection has the highest level of defensive performance within the Treasure-Class.¡¯


    Needless to say, the Insignia of Protection was a popular item and was difficult to find in the dimension bundle, even though it was not a Unique-Class.


    ¡®This is unsurprising since there are only a few hundred Treasure-Class items in the entire universe¡­¡¯


    In fact, Yu-Seong had obtained the treasure through the lottery. This was an item that would have been difficult to obtain even if he had 30,000 karma points to purchase it.


    Ping Pong observed how naturally Yu-Seong was engraving the Insignia of Protection on himself and wondered how Yu-Seong had obtained knowledge about the item. However, after accepting the celebratory treat, a single stick of candy, that Yu-Seong had offered him, he happily went back to his own dimension with all his doubts dispelled.


    After that, Yu-Seong met with Yu-Ri and asked her to do several things, including watching over Yoo Jin-Hyuk, before challenging the promotion examination. In fact, Yu-Seong didn''t have to think long about the difficulty level for the promotion examination.


    ¡®Extreme difficulty level.¡¯


    Even from the start, one would only pick the normal difficulty level if they couldn¡¯t clear the extreme difficulty one. However, some people were entirely opposed to choosing the extreme difficulty level.


    ¡®If you''re not careful, you could die before you even announce to give up.¡¯


    Yu-Seong believed that his accumulated experience and skill were decent enough that he wouldn¡¯t fail to clear it. Of course, this challenge wouldn¡¯t be an easy one. However, the harder the challenge, the greater the reward.


    With such considerations in his mind, Yu-Seong entered the C-rank promotion examination.


    ***


    ¡¶Choi Yu-Seong, the D-rank MAX level player, is entering the extreme difficulty level C-rank promotion evaluation.


    Good luck.¡·


    Yu-Seong heard the same message that he had heard during the D-rank promotion exam. Then, as if he were swallowed whole, he suddenly entered a whole new place. When he opened his eyes, he saw the familiar face of Mr. Guy, a rabbit wearing a tuxedo.


    Mr. Guy smiled and waved at Yu-Seong. "Choi-Hi! It means Choi Yu-Seong, hi!¡±


    "Yeah, that must be a popular catchphrase now," Yu-Seong replied.


    "Oh, I see. So there''s someone else besides me who used this cool catchphrase. I''m sure they must have great character and charm too, hong hong." Mr. Guy smiled.


    If Ping Pong had heard Mr. Guy¡¯s compliment, his tail would have certainly fluffed up with pride.


    "You''ve grown quite a lot. It''s hard to see it as just a rank difference. Just how many near-death experiences have you been through?" asked Mr. Guy.


    "I''ve encountered countless near-death experiences since being in E-rank," said Yu-Seong.


    For some reason, death always seemed to loom over an Irregular. Whether it was due to the tendency of Irregulars to become stronger simply by surviving or because Yu-Seong had grown strong from surviving in such an environment, Yu-Seong, who had been chosen as an Irregular, certainly experienced many perilous situations. And those experiences had now made even the promotion exam supervisor, Mr. Guy, take notice.


    "Well, that¡¯s all good. Seeing a player like you challenge the extreme difficulty level is quite an enjoyable thing for me. Most of all, thanks to the support of the gods again, we were able to make a great test field," said Mr. Guy.


    Yu-Seong heard Mr. Guy mention "the support of the gods" and felt a sense of frustration. He had suspected that the mischievous Loki may have had something to do with it, but the thought that the other gods may have intervened as well caused his anger to rise. However, he managed to suppress his emotions and replied with an awkward smile, "Wow, I¡¯m already hearing such happy news.¡±


    "Hong hong, that''s right. I''ve heard that, in your world, there''s even a saying, ¡®make hay while the sun shines,'' so shall we start right away?" asked Mr. Guy.


    "Sure. You''re going to make me lose consciousness again?"


    "No, this time, you can just watch with open eyes."


    As Mr. Guy spread his arms wide, the space that had previously been empty began to fill with a rainbow light. The light was so intense that Yu-Seong couldn''t even open his eyes to look at it. Naturally, he closed his eyes. He could hear Mr. Guy''s playful laughter behind him.


    "If you can," said Mr. Guy.


    "...What a delightful comment," Yu-Seong replied.


    The intense light momentarily blinded him, even with his eyes closed, and the ringing in his ears grew louder as it enveloped him. He was still conscious, but his body felt limp, and his senses were dull. His head was spinning so much that it felt like the world was upside down.


    ¡®I can even smell something¡­¡¯


    Was it the smell of oil? Or was it a slightly acrid smell like sulfur? Just as Yu-Seong was starting to feel that way, the light, noise, and sensation that had been making him feel uneasy all disappeared, and he quickly returned to normal.


    Naturally, Yu-Seong slowly opened his eyes and easily identified the source of the sulfurous smell that was heating him up. "Is this...lava?"


    In front of him was an empty space with nothing but a small patch of land where he and Mr. Guy were barely able to stand on it. The land was surrounded by bubbling, boiling lava. In fact, Yu-Seong did not need Mr. Guy¡¯s further explanation.


    ?Player Choi Yu-Seong is currently undergoing a promotion examination of extreme difficulty level ++


    The format of the exam has been altered from a snake''s path to a Hot Flames Board of the Five-Colored Hells. To successfully pass the promotion, you must navigate through all five hells. Good luck!?


    This promotion examination didn''t have any harsh penalties like the time Yu-Seong had to catch a thief. Nor was there any elaborate explanation.


    ¡®In fact, there''s no need for that.¡¯


    Yu-Seong looked out at the vast expanse of lava in front of him. There were small rocks that he could step on scattered throughout the landscape, but he couldn''t see an exit beyond the horizon of boiling lava.


    "Hahaha... How do you like it? I picked out a great test site for you," Mr. Guy said.


    "It''s very impressive. Is it even possible to clear this?" asked Yu-Seong while tilting his head skeptically.


    "Of course. Promotion examinations are designed so that even if the difficulty level is high, players can still clear it within their own rank. There''s no such thing as impossible. That''s why the Five-Colored Hells has appeared in Hot Flames Board form. Hong hong," Mr. Guy said.


    "So it''s designed to be cleared..." said Yu-Seong.


    "Yes, typically, the passing rate for an exam of this extreme difficulty level is around 2%," Mr. Guy replied.


    "How about the exam I am taking right now?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "If I calculate it roughly, it has a passing rate of about 0.001%," Mr. Guy replied.


    "Wow, this isn¡¯t a completely impossible area. It''s amazing!" Yu-Seong exclaimed sarcastically.


    "Hong hong. Yes, our examiners work hard to prepare fair test sites. Cheer up, Yu-Seong. I''ll go ahead and wait for you at the next location," Mr. Guy said with a satisfied smile.


    Once Mr. Guy leaped over the lava and disappeared quickly, Yu-Seong was left alone. He took a deep breath, looked at the lava, and said to himself, "Lava..."


    He then sat down on the central island and fell into deep contemplation. How was he going to cross this sea of boiling lava? Feeling doubtful, he muttered, "Wait... Shouldn''t I be feeling incredibly hot while standing here in the middle of a sea of lava?"


    Yu-Seong was standing in the center of a sea of lava. Normally, by now, he would be drenched in sweat, and his body would have turned red, but a few beads of sweat were only starting to form on his forehead now.


    ¡®Could it be...?¡¯


    Suddenly, Yu-Seong realized something and carefully lifted his toes up to the lava. In an instant, his shoes melted away without a trace. As the tips of his toes touched the lava and heated up, he cried out, "It¡¯s hot!"


    It was like being in a cold place and then suddenly stepping into a hot spring. His skin instantly prickled. In other words, it was incredibly hot.


    ¡°...It¡¯s incredibly hot, and that''s it?¡± Yu-Seong widened his eyes as he realized something.


    - A Joke-loving Prankster expresses his frustration at the fairness of the test.


    Then, Loki''s message popped up in front of Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®Aha...?¡¯


    Normally, in such a dangerous situation, Loki would have been excited and would have sent a message to express that. Only now did Yu-Seong understand why he had been so quiet.


    ¡®So this is what Hot Flames Board means!¡¯


    It looked like lava, but in reality, the temperature was not that extreme.


    ¡®If one has the ability to resist heat, one can handle the scorching temperatures of this level with ease.¡¯


    And before the promotion examination, Yu-Seong had acquired an engraving item called the Insignia of Protection, which granted him overall resistance.


    After assessing the situation, Yu-Seong took off all of his clothes without hesitation. There was no point in keeping clothes made of thin cloth or linen because they would just melt away in the heat.


    - A Joke-loving Prankster mockingly criticizes player Choi Yu-Seong for his shameless action.


    Yu-Seong looked up at the sky and smiled. Then, he leaped into the sea of lava without hesitation. "Uaaah-!"


    As he expected, the heat was so intense that a cry of pain escaped his lips. Although, it was not an unbearable level of heat. Thanks to that, he could occasionally rest on the rocks that jutted out of the lava as he went on his way.


    ¡®If I stay here for more than five minutes, I''ll get burns, or my body will start to burn anyway.¡¯


    Despite the fact that he took a bit of time, Yu-Seong made steady progress. By choosing this method, he was able to successfully pass through the first stage of the Five-Colored Hells, the red hell, in approximately half a day. He proceeded to the next gate that was emitting a black light.


    ***


    Mr. Guy, who had said he would wait in the next location, widened his eyes as he saw Yu-Seong, who looked extremely miserable. He commented, "You...came much faster than I thought?"


    "Is that important?" Yu-Seong asked.


    Mr. Guy nodded firmly. "To be honest, I thought the probability of you passing the first level was 0.00001%..."


    "The numbers are even lower than before; how pleasant."


    "Oh, hong hong...!" With an awkward smile, Mr. Guy''s gaze turned to a faraway place. Then, as if reading something, Mr. Guy looked at Yu-Seong in surprise and asked, "Eh? Mr. Choi Yu-Seong, have you obtained the Insignia of Protection?"


    "Yes." Choi Yu-Seong nodded, his tousled and burnt hair swaying along.


    Mr. Guy widened his eyes. "I''m hearing this for the first time... Are you telling me to change the exam''s contents?"


    Then, as Mr. Guy started a conversation with someone, Choi Yu-Seong ignored him and looked around. The black hell, where purple poison fumes were spreading, opened up after he had passed through the red hell of lava.


    ''This promotion examination...''


    A quick look at tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w will leave you more fulfilled.


    If one had the ability to resist, one could clear the test with relative ease. However, the conditions of the test were somewhat harsh.


    "Excuse me... Mr. Choi Yu-Seong, or rather, Mr. Yu-Seong, there is a suggestion to change the content of the test..." said Mr. Guy.


    "The die has been cast."


    "What?"


    "Why change the content of the promotion examination once it has been decided?" asked Yu-Seong.


    Mr. Guy dropped his head in frustration. It was clear that Yu-Seong intended to pass the exam easily.


    - A Joke-loving Prankster scorns the player Choi Yu-Seong. He sends a direct message. ''Do you want to be handed a pass on a silver platter like that?! You lazy bastard!''


    With a happy smile, Yu-Seong immediately replied, ¡°What can you do with it? I''m just lucky."

 CH 138

    The extreme difficulty level promotion exam had the following: the red hell of molten lava, the black hell of venom, the blue hell of ice, the white hell of hallucinations, and finally, the yellow hell of gravity. For Yu-Seong, the only difficult place among these hells was the yellow hell of gravity.


    ¡®To be honest, the sudden appearance of hallucinations in the white hell was also a bit disconcerting.¡¯


    In general, any form of attack would be threatening. However, the most dangerous of all would be a mental-type attack.


    ¡®After all, if my mental state collapses, then my physical body would also become vulnerable.¡¯


    That was why, when he had first drawn the map of growth, Yu-Seong thought that he should first acquire the ability of a mental-type defense. Coincidentally, the white hell was exactly focused on mental-type attacks, so it was inevitable for Yu-Seong to feel flustered upon entering.


    Nevertheless, Yu-Seong was able to pass through the white hell more easily than he had thought due to two reasons.


    The new item, Insignia of Protection, that he had recently obtained was the first reason. This amazing item even increased resistance against mental-type attacks. However, since his mental state was not as trained as his physical body, Yu-Seong certainly had vulnerable gaps. Thankfully, this problem was overcome by his other secret ability.


    ''The Third Eye.''


    Although the Third Eye skill was only activated by his Chakra, it was a unique and unparalleled secret skill that could be compared to Kim Do-Jin''s Insight skill.


    The combination of both skills allowed Yu-Seong to immediately dispel all illusions created by the Hot Flames Board¡¯s white hell.


    At this point, Mr. Guy, who was watching from the side, sighed and lowered his head. He was close to simply giving up.


    The final hell, the yellow hell of gravity that gave Yu-Seong the most difficulties, was not difficult in the usual sense.


    ''It took too long.''


    The yellow hell of gravity was different from the other hells, and Yu-Seong¡¯s Insignia of Protection and the Third Eye were also ineffective here. As the name suggested, it was a land where the entire body was crushed by gravity. To pass through the yellow hell, there were only two things that were required.


    ¡®Firstly, a strong physical ability to move in any way, even in the face of intense gravity.¡¯


    According to Mr. Guy, the gravity being applied was about 10 times more than Earth¡¯s. Yu-Seong found it difficult to walk even an hour in the yellow hell in the very beginning. At least it was possible due to his regular training and the improvement of his physical abilities due to the Chakra breathing technique. If he was a Psychic-type player or a normal All-Rounder, it was certain that he would not have been able to pass through the yellow hell of gravity.


    ¡®And secondly... provision of food and water to sustain me during the passage through the yellow hell.¡¯


    Fortunately, there was food in the yellow hell.


    ¡®Just that it''s all hanging on the trees.¡¯


    Yu-Seong did not know how many times he had waited while biting his lips, looking at the fruits that did not fall off the branches. Eventually, he realized that even if the gravity was 10 times more than Earth¡¯s, the fruit hanging on the trees was not affected by it. In the end, Yu-Seong had to overcome the over-gravity and climb the trees.


    It was during those moments that he could understand why the place had been referred to as hell. But being able to finally eat the fruit after all of that effort was indescribable.


    ¡®It wasn''t a joke.¡¯


    The fruit was a great source of energy as it replenished both calories and hydration. It had offered Yu-Seong much-needed strength and motivation to take another step forward. As a result, he had finally reached the end of the yellow hell of gravity with great difficulty.


    ¡®In fact, the yellow hell itself can even be seen as a rewarding experience.¡¯


    At first, the yellow hell¡¯s intense gravity did make walking a huge struggle for Yu-Seong. However, after a while, he could take quick strides and eventually run with relative ease. It was as if the yellow hell had become his personal training ground.


    When he finally reached the empty space where Mr. Guy had been waiting, Yu-Seong was surprised by the feeling of freedom and ease in his body.


    ¡®Even among the same D-rank, I think I have grown at least 1.5 times stronger than before the promotion¡­¡¯


    He had thought that he had reached the peak of growth within his D-rank, but there was actually still more growth to look forward to.


    ¡®Yes, training never truly ends.¡¯


    It was true that awakening as a player had allowed Yu-Seong to acquire abilities a lot more easily. However, if that was all there was to it, the world of the player would be ruled solely by rank.


    ¡®Even someone like her, a real Irregular, wouldn''t have appeared.¡¯


    There existed a person in this world who possessed absolute strength that was unrelated to rank. At this moment, Yu-Seong clenched his fist as he thought of Kim Do-Jin¡¯s master in the original novel.


    ¡®I must not stop researching, developing, and training.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had understood this before, but now he felt it even more strongly, thanks to the yellow hell.


    Mr. Guy, who quietly mumbled something toward the sky, was glaring at Yu-Seong as if he were in pain. Massaging his temples with his fingers, he said, "Well... Due to the complaints of the higher-ups, the settlement of rewards has been delayed. I apologize for this.¡±


    "Don¡¯t mention it. Now that we''re done talking, can I ask a question?"


    "Please do."


    "Um, how long was I in the yellow hell? Time seems to have lost its meaning there."


    "Oh, about six months, according to this place''s flow of time."


    Choi Yu-Seong widened his eyes at how much time had passed unexpectedly. He was surprised since growth was important to him, and so every day counted. He then asked, "...By Earth''s standard?"


    "Let me see. About two months, I believe."


    "What a waste..."


    Even though the promotion examination could usually last for quite some time, two months was still a lot longer than Yu-Seong had expected.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    "It¡¯s thanks to the many gods who have put in effort on the Five-Colored Hells. But anyways, the prepared reward is not too bad, so you don''t have to feel too upset," said Mr. Guy.


    "Of course," said Yu-Seong.


    He thought that the yellow hell was already no different from a reward, but it was still a trial nonetheless. If the yellow hell itself was truly a reward, it would be hard to imagine how much praise he could say right now.


    "By the way, Lok... I mean, A Joke-loving Prankster seems to have lots of complaints?" asked Yu-Seong. He quickly closed his mouth before unintentionally mentioning the name of Loki. For some reason, gods didn''t seem to like it when their true identities were revealed.


    This was completely unrelated to whether the player was aware of it or not.


    "No, the god A Joke-loving Prankster only expressed regret. Complaints came from elsewhere," said Mr. Guy.


    "From elsewhere?"


    "It has something to do with business secrets..."


    Choi Yu-Seong had thought that Loki would be the most likely one to be grumpy, so he widened his eyes in surprise.


    ''Then who could it be?''


    In fact, the truth was hard to find. As Yu-Seong began to handle the power of thunder, many gods related to lightning began to pay attention to him. Other gods also began to realize that he was growing explosively. If he simply thought that they were all looking at him favorably, it would be a naive assumption. After all, there were most likely gods who were just watching him without sending him any messages or support.


    ¡®Although, there would be those who support me and yet still seek to critique me.¡¯


    For example, while Yu-Seong may not have wanted to admit it, the relationship between Choi Yu-Seong and Loki was quite deep. This was inevitable because Loki was one of the three gods who supported Yu-Seong the most firmly.


    Of course, this meant that other Northern European gods, such as Odin and Thor, who did not have a good relationship with Loki, may not view Yu-Seong favorably. Even though they supported Yu-Seong and showed interest, they might actually have tried to criticize and torment him through scrutiny if it seemed that he would be of great help to Loki.


    ''Come to think of it, recently, Loki''s message has decreased significantly.¡¯


    Also, most of the messages were strangely aggressive in content.


    ¡®Is this guy being careful in his own way¡¯


    Yu-Seong did not say this question out loud. If it was true that Loki was purposely choosing to be harsh in order to support Yu-Seong, then there was a need for Yu-Seong himself to meet that new expectation to some extent.


    "Personally, I thought the complaints would come from A Joke-loving Prankster. You know, his personality is really bad," said Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Hong hong¡­¡± Mr. Guy scratched his cheek with an awkward smile.


    - A Joke-loving Prankster sends an angry look at the player Choi Yu-Seong.


    - The Oldest Hunter supports the player Choi Yu-Seong.


    - The Culann¡¯s Hound nods while looking at the player Choi Yu-Seong.


    - The Friend of Thunder and Hammer laughs heartily towards the player Choi Yu-Seong.


    - The Father of Magical Hymns looks at the player Choi Yu-Seong with an ambiguous expression.


    The reaction of the Northern European gods followed shortly after.


    ¡®Regardless of his sincerity¡­¡¯


    It was clear that there weren¡¯t any gods who thought that Loki had a good personality.


    "Alright, alright, let''s move past the parts that I cannot talk about. I have something to say about the reward settlement," said Mr. Guy.


    "What?"


    "It may not have been particularly difficult for you, Mr. Choi Yu-Seong, but the fact that the Five-Colored Hells appeared during the C-rank promotion examination is an unprecedented event. So, there are two options."


    "Oh, wow...?"


    "First option is a very large and good reward. The second option is several small and quite good rewards. Although it''s bold of me to say whichever one would be better for you, none of them would be disappointing. I also took care of the rewards in my own way," said Mr. Guy.


    From Yu-Seong¡¯s perspective as an ordinary player, the second choice could be considered a pretty good deal. He made a decision without any hesitation. When such a fork in the road came, Yu-Seong''s choice was always the same.


    He knew that minor details could be overcome through the future information he had gotten through reading the original novel and through the Eye of Replication skill. However, the chance of a very large reward being a difficult-to-obtain kind of ability was high.


    "I¡¯ll go for a very large and good reward."


    "Alright. Please close your eyes and count to three." Mr. Guy nodded cheerfully.


    Choi Yu-Seong, with his eyes closed, began counting as instructed.


    ''Three, two, one...''


    As he finished counting the last number, his consciousness slowly started to fade away.


    "I''m not sure if you trust me, Mr. Choi Yu-Seong, but I always support you. Hong hong."


    As always, Mr. Guy''s gentle voice followed Yu-Seong.


    ***


    Yu-Seong regained consciousness, opening his eyes in shock upon hearing a loud roar that filled the entire house. He hadn''t had the chance to read the messages congratulating him on his promotion yet.


    ¡®What was that bomb-like noise just now?¡¯


    With wide eyes of surprise, Yu-Seong rushed toward the living room. He saw Jin Yu-Ri, who had made a weapon using her Shapeshift skill with a serious expression, and Jennie, who was guarding the path to Yu-Seong''s room with a gun in her hand. The next person he saw was a white-haired woman wearing a black robe.


    Yu-Seong could only make a surprised expression while looking at the woman who appeared to be in her 20s. He had never seen her in person before, but he had seen her through photos and videos several times.


    ¡®Helen Mirren?¡¯


    She was Helen Mirren, the Miraculous Alchemist looking for the Philosopher''s Stone. She was the one who Yu-Seong had also hoped to meet for Jin Do-Yoon''s treatment.


    Yu-Seong had been away from Earth for about two months due to his promotion examination, so it was not strange that she had already returned to Earth after wandering in dungeons. However, it was strange that Helen Mirren was already at his house and staring at Yu-Ri and Jenny. Yu-Seong couldn''t understand why.


    A brief moment of contemplation passed before Yu-Seong noticed that Helen Mirren was now looking right at him. With a smile, she said, "I was counting the minutes until I saw you, Choi Yu-Seong.¡±


    At the same time, the sharp energy that filled the entire house dissipated rapidly.

 CH 139

    Helen Mirren was emitting an unusually fierce energy before Yu-Seong appeared, and the reason for that was nothing special.


    "So you got angry from waiting?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "I am not known for my patience, and I am not a pleasant person, sweetie," said Helen.


    Helen Mirren had the appearance of a young woman in her early to mid-20s, but she was actually over the age of 80. It was not strange for her to call Yu-Seong ¡®sweetie¡¯ in such a condescending manner.


    "Why did you take the promotion examination after calling me to Korea?" Helen asked irritatedly.


    Yu-Seong was briefly lost in contemplation. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t take him long to come up with an answer.


    ¡®Helen Mirren is hard to meet once she enters the dungeon, where she¡¯ll stay for at least a few months or even up to a year.¡¯


    Without contacting Helen Mirren immediately, Jin Do-Yoon¡¯s treatment would have been too delayed. Therefore, even though Yu-Seong had been undergoing the promotion evaluation, Jin Yu-Ri had decided to contact Helen urgently and had luckily been able to reach her.


    "That¡¯s inevitable. If seonbae-nim[1] suddenly goes into the dungeon and doesn''t come out for a few months, there''s nothing we can do about it, right?" said Yu-Seong.


    Yu-Seong felt that Yu-Ri had made the right decision, so he expressed that opinion confidently.


    Lifting an eyebrow, Helen said, "Alright, sure, let¡¯s say that¡¯s inevitable. But why make me wait for more than a month?"


    "Did you really wait for a month?" asked Yu-Seong in surprise.


    Helen Mirren was known as an impatient person. It was rather unexpected that she would wait around for Yu-Seong for more than a month.


    ¡®I never would have thought that the promotion examination would take two months. but¡­¡¯


    Helen furrowed her eyebrows and nodded fiercely. She yelled, ¡°Now you finally realize how much of a mistake you''ve made!¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± said Yu-Seong


    ¡°What?¡± scoffed Helen incredulously.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the ability to set the duration of the promotion examination, and I wouldn¡¯t know how much time has passed here upon entering it. How can this be my fault? Seonbae-nim''s words are just empty talk,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Wow, this brat is talking back to an adult, look at him¡­¡±


    ¡°By the way, it''s interesting that you, seonbae-nim, can speak Korean so well.¡±


    ¡°Curious? If you''re curious, ask your daddy Choi! Hmph!¡± Helen gnawed on her lip as she glared at Yu-Seong. She was struggling to keep her anger in.


    ¡®Come to think of it¡­ She¡¯s not putting up with me just because I know the location of the Philosopher''s Stone, is she¡­?¡¯


    Yu-Seong, feeling surprised, looked at Helen closely. He noticed her disdainful expression.


    "You really thought I came all the way to Korea and waited this long just because I believed what you said? You¡¯re just some kid!¡±


    Helen Mirren looked young, but she was in fact an old fox of over 80 years old. As if able to read Yu-Seong¡¯s mind from his expression alone, Helen gave him a contemptuous look.


    ''Father''s third gift is Helen Mirren.''


    Choi Woo-Jae must have known that Yu-Seong was searching for the Miraculous Alchemist. It would have been strange for him to remain oblivious since Yu-Seong was looking for her quite openly.


    ¡°I am indeed looking for the Philosopher''s Stone, but after so many years of dealing with various guys, I''ve developed some sense of judgment. If your name was the only thing written in the message that led me here, I wouldn''t have waited a day, let alone a month," said Helen.


    "I see," Yu-Seong replied.


    "Good. I can be nice and say that everything you¡¯ve done so far, like making me wait, is okay and let you off the hook. But if you''re lying about the Philosopher''s Stone..." Helen spoke as she suddenly began emanating dark energy. She added, "I won¡¯t consider your father¡¯s reputation, and you''ll experience the worst suffering you can imagine.¡±


    A chill ran down Yu-Seong¡¯s spine. Wiping the cold sweat on his forehead, he forced a smile and disguised his real feelings.


    ¡®Father''s gifts never come without a catch.¡¯


    If he was not careful, the gift could turn into poison. Yu-Seong had to handle the situation with care.


    "Hey, kid, I''ll give you one last chance if you¡¯re lying to me. Do you really know where the Philosopher''s Stone is? If you tell me honestly now, I''ll let you off by only cutting off one of your legs.¡± Helen displayed a cold smile.


    Yu-Seong gave a slight nod. He did have a fair amount of confidence in the location of the Philosopher''s Stone.


    "Where is it?"


    "Do you know Pyongyang?"


    Helen¡¯s eyes widened because she certainly knew the place. She asked, "Isn''t that the only remaining area of humanity in North Korea?"


    "That''s right. In Pyongyang, that''s where the Philosopher''s Stone is at," said Yu-Seong.


    The Philosopher''s Stone was hidden underground in Pyongyang. Thus, Yu-Seong knew the location but thought it would be difficult to access.


    Despite losing most of its territory, the Kim family, who ruled North Korea, still held unchallenged power in Pyongyang and received god-like worship. However, from the perspective of other countries, North Korea was now little more than a city-state.


    ¡®The military was desperately trying to defend Pyongyang from monster breaks originating from the outside, but this was all they could urgently defend. Although rumors said that there are many skilled hunters thanks to their harsh living conditions¡­¡¯


    Even compared to the dire state of the planet Earth¡¯s North Korea, it was the worst-case scenario.


    ¡®It''s not strange that North Korea continues to survive even as it approaches its demise.¡¯


    It was because of the Philosopher''s Stone. To be precise, a group seeking the power of the Philosopher''s Stone was ruling Pyongyang.


    ¡®The Demon King Worshipers.¡¯


    They believed that, by using the Philosopher''s Stone, they could have support in summoning the Demon King. They were currently conducting various cruel experiments using the lives of Kim Un-Jeong and the citizens of Pyongyang as collateral.


    ¡®After all, the person who first obtained the Philosopher''s Stone was the Godfather¡­¡¯


    Godfather, the leader of the Demon King Worshipers, had realized the great power and dangers of the Philosopher''s Stone before handing it over to Kim Un-Jeong. He chose not to use the power recklessly until it could be completely controlled. It was a cruel but prudent choice of the Demon King Worshipers¡¯ Godfather, and thanks to that, the Kim family were able to maintain the city of Pyongyang.


    Helen''s lips twisted peculiarly as she fell into a momentary silence. She tried to organize her thoughts before saying, "For sure, I''ve never been to Pyongyang, but I''ve heard rumors about Kim Un-Jeong being an alchemist. But...the Philosopher''s Stone is quite a powerful object for him to deal with¡­¡±


    "Kim Un-Jeong is a follower of the Demon King Worshipers," said Yu-Seong.


    "Well¡­ I guess that''s how that small city has managed to survive until now."


    That was the reason why Helen Mirren hadn¡¯t been able to find any clues or obtain the Philosopher''s Stone itself.


    When you''re just trying to make great content at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡°Those damn Demon King Worshipers..." Helen glared at the distant horizon as a malicious energy flowed through her.


    ''Good.''


    In truth, Helen Mirren was not a good person. Why else would even Yu-Ri firmly stop Yu-Seong when he had mentioned the Miraculous Alchemist? Helen Mirren¡¯s personality was unpredictable and wild, and nobody could tell just where she would end up. It was also understandable for Yu-Ri to feel resentful toward Helen, whose help always came at an unreasonably high cost.


    The most important point was that, at this moment, Helen held a grudge against the Demon King Worshipers.


    ¡®After all, Demon King Worshipers have used and taken advantage of Helen Mirren several times.¡¯


    The Demon King Worshipers were aware of the location of the Philosopher''s Stone, but had kept it a secret and had provided Helen Mirren with false information. They also took advantage of her.


    Even if Helen Mirren was a skilled and powerful hunter, she had no way of getting the information if the worst criminal organization¡ªthe Demon King Worshipers, particularly the Godfather¡ªwas using their full power to cover it up. Now that she had just found out this truth, how could she not hold a grudge? From now on, the Demon King Worshipers had created a formidable enemy, Helen Mirren.


    ¡°Just a moment ago, the weight of your words grew even heavier, sweetie. Do you know the meaning of the phrase ¡®equivalent exchange¡¯?¡±


    "It''s the exchange of two goods of equal value," replied Yu-Seong.


    "If the Philosopher''s Stone is in Pyongyang, and if I were to acquire it, I will pay you a fitting reward under my name, the Miraculous Alchemist. But if all of this is just a scam..."


    Looking at the woman who was threatening him, Yu-Seong awkwardly laughed and nodded. He said, "I am ready to take responsibility, so please don''t worry too much."


    Yu-Seong had his own insurance.


    "Alright. Let''s go together," Helen Mirren simply said.


    Choi Yu-Seong was surprised. "Pardon?"


    "This is your responsibility. Surely you weren''t going to send this old woman alone to that dangerous place?" asked Helen Mirren.


    Despite her advanced age, Helen Mirren was a renowned expert recognized all over the world. On the other hand, Choi Yu-Seong had recently advanced to C-rank, and was finally gaining enough experience to no longer be a greenhorn.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll also make sure to repay you for following me..."


    "No, wait. What if I get hurt following you, seonbae-nim?"


    "I''ll heal you."


    "Alchemy is all about equivalent exchange! You¡¯re asking me for more than you¡¯re giving!"


    "But what if I get lost and can''t find my way back?" asked Helen.


    "I''ll make you a detailed map."


    "I can''t read maps."


    Helen Mirren was pretending to be nonchalant about it, but her thoughts were easy for Yu-Seong to read.


    ¡®If she suspects that I¡¯m lying, she wants to deal with me right away.¡¯


    In any case, as long as Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s influence was present within Korea, Helen Mirren would have more incentive and pressure to harm Yu-Seong.


    "I can''t go. Pyongyang is too dangerous for me," said Yu-Seong.


    "Sweetie, does my proposal sound like a casual suggestion to you?"


    Helen Mirren''s attitude changed once again. At the same time, Jin Yu-Ri and Jenny, who had both been guarding Yu-Seong, pulled out their weapons again. The sharp and confrontational air that had been present before Yu-Seong''s appearance had returned to the room.


    Yu-Seong frowned as he slowly transformed Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice into the spear.


    ''I can''t keep being treated like a fool anymore.¡¯


    The opponent was an S-rank hunter and an Irregular, so she was particularly powerful. However, Choi Yu-Seong did not spend all his time training and improving himself in vain.


    ''If there is a commotion, the people around will hear and report it.''


    Yu-Seong just had to hold out until that moment. If there was an accident at his house, Choi Woo-Jae would not stand idly since he had already lost Yu-Seong once.


    ¡°Sweetie, it¡¯s not late to follow me. Listen to me calmly and come with me. Otherwise, your precious two people could get hurt," Helen cooed, trying to persuade Yu-Seong.


    However, this situation was like spilled milk.


    Yu-Seong firmly shook his head. At the same time, he tensed his shoulders and activated his Third Eye skill.


    "Who do you think you are¡­to take Choi Yu-Seong away?" a low male voice echoed coldly.


    A silver sword light split Helen¡¯s dark energy wide open. Then, it spread out and completely destroyed the tension between Helen and Yu-Seong. It was an overwhelming presence. Pure power itself might be pushed back, but this pressure was enough to overwhelm the S-rank hunter Helen Mirren.


    The cold tip of the man¡¯s sword was pointed at Helen''s neck.


    "If you want to take someone with you, at least get the person''s consent, old woman."


    It was the arrival of the returnee, Kim Do-Jin.


    1. This term is used in South Korea to address or refer to an older person who is in a position of seniority, such as a mentor, a teacher, or a senior colleague ?

 CH 140

    Kim Do-Jin''s sudden appearance was unexpected. He had simply flown into the house.


    ¡®How...did you¡­?¡¯


    Yu-Seong asked with his eyes.


    Kim Do-Jin continued to release sword energy while keeping his gaze and sword tip on Helen Mirren. At first glance, it appeared as though he was the only one exerting pressure on Helen Mirren. In reality, however, even the slightest mistake on his part could result in a perilous outcome for himself.


    "...You''re Kim Do-Jin," said Helen with a frown. After a brief contemplation, she clicked her tongue and said, ¡°Hah... the best among the rookies? Looks like everyone''s eyes are no different from a blind man''s. You are already close to being a perfectionist, huh.¡±


    With her sharp gaze on the tip of Kim Do-Jin''s sword, Helen added, "But sweetie, that sword still cannot reach me. I don''t know why you got involved in this, but wouldn''t it be better to back off now?"


    "As long as there is a will, the sword will reach its place," said Do-Jin.


    Yu-Seong was surprised by those words.


    ¡®The peak of martial arts mastery!¡¯


    The peak of martial arts mastery was too high a level to be achieved in this world. It wouldn¡¯t be possible even if he returned to modern times and had overcome numerous crises.


    Yu-Seong lowered his head.


    ''If he has already reached the peak of martial arts mastery, then he already would have killed my father.''


    If Do-Jin was already at the peak of martial arts mastery, his sudden appearance would have killed Helen Mirren already. However, it did seem like Do-Jin was getting accidental glimpses of the peak of martial arts mastery.


    ¡®He is just catching a glimpse of it... Wait, but what''s his rank and level now?¡¯


    Regardless of Kim Do-Jin''s current rank and level, he was still progressing at a rapid pace. His growth was clearly surpassing the character in the original novel that Choi Yu-Seong had read about.


    ¡°...That¡¯s an interesting statement,¡± said Helen Mirren, who also felt something from Do-Jin¡¯s statement. Feeling slightly surprised, she widened her eyes and stared at Do-Jin.


    ¡°Since when did the Seductive Demon become so loose-lipped?" said Do-Jin.


    Helen''s face twisted into a sneer, because that was a nickname she hated the most. She said, "Most alchemists are like that. They have a lot of thoughts all of the time. When we think too much, our thoughts become disorganized, so we have to spit some out to help with that process. Well, let''s cut the nonsense for now."


    The first one to ease off was Helen. She held up her arms in a gesture of surrender and plopped down on the couch. She then said, "To be honest, no matter how much I boast, I can''t guarantee a win against four people. If I decide to kill, there might be a difference, but..."


    Helen shrugged with a bitter smile, feeling resigned and helpless. She couldn¡¯t afford to offend Choi Woo-Jae.


    Once again, the brewing storm went away. The tension in the room dissipated. Jin Yu-Ri and Jenny, who had been holding their breath for a while, breathed a sigh of relief.


    "That¡¯s just impossible.¡± Kim Do-Jin snorted. He slowly sheathed his sword since Helen no longer showed any intention to attack.


    "Are you two friends? You two look alike. You both always stand your ground and never back down easily too," said Helen.


    "We''re not friends," replied Yu-Seong immediately.


    "I''ve also never thought of you as a friend." Kim Do-Jin looked at Yu-Seong sharply.


    "Haha... So you two are in love?" said Helen.


    "Old woman, do you want to get beat up?" shouted Do-Jin as he unsheathed his sword again.


    Yu-Seong quickly shook his head. "Unfortunately, I have no interest in men.¡±


    "Yeah, yeah. Let''s move on to the main topic. Young Choi," said Helen. Looking right at Yu-Seong, she said, "If I can''t bring you with me by force, I guess we''ll have to negotiate. I need you under any circumstances.¡±


    "Just in case?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "Yeah, just in case. You said it easily, but if there are really Demon King Worshiper bastards in Pyongyang, it would be impossible for me to steal the Philosopher¡¯s Stone alone," said Helen.


    "Hmm..." Yu-Seong sighed.


    They both had thought of a ¡®just in case¡¯ scenario, but their criteria for what that meant were slightly different.


    "So, I was thinking of taking you with me and taking the girls behind you as hostages to get the job done. Hahaha," Helen Mirren candidly confessed all of her plans and shrugged. She continued, "Let''s do this, sweetie. I''ve never made this kind of proposal before. I assume you were trying to help me find the Philosopher''s Stone since you also have something you wish for, right? Whatever that wish may be, I''ll fulfill it in advance.¡±


    Choi Yu-Seong couldn''t hide his surprise because he knew that Helen Mirren''s alchemy was based on the principle of equivalent exchange. For her to fulfill a distant wish without receiving anything in return, she was showing that she would sacrifice something too.


    ¡®Since there are no miracles without a price.¡¯


    Helen Mirren''s proposal was certainly attractive. However, this would be more of a breakeven scenario than one raking in a profit.


    Hiding his surprise, Yu-Seong said, "It''s not enough. I have to stake my life.¡±


    "Most of the people who ask me for a wish do end up staking their lives. Are you scared now?" asked Helen Mirren.


    "Yes. I want to live," answered Yu-Seong.


    Yu-Seong always lived life on the edge, but he had never lived with the resolve to die.


    "Let''s do this, Helen Mirren. I have two conditions. First, as you said, please treat the patient I want in advance, and second, give me five Return Stones," said Yu-Seong.


    "What...? How do you know about Return Stones?"


    Choi Yu-Seong had originally thought of demanding both Jin Do-Yoon¡¯s treatment and the Return Stones after handing over the Philosopher''s Stone.


    ¡®The Philosopher''s Stone is worth enough for it to be an equal exchange.¡¯


    Return Stones were one of Helen''s inventions, and Yu-Seong needed them for himself.


    ¡®The owner of the Return Stone and one accompanying person can use it to be transported to a designated location.¡¯


    This might not sound special, but the Return Stone had one remarkable aspect.


    ¡®There are no restrictions on distance or space.¡¯


    If the designated points were set in advance, one could activate the Return Stone and travel between the United States and Korea in a single minute. Of course, such a fantastic item naturally had penalties.


    ¡®Limited to one use.¡¯


    After being used, the Return Stone would turn into sand and disappear.


    The original novel had mentioned that the raw materials needed to make one Return Stone exceeded several hundred billion won. It could only be made by Helen Mirren too, so its value could actually be said to be incalculable.


    "Is that important?" Yu-Seong asked calmly.


    The Return Stone was not commonly known, but it also was not a secret. For example, it could be assumed that most of Helen Mirren''s wealthy clients knew about the Return Stones.


    ¡°It is indeed important. I make sure to enforce a confidentiality agreement with those to whom I sell Return Stones. If they break the confidentiality agreement, they will no longer be human.¡±


    Choi Yu-Seong didn''t know about such a confidentiality agreement, so he let out an awkward laugh.


    "Hmm." Helen clicked her tongue and nodded. She said, "At least your father, Choi, is not the one. As I can see that he is still alive.¡±


    "Everyone has secrets. What do you think, seonbae-nim? I am listening to your request and offering to take it up,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    With the five Return Stones, Yu-Seong could go to Pyongyang together with Helen Mirren and escape when it got dangerous. He could also make this trip with a good safety net for himself.


    In truth, Helen Mirren was not the true danger here.


    ¡®The danger lies in the land of Pyongyang itself.¡¯


    Anyway, Yu-Seong knew one more secret that Helen Mirren needed to know about. Keeping that as a hidden card up his sleeve, he had less to worry about regarding Helen. He was more worried about the other aspects.


    "Five Return Stones... You are quite greedy. Let''s settle for three," Helen said.


    "Five or nothing."


    "Three."


    "Let''s pretend it never happened."


    "Ah, you little thing...!" Helen stood up from her seat in anger, glanced at Jin Yu-Ri, Jenny, and Kim Do-Jin, who all surrounded Yu-Seong, and breathed a sigh. She nodded. "Fine, five, but for now, I only have three. It¡¯s not the easiest thing to make in the world.¡±


    Yu-Seong lightly nodded and smiled. ¡°We will draw up a contract that states you will no longer be a human upon breaking the contract. And I have one last proposal."


    "Another one¡­?!"


    "You are the current representative of the Researchers of Miracles, right?¡±


    "You damn brat. How many secrets do you have?" cried Helen.


    The Researchers of Miracles, based in San Francisco, USA, was the world''s largest alchemist organization. They produced most of the alchemical products being supplied worldwide. Unfortunately, there were not many alchemical products yet, and they had not been able to exert much influence.


    But in the future, they would become a giant company that controlled the world economy in partnership with artifact creators. The only problem was that the leader¡¯s identity would not be fully revealed until the end.


    ¡®In the original novel, only Kim Do-Jin learns the leader¡¯s identity through the Philosopher''s Stone.¡¯


    In the original novel, Kim Do-Jin, through a contract with Helen Mirren, had received about 5% of the shares of the Researchers of Miracles and accumulated quite a large fortune. However, what Yu-Seong wanted was something much more than that.


    ¡°Give me half of your shares in the Researchers of Miracles,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    "What...?"


    In fact, the Researchers of Miracles did not receive much investment. Helen Mirren, the founder of the organization, already had a lot of money, so she held onto a significant 60% of the company¡¯s shares.


    This was one of the reasons why Helen Mirren could be confident when she had the conflict with the Rochchild family, who was known as the center of the global economy in the original novel. In fact, giving half of her shares to Yu-Seong meant that he could become a co-owner of the Researchers of Miracles.


    ¡®With this, I can become a tycoon, maybe even a billionaire.¡¯


    Anyways, if he had to go to Pyongyang, Yu-Seong might as well go all in. Furthermore, The Researchers of Miracles didn¡¯t have much value yet, so it would be easier for him to acquire it now.


    ¡®She wouldn¡¯t even contemplate it if she knew what¡¯s going to happen in the future, but¡­¡¯


    Helen Mirren deeply contemplated as she furrowed her brow and bit her lip.


    Choi Yu-Seong had decided to take the plunge. In fact, the outcome of this negotiation was already predetermined.


    ¡°If you don''t like it, then quit. I also don''t like doing things that require me to risk my life¡­¡±


    "Who said I wouldn''t be interested? I was simply calculating the value of half a share. What a cunning little demon!" Helen Mirren shouted.


    ¡°Does that mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Okay, I''ll do it! Dang it! What a demon. Even worse than the big Choi guy!¡±


    Helen Mirren, also known as the Seductive Demon, was defeated by another demon who tempted her with the use of ruthless business methods for the first time.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

 CH 141

    After the deal was made, Helen Mirren immediately headed to the hospital with Jin Yu-Ri to treat Jin Do-Yoon. She returned less than an hour later because she hated procrastinating.


    "I kept my first promise."


    Yu-Seong looked at Jin Yu-Ri, who gave a subtle nod. The slight hint of excitement on her face and the redness in her cheeks clearly expressed how she was feeling.


    ''Impressive. As expected of the Miraculous Alchemist.''


    Helen Mirren''s skills were far more effective than Heal-type players when it came to regeneration.


    ¡°It costs a lot to recover a lost foot. To heal him, I actually lost 50 of my personally crafted Homunculus.¡±


    Helen Mirren approached the creation of miracles in a somewhat alchemical way.


    ''Miracles from sacrificing artificial life forms and achieving equivalent exchanges...''


    Generally, an extremely talented alchemist could create around 1000 Homunculus in their lifetime. That was the average for creating low-grade artificial life forms that had no ego or self. In fact, a properly made Homunculus that appeared to be alive¡­ Not even the world''s most respected alchemist Helen Mirren could create more than ten in a lifetime.


    "Thank you," said Yu-Seong sincerely.


    He slowly stood up. Now that Jin Do-Yoon¡¯s problem was solved, it was time for him to head to Pyongyang together with Helen Mirren. Of course, he wanted to receive something else before starting the journey.


    "Can I ask for three Return Stones first?" Yu-Seong asked.


    Helen Mirren had her own plan for infiltrating Pyongyang. However, coming back was a separate matter. It was wise to come up with a rough plan for returning to Seoul first.


    Helen Mirren looked a bit dissatisfied, but she knew there was no point in arguing anymore. She handed over the three Return Stones to Yu-Seong.


    As Yu-Seong used mana and Chakra on the Return Stones, a message appeared alongside a burst of blue light. The return point had been set.


    ''Is this how the Return Stone works? It¡¯s pretty interesting.''


    In that short time, Helen Mirren also copied Yu-Seong and set the same return point. When Yu-Seong looked at her in surprise, she simply said, "What? Is there a reason I can''t return to this house too?"


    "Not really, but..."


    "Hmph." Helen snorted before looking around the room. She asked, "So, who will be joining us?"


    Before going to treat Jin Do-Yoon, Helen Mirren had specified that one more person should join them on their trip to Pyongyang. Even if Yu-Seong was a hunter in C-rank with overwhelming abilities, he needed a reliable companion in hostile territory.


    There had been a small commotion earlier on, but the decision was made now.


    "I''ll be coming along," said Kim Do-Jin with a slightly raised hand.


    Jin Yu-Ri furrowed her brows. ¡°You¡¯re the one joining them in the end?¡±


    Helen nodded as if she had expected this decision.


    ¡®Jenny has many responsibilities as the Hidden Team¡¯s leader, and she''s also making great progress in the retrieval of ancient relics. It would be a shame if she left with us.¡¯


    As for Jin Yu-Ri, she managed the affairs of the house when Choi Yu-Seong wasn¡¯t around.


    ¡®She also should stay behind since Jin Do-Yoon will be returning soon too, and we have to take care of Chae Ye-Ryeong and Yoo Jin-Hyuk as well.¡¯


    From a report that Jenny had given, Chae Ye-Ryeong was supporting Yoo Jin-Hyuk''s growth in various ways, such as going on hunts together. Thanks to that, Yoo Jin-Hyuk was growing quickly, already entering the D-rank promotion examination.


    ¡®The Titanic Growth skill is giving him great help¡­ By the time I finish my work in Pyongyang, he may have entered the C-rank like me.¡¯


    If his colleagues could match his level of power, Choi Yu-Seong only stood to benefit even more. However, for now, he believed it best that Yu-Ri remained at home.


    ¡®Since Jin Yu-Ri has the authority to operate my property.¡¯


    Jenny could take over Yu-Ri¡¯s responsibilities, but that wouldn¡¯t be ideal at all. Yu-Ri could never be overlooked within the household.


    Most importantly, Kim Do-Jin had risen to B-rank. This meant that his power would be closer to the level of A-rank.


    ''Based on the fact that he also uses magic¡­¡¯


    Even compared to S-rank players and hunters, who were known as superhuman, Do-Jin would have impressive abilities.


    ¡®He¡¯s not a returnee for nothing.¡¯


    Ultimately, as long as he did not change his mind, Kim Do-Jin was a reliable insurance for Choi Yu-Seong. That was why Yu-Seong had made the suggestion for Do-Jin to come along, and Do-Jin did agree after some thought.


    Jin Yu-Ri and Jenny also had some concerns, but they trusted Yu-Seong. They did not express any major dissatisfaction.


    ***


    Helen''s infiltration plan for Pyongyang was somewhat simple.


    ¡®I didn''t even imagine directly contacting the President of Russia.¡¯


    Currently, the only countries that shared a somewhat friendly relationship with Pyongyang were China and Russia.


    ¡®But, unofficially, there are more countries involved with the Demon King Worshipers.¡¯


    In any case, Russia and Pyongyang had a pretty alright relationship.


    Helen had been active for a long time and had performed many miracles through alchemy. Not only was she called the Miraculous Alchemist, but she also had a connection with the President of Russia, Smirnova Valentina, who was also known as the Iron Blood Empress.


    ¡®The original novel didn¡¯t mention much about it, so I am not too sure¡­ But if she can directly contact the Iron Blood Empress, it''s not a casual relationship, I suppose.¡¯


    Anyway, Yu-Seong, Do-Jin, and Helen took a plane and crossed to Vladivostok. Then, with the Iron Blood Empress¡¯ help, they were able to be transported directly to Pyongyang.


    Upon safely arriving at Pyongyang, Choi Yu-Seong wiped the sweat from the mask that Helen Mirren had given him. He breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡®Why are there so many monsters in the sky? I am tired to death.¡¯


    This was not a joke. During the flight to Pyongyang, they had been attacked more than ten times. Fortunately, with Russia¡¯s special hunter squad composed of at least A-rank hunters guarding their transports, none of the attacks had resulted in casualties.


    However, whenever giant monsters appeared in the sky, Yu-Seong couldn''t help but feel his heart pounding and his body trembling.


    The trio had only managed to reach Pyongyang¡¯s only lodging, the Pyongyang Hotel, safely because of the protection of the Russian special forces.


    "Whoa..."


    Once he entered the room, Yu-Seong attempted to remove his skinsuit, the mask that was made of animal hide covering him. However, Helen Mirren stopped him by grabbing his wrist.


    Helen said, ¡°The skinsuit will look weird if you take it off now and attempt to wear it again later. It may be uncomfortable, but you must endure it. Given that both of you are well-known figures, this was an unavoidable decision.¡±


    Yu-Seong put his hand down. He wanted to cry.


    Meanwhile, Kim Do-Jin walked towards the hotel window with a relaxed expression and gazed out at the city of Pyongyang.


    "The kid over there appears to be quite apprehensive, but you seem to be quite composed," commented Helen.


    Flying monsters constantly attacked from the sky. At the same time, there were hordes of ground monsters on the blackened ground. This area was certainly called a death ground.


    Since he had infiltrated the dangerous city of Pyongyang, Yu-Seong couldn''t help but feel tense.


    Kim Do-Jin looked back at Yu-Seong and Helen calmly. He said, "It¡¯s familiar to me.¡±


    "Oh... I thought you¡¯re just another rookie from South Korea, but it seems like you have quite a bit of outside experience. Were you originally a soldier or a mercenary?" asked Helen.


    Kim Do-Jin turned to give Helen Mirren a cold smile. "I''ve certainly done a lot of killing."


    "That''s what I thought. I can smell the blood on you, just as I can on myself. It''s very strong and pungent... Haha," Helen laughed. She then slicked her hair back and looked at Yu-Seong again. She said, "Tomorrow, we need to go out and confirm the exact location at lunchtime. We can start prepping tonight. Make sure to rest and conserve your energy as much as possible today.¡±


    "...Thank you," replied Yu-Seong.


    Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    Normally, Helen''s impulsive nature would have prompted her to immediately start running an investigation with Yu-Seong. This meant that she was trying to be considerate by offering both Yu-Seong and Do-Jin a day of rest.


    "It''s nothing. I¡¯m giving you a break because I don¡¯t want you messing things up,¡± Helen said. With a snort, she left the room.


    The hotel room fell silent, with only Yu-Seong and Do-Jin still hanging around. Finally able to relax, Yu-Seong lay down on the bed. He closed his eyes and was lost in thought.


    ¡®I''m really in Pyongyang.¡¯


    Just three days ago, Yu-Seong had made the deal with Helen Mirren. Then, today, he was already in Pyongyang. In terms of distance alone, he could have arrived in just a day if he had traveled alone. However, as a South Korean, he couldn''t have imagined that reaching Pyongyang would be so easy.


    ¡®Whether in a past life or present life¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong had thought that Pyongyang had no relationship to him, but he found the place familiar. He didn¡¯t think it was strange at all.


    ¡®In fact, I never even imagined I would end up in a novel.¡¯


    While Yu-Seong slowly regulated his breathing, Kim Do-Jin looked out the hotel window and said, "You sure seem comfortable. Are you really planning on sleeping like that?¡±


    "Why? Is there a problem?" Yu-Seong asked as he opened his eyes. He was surprisingly at ease with the dangerous returnee nearby.


    "That woman is a dangerous person," said Do-Jin.


    "I know."


    "She has a strong smell of blood."


    "It''s the same as yours."


    "I had no choice in the matter."


    "Everyone has their reasons. You didn''t come chasing after me for pointless talk, did you?" Yu-Seong asked. Feeling curious, he continued, ¡°Anyways, why did you say you were following me? And why did you come to my house?¡±


    Despite the fact that Kim Do-Jin''s assistance had greatly facilitated things for him, Yu-Seong was bound to have some questions.


    "Do I have to answer?" asked Do-Jin.


    "You''re just a brat," Yu-Seong said. He then closed his eyes.


    Kim Do-Jin sneered. He turned to look out of the window again, thinking that he only had one reason for going to Yu-Seong¡¯s house.


    ''Because I am now a B-rank hunter.''


    Do-Jin had also received a pretty good reward after passing the promotion examination. Thanks to that, he was now at a level where he wouldn¡¯t be afraid to battle a moderate S-rank hunter.


    ''Is the guy a returnee like me or...does he have another secret?''


    Also, Do-Jin had to know what Yu-Seong was hiding. He thought that might be the reason why Yu-Seong was constantly on his mind and bothering him.


    Earlier on, Do-Jin had gone to Yu-Seong¡¯s house only to find out that some kind of commotion was going on. He had spotted Helen Mirren, who spoke in a manner that he didn¡¯t like. The woman gave off a similarly dangerous vibe as himself, and that made him dislike her. And due to that sense of dislike, Do-Jin had decided to tag along on this trip.


    ¡®It doesn''t feel good in many ways.¡¯


    Do-Jin had Sixth Sense skill. It was almost like his intuition, but he couldn¡¯t just ignore it. The problem was, he couldn¡¯t tell who would be encountering this upcoming crisis.


    ¡®Me? Or Choi Yu-Seong?¡¯


    Truly, Do-Jin didn''t know why he felt that sending Yu-Seong alone to North Korea was a bad idea.

 CH 142

    Kim Do-Jin was determined, so he refused to allow any potential variables to stand in his way.


    ¡®Yu-Seong already has a lot to hide.¡¯


    Do-Jin had to watch Yu-Seong as closely as possible.


    ¡®He seems to have been well rewarded for his promotion evaluation to C-rank¡­¡¯


    While traveling to Pyongyang, Do-Jin had attempted to gauge Yu-Seong¡¯s strength. However, he still hadn¡¯t been able to uncover any of the man¡¯s secrets. It felt a little frustrating, but he didn¡¯t think it was strange.


    ¡®I already knew that Yu-Seong is a sly one.¡¯


    This trip to Pyongyang was a tough one. Their surveillance team alone had more than ten people, and that had only been for their ride to the hotel. Even now that they were in the hotel room, the surveillance team still kept tabs on their every move. The team just wasn¡¯t approaching them.


    ''Would Choi Yu-Seong know about this?''


    Kim Do-Jin glanced at Yu-Seong, whom he found difficult to evaluate. He thought it was possible that Yu-Seong''s current nervousness was merely an act.


    There was a long silence. Helen did not look for the two men, and the conversation between Yu-Seong and Do-Jin had died. The two of them also felt the watchful eyes on them slowly turning away.


    Only then did Do-Jin look away from the window. He turned to Yu-Seong and had an odd expression on his face.


    ''Is he really asleep?''


    Yu-Seong was breathing deeply and calmly. He could be pretending, but Do-Jin felt that he was truly asleep.


    ¡®So, his nervousness was just a pretense.¡¯


    Kim Do-Jin quickly took off his clothes and headed for the shower. As it was Pyongyang''s only hotel, the water warmed quickly when he turned on the tap. As the water washed over him and got rid of the sweat, he looked at his handsome face in the mirror.


    ¡®Maybe I felt anxious because I thought this was my last chance.¡¯


    With only him and Yu-Seong on this journey¡ªexcluding Helen, who was a neutral party, Do-Jin saw this as a chance to gain clarity on the enigmatic Yu-Seong, who was keeping secrets.


    Do-Jin was plagued by the fear that if he missed this chance, he would remain at the mercy of Yu-Seong''s manipulation.


    ¡®I am sure about this.¡¯


    Believing that this was his last chance, Kim Do-Jin made a firm resolution.


    ¡®During this journey, I will find out all of your secrets, Choi Yu-Seong.¡¯


    In the mirror, Kim Do-Jin''s eyes sparkled with confidence.


    ***


    In a spacious room with white stone walls, two people were playing chess in the center. The man looked irritated and dissatisfied with his clearly disadvantageous white horse. As for the woman, she was about to give the final blow with her black queen and had a joyful smile on her face.


    "Checkmate. There''s no way out, Vincent. Hoho¡­" said the woman with a laugh.


    Vincent, a white man in his mid-30s with blonde hair and a fair complexion, had a crumpled expression on his face. "Dammit. Is this one win and 499 losses out of 500 matches?"


    "In fact, except when you first taught me chess, I''ve always beaten you, Vincent!"


    "Ha, Emilia. You''re such a wild kid. I played it cool at first and lost on purpose, but imagine if I hadn''t. The outcome would have been quite different, don''t you think?"


    "Who¡¯s that man, Vincent, looking at me with sweat on his face and gritted teeth?" said Emilia mockingly.


    Emilia, a white teenager with brown hair and a face full of freckles, playfully twisted a lock of hair.


    "Wait and see. Next time, I''ll win," said Vincent.


    "Please do, Vincent. Don''t just talk, show me~" said Emilia.


    Vincent snorted. With a slightly bitter smile, he rearranged the chess pieces on the board.


    Thud-!


    "Vi-Vincent!"


    The tightly shut door suddenly flew open. A middle-aged Asian man with a potbelly rushed into the room. He called out for both Vincent and Emilia.


    "What? We were about to start the next game, why interrupt us?"


    "Th-That... Helen Mirren is in Pyongyang right now!"


    "What?! The Seductive Demon, that old witch, has come?" Vincent glared at the Asian man¡ªKim Un-Jeong, the ruler of Pyongyang.


    Kim Un-Jeong froze. "Ah¡­ I didn¡¯t call her here. Vincent, you misunderstand."


    "Of course not. I don''t think you''re bold enough to call her here," said Vincent, clicking his tongue. He then looked over at Emilia.


    While Kim Un-Jeong was raging and mentioning Helen Mirren''s name, Emilia had a disinterested expression. Her blue eyes were fixed on the chess board, seemingly eager to see how the next game would unfold. Still, she wasn¡¯t ignoring the conversation entirely.


    "Has Helen noticed something about the Philosopher''s Stone?" Vincent cautiously asked Emilia.


    "I suppose that she has," Emilia replied.


    "But how?"


    "Maybe someone told her?"


    "It seems like there may be traitors among us,¡± Vincent said, then looked back at Kim Un-Jeong.


    Kim Un-Jeong slammed his thick jaw shut and shook his head fiercely from side to side. "I''m not a traitor. And among the people under me, only two know about the Philosopher''s Stone!"


    "There are two~" Emilya said mockingly.


    Vincent nodded.


    ¡°Those guys are definitely not traitors either. Do you know how much I''ve clipped their wings? Why would they risk their families'' lives by talking about the Philosopher''s Stone?¡± said Kim Un-Jeong.


    "You never know," said Vincent coldly.


    Kim Un-Jeong''s face turned red. He blurted out, "Things that I don''t know about can happen among the Demon King Worshipers too. Aren''t there more people who know about the Philosopher''s Stone there?!"


    "What? Kim Un-Jeong, you little brat. Are you suspecting the Godfather now?" Vincent rose from his seat, trying to intimidate Kim Un-Jeong.


    Emilia picked up a chess piece and said, "No, it does make sense. Quite a lot of people from the Demon King Worshipers know about the Philosopher''s Stone. Even if you exclude Godfather, the leaders of the Hexagram and the Twelve Dark Kings all know about it, right? This already makes twenty who are aware of the Philosopher''s Stone.¡±


    Emilia moved the chess piece forward by two spaces and looked up at Vincent. She saw his predatory gaze.


    Vincent was a skilled hunter, ranked in the top 100 among the Demon King Worshipers. His reputation as an S-rank hunter was also impressive. However, the Demon King Worshipers¡¯ situation was different from what was known in the world.


    Aside from Pride, linked with the Godfather, the leaders of the Hexagrams followed the Demon Kings of the Seven Deadly Sins. They were all highly skilled hunters of at least SS-rank. As for the Twelve Dark Kings following closely behind them, they lacked separate powers like the Hexagram leaders, but they were still known to be formidable in their own unique way.


    ¡®Those groups have a significant number of individuals who are Irregular or non-human.¡¯


    The Demon King Worshipers had been around for several decades now. Like any group that sought power, there had been internal changes in ranking, but the leaders of the Hexagrams and the Twelve Black Kings had never lost their positions.


    ¡®Well, I suppose there was one recent case.¡¯


    Recently, it was said that the Black Stain King, the least powerful of the Twelve Black Kings, had lost to an opponent and had to cede his position.


    ¡®Who could it be? Who could defeat one of the Twelve Black Kings?¡¯


    Vincent quickly thought up the names of people who could possibly achieve that, but he was also quick to dismiss them all. This was not the time for such pointless thoughts. The important thing was that the woman in front of him, Emilia, was said to be the Black Gauze King, ranked tenth among the Twelve Black Kings.


    Emilia was even more powerful than Vincent, who was not among the leaders of the Hexagrams or the Twelve Black Kings. She was a hunter of exceptional skill and talent, with her abilities estimated to be at least S-rank. However, her true strength was believed to surpass even that, reaching SS-rank or higher, and that made her an Irregular.


    Information about the Godfather, members of the Hexagrams, and the Twelve Black Kings was seen as confidential even among the Demon King Worshippers. This meant that Vincent could not know the exact facts either.


    Emilia, one of the Twelve Black Kings, was now looking at Vincent with a hint of suspicion. She often appeared as a playful, boisterous young woman, but when she displayed a look like this, Vincent was struck with fear.


    ¡®We''ve been together for 2 years, but I still can''t get used to it.¡¯


    Vincent shook his head sharply, just like Kim Un-Jeong did a moment ago. He said, "Not me either. This is for sure, Emilia."


    "I know, Vincent. If you were a traitor, we couldn¡¯t play the next round of chess together," said Emilia. She smirked and twirled a strand of hair, then asked, "Is that grandma Mirren alone?"


    Vincent shivered and gestured towards Kim Un-Jeong, who quickly lowered his head. Un-Jeong said, "M-Ms. Emilia. It¡¯s an honor to speak to you. Um... I heard that two assistants are accompanying Helen Mirren. They seem to be Oriental.¡±


    "Chinese?"


    "They came on a transport plane sent from Russia, and we were told they only spoke English during the trip¡­ We aren¡¯t sure of their identities. They also had no distinct accent," said Un-Jeong as he wiped the sweat from his face.


    Emilia lightly tapped the chess board, then looked at Vincent. She said, "Vincent, investigate those two bodyguards. It might be difficult to deal with Helen Mirren, but the assistants should be easy, right?"


    ¡°Me, personally?"


    Currently, there were many Demon King Worshipers in Pyongyang who were lower-ranked than Vincent. Quite a few of them were even Pyongyang hunters and military forces that followed Kim Un-Jeong. So, why did he have to do it himself?


    "Yeah. It''s better to be certain. Or...should I go?" asked Emilia.


    The Black Gauze King, Emilia, had a reputation of leaving a trail of corpses and a river of blood behind her when she personally took action. Although he had not yet seen it for himself, Vincent knew that he could be among the corpses if he wasn¡¯t careful too.


    Vincent shook his head again firmly and said with determination, "No, I''ll go. Kim Un-Jeong, Where are those guys now?"


    "They''re staying at the Pyongyang Koryo Hotel."


    "Let''s go right away."


    The two of them left as if running away from danger. Emilia, who was left alone in the room, fell deep into thought. She moved the chess pieces absentmindedly and said to herself, "Helen Mirren. How did that grandma get wind of this? There doesn''t seem to be any way for information to have leaked from our group. Is there really a traitor? But that can''t be. There can''t be any stupid guys in the organization who would ignore what the Godfather said. It''s strange."


    The phone with a cute cat face case on Emilia¡¯s desk started to vibrate.


    "Hmm? The new Black Stain King is coming to Pyongyang to meet me?" Emilia had a slightly annoyed look on her face. She said, "All because of a fool who was caught by a human girl. How bothersome. I''ll just send the new Black Stain King back after discovering their identity."


    Emilia yawned and flipped over the chessboard with her toes. She muttered, "I''m already bored. I have to send a message to Vincent."


    - If you come too late, you''ll die. ^_^**


    Theft is never good, try looking at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    Emilia sent the message with a cute emoticon, got up from her seat, and walked toward her bed.


    ¡®When I wake up from my nap, Vincent will have returned.¡¯


    She gave no consideration to how Vincent might feel after receiving her message.

 CH 143

    If he tarried too long, Vincent would risk succumbing to peril. Whatever Emilia''s intention was, Vincent now had no choice but to risk his life and try to handle things as quickly as possible.


    "Clear the road!"


    Vincent left his personal driver behind and quickly snatched Kim Un-Jeong''s cherished luxury sports car to head straight for the center of Pyongyang. He used all of his public authority to open up the road leading to the Pyongyang Goryeo Hotel.


    After pushing the car''s accelerator to its limits, Vincent raced down the city streets with lightning speed. It went even faster than he himself could have traveled as a highly-skilled S-rank Psych hunter operating at peak performance.


    Vincent arrived at Goryeo Hotel in less than five minutes from where he had been staying. He then carelessly parked the car and handed over the keys to the valet staff.


    He immediately headed towards the conference room, where he confirmed the room numbers of the three people he was looking for: Choi Yu-Seong and Kim Do-Jin, as well as Helen Mirren.


    ''The two assistants are in room 3021, and Helen Mirren is in 3215.''


    The rooms were on the 30th and 32nd floors, but for an S-rank hunter like Vincent, the difference in floor numbers didn''t matter much.


    After a brief thought, Vincent picked up his phone and called Kim Un-Jeong. "Summon Helen Mirren. There is something to talk about."


    - What? What should I say?


    "Just say something. Offer to have a meal together."


    - Do you really think I can eat when they might be here for the Philosopher''s Stone?


    "It''s not a mere possibility that they''re here for the Philosopher''s Stone; it''s a confirmed fact. I''m requesting you to buy me some time," Vincent instructed.


    Through his earlier conversation with Emilia, Vincent also became convinced that Helen Mirren already knew about the location of the Philosopher''s Stone and had come over to find it.


    "But don''t admit it like a fool. You absolutely have to say you don''t know. Got it?"


    - Do you think I am stupid? But really, are you going to make me fight that witch alone? It''s scary¡­


    "Idiot, you just achieved an S-rank a while ago," said Vincent to Kim Un-Jeong.


    - But...that witch was able to survive even after battling the Black Mist King in the past. Doesn''t that signify her immense strength?


    The Black Mist King was ranked 8th among the Twelve Dark Kings, so the battle between Helen Mirren and the Black Mist King was bound to create quite a few rumors among the Demon King Worshipers. For example, there was a story that Helen Mirren had actually surpassed S-rank to reach SS-rank.


    ¡®Or anyway, rumors that she is no less a monster than the Twelve Dark Kings.¡¯


    The most important thing was that the Black Mist King had no reaction to this rumor. Despite that lack of a reaction, those who had suffered from Helen''s dirty nature within the Demon King Worshipers became even more cautious of her.


    ¡®I, too, am of the same sentiment.¡¯


    Vincent also had a history of conflicts with Helen. She was uncontrollable even to him, who was also a member of Demon King Worshipers. Needless to say, there had been times when Vincent had bet on his strength that he would win, only to end up defeated.


    ''What a fierce witch.''


    It was beyond the capacity of Kim Un-Jeong, who ranked lower than Vincent himself, to control the situation that involved Helen Mirren.


    "It''ll be okay. She''s not as strong as you think," lied Vincent.


    As time elapsed, Kim Un-Jeong, being overly cautious, continued to make unneeded statements.


    - Huh? Have you ever fought that witch?


    "Sort of."


    - If you can, maybe I¡¯ll be fine too¡­


    At that moment, Vincent disregarded the sudden surge of annoyance he felt toward Kim Un-Jeong. He nodded and said, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡®You are ranked 113th, and I am ranked 100th.¡¯


    He tried hard to not spit out such thoughts.


    - Okay then. I''ll give it a try.


    After hanging up the phone, Vincent procured a low-brimmed hat from the hotel concierge and made his way to a nearby coffee shop. There, he chose a seat that was near the window to take in the view.


    About twenty minutes later, a rather unfamiliar figure¡ªHelen Mirren wearing a black robe¡ªgot into the sedan sent by Kim Un-Jeong and left the hotel.


    ''She¡¯s gone.''


    Vincent confirmed Helen¡¯s departure with his own eyes, took off his hat, and immediately entered the elevator.


    ''30th floor.''


    He pressed the button and held his breath. Being short on time, he couldn¡¯t take his own sweet time.


    ''As soon as I open the door and enter, I will throw my body forward, twist one of their wrists in the opposite direction, and subdue them in a single glance. And once their body stiffens, I will release the paralysis toxin. Hahaha¡­¡¯


    Satisfied with his own plan, Vincent walked down the hotel corridor and adjusted his clothes.


    ¡®Although those witches'' assistants may prove to be formidable opponents, I am an S-ranked hunter, after all.¡¯


    Vincent, standing in front of Room 3021, thought that the opponents had bad luck. He knocked on the door.


    Knock Knock.


    Room 3021 was quiet inside. Since nobody responded to the knock, Vincent calmly knocked on the door again.


    Knock Knock Knock.


    Again, there was only silence. However, Vincent was a skilled hunter, and he could clearly sense the presence of someone within the room.


    Hmph.


    Vincent snorted impatiently. He took thirty seconds to slowly kill his own presence in front of the door.


    ¡®By the time you guys let your guard down¡­¡¯


    A heavy silence was quickly weighing down on the entire hotel.


    ¡®...Thirty.¡¯


    Vincent immediately kicked the door open without any hesitation and jumped into the room.


    Kudang-!


    With that loud slam, dust clouds rose from the ground. Vincent immediately saw that a handsome man hidden near the bathroom wall was looking at him with a cold gaze.


    Support us at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡®What? Not flustered? Another person who thinks I''m an easy touch, huh?¡¯


    Vincent sent a punch flying forward in anger. He intended to tackle the first person he encountered by the neck, as per his plan. However, his attack completely missed the mark.


    ¡®He avoided it?''


    Momentarily bewildered by the situation, Vincent tilted his head.


    "Why are you so surprised?" his opponent asked.


    ¡®Because my plan is going wrong from the start.¡¯


    Vincent had no time to even try replying. He missed his first target, Kim Do-Jin, and could already feel the volatile energy gathering beside him.


    ¡®What is this? Is it at least an A-rank? Perhaps it''s even higher.¡¯


    Feeling a fairly threatening presence, Vincent forgot his goal of suppressing the enemy and turned to look at the right. He widened his eyes in surprise.


    ¡°Lance Charging."


    With a small voice, a flash of light flew toward Vincent and hit him in the ribs.


    Kwakwagwagwang-!


    Goryeo Hotel¡¯s walls shook from the loud roar. Turning skilfully and sticking close to the ceiling to avoid the blow, Vincent looked at the deep wound on his side and laughed bitterly.


    ¡®Ha¡­ Fuck.¡¯


    Having been caught off guard, Vincent nearly died. He spewed a mouthful of blood before swinging himself to different parts of the room a few times to dodge Kim Do-Jin''s sword. After a while, he barely managed to find a stable and wide place to catch his breath.


    ¡®It''s fortunate that I rank around 100th.¡¯


    If it weren''t for his rank, Vincent would have flown into the room suddenly, been penetrated by the first flash of light, and instantly died. With a furious expression, Vincent glared at Kim Do-Jin and Choi Yu-Seong, both of whom surrounded him in the narrow room.


    "Who are you? Why did you attack us?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "Are you asking who I am?" shouted Vincent angrily. He clenched his fist tightly, then continued, "That''s what I want to ask. I thought you guys were just assistants?"


    "So you did come after us,¡± Kim Do-Jin said as he twirled his sword.


    ¡®It¡¯s dangerous.¡¯


    Vincent felt the sweat running down his face.


    ''The injuries I¡¯ve sustained when I let my guard down are too deep.''


    Yu-Seong and Do-Jin were both equipped with a sword and a spear, and they seemed formidable and not to be underestimated. Contrary to the plan, Vincent was the one who was overpowered in this situation.


    ¡®Calm down. By just observing their movements, I can tell they''re merely at the A-rank level... Wait, why do the assistants have the skill level of an A-rank?¡¯


    Vincent cursed Yu-Seong inwardly. He watched Yu-Seong swing his spear and shuddered, thinking that the Spear Skills looked like the movements of a snake. After observing a few attacks, however, Vincent¡¯s eyes suddenly sparkled.


    ''Is this guy only at B-rank level? Maybe even just C-rank. Only the guy with a sword is threatening and too strong.¡¯


    Unfortunately, that thought only lasted for a mere moment. Upon realizing that the strike that had ripped open his side had come from Yu-Seong, he quickly became vigilant.


    ''No, this guy also has hidden techniques. I shouldn''t let my guard down.''


    Fortunately, Kim Do-Jin was not joining in and was only watching the fight.


    ''Is this my chance?''


    Vincent''s eyes sparkled as he began to generate a green poison at his fingertips. t was a Poison Projection skill.


    ''I originally planned to use paralysis poison, but...''


    Now, Vincent realized that he needed to eliminate one of them.


    ''I''ll take out the weaker one first, just in case...''


    As Vincent attempted to spread the poison to incapacitate his opponent, Choi Yu-Seong quickly pulled back his spear and backed away to a safer distance. Then, Yu-Seong asked the observing Do-Jin, "Hey? Aren''t you going to help me?"


    "It seems like you''re doing well enough on your own," replied Do-Jin.


    "What...?"


    Kim Do-Jin smirked and slowly stepped forward. "But more importantly... I don''t enjoy executing joint attacks.¡±


    Only then did Do-Jin start attacking.


    In that short time, Vincent had created a stronger poison than expected, and poured the poison toward the end of Kim Do-Jin''s sword.


    ''Iron-rusting poison.''


    In fact, Vincent didn¡¯t care who his opponent was. The only thing that mattered to him was that one of them had to die.


    If the sword and Kim Do-Jin touched the poison that could even melt iron, Do-Jin would face certain death. However, strangely, the sword that touched the iron-rusting poison didn''t melt away and only vibrated for a little while.


    ''What on earth is that sword made of?''


    Moreover, Kim Do-Jin felt something in that moment and twisted his body to the side, escaping from the range of the iron-rusting poison. After that, he attacked quickly again.


    ''I''m ready now too! Do you think it''s over once you avoid my poison?''


    Vincent clicked his tongue. He generated a full load of iron-rusting poison in his bare hands and tried to grab Do-Jin¡¯s sword.


    "Dancing Electric Doll."


    Something shot out of Yu-Seong¡¯s hand, hit Vincent in the back, and suddenly began to release thunder.


    For Vincent, who was an S-rank hunter, he only felt a mere sting. However, he became slightly paralyzed from that attack, and his mobility was momentarily reduced. Also, his vision was temporarily blurred, and his judgment was scattered for a short time.


    In that moment, Kim Do-Jin¡¯s sword moved in a graceful crescent shape and caught Vincent¡¯s wrist.


    "...!!"


    Blood splattered into the air.


    "Uaaak-!"


    Along with the screams that followed, Vincent¡¯s two eyes became red and swollen.


    "These damn kids! I¡¯ll kill you all!" shouted Vincent furiously.


    He then swung his severed arm, sending blood flying in all directions.


    The problem was that the objects coming into contact with the corrosive blood began to corrode and dissolve at a rapid pace. In fact, it was no different for Kim Do-Jin, whose hair was rotting at the tips and falling off. Even some of the skin mask on his face was melting and flowing down.


    Chi-iik-!


    "Blood poison?" Surprised, Yu-Seong also quickly backed away from the blood that was flying toward him.


    Kim Do-Jin could no longer think of continuing the battle and retreated as well.


    With red eyes, Vincent reached for his wounded right side with his left hand.


    Kwa-deung!


    "Kaaaa-!" Vincent screamed as the blood in his hand bubbled and boiled. "I''ll kill you, I''ll kill you!"


    Like a madman, Vincent''s face twisted like a demon as he ran toward the two men.

 CH 144

    Vincent''s Blood Poison skill was the secret weapon that had elevated him to the distinguished title of S-ranked Demon King Worshiper. It helped him secure his place as a Top 100 hunter.


    ¡®The only drawback is that its usage requires self-inflicted harm, and it has a limited duration.¡¯


    Vincent boasted that even S rank hunters, who were at least one level above him in ability, could be turned into blood marrow if they were directly hit by his Blood Poison skill.


    Helen Mirren''s assistants, Choi Yu-Seong and Kim Do-Jin, quickly chose to dodge as soon as Vincent activated his Blood Poison Technique.


    ¡®Did they know about my skill or are they just quick-witted?¡¯


    Vincent believed that it wouldn''t be challenging to eliminate either of them if he pursued with full force, so he didn''t concern himself with who would be the first to go. However, he soon faced a problem.


    ¡®My injury is getting too big.¡¯


    In order to effectively activate the Blood Poison skill, Vincent had deepened the wound. He was starting to lose a bit of focus. He really wanted to make them both suffer horribly until they begged to die, but that now seemed impossible.


    ¡®How humiliating... They''re just mere A or B rank kids!¡¯


    Vincent clenched his teeth.


    ¡®There¡¯s enough blood.¡¯


    Vincent¡¯s wounds were now gushing out a torrent of blood. At this rate, he would succumb to excessive bleeding in just ten more minutes of fighting.


    ''I never thought I''d hit rock bottom in front of these kids, but...''


    Left with no other choice, Vincent extended his blood-stained arms toward Choi Yu-Seong and Kim Do-Jin, both of whom were carefully avoiding the drops of blood in a confined space. He shouted, "Let''s see if you two can dodge this!"


    The blood droplets on Vincent¡¯s arms vibrated and twisted, changing into the shape of sharp needles. The number of needles rapidly increased. There were soon hundreds of them.


    With hundreds of needles at his disposal, Vincent scattered them all around himself. He swung his arms wildly in the air.


    Woosh-!


    Powerful Blood Poison burned through the ceiling of the only five-star hotel in Pyongyang and penetrated the sky.


    Vincent looked at Choi Yu-Seong, who had a horrified expression, and Kim Do-Jin, whose expression had hardened. With a slight smile, he lowered his hand and shouted, "Blood Rain!"


    Papabapak-!


    ¡®Exactly one thousand shots!¡¯


    The Blood Rain pouring down from the sky pierced through the entire Goryeo Hotel. In the rooms where innocent people were residing, echoes of screams and cries could be heard. Needless to say, dead bodies and blood were accumulating rapidly.


    ''These Demon King Worshipers are crazy bastards!''


    In the midst of the massive carnage, Yu-Seong ground his teeth. He was aware that the villains would sacrifice human lives for their goals and means, but the current massacre caused by Vincent''s Blood Rain exceeded his imagination. The issue was that he couldn¡¯t protect the innocent people from this attack.


    ''How¡­''


    With the Blood Rain pouring down on him, Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t find a way to evade it himself. He looked over at Kim Do-Jin with a heavy heart, wondering what decision would the experienced returnee make in this predicament.


    However, Do-Jin, who had been running alongside Yu-Seong just a moment ago, was nowhere in sight.


    ''What''s going on?''


    In a moment of disorientation, Yu-Seong felt a firm grasp on his back. He tried pulling away, but couldn¡¯t resist the formidable strength in the end. Then, before he knew it, he was sent smashing through the glass window and hurtled through the air.


    As he plummeted from the 30th floor, Yu-Seong gazed at the person who was holding onto him. He knew that he couldn¡¯t survive the fall from such a height.


    ''Kim Do-Jin?''


    With a cold, rigid expression, Do-Jin lifted Yu-Seong with one hand and attempted a freefall toward the ground.


    ''What is he planning?''


    Yu-Seong widened his eyes as he rapidly approached the ground. He could feel the pull of gravity.


    Just before impact, Do-Jin raised his index finger and sliced through the air. He then muttered under his breath, "Fly."


    Once the magic was activated, both Yu-Seong and Do-Jin started to fall at a much slower speed. They were less affected by the laws of gravity.


    After escaping from that moment of danger, Kim Do-Jin tossed Yu-Seong towards the roadside, which was beyond the reach of the Blood Rain, and turned to look back at the sky. He swung his sword, and high flames began to erupt in the sky to evaporate the falling Blood Rain.


    In a mere moment, Kim Do-Jin had miraculously avoided the crisis.


    Do-Jin fell to the ground afterward.


    Boom-!


    However, some droplets of Blood Rain remained in the air. They fell onto Do-Jin¡¯s shoulder and between his hair.


    "Keeeuuuu¡­!" Do-Jin screamed out in pain for the first time.


    A part of his shoulder and his scalp were burning, with his flesh scorched. The stench of burning flesh lingered in the air.


    Despite his injuries, Do-Jin managed to roll on the ground several times and rise to his feet again. Still with his sword in hand, he slowly turned to look at the collapsing Goryeo Hotel.


    ¡®We''re still in the danger zone.¡¯


    If the hotel were to collapse, Yu-Seong and Do-Jin would be buried and face certain death.


    However, Do-Jin struggled to move as his vision spun, and he could no longer balance himself well. He was dizzy.


    In fact, the Blood Poison that Vincent had spread through the Blood Rain was not just a simple poison. Once it seeped into a person¡¯s body, it would cause paralysis and magic depletion, as well as affect the nervous system through its poison and acid.


    ''I don¡¯t have enough resistance to B-rank poison.''


    Do-Jin needed to use detoxification magic, but his magic had been scattered by the Blood Poison.


    ''I need to find another way.''


    When you''re just trying to make great content at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    Kim Do-Jin slowly raised his head and looked at the blue sky, which was now overwhelmed by black shadows.


    ''I might die.''


    Do-Jin smiled weakly.


    Just then, Yu-Seong rushed over and steadied Do-Jin by holding onto his waist. He began to run while supporting the injured Do-Jin.


    "Dangerous¡­now that I am poisoned¡­¡±


    ¡°So don''t talk; just endure.¡±


    At that moment, the soldiers and police in Pyongyang began to shoot.


    ¡°Suspicious movement!¡±


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    Bang-!


    The sound of bullets firing echoed through the air, but that only lasted for a moment.


    Banggg-!


    The magnificent and historic Goryeo Hotel suddenly collapsed, casting a shroud of darkness over the downtown area.


    "Ahhhhh-!"


    Amidst the chaos of the collapsing building and crumbling city, Do-Jin had no other choice but to lean against Yu-Seong¡¯s back as he was carried. He swallowed the blood that was filling up his mouth. If he spat out the blood in this state, he could potentially endanger Yu-Seong¡¯s life.


    ¡®...I never imagined I''d find myself in the position of owing someone my life.¡¯


    Feeling a strange emotion in this unexpected situation, Kim Do-Jin struggled to cling to consciousness. Unfortunately, his vision continued to fade away.


    ¡®Damn...¡¯


    Eventually, Kim Do-Jin completely lost consciousness. He bowed his head and was limp on Yu-Seong¡¯s back.


    At that moment, a beast-like shadow with wounds across his whole body stomped against the collapsing Goryeo Hotel and fell in front of Choi Yu-Seong with a thud. He growled. ¡°Where¡­do you think you''re going?¡±


    It was Vincent, glaring at Yu-Seong with his bloodshot eyes.


    "Are you sure you¡¯re okay? You don¡¯t look very well.."


    Vincent knew that his condition had reached its worst. However, that could also mean that the power of his Blood poison was at its best.


    ''Above all, if I can just aim for one of them¡­ I don¡¯t have to target them both.¡¯


    In Vincent¡¯s eyes, Yu-Seong was a weakling relative to the unconscious Do-Jin.


    ¡°Fear not. It is just you now, and I have the ability to dispatch you with ease.¡± Vincent grinned and flung himself forward. He scattered the boiling Blood Poison toward Yu-Seong.


    When the Blood Poison covered Yu-Seong at once, Vincent began expecting to hear screams and witness the terrible death in front of him. He wanted to see Yu-Seong''s corpse melting into the floor.


    Vincent quickly scanned his surroundings. Only then did he realize that Yu-Seong was fading away from right in front of his eyes.


    ¡®An illusion?! I thought he was a Physical type, but he is a Psychic type player?¡¯


    At that moment, Yu-Seong jumped into a three-story building by the roadside.


    "There''s no use running away," said Vincent.


    Yu-Seong was proving to be more nimble than Vincent had anticipated, but the building could hardly serve as his defense. Vincent forged ahead, melting through the walls in pursuit of his target.


    The building was entirely silent on the inside. Those within had either fled in terror, taken refuge, or held their breaths in fear of the sudden assault.


    At that moment, Vincent spotted Yu-Seong leaping up the stairs of the building.


    ¡®Rat bastard!¡¯


    Vincent could have used Blood Rain again, but he didn¡¯t have enough energy left. Clenching his teeth, he chased Yu-Seong up the stairs.


    ¡®The injury¡­¡¯


    Vincent grabbed his ankle. His pride had been hurt for a long time because of this one unexpected injury.


    Soon, Vincent was at the end of the building''s hallway. Only then did Yu-Seong emerge alone with a spear aimed at him.


    It appeared that Yu-Seong had left Kim Do-Jin in a safe location.


    ¡®Did he give up on running away?¡¯


    Vincent considered this to be a blessing. He started to approach Yu-Seong with some leisure and ease, seizing the moment to recover his energy. He narrowed the distance, intent on finally capturing Yu-Seong with a single blow.


    "What bravery. What''s your name?" asked Vincent. When Yu-Seong didn''t answer the question, he asked another question. "Have you suddenly become mute?"


    "No. I don''t have a name to give to a villain like you," said Yu-Seong.


    "Cheeky bastard..."


    "Seriously, I just cannot forgive you,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    A change was suddenly occurring within Yu-Seong. The first sign was the unexpected appearance of a Third Eye in the center of his forehead. Then, his neatly flattened hair started to rise up, and lightning flared throughout his body.


    That wasn''t even the end of it. Wind began to blow into the hallway, even though the windows and doors were all closed.


    ¡®This bastard... Did he still have a hidden power?¡¯


    Vincent, who had already suffered a great defeat due to his carelessness, felt a sudden jolt of caution in his brain.


    The wind continued to blow, rising from beneath Yu-Seong¡¯s feet and shining with a yellow light. At that moment, Yu-Seong pulled the spear backward.


    ¡®The same technique from before?¡¯


    Vincent guessed that Yu-Seong was using Lance Charging once again.


    The attack had great power, but it required a long preparation time. It also did not strike very quickly. If one could predict the attack, then one had a chance of avoiding the attack altogether.


    ¡®But why do I feel anxious? No. After all, he¡¯s still a young hunter who hasn¡¯t made A-rank yet.¡¯


    Vincent shook his head inwardly and opened his eyes wide.


    The moment Yu-Seong rushed towards him, Vincent swung himself to the side and used his Blood Poison skill. He thought that Yu-Seong should have hidden this ¡°special move¡± like the very first blow he had struck him with quietly.


    "Come on," said Vincent.


    Vincent was trying to speed up the battle¡¯s momentum. He was indeed an S-rank hunter who ranked 100th among the Demon King Worshipers. His pride kept him from stepping away from the lower rank hunter who did not back up.


    "To be honest, I am just curious," said Yu-Seong.


    "...?"


    "I am unsure about the technique¡¯s speed, so I want to give it a try.¡±


    "Don''t just talk, come at me. I need to hurry and get back."


    Time was running out for Vincent.


    "Wind Thunder Dragon God Art ¡ª Lance Charging," commanded Yu-Seong.


    Blue electric shocks and the yellow wind swirled around Yu-Seong. Then, he vanished with a blurred smile.


    Kwagwagwang-!


    The thunderous sound struck Vincent''s eardrum harshly.


    ¡®It''s coming...!¡¯


    If he concentrated, he could catch it. That was what Vincent thought as he turned his body¡­


    He became entirely wounded. He could see his own body scattering into dust right before his eyes. Upon the sight of the thunderbolt burning him up and shooting out flames, he struggled to understand what was going on.


    In the end, he could only laugh out bitterly.


    ''Did it just...move at the speed of sound?''


    ¡®Mach¡¯ was a common term used to measure the speed of sound. Even among the S-rank hunters, who were known as supermen, only a few were capable of matching this level of speed. The skill to do so was indeed rare, even among this powerful group.


    ''An assistant¡­? From the beginning, he was not someone who I could beat. What a damn monster.''


    Upon realizing this, Vincent finally understood the dire situation he was in. He felt both despair and a sense of satisfaction. He felt relieved that he wasn''t defeated by someone of a lower rank and believed that this would spare him from being teased in the afterlife.


    With this misconception, Vincent''s life was suddenly cut short.

 CH 145

    As his consciousness slowly returned, Yu-Seong realized he was lying on a stiff and hard bed. While he strained to lift his heavy lids, his nostrils were assaulted by the pungent odor of earth and briny water.


    "You''re awake, troublemaker," said Helen Mirren as she rubbed her eyes. She was sitting in a wooden chair beside Yu-Seong.


    "Where...are we?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "We''re in my own underground bunker around the Juseok Palace. Up above, there are soldiers armed with guns and hunters with bloodshot eyes," answered Helen. With a bitter laugh, she pointed at the low ceiling with her index finger.


    Helen Mirren was an S-ranked hunter known as The Miraculous Alchemist. Her being able to create an underground bunker was unsurprising.


    "You had a quite remarkable incident while I was away. The two of you managed to defeat Vincent, an S-ranked hunter, in his weakened condition."


    As his consciousness slowly returned, Yu-Seong finally realized the situation that he was in. He exclaimed, "Vincent... Oh!"


    The unexpected attack by an outsider at Goryeo Hotel had made Yu-Seong angry at the western man, Vincent, who had been mercilessly slaughtering innocent people.


    In a bold move, Yu-Seong had rescued the wounded Kim Do-Jin and had escaped. He had also seized that opportunity to unleash the full power of his Wind Thunder Dragon God Art, which had been his reward for reaching C-rank. Upon activating the technique, he had executed Lance Charging and had ultimately defeated his adversary.


    "Was that villain an...S-rank?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "Yes, he was an S-rank. He wasn''t particularly skilled in basic combat, but if he fought with his life on the line¡­ His Blood Poison made him a formidable opponent even against someone two levels higher."


    "...Blood Poison would certainly be frightening if he were to commit suicide."


    Vincent¡¯s self-destruction could have certainly been frightening, but Yu-Seong would never have to experience it.


    Helen''s eyes crinkled with delight as she broke into a smile. She asked, "What on earth have you done, kiddo?"


    "That''s a business secret. A hunter who reveals their own foundation is only awaiting death. Where''s Kim Do-Jin? Ugh!" Yu-Seong yelped after trying to get up with a smile. Although he only applied some force to his arm, he felt a sharp pain shooting up his spine. It was as if all his bones were already broken.


    "Don''t even consider moving around. When I found you, I thought you''d already died. Your right shoulder and left calf bones are fractured, and your internal organs are slightly damaged. Furthermore, your mana is completely out of control, which even I struggled to manage. To be honest, if it wasn''t for the treasure symbol on your shoulder, my healing abilities would not have been sufficient," Helen stated.


    "Ugh..." Yu-Seong moaned as he hurt all over.


    He bit his bottom lip and tightly shut his eyes.


    ¡®I must have survived thanks to the Insignia of Protection.¡¯


    Helen was right. Without the wide-ranging protection of the Insignia of Protection that shielded him from both external and internal injuries, Yu-Seong might already be dead. In that kind of situation, without the protection against attacks and the resistance to pain, he would have perished from the agony.


    ¡®The skill, Wind Thunder Dragon God Art¡­ I thought it was difficult to handle¡­but¡­¡¯


    Although Yu-Seong had kept it a secret, Wind Thunder Dragon God Art was a reward he had acquired upon advancing to C-rank in the promotion evaluation.


    In the original novel, the skill was portrayed as highly dangerous. However, after witnessing its devastating consequences from a single use, Yu-Seong could truly grasp the skill¡¯s overwhelming power.


    ¡®From now on, I¡¯ll need to be careful when I use it.¡¯


    Of course, if the situation arose again, Yu-Seong would certainly unleash the Lance Charging blast with Wind Thunder Dragon God Art.


    ¡®If it weren''t for that skill, I would have died at the hands of that villain.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had just found out, but his opponent had been an S-rank hunter, a monster who could have entered the territory of being a superhuman. He had never thought it possible for him to defeat such an opponent for a very long time. Just being able to survive against such an opponent made him feel incredibly lucky.


    ¡®If I had been alone, I would have absolutely died.¡¯


    Although he had acted somewhat uncooperative, Kim Do-Jin''s help did turn out to be invaluable in many ways.


    With that thought in mind, Yu-Seong suddenly widened his eyes and asked, "Kim Do-Jin, what happened to him?"


    Kim Do-Jin had been injured by a direct hit from the Blood Rain, so he had lost consciousness before Yu-Seong did. Due to the horrible poison, nobody could guarantee his survival.


    Furthermore, for some reason, Helen Mirren did not answer the questions about Kim Do-Jin''s whereabouts.


    "That guy..." Helen furrowed her brow.


    ¡®No way¡­ Is he dead? Can the original novel¡¯s protagonist actually die?¡¯


    Without Kim Do-Jin, who could stop the Demon King Worshipers as an entire group? Above all, Do-Jin had gone out of his way to save Yu-Seong.


    When Vincent had unleashed the Blood Rain at the Goryeo Hotel, Yu-Seong would have fallen or died from the attack without Do-Jin¡¯s timely intervention. And by saving Yu-Seong, Do-Jin had gotten himself injured by the Blood Rain.


    ¡®He could avoid the attack by himself. He shouldn¡¯t have cared about me¡­!¡¯


    Yu-Seong was surprised by how Do-Jin had pushed him out of harm¡¯s way at the last moment and had shielded him from the Blood Rain. The man had ultimately sacrificed his own safety, so he had instinctively done the same in return.


    What if Kim Do-Jin, who had ultimately been poisoned, had failed to endure the poisonous effects and had died? That would be understandable since his poison resistance had only been at B-rank and was incapable of resisting an S-rank hunter¡¯s poison attack.


    ¡®Please¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong gazed at Helen''s face intently.


    "Why are you looking at me with such a serious expression? Do you think that he¡¯s dead?¡±


    "Isn''t he?"


    "Ha..." Helen sighed, then offered a bleak smile. ¡°Well, I¡¯d personally be better off if that unresponsive bastard is already dead¡­ I last saw him alive a few days ago.¡±


    "A few days ago?"


    "He expelled the poison on his own just three days ago. Then, he left this place upon waking up.¡±


    "Three days¡­ Wait, how much time has passed since I lost consciousness?"


    After confirming that Kim Do-Jin was alive, Yu-Seong started to focus on something else.


    "You¡¯ve been unconscious for exactly seven days,¡± answered Helen.


    "...Oh my."


    The aftereffect of the Wind Thunder Dragon God Art had been longer than expected. This trip to Pyongyang had originally been planned to last for only three days, but it had now been prolonged by twice that length of time.


    ''Jin Yu-Ri and everyone will be very worried.''


    Whether she knew about Yu-Seong''s thoughts or not, Helen clicked her tongue and slowly rose from her seat. She said, "I am keeping you alive because you¡¯re the only one who knows the location of the Philosopher''s Stone, but things have gotten more complicated."


    "It was an unavoidable situation."


    "I understand. And your opponent was Vincent, so you¡¯re lucky to have survived.¡±


    "Then, what about Kim Do-Jin¡­?"


    "I don''t know! As soon as I woke up, he checked on your condition, mumbled to himself, and ran away. Whether he¡¯s outside causing an incident or already dead..." Helen said with a cold smile. Without finishing her sentence, she slowly walked towards the closed door.


    Confused, Yu-Seong wondered what he should do about this situation.


    Helen, who was about to leave Yu-Seong alone, suddenly called out without turning back. "Hey, kiddo."


    "Yes?"


    "No matter how weak an S-rank hunter is, an S-rank hunter has never been killed by a C-rank hunter. I¡¯ve never heard of it happening it before.¡±


    "It was a complicated situation¡­"


    "How did it happen?¡±


    "...it would not have been possible alone."


    "Nonsense. When I discovered you two, Kim Do-Jin was already in a state where he couldn''t even move his fingers from the poison. You must have delivered the fatal blow to Vincent by yourself. Despite the fact that there were many unfavorable elements..."


    Finally, Helen turned to look at Yu-Seong with a curious look. She added, "Your shining talent and character are at a level that no one I know can compare to.¡±


    Yu-Seong widened his eyes and looked at Helen, whose face was not visible from her hood.


    "Yes, even if Kim Do-Jin has more power and talent than you, he is still different from you. He emits such a strong bloody odor at B-rank¡­ I''ve never seen anyone like that in my lifetime. So, it''s best to keep him as far away as possible. He is a type of demon that does not match your character.¡±


    Then, with a cold smile, Helen said, "It''s funny that I should say such a thing, especially since other people call me a demon.¡±


    Helen turned away and said, "Rest, you little Choi.¡±


    Yu-Seong could read between the lines. Understanding what Helen was trying to say, he replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I am someone who treasures his own life.¡±


    Helen thought that Yu-Seong would want to leave and find Kim Do-Jin immediately. Of course, that would be inadvisable with him being in his current state.


    "Hmph." Helen snorted, pushed open the door, and left the room.


    ''Hmm. If he had seen his own expression just now, could he have blamed me for thinking so?''


    With a chuckle, Helen walked through the narrow hallway and entered the room she had made next to Yu-Seong¡¯s. Once she sat at her desk, she took out paper and a pen and began writing.


    ¡®It may be nothing, but¡­¡¯


    Surprisingly, the words Helen wrote on the paper began to float up and scatter away like dust in the wind. They were heading somewhere.


    Thinking that the strange sight was not a big deal, Helen continued to write.


    ¡®It can''t be bad to prepare for what-ifs.¡¯


    The motion of her pen got faster and faster.


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    ***


    It was a dark night with thick clouds, which prevented moonlight from shining down on a dark alley.


    The murderer, who was wielding a silver blade, splattered red blood on the wall. They passed a dead body, then remarked, "...how weak."


    After mumbling a bit more, the murderer turned to leave.


    Only then did another person slowly emerge from the alley¡¯s entrance. He looked at the corpse who had its throat slit, and the murderer with a surprised expression. He murmured, "Comrade, Lee In-Hyeok?"


    Just as the murderer stomped on the floor, a silver flash swung toward the surprised man. However, he managed to escape from suffering any serious injuries.


    "This bastard! I dare you to say who...!"


    "A-rank, Lee Jeong-Cheol."


    The murderer, Kim Do-Jin, had his eyes burning with blue flames. He once again twirled his sword in the air.


    Lee Jeong-Cheol attempted to demonstrate his skills while evading Do-Jin, but he failed to react quickly to the sudden flash of Do-Jin¡¯s sword. His throat was slit and he could no longer breathe.


    The moment lasted for less than a minute.


    Kim Do-Jin, having killed a hunter of a higher rank than himself, wiped the blood from his sword once more and bit his lower lip.

 CH 146

    Kim Do-Jin felt deep cynicism and skepticism after his battle against Vincent.


    ¡®To be defeated by someone like that¡­¡¯


    He had been distracted by Yu-Seong during the battle and had chosen to save the man, so he had been at a disadvantage against Vincent. He had almost died. In fact, if Yu-Seong had failed to defeat Vincent, Do-Jin would already be dead right now.


    Thinking about it, Do-Jin could not help but feel angry at himself. He was a proud man, and he had always felt great glory from being the number one in the world.


    Aside from revenge, Do-Jin didn¡¯t care about anything else or thought anything else could be a priority. He thought that wealth, honor, and strength would naturally come to him over time. Of course, that wasn''t a false belief.


    Do-Jin, as a warrior of another world, was pursuing growth through his current abilities. He was confident of becoming an existence who would overshadow everyone else. However, he just had one problem.


    ¡®It''s only a legend if I can survive until then.¡¯


    Kim Do-Jin had an incredible rate of growth, but there already were stronger individuals in the world who had surpassed him. This was not a fairy tale where the Demon King would help the hero to grow by selecting and sending suitable opponents to increase his experience points.


    ¡®So I have to go to the extreme.¡¯


    Do-Jin knew himself well. The faster he pushed himself beyond his limits, the stronger he would become.


    Most people improved their abilities by breaking through certain limits, but Do-Jin had much more potential than an average person. That was why he could overcome numerous obstacles and defeat even the Demon King. And now, in the present day, the skill he had acquired as a B-rank promotion reward was no different.


    ¡ºSpecial skill: Hero who returns from death.


    This skill does not have a rank.


    Death is a danger that always accompanies the hero. And when they overcome that danger, they will grow explosively.


    Currently, player Kim Do-Jin has experienced death once.


    Cause of death: Poison.


    He gained the characteristic of "Thousand Poisons Invulnerability."


    All physical abilities and mana have increased slightly.


    All skills have additional + rank effects applied.


    Skills become stronger every time he experiences the danger of death.¡»


    These benefits had already taken Kim Do-Jin''s own talent and skills into consideration. Of course, he could still die by misusing this particular skill. However, from the beginning, he already knew that he couldn¡¯t get stronger without any resolve or ample preparation.


    ''Even Choi Yu-Seong must have become stronger by risking his life.''


    Choi Yu-Seong, the rascal and the neglected son of the Choi family, had been useless aside from looking pretty. However, the previously worthless Yu-Seong had become an active hunter one day, and he had now single-handedly hunted down an S-rank hunter.


    Do-Jin knew something for a fact.


    ¡®He¡¯s stronger than I was during my C-rank days.¡¯


    Do-Jin¡¯s determination was reflected in his clenched jaw and blazing eyes. He did not yet know if Choi Yu-Seong was also a returnee, but he was aware that it was not easy to grow so strong even if one was a returnee. He knew that for a fact because he himself was going down this very path.


    In other words, Choi Yu-Seong''s strength was the result of his tremendous effort, sweat, and blood.


    ¡®Never again¡­¡¯


    Kim Do-Jin was determined not to fall behind Yu-Seong again. From now on, Do-Jin would pour all his strength into growing stronger, even if it meant shedding his blood and sweat like rain.


    With this resolve in mind, Do-Jin leisurely walked around in search of a stronger opponent. At that moment, a small gust of wind sprang up from the rooftop of a five-story building behind him. He instinctively drew his sword and cautiously looked around with his eyes wide open.


    He could not see his opponent, but he felt a cold, heavy, and sharp weapon brushing past his face. He reflexively dodged that attack, then squinted at the weapon.


    ¡®A hand ax?¡¯


    The hand ax that had just cut his cheek was returning to the darkness of the alleyway, barely missing Do-Jin¡¯s back. A pale hand reached out of the alleyway and caught the ax. Kim Do-Jin saw a pair of red eyes glaring at him.


    "Wow, you dodged it. Not bad, you."


    "...who are you?" Kim Do-Jin asked as he crouched in a defensive stance.


    The opponent was emanating an extraordinary force. Looking at them, Do-Jin felt shivers running down his spine. He felt a sense of danger.


    With a head of blazing red hair that fluttered like fire, a woman casually emerged from the darkness wearing a bright smile. She pointed at herself and said, "Me?"


    Do-Jin suddenly gasped and swung his sword to the side. He was pushed back as he deflected another hand ax that had appeared from the darkness. Smoke began rising up from the ground; he trembled and held onto his arm.


    "Who am I?"


    When the opponent disappeared once again, Do-Jin summoned a spell. He wanted to pursue the red-haired woman. A blue flame flashed in his eyes.


    ¡®Flame!¡¯


    There was a sudden burst of flames from a pentagram upon Do-Jin¡¯s command. However, the woman simply rushed towards him without fear. She dove into the flames with a maniacal smile and said, "Try to hit me. If you do, I''ll spare your life, okay?"


    Bang-!


    Kim Do-Jin blocked the incoming attack with reinforced magic power from the spell he had cast. With a cold smile, he said, "If you can, sure."


    "Oh, you are confident."


    The conversation did not slow down the fast-moving hand ax, which continued to injure Do-Jin in quick attacks.


    Kim Do-Jin knew that he couldn¡¯t underestimate this strong opponent. It was accurate to say that he had never encountered such a potent blood odor and intimidating aura before. This woman was truly a figure of evil. As someone who had directly fought against the Demon King, Do-Jin knew that better than anyone.


    ''This woman is more dangerous than anyone I know on this earth.''


    Do-Jin thought it would be easier for him to confront Choi Woo-Jae, who was a rational hunter. However, he found this situation to be favorable for him. He shook off the hand ax with all his might and laughed even as he felt the hot sensation of his opponent''s sword slicing past his jaw.


    ''She¡¯s not weak.¡¯


    This woman would be the stepping stone to the growth that Do-Jin had been seeking.


    ¡°Let''s dance.¡±


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    ¡°Hahaha. Sure. I love to dance!¡±


    As Kim Do-Jin''s sword clashed against Rachel¡¯s hand ax, a burst of fire ignited in the air.


    ***


    ¡ºSpecial Skill: Wind Thunder Dragon God Art


    This skill does not have a rank.


    It is a power wielded by the Dragon God of Wind and Thunder.


    ¡ù Warning. This is a high-risk skill.¡»


    The Wind Thunder Dragon God Art skill had a rather brief and simple description, so the true depth of this ability was difficult to grasp. Even Yu-Seong was at a loss after reading the description.


    ¡®There''s no rank and no explanation of exactly what kind of ability this is.¡¯


    However, Yu-Seong did know how to use the Wind Thunder Dragon God Art skill.


    ¡®It did appear in the original novel, after all.¡¯


    Yu-Seong could clearly recognize the method and the skill itself because of a flashback scene that had showcased the legendary combination of his techniques with the Wind Thunder Dragon God Art skill.


    ¡®I just need to chant its name to activate it.¡¯


    It was a disadvantage that Yu-Seong had to chant its name to activate the skill, but successful activation would help him gain immense power and lightning speed in an instant. For skills related to Wind or Thunderbolt, their power would also increase to an unbelievable extent.


    The skill¡¯s effects looked simple, but its power was almost immeasurable. Just look at what had happened to Vincent. However, the skill had a specific criteria to be activated. The user had to have at least one skill that was related to Wind and Thunderbolt.


    Fortunately, Yu-Seong was able to satisfy the skill¡¯s essential conditions thanks to his skills Dancing Electric Doll and Wind Control.


    Also, there were a few penalties to take note of.


    ¡®From now on, I cannot use any attribute skills other than Wind and Thunderbolt.¡¯


    In other words, even though Yu-Seong was an All-Rounder, he would not be able to use any gained skill such as Flame or Freezing in the future.


    The usage of the skill also brought about a strong rebound effect, as Yu-Seong had personally experienced. The rebound effect would only lessen if he had a strong physical ability and trained the Wind Thunder Dragon God Art skill even further.


    ''However, that''s too far-fetched for me now.¡¯


    The Wind Thunder Dragon God Art skill was not ranked like other skills, but the original novel had described it to be similar to an EX rank. This was no exaggeration because it could increase the C-rank Yu-Seong''s speed to one that rivaled sound.


    ¡®No matter. Two attribute skills are enough for me anyway.¡¯


    Yu-Seong could end up being labeled as a miscellaneous player if he trained haphazardly with no plan in mind, despite being an All-Rounder.


    ¡®Spear, Thunderbolt, Wind.¡¯


    Three skills were enough. It was important for Yu-Seong to commit to a choice, and he did not doubt his own judgment.


    Suddenly, Yu-Seong looked at the low stone ceiling.


    ¡®What was that just now?¡¯


    For some reason, he felt a chill running up his spine and over his head. That feeling of unease suddenly made him think about Kim Do-Jin, whose face popped up in his mind. However, he was quick to shake his head from side to side.


    "...it will probably be nothing."


    According to the original novel, Kim Do-Jin, the protagonist, would never die. No matter how much of a butterfly effect there was, someone like him wouldn¡¯t get easily killed off. And clearly, the earlier incident with Vincent had proved this for a fact.


    Vincent''s Blood Poison was a very dangerous and powerful skill, but even it had failed to kill Kim Do-Jin.


    ¡®If there is such a thing as fate¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong believed that Kim Do-Jin''s death would never occur within that loop.


    He slowly closed his eyes. Even if Kim Do-Jin was in danger, he could only be of help once he was fully recovered. He could do nothing but wait. If Yu-Seong pursued Do-Jin now, he would only be good for dying by Do-Jin¡¯s side.


    ¡®Unlike that guy, I already have to face death as my destiny.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had to be as careful as possible since he wanted to meet his fate in the best condition possible.


    Three days later, Yu-Seong finally recovered.


    As if she had known that Yu-Seong was fully recovered, Helen finally showed up. She had a sinister look on her face, but she appeared to be satisfied. She said, "Your body seems to be in pretty good shape, huh?"


    Yu-Seong nodded, stretching his body on the bed. He commented, "It''s the best. I also feel stronger than before.¡±


    "Yes, iron gets stronger the more it gets hammered," Helen said.


    "I''m not iron; I''m a person," Yu-Seong said.


    "Sometimes, humans can be as strong as iron," Helen replied.


    Shocked, Yu-Seong shook his head. He said, ¡°If you continue showing me such hospitality¡­ I am not going to accept any of your kindness and immediately escape using the Return Stone.¡±


    "Ke ke..." Helen chuckled briefly and shook her head with an unreadable expression, then looked up at the ceiling.

 CH 147

    "The external boundary is much weaker compared to just a few days ago. It''s possible that they may already be thinking that we have left Pyongyang," said Helen.


    Yu-Seong was surprised but soon shook his head and hardened his expression. He said, "It''s intentional. They would have a general idea of what your intentions are.¡±


    Since it was Helen Mirren who was searching for the Philosopher''s Stone, they would not assume that she would give up so easily since it had been her quest for such a long time.


    "It''s just a suspicion, not a certainty. Besides, they may believe that I''ve taken a step toward making a more bold move,¡± said Helen Mirren.


    "It is not suspicion but certainty. They would not have sent that villain, Vincent, to us if it were just simple suspicion. And if they were capable of thinking in such a way, it''s likely that they would also know about seonbae-nim¡¯s hasty nature," said Yu-Seong.


    Helen broke into a meaningful smile.


    ''Look at this kid. Even though he was tense when he first arrived in Pyongyang...''


    Despite facing significant danger, Yu-Seong was more calm and collected than anyone else.


    ''Definitely. This kid is the real deal.''


    Once again, Helen Mirren was confident that she had made the right choice.


    "Honestly, I have the same thought. They let down their guard simply because they are angrier now," said Helen.


    "What¡¯s certain is that the fearsome figure inside Juseok Palace is superior to the villain, Vincent,¡° said Yu-Seong.


    There was no way Vincent would have taken action if he was the leader. It was important to remember that there was a formidable enemy hiding inside Juseok Palace.


    ¡°I agree. After all, Vincent was an S-rank hunter. He was also known among the Demon King worshipers for his formidable reputation and ranked in the Top 100. If there were someone capable of commanding him like a lackey¡­¡± said Helen.


    "It would be the Twelve Dark Kings or the Hexagram Master," said Yu-Seong with a cynical smile.


    Regardless of who it may have been, Yu-Seong did not wish to meet them as an enemy.


    ¡®The Twelve Dark Kings and the Hexagram Master are indeed strong enough to be compared with the Demons.¡¯


    That went without saying. Rachel, who single-handedly killed a Demon King in the original novel, was introduced as one of the Twelve Dark Kings. She was, of course, a formidable presence among them.


    From Yu-Seong¡¯s perspective, this was the problem.


    ¡®If someone who ranks between 1st to 3rd among the Twelve Dark Kings is inside Juseok Palace, this operation would be absolutely impossible from the outset.¡¯


    The reason the Demon King Worshipers could commit crimes with impunity around the world was their immense strength. In particular, the Godfather, boss of the Demon King Worshipers, two of the Hexagram Masters, and the top three ranks of the Twelve Dark Kings were already beyond human at this point.


    It would be impossible for Yu-Seong to escape from such an opponent with the Philosopher''s Stone in hand, even with Helen Mirren by his side.


    "Besides the Hexagram Master, there are only a few who know the existence of the Twelve Dark Kings¡­ I guess Choi told you," said Helen.


    "If those in the higher ranks are in Pyongyang, then you must give up on obtaining the Philosopher''s Stone immediately," Yu-Seong said.


    "You can probably do that, but that¡¯s impossible for me,¡± stated Helen.


    "Seonbae-nim."


    "So you must also take a risk and help me. If you are really scared of dying, you can run away. But by the time we reach that point¡­¡± Helen wrapped her robe around herself and clicked her tongue. She said, "Enough useless talk. There''s no reason not to take advantage of any weaknesses they have shown, even if they were intentional.¡±


    ¡°...the Philosopher''s Stone is beneath Juseok Palace,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    "That''s what I expected. It is a precious treasure that has to be kept close. What¡¯s important is the exact location,¡± said Helen.


    Yu-Seong tried to recall the original novel¡¯s description as best he could about the Philosopher''s Stone and Helen Mirren.


    "In the underground bunker, inside the room with a hexagram drawn on the entrance..."


    "Is that all the information you have?" asked Helen.


    "Yes," replied Yu-Seong.


    "It''s surprisingly vague," said Helen. As she raised her hand to the ceiling, she added, "Even so, it shouldn''t be too difficult to find. You can follow me, right?"


    "Of course. But wasn''t my job originally to draw attention?"


    "Do you think you can manage it on your own?"


    "Honestly, I don''t think it is possible."


    If Kim Do-Jin was with Yu-Seong, they could handle even the appearance of another S-rank hunter in just a few hours. However, if Yu-Seong was alone, the task would be absolutely impossible. It seemed inevitable that they would have to use a Return Stone.


    "So there''s a change in plans. Your new task is to assist me. You can do that much, right?"


    "Understood."


    Even if he couldn¡¯t, Yu-Seong had to do it. Since he had come this far, he wanted to help Helen Mirren in any way he could.


    "Let''s go then," said Helen with a firm nod.


    A bright energy flowed out of Helen''s hand and rose to the ceiling like haze. It melted the ceiling before another form took shape below Helen¡¯s palm.


    Looking on, Yu-Seong found the sight rather familiar.


    ¡®A submachine gun?¡¯


    It was a K2.


    Before having been possessed by the original novel, Yu-Seong had served in the military, so he was well aware of the rifles that were commonly used by the Korean army.


    In fact, there was more. Every time Helen Mirren moved her hands, new objects appeared.


    ¡®Magazines, bullets, grenades.¡¯


    Weapons that could only be used in the military were appearing out of thin air. The secret space that had served as Yu-Seong¡¯s place of rest was now becoming an enormous arsenal.


    Despite all of this happening, Yu-Seong could sense no additional presence around him. As Helen had said, the enemies had chosen to become less vigilant and more complacent.


    Just then, Helen loosened her robe to release steam into the darkness. The steam clouds slowly took on the shape of a human.


    ¡®Homunculus!¡¯


    Yu-Seong widened his eyes. This was his first time seeing artificial life forms being created by alchemy.


    As if they had a will of their own, the artificial life forms began to arm themselves. They had no eyes, nose, or mouth. All of their movements were under Helen¡¯s control.


    Helen skillfully controlled hundreds of Homunculus without a care in the world. Then, she put on her own protective gear and turned toward Yu-Seong. She asked, "Hey, do you know how to use a gun?"


    "I can handle a submachine gun..." replied Yu-Seong.


    "So it is true that almost all adult men in South Korea are required to complete military service, and so can handle guns. Get equipped, then," said Helen.


    In fact, Choi Yu-Seong had not yet gone to the military in this world. He should not have been able to handle a gun.


    ¡®Come to think of it, since I became a hunter, I have always been exempted from military service.¡¯


    Regardless of that, the original Yu-Seong had served in the military. Therefore, he knew how to handle basic weapons such as submachine guns and grenades.


    Yu-Seong picked up the submachine gun by its strap and loaded the magazine. Then, he equipped himself with hand grenades.


    ''Going into the Juseok Palace dressed like this...''


    Yu-Seong felt strange. Wasn¡¯t this similar to the North Korean guerilla assassins he had heard of in the old days?


    Helen looked at Yu-Seong wearing the military uniform with a satisfied expression. She said, "The opponent is not a monster but a human, so it is much more efficient to use weapons and not abilities. It would be good to learn how to handle them properly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to learn this,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    "Good. Then, we should go. Don''t miss me. I don¡¯t go easy even on kids."


    Once Yu-Seong nodded at her, Helen vanished into the darkness. The Homunculus that surrounded her protectively also had great speed, following her closely.


    Yu-Seong was shocked. He tried to follow Helen by taking bigger steps, but the distance between them kept widening.


    There was a great difference between S-rank and C-rank. No matter how narrow the gaps between each rank were, the gaps themselves could never be eliminated. Moreover, Helen was known to be a skilled performer within the S-rank.


    In the end, Yu-Seong had no choice but to watch from a distance as Helen and her troops clashed with the military of Pyongyang. Not once did Helen look back. She fully expected Yu-Seong to take care of himself.


    After activating the skill, Yu-Seong could instantly accelerate his movement for nine steps.


    ¡®I can¡¯t chase her as a D-rank.¡¯


    In that short time, Yu-Seong invested 5000 Karma points that he had gathered from the battle with Vincent and immediately pulled up the Wind Control to C-rank.


    ¡ºSpecial Skill: Wind Control D ¡ú C.


    Fusion not possible.


    Inheritance not possible.


    At the end of 18 steps that flow like a wave, a dragon that catches the wind travels through the clouds. This is a skill that has been completely inherited. You can only use seven ¡ú nine out of eighteen steps due to the current low grade.


    It is easier to dodge opponent¡¯s attacks.


    You can kill some of your presence.


    For nine steps after skill activation, you can instantly accelerate your movement.


    Immediately after skill activation, you can create a short illusion using all five steps.


    If you use an illusion 3 ¡ú 5 or more times in a row, a cooldown time of 20 minutes (30 ¡ú 20) will be needed for reuse.


    *New C-rank perk ¨C You can transform the stepping method ¡°Wind Control¡± to ¡°Wind Flow¡±.


    In this case, most of the functions of the Wind Control will be sealed.


    The restriction on walking will disappear.


    Mana will be continuously consumed.


    The movement speed will increase dramatically.


    In case of entering battle, it will automatically change to Wind Control.¡»


    Yu-Seong did not hesitate after checking the newly evolved skill.


    ¡®Transform to Wind Flow.¡¯


    The wind immediately enveloped Yu-Seong from behind, carrying him away with a breeze. Yu-Seong felt like he was flying, passing by his surroundings at a speed several times quicker than before. He followed Helen, who was running ahead after collapsing dozens of soldiers in Pyongyang alone.


    ¡®This is¡­¡¯


    It was indeed a movement skill. Although its efficiency would decrease during combat due to its predictable pattern, Yu-Seong could automatically switch it back to Wind Control. In other words, Wind Flow was most suitable for chasing and fleeing. In a way, it was a skill that Yu-Seong had been wishing for.


    ''From now on, I can use Wind Flow to escape whenever I¡¯m in danger!''


    Most importantly, Yu-Seong no longer had to struggle to catch up to Helen.


    Helen noticed that Yu-Seong was following her. Her eyes twinkled and she revealed an enigmatic smile. "Amazing. I wanted to see your limits, but you actually managed to show up when I told you to. How many things are you hiding?"


    Yu-Seong was at a loss for words. In fact, he was unable to respond.


    ''This...''


    As he tried to speak while manipulating the Wind Flow, Yu-Seong could feel a sense of burden. He struggled to move, much less speak. It seemed that the nature of his ability required him to balance both his physical and mana abilities in respect to his speed.


    "Yeah, you wouldn''t want to admit that you deliberately kept it hidden, would you? You cunning kid. Now I understand why Choi treats you so nicely," Helen said.


    Once again, Yu-Seong was left speechless.

 CH 148

    Racing recklessly, Helen Mirren and Choi Yu-Seong continued to fire their guns and throw the occasional grenade as soon as the enemy appeared. Although there were only two of them, they were not outnumbered by the troops; Helen still had her Homunculus army.


    The situation stayed the same even as the battle raged on. The reason was simple.


    ¡®They come back to life after getting shot and having their limbs blown off.¡¯


    The Homunculus army was an unstoppable force, charging forward like an army of the undead and shrugging off bullets. They proved to be a reliable and unflappable ally for Yu-Seong, cementing their reputation as the legendary immortal troop. They even had modern firearms this time.


    For the Pyongyang Army, this was a sick and horrific situation. They were being chased by an invincible enemy that they couldn''t defeat no matter how hard they tried. Despite bragging about having encountered various types of monsters while trapped in their isolated hell, they were encountering the Homunculus army for the first time.


    "Shoot! Shoot, and take them down!"


    Upon that command, a shot was fired, and accompanying screams could be heard. A grenade thrown by a Pyongyang soldier also detonated, causing the targeted Homunculus to momentarily crumple or drop bits of flesh before regaining its form, picking up its weapon, and rejoining the fight.


    The undead soldiers were comparable to Pyongyang¡¯s monster hunters, who focused on monster hunting but lacked significant experience with firearms. The Homunculus created by Helen Mirren may be inferior to Helen in their movements, but they possessed individual combat strength that was equivalent to hers with firearms.


    Yu-Seong kept a close eye on the situation while running alongside Helen. When he had a sudden realization, he felt a chill running up his spine.


    ''Helen is actually controlling all these Homunculus.''


    Helen was running leisurely with her arms by her side, but her fingertips had threads of black energy connecting to the heads of the Homunculus. And when the Homunculus attacked or defended, she would rapidly move her fingers beneath her robe as if she was playing a piano.


    ¡®So that''s why she wears a robe!¡¯


    If it wasn''t for the fact that Yu-Seong was able to watch Helen¡¯s movements for a long time from the side, he wouldn''t have noticed her concealed abilities.


    Helen turned to make eye contact with Yu-Seong and smiled. "You''re very quick-witted. But having that knowledge alone cannot stop me, kiddo."


    "..." Yu-Seong remained silent. He was about to nod in agreement when¡­


    Just ahead of where Helen was running, a blue energy spread across the ground like paint with a threatening aura.


    Yu-Seong naturally thought Helen would stop upon seeing that, but she continued to run straight ahead. It was as if she hadn¡¯t seen what was in front of her. In the end, Yu-Seong had to disengage his Wind Control skill.


    "Danger...!"


    Yu-Seong¡¯s urgent voice definitely reached Helen, but her footsteps reached the blue energy faster than his voice.


    At the same time, a net sprang from the blue energy and captured Helen Mirren. Finally, the Pyongyang hunters who were hiding their presence revealed themselves from all sides.


    ''How many of them are there?''


    Quickly activating his Third Eye skill and looking around, Yu-Seong bit his lips as his expression hardened.


    ''Over ten... They''re at least A-rank, too.''


    Even an S-rank hunter appeared to be here. This was not strange since they could have been waiting to trap both Helen and Yu-Seong from the beginning.


    Helen was tied up in the blue net. She was so still that it was strange¡­ Despite seeing the approaching aura, she calmly lowered her head and did not show a hint of movement.


    In an instant, Yu-Seong stepped on Wind Control, blocked Helen¡¯s path, and transformed Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice into a spear. Then, he blocked the fireball that was shot by a hunter affiliated with the Pyongyang military with his spear. He also threw himself toward the incoming barrage.


    "Wake up, seonbae-nim!¡± yelled Yu-Seong.


    Yu-Seong thought that Helen had suddenly fallen into a trap and was in some kind of shock. Otherwise, she would be taking action during such a critical situation.


    During the barrage, Yu-Seong suddenly heard a strange sound in his ear. This was after he deflected the strike of a sword.


    "Kekeke¡­¡±


    It was a loud laughter that could not be contained.


    "Keughhh-!"


    Yu-Seong felt a sense of doubt when a loud scream echoed in the sky, but he had no time to focus on it. The enemies¡¯ attacks were already upon him. He couldn¡¯t afford to hesitate against opponents who were higher-ranked hunters than he was.


    ¡°Raging Snake!"


    After activating Cu Chulainn''s Secret Spear Skills, Yu-Seong¡¯s spear swung like a whip to deflect the incoming attacks from all sides.


    Yu-Seong was protecting Helen behind him, so he alone deflected the attacks of more than three A-rank hunters. He was drenched in sweat. His back and shoulders had thin wounds, but his overall defense was relatively satisfying.


    ¡®But will I be able to block it again next time?¡¯


    In fact, it was not an impossibility. However, Yu-Seong would have to use all the skills that would reveal that he was ¡®Choi Yu-Seong¡¯. Fighting while hiding one''s identity was a different matter from using the Raging Snake, which was not easily noticeable. It was not easy.


    Yu-Seong gripped his spear as he gathered his thoughts.


    Just then, black dots or lines attacked the A-rank hunters and disappeared from their throats and hearts.


    ¡®What was that?¡¯


    Yu-Seong wondered, witnessing the scene of nine or so A-rank hunters dying from their necks being cut and their hearts getting pierced. He widened his eyes in surprise.


    Behind the A-rank hunters stood the black-robed Helen, who had a sword in one hand. Surprisingly, her other hand had the emblem of the S-rank hunter who was commanding them.


    The scream from before had indeed come from that S-rank hunter.


    "Seonbae?"


    Surprised, Yu-Seong looked back at the blue net trap he had been guarding until now. The deep-pressed black robe slowly raised its body to reveal a person who also had Helen¡¯s face, but¡­the face gradually fell apart and changed into another Homunculus.


    Yu-Seong just realized that Helen had never fallen for the trap from the start.


    ¡®She just pretended to fall for the trap and then switched with Homunculus.¡¯


    Although the skill was difficult to determine exactly, Helen¡¯s skill had allowed her to easily catch the S-rank hunter by having them let their guard down.


    Yu-Seong thought about it some more, and then realized that this was a simple task. If Helen had really fallen for the shock, the Homunculus still fighting the approaching Pyongyang troops would have also stopped. However, the Homunculus had continued to move and fight against the Pyongyang troops this entire time.


    ¡®I completely fell for it.¡¯


    Helen passed by the surprised Yu-Seong and patted his shoulder. She said, "Well done, decoy. It was a great role-playing performance.¡±


    "Is that so...?"


    Yu-Seong had a slightly angry expression, but Helen did not look at him. Instead, she laughed as she changed into a military uniform that could camouflage her in the darkness. Then, she put on an Integrated Ballistic Helmet.


    "Keke... Well, I was touched by your sincerity. Ah, it was very impressive, kiddo."


    Helen took a rifle, made a long pole with it, and handed it over to Homunculus, who dressed just like her. At the end of the pole was the badge of an S-rank hunter belonging to the recently killed Pyongyang Army.


    "This guy was a decent player, so he would be pretty recognizable in Pyongyang. He would be perfectly suitable for discouraging the rest."


    "Perfect for scamming as well."


    "Don''t make a fuss just because you got teased by an adult, kiddo. It''s always been like that in life. Keke. Well, let''s run again," said Helen.


    And with that, Helen raced forward, and Yu-Seong followed with his Wind Flow skill.


    ***


    In the dark room where a chessboard was in the center, a girl was sitting on a white bed sheet that had been stained dark red. She crossed her legs and said, "So you mean the guys who killed Vincent are coming to Juseok Palace, and you haven''t captured them yet?"


    Kim Un-Jeong was shivering with his knees bent and head bowed. He gulped nervously, then replied loudly, "Yes, yes! But we''re currently doing our best with a siege operation, so I believe that we can capture everyone soon."


    "How incompetent~ You''re doing your best and still haven''t caught them? If you''re this incompetent, wouldn''t it be better to die?"


    The girl then turned to look at the man standing next to Kim Un-Jeong with bent knees. She asked, "Hey, old man, what¡¯s your name again?"


    Surprised by the question, the old man replied hastily, "Choi, I¡¯m Choi Ki-Nam, mam!"


    "Do you want to be the Pyongyang general? That pig seems too incompetent to me."


    "Th-That is..."


    The elderly man, Choi Ki-Nam, had unwittingly ended up in the restricted area with Kim Un-Jeong. He glanced to the side and saw Kim Un-Jeong quivering, kneeling on the ground in fear.


    "Don''t want to? Then die," said Emilia.


    When Emilia¡¯s fingertips had a dark red energy forming into a pointed needle¡­


    "I will! I will work harder than this foolish pig and drag them all here in no time!"


    In truth, Choi Ki-Nam had no other choice.


    The red energy suddenly burrowed into Ki-Nam¡¯s wrinkled forehead, and veins started to bulge on his face. With wide eyes, he asked in surprise, "Why, why¡­?"


    Emilia smiled brightly. "Well~ I hate traitors the most.¡±


    The bulging veins on Choi Ki-Nam''s face burst open, covering the room with a spray of crimson blood.


    "Kaaak-!"


    Kim Un-Jeong cringed at Ki-Nam¡¯s dying scream. He could feel the warm blood staining his clothes.


    ¡®I can''t stop this crazy monster from going wild,¡¯ Un-Jeong thought.


    The situation had been better when Vincent had been around. No matter how angry Emilia got, she would rarely kill more than one person when he was around. However, Vincent had been dead for about ten days now.


    At first, Emilia had been satisfied with killing only two or three people. Now, she was actually killing more than ten people a day. Even worse, the people getting killed were all members of the council, which could be considered the center of Pyongyang. This was because Emilia wanted to punish these incompetent pigs.


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    Of course, Kim Un-Jeong couldn''t replace the dead with ordinary people.


    ¡®If I do that, I''ll certainly meet my demise.¡¯


    Kim Un-Jeong held back his tears. He felt like he wanted to cry.


    ¡®What a foolish man, going out alone and getting killed...!¡¯


    Surprisingly, Kim Un-Jeong found himself feeling a sense of loss for Vincent, who had no redeeming qualities as a person.


    Emilia gazed down at Kim Un-Jeong. Her cheeks had the splattered blood of Choi Ki-Nam. She exuded a chilly and haughty aura.

 CH 149

    As Emilia''s intimidating presence filled the room, Kim Un-Jeong felt his breath being choked out of him.


    Bang-!


    With a loud noise, the entire castle shook. Pieces of stone fell from the tall walls above.


    "Oh, did they come here on their own?"


    Emilia looked far away, her eyes bent into crescent moons. After that, her figure disappeared from the bed without a trace.


    "Uh, uhm... Emilia, wait!"


    Kim Un-Jeong quickly tried to grab Emilia, but it was already too late.


    The path to Juseok Palace and its interiors had all been made into a trap to capture Yu-Seong and Helen Mirren. As part of the trap, there were a large number of hunter forces that made up most of Pyongyang¡¯s entire force.


    The problem was that Emilia, who was angry, had no way of identifying the hunter forces. With Helen attacking from the front and Emilia striking from behind, no matter how strong the Pyongyang elites were, they would not be able to withstand the two hunters who were regarded as top-ranking monsters in the world.


    ¡®What¡­ What should I do?¡¯


    Kim Un-Jeong paced back and forth in the room. His gaze was full of worry.


    ¡®With things as they are, I guess I have to abandon my plans for Pyongyang.¡¯


    Even if it was just himself, Un-Jeong had to survive. It was unfortunate that the power he had enjoyed until now would disappear in an instant, but there was still some hope for him. Through gritted teeth, he muttered to himself, "The Philosopher''s Stone..."


    With that magnificent stone, Un-Jeong could rebuild a city like Pyongyang at any time.


    Kim Un-Jeong glanced around the room that was full of a bloody odor, then he turned and ran out.


    Inside the spacious room that Un-Jeong had just left, one figure who had been concealed in the darkness slowly emerged.


    "The Philosopher''s Stone? I thought there might be something when I heard that one of the Twelve Dark Kings has been dispatched to this small city, but this is bigger than I thought!" Rachel licked her red lips.


    Rachel¡¯s eyes sparkled as she gazed at Kim Un-Jeong¡¯s disappearing figure. The sight of him fleeing further stimulated her curiosity.


    ¡®This city has more fun things than I thought.¡¯


    In fact, Rachel had just arrived in Pyongyang a few days ago. She initially had been meant to depart for another location after meeting the Black Gauze King, Emilia, and establishing a casual relationship with her. This had been the Godfather¡¯s instructions. However, after coincidentally meeting Kim Do-Jin, Rachel had become completely distracted and had forgotten everything else.


    ¡®It was an exciting hide-and-seek.¡¯


    Tonight, the city of Pyongyang was filled with the smell of gunpowder and death, both of which Rachel relished. The odors were particularly strong this time, much more than any other instance before.


    Unable to hold back her curiosity, Rachel stopped playing hide-and-seek and headed for Juseok Palace, where the smell of death was strongest. She had heard Kim Un-Jeong mentioning ¡®the Philosopher''s Stone¡¯ through a simple coincidence, and there was no way she could just ignore it.


    ¡®I have a feeling that more exciting things are going to happen.¡¯


    Rachel was the type of person whose instincts were usually accurate. Trusting her instincts, she began to tremble with excitement. In fact, blood, death, and a place overflowing with madness were the things that Rachel loved the most.


    However, the moments when she couldn''t fully control herself due to excitement and agitation were short.


    Rachel, with her gaze once again cold and aloof, sighed disappointingly as she smacked her lips. "Ah, if only we had my gold nugget here, that would be perfect. Hm, am I being too greedy? Whoo-hoo..."


    After that, Rachel started to follow the trail of Kim Un-Jeong who was getting further and further away into the darkness.


    ***


    As they roamed the streets of Pyongyang together, Yu-Seong realized once again how terrifying Helen was.


    ¡®As expected, not everyone at the S-rank is equal.¡¯


    Some examples would be Choi Woo-Jae and Choi Mi-Na, and even Rachel. One could also compare Kim Do-Jin and Yu-Seong¡¯s own experiences. It was clear that having the same rank did not guarantee similar abilities.


    Levels, one''s own skill composition, proficiency, everyday training, and even talent all combined to create actual ability. Also, even if someone¡¯s ability was great, they shouldn¡¯t let their guard down.


    ¡®And a third one bites the dust.¡¯


    Helen had already claimed the lives of three proud S-rank hunters of Pyongyang. In fact, two of them had been lured by her fake emblem and had fallen for her trap without putting up much of a fight.


    ¡®It all ends with one mistake.¡¯


    Human life was indeed petty and fleeting, where everything could come to an end in a split second. Without a prepared defense skill, most humans would simply die from a single bullet wound.


    ¡®The same applies to hunters.¡¯


    Yu-Seong felt proud of himself, having experienced quite a few dangerous situations up to this point. In reality, his experiences were already beyond what normal player individuals could experience. However, running and fighting alongside Helen in this large-scale war was on another level altogether. It was a completely new experience.


    ¡®And in this situation, we are outnumbered.¡¯


    Helen, having ample battle experience, utilized her mobility to effortlessly overcome numerous traps. She had also asked for Yu-Seong¡¯s assistance, but there was not really much that he had to do. It felt as if she was intentionally keeping Yu-Seong close to educate him.


    Finding the path to the basement was not too difficult since the scattered hordes of Homunculus that Helen had spread around thoroughly searched the complex interior of Juseok Palace. Not even the most complicated roads could be a problem.


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    ¡®Really, I have nothing to do.¡¯


    Just a moment ago, Yu-Seong had been afraid of losing his way, but now he could leisurely watch Helen''s battle tactics from up close.


    Just then, Yu-Seong froze. In the dark hallway, a glimmering red object was suddenly flying toward them at a frightening speed.


    "Duck!" yelled Helen.


    Yu-Seong instinctively threw himself to the side.


    The red object flew towards them with a loud explosion; then a massive crater could be seen right where Yu-Seong had been a second before. If Yu-Seong had reacted just a moment slower, he would have exploded into pieces or reduced to a grotesque corpse.


    Yu-Seong felt a chill running up his spine. Sweating profusely, he switched Wind Flow into Wind Control and looked into the darkness beyond.


    Tap, tap.


    ¡®Footsteps?¡¯


    Contrary to the swift flight of the red object, the footsteps sounded slow and leisurely. It went on for a considerable amount of time.


    ¡°It is still early, but it seems the end boss has already appeared,¡± Helen commented with a smirk.


    Before Yu-Seong could even spot the figure beyond the darkness, Helen already identified the enemy. She groaned as she looked at the Western girl who was no taller than 160 centimeters in high heels.


    The Western girl stopped in front of Helen and Yu-Seong, then greeted, "Hello, friends."


    In an instant, Helen stepped forward and blocked the dark red energy that shot out toward them.


    Thump-!


    With a loud boom, the ceiling crumbled and sent dust flying all over the place. Only then did Yu-Seong regain his senses, drawing a deep breath. He had shown no reaction to the brief skirmish before.


    Emilia leaped over the debris of the fallen ceiling and laughed. "Your skills are still the same, grandma. Good reaction. The boss here has set up a trap, but I know it¡¯s too easy to keep you away.¡±


    ¡°This is a trap? And¡­who are you calling grandma? You¡¯ve lived a hundred years longer than I have, old hag," said Helen with a snort.


    ¡®Lived a hundred years longer than Helen?¡¯


    It was rumored that Helen had lived for over 70 years. If her opponent had lived for 100 years longer and still appeared to be a young girl, there could only be one explanation.


    ¡®Non-human races!¡¯


    The strong odor of blood and her red-black energy indicated that Emilia was likely a vampire.


    As if confirming Yu-Seong''s suspicion, a message appeared in the air.


    - The Red Fang of the Dark Night gazes at the player Choi Yu-Seong through an incarnation with a cold smile.


    At that moment, Helen and Emilia no longer stared at each other. They simultaneously turned to look at Yu-Seong.


    ¡®Dang it¡­¡¯


    Although he was using a skinsuit, Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t fool the gods.


    Emilia gazed at Yu-Seong indifferently. Then, her pupils thinned like a snake¡¯s.


    ¡®Oh, you are the stubborn human who rejected my god''s offer. ¡¯


    "You have done a very good deed."


    Helen immediately blocked Yu-Seong, who was now surrounded by Emilia¡¯s fierce red-black energy.


    It was fortunate that Helen was here. However, if they stuck to their original mission, her being held up for this long was not ideal.


    ¡®We need to steal the Philosopher''s Stone as soon as possible and return to Seoul. But to do that, I may need to struggle and fight with the non-human race woman, who may be one of the Twelve Dark Kings¡­¡¯


    Could Yu-Seong do that? The answer to the question came easily.


    As the moonlight vanished from beyond the collapsed ceiling and darkness descended upon them, a sudden silver light cut through the darkness and fell upon Emilia''s head.


    Craaack-!


    Something collapsed before a faint red barrier appeared above Emilia. It had small flames dancing all over it.


    The situation proved to be difficult, but the sword did not move away. It stayed right where it was with its silver light.


    "Who the hell are you?"


    Taken aback by the sudden attack, Emilia shot a beam of light from her hand in a split second.


    The attacker, a man, raised both hands and unleashed a pentagram magic circle. He vanished. The sword that was about to fall to the ground also disappeared from the air, returning to the man¡¯s grasp.


    Both Helen and Emilia were unable to react in time. The man was now behind Emilia. He was inside the protective barrier that Emilia had activated.


    Emilia, realizing this, swung her arm in surprise. Before her attack could land, a silver curve cut through the darkness, and the sword pierced right through her chest.


    "Huh?"


    One of the Twelve Dark Kings, considered to be the strongest among the Demon King Worshipers, was falling to the ground in a pool of blood.


    Yu-Seong, while watching this scene in real-time, felt immense horror.


    ¡®Heart Strike: Beyond the Space Slash!¡¯


    Only one person could wield such unparalleled technique, which was capable of transcending a segment of space to deliver a decisive blow straight to the opponent''s heart.


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin!¡¯


    If the novel¡¯s protagonist was incapable of handling the miraculous ability to jump through space, then who could possibly do it? No matter where he came from, how torn his clothes were, and how bad he looked, only one thing was for certain.


    ¡®Originally, he only uses that technique upon reaching S-rank!¡¯


    Kim Do-Jin had exceeded the bounds of the original novel.


    After feeling momentary shock, Yu-Seong snapped back to reality and began running toward Kim Do-Jin.


    ¡®A vampire will not die even if its heart is pierced.¡¯


    In other words, Emilia was still alive.


    "Watch out!"


    As always, being careless led to one''s demise.

 CH 150

    A blood-red beam cut the tip of Kim Do-Jin''s nose.


    Upon hearing Yu-Seong¡¯s voice, Do-Jin instinctively flinched. He furrowed his brow, then addressed Yu-Seong who was running towards him. "Don''t make a fuss. I already knew that she wouldn''t die from this."


    This was a somewhat awkward situation. Yu-Seong stopped running. With an incredulous look on his face, he clicked his tongue and mumbled, "I was worried for nothing..."


    "Who was worried about whom?" Kim Do-Jin laughed mockingly.


    "Ahaha-! What''s this? It¡¯s getting more fun!" Emilia, with a hole in her heart, floated in the sky and laughed loudly.


    - The Red Fang of the Dark Night keeps an eye on the players Kim Do-Jin and Choi Yu-Seong through the incarnation. Laughs happily.


    "Wait, did that pervert try getting his fangs into you too?¡±


    "Just wasn¡¯t my type. I rejected him.¡±


    "Same here."


    As Do-Jin and Yu-Seong conversed briefly, Emilia suddenly stopped laughing. She said, "Do you know that I feel bad whenever you insult my god like that?¡±


    Emilia shot out even more red-black energy, but her attack was blocked by the thick walls that Helen had erected.


    Helen, who was standing beside Kim Do-Jin and Choi Yu-Seong, asked, "Do you think you guys can handle her?"


    "Are you going to be understanding if we say that we can¡¯t?¡± asked Yu-Seong.


    Helen gave a cold smile. "I doubt it. I trust you both."


    "Go ahead. I''ll try my best. It''ll be difficult on my own, but..." Yu-Seong¡¯s voice trailed off as he looked at Do-Jin, who was watching them with a relaxed expression.


    "Who said we¡¯re fighting together?" asked Do-Jin.


    Yu-Seong inwardly thought that Do-Jin¡¯s remark was unnecessary, but he still managed to show a smile. As he always said, he knew Kim Do-Jin very well.


    "Help me," Yu-Seong said.


    "What?"


    "I''ve helped you before, too."


    Kim Do-Jin had a strong sense of pride.


    "What do you mean¡­?"


    "If it weren''t for my help, you would have died just now."


    "I already knew the vampire wasn¡¯t going to die!"


    "Anyway, debts need to be paid."


    "Who owes who...?"


    For some reason, it seemed that Do-Jin liked Yu-Seong quite a bit.


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    "Please, Kim Do-Jin. Right now, there''s no one else but you," Yu-Seong requested sincerely.


    Yu-Seong found this decision to be an easy one, since he couldn¡¯t possibly stand up against Emilia without Do-Jin¡¯s help.


    At that moment, the thick walls that Helen had erected began to crumble. The gaps between the fragments allowed three red beams of light to come through. Two beams of light were targeting both Yu-Seong and Do-Jin.


    Kim Do-Jin gave Yu-Seong no reply. He simply raised his sword, unleashing silver sword energy to slice the two red beams of light apart.


    ¡®Did he just deflect the red lights away?¡¯


    Once again, Yu-Seong had to admit that Kim Do-Jin was a monster.


    Helen, who had blocked the remaining attack with her palm, frowned.


    ¡®With the use of sword energy, he could have blocked all three red beams of light.¡¯


    But for some reason, Do-Jin¡¯s sword energy did not block the light beam that had been targeting Helen Mirren. The reason for that was rather obvious.


    ¡®His intentions are not to assist me, but rather to solely aid Yu-Seong.¡¯


    It was ridiculous, but the situation wasn¡¯t completely awful.


    "Well, then. I¡¯ll trust you, kiddos."


    And with that, Helen turned around and started running towards the basement. She did not even bother to look back.


    Despite their superior abilities compared to their peers in the same rank, Kim Do-Jin and Choi Yu-Seong had yet to reach the A-rank level. In other words, them trying to defeat Emilia was no different from wishing for a miracle.


    ¡®Helen has to get the Philosopher''s Stone as soon as possible and come back.¡¯


    If she had the power of the Philosopher''s Stone, Emilia would no longer be a challenge for Helen.


    "Where are you running off to?!"


    Emilia saw Helen running ahead of her, so she spread her wings wide.


    At that moment, Yu-Seong swept past the end of Emilia¡¯s wings like a ray of light. He laughed while stretching out his spear.


    ¡®As expected, using it in midair greatly weakens its speed and power.¡¯


    He had unleashed his Lance Charging, but it was slower and weaker than expected. He had planned to completely bend one wing, but his efforts had only allowed him to brush against Emilia¡¯s wing and pass by.


    Still, Yu-Seong¡¯s sneak attack was enough to unnerve Emilia. She missed her intended target, which was Helen¡¯s back, as her blood-red ray slightly veered off course and obliterated a large wall instead.


    Emilia said with a frown, "You''re faster than I thought.¡±


    She quickly tried to catch Yu-Seong by the neck, but Do-Jin had used magic to create a strong vacuum between them.


    Bang-!


    Along with the explosion, two people were pushed away from each other. The immediate impact was not strong, but it was still strong enough to get them out of the sky.


    Do-Jin caught the falling Yu-Seong with one arm. Then, he said, ¡°We have agreed to work together in this fight, so we should complement each other like bread and butter.¡±


    "What?"


    "She¡¯s not a woman that you can handle. And now, I owe you nothing."


    Do-Jin was being somewhat cheeky, but his intention was clear as day.


    ¡®Does that mean he¡¯s going to help me properly?¡¯


    The battle with Vincent had been very different from this one. At that time, Kim Do-Jin had been somewhat uncooperative. To be fair, they had also been in great danger unexpectedly.


    ¡®Of course, it might be because I hid the Wind Thunder Dragon God Art skill.¡¯


    This time, Yu-Seong had no such thoughts. This current situation and opponent were not easy to deal with, so he intended to do his very best.


    ¡®If the opportunity arises, I will immediately activate the Wind Thunder Dragon God Art skill.¡¯


    Emilia looked at the two men with a strange gaze, then said with a surprised look, "Come to think of it, Helen¡¯s two assistants¡­"


    Vincent had died because he had gone to investigate Helen¡¯s two assistants. At that time, Helen had been in Juseok Palace.


    After coming to a conclusion, Emilia had an incredulous expression on her face. She said, "Do you mean Vincent was caught by kids like you?"


    She burst out laughing. "Oh my-! What a fool you were, Vincent! But still...¡±


    Soon, she began releasing a suffocating aura that made the air much heavier than before. It was like a storm was brewing¡­


    ¡®It¡¯s heavy.¡¯


    Yu-Seong gripped his spear, which felt unusually heavy. Its weight became almost unbearable. He trembled and remembered Emilia¡¯s title of being ¡®one of the Twelve Dark Kings¡¯. Then, while trying to steady his erratic heartbeat, he looked at Kim Do-Jin.


    ¡®Is that guy...fearless, or does he think he¡¯s invincible as the protagonist?¡¯


    Looking at Do-Jin¡¯s always nonchalant expression, Yu-Seong felt a sense of relief for some reason. He could not look at Emilia''s twisted face with a lighter heart.


    ¡°That guy was my only companion in this boring town, and you killed him. Do you know how angry that makes me?¡± Emilia said.


    ¡°I don''t care,¡± Kim Do-Jin answered briefly before flying forward. His silver sword energy seemingly tore Emilia apart, but she had already disappeared from that spot.


    Reappearing behind Yu-Seong, Emilia said with a cold voice, "It seems that you two are quite close, but I''ll make you feel the same way as I did!"


    Yu-Seong turned around and spread his arms as he invoked Wind Control. Suddenly, Emilia''s fingernail, which was as sharp and long as a beast¡¯s, tore into his illusion. Despite that close call, Yu-Seong stepped forward and extended his hand.


    "Dancing Electric Doll."


    Yu-Seong no longer needed to conceal his identity. He revealed the battle suit he had kept hidden beneath his clothes.


    At the same time, Kim Do-Jin''s sword collided with Emilia''s claws.


    When Do-Jin swayed slightly, Yu-Seong leapt forward to attack Emilia¡¯s head.


    ¡®The weakness of the vampire is not the heart, but the brain¡­ Raging Snake!¡¯


    When a sharp spear wrapped around her arm and reached for her neck, Emilia tried to avoid the attack by bending over in a 90-degree angle. However, her forehead was kicked by Kim Do-Jin.


    Boom-!


    Emilia spread her bloody red defense shield and blocked Do-Jin''s attack, then unsheathed her claws without hesitation.


    Do-Jin and Yu-Seong backed away, widening the distance between them and Emilia. At their original spot from mere seconds ago, there was now a bloody red line passing through.


    ¡®If we weren''t quick enough, both of us would have ended up as corpses in that very spot.¡¯


    However, Emilia¡¯s attack was not over. She spread her wings wide and tried to cover them from behind.


    ¡®This is...?¡¯


    If he got caught, his life would come to a miserable end. Yu-Seong immediately unleashed all of his strength and sliced through the wings with his lance. Then, he escaped alongside Do-Jin.


    Do-Jin looked at Yu-Seong and said, "That powerful technique is pretty useful."


    "Is that a compliment?"


    Do-Jin nodded in response just as Emilia''s claws came close to swiping at them.


    Looking at Emilia¡¯s angry glare, Yu-Seong quickly blocked her with his spear. However, he was sent flying up into the sky.


    ¡®What kind of strength is this¡­?!¡¯


    Thankfully, Yu-Seong''s spear was an ancient relic. If it had not been created by Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice, the spear would have been torn apart by Emilia¡¯s fingernails.


    The most surprising thing was that Kim Do-Jin was facing Emilia''s attack head-on.


    "It looks like the battle is getting more and more dangerous, but..." Yu-Seong¡¯s voice trailed off.


    It was his turn to attack. Once his feet touched the ground, Yu-Seong activated his Third Eye to the maximum and watched Emilia''s movements for a short time. Then, he realized one thing.


    ¡®The trajectory of her movement is almost fixed.¡¯


    Emilia had strong power and ability, but she had a fixed pattern of battling.


    ¡®She¡¯s not in the air, but on the ground. This is an opportunity.¡¯


    Did Do-Jin read Yu-Seong¡¯s mind? Do-Jin nodded without even looking at Yu-Seong. He never stepped back from battling Emilia, even though he was getting increasingly wounded.


    ¡®I¡¯m going.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had read nearly all of Emilia''s movements, so he no longer had to hesitate. This time, with a clear goal in mind, he attacked.


    ¡®Lance Charging.¡¯


    An extended light pierced through Emilia''s small body.


    ***


    Down in the underground bunker, there was a spacious room that had the pungent odor of blood. The atmosphere was humid and sticky. Blood dripped from the ceiling like rain.


    In the room were dozens of black-robed figures who stood on a dark pentagram, which had been drawn on the floor. They were chanting ominously. It was as if they were praying.


    Bang-!


    Kim Un-Jeong entered through an iron gate. He frowned at the unexpectedly loud noise. "Ugh..."


    After a momentary wave of nausea, Un-Jeong turned to look at the green-lit box that was at the center of the pentagram. He could also feel the overflowing blood-colored energy that swept away the darkness of the night.


    The energy came from the blood dripping from the ceiling and the black-robed figures¡¯ chanting.


    Kim Un-Jeong wanted to jump forward to seize the treasure, but he didn''t have the courage to ignore the blood-colored energy coming from the pentagram.


    ¡®I can''t be their living sacrifice¡­ If it is to protect the Philosopher''s Stone, then the Demon King Worshipers would also admit that this is an inevitable choice.¡¯


    Kim Un-Jeong unhesitantly summoned his Homunculus and cut off the black-robed figures, who became lifeless corpses instantly. The dark energy disappeared, and the blood stopped falling from the ceiling.


    After killing all the black-robed figures, Kim Un-Jeong reached out toward the Philosopher''s Stone, which began to emit an eerie green light. He muttered deliriously, ¡°With this¡­ With this¡­¡±


    First, Un-Jeong would be able to survive. Then, he would be able to reclaim his wealth and power once again.


    Kim Un-Jeong''s eyes turned red as his hand reached for the stone.


    Thud-!


    Suddenly, a hand ax buried itself into Un-Jeong¡¯s left shoulder from behind. He fell to the ground without a sound.


    A woman stepped out of the darkness with soft laughter. With a smile of madness, she said, ¡°Hm... The trap has been successfully cleared.¡±

 CH 151

    Rachel moved her hand slowly. She was reaching through the hexagram filled with corpses in an attempt to grasp the Philosopher''s Stone.


    Zzzzt-!


    A loud spark echoed through the area. Rachel''s once pristine hand was now blackened and charred from the intense spark.


    After lifting her hand from the Philosopher''s Stone, Rachel frowned. She smacked the head of the fallen Kim Un-Jeong, who was lying beside her, and asked, "Hey, pig. What¡¯s wrong with this? It was fine when you did it earlier."


    Of course, Kim Un-Jeong couldn''t answer. He was dazed and bleeding profusely.


    With a threatening gaze, Rachel lifted her hand ax without further delay. She demanded, "I''ll only count to one. If you don''t answer, I''ll just kill you right away. One."


    Kim Un-Jeong flinched and trembled, quickly turning his head to the side. He groaned. "Keugh¡­"


    "Even though you are in pain, you hold on quite well. What a good patient.¡±


    "Sa-Save me...¡±


    At those words, Rachel''s eyes sparkled. She asked, "Save you? Do you even know who I am?"


    Kim Un-Jeong managed to swallow down the curses that he wanted to say. He muttered, "The Slaughter¡­Queen."


    "Wrong. Normally, this would already earn you your death. However, I will give you one more chance today.¡± Rachel smiled slyly, slowly knelt down, and sat facing the bleeding Kim Un-Jeong.


    "What¡¯s wrong with that?"


    Looking at Rachel¡¯s red eyes of sheer madness, Kim Un-Jeong looked away. He said, "Blood..."


    "What?"


    "There should be blood."


    "There''s a lot of blood here, right?" Rachel said with her eyes sparkling. Then, with a sudden realization, she yelled, "Oh, your blood!"


    In the blink of an eye, Rachel cut off Kim Un-Jeong''s right wrist. She attacked without giving Un-Jeong a moment to express any sense of injustice.


    "Kyaaaa-!" Kim Un-Jeong screamed in pain. He rolled on the floor and spilled blood everywhere.


    Rachel smiled brightly as she raised Un-Jeong¡¯s bloodied hand. She attempted to touch the Philosopher''s Stone, but was once again surprised by the strong spark. She tilted her head in confusion.


    "Hey, pig. This isn''t working?"


    "Augh, augh!"


    "Shut up. Stop shouting and answer," said Rachel in annoyance.


    When Rachel impatiently kicked him in the mouth, Kim Un-Jeong''s teeth shattered and fell to the ground. His face felt even more painful than before. He looked up at Rachel with blood and tears pouring down his face. "Ugh¡­ Ugh..."


    "Why isn''t this working?"


    "Ugh..."


    "Oh, right. You can''t answer."


    Rachel quickly removed her feet from Un-Jeong¡¯s face.


    "Keheck!" Kim Un-Jeong coughed and threw up.


    Looking at the man with an insane gaze, Rachel slowly raised her hand and said one word, "One."


    "Not my blood... Your blood!"


    "Ah...? You should have said that earlier," Rachel said.


    Kim Un-Jeong was quick-witted, so he immediately replied with poor pronunciation. After listening to his reply, Rachel blinked, giggled, and brandished her hand ax.


    Kim Un-Jeong rolled on the floor with a frightened expression. After barely avoiding having his neck sliced open, he widened his eyes in horror and asked, ¡°Why, why¡­?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say that you were noisy?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Rachel smiled brightly towards Kim Un-Jeong, who was surprised by the absurd reason. She said cheekily, ¡°You¡¯ve also killed many people just for your own desires.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± Kim Un-Jeong replied, feeling flustered.


    Rachel¡¯s hand ax flew into the air again. However, she was no longer targeting Kim Un-Jeong.


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    From beyond the hallway, a powerful roar echoed loudly. Only when the underground basement stopped vibrating did Rachel reach out her hand.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    When her hand ax did not return, Rachel tilted her head in confusion.


    Moments later, the hand ax returned and cut Rachel¡¯s red hair. Then, it clattered against the wall of the basement.


    "Wow?"


    Next, gunshots started to echo from beyond the hallway.


    "Oh, what the¡­!¡±


    "Wow-!"


    With a curse, Kim Un-Jeong continued to roll on the floor. Meanwhile, Rachel recovered her hand ax and stood still while shooting bullets wildly.


    The attack from beyond the hallway was not over. Then, something that looked like a baseball flew towards them.


    Upon seeing it, Kim Un-Jeong yelled in surprise, "Grenade! Did you forget?!"


    "Oh?"


    The explosion quickly spread a sea of fire in the basement, destroying everything.


    When the fire finally died down, Rachel could be seen crossing her arms and blocking the fire. With a blink, she then threw both hand axes that were at her waist simultaneously.


    Whoosh-!


    Along with an explosion, their opponent stopped rushing forward.


    As if he were crazy, Kim Un-Jeong crawled behind Rachel. He barely survived even from having used her as a shield. He moaned inwardly.


    ¡®Monster! She¡¯s still standing even after taking a grenade head-on?¡¯


    The Slaughter Queen was officially ranked 30th within the Demon King Worshiper, which was pretty remarkable. For her to take a grenade head-on in this narrow space, using only her body, this was an unexpected show of power that went beyond her ranking. She indeed was a monster even among S-ranks. She had power that could only be thought of in the realm of SS ranks, which had completely surpassed humanity.


    When thinking such thoughts, Kim Un-Jeong realized one thing.


    ¡®No way... Could this woman be the one who just defeated the Black Stain King to become the new Twelve Dark King¡­?¡¯


    Now, Un-Jeong knew why his earlier answer of ¡®The Slaughter Queen¡¯ was wrong.


    ¡°Black Stain King!¡±


    "You pig. You are more persistent than I thought," said Rachel with a smile. Then, she started firing off another barrage of bullets at their opponent with a shout. "Hey grandma! Keep shooting at me like this and I''ll smash this green rock to pieces!"


    The Philosopher''s Stone was not damaged in any way by the barrage of bullets or the grenades, but the outcome might be different if Rachel chose to strike it with all her might.


    "Ah, no¡­No!" Kim Un-Jeong shook his head quickly, as if trying to appeal to Rachel.


    "I don''t like waiting for a long time. I''ll just count to one. One!" yelled Rachel.


    When the relentless hail of bullets suddenly came to a halt, Rachel raised her hand ax high with a smile. She asked, "Will you continue to hide?"


    "Of course not," said the opponent from the other side of the hallway.


    Rachel''s hand ax shot toward the black shadow that flew over like an arrow.


    Bam-!


    Black fragments scattered around like blood before regenerating once again. Then, the Homunculus that followed were like a herd of zombies.


    Rachel threw and retrieved her hand ax repeatedly, defeating the Homunculus with ease. As if she was not tired of defeating the continuously resuscitating Homunculus, she cackled loudly. "Ahahaha-!"


    Just when Rachel¡¯s hand ax swung abruptly to the left, Helen appeared with a loud explosion. Her robe fluttered and slid backwards as if she was slipping.


    Rachel saw the slightly pale Helen. With one hand wielding the hand ax and the other hand raised in greeting, she asked, "Long time no see. How have you been?"


    "You seem to have become even more of a monster," replied Helen.


    ¡°Hahaha! That¡¯s a compliment, right?¡±


    Helen smiled bitterly. She pursed her lips without saying a word.


    ¡®For the Slaughter Queen to be here, of all people?¡¯


    Although she was not as formidable as the Black Gauze King, who was 10th-ranked among the Twelve Dark Kings, Rachel was still a formidable opponent in Helen''s memory. Additionally, Rachel''s movements with her hand ax appeared to have improved.


    ¡®I may need to approach the Slaughter Queen as if I were battling the Twelve Dark Kings.¡¯


    Helen furrowed her brow and tightened her fists.


    ¡®And I don''t know how much longer those two above can endure.¡¯


    Despite their surpassing skills and cohesive teamwork, there was a high likelihood that Emilia would emerge victorious if the battle were to go on for too long. Helen was aware of this.


    Helen looked at the green Philosopher''s Stone behind Rachel.


    ¡®Kid, I get that you were not lying.¡¯


    The goal was clear. Helen inhaled deeply and pulled up her mana to its maximum.


    ¡®I¡¯ll deal with this job at once. Ultimate skill- Only one.¡¯


    Once Helen activated her skill, the Homunculus rushing towards Rachel suddenly changed directions and surrounded Helen. They clung onto her like they were trying to swallow her, swarming her like a liquid monster. Then, they transformed into armor and a sword that looked rather medieval. Thanks to this, Helen¡¯s petite build could now rival that of a decent adult male. The huge sword swung around, seemingly capable of tearing air apart.


    Rachel widened her eyes and faced Helen directly. She flew high across the sky. With an awful cry, she spurted out blood upon being slammed into the wall.


    In pursuit, Helen transformed her sword into a fist and delivered a punch that struck Rachel.


    The impact sent Rachel flying out of the underground room and up to the ground level. From the cracked ceiling, a deluge of grotesque and horrifying corpses began to pour out.


    ¡®What the hell were these crazy guys doing here?¡¯


    Helen was shocked by the sight, but she didn''t have time to think about anything else. Rachel was hanging on the wall from her thick fist.


    Smiling and bleeding, Rachel was still alive. She cooed, "Oh, this is really...too painful."


    At the same time, Rachel¡¯s aura disappeared.


    ¡®Illusion?¡¯


    This appeared to be different from an illusion. It also felt a lot quicker than a mere illusion.


    ¡®But she would have lacked the strength to get out of that.¡¯


    Although Rachel boasted great physical power, she was also relatively strong as a Psychic player. It should be impossible for her to bear the weight and power of Helen¡¯s full armor, which was intensely combined with the power of hundreds of Homunculus.


    In other words, Rachel must have activated some kind of skill.


    ¡®But where?¡¯


    At the moment of her musing, Helen did not notice Rachel¡¯s hand ax materializing behind her. Her Homunculus armor soon had dozens of deep red gashes.


    Kwagagagak-!


    The Homunculus armor shattered, then started to regenerate. Helen swiftly turned around, attempting to counterattack, but Rachel hid herself and only revealed her red eyes.


    "Helen Mirren. I know your mana is quite a lot, but it¡¯s not unlimited, right?"


    "It''s enough to last until I catch you, young brat."


    Feeling her entire right arm of the Homunculus armor rip apart, Helen spun around and opened her eyes widely.


    Kwagh-!


    With the massive movement of Helen¡¯s body, the basement interior crumbled at an even faster pace. The destruction began.


    "Ahaha-!"


    Helen frowned at the sound of Rachel¡¯s laughter echoing from all around. Then, she suddenly saw Kim Un-Jeong touching the Philosopher''s Stone. She screamed, "You, what are you doing¡­?!"


    Rachel, who was laughing, looked at Kim Un-Jeong. She sent a hand ax flying through the air, plunging it deep into Un-Jeong''s left chest.


    Despite his heart stopping and his face stained with blood, Kim Un-Jeong still wore a cheerful smile as he passed away.


    ¡®Truly¡­You dog-like bastards¡­ Die, all of you.¡¯


    When Kim Un-Jeong closed his eyes after thinking of his final will, countless corpses and blood-stained hexagrams spewed black light to engulf the Philosopher''s Stone.

 CH 152

    "Oh, dammit!" Helen cursed as she ran towards the blackened Philosopher''s Stone.


    Rachel chased after Helen, swinging her hand axes recklessly. However, Helen paid no attention to Rachel after seeing the blackened Philosopher''s Stone.


    "Huh?" Confused, Rachel stopped swinging her hand axes. Her steady hands stopped effortlessly wielding the axes and came to a sudden halt.


    Helen reached out her finger and left some blood on the blackened Philosopher''s Stone. Hugging it with both arms, she cried out earnestly, "Please, please¡­!"


    "Can someone explain what¡¯s going on?" asked Rachel, tilting her head in confusion.


    "The idiot that you didn¡¯t kill has caused the worst disaster!" Helen broke into a cold sweat. Her Homunculus armor began to fall apart.


    ¡®Does this mean her mana is being drained just from cradling the Philosopher¡¯s Stone?¡¯


    In other words, Rachel could kill Helen right away if she wanted to. Her reason for not doing so was simple.


    ''There''s no way this grandma wouldn''t know about it, and she''s risking her life to stop something...''


    Rachel had shivers running down her spine, feeling a great sense of peril. She forced a cold grin and said, ¡°Do you think you can stop it if you try hard?¡±


    "Please shut up...! The situation is already tough enough," said Helen.


    "Grandma, isn''t this a situation where you should be begging me to stay patient?" Rachel asked, then sliced Helen¡¯s wrist with her hand ax.


    "...?!¡± Helen widened her eyes in shock as her hand fell from the Philosopher''s Stone and blood spurted. She screamed at Rachel, "You crazy...!"


    "Did you just find out that I''m crazy?"


    Just then, a black hand burst forth from the Philosopher''s Stone. It grabbed Rachel''s sinisterly smiling face.


    ''Huh?''


    Before she could even react, Rachel lost consciousness, spilled blood, and flew into several walls. Then, she completely disappeared from sight.


    "Oh, my, damn it!" yelled Helen.


    Looking at the trail of Rachel, who had vanished from the basement to go above ground, Helen expressed great despair in her eyes. She wasn¡¯t too concerned about her missing hand, since she could roughly mold a replacement hand by using Homunculus. It wouldn''t be as comfortable as her original hand, but she could bear the inconvenience. The real problem was that there was no way to prevent the immediate situation.


    The Philosopher''s Stone, after absorbing a bunch of black aura, now had two black arms covered in fur emerging from it. Soon, two legs would appear. Then, a creature complete with a head and horns would come into existence.


    Only one being on this earth had such an appearance.


    ¡®Demon!¡¯


    Of course, not all demons were equally powerful. A relatively weak one might be able to be hunted by an S-rank hunter. Unfortunately, this demon could easily fling Rachel with a single arm, so it was not a weak entity at all.


    ¡®Given that the Philosopher''s Stone was used to summon it, and such a large amount of blood and flesh has been sacrificed, then¡­¡¯


    The only glimmer of hope was that Helen had managed to slightly interrupt the flow of energy. Without her intervention, it was possible that the Demon King might have been summoned with the sacrifices that Pyongyang had made.


    The second problem was retrieving and collecting the Philosopher''s stone.


    ¡®At least a Catastrophe-grade demon will be unleashed.¡¯


    According to the World Player Association (WPA), a Catastrophe-grade demon could only be stopped if a nation within the top ten hunter powers deployed all of its resources. In other words, everyone here couldn''t stop the summoned demon even if they were to use all of their strength.


    ¡®Pyongyang is over.¡¯


    Maintaining even a semblance of a city-state was now over for Pyongyang.


    ¡®I¡¯ll have to tell the kids about this!¡¯


    If they could manage to escape with a little bit of luck and quick thinking, that would be a great outcome. However, if they were even slightly careless and tardy, they would be swept away by the demon''s invasion and ultimately die.


    ¡®Maybe... If there''s still a chance¡­¡¯


    Helen looked at the Philosopher''s Stone, which was now the heart of the emerging demon. She shook her head.


    ¡®I''ll have to give up the Philosopher''s Stone that is right in front of me!¡¯


    Although it would be challenging, the situation had already come to this point. The only way for Helen to retrieve the Philosopher''s Stone that was used in the summoning ceremony was to defeat the demon and remove its heart.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡®I''ll save the two kids, then escape.¡¯


    Helen urgently headed above ground.


    ***


    Lance Charging, with precision and power, undoubtedly penetrated Emilia''s entire physical form.


    Emilia''s small body was torn apart and scattered in all directions. If she was a normal person, she would surely die. However, neither Choi Yu-Seong nor Kim Do-Jin considered Emilia to have died.


    ¡®I should¡¯ve broken her head!¡¯


    A vampire¡¯s only weakness was their head. Although Lance Charging had been aimed at Emilia¡¯s head, it had missed its intended target due to one simple reason.


    ¡®The barrier twisted its direction.¡¯


    The attack had been weakened by the sudden appearance of Emilia¡¯s blood-red barrier, so it ended up being a failed strike.


    "What was that just now? That was really dangerous! Great, I admit it. You two aren''t ordinary. From now on, I''ll attack with all my might. Haha!" Emilia laughed out loud.


    She floated in mid-air with her head spinning around. Then, another body emerged from below her neck. This time, it was not the same small body of a girl as before.


    ¡®That''s...a spider?"¡¯


    Yu-Seong had heard that, among the vampires in this world, there were those who absorbed the blood of powerful monsters and used it on their own body.


    That was exactly what Emilia was doing. Her head was human in appearance, but her body was that of a strange monster. It resembled a spider as she now clung to the wall.


    Emilia opened her mouth and a giant spider web wrapped around the heads of Yu-Seong and Kim Do-Jin.


    ¡®Even Kim Do-Jin won¡¯t be able to cut through this.¡¯


    Yu-Seong instinctively felt danger, so he transformed Wind Control into Wind Flow. He threw himself backward.


    When the red spider web fell to the ground, Do-Jin looked at it with a frown. He said, "This is dangerous.¡±


    Do-Jin had also sensed great danger earlier on and had escaped that one attack.


    Yu-Seong nodded in agreement.


    Unlike in normal cases, Emilia¡¯s red spider web continued to maintain its form and viscosity even after falling to the floor. It could now prevent their mobility when fighting against Emilia on the ground.


    ¡®Black Gauze King, Emilia.¡¯


    In the original novel, Emilia should have already been dead due to some kind of event. Therefore, there was no description of the battle, but seeing it firsthand, it was easy to understand why she had earned the nickname ¡®Black Gauze King.¡¯


    Emilia spewed her webs several times. Soon, a gigantic spider web was made, forming between the floor and the walls.


    "We can''t win in such a narrow space. Let''s run away," said Do-Jin unexpectedly.


    When Do-Jin started darting toward the outside, Yu-Seong widened his eyes and looked around. He followed Do-Jin using Wind Flow and chased after him.


    "Where are you running off to?!" Emilia screamed.


    Emilia¡¯s spider webs flew toward Yu-Seong''s ankles, trying to ensnare him. Fortunately, he had more agility and speed with each step.


    ''If it wasn¡¯t for Wind Flow, I would be dead.¡¯


    As Yu-Seong gradually disappeared from view, Emilia snorted and shot her spider webs toward the outside building. She pursued the two men through the darkness of the night.


    Yu-Seong and Do-Jin turned to look at her massive form in surprise, but Emilia only laughed mockingly and shouted from a wall of the outside building. "Did you think I would be slow in this form?"


    Emilia was going to attack again. She generated blood-red energy from her back and emitted spider webs from her mouth, relentlessly striking the two men.


    Thump-!


    With a loud explosion, screams and chaos filled the entire Pyongyang.


    "What the...!"


    At that moment, Yu-Seong stopped in surprise. A dark-red energy flew and hit his right cheek.


    To be honest, Yu-Seong¡¯s entire face would have been penetrated by the attack if Kim Do-Jin hadn¡¯t come close to slashing the energy strike with his sword.


    "Stupid! Get your senses together!" Do-Jin shouted at Yu-Seong.


    ''The city... The people...!''


    Yu-Seong swallowed the words that he wanted to say. He avoided the next attack, then stared at Emilia. He clenched his jaw. He had already experienced such emotional turmoil during his battle against Vincent. He was also aware that his insufficient power kept him from preventing such a disaster.


    ''Don''t get arrogant. I am too busy trying to survive now.¡¯


    As the screams of innocent people echoed in the background, Yu-Seong forced himself to ignore the pain-filled cries. He could see Kim Do-Jin approaching Emilia with his sword.


    The flow of Emilia¡¯s bloody energy was so intense that Do-Jin could not make a proper approach.


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin is right.¡¯


    To minimize the damage here as much as possible, they had no choice but to stop Emilia together.


    Yu-Seong¡¯s gaze became even more serious. He was no longer intent on just capturing Emilia''s attention and restraining her.


    ¡®How can we kill her?¡¯


    The safest way was for them to survive until Helen arrived.


    Having experienced Emilia¡¯s attacks, Yu-Seong thought that he could distract Emilia for a longer time than before with Do-Jin¡¯s help. This was assuming that they only had to survive. Also, he had no clue just how many innocent lives would be sacrificed along the way. Even now, Yu-Seong could hear the cries of help all around him.


    Yu-Seong was aware that this was not his fault. Even if it wasn¡¯t the immediate battle, the citizens of Pyongyang would eventually face a terrible death from being used by Emilia and Kim Un-Jeong. However, Yu-Seong could not help but be angry at being too weak and having to ignore their deaths.


    Ever since his battle against Vincent, Yu-Seong¡¯s hatred for the villains grew increasingly. The reason why he wasn¡¯t overwhelmed by his emotions was the skill Cool-headed, which was transmitted to him through his grip on the spear.


    ¡®Let''s think of a possible hunting method before Helen arrives.¡¯


    Of course, it wasn''t going to be easy. The opponent was one of the Twelve Dark Kings of the Demon King Worshiper. Under regular circumstances, Yu-Seong and Do-Jin had no way of beating Emilia even if they fought with all of their might.


    In a way, the answer was simple: they had to exploit their opponent¡¯s weakness and strike the head, a vampire¡¯s true weak spot, with a single blow.


    ¡®The problem is that the head is not even accessible.¡¯


    Emilia''s spider web was certainly dangerous. If Yu-Seong got caught up in it, he would surely die.


    That was why Do-Jin and Yu-Seong tried very hard to maintain a safe distance. However, even that was different. When he tried to run away to widen the distance, Emilia would chase him fiercely and not let him get away so easily.


    ¡®And even if I reach a safe distance, there''s still a problem.¡¯


    Emilia had a strange blood barrier surrounding her that easily defended against mediocre skills. Even if Yu-Seong could penetrate it, Emilia¡¯s head was much smaller compared to her body. That would make it almost impossible for him to strike it with precision.


    The more he thought about it, the more Yu-Seong realized the immense strength of his opponent.


    ¡®She is so much stronger than Vincent.¡¯


    Emilia couldn¡¯t be defeated through a regular strategy or luck. Nevertheless, Yu-Seong still desired her death. He didn''t want the battle to end with him trying to buy some time.


    ¡®But how? There''s no way¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong, filled with anger, suddenly looked toward Kim Do-Jin.


    ¡®Maybe there is a way.¡¯


    His eyes suddenly flashed with light.

 CH 153

    After he found a way, Yu-Seong approached Kim Do-Jin while avoiding Emilia¡¯s non-stop attacks.


    ¡®To avoid getting caught in the spider web, we''ve been forced to stay separate until now. But if I want to succeed with this skill, I have no choice but to come together with him.¡¯


    Kim Do-Jin had been avoiding Yu-Seong this entire time, so he furrowed his brows when Yu-Seong started to approach him. He had a questioning gaze.


    ¡®Why?¡¯


    In response to Do-Jin¡¯s questioning gaze, Yu-Seong gave a light nod. He thought that Do-Jin should be able to understand the meaning of his nod. However, Do-Jin continued to distance himself even after seeing Yu-Seong¡¯s gesture.


    ¡®No way, can¡¯t he read the meaning of my nod?¡¯


    Yu-Seong read Kim Do-Jin''s gaze.


    ¡®It''s dangerous if you get too close. Keep your distance as much as possible.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was on the verge of exploding inside.


    ¡®No, that''s not what I meant¡­!¡¯


    At that moment, a flash of red light swept by Yu-Seong and destroyed half of a three-story building in an instant. If it had been a direct hit, he would have been killed.


    Yu-Seong felt sweat running down his back. He tried to avoid the spider web while clicking his tongue in frustration.


    ¡®For how long can I keep running away?¡¯


    Emilia looked relaxed while in the offensive position. This was understandable since the two men had no way of approaching her or escaping from her attacks. The two men also had lower ranks compared to her, so their physical strength would clearly be limited. As time went by, this fight was not in the men¡¯s interest at all.


    ¡®The original goal was just to drag out time and so it didn''t matter, but¡­¡¯


    The situation was different now. Yu-Seong wanted to defeat Emilia. Even if he couldn''t kill her, he wanted to inflict serious damage that would at least temporarily disable her.


    After thinking about it, Yu-Seong realized why Kim Do-Jin was avoiding him.


    ¡®That brat¡­ He¡¯s just hoping to drag out the battle!¡¯


    Would the sacrifice of countless people in the city matter to him? For Do-Jin, who had fought countless wars in the other world, the deaths of many people were a common experience. In other words, the novel¡¯s crazy main character was not even feeling sadness, let alone anger, in this situation.


    For Do-Jin, people dying in battle was just an expected outcome. After all, he only had a few victories where sacrifice hadn¡¯t been necessary.


    In fact, Yu-Seong was aware of this fact when he had first been possessed by the novel. But he had forgotten all about it after meeting Kim Do-Jin a few times and having shared some emotional conversations with the man.


    ¡®Like a fool¡­¡¯


    Kim Do-Jin had come from another world to defeat the Demon King, but his motivation was not that of a hero. The reason he wanted to kill the Demon King was simply to return to Earth and take revenge. Sadly, he lacked a sense of justice and passion. Perhaps he only had such motivations when his journey to this world had just begun.


    ¡®Since the original novel did not describe the story of his ambition to defeat the Demon King in detail.¡¯


    Only a simple description had been given to set up the premise that Kim Do-Jin would invade this world, defeat the Demon King, and then return to earth. The entire journey would not be an easy one, even though that was an easy assumption to make.


    Kim Do-Jin, a somewhat intelligent young man from South Korea, suddenly found himself living in a completely different world. It was a tough and savage place where civilization was far behind modern times.


    ¡®I must have what I desire, no matter what.¡¯


    The world was ready for Kim Do-Jin to become a hero.


    ''Dying is better than losing.''


    If he lost, Kim Do-Jin would lose everything. He couldn''t even return to his original world for revenge, and he would face complete annihilation without even leaving his name behind. That was why Kim Do-Jin couldn''t afford to consider his own defeat even once.


    ''The death of others...wouldn''t matter as long as he could win.''


    Suddenly, this realization scorched the side of Yu-Seong''s heart. He had no idea why, but he immediately invoked Wind Flow and followed Kim Do-Jin.


    Do-Jin widened his eyes in surprise and turned to look at Yu-Seong, whose left thigh had been punctured and was bleeding profusely.


    Yu-Seong was greatly shocked by his latest injury, but he didn¡¯t even care.


    "You..." said Do-Jin as he looked at Yu-Seong with burning eyes. He reached out to grab Yu-Seong by his collar.


    In a flash, Yu-Seong turned to dodge Do-Jin''s hand and the red beam that came from behind. Then, he pressed his lips against Kim Do-Jin¡¯s ear.


    While slicing through the red beams with his sword head-on, Do-Jin suddenly said, "I understand."


    "What?" Yu-Seong, assuming that Kim Do-Jin would dismiss any unnecessary emotions, blurted out in surprise.


    "But is there a way?"


    Fortunately, Kim Do-Jin understood Yu-Seong¡¯s intentions accurately.


    If so, there was no need for a long-winded conversation. Yu-Seong no longer had any doubts. He simply said whatever popped up in his head. He said to Do-Jin, "Just open the path somehow. I''ll be right next to you."


    "And then?"


    "Use the spell Isolation and Blink on me. Can you do that?"


    ¡°You¡­?¡± Do-Jin trailed off as his eyes twitched.


    The simultaneous use of Isolation and Blink, which could be considered as close-range spatial movement, was almost impossible. In fact, if you only looked at the amount of mana needed, a B-rank hunter could easily do it, but the problem was the calculation process for unleashing that magic.


    ¡®The arrangement of the Runic alphabet, the accumulation of formulas, and the release of that magic as a magic circle¡­¡¯


    Regardless of the amount of magic, in reality, a hunter had to be an S-rank to use the magic. In the world of [Modern Master Returns], even the few magicians there had given the nickname of ''transcendent spells'' to the two spells. Although the two skills were possible to learn at B-rank, they were practically impossible to use. If both spells, Isolation and Blink, failed, the target of the magic could go missing in space and never return.


    That was how dangerous the magic was, which explained why even S-rank magicians had to do their best to maintain their composure in battle. Of course, the use of magic was incredibly taxing, and even the simultaneous casting of two spells was considered to be an immensely difficult task. However, Kim Do-Jin was able to do it.


    ''He did it after reaching S-rank in the [Modern Master Returns].''


    This alone made many magicians in the original novel tremble with fear. Casting two spells at the same time was considered impossible even for an S-rank magician. However, the current Kim Do-Jin had already shown the ultimate finishing move, including swordsmanship, by using both two skills in only B-rank.


    "How do you know the formula for the Heart Strike: Beyond the Space Slash?"


    The answer couldn''t be heard because Emilia''s spider webs covered both of their heads. Yu-Seong and Do-Jin exchanged looks instead of words and moved away from each other in opposite directions.


    ''Right now.''


    Kim Do-Jin shook his head with a slight frown. "Impossible. Those two spells can only be cast on the caster himself¡­¡±


    Yu-Seong nodded without speaking.


    ¡®You can do it.¡¯


    There was a way. Yu-Seong already knew the secret formula of Heart Strike: Beyond the Space Slash, so he wouldn¡¯t have suggested it without thinking.


    ¡®I''ll definitely hear the answer later.¡¯


    When Do-Jin snorted and started running forward, Emilia watched him from a high-up wall. She laughed. "How foolish!"


    Emilia had difficulty catching Yu-Seong and Do-Jin because their movements were flashy and chaotic. But now that Do-Jin was moving towards her from straight ahead¡­ She could focus all of the scattered red beams into a narrow range.


    Thud-thud-thud-!


    The red beam fell like a bomb over Do-Jin''s head as he ran straight ahead.


    Emilia also blocked the path ahead of Do-Jin by skillfully deploying spider webs to cover the surrounding area.


    ¡®I got caught!¡¯


    Kim Do-Jin, who was recklessly running ahead, no longer had an escape route. There were also too many red beams for him to deflect with his sword.


    Emilia thought that she was about to witness the defeat of Do-Jin, but¡­


    The blue energy emanating from Kim Do-Jin''s body surged uncontrollably and enveloped his silver blade.


    When Emilia saw the pentagram magic circle soaring high up in the air, she was left with no choice but to look on with bated breath.


    ¡®Did he just draw that giant magic circle as a mere B-rank hunter?¡¯


    The huge flames that burst out of Do-Jin¡¯s magic circle completely engulfed Emilia''s red beams, spider webs, and even blocked her vision.


    Emilia jumped into the sky while clicking her tongue. She had predicted that the power above the magic circle would be enormous from its size alone, but the heat she felt throughout her body was beyond her imagination. In fact, even the tough spider webs were melting away from that power alone.


    ¡®It¡¯s possible to take it head-on if I need to, but... ¡®


    There was no reason to get hurt so recklessly. After all, even the massive flames couldn''t block the bombardment of blood-red beams.


    Thud-thud-thud-!


    One explosion after another erupted from the spot where Kim Do-Jin had been standing just moments ago, and a thick cloud of dust rose up.


    Emilia, who was jumping into the air and trying to move to another building with her spiderweb, searched for Do-Jin through the cloud of dust. Then, she spotted a dark figure.


    ¡®That monster-like guy, he''s still alive.¡¯


    Emilia''s heart felt a chill as if she had just realized something. She thought Do-Jin was just an average B-rank hunter. However, if he could cast the same massive magic consecutively, even Emilia herself would not be able to withstand the attacks. It wouldn¡¯t even matter that she was the Black Gauze King.


    ¡®Of course, he wouldn¡¯t be able to.¡¯


    There had to be a recoil. Proving Emilia¡¯s point, Do-Jin looked as solid as a rock in the dirt and dust. He also did not move.


    ¡®This is my chance.¡¯


    Using her mana, Emilia stopped her massive body in mid-air and generated ten blood-red beams. It was difficult for her to release more beams while floating, but she was determined to end the fight.


    ¡®This time, it''s truly the end!¡¯


    As Emilia prepared to unleash her red beams, Yu-Seong suddenly rose into the sky and shone a beam of light at Emilia.


    "How dare you!" Emilia screamed. As her face twisted in annoyance, she fired a counterattack beam at Yu-Seong and poured all her remaining energy to directly attack Kim Do-Jin.


    At that moment, the two pentagonal magic circles generated in the sky trapped Yu-Seong and made him disappear.


    ¡®That guy is much more dangerous!¡¯


    Emilia no longer paid attention to Yu-Seong, because she instinctively felt danger when Do-Jin momentarily emptied his energy. She shivered.


    Do-Jin tried to avoid the first red beam by stumbling and rolling on the ground.


    ¡®He can still manage to dodge that?¡¯


    Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    Now, Emilia felt a chill crawling up her spine. She quickly tried to create another red beam.


    "Wait,¡± Emilia said. She realized that it wasn¡¯t just a sudden change in emotion that made her shiver.


    Upon the massive spider''s body, the pale Yu-Seong with his neck bitten was grabbing the spear with his right arm. He pulled it back before aiming for Emilia¡¯s head. He yelled, "Lance Charging!"


    It was truly a decisive blow, exploding at close range.

 CH 154

    Kim Do-Jin''s magic special move, Heart Strike: Beyond the Space Slash, was particularly fearsome because it could instantly and precisely exploit an opponent''s weakness. Coupled with his impeccable swordsmanship, his opponents often failed to realize what had happened before they were lying on the ground or dying from a pierced heart.


    In a one-on-one situation, the Heart Strike: Beyond the Space Slash could surpass that of someone, who was two or even three times more skilled, as long as Do-Jin had a chance to strike. This was on the premise that the opponent was not some kind of monster who could survive even if their neck or heart had been severed.


    However, there was certainly a downside to Heart Strike: Beyond the Space Slash.


    ¡®The disorientation after spatial teleportation.¡¯


    This downside made it difficult to perform the next technique, but Do-Jin had overcome it with his swordsmanship and beast-like Instinct.


    ¡®Regardless of the disorientation, he could will his body to move.¡¯


    There was no need for many goals when there was only one opponent. All they had to do was use the skill to strike the opponent¡¯s heart or neck.


    The Heart Strike: Beyond the Space Slash skill required more than just the ability to recite a difficult incantation. It was an exclusive technique that only Kim Do-Jin was able to fully assimilate right now.


    In this moment, however, Yu-Seong had clearly aimed for Emilia¡¯s head with Heart Strike: Beyond the Space Slash skill and had unleashed his special move, Lance Charging. He was feeling disoriented but had done so anyway.


    In terms of power and range, there was no way around it: Yu-Seong''s Lance Charging was several times greater than Do-Jin''s swordsmanship that was based on simple instincts.


    The reason why Yu-Seong could do such a thing was simple, but it shocked Do-Jin all the same.


    ¡ºSpecial Skill, The God¡¯s Chakra E


    Cannot be used for Fusion.


    The hidden potential in the skill was released by the remnants of a royal god.


    All the mana of the player Choi Yu-Seong are replaced with chakras.


    The skill is constantly working on the player¡¯s body.


    This increases the absolute capacity of the chakra.


    This effect also applies when speaking or moving in an unconscious state.


    Daily growth rate + 1.


    Applying D-rank, the first chakra is released.


    D rank ¨C Muladhara Chakra.


    With Muladhara Chakra applied, the physical abilities of the player Choi Yu-Seong will increase to the same level as those of the Physical-type player.


    *new C-rank applied, the second chakra is released.


    C rank ¨C Svadhisthana Chakra.[1]


    ¡î Special application of God''s Chakra.


    Svadhisthana Chakra enables players to absorb and release abilities outside of rank. Player Choi Yu-Seong can absorb and activate any, up to two, Psychic abilities applied to himself.


    Cooldown Time ¨C 720 hours.


    Special ¡ï


    The application of God''s Chakra further enhances the effect of Muladhara Chakra.


    The application of God''s Chakra further enhances the enlightenment effect of the Svadhisthana Chakra.


    If the rank rises, the second chakra wakes up.


    You are the eighth person on earth to acquire chakra skills.¡»


    While resting at Helen¡¯s personal underground bunker, Yu-Seong had confirmed that an overwhelming number of gods had donated more than 15,000 karma points to him. He had pondered over which special skills¡¯ rank to raise first.


    As the first priority, he had chosen the divine God''s Chakra skill, which monopolized 10,000 karma points.


    ''I was originally going to save the remaining 5,000 points...''


    Unfortunately, he had no choice but to upgrade the Wind Control in order to pursue Helen.


    Before upgrading the God''s Chakra for the first time, Yu-Seong had deeply contemplated it. After all, it required more than double the points compared to other powerful skills. However, after directly witnessing the results of the upgrade, he couldn''t help but be satisfied.


    Yu-Seong didn''t know what abilities he would gain by enlightening his Svadhisthana Chakra, which was originally reserved for normal Chakra users. However, he was confident that he wouldn¡¯t be disappointed by the absorption and activation obtained from the special ability of the God¡¯s Chakra.


    ¡®Rankless. Regardless of what kind of ability it is, it can absorb up to two at a time and activate them.¡¯


    The penalty of a 720-hour cooldown time, equivalent to a month-long waiting time for it to be reused, posed no problem for Yu-Seong.


    It was an ability to absorb and activate not just simple skills but all Psychic skills. This meant that the power of absorption and activation could be used not only by self-empowering players like Kim Do-Jin but also by non-human races such as Emilia and even demons.


    Moreover, there was no rank for the two skills. In other words, even if the opponent was overwhelmingly stronger than Yu-Seong, the skill could serve as a counter punch at least once.


    Using this skill, Yu-Seong could simply absorb and activate spells like Isolation and Blink, both of which were originally impossible to apply to others. There was no need for him to calculate complex formulas like Kim Do-Jin and deploy mana in a difficult way to unfold the magic circle.


    ¡®Simply absorb and activate¡­ These two actions suffice. Despite my hope to conserve karma points, I depleted them more quickly than I thought¡­¡¯


    Thanks to this, Yu-Seong had successfully moved a short distance beyond the opponent''s defense wall with considerable mental composure. He had been able to focus solely on Emilia''s head and accurately execute his lethal move during that short window of opportunity.


    After Yu-Seong accurately hit Emilia with his finishing blow, the headless giant spider plummeted to the ground.


    Thud-!


    The ground shook and dust clouds rose. Meanwhile, Yu-Seong trembled in excitement.


    ¡®We have defeated one of the Demon King Worshipers¡¯ Twelve Dark Kings.¡¯


    Despite being ranked 10th, which was considerably low among the twelve ranks, the notorious Black Gauze King had been defeated by B-rank Do-Jin and C-rank Yu-Seong. Of course, her long-accumulated Karma was nothing to be taken lightly.


    Consequently, Yu-Seong and Do-Jin found themselves confronted by an overwhelming number of messages from the gods. This surpassed anything they had ever encountered.


    ~


    -A Joke-loving Prankster couldn''t hide his smile while looking at the player Cho Yu-Seong and sponsored 5000 karma points.


    - Culann¡¯s Hound was amazed by player Choi Yu-Seong''s achievement and donated 3500 karma points.


    - Oldest Hunter roared in support of the player Choi Yu-Seong. He sponsored 4000 karma points!


    Theft is never good, try looking at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    - The Green Spring of the East was greatly fond of player Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s performance and pledged 10,000 karma points.


    - The Cold Wind of the West claims to be the sponsor god of player Choi Yu-Seong and desires to pass on skills. Y/N


    - The Father of Magical Hymns smiles kindly at player Choi Yu-Seong and desires to impart a very powerful skill. Y/N


    - The Red Fang of the Dark Night is filled with rage.


    ~


    Despite having been previously rejected by Yu-Seong, Odin, the Father of Magical Hymn, was reaching out his hand once again. The reason for this was simple.


    ''As expected, the previous Odin was just a fake that Loki played.¡¯


    This time, it was a proposal from the real Odin. Furthermore, the Cold Wind of the West and the Green Spring of the East had come together to strongly support Yu-Seong as well.


    In other words, there were six gods, including the existing three, who claimed to be the supporters of Yu-Seong.


    ¡®Out of them, I can only choose a maximum of five.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had already chosen three, so there were only two spots left.


    This was not an urgent matter, so Yu-Seong decided to set this matter aside for now. He wanted to bask in the glory of having defeated Emilia.


    Despite limping from his severe thigh injury, Yu-Seong pushed through the thick dust clouds to reach Do-Jin, who was casually walking towards him from the other side. When he finally met Do-Jin, he looked into his eyes and smiled.


    "How on earth¡­?"


    "Thank you," said Yu-Seong.


    Kim Do-Jin hardened his expression before Yu-Seong could even finish his sentence.


    "Because of you, we were able to defeat her," said Yu-Seong.


    Of course, he could not have done this on his own. It would also have been impossible if his comrade had not been Kim Do-Jin.


    ¡®Who else could face off against the top-tier S-Rank Black Gauze King, who attacked us head-on, in B-rank?¡¯


    They hadn¡¯t ended this battle with a single counterattack and one dodge. They had ended the battle with Do-Jin invoking two kinds of magic, using the magic through his Magic Swordsmanship technique, all while under great physical and mental strain.


    "It¡¯s all thanks to you. I also know that you have a lot of questions, but can we leave them for now? We can talk after returning to Seoul?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "I think I''ve already given enough."


    "Anyway, our job here is done." Yu-Seong smiled.


    Kim Do-Jin nodded with a short sigh.


    Come to think of it, the entire mission had come to an end. They had originally been appointed as bait to attract attention away from Helen as she went to obtain the Philosopher''s Stone. But instead of simply being a bait, they had knocked down Black Gauze King.


    ¡®Helen is a little late¡­ But who''s going to stop Helen in a place where there''s not even the Black Gauze King?¡¯


    Helen would probably escape to Pyongyang with the Philosopher''s Stone on her own.


    ¡®I don''t need to worry about useless things.¡¯


    Despite having defeated Emilia, Yu-Seong could feel a strange sense of discomfort that enveloped Pyongyang. However, he decided to not be burdened by unnecessary worries. In fact, he had kept his promise and he had done a good job.


    "When we arrive in Seoul, I won''t put it off any longer," said Do-JIn.


    "I don''t have any plans to put it off either. Gosh, I''m tired," replied Yu-Seong with a chuckle. He was just about to take out the Return Stone from his pocket when¡­


    Crash-!


    With a loud explosion, a strange figure shot up from beneath the ground and rolled on the floor. Startled by the sudden turn of events, both Yu-Seong and Do-Jin froze. They reluctantly looked at the figure who was just regaining their balance.


    ¡®Red hair?¡¯


    Yu-Seong tilted his head at the familiar silhouette and hair color.


    ¡°Of all people¡­¡± mumbled Do-Jin.


    Do-Jin was quick to realize who the figure was as he drew his sword.


    Yu-Seong, having figured out the figure¡¯s identity a moment later, also quickly grabbed his weapon. He muttered in disbelief, "Really...?"


    After regaining their balance, the figure glared at their surroundings with wild eyes and exploded with intense energy. Then, they smirked in a haughty and dangerous way.


    Yu-Seong did not hesitate and launched into action.


    ¡®This is too much. I am certainly pushing my very limits.¡¯


    Yu-Seong grabbed the Return Stone he had prepared in one hand and gestured for Kim Do-Jin to come closer. He wanted to leave right now, and he knew that they had to run away.


    The figure was a bad opponent to encounter right now, especially since Yu-Seong and Do-Jin were both exhausted from their battle with Emilia.


    And so, in an instant, Yu-Seong activated the Return Stone. He also raised his Chakra.


    Just as he held onto the Return Stone, Yu-Seong felt a cold hand clasping his wrist. He quickly turned to meet his opponent¡¯s red eyes. At that moment, he almost let out a startled scream. "...?!"


    "Who''s this?" Rachel, with a sudden change from her previously ominous vibe, laughed brightly and asked, "Our pretty gold nugget. Did you come all the way here to Pyongyang just because you missed me?"


    1. The raws have it written as Swadhistana but as Google tells us the spelling is Svadhisthana, that is what we went with ?

 CH 155

    In the worst of places, Yu-Seong had met the worst of opponents. He smiled bitterly as Rachel appeared with a radiant smile. It was as if she had been waiting for him.


    "Do I really look like that?"


    "Are you not?"


    Rachel smiled before glancing at Yu-Seong¡¯s neck with her red eyes. Then, she swung her hand ax to block Kim Do-Jin¡¯s sword attack that had come closer.


    "If I say no, you just might break my neck¡­¡± said Yu-Seong.


    "Seriously? Do you think I''ll kill my beloved gold nugget? Don''t worry. There are still debts to be paid between us," said Rachel.


    Do-Jin¡¯s attacks went on as Rachel spoke, but none of his attacks landed.


    Yu-Seong clicked his tongue. He could see Rachel easily blocking Do-Jin¡¯s sword attacks by swirling her hand ax around.


    ''Even if Kim Do-Jin is here, in such a state¡­ This is going to be difficult.¡¯


    The speed and sharpness of Do-Jin¡¯s sword were clearly not as great as his usual performance.


    Yu-Seong was in no better position to attack too. His wrist had been caught by Rachel.


    ¡®Even if I use a Return Stone¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong would certainly be forced to travel with Rachel due to their close proximity. This was truly a difficult situation.


    Despite Yu-Seong''s contemplative look, Rachel turned to look at Kim Do-Jin. She said, "Are the two of you close? It makes me jealous."


    "Shut up," said Do-Jin.


    "Ahaha! You''ve consistently lacked manners since the very beginning, haven''t you?" replied Rachel.


    If Helen were here, she would have snorted at Rachel and told her how ironic that comment was.


    Rachel swung her hand ax to strike Kim Do-Jin''s sword.


    Clang-!


    With a loud noise, Kim Do-Jin was sent flying into the air with blood pouring from his mouth. He was weaker than before, clearly. He had used too much power to defeat Emilia.


    Observing the situation, Yu-Seong thought calmly.


    ¡®I shouldn''t judge with common sense when it comes to Rachel.¡¯


    Rachel didn¡¯t take action for any certain purpose. Moreover, since Yu-Seong had already suffered a defeat from a previous battle against her, he knew that rash negotiation was unlikely to work.


    ¡®What can I say to disorient Rachel¡­?¡¯


    Yu-Seong suddenly recalled a piece of information that had been constantly bugging him at the back of his mind.


    ''But if I¡¯m not careful, this might make Rachel even more frenzied.''


    However, Yu-Seong did not have much of a choice. Aside from that one piece of information, the original novel did not have any more information about Rachel left. Yu-Seong was aware that it was a double-edged sword, but he had to wield a sharp blade when there was imminent danger to his life.


    ¡®Go big or go home.¡¯


    Yu-Seong clenched his fists. Before he could say anything, however, there was a loud sound.


    BOOM-!


    When the sound echoed from the basement, Rachel suddenly stopped wanting to throw her hand ax at the fallen Do-Jin. With a grin, she slid the hand ax back to the holder along her waist.


    "That''s it," Rachel said. Looking at the Return Stone that was still in Yu-Seong¡¯s hand, she asked, "What''s that stone?"


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    Rachel didn''t know about the Return Stone, but she could tell that it was a valuable item. She could feel the mana that flowed from the stone and see how Yu-Seong was gripping it so tightly.


    "Well...?"


    Of course, there was no reason for Yu-Seong to explain the purpose of the Return Stone. Although he thought it was a dangerous gamble, based on the vibe so far, he thought that Rachel was being rather relaxed with him.


    ''Is it because I am worth a lot of money? No way...''


    Yu-Seong decided to not overthink this part. For now, instead of finding out the reason, he had to think of a way to solve this situation.


    "Well, that can be discussed later," said Rachel with a smile.


    After releasing Yu-Seong¡¯s wrist obediently, she did notice that Kim Do-Jin was struggling to lift his body with a limp leg. However, she did not attack again.


    "Why?" asked Yu-Seong, surprised.


    Rachel looked down at the ground with red eyes, then said, ¡°Very soon, I am guessing that something amazing is about to happen. It¡¯s surely going to be fun, but some damn grandma was trying to stop it. So¡­I instinctively interfered with it.¡±


    "Grandma? Do you mean...Helen?"


    "What? Did you come with her?" After asking that question, Rachel grinned and nodded as if she finally understood the situation. She said cheekily, "It¡¯s an interesting combination. Anyway, the important thing is that I seem to have caused quite a big accident?"


    "What do you mean...?"


    Thud-!


    Once again, the ground shook. This time, Yu-Seong felt the unpleasant energy flowing through his entire body and widened his eyes in surprise.


    "This is...?"


    The unpleasant energy was completely different from Rachel¡¯s aura and type of madness. The entire surroundings felt sticky and suffocating, like they were sinking into a swamp.


    Unlike Yu-Seong, who was flustered by the unpleasant feeling that he was experiencing for the first time, Do-Jin breathed heavily and glared at Rachel in annoyance. He said, "It''s the mana of demons. You pest, what on earth did you do?"


    "Oh my gosh, was that the demon earlier? I wondered, since the power was so intense that it blew my whole body away!"


    "You must be insane."


    "Ahaha-!"


    Yu-Seong had to forcibly suppress his shock at the conversation between the blushing Rachel and Do-Jin. He thought to himself.


    ''Demons?¡¯


    Even in the original novel, the demons eventually appeared in Pyongyang.


    ¡®The Marquess of the Demons, Aphelios!¡¯


    Aphelios, who had appeared from the Philosopher¡¯s Stone after the sacrifice of the citizens of Pyongyang, was a powerful existence that ranked highly among the Demons. Fortunately, in the original novel, the people who came to Pyongyang were Helen, Kim Do-Jin who held the SS-rank, and Bernard Yoo.


    ¡®After all, the two of them also came to find the Philosopher''s Stone.¡¯


    Of course, the mighty Aphelios that had descended to Earth was killed by Kim Do-Jin and Bernard Yoo. However, this was a story of the far future. The event was supposed to take place at least three years after the present.


    ¡®It¡¯s too fast.¡¯


    This event was happening three years in advance, so there was a higher probability that a lower-level demon had been summoned than the Marquess of the Demons, Aphelios. This was because there had not been enough time to gather sufficient sacrifices and mana. Even so, since the demon had enough power to easily blow Rachel away, it was likely at least a Count-level demon.


    Yu-Seong thought quickly about the tired Kim Do-Jin and himself, Rachel, Helen, the army of Pyongyang, and the players who still survived. Despite having a strong potential of beating the demon, there was no hope for victory.


    Although Yu-Seong wanted to show courage in the face of the countless sacrifices that had been made by so many people, this was different from the battle with Emilia.


    "Choi Yu-Seong. I believe you know that courage and tenacity should be distinguished." Do-Jin interrupted Yu-Seong¡¯s private thoughts upon seeing his wavering gaze.


    "....yes I do know that."


    "What? Gold nugget, you don''t seriously think you can beat that, do you? It would be fun, but..."


    At that moment, Helen flew out from Juseok Palace like a bullet and punched Rachel.


    Thud-!


    Was it because she had been caught off guard? Rachel failed to react in time and couldn¡¯t throw her hand ax.


    "Kim Do-Jin, Choi Yu-Seong! Hurry up and return to Seoul! Pyongyang is over now," Helen shouted as she blocked Rachel¡¯s attack with her Homunculus armor.


    "Helen, your hand..."


    Yu-Seong was surprised by Helen¡¯s trembling fist suddenly transforming back into a hand. He thought the form was odd, because it did not look like an unharmed hand being covered by Homunculus armor.


    "Is that important now, kiddo?" Helen asked as she pushed Rachel¡¯s attack away with a massive palm.


    She was absolutely right.


    "I trust that you will come back safely," said Yu-Seong.


    "Of course, kiddo. Do I really seem that weak to you?"


    Yu-Seong no longer hesitated.


    ¡®Now, I''ll think of the best I can do in this situation.¡¯


    Yu-Seong could only think about playing the hero once he had the necessary qualifications. There was no need for him to risk further sacrifices through unnecessary recklessness. Right now, his priority was to escape with Kim Do-Jin and return to Seoul to request support. This was the best that he could do right now.


    Being injured, Yu-Seong could not move too quickly. Of course, he thought that Rachel¡¯s interference would be a hindrance, but Rachel was actually focused on the battle with Helen. Because of this, Yu-Seong was able to get close to Kim Do-Jin quite easily.


    He wrapped his arm around Do-Jin¡¯s shoulder, then said, ¡°Both of us don¡¯t look very good.¡±


    Kim Do-Jin nodded silently at Yu-Seong. He was gazing at Rachel intently. In his eyes was a fierce determination, a burning hunger to beat Rachel the next time they met.


    Meanwhile, Yu-Seong held the Return Stone tightly in his hand before releasing Chakra.


    Woooong-!


    With a powerful noise that was low and continuous, the Return Stone erupted with a blue light. It enveloped Yu-Seong and Do-Jin.


    Rachel, who had been focused on her intense battle with Helen, glanced over at Yu-Seong with disinterest. She suddenly said, "Don''t forget. You owe me again for today. Pay up, gold nugget. See you again soon.¡±


    As the blue light entirely consumed Yu-Seong and Do-Jin, they could see a towering pillar of darkness right in front of them.


    ***


    Back in Seoul, Yu-Seong gazed at Do-Jin while receiving emergency treatment from a surprised Jin Yu-Ri. He had wanted Do-Jin to be treated since the man was also in bad shape.


    ¡°I can take care of myself,¡± Do-Jin said coldly before leaving the house.


    Yu-Seong could understand his feelings. By receiving treatment here, Do-Jin would be using the Choi family¡¯s money in a way. Yu-Seong thought that, with Do-Jin''s egomaniacal personality, he would be unwilling to accept treatment that was paid for by the very target of his revenge.


    ¡®What a stubborn guy.¡¯


    Yu-Seong didn''t try to stop Do-Jin as he left. Instead, he called Choi Woo-Jae as he received treatment.


    In fact, among the people around Yu-Seong now, Woo-Jae was the most trustworthy person in such a big incident.


    - Hm, a demon in Pyongyang¡­ I see.


    Choi Woo-Jae ended the call after muttering that short phrase.


    ¡®He is certainly going to try to use this incident politically in any way.¡¯


    The Comet group had already officially declared that they would soon be establishing a guild after the publication of Bernard Yoo¡¯s article. They were threatening the Cheon-Ji Group.


    At this point, no one else had received news that the devil had appeared in Pyongyang before Choi Woo-Jae had. Certainly, Woo-Jae would never give this information to others for free.


    ¡®At least he''ll have some kind of countermeasure.¡¯


    Pyongyang and Seoul were too close. In order to prevent great unnecessary damage, it was necessary for them to respond quickly and efficiently. It was also obvious, from South Korea''s point of view, that the battlefield should be confined to Pyongyang.


    ¡®They would want to hunt the demon before creating an army by conquering North Korean land.¡¯


    In other words, at that moment, the problem of the demon in Pyongyang was out of Yu-Seong''s hands.


    ¡®At first, I thought it wouldn''t matter even if I became a player. As time passed, however, I am longing for more power.¡¯


    Perhaps if it had been impossible, he would have given up completely. However, Yu-Seong knew that he had unprecedented growth in his power even within the original novel.


    ¡®I still don''t understand why such power has been given to a villainous character who was originally meant to die miserably.¡¯


    If he could develop further, it was natural for him to try hard to become stronger and stronger.


    ¡®There are too many variables.¡¯


    While thinking that perhaps the appearance of the tower might come faster than expected, Yu-Seong noticed that his emergency treatment had come to an end.


    "How about seonbae-nim? Is she not back yet?"


    It was then that Yu-Seong realized that Helen had not yet returned from Pyongyang.


    If the Return Stone was used after roughly pushing Rachel away, Helen would have had enough time to return to Seoul.


    ''The dark light I saw last time¡­''


    Yu-Seong remembered the mana pillar, which he had initially thought to be a simple blackout effect of the space transportation. He shook his head.


    ''No, even if that''s the case, those two wouldn''t easily fall.''


    Both Helen and Rachel would be safe. In fact, he would have preferred if the latter was in an unsafe position, but the possibility of that was low.


    ¡®If Rachel were to fall, then it¡¯s likely that Helen would also be in danger¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong chose to close his eyes and rest. He still believed that Helen would return. He had many thoughts, and he was struggling to keep his mind focused after that confrontation with Emilia in Pyongyang.


    ''By the time I open my eyes again, she must have returned. The demons of Pyongyang will also have been resolved by then.''


    And, without Helen''s return, six months went by like a flash of light.

 CH 156

    Six months could feel either long or short, depending on one¡¯s perspective. For Yu-Seong, it was not a short period of time at all. After being possessed by the novel, he believed that he was working a lot harder than when he had been working overtime at the game company.


    There were many contributing reasons. Firstly, Helen was still missing even though she was expected to return soon. Additionally, the demon in Pyongyang was still alive despite being hunted by the punitive force.


    The demon was alive because of one simple reason. As Yu-Seong expected, it was a Count of the Demons belonging to the upper class among demons who had been summoned in Pyongyang.


    The problem started with the fact that Clarius, a Count of the Demons, had different characteristics from other noble demons. Clarius was also known as the Megalith. This powerful demon boasted a size that covered half of Pyongyang city, and was well described in the original novel, [Modern Master Returns], with a simple title.


    ¡®A Guardian Demon.¡¯


    The combination of ¡®Demon¡¯ and ¡®Guardian¡¯ was truly incongruous, but there was no better way to describe the twin demons¡ªClarius and Elarius. Generally, demons only thought about attacking. However, Clarius and Elarius were among the few demons dedicated to defending against the invasion of enemies.


    The original novel did mention that, after Kim Do-Jin had defeated the Demon King that invaded Earth, he prepared for an invasion of the Demon Realm.


    Clarius and Elarius had the characteristics of a Guardian Demon even though they were only Counts in rank. However, their actual combat capability was on par with that of a Marquis. Thus, they had strength that went above its noble rank. But of course, such great power also came with a penalty. This was why they had been given the nickname ¡®Megalith.¡¯


    In other words, Clarius couldn''t move until an enemy invaded its territory. Only then would it shed its stony exterior to become a living being. Otherwise, it was usually solid like a massive stone statue.


    Due to this characteristic, South Korea was cautious. Clarius was a demon that posed no major threat unless it was provoked first. If they unnecessarily stimulated it, then the national power could be consumed.


    Before realizing this fact, South Korea had gathered hunters of A-rank or higher who could be mobilized. They had even declared that this was the country''s greatest emergency situation.


    However, Clarius had already taken over the land and turned the area around Pyongyang into a wasteland. It then transformed into its usual form of a statue, only moving once again when battle aircrafts were dispatched reconnaissance. Otherwise, it usually stayed silent. In this situation, was it necessary to consume national power against such a powerful evil?


    Of course, it was somewhat threatening to have a demon in the North that might become a threat at any time. However, South Korea had always been able to maintain the country despite similar threats all year-round. After all, even before this era of monsters appearing, South Korea had lived with the threat of North Korea''s nuclear weapons.


    Eventually, the South Korean government came to the conclusion that Clarius was a kind of immovable dungeon and ordered an intervention.


    From Yu-Seong¡¯s perspective, this was a disconcerting event especially since he did not know whether Helen was alive or dead.


    However, even Choi Woo-Jae positioned himself to take the government¡¯s opinion regarding this situation. If national power fell, business would inevitably be disrupted. Ultimately, for a corporation that had roots in South Korea, there was no reason to stir up unnecessary conflict.


    Of course, that didn''t mean Woo-Jae had given up the opportunity to profit from being the first to know about the demon¡¯s appearance in Pyongyang.


    For the past six months, the Comet Group had shaken the business of the Cheon-Ji Group, which had firmly maintained its position as the number one in South Korea. Also, the group had recorded a stock price ceiling and quickly achieved the highest amount in domestic corporate value evaluation. This rapid growth might seem excessive, considering that it had been achieved in six mere months. However, there was no sign of stopping the Comet Group¡¯s organized upward movement.


    Naturally, both domestic and foreign evaluation had gone on to announce that the Comet Group was now slightly ahead of the Cheon-Ji Group, but also admitted that the Comet Group¡¯s president had made significant preparations for the present.


    Aside from taking action to check if Helen, who had not yet returned, was safe or not, Yu-Seong had also become busier for another reason.


    The Comet Guild had been established, rapidly becoming the top guild in the country. Of course, Choi Mi-Na was the guild master. The positions of vice-master and the board of directors were occupied by hunters who were highly regarded S-rank hunters and above in South Korea. Among them were those who had originally been guild masters of the top 10 guilds but had failed to resist Choi Woo-Jae¡¯s persuasion to take up positions with the Comer Guild.


    In the early stages of the Comet Guild''s establishment, there had been many evaluations of it being unstable and uncertain. However, with Choi Mi-Na''s overwhelming charisma and Choi Woo-Jae''s mercenary skills, its future shone brightly. Before three months had gone by, all the guild members were already wholeheartedly devoting themselves to the name of Comet.


    Of course, Yu-Seong had been given a position of team leader for Hunting Team 8. Although he did not have as much authority as Mi-Na, he was occupying a rather significant position.


    But in reality, only six people including Yu-Seong himself were a part of Hunting Team 8.


    ¡®The Jin siblings, Chae Ye-Ryeong, and Yoo Jin-Hyuk.¡¯


    Originally, Choi Woo-Jae had intended to bring in a few more characters, but Yu-Seong had not agreed to it. His decision was quite wise, since including someone who was not trustworthy could potentially cause problems in the team or harm the other members.


    Additionally, Choi Woo-Jae had also given Yu-Seog a challenge to raise the entire team to at least A-rank by the end of March next year.


    ¡®It would have been more difficult if there were randoms like Tom, Dick, and Harry.¡¯


    However, with team members who he had personally selected and the assistance of Support Team 8, Yu-Seong thought the challenge would be quite manageable. In fact, if Hunting Team 8 had solely pursued growth, they would have all surpassed A-rank by now.


    But for now, aside from the Jin siblings who had already reached A-rank, Yu-Seong had held back his own growth, as well as that of Chae Ye-Ryeong and Yoo Jin-Hyuk until now. This was due to a realization that he had after thinking about the case of himself and Kim Do-Jin.


    ¡®Just blindly raising the rank is not the answer.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had initially believed that ranking up was the only answer to becoming more powerful. But after having experienced it for himself, he realized that he had thought wrong.


    ¡®B-rank can also display the fighting power of S-rank.¡¯


    This meant that, if Kim Do-Jin of B-rank could achieve S-rank, he could even overpower the hunters of SS-rank easily. The higher the rank, the slower the growth would become. And it was a fact that some people who failed to pass the promotion test would become frustrated and give up. However, what if the foundation of training and general enlightenment would be added through the accumulation of basic training?


    ¡®This is the secret of the real strong people in this world.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was further convinced of this after looking at Emilia, who was non-human. When he thought about it even further, the majority of the admirers of the Demon King, including the Master of Hexagrams and the Twelve Dark Kings, were those who had lived for a very long time and had honed their own strength in various forms. Their powerful force easily surpassed those of the same rank. They might have been talented, but the merit of training should never be underestimated.


    In fact, there was no point in rushing the process of ranking up. Yu-Seong himself had slowed down his growth in rank due to various crises. That in turn had helped him stabilize his growth in rank even further through building a stronger foundation.


    Although luck and knowledge of future information had possibly played a significant role, it was worth considering whether Yu-Seong could have defeated Emilia, a formidable S-rank player, as a C-rank player if he had only focused on raising his rank.


    ¡®Come to think about it, Kim Do-Jin is already a returnee, so his foundation is already solid from the very beginning.¡¯


    That was the reason why Yu-Seong had placed some limitations on the growth rate of all four of them.


    With the remaining time he had, Yu-Seong focused on training. He hired a suitable master for each of their abilities. After all, there was nothing to lose by trying. Anyway, if their only intention was to increase their rank, then the only obstacle for the four of them was time.


    Starting at a high rank with the already strengthened abilities that have adapted to the higher rank would be easier than having to train from the basics all over again to rebuild a stronger foundation.


    The outcome was remarkable: not only did the Jin siblings who had previously hit a wall in their ranking progress, emerge victorious over their former S-rank instructor, but Chae Ye-Ryeong and Yoo Jin-Hyuk had also gone head-to-head for the first and second spots on the C-rankings board.


    How about Yu-Seong himself?


    ¡®I''ve gone up to B-rank.¡¯


    Even though hunting was a slow and tedious process, all of the experience would accumulate. Yu-Seong had reached C-rank before naturally achieving B-rank not too long ago.


    This time, since there was no disturbance from Loki or the other gods, Yu-Seong could clear the extreme difficulty level with ease to pass the promotion exam. In fact, the reward was still rather satisfying too.


    ¡ºSpecial skill, Imagery Training B.


    Fusion not possible.


    With the activation of the skill, player Choi Yu-Seong can set a virtual opponent as his target.


    Mock imagery battles are possible.


    During imagery training, the flow of time was slowed down to one-third of reality.


    The duration is three hours.


    Cooldown Time ¨C 24 hours. ¡»


    Among all forms of training, real-life experience was the most effective. However, real-life experience was not always easy to come by, especially in dangerous situations where one''s life was at risk. Such experiences were not necessarily ones that Yu-Seong enjoyed.


    ¡®I¡¯ve already gone through many such experiences.¡¯


    However, Imagery Training offered him a way to experience dangerous situations without the actual threat to his life. Although he couldn''t physically move his body, the mock battles that took place within his mind were surprisingly realistic, providing him with a great sense of excitement and stimulation. The most helpful aspect of Imagery Training for Yu-Seong was the fact that the flow of time would be slowed down by three times compared to reality.


    ¡®Since I have a lot to train, the more time that I have the better.¡¯


    Yu-Seong also needed to become familiar with handling Cu Chulainn''s Secret Spear Skills, the gunfire technique that Jenny had started to teach him, as well as controlling the Chakra of Thunder and Wind.


    No matter how much time Yu-Seong could organize and prioritize, even if he devoted all of his time, he simply could not complete all of his training due to the lack of time and physical energy.


    In this situation, the Imagery Training skill was a great help. Yu-Seong had risen to the B-rank through his training, so he had some level of confidence.


    ¡®If it were me now, I could have competed with Kim Do-Jin back in Pyongyang.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had the potential to display the same level of skill as the original novel''s strongest character, Kim Do-Jin. What if the results of Deep Training were added to his ability? His potential for future growth would only increase.


    Nevertheless, Yu-Seong couldn''t shake the feeling that something was missing. At a time when changes were already burdened by the butterfly effect, Emilia and Helen, who had a great impact in the original novel, had disappeared. Moreover, he was hearing absolutely no news regarding Rachel. And in such a situation, powerful demons had even appeared in Pyongyang.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    He was not aware of when some new variable would appear, so he should keep everything in check.


    Fortunately, not all the news was disturbing. In addition to his growth alongside his colleagues, the ancient relics that he had sought to obtain by supporting additional funds for the Hidden Team he had sent to various parts of the world were steadily entering South Korea. There were already eight of them now.


    Of course, they were all his property.

 CH 157

    It was most certainly his own property, but Yu-Seong had no intention of using all the equipment alone.


    ¡®I¡¯m only going to use about three of the eight.¡¯


    He had always intended the remaining five to be used by his supporters, since those were not equipment that he himself could use. He felt no regret about it at all.


    For example, the ancient relic¡ªSoul of the Sea King¡ªwas a highly rated ring that had a simple effect of amplifying all water-related abilities. It was useless to Yu-Seong, who had to focus on developing his Thunder and Wind attributes. On the other hand, it would have the best use for Chae Ye-Ryeong, who could handle almost all water-related abilities.


    The second ancient relic Yu-Seong had prepared was a book.


    ¡®Faust, the Magic Book.¡¯


    In this world, Faust, the protagonist of Goethe¡¯s famous novel, was known as a real person. This magic book contained some of Faust¡¯s original concepts and had been elevated to the status of an ancient relic. It had the power to possess a strong force that could only be used by demons and demonic beasts. Of course, it was the ultimate treasure for Yoo Jin-Hyuk, who was both a Barrier Master and Demonic Beast Tamer.


    As for an earring called Moonlight, Yu-Seong had given it to Jin Do-Yoon. It was a well-known fact in this world that werewolves had even greater power under the moonlight, their power naturally increasing as the full moon approached. When wearing Moonlight, werewolves could always use the same level of power as when they transformed under the full moon. In other words, Do-Yoon, wearing Moonlight, could always maintain his best condition.


    Had it been a full moon day, Do-Yoon might have avoided sustaining serious injuries during the incident with Choi Min-Seok.


    The earring was also a meaningless item for Yu-Seong.


    The fourth ancient relic, the Sphinx''s Wisdom, was for Jin Yu-Ri. This item, in the form of a ring, had the ability to accelerate mana circuits. Yu-Seong could actually use this item, but he was convinced that Yu-Ri was the only suitable candidate for this ancient relic.


    ¡®The Phenomenal skill has a downside in that it necessitates a rather intricate mana system prior to activation, resulting in a delay in spellcasting.¡¯


    Despite consistent mana acceleration training, Jin Yu-Ri had to work hard to overcome the shortcomings of her somewhat flawed ability. Even with her efforts, however, she still faced some limitations. Fortunately, Sphinx''s Wisdom proved to be a great help to her, allowing her to quickly deploy various skills through overlapping use.


    ¡®Maybe she can obtain a finishing move through the skill.¡¯


    Since Yu-Seong had already experienced a finishing move¡¯s power through Lance Charging, he could believe that Yu-Ri¡¯s finishing move would be very powerful too.


    The last ancient relic was for Jenny, and it was a Pharaoh¡¯s Impulse. From its name alone, one could assume that it was similar to Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice, and its actual ability was truly similar to that.


    ¡®Hmm¡­ Let¡¯s just say that it''s a scaled-down version of Pharaoh''s Caprice.¡¯


    If Pharaoh''s Caprice could transform anything into the desired form, Pharaoh''s Impulse would only allow the user to set and move between five predetermined forms. Jenny seemed quite happy with the ability to handle a variety of firearms, expressing that she felt lighter than before.


    In any case, for various reasons and with the hope that his supporters would become stronger, Yu-Seong didn''t have big ambitions for these five items. However, he did acquire three necessary ancient relics for himself.


    ¡®The fury of the Lightning Punisher, the breath of the Wind Watcher, and the vitality of the Giant Hunter.¡¯


    Among them, the fury of the Lightning Punisher and the breath of the Wind Watcher were ancient relics that amplified the power of skills related to their respective attributes with earrings and had set effects.


    ¡®Reduction of penalties for lightning-related and wind-related skills.¡¯


    This set effect, which seemed somewhat meaningless, could serve as a foundation for enabling Yu-Seong to digest the Wind Thunder Dragon God Art skill, which he had not yet been able to properly handle.


    ¡®If I also use the vitality of the Giant Hunter here¡­¡¯


    The vitality of the Giant Hunter had a somewhat negative effect of sealing 50% of the player''s mana. However, Yu-Seong had acquired it for a simple reason.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡®It strengthens my health as much as the absorbed mana.¡¯


    Health, which referred to the strengthening effect of one¡¯s state, could typically be found in ancient relics or treasures of other worlds. It only had two effects.


    ¡®It means the increase of defensive and mana defenses.¡¯


    Thanks to the power of these three treasures, even a scaled-down version of the Wind Thunder Dragon God Arts skill could be unleashed with relative ease.


    In the past, Yu-Seong could sustain his mana strength by drinking mana stone extract daily. Also, the God''s Chakra was another source of his confidence. That was why he didn''t consider the penalty from the vitality of the Giant Hunter to be too severe.


    ''Even if I can''t maintain it constantly due to a lack of mana, as long as I can use it in important moments, I¡¯ll be okay. And if things really go wrong, I can always remove the vitality of the Giant Hunter.''


    Most of the ancient relics were designed as accessories, so removing them wasn''t a problem. In addition, by using his guild network, Yu-Seong had managed to acquire the Eye of Replication and Fusion. That was why he had been so busy for the past six months.


    Now, a few days after arriving in Korea with the vitality of the Giant Hunter, Yu-Seong was ready for another growth spurt. The unfortunate thing was that it was still impossible for him to take down the Count of Demon who had appeared in Pyongyang.


    ''Helen, I''m sorry that I can''t go save you right away.''


    Yu-Seong couldn''t forget the sight of Helen, who had stayed alone in Pyongyang to send them off.


    ***


    Recently, Choi Woo-Jae had been most concerned about the guild business. Although the Comet Guild had achieved the accomplishment of being the top guild in South Korea in just six months, it was still far from being within the top 15 in the world rankings. The current achievement was impressive, but it was still a far cry from Woo-Jae¡¯s ultimate goal.


    ¡®We need to at least carve our name within the top 5 so we can proceed with the next plan.¡¯


    Of course, if roughly five more years went by with the guild performing so well, the Comet Guild would naturally be ready to enter the guilds within the global top 5. In fact, Choi Woo-Jae had paved the way for it. But lately, he had been feeling like he didn¡¯t have much time left¡­


    It was a nagging feeling, but it felt uncomfortable enough for him to not ignore it completely. As a result, he frequently had ambitious desires that were somewhat unrealistic, but he still wasn¡¯t weak enough to simply be swayed by such emotions.


    ¡®There are plenty of my children who can replace me even after I die.¡¯


    Woo-Jae did not have the desire to have his name be prominently displayed, but he certainly wanted the name Comet to stand at the forefront of the world.


    ¡®Second, fifth, and the ninth.¡¯


    Although she currently held the position of guild president, Choi Mi-Na was not involved in the business. The big picture had been drawn by Choi Woo-Jae himself, while Kim Pil-Doo and Kim Yong-Ho, the current vice president of Comet Guild and the former president of the Republic of Korea''s top guild Yong Sang respectively, worked together to handle the small tasks.


    Mi-Na had only been entrusted with the improvement of her own skills. In truth, Choi Woo-Jae had instructed her to do so.


    ¡®Because the talent of the second child is clearly surpassing me¡­¡¯


    As there was a desire for growth, Mi-Na had to do many things for the Comet Group to prevent them from getting caught up in various storms.


    Then, there was also Choi In-Young.


    ¡®The fifth one is pretty good too. It''s not without its dark side, but...it wouldn''t be bad if it could be developed.¡¯


    Unlike the maverick Choi Mi-Na, Choi In-Young was trying to assert her authority over other executives in the group by persuasion or coercion. Recently, it was reported that even Woo-Jae¡¯s egocentric third son had surrendered to Choi In-Young, whose influence within the household had grown accordingly.


    Lastly, there was Choi Yu-Seong. To be honest, from Woo-Jae''s perspective, watching Yu-Seong was the most fun.


    ¡®It''s a late start, and there''s still a lot of danger.¡¯


    The two reasons for Choi In-Young''s rapid growth were Choi Mi-Na''s appointment to lead the guild''s business and Choi Yu-Seong''s surprisingly rapid rise to the top. Even if it wasn''t visible to the eye, there was a sense of momentum that could be felt. From Choi In-Young''s perspective, who was caught in the middle, that aspect would have resonated more deeply with her.


    "Yu-Seong''s not bad. He''s even better than I thought he''d be. The children around him are amazing too. Don''t you regret betting against me?" asked Choi Woo-Jae.


    In response to his question, Kim Pil-Doo shook his head with a bitter smile. In the past, he had made a bet with Choi Woo-Jae about whether or not Choi Yu-Seong would surpass Choi In-Young. At the time, he had felt quite confident about the outcome. However, as he looked at the people surrounding Choi Yu-Seong, who were becoming like solid fortress walls, a part of his heart was filled with anxiety.


    " ...We''ll have to wait and see. The fifth lady is also exerting a lot of effort."


    "Hoho... That''s not wrong," said Woo-Jae.


    However, for some inexplicable reason, even after Choi In-Young had been expanding her power, Choi Woo-Jae couldn¡¯t shake off one conviction. After all, he had been stealing records of Choi Yu-Seong''s growth for nearly six months.


    ¡®No matter how I look at it, it seems that the ninth will devour the fifth before long.¡¯


    From this perspective, Choi Yu-Seong''s growth was even more interesting than the others.


    ¡®If he surpasses the fifth, there is no way he won''t be able to do as well as the second.¡¯


    No, with the current rate of growth, if only one more year was given, even Choi Mi-Na''s position would be in danger. She herself might not care, but from Choi Woo-Jae''s perspective, he was bound to have a change of heart.


    Choi Woo-Jae''s original plan was to have Choi Yu-Seong grow and support Choi Mi-Na.


    ¡®If the ninth guy does well... Changing the front row seat isn''t a bad idea either.¡¯


    Just over a year ago, Choi Yu-Seong had suddenly come to say that he wanted to take over Choi Woo-Jae''s seat. At the time, it was surprising that someone like Choi Yu-Seong, a mere hoodlum, would say such a thing. Until then, Choi Woo-Jae''s stance had been to wait and see how far Choi Yu-Seong could go.


    However as time passed, his expectations for Choi Yu-Seong increased, and now Choi Woo-Jae deeply felt the words that had been told to him back then.


    ¡®The ninth guy didn''t just say those words to show off.¡¯


    Of course, it wouldn''t be easy for Yu-Seong to do so. Before reaching Mi-Na, Choi In-Young would step in and try to suppress him. Also, Mi-Na too was undoubtedly a monster of the family.


    That was why Choi Woo-Jae was trying to watch over the monsters within the Comet Group in a somewhat relaxed manner.


    ¡®Even if I die, the future of Comet Group is bright¡­¡¯


    He had no fear.

 CH 158

    After finishing up a busy day as usual, Yu-Seong returned home late at night. He finally picked up his phone, which he hadn''t seen all day long.


    ¡®Outstagram messages would explode again today.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had turned off the notifications sound because of the messages flooding in, but whenever he opened the app to upload photos, he would inadvertently notice the number of unopened messages with his own eyes.


    He used to read and reply to those messages one by one. Only when he realized that doing that would take up a good one to two hours of his time that he began skimming through them and only paying attention to the important ones.


    While doing so, Yu-Seong suddenly scoffed at a long direct message that had caught his eye.


    ¡®Do they want me to be a shampoo model? Me, a guy?¡¯


    Even though Yu-Seong was the wealthy son of a conglomerate family who didn''t need to do advertisements, him being a social media star brought about such proposals quite often.


    Of course, Yu-Seong, who believed that having more money was always a good thing, thought that it wouldn''t be a bad idea to do the advertisement shoot even if he didn''t have to. As his TV exposure increased, his Star Factor skill would steadily grow as well.


    ¡®But I shouldn¡¯t overdo it now.¡¯


    Yu-Seong¡¯s day was already completely packed. And no matter how much stamina he had, there was definitely a limit to his time.


    ¡®It¡¯s true that time is more valuable than gold.¡¯


    As he became busier and wealthier, Yu-Seong came to deeply feel this fact. Most things, and even people, could be bought with money, but time was something that could not be acquired. Therefore, he reluctantly declined the advertising model offer.


    Then, he turned his attention to his own NewTube channel, which had been named after him. The channel had surpassed 7 million subscribers and had an average of 5 million video views in no time, making it one of Yu-Seong''s biggest revenue sources.


    ¡®Let¡¯s see, the top NewTube channel has 50 million subscribers... It''s almost equivalent to the entire population of Korea? That''s incredible.¡¯


    Although still meager compared to the top channels, no other channel had grown as much as his had in just one year. Above all, the dinosaur channel with 50 million subscribers was not a fair comparison since it had been created for a company¡¯s promotional purposes. In addition, since the average views per subscriber on Yu-Seong''s channel were quite high, the revenue rate was good. He had no reason to be dissatisfied.


    Moreover, the two journalists in charge of his channel predicted that if it was revealed that Yu-Seong had achieved an S-rank, the number of subscribers and views would skyrocket due to the significant gap in public perception between S-rank and non-S-rank hunters.


    ¡®There''s no rush to get there, though.¡¯


    After closing his NewTube channel tab, Yu-Seong checked his Coconut Talk messages. Since he did not reveal his numbers to the public, unlike his Outstagram account, Yu-Seong did not receive many messages.


    However, he still maintained regular conversations with those who contacted him every day. For example, there was Kim Do-Jin.


    - I watched your video last night. It wasn''t bad, but personally, I think you should hide your skills more than you do now. I don''t know what you''re thinking when you shoot your videos, but in a real fight, this information can be a disadvantage...


    Was it because of the camaraderie between them during the Pyongyang incident? Compared to before, Kim Do-Jin had become more talkative. The two were exchanging messages more smoothly and consistently now.


    ¡®The downside is that most of the messages are nagging.¡¯


    Or the majority were TMI (Too Much Information), which Yu-Seong wasn''t particularly interested in.


    - Don''t worry, I''ll do it on my own. After all, it''s TMT.


    - I''m not conveying excessive unnecessary information. From my experience¡­


    - I¡¯ll ignore you.


    Perhaps he was looking at his phone at that time, because Do-Jin immediately replied to Yu-Seong''s first reply. And after Yu-Seong replied with ''I''ll ignore you,'' Do-Jin sent across more than ten other messages.


    "Ugh, this guy is really giving me a headache."


    Still, this was much better than six months ago when Do-Jin had been trying to heal his injury and had been prying into Yu-Seong''s secrets, including how Yu-Seong had known about the skill ''Heart Strike: Beyond the Space Slash'' that Do-Jin himself had kept hidden.


    At the time, Yu-Seong had promised to tell Do-Jin everything when they returned to Seoul, so he had to make up some plausible lies. To be precise, he had initially told the truth as he had made that promise.


    ¡®I have been possessed by the novel I was reading, and so I know many secrets. You are the protagonist in the novel.¡¯


    However, Kim Do-Jin had ignored that explanation, snorted, and told Yu-Seong not to talk nonsense.


    Due to Do-Jin¡¯s demand for a reasonable story, Yu-Seong had no choice but to make up a life with an awkward laugh.


    ¡®He did believe me when I said I have Future Foresight and skill analysis abilities using the Third Eye¡­¡¯


    Maybe it was because Kim Do-Jin himself had so many fraudulent skills¡­ He easily believed Yu-Seong''s lie that Yu-Seong could pry out his opponent''s skills with the Third Eye skill.


    ¡®Actually, I thought my lie, claiming that I had to act like a rascal when I was young because I would have died if I didn¡¯t, wouldn''t work. But it did¡­ Or did he just pretend to believe it?¡¯


    Yu-Seong suddenly remembered Kim Do-Jin¡¯s somewhat confused expression at the time. But he ultimately shrugged that thought off. By all means, it was already in the past. In fact, Yu-Seong didn''t even want to bother thinking about it, considering how tired he was at the time.


    ¡®For now, let''s ignore that guy until tomorrow¡­¡¯


    Next was Bernard Yoo, who Yu-Seong contacted almost every day.


    - Hey, are you asleep?


    - Sleeping?


    - Asleep?


    - I''m bored.


    - Hey, Choi Yu-Seong.


    - (Photo)


    Since he was living in the United States, Bernard Yoo had sent five messages during the time difference alone. Most of the messages were useless complaints.


    ¡®What the heck is (Photo)?¡¯


    Bernard had written ¡®(Photo)¡¯ in words without even sending an actual picture file.


    ¡®This dude and that dude¡­ I wonder why the novel¡¯s main characters are all so weird?¡¯


    Feeling pathetic, Yu-Seong shook his head and gave Bernard Yoo a brief reply.


    - Oh, I slept. I''ll probably sleep soon too.


    And perhaps Bernard Yoo would reply to that message when Yu-Seong was asleep.


    The next message that Yu-Seong received was from Yoo Jin-Hyuk.


    - (Photo)


    Unlike Bernard Yoo''s trick, Yoo Jin-Hyuk had sent a real picture. In the picture, a small-bodied Jin-Hyuk was standing next to a beast that looked over ten times larger than himself. The monster resembled a rhinoceros with a menacing gaze.


    - Hyung, hyung, I succeeded in taming the Corridon today. With this guy, I can do everything from front-lining to tanking, so I think I¡¯ll hunt much easier than Chae Ye-Ryeong. It''s all thanks to the Book of Faust you gave me!


    Moreover, there was not just one photo.


    ¡®The next photo is from after he installed the barrier technique.¡¯


    The content was not much different from the previous message.


    - Hyung, I made the barrier in six hours today. It''s a remarkable improvement, considering that it took me more than a week when I first started. I did my best, putting in more effort than Chae Ye-Ryeong! It''s all thanks to you, hyung.


    Reading the message, Yu-Seong couldn''t help but laugh wryly.


    ¡®He¡¯s like a little puppy.¡¯


    It would be a lie if Yu-Seong didn''t think Jin-Hyuk was cute in how he tried to get his praise somehow. Above all, he thought Yoo Jin-Hyuk''s growth was remarkably fast compared to the time that had passed.


    ¡®I suppose it''s because he trained diligently, just as I had asked him to do.¡¯


    Although it was reasonable to expect him to climb the ranks slowly, Yoo Jin-Hyuk poured his effort into the training without any doubt and, despite being only a C-rank, he now possessed enough ability to outperform even an A-rank.


    ¡®Now, there shouldn''t be any major problems being trapped in the barrier like in the past. I did a good job of persuading him, even though it was difficult.¡¯


    Yu-Seong also found it amusing to witness the argument between Yoo Jin-Hyuk and Chae Ye-Ryeong, so he sent a sincere message to the boy. He sounded so different from the messages he had sent Kim Do-Jin and Bernard Yoo.


    - You''re doing well. I''m proud of you and how you are working hard. So glad.


    - Hyung. Have you finished work for today? You must be exhausted. Would you like me to come over and give you a massage or something?"


    The reply came back promptly. Yoo Jin-Hyuk, who had come up to Seoul, was living near Yu-Seong''s house. Jin-Hyuk had said that it was because he wanted to respond to Yu-Seong¡¯s call at any time.


    - It''s okay. I have a strong body, so don''t worry. Thanks for caring.


    - You''re welcome. But hyung, am I doing better than that vicious woman, Chae Ye-Ryeong?


    - ^^. Sleep well.


    - You have good dreams too, hyung!


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    This marked the end of Yu-Seong¡¯s daily message checks with the people he regularly kept in touch with. The only thing left was checking the reporting emails from Jin Yu-Ri and Jenny.


    ¡®After checking these, I''ll read the original novel once again and go to bed right away.¡¯


    There were always two ends to a busy day. And just as Yu-Seong was about to open an internet window to check his work email, someone he didn''t usually contact sent him a message.


    - Boss. Yoo Jin-Hyuk bragged childishly that you praised him and said he was better than me. Is this true?


    After seeing the message from Chae Ye-Ryeong, Yu-Seong suppressed the thought that they were both childish and cute, and captured part of the conversation with Yoo Jin-Hyuk to send back to Ye-Ryeong.


    - I knew he was lying. If I see him at the office tomorrow, he''s a dead man.


    - You two, that''s enough. Or else you guys would get attached eventually.


    - What?! Boss, you''re joking too much now! How can you put me and that brat on the same level...!


    - You never know.


    - Boss-! (Angry rabbit emoticon)


    Yu-Seong laughed before closing Chae Ye-Ryeong¡¯s message. After checking his email for the report he had originally planned to read, he closed his eyes and read the novel slowly.


    ¡®After all the dangerous things are over¡­¡¯


    He would be able to live his current happy life without worrying about the future. Until then, even if it was difficult, Yu-Seong was determined to persevere.


    ***


    After the deep dawn fell, Yu-Seong had a dream. In the dream, an intensely brilliant light that made it difficult to open his eyes slowly fell from the sky to the ground. At first glance, it seemed like the world was approaching its end, but luckily the flaming light settled down on the ground quietly like dandelion fluff blowing in the wind.


    Then, Yu-Seong woke up to the entire house shaking. He quickly grabbed the glass he had left beside the bed. A massive earthquake was striking South Korea.


    ¡®No way, this is...obvious...¡¯


    After the dream that all players had¡ªa dream about a light settling on the ground¡ªa massive earthquake shook the entire world. There was only one scene in the original novel that described such an event.


    ¡®Finally... The Tower is appearing. It''s faster than the original, as expected!¡¯


    Yu-Seong hurriedly ran towards the window and clenched his fist tightly while looking at the towering column of light that could be seen even from a distance.

 CH 159

    The mysterious Tower of unknown height appeared in cities such as Seoul, Beijing, Milan, London, Aslamas, Washington, and Moscow. It was as if a cascade of light was pouring down.


    The Tower suddenly emerged from the earth, stretching upward with such force that it pierced through the clouds. The name of the Tower was delivered by messages from the gods, not by anyone else.


    - A Joke-loving Prankster gazes at the Tower of Heaven, hoping that player Choi Yu-Seong will climb it.


    - Culann''s Hound recommends that player Choi Yu-Seong climb the Tower of Heaven.


    - The Oldest Hunter eagerly anticipates seeing player Choi Yu-Seong ascend the Tower of Heaven.


    - The Green Spring of the East guides player Choi Yu-Seong to the Tower of Heaven.


    - The Cold Wind of the West¡­


    The supportive messages from the gods were pouring down one after another.


    ¡°A prankster who enjoys playing tricks is heading towards the Tower in the sky."


    "Coolran''s fierce dog is heading towards the Tower in the sky."


    The news of the Tower''s appearance quickly spread across the world, and people from all walks of life were intrigued by it. They talked about it and wondered what it could mean. However, no one could have predicted what would happen next.


    That was not all.


    The received messages indicated that all the gods, including Loki, Cu Chulainn, and Scathi, were headed to the Tower of Heaven. Only after that did the messages cease. In a way, the meaningless chatter that had been received every day disappeared completely.


    This phenomenon was not unique to Yu-Seong. In fact, there was a description written in the original novel.


    ''After the appearance of the Tower of Heaven, all the gods disappeared into the Tower.''


    However, it remained unclear whether the gods had truly vanished.


    ¡®To be exact, they had entered somewhere in the Tower.¡¯


    Yu-Seong remembered the scene where Kim Do-Jin met with one of the gods supporting him inside the Tower of Heaven. This meant that if Yu-Seong himself climbed that tower, he would eventually be able to face the gods directly someday.


    ¡®In fact, the Tower''s appearance is the most significant event for the gods.¡¯


    It was a unique opportunity for the gods to personally witness the actions of those they sponsored rather than merely watching from afar.


    Then, would the karma points disappear completely? Many players were worried about this, but since Yu-Seong had read the original novel, he didn''t feel particularly anxious. He knew that the players could now accumulate karma points by climbing the Tower and completing various missions within.


    Although the gods'' sponsorship would be cut off for now, once they occupied the lower part of the Tower, they would be able to transmit messages again within the Tower, albeit in a limited space. Thus, short-lived confusion would ensue, but there would be no actual problem at all.


    Yu-Seong''s task was to act faster than anyone else before such confusion went away.


    ¡®The rest of the preparations are done. I just need the vitality of the Giant Hunter.¡¯


    Several more days passed by after that.


    ***


    Of course, the chaos following the appearance of the Tower of Heaven was still unresolved. What was this Tower that had suddenly appeared in major cities around the world? Some people had the courage to venture inside the Tower, following the messages of the gods, but no one had returned yet. This caused the tension to heighten to the extreme.


    ¡®It''s inevitable. Since they won''t be able to return to Earth until we conquer the first ten floors of the Tower.¡¯


    It was a matter of time. According to the original novel, it took three months before this fact was revealed.


    ¡®If they had the data, it wouldn''t even take a month¡­ But it''ll be difficult if they enter blindly without knowing anything.¡¯


    Although he knew that spreading his knowledge would quickly resolve this situation, Yu-Seong decided to keep his mouth shut. He did not even share the information with Choi Woo-Jae.


    ¡®These facts will be revealed within a few months anyways.¡¯


    Not knowing much would not pose a threat to Earth. It was information that was beneficial only if known in advance. Thus, there was no reason to reveal this information to others.


    With this thought, Yu-Seong kept his mouth shut for a few days. He went about his daily life until he finally obtained the vitality of the Giant Hunter, the ancient relic bracelet he had been waiting for.


    Yu-Seong then gathered all eight members of his hunting team. As they sat in a circle, looking at each other with round eyes, Yu-Seong said calmly, "We''re heading to the Tower."


    There was a brief silence before Jin Yu-Ri asked, "When?"


    Yu-Ri seemed a little taken aback by Yu-Seong''s sudden declaration, but she had a feeling that he had a reason for saying that.


    "Today."


    "Does the support team know about this?"


    "No. They don''t."


    "So it''s something they shouldn''t know."


    "..." Yu-Seong smiled lightly at Jin Yu-Ri''s words.


    Unlike Yu-Seong''s hunting team, the support team consisted of Choi Woo-Jae''s people. If his hunting team wanted to keep it a secret, they had to keep it from everyone.


    Aside from Yu-Ri, no one was opening their mouths to speak up. This situation made Yu-Seong feel uneasy.


    "Is there anything you guys are curious about or something?"


    The Tower, currently unknown to the public, was a highly dangerous area. As a result, the country and the Player Association had requested that people refrain from entering. Although their true intentions were to completely block access, it was impossible for them to do so.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    ¡®Anyway, the message from the gods would be on their mind.¡¯


    Not only the gods supporting Yu-Seong persuaded him to the Tower, but countless other gods also sent messages to their followers to come to the Tower. Needless to say, it was difficult for the country and the association to ignore this.


    Regardless, up until now, the gods had been quite benevolent towards the players of Earth. Nonetheless, the Tower was still a dangerous place, the unknown territory that the players may not yet be able to return from.


    Currently, Yu-Seong was suggesting that his hunting team go to such a place. He himself thought that there would be someone who would express their dissatisfaction or displeasure at his words, since he had raised the issue without any warning.


    ¡®But why is everyone so quiet?¡¯


    Aside from Jin Yu-Ri, who had asked the first question, no one else was opening their mouths. It didn''t seem like they had any thoughts on the matter.


    "Jin Do-Yoon?" Yu-Seong turned toward Do-Yoon and asked.


    Do-Yoon nodded as if his answer was obvious. He said, "If the young master is going, I''m going to follow you anyway."


    At the same time, Yoo Jin-Hyuk raised his hand and shouted, "Me too! Why do we need a reason when hyung is going?"


    "I''m grateful that both of your reasons are concise," said Yu-Seong with a smile and a nod.


    The words of the two could easily be interpreted as them trusting Yu-Seong. For some reason, just that fact alone made Yu-Seong feel more secure.


    "As for me..."


    Meanwhile, Chae Ye-Ryeong, who seemed to be deep in thought, spoke cautiously.


    "I''m worried about my younger siblings."


    In response to the reply of the young head of the household, Yu-Seong smiled and replied, "If you are worried about your siblings, it''s okay for them to stay at our house. I''ll make sure to tell the housekeeper aunts."


    "Oh¡­ Then I''m okay too."


    "There''s no need to pack anything," Yu-Seong said.


    Whatever they took from Earth, except for ancient relics or treasures from other worlds, would disappear. Therefore, food, bedding, and so on were all meaningless.


    ¡®I guess we are lucky to get to keep the clothes that we¡¯re wearing.¡¯


    In fact, for this day, Yu-Seong had forced his team to undergo mandatory survival training.


    ¡®Since they¡¯ll have to fend for themselves in the Tower. That includes finding and fighting for food.¡¯


    With that in mind, there was no need for any special preparations. Yu-Seong was about to suggest they leave immediately.


    "Are only the five of us going?" asked Yu-Ri as she raised her hand.


    Yu-Seong tilted his head in response. He asked, "Who else do we have to go besides us?"


    Jenny came to mind at first, but she had to take care of external affairs while both Yu-Seong and Yu-Ri were absent. In reality, someone had to stay outside of the Tower just in case.


    " Kim Do-Jin¡­" said Yu-Ri- carefully.


    Yu-Seong was taken aback by the unexpected name. He never thought that Jin Yu-Ri, who despised Kim Do-Jin more than anyone else, would be the first to mention him.


    "Anyway, he''s skilled enough to be trusted," Jin Yu-Ri said with a bitter smile.


    Yu-Seong chuckled and nodded. "That''s true. But we can''t go with him."


    "I see. Something must have happened..."


    ¡°Since Kim Do-Jin already entered the tower yesterday."


    "Ah..."


    "So, in that sense, we have to leave now. Does anyone have anything else to say?"


    This time, everyone shook their heads.


    ***


    The Tower of Heaven soared to a height that surpassed even the clouds. Seen from the outside, it was basically round in shape with a dynamic structure that widened in size as it rose to the upper floors. Therefore, some referred to it as the upside-down horn, but it was nothing short of a mystery that the Tower remained intact and standing. This was all thanks to the mystical power that was at play.


    The Tower of Heaven did not have an official entrance, but the way in was simple. Just like using ancient relics, all one had to do was place their hand anywhere on the Tower and use mana. It was something that any player could do. However, there was one thing to be cautious of.


    "Once we enter the Tower, we will be separated from each other."


    Although the Tower of Heaven appeared to have very thin roots, its interior was incredibly vast from the first floor onwards. Being scattered randomly in such a place, it was practically impossible to explore the Tower with companions.


    "What should we do then?"


    "You can find a door as you wander around. Do not enter unless it''s a red door. And when you pass through it, the next floor will take you to where the person who arrived earlier is waiting. You will be able to meet them on the second floor."


    Upon hearing this, Yoo Jin-Hyuk¡¯s face turned pale first. He quickly said, "So, I can''t be together with you hyung?"


    "Most likely. Unless you''re lucky enough to land nearby."


    "That''s inconvenient," said Jin Do-Yoon as he hardened his expression.


    The fact that he would not be able to protect Yu-Seong, who usually stayed by his side, did not sit well with him.


    "Don''t worry. You don''t need to be overly cautious on the Tower¡¯s first floor. If I had to say... Well, don''t step on the blue-lit area of the ground. And don''t follow anything strange. Only respond when you think you''re being attacked."


    "There are so many rules."


    "If you haven''t memorized them, should I say them again?" Yu-Seong said.


    Everyone laughed and shook their heads.


    "That''s enough."


    With that, Yu-Seong was the first to place his hand on the Tower of Heaven. Then, he expressed his gratitude for everyone''s difficult decision. He said sincerely, ¡°Thank you all for making a difficult decision.¡±


    At least, for now, the dominant viewpoint was that once they entered the Tower, they might not be able to return. Nonetheless, they could not forget to show their appreciation for each other. They were coming along without any military command.


    "I think I''ll be able to come back, of course. Since you''re a prophet, Yu-Seong, you must know what''s inside in detail..."


    ¡°I decided to follow, thinking that I can come back. Yu-Seong oppa, you are the prophet. Do you know in detail what''s inside?"


    Yu-Ri put her hand on Yu-Seong''s shoulder and smiled, saying, "There''s no reason to doubt him."


    "Of course not, since you said it," Yu-Seong replied.


    "By the way, are you a prophet or something similar?" Yu-Ri asked.


    With that, mana spewed from Yu-Seong''s hand and flowed into the Tower of Heaven. When the rest of the group also infused their mana into the Tower, Yu-Seong said, "Well then, let''s meet on the second floor, everyone.¡±


    As he spoke, the light flowing from the Tower of Heaven engulfed the five people. It was pulling them in.

 CH 160

    The Tower of Heaven¡¯s first floor was a maze filled with bush-covered high walls. However, as mentioned before, its scale was enormous. Even if one looked down from the peak of Everest, he would not see the entire maze. Still, if one were extremely lucky, someone from the group could fall into a similar area.


    ¡°It seems that luck wasn''t on my side this time.¡± Yu-Seong looked around with a smile. Then, he said, "No, maybe I was lucky.¡±


    The ground level of the Tower of Heaven, an unending labyrinth, sprawled out in all directions. Its vastness was matched only by the abundance of exits. So, if one only had the intention of getting out, he could inevitably make it to the next floor within a week even if he wandered around for a while.


    In addition, there surprisingly were many trees that grew edible fruits and other plants. This made survival relatively easy.


    In fact, for Yu-Seong, who had some understanding of the Tower''s rules, he was confident that he could find the red exit that he and the group agreed to meet within three days if he intended to.


    However, Yu-Seong didn''t plan on moving too hastily.


    ¡®People usually think the first floor is just an area for them to learn how to adapt to the Tower.¡¯


    It was because of the special rules that applied to the Tower of Heaven.


    Yu-Seong opened his system window to check the situation with his own eyes.


    ¡ºName: Choi Yu-Seong


    Age: 21


    Series: All-Rounder


    Level: 1


    Retention History: 2


    Special Skills: Star Factor Quality, Fusion, Spear Practitioner


    ¡ù Special: Entered the Tower of Heaven.


    All skills except for Special Skills are inactive. By raising the level, sealed skills can be activated. As an initial entry bonus, two of the pre-existing skills could be activated. ¡»


    ¡®The Reset.¡¯


    This part had been explained to all of the party on the way to the Tower of Heaven. It was a situation that confused most players upon their first entry into the Tower, because it sealed off their ability to use all skills except the Special Skills.


    ¡®Also, in the original novel, the rankings have been removed.¡¯


    The only remaining data was the level. There were three ways to raise the level: climbing the Tower, hunting monsters, or solving quests. However, the final way did not apply to the first floor. Overall, the progression of the Tower was not as complicated as they had thought.


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡®I can think of it like a real game.¡¯


    The main objectives were to level up and acquire skills. As for the first notable difference, it was that they already possessed Special Skills.


    ¡®It''s rather like having a job in a video game, since Special Skills reflect each individual''s basic tendencies.¡¯


    The second difference was the ability to increase the level of skills obtained outside of the Tower, and then unseal them again.


    As soon as they entered the Tower, everyone became level one. It seemed like they were all starting at the same point. However, in reality, this was slightly different.


    ¡®Since high-ranking hunters are likely to have a lot of good skills.¡¯


    The power would certainly be adjusted to match their low level, but it was also important that the required amount of mana would decrease as well. Generally, good skills had strong effects even beyond direct power. In that sense, the Tower of Heaven was truly a land of opportunity for Yu-Seong.


    ¡®Because I have three Special Skills.¡¯


    While others had a maximum of three starting skills, including two initial skills, Yu-Seong had three Special Skills. Although Fusion had the disadvantage of being difficult to use without Eye of Replication, Star Factor and Spear Practitioner were definitely helpful.


    Moreover, in this situation, most skills were sealed. Naturally, those who possessed ancient relics and had developed their abilities through hard work rather than relying solely on skills had a significant advantage.


    ¡®And that''s why I worked so hard for this day.¡¯


    Yu-Seong grinned as he chose the first of the two skills he could activate. In fact, there was no need for him to think too deeply about it.


    ¡®Obviously, it has to be the God''s Chakra.¡¯


    The God''s Chakra had the unique ability to convert mana into chakra and increase its overall amount each day, providing an unparalleled advantage in the Tower where abilities were best utilized when acquired early.


    ¡®Besides, the additional effects are also great.¡¯


    As mentioned, real good skills were important not only for their basic strong power but also for their additional effects. In that sense, the skill of God''s Chakra, which could enhance physical abilities, absorb energy, and emit energy was an absolute top priority.


    ¡®And then...should I take a little more time to choose the next one depending on the situation?¡¯


    As it was mentioned earlier, Yu-Seong intended to pass through the Tower¡¯s first floor as slowly as possible to adapt to the system. The reason was simple.


    ¡®There is a considerable amount of treasure hidden on the first floor.¡¯


    The Tower of Heaven was sometimes called the Tower of Despair due to the initial Reset. Ironically, despite its name containing the word ''Heaven,'' there were more fatalities inside the Tower than in dungeons. Even players who were not affected by the Reset and were in an adapted state found it challenging to obtain key hidden rewards on the first floor due to its high difficulty level.


    There were, however, some major things that would be still suitable for use in the Tower¡¯s upper floors, provided that they could be obtained. In fact, Yu-Seong¡¯s goal was these precious hidden rewards.


    "Okay, let''s get started."


    It was a maze with all three sides closed, not just a path forward. Yu-Seong felt a strange sense of relief in the space where no one could see him. He immediately got down to the ground and lifted up his legs.


    ¡®PT number 8, the Hellish Full Body Twist.¡¯


    Before he had been sucked into the novel, Yu-Seong¡¯s memories of the military came to mind. He didn¡¯t want to do it, but he couldn¡¯t think of a better way.


    As mentioned, skills could also be acquired within the Tower. If you took the skills outside, and it happened to be a duplicate, you would gain additional effects. And if it wasn''t, it would be registered in the skill window immediately. Therefore, it was always a good thing to acquire skills within the Tower.


    There were various ways to acquire skills, but the only immediate option was through repetitive training. In other words, Yu-Seong had no choice.


    ¡®I never thought that I would end up doing PT number 8.¡¯


    And so, in a place where no one could see Yu-Seong, the lonely full body twist began.


    ***


    Six hours later, Yu-Seong was still doing the full body twist.


    ¡®Is it really working? It does say so in the original novel, but¡­¡¯


    Wouldn''t it be better to acquire skills in a different way? Yu-Seong was flipping his legs in the air and twisting his entire body. He was at the point of thinking about giving up when messages began to appear one after another.


    - Acquired skill, Physical Strength Reinforcement.


    - Acquired skill, Flexibility Reinforcement.


    - Acquired skill, Stamina Reinforcement.


    - Acquired skill, Pain Tolerance.


    Yu-Seong now had a wide smile on his flushed and sweaty face.


    ¡®Nice.¡¯


    Yu-Seong chose PT number 8 because, unlike other exercises, this torture-like full body workout could only be trained in various ways. Therefore, if it had been another typical exercise, he would have acquired only one or two at best, but by doing PT number 8, he was able to obtain as many as four skills.


    ¡®The power of the skills follows my level, and that''s the Tower''s law.¡¯


    In other words, all the skills Yu-Seong had acquired were at level one. Nevertheless, there was a significant difference between those who had the skills and those who didn''t. As a typical example, Yu-Seong was able to erase the word ¡®give up¡¯ that he had in mind by acquiring a Pain Tolerance skill.


    "But this is as far as I can go..."


    Yu-Seong remained on the ground with his arms and legs spread wide. He gasped for breath, then frowned at how all of his muscles were screaming at him.


    ¡®Wow... If I try to get up right now, I''ll die, won''t I?¡¯


    Having developed a Pain Tolerance skill did not mean that he completely felt the pain. No matter how enhanced his physical abilities as a player were, he couldn''t avoid the muscle pain that followed after quietly completing PT number 8 for six hours.


    "Ugh..." Yu-Seong moaned and slowly closed his eyes. He couldn¡¯t bear it anymore.


    ¡®I¡¯ll feel better after a good nap.¡¯


    Fortunately, this was still the starting area of the Tower''s first floor, so there was no need to worry about enemy attacks.


    After sleeping like a log for about six hours, Yu-Seong suddenly opened his eyes. He slowly raised his body up and noticed that he was feeling much better than before.


    ¡®As expected... I recover fast.¡¯


    It was the kind of pain that a normal person might not recover from even after lying down for three days and nights, but he had recovered in just six hours thanks to his physical abilities at the level of a Physical type player and the Stamina Reinforcement he had obtained through PT number 8 training.


    Undoubtedly, the process of acquiring new skills was challenging, but it was worth the challenge.


    ¡®To be honest, it is worth investing in the attainment of four skills in just six hours as it pays for itself.¡¯


    Yu-Seong quickly pushed the pain from PT number 8 exercises out of his mind and rose to his feet. His gaze was fixed straight ahead.


    As he ventured deeper into the maze, the darkness grew more intense, but he remained unafraid. Yu-Seong now possessed three Special Skills, four Tower Skills, and even the unique Special Skill - God¡¯s Chakra. As a matter of fact, he could be considered the strongest on the first floor of the Tower of Heaven.


    ¡®I''m starving. Let¡¯s find something to eat first.¡¯


    After walking around for about ten minutes, Yu-Seong felt a gaze following him.


    ¡®Finally, it¡¯s here.¡¯


    It was really uncomfortable and irritating to be followed by a gaze that wouldn''t let up, especially since he had taken multiple turns at crossroads while wandering through the maze. However, as he had already advised the party, it was better to refrain from reacting hastily.


    Intending to follow his own advice, Yu-Seong ignored the discomfort and kept walking until he reached a tree bearing edible fruit that only grew in the Tower.


    ¡®Oh, it''s honey fruit.¡¯


    The honey fruit was only found within the Tower. It was named after its reputedly intense sweetness. Upon tasting it, Yu-Seong discovered its texture was as soft as a perfectly ripe mango.


    ¡®Oh, this is pretty good.¡¯


    In the original novel, it was written that anyone who ate something inside the Tower would always be satisfied. Now, Yu-Seong could finally agree with that description. Then, he consumed the third honey fruit with a look of pure delight on his face.


    Grrrrrrk-!


    Suddenly, a strange and eerie sound filled the air and a black liquid began to flow from beneath the thick walls of the maze. Very slowly, the form of a ferocious wolf-like creature was taking shape. It emanated a menacing aura directed towards Yu-Seong, and this was only the beginning.


    The black liquid continued to flow from various parts of the maze, transforming into monsters that resembled beasts and humans. Yu-Seong found himself completely surrounded by them.


    Although it was a somewhat threatening situation, Yu-Seong remained calm. He even smiled as he converted Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice into a spear. He looked at the monsters emitting the threatening momentum and said, ¡°I''ve been waiting for this. Bring it on, my experience points.¡±


    It was time to level up.

 CH 161

    On the Tower of Heaven¡¯s first floor, the monster called Shadow Slime didn''t have particularly high combat abilities. Although it appeared as a beast or monster with threateningly sharp teeth and claws, it was actually a liquid-like creature whose attacks felt more like a dull shock rather than getting painfully injured.


    ¡®Of course, it''s only the first floor.¡¯


    The first floor was truly a space for adapting to the Tower. If powerful monsters were placed here, the number of casualties would rise exponentially. However, there was one thing not to be underestimated about this monster, Shadow Slime.


    ¡®They are cunning.¡¯


    The Tower¡¯s first floor had a trap.


    ¡®The blue-lit floor.¡¯


    This area, which Yu-Seong had warned the party, was the trap. When the Shadow Slimes thought they were being chased, they naturally led people to the trap while running away. Although people tended to be cautious when they saw floors with different colors, Shadow Slimes were aware of this fact and covered the blue light with their dark slimes to make it difficult for people to see the trap. In a way, this was one of the tutorials for adapting to the Tower.


    ¡®The trap is simply a typical example of the many dangers one can face in this Tower.¡¯


    The most important thing was that traps were more dangerous than the Shadow Slime''s attacks.


    ¡®There have been cases in the original novel where people suffered injuries or broken bones on the first floor of the Tower and struggled for a long time¡­¡¯


    Although rare, there had been cases of people losing their lives to Shadow Slimes. Therefore, it was why it was a bad idea to engage in combat with them by deliberately chasing them, especially since they knew all the landmarks of the maze.


    ¡®The strategy from the original novel was to always let them attack first.¡¯


    There would only be one case where Shadow Slimes did not keep watch and attacked first.


    ''They probably thought it was worth a try since there were many cognitions following them, and I appeared slow-witted.''


    In fact, this was why people said Shadow Slimes were cunning. However, it wasn''t necessarily true that they were intelligent.


    ¡®Considering that they are just brainless liquid-like monsters, I wonder how they can think so well, but¡­¡¯


    Ultimately, their intelligence was greatly limited.


    Therefore, the group of Shadow Slimes, who had underestimated Yu-Seong''s abilities, had approached him fearlessly and threatened him. Eventually, they had all come to a regrettable end.


    ¡®You''ve become an excellent experience point.¡¯


    ¡ºName: Choi Yu-Seong. Level: 1 -> 3 ¡»


    Yu-Seong checked the level section of the system window and smiled. He muttered to himself, ¡°I was worried since they were weak monsters, but I still went up two levels.¡±


    Above all, he hadn¡¯t even hunted half of the Shadow Slime group that had appeared.


    Perhaps being cunning also meant that they were cowards. Thus, when Yu-Seong had torn apart some of the Shadow Slime group in an instant, they had scattered in all directions in a frenzy.


    ¡®It wasn¡¯t even a proper battle in the first place.¡¯


    However, the result was a two-level increase by only killing the ones that had been hunted quickly and closely.


    After chasing the Shadow Slimes for a while, Yu-Seong realized that he might accidentally step on a trap. Only then did he decide to stop pursuing them.


    "I guess these Shadow Slimes won''t come near me anymore. Hm, it''s kind of a shame."


    Yu-Seong licked his lips and continued walking through the maze. After all, there were two hidden rewards that he needed to find on the first floor of the Tower. Moreover, the exact location of the hidden rewards was not clearly described in the original novel, so Yu-Seong was in a situation where he had to wander through the maze for a while.


    ¡®If I wander around enough, those Shadow Slimes who don''t know me will probably attack me again.¡¯


    There would be more opportunities to level up in the future. Ultimately, all he needed was time.


    ¡®Let¡¯s take it easy.¡¯


    With rather quick steps, he continued to wander through the maze.


    ***


    ¡ºName: Choi Yu-Seong. Level: 3 -> 6. ¡»


    After a day had passed, Yu-Seong¡¯s level had increased by three due to the attack of the sneaky but naive Shadow Slimes.


    ¡®I can definitely feel the difference now that I''m around level 6.¡¯


    In fact, after the Reset, Yu-Seong¡¯s condition hadn¡¯t been as great as when he had been outside the Tower. It felt like he had been moving with a heavy sandbag strapped to his back. However, he began to feel lighter and lighter after gradually getting used to it and continuing to grow.


    ¡®At this level, I might be able to handle stepping on a trap to some extent.¡¯


    As curiosity struck him, a blue-lit floor appeared in front of his eyes. He had seen the same floor several times before and had always either avoided it or turned back, but this time was different.


    ¡®Let me try¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong cautiously approached and stepped on the floor emitting the blue light. As he did, a trap was triggered, and something rapidly flew out from the left side. He quickly turned his body to avoid it, but the attack that barely grazed his arm still left a burning sensation on his flesh.


    Then, a ¡®thunk¡¯ sound came from the wall right next to him. Although he felt pain similar to having been stabbed, he had not directly been hit by the trap.


    Yu-Seong breathed a sigh of relief and wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead.


    ¡®I was a little too hasty.¡¯


    He then looked at the wall where the trap had been lodged. Something round was embedded deep into the thick wall overgrown with bushes.


    ¡®Wow, if I had been directly hit by that, my bones would have shattered.¡¯


    As expected, traps were incomparably more dangerous than Shadow Slimes. With that thought in mind, Yu-Seong exerted strength in his legs and stood up to approach the object that had attacked him. It was a circular and white object with red stitches embroidered on it. He could easily identify what it was.


    "A baseball?" Yu-Seong said in shock.


    The item could be used on Earth, but it appeared to be out of place in the Tower.


    However, he quickly became convinced of one thing.


    ¡®At least it''s only the first floor, so it wasn''t a steel ball that was hurled at me.¡¯


    Of course, at this point, even a baseball could be perceived as a threat. Yu-Seong nodded in understanding before inserting his fingers into the baseball lodged in the wall.


    ¡®Maybe¡­ If I do it well, I could take it out.¡¯


    It took a considerable amount of effort. After sweating profusely, he managed to pull the baseball out of the wall with a grunt.


    "Anyway, I got some loot."


    Although it seemed useless at the moment, one never knew what might come in handy in the future. Yu-Seong put the baseball obtained through the trap in his pocket and continued to navigate through the maze.


    ***


    A few days in Earth''s time had passed. Despite reaching level 10, Yu-Seong was starting to feel increasingly disheartened by the Shadow Slimes.


    ¡®Yesterday, I was level 10. And today, I am still level 10.¡¯


    Considering the number of Shadow Slimes he had hunted during the day, it seemed reasonable to conclude that the limit of level advancement through hunting Shadow Slimes had been reached. Despite this, every time he moved to a new area, the Shadow Slimes would fearlessly attack him. That certainly annoyed him.


    ¡®I also haven''t even found a single hidden reward yet.¡¯


    Yu-Seong began to feel uneasy, thinking that he might fail to keep the promise he had made to meet his group within a week. Now, the Shadow Slimes that quietly wasted his time had become an unpleasant sight to behold.


    ¡®What if I pass the week-long deadline that we all agreed upon?¡¯


    During a moment of strange anxiety, Yu-Seong spotted a narrow one-way path filled with blue light at a sudden intersection. His eyes immediately lit up.


    ¡°Oh, there are many traps today. How exceptional."


    If an ordinary person adapted to the Tower, there would be no reason to choose a path full of traps.


    ¡®Although there are some safe areas in between, generally speaking, it''s a situation where one has no choice but to step on traps.¡¯


    Passing through such a place would be fatal. It was a narrow one-way road that seemed perilous, but it was also the path that Yu-Seong had to take.


    We are "pawread dot com", find us on google.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure this is the area with hidden rewards that the original novel mentioned.¡¯


    It was a crossroad. There were three wide roads with no significant threat, and there was one road with exceptionally long traps. Yu-Seong''s eyes sparkled with excitement as he had finally discovered the area with the hidden reward.


    ¡®There are two options: run very fast or jump precisely and always land in the safe area.¡¯


    Then, Yu-Seong chose Wind Control as his second active skill with sparkling eyes.


    ¡®Wind Control is faster and more reliable than just jumping.¡¯


    After taking a few deep breaths, he pounded the ground and then jumped into the narrow path full of traps. He yelled to himself, "Transition to Wind Flow!"


    The biggest advantage of activating a skill in the Tower was that special effects which had been learned from outside could be immediately applied. Yu-Seong had no reason not to use this advantage.


    ¡®It may not be that fast due to my low level, but...¡¯


    Indeed, it was still much faster than just running.


    ¡®Here I go.¡¯


    Yu-Seong leaped between the blue lights the moment he pulled himself together and jumped from the ground. He could feel strange items flying from all over the place with the sound of trap buttons being pressed.


    Yu-Seong ran as if he were a crazy man. It would be great if he could get items like the baseball he had obtained earlier, though he was too afraid in this situation to even look back.


    Suddenly, one of the floor tiles he stepped on collapsed and fell away.


    ¡®Danger...!¡¯


    Yu-Seong felt a warning ringing in his head. He gave all his strength to his legs, jumping as high as he could into the air and moving forward.


    Thuuuud-!


    With a crash and the sound of the floor crumbling, Yu-Seong couldn''t keep his balance. He had no choice but to step on the trap.


    ¡®Oh my...!¡¯


    At the same time, a dull piece of wood flew towards him and hit him hard on the back.


    "Ugh...!"


    Yu-Seong let out a scream of pain as he nearly lost his balance and collapsed, but he forced himself to keep moving forward. He knew that if he fell down here, he would surely die.


    ¡®I¡¯d die if I fell here!¡¯


    It was only possible because of the most dangerous threat he had ever encountered. A few steps later, Yu-Seong reached the safety zone and stopped moving immediately. Or, in reality, he couldn''t move any further.


    Even though his Pain Tolerance skill and Insignia of Protection were both active, the pain was overwhelming and dizzying. Additionally, his insides twisted in an uncomfortable way.


    "Ugh...!"


    Yu-Seong collapsed on the ground, sweating profusely and feeling like he was about to vomit. He had to concentrate as hard as possible to regain his consciousness, because passing out and falling down could lead him to step on the trap again. He had to at least maintain his consciousness.


    About ten minutes, or perhaps several hours, passed in this state.


    "Whoo¡­ Whoo..." Yu-Seong, covered in sweat and drool, gasped for breath and slowly raised his head.


    - The skill Strong Willpower has been created.


    "Damn, how grateful."


    Yu-Seong didn''t know when it had been created, but it was definitely helpful in regaining his consciousness.

 CH 162

    Yu-Seong struggled to cling to his consciousness as he gazed at the countless blue floors still spread out in front of him.


    ¡®I can''t see the end.¡¯


    Although it felt like he had come a long way, the reality was that there was still much farther to go than he had already traveled.


    ¡®Looks like my plan to easily obtain hidden rewards has failed.¡¯


    Even if he were to recover and start running again from here, he could still encounter unforeseen danger somewhere along the way. As it was mentioned before, in a very unlucky case, there had been people who had died in a trap.


    In fact, Yu-Seong didn''t want to be one of those unlucky people. That was why he turned his head and smiled bitterly as he looked back at the mess he had already gone through. He muttered in good humor, "All the miscellaneous things have flown by. Is that a tissue box? It would have been okay if I was hit by that one."


    Since it was the Tower of Heaven¡¯s first floor, it didn''t necessarily mean that only threatening items were coming at Yu-Seong through the traps. Of course, it would be great if he could recognize that in the situation of breaking through traps recklessly. However, to do that was practically impossible.


    ¡®At least for now.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had not yet reached the level of ability to obtain hidden rewards. Understanding this for himself very well, he looked back at the path he had come from.


    ¡®The traps haven''t been regenerated yet.¡¯


    However, if a little more time passed, the floor would soon be filled with blue light once again. The important thing was that the regenerated traps would not change in form. That was, even if traps that caused the ground to collapse were regenerated, the ground would still remain collapsed.


    ¡®I can''t remember everything perfectly, but I can remember it to some extent. And¡­ Yes, yes, there is a reason to do something foolish like retracing my steps through the path I''ve already broken through.¡¯


    The Reset was both a blessing and a curse. Regardless of how strong one was outside of the Tower, the starting point was still the same. In other words, if one could grow well within the Tower, they could also take down threatening opponents on Earth.


    ¡®For example, the Demon King Worshipers or my siblings who threaten me.¡¯


    Naturally, there was no reason for Yu-Seong not to use this aspect of the Tower. And in order to do that, it was obvious that he had to become the strongest within the Tower. It was possible. He could walk the path of Adam Smith, the Demon King of the Tower who had been an equal match against Kim Do-Jin, the protagonist in the original novel.


    ¡®Adam Smith was a somewhat ordinary D-rank villain before entering the Tower.¡¯


    However, how many hidden rewards did he monopolize to gain the title of the Tower''s Demon King?


    ¡®I don''t have Adam Smith''s Special Skill, Secret Exploration, but... I have information from the original novel. I can do this.¡¯


    Naturally, Yu-Seong would have to endure suffering. One of the statements attributed to Adam Smith, the Demon King of the Tower, was, "At times, I''ve contemplated that it would be easier to die." But he eventually survived and became stronger. There was no reason why Yu-Seong couldn''t do what Adam Smith did.


    Yu-Seong steeled his heart, leaving behind his regrets. He quickly walked back to the entrance of the crossroads where the trap had started.


    ¡®My injuries are slowly recovering.¡¯


    It was all thanks to his skill¡ªStamina Reinforcement. However, it was still not enough.


    ¡®In a way, the real hidden rewards that the first floor of the Tower has is that acquiring all the skills is several times faster than in other areas.¡¯


    That was why Yu-Seong had advised his companions even in the car heading towards the Tower of Heaven to train as much as possible on the first floor.


    ¡®I did tell them to avoid traps just in case, but¡­¡¯


    In the situation where Yu-Seong had already made up his mind and entered the Tower, the outer road was full of traps. In fact, except for the reward at the end, the road itself could play the role of a hidden reward. It wasn''t just a passing thought that acquiring four different skills with only PT number 8 in six hours was a great deal.


    ¡®If not now, I won''t be able to acquire skills at this speed.¡¯


    As he was thinking about this and that, the cluttered items in front of Yu-Seong suddenly lit up and turned into traps once again.


    ¡®Come to think of it, I should have picked up some things that looked useful on the way here.¡¯


    While looking at the disappearing traps in contemplation,Yu-Seong then shook his head.


    ¡®No, the more baggage I have, the heavier I become.¡¯


    A baseball that he had carelessly stuffed in his pocket was enough for now.


    ¡®I have a feeling that this will come in handy someday.¡¯


    Yu-Seong might be mistaken, but there was no reason to ignore his intuition.


    As the traps regenerated, Yu-Seong noticed that he had recovered about half of his physical condition.


    ¡®It''s better to wait a little longer for recovery than to immediately take on the challenge.¡¯


    Although his slow recovery speed was irritating, he knew that moderate rest during training was also important.


    ¡®I''m not sure how much time is left, but it''s better to climb as slowly as possible to gain the most benefits.¡¯


    In the beginning, Yu-Seong had some sense of time, but as time passed, even that began to fade away. Without a clock to reference or any knowledge of the outside environment, his sense gradually became dull. Such a situation was a little frustrating, but Yu-Seong decided to let go of his impatient mind.


    ¡®This is inside the Tower so there aren''t many immediate threats. I¡¯ll just have to move forward slowly and steadily. Oh, come to think of it¡­!¡¯


    Suddenly, something came to Yu-Seong''s mind, and he immediately took a cross-legged posture.


    ¡®If I use the skill¡ªGod''s Chakra, my recovery speed may increase.¡¯


    The effect of God''s Chakra also included strengthening Physical Reinforcement through the imposition. Instead of simply accepting the skill, it seemed like a good idea to expect a recovery effect when performing deep breathing.


    ¡®I haven''t used the direct breathing method of God¡¯s Chakra much since its effects are already great, but in this case, it''s worth a try.¡¯


    Yu-Seong immediately performed the direct breathing method using God¡¯s Chakra and felt his condition quickly improving. He stood up from his seat with his eyes wide open.


    ¡®My condition is at its best.¡¯


    He laughed at his rapid recovery. Then, he looked over at the single path of the trap with a blue-covered floor.


    ¡®This time, I should focus on sensing my surroundings rather than blindly running ahead.¡¯


    It wasn''t necessary to look at everything. In fact, relying on his senses might be more effective. To do this, Wind Control was more effective than Wind Flow.


    ¡®Now I know that it is impossible to break the boulder in one go with the Wind Flow.¡¯


    Yu-Seong breathed deeply, took slow steps, and stepped on the first trap. He then took another step and examined the object that had flown towards him.


    ¡®A pencil?¡¯


    It was an item that could cause fatal injuries if hit in an unfortunate place at a high speed, despite its weak durability.


    The baseball that had attacked Yu-Seong earlier was the second thing that came at him. Dodging the baseball with the Wind Control and converting Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice into a spear, Yu-Seong parried the wooden fragment that flew at him from the next trap and continued to move forward without rest.


    ¡®I have about¡­500 meters left to reach the safe zone where I arrived earlier.¡¯


    His first goal was to reach the place where he had first arrived, recognizing and getting rid of each trap one by one. With that in mind, when he saw the round steel plate flying towards his left shoulder, he quickly swung his spear.


    ¡®A frying pan?¡¯


    As he had blocked the melee weapon that had absolute influence in many games, even deflecting bullets, the shock that was transmitted to his entire body through the spear was not light. The shock ringing in his mind almost made him collapse, but thanks to his newly acquired skill¡ªStrong Willpower¡ª it was not difficult for Yu-Seong to regain his composure and take a step forward.


    ¡®I did it!¡¯


    Feeling excited, Yu-Seong let the flying tissue box hit him and confidently went forward.


    ¡®Check carefully, don''t miss anything¡­¡¯


    It was important to capture as much as possible in his field of vision.


    ¡®A baseball from the left, a cushion from the right¡ªwhich I can ignore¡ªand wait, there is something else behind the cushion¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong confirmed three of the pencils flying towards his left chest after piercing the thick cushion with his spear. Thus, he had no choice but to rotate his spear to block the flying pencils. What he gained in return was the impact of a baseball hitting his back.


    "Argh-!" Yu-Seong let out a scream and managed to avoid falling flat on his face. He quickly took a few steps back.


    Thud.


    With a somewhat lumpy posture, a bitter laugh escaped from his mouth as he rubbed his sore buttocks.


    ¡®I assume that there''s still about 300 meters left.¡¯


    Yu-Seong couldn''t even make it to the safe zone he had challenged with just the Wind Flow before. No, he hadn''t even yet encountered a trap where the ground collapsed. Although he felt disappointed, he had reached his limit for now.


    While smacking his lips, Yu-Seong slowly got up and started heading back to the entrance of the trap-filled road.


    ¡®But if I keep trying, I''ll definitely get better results. Let''s try again after I recover.¡¯


    His willpower was on fire.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    ***


    Three more days had passed. Yu-Seong couldn''t keep track of time, but he remembered exactly how many times he had challenged the narrow road that was filled with traps.


    ¡®This is the 132nd trial.¡¯


    His clothes were torn apart and his hair was a big mess, but Yu-Seong was brimming with confidence.


    ¡®I''m going all the way this time.¡¯


    It wasn''t excessive confidence. In his previous 131st challenge, he had confirmed the far end of the trap-filled road filled with blue light from afar before returning to this spot.


    ¡®With my recovery ability now, I could have rested there for a bit and challenged it again to get the hidden reward, but¡­¡¯


    In fact, Yu-Seong¡¯s goal was clear.


    ¡®I have to break through from the entrance in one go.¡¯


    With that in mind, he returned to the entrance with the summit in sight. This was when the blue light of the traps had not yet even regenerated.


    Catching his breath, Yu-Seong checked the skill window that had been enriched by his previous 131 challenges, and a smile of satisfaction spread across his lips.


    Skills: Stamina Reinforcement, Physical Strength Reinforcement, Flexibility Reinforcement, Pain Tolerance, Bleeding Resistance skill, Physical Strike Tolerance, Vision Reinforcement, Intuition Reinforcement, Resilience Reinforcement, Concentration Reinforcement, Leap, Balance Reinforcement, Nimble Hand Movements, Quick Footwork, Basic Weapon Skills, Strong Willpower.


    The once-empty skill window was now full.


    ¡®In fact, it¡¯s safe to say that I¡¯ve acquired all the skills that can be obtained on the first floor.¡¯


    If it weren''t for this situation, Yu-Seong wouldn''t have even considered attempting the path filled with traps in the first place. Nevertheless, there was a reason for him to challenge it.


    ¡®Now I can obtain both hidden rewards.¡¯


    When the blue light began to glow brightly in front of him, Yu-Seong began to run without any hesitation.


    ¡®From start to the end¡­¡¯


    He had to run without hesitation. He deflected threatening objects flying towards him, and even took a few hits that his body could handle.


    He didn''t need to memorize everything as his Vision Reinforcement allowed him to read most of the threats. Even if he missed something, it didn''t matter. Thanks to his Intuition Reinforcement, his body reacted naturally, and he was able to deflect the threatening objects from the traps.


    If the ground collapsed, he could use Leap skill to jump to a higher location. Although his landing had been somewhat unsteady before, with the help of his Balance Reinforcement skill and Concentration Reinforcement skill, it was no longer a problem for him.


    Unlike three days ago, Yu-Seong could easily navigate the traps now. He continued forward with a twinkle in his eye using Wind Control.


    ¡®Now I¡¯ve reached the trap upgrade zone.¡¯


    After passing about half of the path, the difficulty of the traps rose significantly beyond what the Tower¡¯s first floor could offer. It was also common for ten pencils to fly at a time, or for the floor to rise where there was nothing.


    It was not an exaggeration to say that Yu-Seong had continued to challenge the traps 132 times as a result of the unexpected increase in difficulty.


    ¡®And thanks to that, I''ve gained a lot of skills.¡¯


    The rising scaffoldings were used as pedals. Pencils, wood fragments, baseballs, and sometimes threatening daggers or basketballs flew at Yu-Seong, but he recognized and deflected or dodged them all.


    ¡®I''m almost there.¡¯


    With natural movements, Yu-Seong had overcome an enormous number of traps. He blinked at the green floor that was visible only from a far distance. Previously, he had become too excited upon seeing the floor, which had led him to losing his composure, making a mistake, and having to go back to the beginning. However, it was different now.


    ¡®100m!¡¯


    As Yu-Seong carefully and surely avoided the traps and continued forward, a huge stone pillar suddenly appeared in front of him.


    ¡®What the hell? I can''t jump over this with even Leap.¡¯


    Surprised, Yu-Seong quickly looked at his surroundings.Then, he could see something red flashing around the center of the tall stone wall.


    ¡®That is quite suspicious¡­¡¯


    In fact, there was no time to hesitate. Instinctively, Yu-Seong took out the baseball that he had put in his pocket and aimed it at the red light. The moment the red light was hit, the tall stone pillar began to collapse.


    ¡®That was the right answer as expected. Now all I have to do is avoid it¡­¡¯


    No, he wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid all of it. The attacks from the other traps continued to pour out through the falling rocks too.


    At that moment, Yu-Seong made a clear choice. In fact, going back from here wouldn¡¯t guarantee him a better answer.


    ¡®Forced breakthrough!¡¯


    Yu-Seong gritted his teeth and activated Wind Control skill while enduring the shock that pounded his whole body.


    Thump-ump-!


    The painful ache spread throughout his body once again. However, as a result, Yu-Seong could arrive at his destination, the green footboard. He couldn¡¯t help but smile brightly.


    - You have passed the trial''s single path for the first time! Rewards are being calculated.


    - From the entrance to the exit! You have achieved an amazing record. Additional rewards are being calculated.


    With the message, the injuries throughout his entire body began to recover at a much faster rate than before. It was thanks to the activation of the hidden reward.

 CH 163

    On the Tower of Heaven''s second floor, Chae Ye-Ryeong and Jin Do-Yoon crossed through the red door that Choi Yu-Seong had pointed out. Their eyes widened at the sight of the spacious room that revealed itself before them.


    "The maze was impressive, but this is fascinating too," Ye-Ryeong remarked.


    "A square... We should call it a cube," Do-Yoon said as he instinctively scanned his surroundings.


    Upon noticing something, his eyes lit up.


    ¡®There are people here.¡¯


    In the large cube-like room of over 100 pyong [1], there were ten unfamiliar faces gathered in a corner as if they were a group. When Jin Do-Yoon and Chae Ye-Ryeong suddenly appeared, the group quickly turned over to look. Their eyes shone. To be precise, they only took a mere glance at Do-Yoon.


    ¡®They''re looking at Ye-Ryeong.¡¯


    There was only one woman among the ten gathered, and the rest were men. These guys were casting a sticky and uncomfortable gaze at Chae Ye-Ryeong.


    Just as Do-Yoon felt their gazes and tried to block Ye-Ryeong, the youngest man in the group said, "Stop. Let''s not do anything that will make us feel bad."


    Only then did the group slowly look away from Ye-Ryeong. Despite their disappointment, they refrained from complaining and simply smacked their lips.


    ¡®He looks young. Is he the leader of that group?¡¯


    Do-Yoon looked at the young man who appeared to be in his early twenties with a twinkle in his eyes.


    When their gazes met, the young guy smiled lightly at Do-Yoon. He said, "You don''t have to be too wary. We just met here too. We were considering whether to move forward or not.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Jin Do-Yoon silently nodded in response.


    "Hi, I''m Kim Woo-Gon. If you''re finding it hard to navigate this mysterious tower, why not join me? Whether it''s waiting for a rescue team or exploring other solutions, it''s going to take time...and it would be much less lonely to have more people around, wouldn''t it?"


    ¡°...¡± Do-Yoon nodded his head again without answering.


    ¡®Kim Woo-Gon. It''s a name I''ve never heard before.¡¯


    The young man didn''t seem to be a famous player, but Do-Yoon felt uncomfortable for some odd reason. He even thought that the young man could have been a villain from outside.


    "You seem to be the quiet type. That''s okay. Come find me whenever you need me.¡±


    Jin Do-Yoon ignored Kim Woo-Gon. He led Chae Ye-Ryeong to a corner of the room that was as far away from the group as possible.


    "They are suspicious, aren''t they?" Chae Ye-Ryeong commented.


    Do-Yoon nodded his head in agreement.


    While Jin Do-Yoon and Kim Woo-Gon faced off, Ye-Ryeong had been trying to gather information by sensing the vibe.


    "We''re surviving here, but how do we get food? There doesn''t seem to be any place to relieve our physiological needs," Ye-Ryeong pointed out.


    Just as Do-Yoon was lost in thought, a bright white light flashed around the area where Kim Woo-Gon''s group had gathered on the outer edge of the room. All of a sudden, a pile of honey fruits that could be found on the first floor appeared.


    "Huh...?" Chae Ye-Ryeong exclaimed with widened eyes. Having witnessed that from afar, she murmured, "Food appeared like magic?"


    ¡°Indeed¡­¡± Do-Yoon nodded, finally understanding the situation now.


    Kim Woo-Gon¡¯s crew was sat in strategic positions that could monopolize food. It was now understandable why Woo-Gon had been so arrogant a moment ago.


    "Would you like to have some?" Kim Woo-gon asked as he approached Jin Do-Yoon and Chae Ye-Ryeong with some of the honey fruits in both hands.


    ¡®What should I do?¡¯


    Jin Do-Yoon was lost in thought for a moment.


    "We''re fine," Chae Ye-Ryeong said, boldly stepping forward.


    Kim Woo-Gon flashed a strange smile. "That seems possible for now. Alright then. As I mentioned earlier, just let me know whenever you need something."


    "We appreciate it." Ye-Ryeong smiled brightly in response.


    With a casual shrug of his shoulders, Kim Woo-Gon returned to his group to share the honey fruits and started to eat.


    After another half an hour had gone by, Chae Ye-Ryeong found an answer to the second question that she had.


    One of the ten members who had been gathered by Woo-Gon suddenly stood up and disappeared beyond a stone gate in the direction they were heading.


    ¡®There are five doors.¡¯


    Ye-Ryeong had no idea what role each door played, but it seemed that the group was dealing with most of their physiological needs inside of them.


    Another interesting observation was that the location where the group had gathered food was quite close to the stone gate.


    In addition, shockingly, the one young woman in the group occasionally went beyond the stone gate with the other eight men¡ªaside from Kim Woo-Gon. Unless one was a fool, anyone would know what was going on beyond the stone gate when that happened.


    ¡®No wonder they were giving me those uncomfortable looks.¡¯


    Chae Ye-Ryeong frowned as she realized that fact.


    ¡®There''s plenty of food, the issue with physiological needs has been resolved...and now he''s playing king of the hill.¡¯


    Clearly, Kim Woo-Gon was the one who had set this game. Among the gathered men, he was the only one who didn''t lay a hand on the woman. However, in exchange, he seemed to have gained the upper hand over the group.


    In reality, it was a rather comical situation. The cube''s interior was indeed large and enclosed, but there was still a way forward. The group had come up to the second floor from the first, so it was natural that there would be a way to the third floor.


    Thus, if the woman who was being manipulated by Kim Woo-Gon and his group could muster the courage to move forward, she wouldn''t have to endure their insults. On the other hand, those who lacked the courage to move forward would remain trapped and vulnerable as prey to Kim Woo-Gon''s group.


    Watching the two of them from afar, Kim Woo-Gon appeared to believe that Do-Yoon and Ye-Ryeong were the latter case.


    ¡®We''re simply waiting for other people, but¡­¡¯


    Woo-Gon was probably unaware of that fact.


    Only a day had passed, but it felt slightly longer to Do-Yoon and Ye-Ryeong.


    Kim Woo-Gon, who was sitting in the corner, approached Ye-Ryeong and Do-Yoon again. He asked, "Aren''t you curious about what''s beyond that cliff?"


    "We are," Chae Ye-Ryeong replied.


    Kim Woo-Gon revealed a sly smile. He said, "I''ve explored all five doors with my group, but they are quite dangerous unlike the first floor. There weren''t any major issues up until the entrance, but beyond that, there were many corpses that looked like they had been ripped apart by beasts. There must be a rather threatening monster there... As you know, in our weakened state, it could be a significant threat to us.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    "I''m sharing this information because I''m concerned that your curiosity might cost you your lives. Of course, I cannot interfere with whatever decision you two make..." Kim Woo-Gon finished speaking, casually shrugged his shoulders, and turned around to return to his spot.


    ¡®He''s a really bad person.¡¯


    Chae Ye-Ryeong now fully understood how Kim Woo-Gon had created this group.


    ¡®Even if I go, I still want to scold them badly¡­¡¯


    As Ye-Ryeong pondered over various thoughts, light suddenly burst out from the center of the room. Everyone, including Kim Woo-Gon''s group, Jin Do-Yoon, and Chae Ye-Ryeong, naturally turned their attention towards the light.


    Looking at the person who had appeared through the light, Ye-Ryeong quickly raised her hand and shouted, "Hey, kiddo! Over here!"


    While scanning the surroundings to assess the situation, Yoo Jin-Hyuk''s gaze suddenly landed on Chae Ye-Ryeong. He yelled back, "I told you not to call me a kiddo!"


    "Forget it, come here quickly," Ye-Ryeong said.


    Was it due to the bad situation? Chae Ye-Ryeong felt much more relieved to see Yoo Jin-Hyuk than usual.


    Ye-Ryeong went over to Jin-Hyuk and put her arms around his shoulders, then whispered, "Don''t make eye contact with those guys. They''re really bad people. Kids shouldn¡¯t grow up seeing those things.¡±


    "Bad people?"


    Yoo Jin-Hyuk, who had seen and lived through a lot of bad things since he was young, was inwardly scoffing.


    "You made it. Great job," said Do-Yoon.


    Jin Do-Yoon greeted Do-Yoon with a delighted face. Then, he said, "Yes, hyung. Is Yu-Seong hyung not yet¡­?"


    "The young master hasn''t come yet."


    "Oh, come to think of it, there''s no noona either."


    "Yeah, we have to wait a bit more."


    Kim Woo-Gon''s gaze grew icy as he watched the trio huddled together and whispering in low tones.


    ***


    As time passed, Chae Ye-Ryeong realized she was getting quite hungry.


    Once more, light burst forth from the center of the room, revealing the arrival of yet another person. And to their surprise, it was none other than Jin Yu-Ri.


    "Unni!" Chae Ye-Ryeong greeted Yu-Ri with a bright expression as she jumped up from her spot.


    "Oh, Ye-Ryeong? Am I the last one... No, I guess I¡¯m not," Yu-Ri said while scanning the area out of habit and giving a suspicious glance towards Kim Woo-Gon and his group. She quickly approached her own group.


    "Did I appear like that too? It¡¯s quite cool," Yoo Jin-Hyuk asked Ye-Ryeong after adapting well to the situation inside the cube.


    "The vibe is odd. Who are these guys?" asked Yu-Ri in a hushed tone. She was still scanning the room with her sharp eyes.


    ¡°Those are the people who arrived first. They have a monopoly on food and¡­¡± Ye-Ryeong then explained everything she had found out to Jin Yu-Ri in a low voice.


    After hearing the whole story, Yu-Ri naturally furrowed her eyebrows. She said, "They''re really unbearable people. We should leave as soon as Yu-Seong oppa arrives.¡±


    "We can¡¯t punish them, right¡­?" Ye-Ryeong asked.


    "Well..." Yu-Ri looked over at Kim Woo-Gon, who was staring at her group.


    ¡®They''ll probably make their move soon though.¡¯


    Despite the small number on her side compared to the ten on Woo-Gon¡¯s side, Yu-Ri was unafraid.


    ¡®Thanks to the things Yu-Seong oppa has taught us, we''ve become a little stronger in various ways and have come here¡­¡¯


    The problem was that the Kim Woo-Gon crew did not know this fact. Also, their crew was close to double the number of people in Yu-Ri¡¯s group. This meant that Yu-Ri¡¯s group could get hurt or be in danger if conflict arose.


    "For now, let''s pretend we don''t know anything," Jin Yu-Ri suggested.


    Chae Ye-Ryeong nodded in agreement.


    A little later, about five more people appeared. Two of them felt uneasy about the atmosphere and went towards the next room, while three others decided to stay in the room due to Kim Woo-Gon''s persuasion and threats.


    With the arrival of three more people, Kim Woo-Gon''s previously uneasy expression due to Yu-Seong''s growing group size had transformed into a relaxed smile.


    Then, in the midst of their situation, Yoo Jin-Hyuk, who had been watching Kim Woo-Gon''s group constantly monopolizing the food, frowned and asked, "Should we ask for some food?"


    Although they could use the entrance to the other room beyond the stone gate to resolve their physiological needs like those guys, hunger was different. This was especially true for Jin Do-Yoon and Chae Ye-Ryeong, who had arrived first; they were almost all skin and bones.


    "It won¡¯t be free," Yu-Ri commented.


    "How annoying," said Jin-Hyuk while pursing his lips.


    Just then, light erupted from the center of the room once again. The person they had all been waiting for appeared.


    "Yu-Seong hyung!"


    "Young master!"


    "Boss!"


    "Oppa."


    This novel is available on "pawread dot com".


    Yu-Seong appeared somewhat embarrassed as his group approached him with a welcoming shout. Raising his hand lightly, he said, "Oh, everyone¡­ It looks like you all arrived first, but..."


    Yu-Seong was no fool. Despite his happy emotions, he could sense that something was wrong with the atmosphere.


    ¡®What''s going on? Food will be automatically supplied on the second floor, won''t it?¡¯


    As he surveyed the group''s condition, Yu-Seong couldn''t help but feel concerned. It was clear that the group was in a bad state.


    Sensing a change, Kim Woo-Gon approached Yu-Seong, who was still scanning the area to assess the situation after the unexpected realization, and spoke to him.


    1. about 3558 square feet ?

 CH 164

    "Nice to meet you. I''m Kim Woo-Gon. And you are...?"


    Before Yu-Seong could even respond, Kim Woo-Gon quickly recognized him and exclaimed, "Choi Yu-Seong? From the Comet Group?"


    Yu-Seong''s eyes widened in surprise. He answered, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    His popularity, which had spread through social media and even landed him in newspaper articles, made it inevitable for him to be easily recognized.


    Then, he tried to recall where he had heard of Kim Woo-Gon before.


    Theft is never good, try looking at [ pawread dot com ].


    ¡®Kim Woo-Gon, Kim Woo-Gon in the Tower of Heaven¡­ It¡¯s not unfamiliar¡­¡¯


    Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t come up with anything.


    As Yu-Seong pondered, Kim Woo-Gon suddenly bowed his head and greeted him again. "Oh my, it''s a pleasure! I''m a big fan of yours, Mr. Choi Yu-Seong. I had no idea we would meet here."


    Before Yu-Seong could respond, Chae Ye-Ryeong made a puzzled expression and said in a strange voice, ¡°What?¡±


    "Did something happen?" asked Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Oh, so¡­¡±


    "Are you part of the group? I''m sorry. I think I made a few mistakes along the way." Kim Woo-Gon, with a somewhat flustered expression, quickly bowed deeply to Chae Ye-Ryeong, Jin Do-Yoon, and the others.


    He went on to say, ¡°It¡¯s difficult to share food with unfamiliar people in such an enclosed space. I somehow ended up representing the group and making mistakes due to my cautiousness. I hope you can forgive me with an open mind.¡±


    Ye-Ryeong frowned and looked at Yu-Seong. She seemed to have a lot to say, but she hesitated to speak up. After all, Yu-Seong was standing right in front of her.


    "I¡¯ll ask my party about the situation. Could my party talk in private for a moment, Mr. Kim Woo-Gon?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "Oh, of course, it''s an honor to see you again. Sincerely," Kim Woo-Gon said with a bright smile and moved away from the group.


    "Boss, that guy is really a bad guy. Don''t trust him!" Ye-Ryeong blurted out, finally giving voice to what she wanted to say.


    "Slow down, tell me what happened after you came here," Yu-Seong said.


    Chae Ye-Ryeong then tried her best to convey what she had seen, heard, and experienced as objectively as possible, despite her excitement. She used rather emotional language at the beginning, but quickly focused on talking about Kim Woo-Gon¡¯s behavior towards the end.


    As Chae Ye-Ryeong''s story drew to a close, Yu-Seong suddenly remembered something.


    ¡®Oh, right. I remember now.¡¯


    Unlike the Tower''s Demon King, Adam Smith, who had become famous after entering the Tower, Kim Woo-Gon was already a well-known figure outside of the Tower.


    ¡®Villain name: Trickster.¡¯


    Kim Woo-Gon was an S-rank villain, one of the three Demon King Worshipers¡¯ leaders hiding within South Korea.


    ¡®So, at this point, this guy is acting as a king here.¡¯


    In the original novel, Kim Woo-Gon''s appearance came only after the Tower had been conquered halfway.


    He was known for his persuasiveness and ability to lead people astray, acting as a preacher who propagated new Demon King Worshipers inside the tower. Ultimately, he became a well-known supporting character in the original novel who would be exposed for his true nature and killed by Kim Do-Jin.


    Realizing this fact, Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t help but snort.


    ¡®Did he say he¡¯s a fan of mine?¡¯


    That statement itself might not be entirely incorrect. By now, the Demon King Worshipers within the Tower might have started to pay attention to Choi Yu-Seong. This wouldn¡¯t be a strange thing at all.


    ¡®They would want to recruit me, but my father''s gaze would be too intimidating.¡¯


    In other words, Kim Woo-Gon''s shift in attitude towards Yu-Seong''s group stemmed from their desire to exploit the current situation to their advantage. It was an opportunity for them as the Tower was a place beyond Choi Woo-Jae''s gaze. How amazing would it be if they could recruit a talented and promising person from a great family as a Demon King Worshiper?


    ¡®For Demon King Worshipers, they would be able to easily shake the entire South Korea.¡¯


    In fact, there were quite a few people in the Demon King Worshipers who were at the center of wealth or power. However, in South Korea, there were few cases where such influential people were affiliated with the Demon King Worshipers. Considering the fact that about 30% of famous people in Europe, the United States, China, and other countries were somehow associated with the Demon King Worshipers, the situation in South Korea was surprisingly good.


    ¡®It''s probably because they thought there was nothing to gain from this small country¡­ Especially after already occupying Pyongyang.¡¯


    Now that Pyongyang had fallen, it was time for the Demon King Worshipers to reconsider South Korea, which they had somewhat disregarded in the past. Therefore, Yu-Seong had become an increasingly alluring prospect for them.


    After organizing his thoughts, Yu-Seong turned his gaze towards Kim Woo-Gon, who was leading a group of more than ten people.


    Kim Woo-Gon noticed Yu-Seong''s gaze and smiled widely. When he waved his hand, Yu-Seong responded with a smile and a wave of his own.


    "Boss?" Chae Ye-Ryeong asked Yu-Seong with a surprised expression.


    "I originally planned to leave directly for the third floor, but it seems like we have something to do. Please wait for a little longer, and trust me."


    The saying that a crisis was an opportunity rang true, and Kim Woo-Gon''s notion of seizing an opportunity certainly applied to Yu-Seong as well.


    ***


    ¡°Can we talk for a moment?¡±


    Since Yu-Seong approached him first, Kim Woo-Gon¡¯s face brightened up with an even wider smile.


    ¡®This kiddo has taken the bait.¡¯


    Yu-Seong shrugged his shoulders at the obvious ploy. He commented, ¡°It¡¯s a little risky here¡­ It¡¯d be nice if we could be alone.¡±


    ¡°Come inside. It''s dangerous deeper in, but it''s fairly safe near the entrance.¡±


    Kim Woo-Gon stood up. As if he had been waiting, he was ready to lead the way.


    Yu-Seong noticed that Woo-Gon had signaled some of his men before getting up, but he pretended not to know. He thought to himself.


    ¡®He¡¯s definitely up to something.¡¯


    Kim Woo-Gon entered the far left of the five stone doors, and Yu-Seong quietly followed him. It was a narrow hallway with walls on either side, not a maze. Aside from being dimly lit, an inexplicable sense of discomfort wrapped around Yu-Seong, and the stale air that smelled like a basement pricked his nose.


    ¡°You may or may not know, but most physiological needs are taken care of here. At first, I was a little concerned about the buildup, but... After a certain amount of time, anything done near the entrance disappears without a trace. It''s like a miracle. There''s got to be a reason the gods called us to the Tower.¡±


    Although Yu-Seong didn''t respond, Woo-Gon continued speaking to himself as he walked a little further away from the entrance. Suddenly, he stopped and turned around, facing Yu-Seong with a smile. His crescent-shaped eyes slowly came into focus in the darkness.


    ¡°This should be far enough. I actually wanted to say something to you too, Choi Yu-Seong. This is great timing.¡±


    ¡°You can go first.¡±


    ¡°Is it okay?¡±


    Once he saw Yu-Seong nodding lightly, Woo-Gon did not refuse it. He said, "Originally, it should be kept a secret, but truth be told, I have been entrusted with a certain secret mission. Ah, don''t worry, it''s not some suspicious organization with an unknown name."


    Yu-Seong almost burst out laughing involuntarily.


    ¡®If you''re on a secret mission, how can your organization not be suspicious?¡¯


    It was indeed a paradoxical remark. Even in the midst of it, Kim Woo-Gon was mixing in the truth strangely. After all, there were few people in the world who did not know the Demon King Worshipers¡¯ name.


    ¡°I see,¡± Yu-Seong replied shortly.


    As Yu-Seong patiently waited for his elaboration, Woo-Gon went on to say, "While our organization is not entirely without suspicion, we believe that this tower is undoubtedly an opportunity that the gods have given us to help humanity. It''s a joyful thing. And going a step further, we believe that humans'' greedy nature often causes them to miss opportunities and cause problems."


    "That¡¯s why you''re gathering people," said Yu-Seong, thinking that it wouldn''t hurt to chime in with his own thoughts.


    Yu-Seong had a vague and rough idea of Kim Woo-Gon''s and the Demon King Worshipers'' plan, but he didn''t know the exact details.


    ¡®Many guys besides Kim Woo-Gon have come into the Tower to act as preachers for the Demon King Worshipers.¡¯


    And they would continuously cause incidents and accidents within the Tower. Some of those incidents would cause an incredible number of deaths, and if possible, Yu-Seong wanted to prevent those incidents from occurring. The problem was that he didn''t know when they would start their activities.


    ¡®Because, in the original novel, the problems are often resolved after the incidents have occurred.¡¯


    Yu-Seong continued to wonder if there was a way to extract information from Kim Woo-Gon.


    ¡°Yes, that''s correct. We want peace, and we believe we need a security force to maintain it. In this situation, we think that with someone like you, Mr. Choi Yu-Seong, who has a fairly well-known name outside, the job could be made easier. That''s why we''re sharing this secret and asking for your help,¡± explained Kim Woo-Gon.


    ¡°I see. I understand.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you''ve decided to help?¡±


    After Yu-Seong nodded, Kim Woo-Gon quickly followed up with persuasive words. He wanted to persuade Yu-Seong to become a Demon King Worshiper. For him, this first step had to be taken cautiously.


    ¡°Why wouldn''t I help you when you''re doing a good thing?¡± answered Yu-Seong carefully.


    ¡°It''s nice that the conversation is going better than I thought,¡± Woo-Gon said.


    By then, other people¡¯s presence could be felt from the other side of the hallway. As Yu-Seong looked across the darkness with a wary gaze, Kim Woo-Gon shook his head and said, ¡°No need to be too careful. They''re my people.¡±


    Sure enough, the men looked familiar.


    ¡®They are the guys who received eye contact from Kim Woo-Gon earlier on.¡¯


    There were three of them.


    ¡®These guys are also Demon King Worshipers.¡¯


    Either they had followed Kim Woo-Gon into this Tower from the beginning, or they had discovered each other''s identities and began to cooperate within the Tower.


    "But how did they come from the other side?"


    "As a matter of fact, the left and right doors are somewhat connected. We just found out recently."


    "I see. One more question¡­ Why are they¡­?"


    "Well, actually, there''s one more thing we want to ask of you, Mr. Choi Yu-Seong."


    "One more thing?"


    "As you know, the plan is so confidential that it needs to be carried out secretly. Maintaining security is the most important thing,¡± said Woo-Gon.


    Yu-Seong sensed that the air around him was growing colder.


    ¡®No wonder, he seemed too docile for a Demon King Worshiper.¡¯


    When Yu-Seong stepped back after thinking so, Kim Woo-Gon pulled out a small, black, and round pill from his pocket. He explained, "No need to be afraid. It''s just a small token to ensure security.¡±


    ¡°What''s that?¡± asked Yu-Seong.


    "As I said, it¡¯s a small token to ensure security and to mark the promise between us. If you consume this, you''ll be able to keep secrets with no problems," said Woo-Gon.


    "Keep secrets with no problems?"


    From different directions, the three men were approaching Yu-Seong as if they were trying to catch him.


    "Yes, I''d appreciate it if you could think of it in the sense that¡­you''d be with us forever."


    When he heard those words, Yu-Seong had a twinkle in his eyes. He commented, "So that¡¯s the famous Magic Total Pill."


    The four men''s eyes widened in surprise.


    The Magic Total Pill was only carried by the Demon King Worshipers. In other words, Yu-Seong was revealing the fact that he had figured out their true identity.


    "If you take the Magic Total Pill and fail to keep the promise you¡¯ve made, you will be killed without exception. It''s actually a highly sought-after item. I was wondering whether you brought it, and it looks like you did," Yu-Seong said.


    With such a drug, there was no need to use any trickery.


    Noticing Yu-Seong¡¯s change in attitude, Kim Woo-Gon and the other men had interesting shifts in their expressions. Their initially bewildered and clueless expressions soon became cold and sharp.


    "Choi Yu-Seong... It doesn''t matter how you¡¯ve figured out our true identity. What''s important is that this is a narrow passage where no one comes...and there are four of us."


    Due to the Reset, all the players had gone back to the same starting line. Adding the one-versus-four situation, anybody would have thought that Yu-Seong was at a serious disadvantage.

 CH 165

    However, that was just on the surface. Yu-Seong''s current stats were not what a typical player would have expected.


    ¡®One should be wary of... It could be inferred that, at most, they brought along some ancient relics as a precaution.¡¯


    Yu-Seong took a slow step back, baiting Woo-Gon''s three men into approaching him.


    Thinking that Yu-Seong was retreating in fear, Woo-Gon let out a sinister laugh and shook his head. "Why didn¡¯t you pretend to be clueless until the end? Then we could at least have had a good relationship..."


    Instead of answering, Yu-Seong checked the distance between him and the others.


    ¡®Swinging a spear that''s too long can be uncomfortable. Maybe if we move a little closer¡­¡¯


    At that moment, the three men were only a few steps away from Yu-Seong.


    When Yu-Seong¡¯s Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice turned into a short spear, emitting light, Woo-Gon shouted in shock, "He has a weapon! Everyone, be careful...!"


    Before Woo-Gon could finish speaking, Yu-Seong twisted his hips. His spear arced sharply, flashing beneath the heads of the three men before they could even react.


    Clatter-!


    In an instant, the three men turned lifeless. Their blood spewed out as they collapsed to the ground.


    "...?!" Woo-Gon was shocked speechless. Then, he darted toward the opposite side of the corridor.


    Although Woo-Gon made a fairly quick decision and ran as fast as he could, Yu-Seong simply threw the short spear in his hand with a light snort.


    Shwoosh-!


    With a sharp sound tearing through the air, the spear¡¯s sharp blade tore through Woo-Gon''s ear and pierced into the ground.


    "Agh-!" Woo-Gon screamed and jumped up.


    At the same time, Yu-Seong quickly ran and grabbed Woo-Gon¡¯s back. He said in a low voice, "If you don''t want to die, shut your mouth.¡±


    "Kill him!" Woo-Gon shouted. Refusing to give up, he twisted his whole body to try and get away.


    ¡®The ancient relics!¡¯


    Yu-Seong quickly released his grip and stepped to the side after confirming that a strange energy was gathering from the necklace that Woo-Gon held in his hand.


    The black energy flowed out of the necklace, coiled around Woo-Gon''s hand, and wriggled like a venomous snake. Then, it shot towards Yu-Seong and pierced through his shoulder.


    "¡­?!"


    Seeing the large hole in Yu-Seong''s shoulder and the blood flowing out, Woo-Gon had a somewhat ecstatic expression on his face. He yelled, "You dumbass! Did you really think that only you could hide your abilities?"


    When Yu-Seong had swiftly cut the throats of his three colleagues, fear had been the first emotion to rise in Woo-Gon''s heart.


    ¡®I couldn''t even see him swing his spear.¡¯


    Even though Woo-Gon was unaware of Yu-Seong''s chosen ability in the Tower, he had realized the danger of approaching him. With such a thought, he had chosen to run away immediately.


    When Yu-Seong grabbed his neck, Woo-Gon had quickly activated his ancient relic, the Insignia of Black Mana, and had simultaneously used his skill, the Snake''s Trap. Although he had been worried that his attack might miss, he finally relaxed when he saw Yu-Seong unexpectedly get injured.


    "Now you don''t have a spear, and you''re injured. I don''t know how you can use such powerful abilities, but you shouldn''t let your guard down until the end," warned Woo-Gon.


    As Woo-Gon extended his hand, the black energy flowing from his necklace gradually drew closer to the injured Yu-Seong. He then said threateningly, "As long as you''re caught in the Snake''s Trap, you will become paralyzed. If you get hit once more, you''ll definitely die. What do you say? If you surrender now, I can give you a chance to save your life."


    "A chance?"


    Yu-Seong''s lips curved into a smile as he lowered his head. At the same time, he extended his right hand.


    "What...?" Woo-Gon took a step back in surprise, but just then, something hit him from behind. His eyes rolled back and he collapsed on the floor, unconscious.


    In a swift motion, Yu-Seong retrieved the spear he had thrown earlier back into his hand.


    ¡®The hidden skill String of Union.¡¯


    This skill had a similar effect to Rachel''s Thread of Destiny, which could pull designated objects or people within fifty meters. The only difference was that it could only target one thing, which was somewhat of a disadvantage, but it was useful for luring the opponent into a false sense of security. Above all, it had an advantage that made it even better than Rachel''s Thread of Destiny.


    ¡®As my level increases, the skill range will continue to expand, and there is no mana consumption at all.¡¯


    Above all, nothing could possibly interfere with the skill effect. Once a person or object was designated, it would inevitably be pulled towards Yu-Seong as long as it was within range.


    ¡®For now¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong shifted his focus on the String of Union from Pharaoh''s Caprice to Woo-Gon. He then used his skill to grab Woo-Gon''s neck and take his necklace.


    ¡®Hm, this is something I cannot use.¡¯


    The black mana provided immense power, but it came at the cost of destroying the user''s personality and character.


    Despite this, Yu-Seong took the necklace away. He thought that Woo-Gon, who had regained consciousness, could pose a threat.


    ¡®Huh, my vision seems to be gradually getting blurry due to the paralysis effect.¡¯


    Yu-Seong clicked his tongue. He extended his left hand, where green energy emerged and took on the form of a small cat.


    ¡®As expected, it''s cute.¡¯


    It was the Green Wind Spirit Cat, the hidden treasure that Yu-Seong had been seeking since entering the Tower of Heaven.


    If obtaining the String of Union was considered a reward for passing the Path of Trial''s Trap, obtaining the Green Wind Spirit Cat was an additional achievement from breaking through the entrance and the exit in one go.


    In fact, the reason why Yu-Seong had continued to return to the entrance and retry, even though it had been overwhelming, was the desire to obtain the Green Wind Spirit Cat.


    ¡®I ask for treatment.¡¯


    At his humble request, the Green Wind Spirit Cat, which was affectionately rubbing its cheek against Yu-Seong''s palm, gently leaped onto his injured shoulder. With both paws, it began to massage the hole-ridden shoulder in a peculiar manner.


    Gradually, the energy emanating from the Green Wind Spirit Cat¡¯s feet began to rapidly regenerate the holes on Yu-Seong''s shoulders.


    ***


    In the midst of the serene silence, Woo-Gon opened his eyes and was surprised to see Yu-Seong sitting against the wall in front of him. He asked, "How... How did you¡­?"


    There were too many parts that Woo-Gon couldn''t understand.


    He had definitely experienced the same Reset, but Yu-Seong¡¯s swift movements, the mysterious skill that had hit Woo-Gon from behind, and the sudden healing of Yu-Seong''s injured shoulder were all astonishing. These were effects that definitely could not be produced by just one Special Skill and two General Skills.


    "That''s not the point," Yu-Seong answered curtly and approached his opponent.


    Woo-Gon purposely made a surprised expression, even though he could still feel that his body was relaxed.


    ¡®Looks like he didn''t tie me up. And he seems to have taken the Insignia of Black Mana¡­¡¯


    It would be difficult to fight again without the ancient relics, but Woo-Gon was at least relieved that there was no physical restraint. In fact, he could make an attempt to escape.


    Yu-Seong chuckled and nodded when he saw Woo-Gon trying to stand up. As the man wobbled on his buttocks, he urged, "Try to run away."


    "...What?"


    "If you can, give it a try."


    In fact, Woo-Gon was grateful to be allowed to do that. He quickly got up and dashed forward. At that moment, he felt like someone grabbed his nape and pulled him, and his body simply flew backward in spite of his will.


    "Whoa!" Woo-Gon let out a startled scream.


    Yu-Seong tightened his grip on Woo-Gon''s neck and smiled. He said again, "Come on, try to run away."


    "Is it even possible¡­? Haven''t you been Reset?"


    Realizing that he had been hit with a skill, Woo-Gon felt his heart skip a beat.


    ¡®At least four or five skills... It''s unbelievable. Every single person who has appeared until now has been affected by the Reset phenomenon¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong didn''t bother to correct Woo-Gon''s misunderstanding.


    ¡®Rather, it''s better to be excessively tense than to relax.¡¯


    With that in mind, Yu-Seong shrugged his shoulders and kicked Woo-Gon in the back of the knee.


    "Argh-! My leg!" Woo-Gon wobbled before falling to the ground.


    "Don''t overreact. It''s not like your bone''s broken." Yu-Seong then sat in front of the fallen Woo-Gon and took out the Magic Total Pill, which he had been holding in his hand.


    "This, this is...?"


    "I found it when you passed out. You had three of them."


    "You''re going to make me eat that?!?!"


    Yu-Seong smiled. He said, "Seems like you¡¯re not the type to pledge your loyalty to the Demon King Worshipers by consuming the Magic Total Pill. That''s great."


    "You''re insane! Just kill me instead!" Woo-Gon shouted.


    Instead of answering, Yu-Seong slapped him in the face.


    Slap-!


    A crisp sound echoed through the air, and blood trickled from the corner of Woo-Gon''s mouth.


    "You idiot, think before you speak. Do you honestly believe that I would listen to someone who just tried to kill me?"


    Yu-Seong grabbed Woo-Gon''s cheeks and forced his mouth open.


    ¡°You¡­ You¡­ What are you trying to do¡­?¡±


    "I didn''t want to be this ruthless, but after going through this kind of shit a few times, I realized that there''s no use showing mercy to demons like you."


    The memories of the Demon King Worshipers he had previously encountered suddenly flooded Yu-Seong¡¯s mind. In particular, the massive sacrifice in Pyongyang still made him shake with anger. This prompted Yu-Seong to push the Magic Total Pill into Woo-Gon''s mouth.


    Despite Woo-Gon''s frantic attempts to spit the pill out, Yu-Seong used his fingers to forcefully push the Magic Total Pill into the back of the man¡¯s throat.


    "If you don''t make the contract within five minutes of eating the Magic Total Pill, your entire body will feel like it''s being eaten alive by insects. And then you die. Right?¡± Yu-Seong said calmly.


    ¡°Uh, uhhh¡­uhhhhhh¡­!¡±


    "Why... Why are you doing this to me?!" cried Woo-Gon. With bloodshot eyes, he shook his head from side to side. Tears streamed down his face.


    "Huh? Why are you saying stuff like that? When others asked you this question, you did the exact same thing I''m doing now," Yu-Seong said.


    "Ughhh..."


    "You only need to make one simple promise, nothing much. Repeat after me: ''I, Kim Woo-Gon, will be Choi Yu-Seong''s slave for the rest of my life,''" Yu-Seong said, unfazed.


    "But¡­ But if the contract has excessive terms, it may lead to side effects!" Woo-Gon exclaimed.


    "Oh, you mean the slow process of mental breakdown? Well, still, isn¡¯t it better than dying in agony right now?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "You, you. How¡­ How do you know so much information? Is the Comet Group trying to take action against the Demon King Worshipers?" Woo-Gon asked.


    "Shhh, no more comments. You can get other opportunities if you''re alive, but once you''re dead, it''s over. Make your choice. What are you going to do, Woo-Gon?" Yu-Seong asked with a sardonic smile on his face.


    Looking right at Yu-Seong, Woo-Gon could not say anything. He didn¡¯t even have the courage to refuse. In fact, he had already seen the pitiful state of those who had refused the contract of the Magic Total Pill and died. Having seen their fate firsthand, Woo-Gon did not want to die the same way.


    "Argh..."


    In the end, Woo-Gon dropped his head in defeat and repeated Yu-Seong''s words, swearing to become his lifelong slave.


    Search "pawread dot com" for the original.

 CH 168

    Choi Yu-Seong stood silently as he looked at the long corridor, which was engulfed in darkness, and a horde of skeleton monsters that had been resurrected.


    ¡®Finally.¡¯


    The sword emitted a bright flash of light as it swiftly cleaved through a section of the corridor, causing the remaining skeleton horde to scatter in all directions. It was like a gust of wind blowing away fallen leaves.


    Amidst the chaos, a man in a somewhat long leather jacket walked towards Yu-Seong with his sword emitting a sharp silver light. He had black hair and black eyes that seemed to be swallowed by darkness. Those traits made his exceptionally fair skin stand out.


    ¡®He definitely is the main character¡­¡¯


    Despite his reservations, Yu-Seong couldn''t help but acknowledge that Kim Do-Jin was handsome. It was probably because Do-Jin was the original protagonist of the novel, after all. Although feeling rather dissatisfied internally, he was still relieved to meet this friend of his.


    Yu-Seong raised his hand towards the newcomer and said, "Kim Do-Jin.¡±


    Yu-Seong had been worried that Do-Jin would be late. Fortunately, Do-Jin had arrived right on time.


    ¡°...Choi Yu-Seong?¡± Do-Jin said in surprise as he entered the Safe Zone.


    At the same time, a message popped up in front of him.


    - You cleared the 2nd floor trial, breaking through the monster horde in 1 hour and 45 minutes.


    "Why are you here?¡±


    "Well, because I also entered the Tower," replied Yu-Seong.


    "But I was the first one to enter¡­ Oh well, I did spend too much time on the 1st floor," said Do-Jin as he stroked his chin.


    He gave off a sense of calmness that was reminiscent of the outside world, appearing to be unfazed by the dangers that lurked within the Tower. In a way, his demeanor could be affected by more than that.


    ¡®He¡¯s a returnee, after all.¡¯


    Within the Tower, all the capabilities acquired on Earth had been reset. However, what about skills honed through training and magic that had been imprinted on the soul?


    ¡®You can use them all.¡¯


    Of course, it would take some time to embody those skills. Therefore, Do-Jin had spent as much time as possible on the 1st floor, which had no resemblance to the tutorial, to train himself. Needless to say, he had arrived here only after having recovered quite a bit of his previous strength as a returnee.


    ¡®It is fortunate that there is a level cap.¡¯


    Nevertheless, even if both Yu-Seong and Do-Jin at level 13 like Yu-Seong, Do-Jin was at least three times stronger.


    ¡®Perhaps he might even be more than five times stronger than me.¡¯


    It was evident from the speed at which Do-Jin had cleared the 2nd floor on his own.


    Currently, the only one capable of contending with Do-Jin within the Tower was Yoo Jin-Hyuk. That was why Yu-Seong had chosen to remain here.


    ¡®I''ll be able to handle a lot of things more easily if I work with this guy in the future.¡¯


    Theft is never good, try looking at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    In his mind, Yu-Seong had several things to do with Do-Jin while inside the Tower.


    Looking at Yu-Seong, whose eyes were sparkling, Do-Jin asked with a strange expression, "Have you seen any members from Eclipse Guild¡­?"


    "I haven''t seen them. They probably went in before you did," replied Yu-Seong.


    "Well, I did tell them not to worry and to just proceed," said Do-Jin. He slightly tilted his head as he gazed at Yu-Seong with a somewhat doubtful expression.


    "I really am Choi Yu-Seong. I told you before, I have future foresight. Don''t you remember that I was the one who advised you to enter the Tower as soon as it opened before anyone else?"


    "...you are definitely Choi Yu-Seong." Do-Jin''s gaze softened as he loosened his grip on the hilt of his sword. Then, he asked, "By the way, why did you wait for me?"


    "I wasn''t waiting for you specifically. I was trying to move forward, but the door only allows exactly two people to enter and not one alone."


    Only then did Do-Jin shift his gaze towards the stone gate that led to the next floor. He then said, "I see¡­ Number 2. What about your teammates?"


    "They went ahead. The numbers didn''t add up."


    "As expected, you were waiting for me."


    "That¡¯s nonsense." Yu-Seong snorted lightly as he approached the stone gate. "Anyway, since there are two of us, let''s move on to the next floor. We don''t need to waste any more time here."


    Do-Jin, who had received his rewards from the second floor after a short time, nodded and followed Yu-Seong''s lead. Anyways, he seemed to have no complaints about journeying together.


    Before the two of them crossed the stone gate side by side, Yu-Seong glanced back at the path they had just taken. A strange feeling came over him.


    ¡®Now, at least I blocked one of them.¡¯


    According to the original novel''s storyline, Do-Jin would have had to wait alone at this point, unable to cross the gate until he encountered the worst possible opponent and formed a temporary alliance.


    While that encounter would have benefited him in some way, Yu-Seong was sure it wouldn''t have been a pleasant experience for himself.


    ¡®I may have altered a significant future, but¡­¡¯


    It would be best for him to stop thinking such thoughts, considering the dark events that Do-Jin would face.


    ¡®Still, it''s strange how I ended up worrying about the novel¡¯s protagonist.¡¯


    Yu-Seong clicked his tongue inwardly.


    Do-Jin asked, "Aren''t you going?"


    "I''m going." Yu-Seong smirked, following Do-Jin towards the gate leading to the third floor.


    ***


    In the second floor¡¯s Safe Zone, Kim Woo-Gon rose from his seat. He was aware of the passage of time. As the leader of the group, everyone turned to look at him as he began to move.


    Woo-Gon briefly met everyone¡¯s gaze before shaking his head in disappointment and walking towards the gate. Everyone probably thought he was going to the bathroom to deal with his physical needs. However, he was actually thinking about how he would have a more challenging obstacle to overcome from now on.


    ¡®Freaking Choi Yu-Seong. Alright, I''ll do as you wish and chase after you until the end.¡¯


    The framework of Yu-Seong''s orders to Kim Woo-Gon was straightforward:


    In fact, Woo-Gon was now in a very unfavorable situation. Unfortunately, he couldn''t go against the control of the Magic Total Pill without losing his life.


    ¡®Goodbye, my kingdom.¡¯


    Woo-Gon turned away with a sense of regret and took a step towards the stairs leading to the next floor. Only when a new figure suddenly entered the room with the ceiling¡¯s light illuminating the area did he look back at the new guest.


    ¡®If he belongs to the Demon King Worshipers¡­¡¯


    It would mean that there were more tasks for him to complete.


    The new guest, however, was a complete stranger to Woo-Gon. He also completely captured Woo-Gon¡¯s attention because he was not even Korean.


    Perhaps because the Tower of Heaven was located in Seoul, all the people Woo-Gon had seen so far inside the Tower were Korean. Additionally, there was something peculiar about the man that made Woo-Gon feel strange.


    ¡®Is he a man...?¡¯


    Judging from the shape of his chest and bones, the newcomer was certainly a man. Despite being a man himself and having no interest in the same sex, Woo-Gon couldn''t help but gulp unconsciously at the newcomer¡¯s strange allure. With his long black hair, slender physique, and dark, decadent eyes, the man had a uniquely captivating charm that caught everyone''s attention.


    Nevertheless, the newcomer walked calmly and silently. He approached the door that Woo-Gon stood in front of. He seemingly paid no attention to everyone else.


    "What, what...?" Woo-Gon raised his voice sharply and tensed his body, possibly due to the man''s strange aura.


    "You''re blocking the door. Could you kindly step aside, if you don¡¯t mind?" said the foreigner in surprisingly fluent Korean.


    He also spoke quite politely, but his words carried a noticeable degree of pressure, dignity, and intimidation.


    Woo-Gon quietly stepped aside, obeying without much thought.


    "Thank you."


    The pale man offered Woo-Gon a smile. As he walked past, he lightly tapped Woo-Gon¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°...¡±


    Suddenly, the man came to a halt. He fixed his dark eyes on Woo-Gon before saying unexpectedly, "You...have consumed the Magic Total Pill.¡±


    Kim Woo-Gon was wide-eyed in shock.


    ''What did this person just say?''


    Such a comment should never be said in a public place with so many people around. Above all, how did the man know that Woo-Gon had consumed the Magic Total Pill?


    "I had advised not to use such drastic means, wanting people to try to talk things out¡­ But people who prefer easy solutions use it too boldly. I''m sorry. Let me apologize instead."


    "Ah..." Kim Woo-Gon blinked as he had just thought of something. He quickly asked, "Is there a way to get rid of this horrible thing inside me...?"


    "There is a way, but it''s impossible here. Even if it is me, my abilities are limited inside this place and there¡¯s nothing I can do," the man replied.


    "Then, if you regain your powers¡­"


    "Oh dear, I¡¯m afraid I gave you useless hope. Hmm...but I still can¡¯t. I¡¯m sure you hold a grudge against the friend who implanted the Magic Total Pill in you, right? Since they are my comrades, after all, I would have to prioritize them first..."


    Kim Woo-Gon wanted to speak up.


    ¡®No, I belong to the same comrades, Demon King Worshipers. This is all because of Choi Yu-Seong.¡¯


    Woo-Gon wanted to express his innermost thoughts, but he couldn''t.


    ¡®Darn enslavement contract...!¡¯


    Woo-Gon was under the Magic Total Pill¡¯s curse, so any harmful words or expressions towards Yu-Seong would lead him to experience excruciating pain and possibly even death. In the end, he could only tremble and bow his head in submission.


    "Cheer up, I''m sorry I couldn''t be of any help," said the man.


    The man lightly patted Woo-Gon''s shoulder again. He flashed a seductive smile before leaving.


    As he watched the man¡¯s back, Woo-Gon¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    ¡®Wait... He said comrades?¡¯


    "Perhaps you are¡­!" Woo-Gon exclaimed urgently towards the man.


    The man stopped in his tracks. As he turned back to look at Woo-Gon, he brought his index finger to his dry lips.


    ¡®Shh¡­¡¯


    With that, the man disappeared behind the stone gate.


    As his legs turned to jelly, Woo-Gon collapsed to the ground. His heart pounded in his chest as if it was going to burst. He took deep breaths to calm himself down. He realized that the man had refused to reveal his name to save everyone''s life in this place.


    ¡®If he had revealed his identity, he would have had to kill everyone.¡¯


    No one who had ever seen the man¡¯s face and knew his name lived to tell the tale. Only those who belonged to the Demon King Worshipers would survive in such scenarios.


    Woo-Gon lifted a trembling hand to cover his face. He thought of the man¡¯s title rather than his name.


    ¡®Godfather... Why is he in Korea?¡¯


    The question lingered in his mind for a moment before Woo-Gon remembered what he needed to do to survive from the Magic Total Pill¡¯s curse.


    ¡®If I don''t report this to him... I''ll die. Damn it!¡¯


    Woo-Gon stood up with a new sense of urgency. He realized that he had to chase after Yu-Seong.

 CH 169

    Choi Yu-Seong thought to himself.


    ¡®The Godfather must have reached the entrance of the second floor by now.¡¯


    The Godfather was a man destined to climb the Tower of Heaven alongside Kim Do-Jin. He was also the leader of the Demon King Worshipers, and one of the oldest non-human races in this world known as the ¡®Ancient One¡¯.


    In the original novel, he and Kim Do-Jin had climbed up the Tower of Heaven together, showing great camaraderie. However, as soon as they discovered each other''s true identity and realized they held irreconcilable beliefs, they had chosen different paths.


    The problem was that, because of this, Kim Do-Jin had missed his chance to take the Godfather''s life during their fight in the Tower. As a result, three Demon Kings would descend upon this world at once.


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin''s growth was certainly accelerated during his climb with the Godfather.¡¯


    In other words, their relationship had been a catalyst for Do-Jin¡¯s growth, but their connection had also brought bad luck.


    This was why Yu-Seong had made such a clear choice in the Tower of Heaven.


    ¡®I can serve as the catalyst for his growth myself.¡¯


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "pawread dot com".


    In fact, Yu-Seong possessed just as many secrets and knowledge through the original novel as the Godfather did. However, it was also true that he didn''t know all of the Godfather¡¯s true secrets. Nevertheless, Yu-Seong certainly knew enough to be of help in Do-Jin''s growth.


    ¡®In the first place, it was because of his desire to compete against the Godfather that Kim Do-Jin was able to grow through him.¡¯


    If that was the role he had to play, then Yu-Seong was confident that he could fulfill it. After all, Kim Do-Jin, the returnee and protagonist of the original novel, had the most potential to succeed in climbing the Tower of Heaven. It would never be easy to walk shoulder to shoulder with Kim Do-Jin in a place like this.


    ¡®No. I''ve already done things that I thought were impossible back in the outside world.¡¯


    In fact, recalling the fate of Choi Yu-Seong in the original novel, his current worries were rather insignificant. Above all, Yu-Seong was now convinced by one thing.


    ¡®For some reason, Kim Do-Jin is greatly fond of me.¡¯


    This was not a lighthearted comment to make. In fact, it was safe to say that Do-Jin had developed a deep friendship with Yu-Seong, enough to choose to be with him despite his preference for acting alone.


    Yu-Seong began thinking of using Do-Jin¡¯s fondness to his advantage.


    ¡®If possible...that can possibly erase all the grudges against the Choi family.¡¯


    Perhaps getting Do-Jin to give up on revenge would be several times more difficult than keeping up with his growth. In the original novel, he was a character fueled by his deep anger toward the Choi family.


    However, this world was no longer a novel.


    ¡®Since so much has already changed, maybe it''s possible to achieve this.¡¯


    Therefore, Yu-Seong did not believe that his current situation was entirely negative. Just like the relationship between the Godfather and Do-Jin in the original novel, he and Do-Jin could become close friends who could kindle a competitive spirit between them.


    ¡®Although I feel a bit scared and anxious, I''m confident that I can handle this challenge. This is especially true when I consider the potential rewards.¡¯


    Yu-Seong suddenly remembered Kim Woo-Gon, who he had left behind on the second floor of the Tower.


    ¡®Come to think of it, the Godfather will definitely recognize the Magic Total Pill since it''s his own creation. Although, he wouldn¡¯t be able to know the details of the contract.¡¯


    The Demon King Worshipers were a massive trans-dimensional organization. As the leader of this organization, would the Godfather recognize Kim Woo-Gon who was one of the executives of the Korean branch? If he did, he might investigate why Kim Woo-Gon was being cursed by the Magic Total Pill and may even end up killing him.


    Yu-Seong had no real need to concern himself with this matter.


    ¡®But if Kim Woo-Gon survives¡­¡¯


    Woo-Gon would relentlessly pursue the traces of the Godfather and the Demon King Worshipers, and follow Yu-Seong at all costs. This would be the most ideal situation for Yu-Seong.


    ¡®As Kim Woo-Gon becomes more active, the scope of the Demon King Worshipers'' activities will narrow.¡¯


    Woo-Gon''s abilities were quite formidable, especially with the return of his ancient relics. This was assuming that an absolute being like the Godfather, members of the Hexagram, or the Twelve Dark Kings would not appear. Anyways, he was one of the S-rank hunters in the outside world.


    ¡®I don''t need to worry too much about Kim Woo-Gon. If things go well, it''ll be a gain, and if not, I won''t lose anything.¡¯


    "Are you sure we''re heading in the right direction?" Do-Jin asked as he led the way through a dense forest path with no sunlight.


    "Yes, I''m sure. Just trust me."


    Starting from the Tower of Heaven''s third floor, which could be considered the true beginning of the Tower, each person was assigned a task according to their entry space and they had to solve it accordingly.


    For reference, the mission that Yu-Seong and Do-Jin were currently assigned to was as follows:


    Purpose of the mission:


    1. Find the forest girl.


    2. Escort the forest girl to her hometown.


    Mission failure conditions:


    1. The death of the forest girl.


    If the mission is successful, proceed to the next floor and receive rewards based on the outcome.


    If the mission fails, all abilities will be reset, and you will be returned to the 1st floor.


    Its description was long, but the mission could be simplified into one sentence.


    ¡®The mission is to search for the girl and escort her, and failure will result in the entire Tower collapsing.¡¯


    Although the mission was in its early stages, it carried a high risk with a potentially substantial reward.


    Luckily, the first stage of the mission, finding the forest girl, was relatively straightforward. Additionally, Yu-Seong had been fortunate enough to receive a useful random skill reward from the second floor.


    ¡®The Pursuit Skill.¡¯


    As its name suggested, this skill had the ability to read the traces of the opponent left on the ground or on the object.


    Yu-Seong did not have a lot of information about the forest girl, but if he thought of her as a young girl, pursuing her with the Pursuit Skill would not be too difficult. Therefore, Yu-Seong was confident in taking charge of the first stage of the mission himself.


    ¡®As expected, I¡¯m lucky in drawing lots.¡¯


    After all, Yu-Seong had obtained a useful skill from the random draw on the second floor that could be used on the third floor right away.


    Soon, in the dark forest, Yu-Seong was able to find a brown-haired girl lying unconscious in a clearing. Looking at the girl, who appeared to be around seven years old, he told Do-Jin, "See? I told you to trust me."


    As Yu-Seong looked at Do-Jin proudly, a message appeared.


    Progress 1: Find the forest girl. Completed!


    "Hmm..."


    Oddly enough, Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t tell whether Do-Jin was satisfied or not. After breathing out slowly, Do-Jin stopped walking towards the girl. Instead, his sword flew through the gap in the trees beside the clearing.


    Clang-!


    Something stirred and leaped away, quickly disappearing into the dense forest darkness. Although the movement was too indistinct to identify, it resembled that of a wild animal.


    "I missed it," said Do-Jin.


    "Wow, you make mistakes too," said Yu-Seong.


    "It was just bad luck. It happens sometimes," snorted Do-Jin.


    Ignoring him, Yu-Seong approached the girl first. The brown-haired girl was dressed in ancient Western clothes. Despite her unkempt appearance and runny nose, her chubby cheeks and round nose made her look fairly cute.


    "She¡¯s not already hurt anywhere, is she?" Yu-Seong cautiously said as he took out the Green Wind Spirit Cat.


    Suddenly, the girl opened her emerald eyes to look directly at Yu-Seong. She exclaimed, "Dad¡­?!"


    "...What?" Yu-Seong was confused and taken aback by the girl¡¯s unexpected words.


    The girl slowly turned her gaze to Do-Jin, who had returned after retrieving the sword he had thrown between the trees. With a puzzled look, she said, ¡°...M¡­Mom?¡±


    "What nonsense. This mission has failed, Choi Yu-Seong," Do-Jin commented.


    ¡°Stop, you¡­ You crazy!"


    If it wasn''t for Yu-Seong''s quick intervention to prevent Do-Jin''s sword from falling on the girl''s neck, it would have been a dangerous moment for the mission.


    ***


    The girl''s name was Emma. It didn''t have any special meaning, and her memories were a bit hazy. Nevertheless, Emma seemed to recognize Yu-Seong as her father for some reason.


    ¡®It''s like how animals instantly imprint on the first being it lays eyes on.¡¯


    It was quite an interesting thing. After all, this space was a temporary zone created for the mission in the Tower. In other words, Emma, who existed here, was not a real living being.


    ¡®She''s rather like an NPC character in a game.¡¯


    Was it because the novel had become reality? Or was it because the Tower of Heaven was a space created by the power of the gods?


    Aside from recognizing Yu-Seong as her father at first sight, Emma was somewhat cute and playful like a little girl. At times, she would hold Yu-Seong''s hand as they walked towards her hometown. Other times, she would throw tantrums and demand to be carried.


    Meanwhile, she always made a somewhat peculiar expression towards Do-Jin. Whenever she saw him, Emma would purse her lips and look glum for some reason. Even when Yu-Seong carried her on his back, she would ask unexpected questions that left him at a loss for words.


    "Do I not have a mom?" Emma questioned.


    Do-Jin, who was walking next to them, said in a low voice, "Your mother is waiting for you at home."


    "So only dad came?"


    "Well, yes, that''s how it turned out. ¡°


    ¡°Then, what about mom?"


    "She''s preparing warm food and waiting for you at home, Emma. Don''t worry too much," said Yu-Seong.


    In fact, he quickly came up with some excuse after hearing Do-Jin¡¯s words.


    "Oh...!"


    Thanks to that, Emma''s emerald eyes sparkled and a bright smile appeared on her face.


    "Mom makes very delicious strawberry pie. Oh, I''m hungry. I''m hungry and sleepy."


    "Then take a nap. I''ll wake you up when we arrive."


    "Dad, do you know the way?"


    "You told me earlier."


    Although Yu-Seong didn''t fully understand Emma¡¯s childlike way of explaining, it was not a big problem for him. He could occasionally take a long time at a clearing that appeared if he was lost or got tired.


    "Then I''ll take a nap for a little while. Wake me up later¡­dad."


    After uttering those words, Emma fell asleep with a soft snore.


    Do-Jin swiftly moved his body and slashed the neck of the monster hiding in the forest. The blue blood splattered onto the tree as he quickly sheathed his sword.


    Turning to Yu-Seong, Do-Jin said, "It''s been following us since earlier on. It must be the one we missed at the beginning."


    "And you managed to endure for such a long time?"


    "There''s no need to expose a young child to bloodshed," replied Do-Jin.


    When Yu-Seong looked at him with a dumbfounded expression, he said, "I hope you don''t perceive me as a callous individual devoid of emotions, incapable of shedding blood or tears.¡±


    In fact, Yu-Seong already knew that Do-Jin would bleed if he got hurt.


    ¡®But in the original novel, he never cried.¡¯


    However, Yu-Seong had initially thought that this person who had returned from another world might have had a damaged emotional state akin to that of a psychopath. That appeared to not be the case.


    Come to think of it, it wasn''t really strange.


    ¡®His fondness towards me is one example¡­¡¯


    Although he was a bit crooked, if Do-Jin was really a psychopath with no emotions, it would be impossible for him to display such emotions.


    ¡®Perhaps¡­ That might be the reason why his anger runs even deeper.¡¯


    If he had truly been a cold-blooded individual without emotions, Do-Jin could have utilized reason to overcome any emotional impulses. However, Yu-Seong now realized that he might not have known as much about Kim Do-Jin as he previously thought.

 CH 170

    ¡®I thought I knew more about Kim Do-Jin than anyone else.¡¯


    Could one truly have claimed to know almost everything about a person simply by having read the original novel and peeked into the character''s inner thoughts?


    ¡®I was arrogant.¡¯


    As he watched Do-Jin walking beside him, Choi Yu-Seong saw Do-Jin''s appearance with fresh eyes.


    - Skill activated: Character Understanding


    Surprised, Yu-Seong checked the message that had suddenly appeared in the skill window.


    ¡ºCharacter Understanding.


    You can read the emotions and mental changes of the subject you are immersed in.¡»


    Once he checked the results, Yu-Seong focused more on the result itself rather than how to use the skill.


    ¡®Is it really possible for a skill to be created in such a manner?¡¯ This was something that hadn''t been mentioned in the novel, but it wasn''t completely inexplicable. A change in perception or thinking was, in a way, enlightenment. The fact that enlightenment was connected to one''s skills and abilities was already proven¡ªthat was how people became stronger by training.


    ¡®For now, I should feel content that my potential for growth within the Tower of Heaven has expanded.¡¯


    Inwardly nodding to himself, Yu-Seong looked at Do-Jin and attempted to delve deeper into his thoughts about Do-Jin. However, he couldn''t feel any emotional or mental changes through the skill of ¡®Character Understanding.''


    ¡®I wonder if the skill is now activated or not.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was somewhat perplexed as to whether Do-Jin was indifferent or if the skill had not been utilized, since it wasn''t through direct activation using mana like other skills.


    As they walked along, Do-Jin suddenly looked up at the sky. He said, "Looks like it''s going to rain. We should take a break around there.¡±


    Yu-Seong looked in the direction Do-Jin had indicated and appeared slightly surprised. He commented, "Oh, that looks like the perfect place to take shelter from the rain. You''re definitely sharp.¡±


    "It''s not a big deal," Do-Jin said nonchalantly as he passed by Yu-Seong.


    "A bit sharp-tongued," Yu-Seong said with a smirk as he watched Do-Jin''s back.


    For some reason, a strange feeling welled up inside him.


    ¡®A mixture of slight embarrassment...and pride? Why am I suddenly feeling this way?¡¯


    Yu-Seong wondered, shaking his head in confusion at first. However, he soon nodded with a dumbfounded expression on his face.


    ¡®Character Understanding!¡¯


    It seemed like the skill was working properly, after all.


    ***


    In fact, both of them had assumed that the thick foliage would provide enough cover from the rain. After all, it was difficult to even glimpse at the sky from beneath the foliage.


    Splatter-!


    However, when they stood in front of the small cave entrance and were suddenly bombarded by the pouring rain, they changed their minds completely.


    "What kind of rain can penetrate through such thick foliage?¡±


    Not only that, but the thick leaves were also falling to the ground along with the raindrops. The slightly frightening thing was that the raindrops were falling so hard that they made dents in the ground. The leaves simply remained on the ground.


    "It''s quite impressive. If it weren''t for your Pursuit Skill, it could have been slightly dangerous," said Do-Jin.


    Yu-Seong''s Pursuit Skill proved to be invaluable once again.


    Initially taking respite in a nearby clearing, Yu-Seong noticed the rain was intensifying and suggested a change of location. Sharing similar thoughts, Do-Jin nodded silently in agreement.


    With the Pursuit Skill, they deftly navigated their way to a nearby cave, which seemed to be a refuge for wild animals. And within just five minutes, a terrifying downpour began to fall.


    ¡®In fact, the situation wasn''t just intense; it was undeniably perilous.¡¯


    The heavy rain was pouring down violently. It may have been difficult, but in truth, for Do-Jin and Yu-Seong who were both players with exceptional stamina and skills, they could have managed to overcome the difficulty and reach their destination somehow.


    ¡®But we would have fainted from exhaustion after that¡­¡¯


    However, what about Emma, the little girl who was sound asleep in one corner of the cave amidst the pouring rain? At the very least, she might have suffered from a slight fever, and in the worst-case scenario, she might have been in danger of dying.


    Concerned, Yu-Seong placed his hand on Emma''s forehead and was surprised to find that her fever was even higher than his own. He quickly summoned the Green Wind Spirit Cat and placed it above Emma''s head.


    While glowing green, the Green Wind Spirit Cat vigorously tapped its two front paws on Emma''s forehead.


    ¡®I¡¯m glad I got the Green Wind Spirit Cat.¡¯


    The skill to summon this mystical cat not only had excellent healing effects on simple wounds and injuries, but it also had some usefulness in treating diseases and poisonings. It would probably be able to heal the fever that had afflicted the little girl.


    Perhaps reading Yu-Seong''s thoughts, Do-Jin looked at the Green Wind Spirit Cat with a glint in his eyes. He said, ¡°I thought it was a straightforward mission, but your abilities have been of great help.¡±


    Yu-Seong looked surprised. ¡°What?¡±


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    Do-Jin''s words came as a surprise to Yu-Seong, as they seemed out of character for someone with such strong pride.


    "That doesn''t mean I couldn''t have cleared it alone," Do-Jin added.


    With a smirk on his face, Do-Jin unleashed two magic spells by drawing two pentagrams. Then, surprisingly, a warm fire rose in the center of the chilly cave.


    And when the green aura of the spells from the pentagrams wrapped around the Green Wind Spirit Cat, its size doubled, and the movements of its paws became much faster. Along with that, Emma''s complexion, which had been somewhat pale, started to return to its original color.


    "Magic is really convenient," exclaimed Yu-Seong.


    Even when reading the original novel, the real scary thing was that Do-Jin''s true strength seemed to lie in magic rather than swordsmanship. While swordsmanship excelled only in the realm of killing, his magic showed endless possibilities.


    "It only seems that way because I''m the one using it. Actually, it boasts a considerable level of difficulty."


    Yu-Seong nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s true.¡±


    Of course, it was true. Even in the world of the original novel, the maximum number of attributes that one could learn to master in magic was limited to two. And that was only for those who were truly talented in magic.


    However, Do-Jin had the ability to unleash all magic without any restriction. Considering that the attributes of magic were numerous and complex, it was astonishing.


    ¡®Thanks to that, he''s practically an All-Rounder.¡¯


    There was a reason why the returnee main character had been called a fraud in the novel.


    While Yu-Seong was thinking that, Do-Jin raised his eyebrows and said, "You don¡¯t believe me."


    "I believe you," replied Yu-Seong.


    "You¡¯re lying."


    "Really."


    "Sure."


    Just as Yu-Seong was wondering if Do-Jin was really nodding his head in agreement, Do-Jin continued to speak. "You''ll know if you learn it yourself. From tomorrow, I''ll personally teach you magic."


    "Yeah¡­ What...?"


    Surprised, Yu-Seong looked at Do-Jin with round eyes.


    "If you learn it yourself, you''ll realize how complex and difficult magic really is. You¡¯d better be prepared for it," Do-Jin said with a snort.


    Looking at Do-Jin, Yu-Seong''s expression was inevitably complex.


    ¡®Am I supposed to like this idea of learning magic?¡¯


    Yu-Seong knew that he had to journey with Do-Jin for a while longer anyway. Although it would be an unquestionable advantage to learn magic while on the journey, he still had a vague feeling of unease.


    "It seems like the rain will continue for a while. You should take a break too. From tomorrow on, the journey will be far from easy," said Do-Jin with a grunt as he leaned against the warm wall of the cave with his arms crossed.


    After looking at Do-Jin with a complex expression, Yu-Seong nodded. He also took a rest.


    ¡®Oh well, somehow it''ll work out.¡¯


    Life, in fact, was inherently unpredictable.


    ***


    The next day, Do-Jin began to teach Yu-Seong magic as he had promised.


    "Magic is about using the flow of mana to harmonize with the flow of the world. Think of a magic circle as a message sent to the world, one that the world can understand. That''s why you need to understand the Runic alphabet that makes up the magic circle first. Haha..."


    Do-Jin chuckled insidiously as he wrote incomprehensible characters with twigs on the muddy ground, which had become somewhat sticky due to the rain. Underneath, the meaning of the characters was written in Korean.


    It was not difficult for Yu-Seong to memorize them.


    ¡®I''ve been thinking about it since I can remember the contents of the original novel but¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong¡¯s original body had a relatively good memory. The problem was that memorizing such Runic alphabets did not necessarily mean that one could use magic.


    "If you write the two characters here, for light and desire, and draw Pentagram with mana¡­ Light magic will be released like this. Such simple magic can be expressed with simple language like this, but the more powerful the magic, the more explanation is needed to explain to the world why that power is needed. More and more necessary Runic alphabets will appear," Kim Do-Jin said while making a small ball of light in one hand.


    "Hmm¡­ Like this?"


    Yu-Seong tried to draw Pentagram using Chakra instead of mana as Do-Jin had don. He also tried to carve Runic alphabets on the edges, but the result was clearly different.


    "Nothing is showing up."


    "You should not just memorize the Runic alphabets. Didn''t I say you have to understand them? Also, Pentagram is like a contract that allows you to use magic in the world. Are you trying to make a contract with another company so easily and comfortably?" said Do-Jin.


    It was not easy to even externalize the mana and shape it into the form of the Pentagram in the first place. However, Do-Jin was saying that it even required some effort and care while doing so.


    ''And I have to understand the Runic alphabets too?''


    It appeared that Yu-Seong needed to do more than just memorize the Runic alphabets, but he found Do-Jin¡¯s order to be vague and confusing.


    "It¡¯s difficult."


    As Yu-Seong candidly confessed, Do-Jin put on an air of superiority as he flashed a grin. Yu-Seong¡¯s Character Understanding skill revealed that Do-Jin was currently feeling quite pleased.


    "Didn''t I say? It only looks easy because I''m the one doing it. If it''s too hard, you can give up now."


    "I can''t do that. After all, you''re teaching me for free." Yu-Seong smirked and shrugged his shoulders.


    Although it was certainly difficult to understand magic right away, it was only Yu-Seong¡¯s first day. There was a saying that you couldn''t expect to learn everything from the first try, and there was no need to give up right away.


    ''Besides, magic isn''t a skill.''


    Perhaps magic could solve one of the fatal weaknesses of the Wind Thunder Dragon God Art Skill, which had the inability to learn skills other than those related to Thunder and Wind.


    ¡®In fact, I¡¯d still be happy even if I could only learn magic related to Thunder and Wind.¡¯


    With this thought in mind, Yu-Seong held Emma''s hand or held her in his arms as they continued to walk. During the walk, he put in effort to understand the Runic alphabets and draw the Pentagram with care.


    After another half day had passed, Yu-Seong finally succeeded in performing the Light Magic that Do-Jin had shown him before. Feeling delighted by his achievement, he exclaimed, "I did it. Look, Kim Do-Jin. I did it!"


    Do-Jin, who had been watching Yu-Seong with a sidelong glance, slightly nodded his head. He said, ¡°You''re getting too excited over something trivial. You''ve just taken your first step in magic.¡±


    Despite Do-Jin''s nonchalant tone, Yu-Seong was surprised by the man¡¯s emotions conveyed through his Character Understanding skill.

 CH 171

    Another day had passed.


    Emma, who had been holding onto Choi Yu-Seong''s hand as they walked, suddenly shouted, "Dad, over there! There!"


    Yu-Seong nodded before walking towards the village that could be seen in the distance. The end of the journey was near. It hadn¡¯t been very long, but it had certainly been eventful.


    ¡®For some reason, it¡¯s a bit disappointing for it to end.¡¯


    Emma was too lively to be considered an NPC made by the Tower. She was still a young girl, but she was bold and didn''t throw tantrums very often.


    ¡®It might be because I''ve been traveling with such a girl for a few days now¡­¡¯


    No matter how hard he tried not to, Yu-Seong couldn''t help feeling attached to Emma.


    "Soon, we''ll be able to see Mom! Aren''t you happy, Dad?"


    Emma even thought of Yu-Seong as her dad. It wasn''t just a simple misunderstanding or joke that could be dismissed, as the emotions conveyed through the Character Understanding skill couldn''t be mistaken.


    ¡®Affection¡­¡¯


    Through the Character Understanding skill, Yu-Seong could feel the emotions that Emma was conveying.


    Yu-Seong couldn''t help but gently stroke Emma¡¯s head with a soft smile. "Of course, I am."


    Anyway, this journey would come to an end as soon as they arrived in the village. Yu-Seong pushed aside his regrets and continued walking towards the village.


    It was rather unexpected that the young men standing at the entrance of the village could spot the trio from a long distance away. Their eyes widened in surprise. Then, without even looking back, they sprinted into the village as if running away.


    ¡®To be more precise¡­ Are they scared?¡¯


    As Yu-Seong, Emma, and Kim Do-Jin attempted to enter the village, there was another commotion. Villagers armed with farming tools and other weapons appeared from all the houses in the medieval countryside village. They were threatening the group, but their faces had the same scared expressions as the young men from before.


    ¡®What''s going on?¡¯


    Something was strange. The trio had clearly reached the village entrance, but their mission was not over yet, and the surrounding situation was pretty ominous.


    Yu-Seong looked around in confusion while Do-Jin became somewhat edgy in response to the tense atmosphere. Emma, who was holding Yu-Seong¡¯s hand, stood trembling behind him.


    ¡®Fear... Damn Character Understanding skill.¡¯


    Perhaps the emotions felt particularly heavy because it was that of a child. Naturally, Yu-Seong¡¯s expression shifted from shock to unexplainable anger.


    "Everyone, move aside."


    Four people, including the two young men who had fled before, appeared as they walked out from the crowd of villagers. Unlike the ordinary-looking young men, there were two people who stood out.


    ¡®An old man, and...one of them is wearing a robe. Is he a wizard?¡¯


    The first person to speak among them was an old man with long white hair and beard.


    ¡®Judging by the way he''s dressed, he''s probably the village chief.¡¯


    "I am the village chief of this village, Max. Nice to meet you, foreigner."


    As Yu-Seong thought, the old man was indeed the chief.


    "My name is Choi Yu-Seong."


    ¡°Choi Yu-Seong, you have a unique name,¡± Max, the village chief, commented on Yu-Seong''s name.


    Unlike people from Western cultures who often found it difficult to pronounce Korean names, Max easily recognized and pronounced Yu-Seong''s name.


    "The current situation feels quite hostile, unlike your welcoming."


    ¡°I hope you understand. While the village does not dislike strangers, the witch is a different story,¡± Max explained.


    ¡°Witch?¡± Do-Jin questioned the use of such an unexpected word.


    "Do you happen to know about witches, foreigner?" Max asked Do-Jin.


    "I don''t know much, but it seems like there are no witches among us," replied Do-Jin.


    "Why do you think that?" Max asked as his strange, pitying gaze shifted to Emma, who was holding tightly onto Yu-Seong''s hand.


    "Are you suggesting that this little girl is a witch, Chief?" asked Yu-Seong sharply.


    Max''s gaze shook slightly. His emotion conveyed through Yu-Seong¡¯s Character Understanding skill was ¡®confusion¡¯. However, the emotion soon changed to ''conviction.''


    "How long has it been since you met the child? Have there been any instances of fever in between?"


    "There was a fever, but it was within the range that young children could easily get."


    "That''s not just a simple fever. It''s the process of the demon¡¯s seed taking root,¡± answered the black-robed man who stood next to the village chief.


    "And who are you?"


    At Yu-Seong''s question, the villagers murmured loudly. Even the village chief, Max, who had been talking with them, couldn''t hide his astonishment.


    "I''m a wizard."


    "Respect the wizard, foreigner, or you could fall under a curse."


    Ignoring Max''s warning, Yu-Seong gazed at the wizard as if to see through him. He asked in a dignified manner, "Who asked about that? Can''t you tell me your name or where you''re from?"


    Sensing Yu-Seong¡¯s air of dignity, the wizard¡¯s gaze beneath the robe became animated. He asked, "Foreigner, are you a noble?¡±


    In fact, Yu-Seong was a chaebol. He tried not to show off, but whenever he made up his mind and took action, even his slightest gestures and expressions were imbued with an old-fashioned elegance. However, he was certainly showing it off now.


    "Noble? Not a completely wrong word."


    "Your phrasing is pretty ambiguous."


    "You haven''t answered my question yet."


    Max had hinted at rules in this world that forbade treating wizards carelessly, but for Yu-Seong, it was a story that didn''t even elicit a snort.


    ''There''s even a crazy genius who can freely use that great magic by my side.''


    What was the fuss about a wizard who wore his robe inside out and posed like that?


    ''Did that guy ever catch a Demon King?''


    Yu-Seong was not even afraid of any curses that the wizard might unleash. After all, Do-Jin would not just stand by and watch it all happen from beside him.


    "My name is Kalstein. I am a follower of the ruler of the Hexagram," said the wizard.


    Yu-Seong''s gaze flickered at those words.


    ''Ruler of the Hexagram? Is he talking about the Hexagram Master?''


    In earthly terms, it would have meant that the wizard belonged to the Demon King Worshipers faction. However, Kalstein was an NPC created in the Tower of Heaven, which meant that his affiliation had a different meaning than that of the Demon King Worshipers.


    Naturally, thoughts of the original novel flooded Yu-Seong''s mind as he tried to make sense of the situation.


    "Foreigners, we know why you are passing through this road through the revelation of god. Abandon the witch and enter the village. If you do, we will open the way for you," Village Chief Max said urgently as he stepped forward.


    At the same time, a new message appeared in front of Yu-Seong and Do-Jin:


    A mission selection crossroad has been encountered.


    1. Abandon the girl and enter the village as instructed by the Village Chief. Upon completing the mission, you will be able to proceed to the next floor safely.


    2. Help the girl gain the approval of the villagers and return to her hometown. If you fail, the game will reset and you will return to the 1st floor.


    They were facing an easy road and a difficult road. The obvious choice made Yu-Seong furrow his brow.


    "This is..."


    Of course, choosing option 1 would be the easiest since they were simply NPC characters after all. Regardless of the choice made, the game would reset when the next person entered, so it was best to choose the option that would progress to the next floor with rewards.


    However, Yu-Seong was not inclined to take the easy way out. It might be because, in a short amount of time, he had developed some feelings for the brave and cute girl, Emma.


    ¡®This Tower¡¯s damn test.¡¯


    It was time for Yu-Seong to make a decision that was completely different from the original novel, inviting an unexpected turn of events.


    "The old man is just spouting nonsense," Do-Jin criticized in a calm, cold tone as he stepped forward. "Where''s the proof that this little girl is a witch?"


    "That''s what the wizard..."


    "Hey wizard, geezer, how much do you really know about magic?"


    "Uh, well..." Max looked embarrassed.


    If he said he knew a lot about magic, he could be cursed by the wizard, Kalstein. But if he said he didn''t know anything, he would completely lose the argument to Do-Jin. Above all, he didn''t really know much about magic.


    "Magic is the path of the demons," said Do-Jin.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Kalstein wanted to speak up angrily.


    "Even if it''s not a kind that borrows the power of demons, since magic creates laws that can''t exist in this world, it can''t be said to be completely righteous."


    "Who do you think you are, thoughtlessly blabbering about magic like that?"


    "Blabbering about magic? Thoughtlessly?" Do-Jin grinned as two Pentagrams, one on each hand, appeared. One hand was engulfed in flames while the other was drenched in a stream of water.


    "Wizard!"


    ¡°Oh¡­my God!¡±


    The voices of the village people, who had been quietly murmuring amongst themselves, suddenly rose in a loud commotion. At the same time, the eyes of Village Chief Max and Kalstein widened in shock.


    "I can''t believe they''re making such a fuss over this kind of trivial magic. And you, aren¡¯t you the real witch here?" Do-Jin said with a sneer.


    "Do not insult the wizard." Kalstein emanated a cold aura that caused his robe to flutter.


    At that moment, a bright light flashed through Yu-Seong''s mind.


    ¡®Ah...! The Ruler of the Hexagram!¡¯


    Indeed, they were undoubtedly different from the Hexagram Masters. Rather, they were the true followers that were even higher in rank than the Hexagram Masters themselves. In other words, they followed the Demon King. And the term used to describe the wizards who followed the Demon King in this world was clear.


    "He¡¯s a dark wizard," Yu-Seong said.


    Then, a message appeared in front of him once again.


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    The first option at the crossroad has disappeared. You must help the girl gain the approval of the villagers and return to her hometown.


    If you fail, the game will reset and you will return to the 1st floor.


    Yu-Seong smiled contentedly, not even sparing a glance at the disappearing first option.


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin, I was worried that you might choose to go simply out of laziness.¡¯


    However, Do-Jin had chosen the same path that Yu-Seong had decided on internally. Also, there was no turning back now.


    "A dark wizard?" Max said in surprise as he turned to Kalstein.


    "I''ve been to places with many people like you before, so I can see right through you. This girl has the qualities of both a wizard and a spiritualist, and quite exceptional ones at that."


    "So...?"


    "Dark wizards corrupt those with pure magical and spiritual abilities, absorbing their energy to reach higher levels of magic. Do you think I didn¡¯t know that you were trying to wreck this child¡¯s emotions and leave an irreparable wound in her heart?¡± Do-Jin said.


    As a flow of mana began to emanate around him, Kalstein muttered, "Of all people¡­ To meet a wizard like you here. How unlucky."


    Kalstein seemingly confessed to his crime.


    The frightened village chief, Max, quickly distanced himself from Kalstein. Meanwhile, Kalstein began muttering to himself, paying no attention to Max. Perhaps he thought it would be easy to deal with an ordinary person like Max.


    "But what will you do about it? As you said, your magic is pure, and mine is demonic. If we unleash them together, your magic will undoubtedly be slower."


    "Who said we''re going to fight with magic?"


    "What?"


    With those words, a flashing silver light shot out from Do-Jin''s waist and sliced through the neck of Kalstein, the middle-aged wizard hiding under his robes.

 CH 172

    Before even the dark wizard finished the magic spell, Kim Do-Jin¡¯s sword had already sliced through his neck.


    Snorting, Do-Jin walked forward and coldly glared down at Kalstein¡¯s beheaded body. Then, he pulled out his sword from the ground and returned it to its sheath.


    Max, the village chief, heavily dropped down next to the corpse of Kalstein. He looked back and forth between the corpse and Do-Jin.


    The sight of the dark wizard and Do-Jin, who stood arrogantly in front of the villagers, caught the attention of Choi Yu-Seong, who had been observing from a distance. Yu-Seong nodded in admiration.


    ¡®He completely toyed with his opponent. I should learn from him.¡¯


    After planting the idea that he was a wizard to the opponent, Kalstein, Do-Jin had quickly ended the wizard''s life with a swift strike of his sword. Although uncommon, there were wizards who carried swords as a backup weapon. Kalstein must have thought that Do-Jin was one of them, so he had failed to suspect anything until his death.


    ¡®But he was the only monster - boss monster on the 3rd floor, so it would have taken some time to deal with at our current level¡­¡¯


    Thanks to Do-Jin, they were able to handle the situation easily.


    While holding Emma, who had instinctively covered her eyes when Do-Jin attacked the wizard, Yu-Seong comforted her, "Hang in there a little longer. It''ll be over soon."


    "...Okay." Emma, with her small, trembling hands, grabbed Yu-Seong''s clothes tightly and nodded with her eyes tightly closed.


    As he gently stroked the girl''s hair, Yu-Seong slowly approached Max and asked, "Where are the child''s parents... I mean, where¡¯s her mother?"


    Originally, Yu-Seong was planning to ask about both of Emma¡¯s parents. After all, if Emma was born in this village, her parents would be the people in the village. However, remembering Emma''s behavior of calling him ¡®father¡¯ since the first time she had seen him, Yu-Seong decided to inquire only about the whereabouts of her mother. There was a strangely cold feeling that he couldn¡¯t shake off.


    "Ah, the child''s mother...? I-If you''re talking about Camilla, she was punished and exiled for giving birth to a witch..."


    "Exiled?" asked Yu-Seong as he furrowed his brows.


    The village chief, sensing the urgency of the situation, quickly said, "S-She''s locked up. Nothing has happened yet."


    "...that''s a relief,¡± Yu-Seong said with a sigh.


    ¡®It''s probably better to not ask about her father.¡¯


    If Emma¡¯s father had been caught, he would have been imprisoned with Camilla. However, Max, the village chief, did not mention anything about Emma¡¯s father. Needless to say, it was highly possible that Emma didn''t have a father in the first place.


    "The child is not a witch. There''s no reason to suspect her anymore, right?" said Do-Jin.


    Max quickly nodded, "Oh, of course. We¡¯ve fallen for the lies of the evil dark wizard! Please have mercy."


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    "Mercy is a virtue that you all should ask from her from now on," Yu-Seong said with a wry smile on his face as he gently brushed Emma''s back.


    Meanwhile, magic flowed out of Do-Jin''s body and enveloped Emma.


    "This is a magic to calm her mind and put her to sleep. When she wakes up, she''ll feel a bit better," said Do-Jin.


    Looking at Do-Jin, Yu-Seong nodded. Then, he turned to Max and said, "Guide us to the child''s mother."


    "Yes, yes. Thank you for your mercy, foreigners!" Max hurriedly led the two into the village with a look of relief that he had not lost his life.


    From then on, everything happened quickly. Yu-Seong, with the sleeping girl in his arms, and Do-Jin moved along with Max. They were enveloped in a dazzling display of lights as they witnessed the tearful embrace of Emma and Camilla, the middle-aged woman with fiery red hair.


    ¡°Thank you, two foreigners!¡±


    The last thing Yu-Seong and Do-Jin saw was Camillia¡¯s fervent expression as she bowed with Emma in her arms. They didn¡¯t have the chance to respond as they were soon engulfed in a bright light. Instead of a mystical world full of vivid colors, the two returned to a square cube filled with drab ochre-colored bricks.


    "Uh..." Yu-Seong rubbed his eyes, still not quite adjusted to the sudden change.


    ¡®Right, that''s how it is.¡¯


    The unique experience they had just gone through was like a virtual reality created by the Tower. Therefore, they had to accept the sudden disappearance of everything.


    ¡®It¡¯s just like logging out in a game.¡¯


    Of course, it wasn''t easy to just accept this fact. If it were that simple, Yu-Seong and Do-Jin wouldn''t have faced such a difficult decision at the crossroads on the Tower¡¯s third floor. In fact, Do-Jin probably had similar thoughts as Yu-Seong.


    "But you don''t regret it, do you?" Yu-Seong asked proudly as he looked at Do-Jin.


    Just when Do-Jin was about to reply¡­


    Congratulations. You have rescued the girl, Emma, who received the blessing of the forest, from corruption.


    On this journey, you have also executed the evil dark wizard, Kalstein. You have achieved great results by choosing the more difficult path! Additional points are included in the reward list.


    The contribution rankings are as follows:


    Choi Yu-Seong. Kim Do-Jin.


    When the message appeared in front of them, a subtle expression of anger appeared on Do-Jin''s handsome face. He said, "The contribution ranking is strange. I request a re-evaluation.¡±


    Yu-Seong also felt suspicious and tilted his head in confusion, but he didn''t expect a response from the system message.


    ¡®Since it was also quiet in the original novel.¡¯


    However, as he was thinking that, the message disappeared.


    - Choi Yu-Seong''s contribution points history:


    Discovery of the forest girl: 3P


    Assisted the forest girl as a reliable ally: 15P


    Cured the forest girl of the deadly plague: 10P


    Successfully led the forest girl to her parents: 10P


    Total: 38P


    - Kim Do-Jin''s contribution points history:


    Cured the forest girl of the deadly plague together: 10P


    Defeated the boss monster Kalstein: 25P


    Total: 35P


    After that, a new message appeared.


    As his face contorted in anger, Do-Jin erupted in anger and cried out, "So, defeating the boss monster is only worth 25 points? But delivering the child safely to her mother is worth 10 points? This damn system...! I demand a reassessment. The point distribution is unjust, isn''t it?"


    Do-Jin appeared quite upset from losing to Yu-Seong. He was stomping his feet and shouting, but there was no response from the system message.


    When a message appeared about the reward settlement system, similar to their experience on the second floor of the Tower, Yu-Seong simply asked, "How about an equal distribution...?"


    "No need. Do you think I''ll receive such sympathy?" Do-Jin snorted and turned his head with an annoyed expression.


    "Truthfully, I don¡¯t want to distribute equally. I was just asking."


    Come to think of it, since it was a mission to escort Emma and protect her until the end, it was obvious that the score for that task would be higher.


    ¡®Well, it¡¯s true that it was divided into smaller details.¡¯


    In fact, Do-Jin had looked somewhat annoyed and had left Emma in Yu-Seong''s care, which made it inevitable that the scores would mostly be given to Yu-Seong. However, during the mission, neither of them had thought much about it.


    ¡®That''s why I thought that Kim Do-Jin, who defeated the boss monster, would receive more rewards than me just before the settlement.¡¯


    Do-Jin probably had the same thought. That was why, when the message about contribution rankings had appeared, he had naturally straightened his shoulders and looked so confident.


    ¡®Anyway, the important thing is that I can''t be sure when I''ll be able to beat Kim Do-Jin again.¡¯


    Now that luck was on his side, Yu-Seong thought it was better to take advantage of the differential distribution and get good rewards. He said, ¡°I''ll choose the differential distribution.¡±


    "You seem very pleased."


    "Huh?"


    ¡°You are even humming now.¡±


    ¡°Am I?¡±


    Yu-Seong chuckled and checked the reward message that had just appeared before his eyes.


    - First place reward: External skill activation, and an additional random skill. 1000 karma points.


    ¡°Wow..."


    There were a total of three rewards, and none of them were bad.


    ¡®No, the first one is amazingly good.¡¯


    The external skill activation as a player from Earth was only granted after clearing at least the 10th floor of the Tower. But what if Yu-Seong could already get rewards on the third floor?


    ¡®This is like rolling a snowball.¡¯


    It was common knowledge that if he continued to progress through the Tower with someone, it would be advantageous to have more external skills. In addition, Yu-Seong had received another additional random skill.


    ¡®As always, I have good luck in the lottery.¡¯


    Just as he had earned ten points with the Pursuit Skill, Yu-Seong could expect something similar on the next floor. And finally, he had also received karma points.


    ¡®As expected, I can earn karma points even within the Tower of Heaven.¡¯


    The points were a result of the karma created by Yu-Seong and Do-Jin¡¯s choices.


    ¡®It''s only the third floor though, so it¡¯s not a huge number yet.¡¯


    Although, in a way, it was a huge number that could be obtained from just the third floor. After all, karma points were not easy to earn even on Earth as they were only obtained through the sponsorship of the gods.


    "I earned a selected additional skill and karma point reward. How about you?" asked Do-Jin.


    "I got a random additional skill, karma points, and an external skill activation," replied Yu-Seong.


    "I shouldn¡¯t have come forward. I chose the difficult path for the additional rewards," said Do-Jin.


    "Was that really the only reason?" asked Yu-Seong teasingly.


    Do-Jin nodded and snorted. He said, ¡°Of course. By the way, you asked me if I regretted it earlier, right? Well, I''m regretting it a lot now.¡±


    "Don''t be so pessimistic. You might contribute more than me from the fourth floor onwards," Yu-Seong said.


    "Of course, I won''t lose to you," Do-Jin declared.


    Obviously, Yu-Seong''s thoughts had also changed a bit from before.


    ¡®I chose to open an external skill activation for my Third Eye Skill. And I''ll save the random additional skill for later¡­¡¯


    With this, Yu-Seong was certainly ahead of Do-Jin. Perhaps he could continue to beat Do-Jin, the protagonist of this novel.


    ''Somehow, I don''t want to lose to this guy when I''m with him.''


    The two men stood in front of the fourth floor¡¯s entrance, igniting their competitive spirits. Once again, they had to enter as a team of two at the same time. They didn''t know what mission awaited them, but they were both confident.


    "Don''t cry if you lose, Choi Yu-Seong," provoked Do-Jin.


    "I just want to say that I won''t be giving you any sympathy just because you lost once, Kim Do-Jin," Yu-Seong replied with a snort as they stepped through the door together.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Their snorts echoed as they entered the next level.


    ***


    The competition could be seen as absolutely ridiculous.


    ¡®After that, I didn¡¯t expect to lose on the 4th and 5th floors in a row.¡¯


    Despite having one more powerful external skill, Yu-Seong had been defeated by Do-Jin for two consecutive times. Even considering the fact that both floors had monster extermination missions that favored Do-Jin, Yu-Seong still felt that it was unfair.


    ¡®Darn it, I should have chosen the Dancing Electric Doll!¡¯


    Remembering that the contribution points were higher for the player who defeated more monsters, Yu-Seong entered the sixth floor with a sense of regret and a strong desire to win.


    The mission on the sixth floor was to find the hidden treasure in the basement. Yu-Seong achieved an overwhelming victory by using his Pursuit Skill and Third Eye Skill to successfully complete the mission.


    "Let¡¯s go!" Yu-Seong exclaimed with clenched fists as he confirmed the results of their contribution points during the announcement.


    "Now it''s just a tie," Do-Jin muttered with a sour expression.


    The two men immediately headed to the seventh floor after checking their rewards.


    ¡®Come to think of it, wasn''t the situation between Kim Do-Jin and the Godfather similar?¡¯


    In the original novel, the Godfather and Do-Jin had respected and admired each other, playing catalytic roles in each other''s growth as they climbed the tower together. Compared to them, Yu-Seong and Do-Jin''s quarrel was somewhat childish and unimpressive.


    ¡®Oh well, it doesn''t matter. As long as we get to the goal in the end.¡¯ Yu-Seong thought to himself.


    In fact, he was satisfied enough with achieving his first goal on this journey with Do-Jin.

 CH 173

    On the Tower of Heaven¡¯s sixth floor, the mission objective was to defeat the Great Goblin King, a giant green-skinned monster. The boy shouted confidently in front of the Great Goblin King, "I''m going to win again. Let''s go, Kong! Body slam¡­ No, that might infringe on copyright, so just slam!"


    Despite his appearance as a young boy, Yoo Jin-Hyuk, who was actually a teenager, commanded Kong, the powerful demonic beast that resembled a gorilla, to charge forward and take on the Great Goblin King''s attack head-on.


    Roar-!


    The Great Goblin King stumbled backward and instinctively swung its fist, hitting Kong''s chin and causing it to stagger. Seizing the opportunity, the Great Goblin King quickly grabbed the longsword that it had placed by its side and attempted to slit Kong''s throat in a single stroke.


    If it weren''t for the two water orbs that came flying through the air, striking the Great Goblin King at that moment, the situation could have become very dangerous.


    "You idiot! I told you to do a joint attack. Why did you rush in alone and cause danger?" scolded Chae Ye-Ryeong, who had thrown the water droplets.


    "Hmph, stupid. A real man doesn''t rely on cheap tactics like that!" argued Jin-Hyuk.


    "Are you always this macho¡­ Wait, did you just call me stupid? You want this noona to hit you?"


    "Go ahead, hit me if you can."


    In that moment, Ye-Ryeong¡¯s fist flew toward Jin-Hyuk''s stomach without hesitation.


    "Ugh...!"


    "Did you actually think I wouldn''t hit you? Call me stupid again, you little brat. Try it one more time," challenged Ye-Ryeong.


    "You¡­ You cheater! How could you actually hit me?"


    As the two bickered loudly, the Great Goblin King, which had flown far away after being hit by the water droplets, let out a scream and rushed back towards Kong to resume their fierce battle.


    Kong''s skin and muscles were thick and tough, but it was fighting bare-handed. Meanwhile, the giant Great Goblin King had a longsword and a shield that it had probably picked up somewhere. Naturally, Kong was being pushed back in the fight.


    "Oops... Ah-ah... Kong!" Jin-Hyuk panicked and quickly opened his grimoire. He then shouted a skill, "Kong, Berserk!"


    Engulfed in black energy, Kong''s eyes turned red, and his attacks became even more ferocious. It blocked the sharp longsword with one shoulder and charged toward the Great Goblin King, ignoring his wounds. He instantly pushed down his enemy..


    The Great Goblin King tried to push Kong away with force, as it didn''t want to be defeated easily, but it couldn''t withstand two more huge water orbs that came flying toward it.


    Thud-!


    In the end, the Great Goblin King couldn''t endure it anymore and fell down defeated. Kong climbed on top of it with red eyes and raised his fists.


    ¡ªKe... Kieeehk-?!


    The Great Goblin King screamed in horror, but it was too late. The berserk Kong started pounding its face while it lay helpless on the ground. Even its helmet was of no help.


    Although the Great Goblin King thrashed about, scratching and bruising Kong all over, Kong continued to wildly swing his fists as if he couldn¡¯t feel the pain.


    In the end, the Great Goblin King could no longer endure and succumbed to the onslaught.


    1. Defeat the boss monster! Completed. Returning to the rest area.


    After confirming the mission¡¯s success message, Jin-Hyuk and Ye-Ryeong were forcibly returned to the cubic room that led to the seventh floor.


    Jin-Hyuk ran to Kong, whose red eyes had returned to their original state, and began petting his fur while he opened the book of Faust. He said gently, "You did well, Kong. It must have been really painful, right?"


    Then, the black energy flowing out of Jin-Hyuk slowly covered Kong to heal his injuries. Seeing Kong¡¯s fairly quick recovery speed, Ye-Ryeong expressed disappointment. "Why can''t you use that healing skill on people? It looks so nice."


    "I don''t know. But at least I can use it on demonic beasts," Jin-Hyuk roughly answered while focusing on the healing.


    As Ye-Ryeong sat down against the wall of the cube and let out a small laugh.


    "¡¯Kong''s injuries will take some time to heal due to his large size.¡¯


    Even so, Ye-Ryeong was impressed with Jin-Hyuk, who had been using his mana nonstop for a long time.


    ¡®How much mana does that guy have?¡¯


    Despite being a genius herself, Ye-Ryeong couldn''t help but feel that Jin-Hyuk was on another level. In fact, after the Tower of Heaven¡¯s third floor, Jin-Hyuk had consistently ranked higher in contribution on all missions. However, Ye-Ryeong did not let this discourage her.


    Announcement of contribution ranking:


    1. Yoo Jin-Hyuk


    2. Chae Ye-Ryeong


    Even when the mission contribution rankings were announced and Jin-Hyuk was in first place, Ye-Ryeong remained unfazed.


    ¡®Boss said I could do well too.¡¯


    It was still early. Yu-Seong had often told Ye-Ryeong that her potential was just as great as Jin-Hyuk''s, and Ye-Ryeong never doubted his words.


    ¡®You¡¯ll see, kiddo.¡¯


    Ye-Ryeong believed that someday she would surpass Jin-Hyuk and showcase the true dignity of a noona.


    ***


    Before they knew it, they had reached the Tower of Heaven¡¯s ninth floor. After clearing this floor, they would reach the tenth floor, the first checkpoint where they could return to Earth.


    ¡®We''ve climbed much faster than I thought.¡¯


    They were progressing a lot quicker than Yu-Seong had expected due to the somewhat intense competitiveness. Under normal circumstances, even passing through the fifth floor in this amount of time would have been difficult.


    ¡®I assume that Jin-Hyuk''s team might have reached the 6th floor by now.¡¯


    Actually, reaching the ninth floor while Jin-Hyuk cleared the sixth floor was an impressive achievement, especially considering that Jin-Hyuk had Kong, the almighty demonic beast, with him. With that thought, Yu-Seong remembered another fact and felt a sense of disappointment.


    Perhaps thinking the same thing, Kim Do-Jin furrowed his brow as he said, "Eventually, we''ve come this far in a tie."


    Thanks to each of them winning one victory on the seventh and eighth floors, their match was now tied 3:3. They were back at square one.


    Meanwhile, Do-Jin was unaware that the tenth floor was the checkpoint where they could return to Earth, but Yu-Seong knew this fact.


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    ¡®In other words, the ninth floor is the final crossroads for our match.¡¯


    So, Yu-Seong did not want to lose anymore.


    ¡®The problem is, what is the mission on the ninth floor?¡¯


    Due to their skill set and experience in combat, Do-Jin would have the advantage if the mission was related to combat. On the other hand, Yu-Seong was superior in tracking, exploration, and special missions. So far, the outcome of their matches had depended on the nature of the mission. However, that didn''t mean they lacked the desire to win even in disadvantageous positions.


    In fact, Yu-Seong was not lacking in combat ability. Similarly, Do-Jin was skilled in magic, and could not be considered weak in special missions. Even though both of them had a slight advantage over the other in different missions, he thought he could win sufficiently even in the opposite situation.


    ''We are both level 23, so either side could win.''


    These were the thoughts in Yu-Seong¡¯s mind as he arrived at the ninth floor of the Tower of Heaven. As he looked at the scenery that lay before him, his eyes widened. He exclaimed, "What is this¡­!"


    It was a vast plain, with two armies facing each other. One side held a blue flag while the other held a red flag. It was not difficult to recognize where they were right now.


    "It''s a battlefield," Do-Jin said in a subdued voice as he found the word ¡®battle¡¯ very familiar.


    ¡®That blurry thing over there... Is it a castle?¡¯


    Even when he focused his vision far beyond the two opposing sides, Yu-Seong could not easily discern the hazy gray wall.


    ¡®It seems like the mission is a siege.¡¯


    A siege required not only fighting skills, but also strategic and tactical expertise. In fact, they were on a battlefield where they could fully compare each other''s capabilities.


    "But which side should we join?"


    As Yu-Seong wondered, one knight on horseback from each army came running out at a fast pace. They didn''t seem to have any hostile intentions towards each other. The two knights raised their reins and positioned themselves so that Yu-Seong and Do-Jin were between them.


    The knights shouted out loud, ¡°Foreigners! Welcome to the battlefield.¡±


    The NPCs in the Tower of Heaven were programmed to recognize individuals from Earth, like Yu-Seong and Do-Jin, as "foreigners". The term was, in fact, being used correctly.


    ¡®After all, from their perspective, we are from a completely different world.¡¯


    However, the reason for the knights from opposing sides to run forward together remained unclear. Nonetheless, the answer to that question was easily dismissed when the knights announced their purpose.


    "The merciful Count Chris offers you the authority to fight together against the evil Count Monte''s crowd. Will you walk the path of justice and faith with us?" the first knight declared.


    "The strong and brave Count Monte desires to fight against the hypocritical and wicked Count Chris'' army. Will you join us to walk the path of courage and glory together?" the second knight proclaimed.


    At the same time, a message appeared in front of the two.


    Mission Objective Setting:


    1. Choose your side.


    2. You will win the match by either killing the enemy lord or receiving their surrender. You have the opportunity to choose your side.


    ¡®So, this is what it''s all about.¡¯


    One glance was all it took to perceive the contrasting aura emanating from the two knights. The knight leading the blue banner for Count Chris exuded a noble demeanor commonly associated with medieval nobility, while the knight on Count Monte''s side appeared more feral.


    ¡®Also, the knights under the red banner, Count Monte¡¯s men¡­ Their physique is much bigger.¡¯


    Although, there was probably no significant difference in military strength between the two sides.


    ¡®They should be kind of balanced, since this is a mission.¡¯


    Therefore, the chosen side was expected to have some advantage. Similar to the menacing dark wizard Kalstein, the two knights, despite their intimidating appearance, most likely had their skills adjusted according to the floor of the tower they were on.


    ¡®I have a feeling that the battle for contribution points in this mission will be just as intense.¡¯


    "Where should we go? It doesn''t matter to me which side we choose," Yu-Seong asked Do-Jin.


    "Same here. Hmm..." Do-Jin groaned before turning to Yu-Seong. "I''ll give you the opportunity to decide."


    "Well, it''s not that big of a deal. Okay then..." After glancing back and forth between the two sides, Yu-Seong said nonchalantly, "I''ll choose Count Monte''s side.¡±


    As it was previously mentioned, both sides had clearly different vibes. In fact, they resembled the Appliance and Cord factions from a popular RPG game that Yu-Seong used to play. As for Yu-Seong, he had a history of choosing the Cord, even though they were not human. Thus, it was only natural for Yu-Seong to choose Count Monte¡¯s faction, which felt similar to the Cord.


    "Excellent choice, magnificent warrior!" said the knight of Count Monte, with a red flag. He showed a broad smile at Yu-Seong''s choice and pounded his thick armor with pride.


    ¡®As expected, they look just like the orcs of the Cord.¡¯


    Yu-Seong chuckled inwardly as he walked toward Count Monte''s knight, but he suddenly turned back to see that Do-Jin was standing still.


    "Why are you there? Oh, hey, wait a minute¡­"


    Yu-Seong realized something and looked at Do-Jin with wide eyes.


    "System, can the two of us choose different sides?" asked Do-Jin.


    "Are you crazy? What¡¯s up with you all of a sudden?!"


    Before Yu-Seong could finish his sentence, the system gave them a message.


    - The faction choice is up to the individual''s freedom.


    Yu-Seong quickly shook his head after reading the message. He said, "Hey, we don''t even know what the penalty for mission failure is. Do we have any reason to fight each other at this point?"


    In fact, Yu-Seong could clearly think of a reason why they would fight each other.


    ¡®It''s clear that we each have our own advantages, so it would be better for us to split and fight separately rather than ambiguously fighting on one side to determine the outcome of the match.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was aware of that fact, but the risk was too great.


    "Hey, think carefully, Kim Do-Jin. You know we should consider the penalty for failing the mission, right?" said Yu-Seong anxiously.


    Do-Jin nodded in response, looking at Yu-Seong with a strange smile on his face.

 CH 174

    "I choose to join the camp of Count Chris," said Do-Jin.


    "God''s grace will be with you, a person of good faith," replied the smiling knight who held a blue flag.


    "You crazy..."


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you on the battlefield," said Do-Jin.


    Do-Jin didn''t even bother listening to Yu-Seong''s entire reply before following Count Chris'' knights.


    Yu-Seong found himself alone, watching as the knights of Count Monte moved on.


    "Your friend has chosen a different path. I suppose he made such a foolish decision since he knows nothing about how dishonorable those hypocrites are," said the knight of Count Monte, shaking his head from side to side. He soon continued, "We should hurry too. The Count is waiting for us.¡±


    After brief contemplation, Yu-Seong replied with a nod, "...Okay.¡±


    In fact, he could not go back on his decision. Even if he could, he had no intention of doing so.


    ¡®That''s how you''re coming out, huh?¡¯


    Yu-Seong recalled the protagonist of the original novel, Kim Do-Jin, the returnee from another world. Do-Jin was the last person Yu-Seong wanted to fight, but if it came down to it, Yu-Seong had his own way of doing things.


    As Do-Jin''s figure grew more distant, Yu-Seong turned to follow Count Monte¡¯s knights.


    ***


    Count Monte was not an ordinary person; he boasted a massive physique that could be mistaken for that of a giant.


    ¡®How can he look so tall even when sitting¡­? He appears to be over two meters at least?¡¯


    Yu-Seong observed that the Count had broad shoulders, which were more than twice the size of an average adult man''s, and thick thighs that were even thicker than Yu-Seong''s waist.


    Sitting in a chair with his long and wild black hair, as well as black eyes full of savagery, Count Monte was an undoubtedly powerful figure, someone who would be called a warrior at first sight. He also had an overwhelming aura that dominated the surrounding area. It was to the point that the other knights standing around Count Monte were almost invisible as he overshadowed them all.


    Shortly after entering the barracks, the knight who was in charge of guiding Yu-Seong frowned. He said, "Show some respect, foreigner.¡±


    Yu-Seong pondered how to respond to the knight¡¯s words.


    "No worries. These foreigners have their own laws. There''s no need to hurt each other''s feelings over trivial matters," said Count Monte as he looked at Yu-Seong while mediating the knights.


    Indeed, his cheerful personality matched his appearance, and his piercing eyes shone even as he squinted them. He also gave off an odd sense of intimidation.


    ¡®It would be impossible to assassinate him.¡¯


    Currently, both Do-Jin and Yu-Seong were level 23 in the Tower of Heaven. However, Count Monte looked like he had surpassed at least level 50. Yu-Seong had thought about assassination as a way to win the war, but he decided to abandon the idea when he saw Count Monte.


    ¡®Count Monte wouldn''t be the only one who''s this strong according to the setting.¡¯


    Even if Count Chris had a different personality from Count Monte, their level of strength wouldn''t be much different. Surely, it was nearly impossible for Yu-Seong to defeat Count Monte and even the surrounding knights with his current power. This would also be impossible even for Do-Jin.


    With this realization, Yu-Seong lowered his head and said lightly, "Nice to meet you, Count Monte. I''m Choi Yu-Seong."


    "Foreigner Choi Yu-Seong, you don''t seem like an excellent warrior at first glance," said Count Monte, pronouncing Yu-Seong''s name with as much ease as the people Yu-Seong had met on the third floor.


    Count Monte¡¯s personality wasn''t just cheerful but also straightforward.


    "You don''t seem to have any weapons, and can you even fight properly with those skinny arms?"


    Although his words were blunt, Count Monte did not appear to be trying to insult Yu-Seong. He was stroking his rough beard with the hand that was laid on the armrest, and his gaze was filled with pure curiosity.


    Fortunately, Yu-Seong knew how to act in this situation.


    "I can just simply prove my skills. How about showing you here and now?" Yu-Seong said calmly.


    He was not intimidated by Count Monte¡¯s forceful demeanor. In fact, he had met even more formidable opponents than Count Monte before.


    "Well, good. I was curious about the skills of the foreigner chosen by the gods," Count Monte shouted loudly as he looked up. "Let¡¯s see, who will step forward to honor this foreigner on this stage?"


    As if they had been waiting for that shout, the knights raised their voices without hesitation.


    "If you give me a chance, I, Kyron, will..."


    ¡°I, Oor, will personally honor the stranger¡­¡±


    "Your Excellency, if you allow it, I, Zerus, will honor you!¡±


    The chaotic atmosphere continued until Count Monte, satisfied with the responses, burst into a loud laugh. "Hahaha! There are so many knights who value honor, so how could I fear Count Chris¡¯ hypocritical group? However, there are too many eager ones. If I personally call someone, someone may be disappointed..."


    Turning to look at Yu-Seong again, Count Monte asked, "Foreigner, will you choose your opponent?"


    The objective of the mission has changed.


    Success the mission by proving your qualifications to the chosen Count.


    If you fail, you will return to the 5th floor of the Tower.


    And with that, a new mission message was delivered.


    "Understood." Yu-Seong nodded lightly as he looked around at his surroundings.


    There was no need to distinguish who had stepped forward and who hadn''t. In fact, all the knights present were burning with a desire to win, looking at Yu-Seong with a competitive glint in their eyes.


    ¡®If I choose someone who seems easy to defeat, winning will be easier, but¡­¡¯


    Would that be really necessary? As he slowly turned his head, Yu-Seong met the gaze of a red-haired knight who was close to Count Monte.


    "I choose you," said Yu-Seong.


    Upon hearing those words, the surrounding knights immediately began to stir.


    "He chose Kyron¡­¡±


    ¡°He does have an eye for people¡­¡±


    "Kyron is one of my top three knights. Foreigner, are you sure about your choice?" Count Monte asked as he laughed heartily.


    If he backed down now, Yu-Seong would likely receive a mission failure message right away.


    "Of course," Yu-Seong replied confidently.


    "Then, let¡¯s go out. This place is unsuitable for an honorable battle," Count Monte replied.


    Yu-Seong smiled inwardly as he nodded with a calm look on his face.


    ***


    Outside the barracks, Count Monte''s knights and Yu-Seong created a large open space by splitting up the soldiers and mercenaries who had gathered around. It wasn''t particularly difficult to do so. Upon hearing that the knights were going to have a duel, the soldiers and mercenaries had quickly moved to create a space for them to fight.


    Yu-Seong stood in the large, circular area and looked at the expressions of the people around him.


    ¡®They all seem quite interested.¡¯


    Not only Count Monte and his knights but also the mercenaries and soldiers, who would normally avoid eye contact with the knights, were showing interest and excitement in their expressions and eyes. Also, no one had imposed sanctions regarding the current situation.


    "Are you sure it''s okay not to wear armor?" asked Kyron, a knight wearing battle armor and an iron helmet, as he faced Yu-Seong.


    "I don''t have armor, but I have something similar," replied Yu-Seong with a nod.


    When Yu-Seong used the Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice, the familiar battle suit covered his whole body. Looking at him in surprise, Count Monte exclaimed, "You have an artifact!"


    The knights also expressed their admiration briefly. Artifacts were very valuable items in the Tower of Heaven.


    ¡®Although, with the arrival of players from Earth, artifacts are likely to become more common¡­¡¯


    Above all, ancient relics were also a type of artifact. Needless to say, Count Monte''s words held some truth.


    "If using artifacts is dishonorable, I won''t use it," said Yu-Seong.


    "No need to do so. Having an artifact is also a part of a knight''s ability," replied Kyron, who was standing in front of Yu-Seong.


    Kyron then quickly drew his sword from his waist and held it up. A strange bluish-green light flashed on the edge of his shining silver sword before disappearing.


    "Is that...?"


    "Yes, it is also an artifact. It doesn''t have amazing abilities like yours, but it''s designed to receive mana better than a regular sword."


    "I see," said Yu-Seong with a nod.


    After exchanging a few more words with Kyron, Yu-Seong asked for a spear. After all, he couldn¡¯t fight barehanded.


    "I, knight Kyron, vow to fight with honor and without shame in a fair duel."


    "I, Choi Yu-Seong, will also fight honorably."


    With their preparations complete, Yu-Seong and Kyron exchanged formal greetings and faced each other with their respective weapons. As a foreigner, Yu-Seong worried he might be ignored, but Kyron remained courteous throughout the encounter, earning Yu-Seong''s respect in return.


    And so, the duel began. Kyron made the first move. It appeared that he had decided to dig close into Yu-Seong, who was using a spear as his weapon.


    His movements, like that of a lithe leopard, were so swift that Yu-Seong missed a beat while concentrating on him for a moment. It was hard to believe, considering that Kyron had a rather large physique as a knight of Count Monte.


    ¡®Being a skilled knight was not just an empty boast. His judgment is good.¡¯


    However, Yu-Seong had a skill. Using his Third Eye, he read Kyron''s movements and easily deflected Kyron''s sword with his spear.


    ¡®He also has good strength!¡¯


    Even though his level of Physical Strength Reinforcement was quite high, Yu-Seong''s arm still trembled.


    Kyron, who had clashed weapons with Yu-Seong, also looked surprised at his opponent''s strength.


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    ¡®His skills are also worthy of a knight, but¡­¡¯


    In Yu-Seong''s mind, the spear skill of Ireland''s prince, Cu Chulainn, still remained. Cu Chulainn''s spear skill was not just a good technique, but also an extraordinary one that could be called a Magic Spear even without the power of magic.


    ¡®If I were to compare it to martial arts, it would be Divine Arts!¡¯


    Yu-Seong was confident. He knew that his Cu Chulainn''s spear skill, which he trained relentlessly every single day, were superior to Kyron''s swordsmanship.


    He read the trajectory of Kyron''s sword with his Third Eye and quickly evaded all his attacks. Then, he began his counterattack, widening the gap between him and the bewildered Kyron.


    ¡®Raging Snake!¡¯


    Yu-Seong relentlessly attacked without giving Kyron any breathing space. He left Kyron gasping for breath. And not missing his chance, he executed Cu Chulainn''s second skill of the Secret Spear Skills.


    "Double-Headed Serpent!"


    Kyron, bewildered by the sight of the spear tip extending outwards as if splitting into two, instinctively blocked the attack on the left.


    Clang-!


    The heavy sound of impact echoed as Kyron''s balance was disrupted. His eyes widened in shock. He thought that one of the spear tips was an illusion, but actually the spear that had flown in from the right was also real.


    ¡®I''ve lost!¡¯


    Kyron felt his defeat, but he didn''t give up. He quickly raised his sword to defend himself. However, he couldn''t withstand another strong impact, and loosened his hand that was holding the sword.


    "Ugh-!"


    With a groan, Kyron dropped his sword. He almost fell to his knees, but Yu-Seong quickly caught the spear and stopped him.


    The sudden turn of events caused a brief silence between the onlookers.


    "If you kneel before someone who is not your lord, it''s not honorable, is it?" Yu-Seong remarked.


    Kyron¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, while Count Monte burst into laughter.

 CH 175

    "Hahaha! I thought my eye for people was impeccable, but I suppose I was wrong. My eyes are no different than a rotten pollock''s eye!"


    Yu-Seong wasn''t quite sure if Count Monte was joking or not, but the knights, soldiers, and mercenaries around them burst into uproarious laughter.


    "Thank you, sir. You saved me from falling down in shame,¡± said Kyron.


    Kyron gave Yu-Seong a light greeting while firmly standing on the ground with his own feet. It was only natural, since he was not broken or injured anywhere. He had only almost lost his balance due to a strong shock.


    Afterwards, Count Monte approached Yu-Seong with quick steps. With a gleam in his eyes he asked, "Foreigner, where did you come from?"


    "Pardon?"


    "I mean the country or tribe. Or are you a nomad?"


    "Oh, no. I came from a country called the Republic of Korea."


    "The Republic of Korea! I may not know much about your people, but if someone like you was born there, I can say that it is a land of courageous and honorable warriors who know combat and honor. I¡¯ll never forget that. I¡¯ll always remember that!"


    Upon hearing Count Monte''s words, Yu-Seong made a contemplating look for a moment.


    ¡®Truely, the Republic of Korea is probably worthy of being called a country of warriors¡ªkeyboard warriors.¡¯


    Yu-Seong then recalled the battles of warriors commonly seen in the online world.


    "Thank you for your kind words, Count Monte. However, not all citizens of our country possess the same sense of honor. Nonetheless, if you show kindness to our people, the majority of them will never forget and will be grateful for your generosity," Yu-Seong replied.


    "It''s only natural to show generosity and respect to the country that produces such decent warriors like yourself. By the way, do you have any interest in receiving an official knight title?"


    Along with Count Monte¡¯s unexpected words, a message suddenly popped up.


    Count Fernando Monte wishes to grant you an official knight title.


    Receiving a knight title would elevate your status and reputation throughout the Continent of Pandemonium.


    Yu-Seong''s eyes widened as he asked, "You mean the title of¡­a knight?"


    "If it''s too burdensome, you can refuse. After all, to receive a knight title, you must also have some achievements. Think about it leisurely until this battle is over," replied Count Monte. Then, he lightly tapped Yu-Seong''s shoulder and raised Yu-Seong¡¯s right arm and shouted, "The duel is over! The winner is Choi Yu-Seong of the Republic of Korea!"


    "Choi Yu-Seong! Choi Yu-Seong!"


    "Choi Yu-Seong of the Republic of Korea!"


    "Spear Ghost Choi Yu-Seong!"


    "The Spear Ghost has won!"


    The cheers of the soldiers and knights echoed in all directions.


    "From now on, Spear Ghost Choi Yu-Seong will be at the forefront of the battlefield, crushing that hypocritical Chris. Aren''t you all excited to see that, brave warriors?!"


    "Yeaaahh-!"


    "Let''s defeat Count Chris-!"


    Count Monte''s words had fired up the soldiers, whose faces were red with excitement.


    ¡®This yangban[1] is quite different from his appearance. Should I play along?¡¯


    Yu-Seong smiled inwardly as he watched Count Monte effortlessly boost the soldiers¡¯ morale. Then, he clenched his fist and looked around.


    "Yeaaahh-!"


    The sound of cheers grew louder and louder.


    ***


    After the short cheer ended, Count Monte walked ahead and asked Yu-Seong to follow him. As they headed towards a place with fewer people around, he said, "You''re quick-witted and more skilled than I thought.¡±


    Yu-Seong briefly wondered if the leader of the army could walk alone like this, but seeing the man¡¯s sturdy back, he quickly shook that thought away.


    ''It feels like this yangban can handle anything on his own...''


    Count Monte continued to walk through the military camp before turning toward Yu-Seong all of a sudden. He asked, "Are you going to keep following behind me?"


    ¡°Oh, I thought you were guiding me¡­ Shall I walk by your side?¡± Yu-Seong shrugged and took light steps to stand by Count Monte''s side.


    The corner of Count Monte''s mouth lifted slightly as he looked at Yu-Seong''s natural stance. He commented, "Your demeanor is so natural. Do you know what it means to stand by an unfamiliar nobleman?"


    "I''m not entirely sure, but I assume that if we''re not equals, then you wouldn''t have me standing here."


    Yu-Seong''s response caused Count Monte''s eyes to sparkle. The Count said with a laugh, "Hahaha! My, this foreigner who has come here is truly remarkable. You are right. But standing by someone who doesn''t share the same noble rank can also mean becoming friends."


    Count Monte, who still had a smile on his face, looked at Yu-Seong with a strange glint in his eyes. He asked, "Do you think your friend who went to Count Chris is of a similar level to you?"


    Yu-Seong, who had momentarily forgotten about Do-Jin due to the excitement of the situation and the duel, remembered his companion and revealed a bitter smile. He said honestly, "In my personal opinion, I believe he''s even more frightening than I am."


    "That''s a shame. If two foreigners like yourselves had come to our side, we wouldn''t be afraid of an all-out battle," Count Monte replied unexpectedly.


    Yu-Seong widened his eyes and asked, "You get afraid too?"


    "Why, do I appear as someone who has nothing to fear?" Count Monte inquired.


    "To be honest, you do give off that impression," Yu-Seong admitted.


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    Count Monte burst into laughter once again. "So, it''s a compliment that I seem brave. But I also have many fears. For example, a dishonorable death, a loss of courage, a useless sacrifice, and so on."


    Yu-Seong immediately grasped Count Monte''s intention. He commented, "Count wishes to minimize the damage in this battle."


    "Of course."


    "What is the actual difference in military power between you and Count Chris?"


    ¡°It is difficult to distinguish between superiority and inferiority.¡±


    Yu-Seong''s eyes sparkled at Count Monte''s clear response. Indeed, if the mission was given by the Tower of Heaven, it would have no choice but to treat both parties equally.


    "Then, even if my friend and I came here together, we would have to bear some losses in the battle."


    "You never know. I believe one excellent knight can do the job of a hundred soldiers," Count Monte said.


    As he continued his conversation with Count Monte, Yu-Seong could sense a feeling of ¡°expectation and curiosity" from the Count through his Character Understanding.


    ¡®Hmm, expectation and curiosity... This skill is more useful than I thought.¡¯


    Why would Count Monte wanted to talk to Yu-Seong alone, apart from other knights? It wasn''t just about his confidence or consideration for Yu-Seong.


    "I understand, Count. Now, let''s get to the point," Yu-Seong said.


    Just then, Count Monte stopped walking and looked at Yu-Seong.


    The Character Understanding skill conveyed that the Count¡¯s emotion had shifted to excitement.


    "My apologies. I''ve been underestimating you all this time. I don''t like beating around the bush," said Count Monte.


    "Despite that, it seems like you''ve been avoiding the main topic for a reason," Yu-Seong replied.


    Count Monte smiled and nodded in agreement. "I''m telling you this story because you mentioned that you and your friend are separated. But wouldn''t it be better if you could find a way to resolve the situation without fighting?"


    This time, Yu-Seong''s eyes widened at the unexpected words.


    ¡®Does that mean I can pass the ninth floor without fighting Kim Do-Jin?¡¯


    Instinctively feeling that this was a chance, Yu-Seong wanted more information from Count Monte.


    "Of course, it would be different if you want to fight bravely."


    "I''m more interested in hearing your story, Count," said Yu-Seong.


    "Hehe, you''re quite candid with me. To be frank, there''s a mine about 10 kilometers east of here, and it''s the reason why Chris and I are in conflict."


    "Is it a property dispute?"


    In fact, it was a common story. Yu-Seong nodded easily.


    "That''s the superficial reason."


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    "The precious treasure that both Chris and I seek is located in the deepest part of the mine."


    "So, I just need to find the treasure inside the mine?"


    This was a task that Yu-Seong was confident in.


    "That''s basically it, but there are still monsters inside the mine. We''ve sent five knights in secret, but none of them have returned."


    "I see..."


    "By the way, we didn''t send them one by one. We sent all five knights together. Among them were knights no less formidable than Kyron, who just fought you."


    ¡°Looks like it''s quite dangerous. Maybe even more than a war,¡± Yu-Seong said honestly.


    Count Monte nodded. ¡°What do you say? If you bring me the treasure from the mine, I''ll open the way for the foreigners. It''s a one-time opportunity, but it¡¯ll be done by the power that¡¯s like a blessing from God.¡±


    "There are a few things that need to be made clear before I accept the mission."


    "Tell me."


    "Am I going alone?"


    ¡°I''ll send a special operations team with you, which will include two knights.¡±


    In fact, Count Monte had already sent five knights who had seemingly failed the mission. But right now, he intended to send even fewer knights.


    Easily guessing the reason for that, Yu-Seong commented, "The treasure in the mine needs to be kept secret."


    "Right."


    Count Monte did not deny it. Otherwise, there would be no need for the two of them to go to this secret place alone. Why did Count Monte bring up this secret mission? It was simple.


    ¡®Because I''m a foreigner, someone who is only passing by anyway.¡¯


    For Count Monte, there would be no better person to keep the secret than Yu-Seong.


    "The second thing is, you need to tell me what kind of treasure it is."


    "Hmm..." Count Monte, who had been answering quickly and clearly so far, hesitated at this point.


    "If I don''t know, I can''t take on this mission. If I attempt to steal it without any knowledge, I will not be able to complete the mission successfully. Moreover, if the treasure turns out to be larger than anticipated, the mission may not be possible to accomplish in the first place...."


    Although, if it was that kind of treasure, Count Monte would not even have given the mission in the first place.


    "Or do I have to kill all the knights and members of the special operations team after stealing the treasure?"


    A cold chill passed through Yu-Seong''s eyes. If Count Monte nodded, Yu-Seong knew his feelings would also change.


    "That''s ridiculous! How could I betray those who follow me with honor?"


    Fortunately, Count Monte avoided the worst-case scenario that Yu-Seong was thinking of.


    "I simply want to prevent unnecessary greed from causing harm."


    Count Monte shook his head vigorously and looked into Yu-Seong''s black eyes. Did his calm gaze instill trust in him, even in such an unstable situation? Or perhaps he believed it was an inevitable decision.


    "Whew... Alright." Count Monte let out a deep sigh. With a quavering voice, he continued calmly, "The treasure in the mine... Don''t be surprised. It''s a dragon egg."


    "...What?" Yu-Seong couldn''t help but blurt out in shock.


    1. Basically ¡®yangban¡¯ refers to the status of the ruling class during the Joseon Dynasty, but it is also used as a term to refer to a person who is decent and polite. It is also used as a term to refer to a man commonly or rudely. ?

 CH 176

    As the darkness settled late in the night, Yu-Seong left the army camp with two knights assigned to him by Count Monte and a special operations team of 30 members.


    In order to move secretly, they did not ride horses and walked quickly without a single word of conversation. They also kept themselves far away from the open field where both sides of the army were watching.


    Find the original at "pawread dot com".


    The Hidden-piece Mission has changed.


    This special mission only opens when two people who have a similar contribution score in the Tower of Heaven and have a pre-existing friendship with each other on Earth choose different formations.


    Through the confession of Count Monte, it was revealed that a Dragon Egg was abandoned in the deepest part of the Renton Mine. You can obtain the Dragon Egg and deliver it to Count Monte.


    During the journey, Yu-Seong glanced at the message once again. His expression became subtle.


    ¡®Hidden-piece, and a Dragon Egg...¡¯


    The original novel had given no information about how to acquire this hidden-piece. The most interesting part was the last phrase in the mission message.


    ¡®You can deliver the Dragon Egg.¡¯


    Contrary to Count Monte''s intentions, the system message appeared to imply that delivering the Dragon Egg might not be necessary. With this in mind, Yu-Seong could recall someone who had made themselves known through this Hidden-piece in the original novel.


    ¡®The villain, the Black Dragon Emperor, must have gotten the Dragon Egg here.¡¯


    He had appeared in Chicago, America, with a giant black dragon, causing a disaster and slaughtering people. After the incident, he had suddenly disappeared without a trace. In other words, there was not much mention of the Black Dragon Emperor in the original novel.


    ¡®Since he appeared after the Tower of Heaven scenario had progressed considerably, the timing seems right. I initially thought he might be a major character in the second part of the scenario, but...


    Anyway, Yu-Seong had gotten possessed by the novel before getting to see the second part. It was safe to say that he would never know the story of the Black Dragon Emperor in the original novel.


    ¡®I may not know much, but if I can prevent the Black Dragon Emperor from committing mass slaughter, then the situation isn''t too bad.¡¯


    Seeing how things turned out, Do-Jin''s choice had worked out quite well.


    ¡®It should be the luck of the protagonist that I¡¯ve only heard about.¡¯


    As Yu-Seong chuckled to himself, someone walking beside him cautiously said, "Mr. Choi Yu-Seong, it seems that we have moved away enough from the camp."


    It was Kyron, the knight who had competed against Yu-Seong. Although he had a large build, his long red hair and fair skin reminded Yu-Seong of the blonde protagonist from a classic comic book about the French Revolution that he had read a long time ago.


    ¡®He must be what they call a pretty boy.¡¯


    Yu-Seong heard that, unlike other knights, Kyron had volunteered for this mission. Perhaps it was out of gratitude for Yu-Seong''s fair fight in their previous duel.


    ¡®Are we about 4 km away?¡¯


    As they tried to walk without leaving a trace, they had taken two hours to cover a distance that an average person walking at a fast pace could have covered in just one hour. If Yu-Seong were alone, he could have been a little faster, but with the two knights and soldiers following him, it was an inevitably time-consuming process.


    "I think so too," Yu-Seong said.


    Yu-Seong thought that they could now have a conversation. With such a distance between them, their voices would barely reach the others, and they were in a dark, open field without even a single streetlight. Breaking through the four-kilometer distance and determining their location in this world, where moonlight was the only source of light, seemed almost impossible.


    ¡®There may be superhumans who can handle such things with ease, but¡­¡¯


    Still, it was only on the 9th floor of the Tower of Heaven. It was too early for such beings to appear. Despite the short sighs coming from all around, Yu-Seong, who had been somewhat tense while checking his messages, also showed a relieved smile.


    A moment later, Yu-Seong turned to his companions. "We can''t let our guard down just yet."


    "Of course not. The night fields are dangerous.¡±


    "It''s not just about that. It''s highly likely that Count Chris has also dispatched a special operations team like ours," Yu-Seong said.


    ¡°Ah¡­?¡± Kyron, with a surprised look on his face, seemed to understand. He nodded.


    Yu-Seong thought again about the mission on the 9th floor of the Tower of Heaven through the message window he had checked earlier. In fact, treasure hunting and monster hunting was a familiar task. However, there was one aspect that he needed to keep in mind.


    ¡®Given the conditions of the Hidden-piece, I can assume that the person who received this mission is not just me alone.¡¯


    As Count Monte had said, Count Chris also knew about the existence of the Dragon Egg. Yu-Seong thought that Do-Jin might have been offered a similar mission, though in a slightly different way.


    ¡®In this situation, Kim Do-Jin''s choice is obvious.¡¯


    Just as Yu-Seong had done, Do-Jin must have taken Yu-Seong into consideration while listening to Count Chris'' words.


    ¡®He would have guessed that my choice would definitely lean toward this side.¡¯


    It wouldn''t be particularly interesting for Do-Jin to receive Count Monte''s surrender simply by performing well on the battlefield. When Do-Jin had chosen to side with someone other than Yu-Seong, the emotions conveyed by the Character Understanding were intense feelings of competitiveness.


    ¡®He will definitely come after me.¡¯


    Also, Do-Jin would probably have headed toward the mine around the same time as Yu-Seong. Do-Jin had two choices here. Would he simply take the treasure of the mine, the Dragon Egg, and declare the mission a success, or would he obstruct Yu-Seong? This answer was somewhat clear as well.


    ¡®He will definitely choose the latter.¡¯


    Based on previous experience, it was clear that Yu-Seong was more skilled than Do-Jin in searching, exploring, and hunting for treasure.


    ¡®It''s thanks to the skill ''Third Eye,'' which is one step ahead of Insight.¡¯


    Additionally, among the randomly rewarded skills that Yu-Seong had acquired, many of them resembled the abilities of a thief-type character in an RPG game. This included pursuit, perception, trap evasion, and lock picking.


    On the other hand, the random skills that Do-Jin had obtained included many types that were suitable for a warrior-type character, such as a charge, ground shock, and wall of protection. Furthermore, Do-Jin was boiling with intense competitiveness. Therefore, he would definitely choose to fight Yu-Seong no matter what.


    However, Yu-Seong was also uncertain about where this battle would take place.


    ¡®Inside the mine? Or somewhere in this plain?¡¯


    In fact, it was now the most cautious situation, as they were far away from both sides'' military bases.


    Yu-Seong explained the situation to the knights and special operations team, including Kyron, and asked them to move as discreetly as possible. As for himself, he headed toward the rear of the formation.


    In other words, Yu-Seong chose to move with the hunters in the special operations team or mercenaries with various experiences. He was going to erase their tracks as they moved.


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin is an offensive type. He will definitely chase our tracks.¡¯


    Naturally, Yu-Seong had no intention of merely defending. In the book ¡®The Art of War¡¯, there was a saying that the best strategy was to win without fighting.


    ¡®I''ll erase my tracks while tracking Kim Do-Jin''s trail. Then, I''ll utilize the boss monster in the mine to secure victory.¡¯


    There were only two enemies: the monsters and the soldiers led by Count Chris. In this situation, there was no better way than to use the tactic of ¡®play somebody off against somebody.¡¯ Yu-Seong believed that his decision was not completely wrong.


    ***


    Yu-Seong had traveled approximately 8 kilometers away from the Renton Mine where the Dragon Egg was located, and about 10 kilometers east of their base.


    ¡®What kind of bushes¡­? It looks like the Goblin Fortress.¡¯


    The bushes that had suddenly appeared seemed to be getting longer and now stood tall enough to obstruct their view like tall reeds. Fortunately, the object was not sharp or pointed, so there was no need to worry about injury. However, they would leave a trace more easily and have a harder time understanding the surrounding situation in such a place.


    ¡®If we meet here, it will be the worst-case scenario.¡¯


    Thus, Yu-Seong made a simple choice.


    "Let''s split up here. You two intentionally leave excessive traces as you move, then return to the unit when the sun rises."


    "Yes sir."


    "Understood."


    When Yu-Seong chose the two young men who were former hunters, they nodded lightly and dispersed in different directions. After confirming that they were moving away, Yu-Seong intentionally made the traces larger and gave instructions to move.


    How long had they been moving like this? Kyron, who was walking at the forefront and responsible for the side, gave his position to another knight and approached Yu-Seong. He said, "We should be arriving at the mine soon."


    Yu-Seong wiped the sweat off his forehead and looked around. Since entering the bushes, their pace had slowed down, and he felt that the surroundings were becoming slightly brighter.


    ¡°Fortunately, there was no ambush. Perhaps, we have been moving faster than we realized?¡±


    "No, we might be almost caught up."


    ¡°You mentioned being friends with him, so it seems like you know quite a lot about him,¡° Kyron surmised, guessing the origin of Yu-Seong''s thoughts.


    "Yes, I''m pretty confident knowing him," replied Yu-Seong.


    In fact, if it was before, Yu-Seong would have claimed to know almost everything about Do-Jin. However, the more Yu-Seong got to know Do-Jin, the harder it became for him to understand Do-Jin¡¯s thoughts.


    "Thanks to the knights and soldiers who followed my orders well, we should be able to reach the mine entrance relatively smoothly. Have you been to the mine before? It would be even better if we had someone who knows the way¡­" said Yu-Seong.


    When Kyron gave a strange smile in response to his question and shook his head, Yu-Seong, who had no high expectations to begin with, simply nodded calmly. Come to think of it, it made sense since the war had broken out over a mine that was located in an area where neither territory could enter easily.


    "Everyone is following your orders so well because they all respect you."


    "Ah...?"


    "Not just the knights, but even the soldiers dislike following the commands of someone who is not brave or doesn''t understand honor.¡±


    ¡°I assume the first duel we had together, Kyron, was helpful."


    "I can''t deny that, but... More than that, it''s a gesture of respect toward your experience and skill. To be honest, none of us here have ever seen a skilled warrior like yourself sweating and doing menial tasks at the back like a regular soldier. I didn''t mean anything negative by my comment, so I hope you don''t misunderstand," said Kyron as he quickly waved his hands, his face turning slightly red.


    "I won''t misunderstand, but after hearing your words, I can''t help but wonder... Wouldn''t it make you, as a knight, uncomfortable to see me doing so?"


    The world within the Tower of Heaven during the mission had a resemblance to the medieval era on Earth. In other words, although knights were not necessarily nobles, they were almost akin to that of nobility. Possibly from their perspective, Yu-Seong''s actions could be seen as undermining the honor of a knight.


    "I think that depends on the person. Maybe the knights of Count Chris might have been more uncomfortable, but I don''t think there would be anyone among the knights who follow Count Monte who would misunderstand your behavior. Rather, taking on a difficult task alone will increase their respect for you."


    Yu-Seong waved his hand at Kyron''s unexpected excessive praise. He said, "I am flattered, I just did what I could do."


    "Not everyone does what they can. Rather, most of them pretend not to know and do nothing. Maybe you will leave us after this mission, but..."


    "Shh. Everyone, crouch down." Yu-Seong interrupted Kyron''s words of admiration and lowered his body.


    The knights and soldiers who had been attentively listening to their conversation also followed suit, their expressions tense. The atmosphere around them shifted.

 CH 177

    Yu-Seong''s instincts kicked in.


    ¡®We¡¯ve caught up. Do-Jin is close by.¡¯


    Given the circumstances, a fight was unavoidable. Although it could be considered the worst-case scenario, Yu-Seong was not flustered. Instead, he focused more on what he could feel from his surroundings.


    ¡®If multiple people move, someone''s presence is likely to be detected.¡¯


    In that case, the side lying in ambush would naturally have the advantage in the fight. It was the moment when Yu-Seong, the knights, and the soldiers held their breath¡­


    Pashh-!


    Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, causing the tall reeds to sway wildly. Beyond the bushes, a man¡ªDo-Jin, with a Pentagram drawn on his left hand and a sword in his right hand¡ªbriefly emerged before quickly disappearing.


    ¡®He¡¯s alone?¡¯


    Yu-Seong was surprised for a moment.


    "Keughhh-!"


    A scream erupted from the front.


    "The opponent is alone! Everyone, gather together and back each other up!" Yu-Seong quickly shouted as he pursued Do-Jin, who he could catch glimpses of through the bushes.


    ¡®Stupid...!¡¯


    Why hadn¡¯t he considered the possibility that Do-Jin would move alone?


    The reason was simple. Even if it were Do-Jin, it would be challenging to venture into the mine alone without any knowledge of the monsters inside, even more so if they assumed a boss monster was inside.


    ¡®He caught me off guard because I assumed. This crazy man must not even care whether the mission succeeds or fails.¡¯


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    From the beginning, Do-Jin had been seeking a fight with Yu-Seong, and this certainly forced him to fight.


    ¡®Right, because I won''t fight Kim Do-Jin without a reason¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong was now certain that if he knew Do-Jin, then it was highly likely that Do-Jin also knew him.


    ¡®Huh, so you¡¯re also saying you know what I¡¯m thinking.¡¯


    Do-Jin had deduced Yu-Seong''s intentions and understood that he would not move alone but would proceed with caution and at a slower pace. It meant that Do-Jin had not been chasing after him from the start.


    ¡®He got here first and has been waiting for me. Damn it, he saw right through me.¡¯


    After that, Do-Jin must have realized that no matter how strong he was, fighting against Yu-Seong, along with two knights and thirty pretty fast and skilled soldiers at the same time, would be virtually impossible. However, if the battlefield was an area like this dense reed zone or inside a mine, the situation would be different. Where would be the best place for a battle? Yu-Seong could clearly sense Do-Jin¡¯s intention.


    ¡®There are unpredictable variables in the mine¡ªthe monsters.¡¯


    However, there were no such variables in this dense reed zone. That was why Do-Jin had chosen this place as the battlefield. And now, he was provoking Yu-Seong.


    "Keughhh-!"


    Another soldier screamed and writhed on the ground.


    Yu-Seong quickly went after Do-Jin, but he had already fled the scene. He was seemingly daring Yu-Seong to pursue him.


    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t fall for that.¡¯


    Yu-Seong tried to stay calm and predict Do-Jin''s movements. If he waited to see Do-Jin before reacting, he would always be too slow. This was because, without using Wind Flow, their speeds were similar.


    ¡®If it were Kim Do-Jin¡­.¡¯


    In fact, the answer was obvious. Amid the confusion, Yu-Seong noticed Kyron drawing his sword with a sense of tension. Yu-Seong moved quickly toward Kyron¡¯s side, and then he lowered his body and threw his spear toward Do-Jin''s sword.


    "Mr. Kyron!"


    Clang-!


    Simultaneously with Yu-Seong''s shout, there was a metallic clash as Do-Jin¡¯s sword struck the spear. Do-Jin clicked his tongue as he tried to retreat. Kyron''s eyes flashed as he advanced toward Do-Jin, swinging his sword.


    Do-Jin was momentarily thrown off by the unexpected speed of the knight''s reaction, but it didn''t last long. Still, it wasn¡¯t disappointing. Yu-Seong had already pulled his spear out of the ground and was chasing after Do-Jin, launching his attack.


    "Kim Do-Jin...!" Yu-Seong shouted.


    "Choi Yu-Seong," responded Do-Jin with a cold smile.


    "Sir, I''ll attack from the side!" Kyron shouted as he moved to Do-Jin¡¯s side.


    Whenever Do-Jin tried to obstruct Kyron¡¯s attack, Yu-Seong''s spear danced to block Do-Jin¡¯s movement. Yu-Seong could feel his fingertips buzzing with sensation. Though, even amidst the trembling feeling, Yu-Seong felt a strange exhilaration.


    ¡®I was expecting it, but really¡­ I can do this.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was fighting on a level comparable to Do-Jin, who was the protagonist of the novel. On top of that, Kyron, a rather agile knight, intervened, and the bewildered soldiers regained their composure and began to surround him.


    Do-Jin''s eyebrows furrowed in frustration as he found himself on the defensive.


    ¡®If I can seize this opportunity, being alone would rather put you at a disadvantage!¡¯ Yu-Seong thought gleefully.


    Here, Do-Jin¡¯s choice was obvious. He conjured an ice arrow with his magic and hurled it at Yu-Seong while simultaneously swinging his sword.


    Having been prepared for magic, Yu-Seong was able to evade both of Do-Jin''s attacks. However, Kyron was caught off guard when Do-Jin suddenly turned his body and was unable to withstand his attack.


    Keugh-!


    When Kyron groaned in pain and stepped back, Do-Jin slipped away through the soldiers forming the encirclement and vanished into the bushes.


    "He''s getting away!"


    "Catch him!"


    The soldiers desperately shot arrows and chased after Do-Jin.


    "Don¡¯t pursue him! We could possibly get ambushed!" Yu-Seong urgently shouted.


    Upon hearing Yu-Seong''s shout, the excited soldiers quickly regained their senses. Indeed it was true that if Do-Jin launched a counter-attack from within the bushes, the number of casualties would increase exponentially.


    After Do-Jin escaped, a blanket of silence fell upon the bushes. Kyron slumped over helplessly, his fists pounding the ground. He yelled, expressing his intense anger, "Damn it¡­ It''s my fault...!"


    ''I was stupid¡­ I''ve completely lost this time.''


    Yu-Seong also shared similar feelings of disappointment with Kyron.


    ***


    After losing Do-Jin, Yu-Seong kept an eye on the special operations team¡¯s morale. He approached Kyron, who had calmed down quite fast, and asked, "Kyron, can we talk for a moment?"


    "I''m sorry, sir. It''s because of my weakness that we missed the attacker,¡± said Kyron.


    Perhaps misunderstanding the intention behind Yu-Seong''s words, Kyron''s face turned red from shame as he bowed deeply.


    "No, that''s not what I meant. In fact, if you hadn''t reacted, Mr. Kyron, there could have been even greater damage," Yu-Seong said.


    "But..."


    "Kyron, you did everything you could do," Yu-Seong said.


    While this might have been an obvious statement for Yu-Seong, it could have been a significant cultural shock to Kyron.


    Kyron looked at Yu-Seong with eyes full of gratitude. He said, "I don''t know much about foreigners, but I''ve heard a lot of stories. I¡¯ve heard that most of them are selfish and self-centered, but Mr. Yu-Seong, you are really different. You''re brave, merciful, and intelligent. If I were a free knight, I might have sworn to follow you.¡±


    "In the first place, it¡¯s impossible since I¡¯m a foreigner," said Yu-Seong.


    "Still, you never know what might happen in this world, do you?"


    Kyron managed to smile somewhat, and Yu-Seong patted his shoulder in relief. Yu-Seong then said, "You''re right; you never know. Speaking of which, Kyron, could you lead the soldiers back to base?"


    "What? Is it because I¡¯m slowing you down¡­?"


    Yu-Seong shook his head slightly in response to Kyron''s wide-eyed question. "That''s not what I mean. I''m actually asking you for a favor."


    "A favor?" Kyron asked.


    Yu-Seong nodded. "I have an important message to deliver to Count Monte. The sooner, the better. So, from the middle point onwards, it would be best for Kyron to move alone."


    No matter how strong and enduring the soldiers may be, they would not be able to do better than Kyron, who could use magic even to a small extent.


    "I understand; you are asking me to take on the role of the messenger," said Kyron.


    Yu-Seong hesitated for a moment as he looked into Kyron''s eyes.


    ¡®Normally, it''s better to keep this kind of thing a secret, but¡­.¡¯


    However, Yu-Seong was confident that this was the best approach.


    "The message is..."


    As he listened to Yu-Seong''s story, Kyron nodded quietly at first, but soon, his eyes widened in surprise. And then, as if he were becoming serious, he looked at Yu-Seong with a gaze full of trust. He said firmly, "Please trust me. I will definitely accomplish it.¡±


    "I appreciate it."


    As soon as Yu-Seong finished speaking, Kyron started to lead and order the soldiers to retreat. As mentioned, the sooner, the better.


    ¡®Now it''s my turn.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was in a position where he had already been attacked by Do-Jin once. He prepared for a counterattack.


    ***


    Hiding in the bushes, Do-Jin watched as Kyron and the soldiers left.


    ¡®What''s your plan, Yu-Seong?¡¯


    He had a hunch. That was why Do-Jin initially considered attacking the knights and soldiers to block their escape route. However, a flash of light burst out of the nearby bushes and rapidly moved forward.


    ¡®Light magic?¡¯


    As far as Do-Jin knew, it was the only magic that Yu-Seong, who had just started learning the basics of magic, could use. Yu-Seong was clearly showing off his movements, provoking Do-Jin.


    ¡®So, he''s indicating his presence there, which means there is likely a trap set up over there.¡¯


    Do-Jin''s eyes scanned the light back and forth. In fact, it was an obvious trap and a provocation. In fact, in this situation, Do-Jin''s choice was almost certain.


    "Choi Yu-Seong, I''ll play along with you."


    It didn''t matter what kind of trap Yu-Seong was planning to set up. From the start, what Do-Jin wanted was a match with Yu-Seong. And even more than that, Do-Jin wanted Yu-Seong¡¯s real secret.


    ¡®Did he say he¡¯s a prophet? Did he really think I¡¯d believe that?¡¯


    Do-Jin was going to take this chance to expose Yu-Seong¡¯s underlying reality.


    ***


    It was obvious that Do-Jin would follow him. Yu-Seong was sure about this after he had sent Kyron and the soldiers away.


    ¡®In fact, the provocation would only make him more eager to catch up, considering his strong self-esteem.¡¯


    Sometimes, the more visible the opponent was, the more it provoked. With one hand, Yu-Seong lifted the light magic while moving and continued to create the Pentagram magic circle.


    ¡®Please, just once¡­.¡¯


    The principle of the magic that Do-Jin had taught Yu-Seong was simple. It was a matter of making a pact with this world through the language of the runic alphabet. In other words, it meant that, by expressing language, one could unfold a form of magic that did not originally exist in this world.


    ¡®Also, Kim Do-Jin showed me that several times before¡­.¡¯


    Generally, the magics that were commonly used and unfolded were called Formal Magic by the magicians.


    Formal Magic had been created for a simple reason. Runic alphabets were different from common languages, and therefore, there were many words that were difficult to express through them. Formal Magic was officially designated as a way to convey intent through runic alphabets because it was easier to use. Therefore, beginners were educated to learn Formal Magic according to their own level of magic expertise.


    However, what Yu-Seong wanted right now was not such Formal Magic.

 CH 178

    ¡®Applied magic.¡¯


    The basic requirement for using applied magic was to be at least a 3rd class wizard who was capable of unraveling complex runic sentences. Do-Jin had previously remarked that Yu-Seong was just an entry-level magician who struggled even to unravel a simple sentence, indicating he was only a 1st class novice magician.


    ¡®If mana was the only consideration, he said I could even perform 3rd class magic.¡¯


    However, since Do-Jin had never witnessed Yu-Seong''s full mana potential, it was possible that Yu-Seong could surpass even that level.


    ¡®The language combination I want to use is¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong quickly moved the clusters of light. In fact, just looking at his combination of words, it was safe to say that it was not 2nd but 3rd class magic.


    If Do-Jin had known what Yu-Seong was thinking, he would have snorted and said that he was being naive.


    Nevertheless, Yu-Seong continued to run and create the magic circle while earnestly carving his desired message with the Runic alphabet. It wasn''t just a matter of thinking, ''if it worked out, great, and if not, oh well''.


    ¡®The most effective way to persuade through the Runic alphabet is by demonstrating both a sincere heart and a sense of urgency.¡¯


    After the realization of this fact when first learning Light magic, Yu-Seong had never inscribed a single Runic alphabet with a careless heart.


    Although he could feel it quickly, Yu-Seong cautiously and carefully released his mana as he focused on conveying his desired message to the world. As a result, the light clusters floating above his hand wriggled, trying to shoot forward at a rapid pace.


    Yu-Seong quickly canceled the spell before anyone could catch him. He couldn''t help but smile brightly. He had reached the 2nd class level in magic.


    ¡®I did it!¡¯


    If other magicians, including Do-Jin, had witnessed what Yu-Seong had just accomplished, they might have screamed in shock.


    Yu-Seong, who had accomplished it with such ease, clenched his fists tightly and suppressed the urge to cheer. The benefits of reaching this level were too numerous to count, but if he had to pick one, the biggest was that it was something that only Yu-Seong knew, and Do-Jin remained unaware of it.


    Now, they could see the entrance to the mine in front of them. Sensing Do-Jin''s pursuit, Yu-Seong dashed into the entrance with him close behind.


    ***


    Inside the mine was complete darkness. There wasn¡¯t even a speck of light. When he first chased Yu-Seong into the mine, Do-Jin furrowed his eyebrows slightly at the realization.


    ¡®I can¡¯t see¡­¡¯


    Maybe it was because he had been chasing the light clusters for so long, but it took some time to adjust to the darkness.


    ¡®This is uncomfortable. If I had regained all my strength, I wouldn''t have to do something as useless as this.¡¯


    He clicked his tongue inwardly, then immediately activated his Insight skill. Finally, he saw the footprints of Yu-Seong''s movements.


    ¡®He turned off the Light magic.¡¯


    After all, attempting to use Light magic in such darkness would only attract monsters, making them easy targets. Do-Jin nodded in understanding and kept moving forward, but suddenly heard a shrill monster''s scream and quickly stopped in his tracks. When he arrived at the source of the noise, he recognized the sight of a monster lying on the ground.


    ¡®Orc. He¡¯s being chased.¡¯


    The number of monsters also seemed to be quite high. Apart from Yu-Seong''s footsteps, there were many footprints of monsters overlapping each other.


    Do-Jin had one more thought upon observing that sight.


    ¡®Did he intend for this to happen, or...?¡¯


    Lost in thought, Do-Jin stopped walking. From ahead, he saw Orcs slowly emerged from the darkness with low growls and a menacing aura. Despite being surrounded by the corpses of their comrades, they showed no fear.


    Do-Jin unintentionally snorted at the Orcs¡¯ appearance. It was because he suddenly realized that getting lost in thought itself could be a trap. In fact, it had been a while since he had found himself in such a situation. He couldn''t be sure what the other person was thinking. He thought he knew Yu-Seong quite well, but he realized that he needed to watch every move with caution.


    The reason for this cautiousness was simple.


    ¡®It''s because...I''m feeling afraid.¡¯


    It was a precarious fight where one wrong step could lead to a thorny path. Could he keep winning after his initial victory? Do-Jin quickly slit the throat of an Orc swinging its ax and started running toward the monsters like a madman.


    ¡®Let''s not overthink it. I''ll just have to chase after him and win.¡¯


    The most important rule in this fight was to follow the basic principle of ¡®hide and seek.¡¯ Do-Jin wanted to catch Yu-Seong, who clearly wanted to evade him.


    As time passed, Yu-Seong''s strategy of sending the soldiers back would ultimately serve to benefit Do-Jin. In this fight, there was no time for hesitation or second-guessing if he planned to win.


    In fact, such hesitation was a trap set by Yu-Seong in the first place. In situations like this, it had always been his sixth sense, or instinctive intuition, that led him to victory. Certain of this, Do-Jin quickly followed the path and cut through the darkness and the monsters.


    ¡®The number of footprints is increasing.¡¯


    The footprint sizes of humans and Orcs differed, so finding Yu-Seong shouldn''t be too difficult. However, there were so many footprints that even the traces of Yu-Seong had been buried.


    ¡®As expected, if I had fallen for his tricks, it would have been a disaster.¡¯


    At a sudden crossroad, Do-Jin found himself becoming more confident in his thoughts. If he had not followed quickly, there was a high chance he would have missed Yu-Seong at another fork.


    ¡®Left or right?¡¯


    There were countless footprints leading to the left, while the right path was suspiciously clean.


    ¡®My instinct tells me it¡¯s the right path¡­¡¯


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    Do-Jin quickly followed that path. There initially were no traces of footprints, but they began to appear from the middle point.


    ¡®I don''t know how he managed to drive and push the monsters, but¡­¡¯


    The same method was used at the second and third forks. The traces of Yu-Seong, which had disappeared, reappeared in the middle of the path. There was no confusion.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong.¡¯


    According to his intuition, Do-Jin was sure that he was almost catching up to Yu-Seong. At that moment, he approached a crossroad, and saw three paths in front of him. The middle path was still chaotic with footprints scattered everywhere, while the left and right paths appeared to be quite neat.


    ¡®Which one of those three paths¡­?¡¯


    Do-Jin wondered which path to take, feeling confused for the first time since he started following his intuition.


    ¡®What is this?¡¯


    His intuition was spinning around in place as if it had lost its direction. He couldn''t hide his bewilderment since he had never experienced such a thing before.


    ¡®What kind of trick did you pull, Choi Yu-Seong?¡¯


    Suddenly, a loud noise echoed from the central path, followed by the eerie voice of a monster. Do-Jin, who was grinding his teeth, ran toward the sound as he panted heavily.


    From the darkness, the silver blade of a spear shot toward his waist. Although he reacted a bit late, his sword managed to block the tip of the blade accurately. Once again, it was Do-Jin''s intuition that saved him from the crisis at the last minute.


    However, Do-Jin couldn''t react in time to the bright light that suddenly exploded in front of him. The explosion occurred just as he blocked the blade of the spear.


    ¡°...?!¡±


    His eyes were momentarily blinded so that he couldn''t see anything in front of him.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong...!¡¯


    It was natural for Do-Jin to rely on his other senses after that, but it was inevitably slower to ¡®see¡¯ movements using his other senses than directly using his eyes. And in a fight between two similarly skilled individuals, the slightest bit of slowness made a big difference.


    Thud-!


    As the thick spear struck his knee with great force, Do-Jin wavered unsteadily before he crumpled to the ground.


    ***


    In fact, Do-Jin was right; this competition was like a hide and seek. In this case, Do-Jin was the tagger, and Yu-Seong was in a position to run away from him. Furthermore, Do-Jin was resolute in his conviction, and Yu-Seong was sure that Do-Jin could never change his mindset on the matter.


    ¡®That is because he¡¯ll think that I won''t ever fight him.¡¯


    Just as Yu-Seong had been overconfident in his understanding of Do-Jin, Do-Jin had made the same mistake. It was a foolish mistake that could happen when both individuals thought they knew each other well.


    In fact, Yu-Seong wanted to take advantage of this gap. However, he also had to consider the possibility that Do-Jin might be able to read his mind. Therefore, as soon as Yu-Seong encountered the first monster in the mine, he immediately conducted a few experiments.


    He led the group of monsters, the Orc horde, while using his newly invented Free Light magic to divert their attention whenever he encountered a fork in the road. Then, he moved as much as possible along the walls, without leaving any traces at the beginning, and used the opposite path.


    If Do-Jin perceived this to be a complete game of hide and seek, he would pursue Yu-Seong at a rapid pace. In the first place, Yu-Seong didn''t expect to deceive Do-Jin with small tricks.


    As expected, Do-Jin was now chasing after him. Now, Yu-Seong had to make sure that this game was perceived as a hide and seek. Yu-Seong then repeated the same action several times before seeing the sudden appearance of three crossroads.


    ¡®This is where the showdown takes place.¡¯


    Although it wasn¡¯t as good as Do-Jin¡¯s yet, Yu-Seong also had a good instinct. He applied Delayed Explosion, a 2nd class magic that was the same class as Free Light magic, to one of the following monster¡¯s necks. This skill¡ªDelayed Explosion¡ªhad a clear advantage and disadvantage.


    ¡®Although it¡¯s similar in power to a 3rd class magic fireball, it didn''t explode immediately even when used.


    ¡®It takes 3 to 5 minutes to be executed.¡¯


    Yu-Seong thought that this disadvantage could be an advantage in the current situation. He cast Delayed Explosion on the body of the Orc rushing into him. Immediately after, he used the same Free Light Magic as before to lure the monsters.


    ¡®The duration that the light leaves my hand should be at least 10 seconds.¡¯


    This short duration greatly helped to further deceive Do-Jin.


    All the skill¡¯s disadvantages were used as advantages, and Yu-Seong attached himself to the ceiling of the left path of the three crossroads, killed his breath, and waited for the opportunity. It was because he strongly felt that he had to gamble here, even though it was somewhat dangerous.


    Soon, he detected Do-Jin''s movement as the man passed by while he remained in hiding. When he felt the sound of the Delayed Explosion magic exploding, Yu-Seong didn¡¯t hesitate. He had no idea how Do-Jin would move, but he knew that if he hesitated here, he would surely miss the opportunity.


    Yu-Seong¡¯s swift action gave him a chance to take advantage of Do-Jin''s gap. Yu-Seong quickly extended his spear and used the Light magic, which he could easily and familiarly spread as much as he wanted, in front of Do-Jin''s eyes.


    Although it had no practical lethality, the Light magic could momentarily take away Do-Jin¡¯s vision. At that moment, Yu-Seong''s choice was to swing his spear and smash Do-Jin''s kneecap, and his strategy paid off brilliantly.


    "Huh¡­ Huh..."


    Yu-Seong took a deep breath and looked down at Do-Jin, who had collapsed in vain. When their eyes met, Yu-Seong couldn''t help feeling strange.


    ¡®Did I really knock down the protagonist of the original novel?¡¯


    Of course, he didn''t kill the man or strike him unconscious.


    However, Do-Jin¡¯s current condition could be expressed in one word¡ªincapacitated. Yu-Seong was sure that Do-Jin was unable to fight as he aimed the tip of his spear at Do-Jin''s chin.


    "I won."


    With a short declaration, an exciting thrill rose within him.

 CH 179

    The declaration of victory against the protagonist of the original novel was something Yu-Seong had always wanted to do at least once. It felt so sweet that it gave him goosebumps all over his body, but Yu-Seong didn''t let that emotion take over him.


    "This¡­was quite a shot. You got me, Choi Yu-Seong."


    "So...you''re going to give up now?"


    "Do I look like a quitter to you?" Do-Jin asked calmly.


    In fact, the answer could be seen as somewhat obvious. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew in the quiet mine, pushing Yu-Seong back. In one of Do-Jin''s hands, a large Pentagram had been drawn.


    ''Of course, this isn¡¯t going to end easily like this!''


    Yu-Seong spun on the ground a few times before rushing toward Do-Jin, who tried to stand up and was using healing magic on his own injured leg.


    Do-Jin furrowed his brow and stood up, swinging his sword.


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    Bang-!


    As a loud sound shook the mine, Do-Jin stepped back.


    ''Healing magic is usually more effective on visible injuries.''


    However, it was somewhat weaker for internal injuries such as fractures. Despite being a magic genius, Do-Jin wouldn''t be able to recover properly by using magic twice in such a desperate situation.


    ''But this is enough for my desired outcome.''


    If both were in perfect condition, Do-Jin would have a higher chance of winning in a fight. But what if one leg was uncomfortable?


    ¡®Well, it''s worth a try.¡¯


    It didn¡¯t matter whether Do-Jin¡¯s attention was distracted by healing or fighting in discomfort; Yu-Seong attacked unhesitantly as if he had no intention of wasting a single moment. He pushed away the thought that his opponent was Do-Jin.


    Once the battle had begun, nothing was more important than winning. Yu-Seong''s mind was filled with the word ¡®victory,¡¯ and he swung his spear with great focus on the situation. Cu Chulainn''s Secret Spear Skills, such as Raging Snake and Double-Headed Serpent, danced beautifully after they were executed, aiming for Kim Do-Jin''s whole body.


    Having made up his mind, Yu-Seong was determined not to get sidetracked and to see the battle through to the end. After all, he wasn''t facing an opponent he could easily defeat with such a mindset.


    Yu-Seong''s mouth was filled with a bitter taste, and his heart began to beat wildly. Sweat was trickling down his forehead, making him feel somewhat uncomfortable. Then, suddenly regaining his composure, Yu-Seong could only feel a sense of astonishment as he looked at Do-Jin, whose face was equally drenched in sweat.


    ¡®He''s really insane¡­¡¯


    Do-Jin was laughing brightly. There were only two occasions when he laughed like this.


    ¡®He''s either really angry or really enjoying it.¡¯


    What would Do-Jin''s current mood be? Even if Yu-Seong didn''t want to know, he couldn''t help but find out. His Character Understanding Skill clearly indicated that, despite being at a disadvantage due to his injury, the increasingly intense fight, and growing injuries, Do-Jin was enjoying the current battle.


    ¡®How could he feel enjoyment from this?¡¯


    Actually, Yu-Seong didn''t want to understand. However, perhaps it was because their gazes met, Do-Jin spoke to him while they were exchanging blows.


    ¡°You look like you''re quite enjoying this.¡±


    "Who is..."


    Yu-Seong gave a short answer. He couldn''t help but feel confused.


    ¡®Was I also laughing?¡¯


    His eyes and mouth were twisted uncontrollably. His whole body was filled with even more excitement than when he had declared victory against Do-Jin earlier on. He was soaring. Adrenaline was pumping through his veins, and he felt like a rocket rushing right up into the skies.


    ¡®Indeed, Kim Do-Jin must be insane to enjoy such battles. And perhaps, I am too.¡¯


    Yu-Seong could not deny that. At this moment of the intense battle with Do-Jin, which made his very blood seem to boil, Yu-Seong found it just too enjoyable to resist. Despite losing much of his strength, Do-Jin''s swordsmanship was like art, and his magic was constantly threatening Yu-Seong. In fact, this was an emotion Yu-Seong didn''t want to understand.


    Having originally been an ordinary employee of a game company in South Korea, Yu-Seong had never even imagined fighting for his life against someone.


    ¡®He is not even an enemy threatening me, nor a villain.¡¯


    However, this time, Yu-Seong¡¯s opponent was a person whom he undoubtedly had a favorable impression of, even though it may have been due to the unavoidable influence of the original novel.


    The fight against Do-Jin was not like a duel with an agreement not to use more than a certain amount of force against each other. Yu-Seong was aware that he could either kill his opponent or be killed himself.


    Yu-Seong successfully pierced Do-Jin''s thigh with his spear as the man was struggling to maintain his balance due to the injury. And at that moment, Do-Jin, who braced himself for injury, thrust his sword into Yu-Seong''s shoulder.


    As the two men pulled out their weapons simultaneously, their faces twisted in pain, and their blood sprayed on each other''s faces, staining them red.


    "Haak...!"


    "Kryuk...!"


    The two men groaned and cried out, then exchanged glances. Although their expressions were distorted by pain, they still continued to smile.


    ¡°You weirdo,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Pot calling the kettle black,¡± Do-Jin responded, licking the blood off his lips with his tongue as he raised his sword again. He then asked, "You can still continue, right?"


    "Of course. I''m not dead yet," Yu-Seong replied, his lips twitching. His eyes trailed down from Do-Jin¡¯s shoulder to the tip of his sword.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure he must have a hidden move.¡¯


    They had fought fiercely for a long time, but there was something important missing. It was because Yu-Seong suspected that Do-Jin might have a hidden move.


    ¡®Because I also have one hiding.¡¯


    If they clashed again, one of them would have to reveal their hidden move first, and their opponent would counterattack as if they had been waiting for it.


    ¡®Who is going to reveal their move first?¡¯


    The side that first revealed the hidden move was usually at a disadvantage. The two men, thinking the same thing, had their eyes fixed on each other as they prepared to make a move. Their gazes were intense.


    Suddenly, as if by some unspoken agreement, both of their movements came to a halt at the same time. They peered through the familiar darkness toward the long path ahead, listening to a cacophony of monster screams and urgent footsteps mixing in the air. Someone was coming.


    Naturally, the thoughts of the knight, Kyron, leaving the reed forest, along with the soldiers, flashed through Do-Jin''s mind. Along with that, anger flared up in his eyes. He barked, "You...!"


    In response to the intense shout, Yu-Seong shrugged his shoulders and lowered the spear he was aiming at Do-Jin. He asked, "Then, did you really plan to fight until we both died?"


    In fact, Yu-Seong also felt a sense of disappointment and frustration. As reason began to return to him, he first came up with an idea of self-restraint.


    "Let''s stop here. We''ll have another chance."


    "What if I don''t want to stop?" asked Do-Jin through gritted teeth.


    Yu-Seong pointed to the darkness beyond the light; the monsters'' screams could be heard. He commented, "Are you sure? If we continue on, the only ones who¡¯d be excited will be them. And we''ll both die."


    Do-Jin¡¯s gaze momentarily trembled with contemplation at Yu-Seong¡¯s affirmation. Then, he finally sighed. In fact, Do-Jin had also known the answer all along.


    ¡®For him, it¡¯d just be hard to calm down.¡¯


    Yu-Seong could easily understand Do-Jin, since he also had difficulty controlling his emotions. This could be seen from his trembling fingertips.


    "...You¡¯d better not think about such pointless actions next time."


    In the end, Do-Jin finally put down his sword.


    ***


    Count Monte and Count Chris, the two lords with neighboring territories, had known each other since childhood but had never expressed any goodwill toward each other. However, they did not hold any malicious intentions toward each other either. Rather, the two were like competitors who would need to step over each other to get ahead someday.


    It was an inevitable thing since their family values and behaviors were vastly different. However, for the first time, the two men had the same idea.


    "We need to obtain the Dragon Egg before the outsiders do."


    "We can''t let the Dragon Egg fall into their hands."


    Although these two lords were always in small battles with each other except during winter, this time, the scale of the battle was different.


    It involved the egg of a dragon that had not yet been born. Obviously, neither of them had directly encountered a dragon before. However, the legends said that Dragons were stronger, wise, and more beautiful than all the other creatures. Most importantly, what these two lords needed was the symbolic power that came with the Dragon. In all the legends, it was said that those chosen by Dragons became great beings.


    For these two lords who dreamed of stepping over each other and surpassing their limits, the Dragon Egg was a thing that could ignite their ambition. As a result, the two lords, under an agreement, waged a massive war that was unlike any other. It was a battle in an open field so that the civilians were not harmed. The winner would get the Dragon Egg.


    However, during this battle, the foreigners appeared. These foreigners, who claimed to have received a revelation from a god and descended upon this world, possessed various abilities and strengths. Still, they all shared one peculiarity.


    ¡®After completing their mission, they disappear.¡¯


    Although the two lords wanted the Dragon Egg, they wanted to keep it secret externally. Thus, they welcomed the sudden appearance of the foreigners. The foreigners even chose different camps. So, the lords asked each other, and found out that their strength was evenly matched.


    Here, the two lords had the same idea. Even if two territories with similar strength fought a war and one of them won, it could take time for both to recover from the war. However, what if they fought a proxy war through the foreigners who were destined to disappear from this world?


    In fact, there would be no reason to shed blood. Count Monte believed that Count Chris would not choose differently from him. Although their values and behavior patterns were different, their goals were the same. They also knew that they shared many similarities in their judgment, which they had realized a long time ago. In other words, the side that obtained the Dragon Egg first through a proxy would be the winner, and the defeated had to follow the victor.


    Clearly, the two lords shared the same thought. However, the game that began under this unspoken rule was ruined by the report of Kyron, the knight of Monte Count.


    ¡®I had no idea that the foreigners could complete the god''s mission without needing to bring the Dragon Egg to us!¡¯


    As a consequence, many things were bound to change. The existence to be born from the Dragon Egg was crucial to the future of both lords. To have such a Dragon Egg stolen right in front of their eyes was an intolerable matter.


    Monte Count immediately prepared his equipment and left the camp without having time to lead his soldiers or knights. After all, he was the best knight in his camp. Above all, he was in a hurry. He didn''t know when the foreigners would run away with the Dragon Egg to another world.


    Count Chris, who had placed his spy in Monte Count''s camp, also had the same thought. Thus, the two lords faced each other on the wide field but did not draw their swords. They ran madly towards the Renton Mine without hesitation.

 CH 180

    Yu-Seong and Do-Jin ceased their battle and dashed towards the deepest part of the mine. Since both of them were injured, they moved somewhat slower than before, but eventually passed through a dark tunnel to reach a huge cave where bright light illuminated the space.


    Their gaze naturally turned to the Dragon Egg, which shone brightly on a polished stone at the center of the cave. The egg was seemingly sitting on a throne. However, they noticed one peculiarity.


    ¡®There''s¡­more than one Dragon Egg?¡¯


    Yu-Seong and Do-Jin observed two eggs of contrasting colors¡ªblack and white¡ªthat were neatly arranged like twin brothers. They then exchanged looks.


    ¡®How interesting.¡¯


    Do-Jin¡¯s lips twisted into a smile upon noticing Yu-Seong¡¯s bewildered expression.


    In fact, there was nothing Yu-Seong could do about this situation.


    ¡®In the original novel, only one black Dragon Egg was mentioned. But if there are actually two Dragon Eggs¡­¡¯


    There were only two options in this case. First, Yu-Seong and Do-Jin, who were both called ¡®foreigners,¡¯ could each take one Dragon Egg and proceed to the next floor. This was the very situation that Count Monte and Count Chris had feared the most.


    ¡®The second option is¡­¡¯


    The plan was to negotiate with the two Counts for one of the eggs while keeping the other one for himself. In fact, the Counts only needed the justification for them to be the ultimate ruler in the first place. In order to obtain that outcome, giving them one Dragon Egg was better than having two.


    Additionally, there was also the possibility that one of the Counts may not want to share the Dragon Egg. Of course, there were mountains to cross before making such a decision.


    Suddenly, the gray-eyed monster, frozen like a statue beneath the throne where the Dragon Eggs were placed, lit up its eyes with a red glow and spread its wings.


    "Gargoyle...!"


    The monsters, resembling bats, primarily attacked with powerful sonic waves as they flew through the air. However, they were also physically strong due to being made of stone. Furthermore, there wasn''t just one of them.


    ¡®There are at least ten of them...¡¯


    Yu-Seong realized why the knights who came before them had failed and returned. The Gargoyles were on a whole different level with the Orc crowd.


    Watching the monsters spread their wings, Yu-Seong turned to Do-Jin. Even if they were in their best condition, it wouldn''t be easy to pass through the crowd of Gargoyles.


    Meanwhile, the monsters'' screams coming from behind were getting closer and closer.


    Yu-Seong looked at the flapping Gargoyles with his eyes wide open. They were quite threatening, but they didn''t seem to have any intention of attacking first as long as he didn''t get closer than a certain distance. After all, the Gargoyles were guard monsters. Their purpose would be to protect the Dragon Eggs.


    "Can you hold your breath for a while?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "If it''s in such a chaotic situation..." Do-Jin lightly nodded his head.


    Indeed, They were inside a spacious cave, but there was a way to get through.


    "Then, trust me and wait for a moment. I''ll take care of the rest."


    "You want me to trust you and wait?"


    When Yu-Seong nodded, Do-Jin had an incredulous look on his face.


    "Why? Is there something on my handsome face?"


    "Yes, it¡¯s covered in your blood."


    "Damn... No wonder it feels sticky."


    After exchanging a light joke, Yu-Seong stared at Do-Jin, whose eyes were full of suspicion. However, Do-Jin''s emotion conveyed through Yu-Seong¡¯s Character Understanding skill was ''confusion.''


    In fact, Yu-Seong could understand why Do-Jin felt such a feeling.


    ¡®Since Kim Do-Jin always had to solve his own problems.¡¯


    That was just the destiny of any protagonist of a fantasy novel. Difficult and challenging situations always had to be resolved by the protagonist himself. No matter how much the supporting characters played significant roles, in the end, it was inevitable for the protagonist to muster up the strength to push forward. That was Do-Jin''s life, the life of the original novel¡¯s protagonist.


    However, the situation had arisen where Do-Jin could rely on someone else and take a step back. Although he had faced similar situations in the past, this was the first time he was fully conscious of stepping back and directly relying on someone else. Because of this, Do-Jin felt confused and complicated emotions.


    "But if I think I''m in danger, you have to save me. You know you can''t let your guard down, right? If I die, it''s your fault,¡± said Yu-Seong as he reassured Do-Jin.


    "I had that in mind from the beginning,¡± said Do-Jin.


    As if he finally understood the situation, Do-Jin''s expression relaxed into a casual one. He stepped back while conjuring magic in both hands. Now, although Do-Jin was clearly right next to Yu-Seong, Yu-Seong couldn''t feel his presence at all.


    "Now, shall I get ready too?" Yu-Seong muttered to himself.


    In this strange situation, he used one hand to melt and wipe away the dried blood on his face. The acrid scent of blood filled his nostrils, penetrating deep into his lungs.


    ***


    The two Counts rushed through Renton Mine like madmen until they finally arrived at a large cavern, where they were met with a pouring light that almost blinded them. At the same time, the first thing that caught the attention of the two Counts was Yu-Seong, who stood in place with numerous injuries.


    "Choi Yu-Seong!" Count Monte exclaimed as he recognized the injured man.


    Meanwhile, Count Chris scowled.


    ¡®I don''t see Kim Do-Jin.¡¯


    Naturally, the idea came down to a single one.


    "So, it seems that you have knocked down Count Chris'' mercenary," said Count Monte with a chuckle.


    As his pace relaxed, he felt a sense of victory rising up within him. He thought about the alternate scenario where if things had gone differently, he would have been the winner.


    "But you don''t look too good yourself," Count Chris muttered as he halted his steps, then looked at Count Monte¡¯s relaxed figure.


    "At least he¡¯s still alive," Count Monte replied while shrugging his shoulders as if he didn¡¯t care about anything else.


    Currently, two Counts confirmed the situation where one of your foreigners was gone while one was seriously injured.


    ¡®It seems we¡¯ve caused quite a fuss,¡¯ thought Count Monte.


    Despite his serious injury, Count Monte knew that Yu-Seong was still quite useful. Moreover, in the cavern, there were only him, Count Chris, and Yu-Seong.


    ¡®It''s difficult to say who is superior or inferior between Count Chris and me.¡¯


    Rather, it was highly likely that they would both knock each other out simultaneously. However, what if Yu-Seong supported him here?


    ¡®I could use him as a shield and take down Count Chris,¡¯ thought Count Monte.


    The thought of using Yu-Seong to his advantage and easily solving the problem made Count Monte''s eyes glint with desire.


    "Count Monte, now is not the time for other thoughts," said Yu-Seong all of a sudden.


    For Count Monte, Yu-Seong¡¯s words were somewhat incomprehensible. Feeling confused, he muttered, "Huh?"


    "Look over there."


    Yu-Seong didn''t say much, but instead pointed at the throne where the Dragon Eggs were located. The wings of the Gargoyles had obscured their view, making it difficult to see the Dragon Eggs clearly. Both Count Monte and Count Chris¡¯s eyes soon widened in surprise.


    "There is more than one Dragon Egg," said Count Chris.


    "There are two eggs..."


    Both Counts had the same reaction as when they saw Yu-Seong and Kim Do-Jin before. The knowledge that there were Dragon Eggs in Renton Mine had been received by the bishop¡¯s oracles of their respective churches at the same time. The god''s words in this world were beyond doubt.


    Of course, it had already been established that there would be a Dragon Egg, but no one knew that there would be two of them. Thinking back, even the oracle given to them by the bishops in their respective territories did not mention the number of eggs. Naturally, the two lords stared at each other.


    Under the iron helmet worn to protect his head, Count Monte with his red eyes contemplated.


    ¡®The wisest decision here would be to kill this foreigner, and for Count Chris and me to each take one Dragon Egg.¡¯


    Was there a need to end the fight between the two here?


    ¡®It''s better to kill this foreigner¡­¡¯


    Through a pact with each other, the two Counts had already made a relatively certain decision on the path they would take. Naturally, a desire to kill Yu-Seong had surfaced in Count Monte''s eyes as he looked at Yu-Seong.


    Sensing the Count¡¯s gaze, Yu-Seong took a step back with a surprised expression. "Count Monte?"


    "...I''m sorry, but I''m not certain that you would be able to resist your greed once you have one of those eggs in your hands," said Count Monte.


    "The Dragon Egg is necessary for both of us," said Count Chris before he stepped forward with his sword drawn. Aiming the sword that dripped with the blue blood of a monster at Yu-Seong, he said, "Your death would be the most beautiful conclusion.¡±


    "Why would it come to that?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "Because we would have to spill too much blood to face each other," replied Count Monte.


    Count Chris slowly approached Yu-Seong with his sword still pointed at the man.


    Now in this suffocating situation, Yu-Seong was not going to stand still and be killed. He pulled out his own weapon and asked, ¡°You mean, even if you guys eventually have to shed blood?¡¯"


    At that moment, Count Chris paused slightly.


    ¡°In my world, there is a saying: two suns cannot rise in the same sky. I assume you both understand the meaning behind this,¡± Yu-Seong said.


    Actually, Yu-Seong knew why the two Counts were hesitating and moving slowly even though they could have easily closed the distance to prevent Yu-Seong from speaking. He was clearly reading their emotions though Character Understanding.


    Yu-Seong''s eyes sparkled.


    ¡®Just as I expected. These selfish humans, their thoughts are crystal clear.¡¯


    Perhaps because the two Counts were so alike, Yu-Seong was able to take control of the situation with ease while acting as if he were in a desperate situation. He then said, "Think carefully. The Dragon is known for its strength. Isn''t that symbolism what both of you need the most? What if it was divided in half?¡±


    "Shut up!" Count Chris shouted urgently, speeding up his steps.


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    In fact, Yu-Seong didn''t take any more steps backward. He stood in place and looked at Count Monte, who was hesitating. Then, he said calmly, "Attempting to achieve it alone, something that is difficult to accomplish even for two people... There is a high probability of encountering an insurmountable obstacle."


    "You foreigner! If you don''t shut up right now...!" Count Chris raised his voice, glaring at Yu-Seong.


    "Are you going to kill me? But if you do, both of your positions will go back to a stalemate.¡±


    At the same time, Yu-Seong moved forward towards Count Chris'' sword. This time, it was Count Chris who took a step back.


    "Ugh...!" Count Chris groaned, unable to hide his wavering gaze.


    Count Monte was no different.


    ¡°Think carefully, Count Monte. Why do you think I told you about the oracle''s specific details? I already knew from the beginning that there are two Dragon Eggs! And I thought that sharing one with Count Monte would be the most ideal resolution,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    Yu-Seong''s lie once again caused a shift in the two Counts¡¯ expressions, since it was something that they had never considered before.


    ''He knew about the two Dragon Eggs from the beginning? Then... did Yu-Seong do this for me all along?''


    After collecting his thoughts, Count Monte quickly moved to stand by Yu-Seong''s side.

 CH 181

    Count Chris was taken aback by the sudden change. Clenching his fists and swaying a little, he yelled, "Count Monte!"


    "Choi Yu-Seong, you''re right. Two suns rising in the same sky would only burn each other out," said Count Monte as he pointed his sword toward Count Chris. He added, "I was shortsighted. Will you accept my request for reconciliation now?"


    Hearing those words, Count Chris became anxious. He nervously bit his lower lip as his gaze shifted from the resolute Count Monte to Yu-Seong. He quickly said, "Foreigner, I mean, Choi Yu-Seong, right? I''m sorry for my mistake. My greed got the best of me, and I made an error in judgment. But think carefully. Count Monte has already turned his back on you once. Is there any reason to believe he won''t do it again?"


    "But, Count Chris, it wasn''t me but you who drew the sword,¡± said Count Monte.


    "If I really intended to kill you, would I have needed to prolong the time like this?" asked Count Christ.


    "Enough, Count Chris. The more you mock me, the more foolish you appear," said Count Monte.


    Listening to the Counts¡¯ conversation, Yu-Seong snorted and said, "You both are aware that, from my perspective, neither of you possess any trustworthy qualities, right?"


    "I swear on my honor..." started Count Chris.


    "I swear on my position and faith..." added Count Monte.


    "Alright, let''s settle it this way," suggested Yu-Seong. He interrupted the two Counts and gestured toward the Dragon Egg that was lodged between the rocks. He said, "I''ll side with whoever retrieves the Dragon Egg first."


    After listening to Yu-Seong''s suggestion, Count Monte and Count Chris immediately responded in their own way.


    "What...?" exclaimed Count Monte.


    "Are you commanding us now?" asked Count Chris.


    "As you both are aware, a Dragon can only choose one person as its owner. Moreover, it''s widely known that a Dragon Egg is indestructible. That means, if left unclaimed, a new owner might be born in an unforeseen location. So, who do you think can handle the remaining Dragon Egg the most cleanly?"


    Yu-Seong pointed to his own face with his index finger. "I think it''s just me, the foreigner, in this situation..."


    Then, Yu-Seong smiled and tilted his head slightly. "If you''re still confused about who has the right to choose..."


    Before Yu-Seong could even finish his sentence, Count Chris, who had made up his mind about something, ran out first. He said, "Promise to keep your word.¡±


    Count Monte, with an anxious expression on his face, ran after Count Chris toward the group of Gargoyles.


    As they were knight lords who personally went out to the battlefield, their swordsmanship was excellent. Moreover, they could swing their swords with mana, allowing them to end the fight against the stone-bodied Gargoyles quickly and with minimal physical exertion. This was as long as they were determined.


    ¡®As long as they work together.¡¯


    Yu-Seong smiled inwardly.


    When Count Chris, who had run ahead, tried to bisect a Gargoyle¡¯s head with his sword, Count Monte, who had desperately followed him, suddenly kicked him in the back.


    "Keugh!" Count Chris, caught off guard by the sudden attack, let out a groan of pain as he hit the ground.


    He quickly crouched down and prepared to defend himself against the approaching Gargoyles, but the dangerous situation he had anticipated did not come to pass. Instead, all the Gargoyles charged towards Count Monte, who was running toward the Dragon Egg in his place.


    Thanks to this, Count Monte was stuck in a bad situation. He swung his sword around in a panic while Count Chris, who had regained his senses, stood up and shouted with a red face, "You coward¡­!"


    As anger burned in his blue eyes, Count Chris swung his sword toward Count Monte.


    "Keugh-!"


    Surrounded by the pack of Gargoyles and unable to defend himself against Count Chris¡¯ surprise attack, Count Monte was hit in the chest. He fell backward with a loud thud, blood spurting through his helmet.


    Count Chris kicked Count Monte''s chin lightly and stopped for a moment before rushing toward the Dragon Egg.


    ¡®It¡¯s a competition that we ended up doing because of the foreigner, but¡­¡¯


    The Gargoyles, who had the role to protect the Dragon Egg, completely altered the course of the battle between the two knights of similar skill.


    ¡®If the Gargoyles had come to me when Monte first cowardly attacked me, the story would have been different.¡¯


    Since the Gargoyles were dedicated to protecting the Dragon Egg, they had all selected Count Monte as their next target, indicating that Count Chris was at risk of ending up like Count Monte if he advanced any further.


    Therefore, Count Chris smiled as he stood in place, watching half of the Gargoyles rush toward him. While it might be a bit challenging to fight with ten of them alone, he could easily handle five of them in an instant.


    ¡®Monte is seriously injured, so he is busy defending. I am confident that I will win this battle.¡¯


    Count Chris ran toward the Gargoyles and smashed the heads of two of them.


    Suddenly, one of the Gargoyles attacking Count Monte was hit by Yu-Seong''s spear from behind and fell to the ground. Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, Count Monte stepped on the head of another Gargoyle attacking him and shattered it.


    Then, Yu-Seong quickly finished off another Gargoyle with his spear.


    Count Chris also managed to take down one more Gargoyle, but he couldn¡¯t help feeling that the situation was unfair. He exclaimed, "Why are you helping Count Monte, foreigner? Are you intending to stay with the side you originally chose...?"


    "Well, isn''t it boring when the battle is too one-sided?" replied Yu-Seong casually. Then, he teamed up with Count Monte to defeat another Gargoyle.


    Now, there were only three Gargoyles left, two of which were close to Count Chris.


    "Anyway, thanks," said Count Monte with a low growl as if gritting his teeth.


    He rushed toward Count Chris. The last remaining Gargoyle fired a shockwave attack behind him, but Count Monte did not stop his movements despite the blood streaming down his ear. And soon enough, he charged toward Count Chris with a reckless rush and slammed into the man¡¯s chest.


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    Bang-!


    ¡°Kraaagh-!¡±


    With a loud, piercing scream that echoed throughout the battlefield, Count Chris rolled on the ground.


    When the other Count let out a deafening cry, Count Monte saw his chance. With bloodshot eyes, he seized the opportunity and rushed toward Count Chris again. He knocked the man down and stepped on his face.


    ¡°Chris, you bastard!¡±


    The pack of Gargoyles pursued the Counts, attacking with sonic waves and physical blows, but Count Monte, undeterred and covered in blood, raised his sword high.


    Count Chris saw the gleaming blade approaching the gap in his armor and shook his head from side to side. He shouted desperately, ¡°Wait, wait a minute! Something''s wrong...!¡±


    Before Count Chris could finish his sentence, Count Monte''s sword pierced his throat.


    ¡°Krugkk...!¡±


    As Count Chris spewed out a mouthful of blood and his head twisted to the side, Count Monte swung his arm and grabbed one of the Gargoyles behind him, throwing it to the ground and crushing its head under his foot. Then, he hurled his sword into the air, and it pierced the chest of a Gargoyle firing a shockwave attack in the sky.


    Finally, Count Monte jumped high in the air and landed on the head of a Gargoyle that was crossing his path. He wrapped his thick arms around its neck.


    ¡°Kraaaa-!¡±


    With his face covered in blood, Count Monte let out a bloodcurdling scream that echoed along with the crunching of the stone.


    With that, it was over. Count Monte, who had taken down three Gargoyles in one breath, didn''t hesitate for a moment even as he fell to the ground with them. Once he got up on his knees, he yelled, "Foreigner, I won!"


    Watching from a distance, Yu-Seong couldn''t help but click his tongue inwardly.


    ¡®If I had faced him head-on, it would have been really difficult.¡¯


    Despite being covered in blood and looking like he had no strength left, there was still a sense of determination shining in Count Monte''s eyes. Even at this point, it was clear that he could continue the battle.


    ¡®Heh, so Count Monte becomes stronger the more he''s in danger.¡¯


    After all, there were many types of strength. And it seemed that Count Monte''s power was even greater in dangerous situations. If Yu-Seong were to encounter Count Monte as a boss monster, Count Monte would undoubtedly be one of the worst opponents to face.


    "Hurry up and bring me the Dragon Egg. Give one to me and take one for yourself, whichever you choose..."


    Count Monte began to speak, but Yu-Seong urgently shouted, "Behind you, Count Monte!"


    "What...?" Count Monte exclaimed in surprise as he turned his head.


    At that moment, a blue-tinged mana surged forth from a sword and sliced through Count Monte¡¯s neck in an instant.


    With eyes wide open, Count Monte''s headless body sprayed blood and collapsed to the ground. Standing behind Count Monte was seemingly dead Count Chris, who had become the knight of death.


    "Undead...!" exclaimed Yu-Seong, his eyes widening in surprise.


    - Monte... That arrogant bastard!


    Count Chris, standing in front of the corpse of the dead Count Monte, released a macabre voice from his twisted neck and burst out into loud laughter.


    - Hahaha-!


    Then, slowly turning his head, Count Chris fixed his gaze on Yu-Seong.


    - Foreigner...!


    Count Chris¡¯ anger was not only directed toward Count Monte.


    ¡®Honestly, there''s no way I can handle this alone¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong pulled out his spear with a tense expression. He shouted, "Kim Do-Jin, help me!"


    Do-Jin appeared behind Count Chris, who was charging toward them, and said in a cold voice, "I''ve been waiting for this, Choi Yu-Seong."


    And the fierce battle began.


    ***


    The battle lasted for over an hour. Count Chris, who had turned into an undead, was powerful. Although Yu-Seong and Do-Jin managed to heal their injuries to some extent, their bodies were not in perfect condition, making the battle inevitably long.


    But in the end, with Yu-Seong''s spear piercing his chest and Do-Jin''s sword stabbing his head, Count Chris, unable to satisfy his grudge, became a pile of dust and disappeared from the world completely.


    ¡°Gasp¡­ Huh¡­¡±


    ¡°Gasp¡­¡±


    Yu-Seong and Do-Jin, who both fell to the ground at the same time, looked at each other.


    ¡°Damn the second phase,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    Do-Jin smirked at Yu-Seong and replied, "You said to trust you, and your art of persuasion was quite impressive."


    "I actually thought it would be a little dangerous..."


    In any case, they had succeeded. Yu-Seong let out a satisfied smile and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.


    If they had to face both Count Monte and Count Chris at once, the situation would have been even more terrible, considering how difficult it was to handle just one of them. After all, the two Counts were not figures designed to be fought on the 9th floor of the Tower. However, Yu-Seong had managed to bend the rules, and the result was superb.

 CH 182

    In the original novel, Black Dragon Emperor would have had to leave this world with only one Dragon Egg that the Count had chosen for him and abandon his friend. However, both Yu-Seong and Do-Jin survived. They were even able to choose one Dragon Egg each.


    "I''ll take the black one," said Do-Jin.


    "What...?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "I''ve always liked black," added Do-Jin.


    "You have a dark taste," Yu-Seong commented.


    Yu-Seong chuckled and nodded. In truth, it didn''t matter to him which one he got.


    "Then, I''ll go first," Do-Jin said, asking for permission before quickly getting up from his seat and approaching the throne on which the Dragon Eggs were placed.


    ¡®Dude, he seems more excited than I thought.¡¯


    It was small, but it was still a Dragon Egg¡ªa reward that was difficult to obtain even if they climbed up to the higher floors of the Tower.


    ¡®I mean, could we even just call it a reward?¡¯


    In fact, when considering the existence of the Dragon race in the original novel, it wasn''t a kind that could be limited to just the word ''reward'' alone.


    ¡®Since a Dragon tribe that has grown to a certain extent almost certainly possesses the same power as the Demon King, or even surpasses it¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong had thought that the best reward they could obtain from the Tower of Heaven was the Green Wind Spirit Cat, but the Dragon Egg easily surpassed that level.


    Just as Yu-Seong was happy, Do-Jin couldn''t help but be happy too. Placing his hand on one of the Dragon Eggs on the throne, Do-Jin muttered to himself. However, all of a sudden, he looked displeased and glared at Yu-Seong.


    "Why?" Yu-Seong asked.


    Do-Jin gave no answer. He turned his head before disappearing with the black Dragon Egg into a burst of light.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him now?"


    Feeling baffled, Yu-Seong approached the throne and placed his hand on the remaining white Dragon Egg.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯


    He had expected the Dragon Egg to feel cold, but was surprised to find that it was actually warm to the touch. It felt much like the temperature of a human body.


    As he marveled at the white Dragon Egg''s warmth, a message appeared in front of Yu-Seong.


    Congratulations. You have defeated the wise lords by being more clever and achieved victory with your colleague through cunning methods. The contribution rank is as follows:


    Finally, Yu-Seong understood why Do-Jin had been displeased earlier on.


    ¡®He must have been angry because he thought he lost.¡¯


    Yu-Seong thought with a wry smile.


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    This is a clearing method that was not included in the system. In addition to the basic reward of the Dragon Egg, there will be an additional reward for the 1st ranked contributor. A god wishes to directly deliver the additional reward. The god is about to arrive.


    "What...?" exclaimed Yu-Seong in astonishment as his eyes widened.


    Thump-!


    The entire cave shook heavily with a sound as if something heavy had fallen. Then, Yu-Seong''s consciousness sank into deep sleep.


    ***


    What on earth happened? When Yu-Seong regained consciousness, everything he could see had changed.


    The cave, which had been shining with light, had transformed into a room that reminded him of a classical Western noble mansion. Moonlight shone in the room instead of warm sunlight. Yu-Seong himself was lying on the bed, covered with a luxurious embroidered blanket.


    ¡®What is this...?¡¯


    Yu-Seong was still bewildered when a woman spoke to him from the windowsill of a large window. She asked, "So, how do you like the atmosphere?"


    Hearing the voice, Yu-Seong quickly turned toward the woman. The first impression that came to his mind upon seeing her was the color purple.


    Her long flowing hair, large pupils, silk gloves, velvet Chelsea boots, and quite fancy dress attire were all in shades of purple. Even the indigo shadows seemed to envelop her.


    As the woman smiled at him, Yu-Seong asked cautiously, "And you are¡­?"


    Although she had a showy appearance, her face gave the impression of simplicity and youth, resembling that of a 20-year-old. However, she was undoubtedly a god; she had appeared along with the message that a god was arriving.


    It was impossible for Yu-Seong not to be nervous.


    "Try to guess. Can you guess who I am?" asked the woman while laughing playfully.


    Yu-Seong''s gaze suddenly shifted to the deep red liquid inside the transparent wine glass that was surrounded by purple gloves. He then asked, "Surely¡­ You''re not the Red Fang of the Dark Night, are you?"


    She was a god who seemed too dangerous to have simply descended for the purpose of giving him a reward, especially considering the extremely bad relationship between Yu-Seong and Vlad ?epe?.


    However, the woman''s face visibly wrinkled upon hearing what Yu-Seong had said. In fact, she didn¡¯t seem happy.


    "Do I seem like such a minor god like that to you?" asked the woman.


    "...I was just joking since the wine color resembled blood. I actually thought you were a completely different god. You are one from Northern Europe, right?"


    In response to Yu-Seong''s follow-up, the woman raised her chin, nodded in a haughty manner, and smiled. "You''re smart as always, Choi Yu-Seong. That''s right, I am¡­¡±


    "You are Scathi, the Oldest Hunter. Your beauty certainly matches up to the rumors.¡±


    Yu-Seong sat up on the bed with a warm smile, but as he did so, the woman''s expression turned sour once again. She glared at him with her piercing purple eyes.


    "What...?¡±


    Once again, the woman glared angrily at Yu-Seong with an offended look.


    ¡°...Am I wrong? Scathi?¡±


    "Scathi may not be considered a minor god, but don''t you know who I am, Choi Yu-Seong? Is our relationship really this distant?" asked the woman.


    ¡°...¡± Yu-Seong''s gaze shook greatly for a moment as he remained silent.


    He had only thought of the woman in front of him as Scathi, also known as the goddess of witches, because she was a woman. However, as he listened to her story, something seemed odd.


    ¡®Cu Chulainn is a prince of Ireland.¡¯


    In other words, Cu Chulainn could not possibly be a woman.


    Furthermore, the woman had claimed to be one of the Nordic gods, and she appeared to be quite disappointed that Yu-Seong did not recognize her.


    Putting all the pieces together, Yu-Seong began to suspect the woman¡¯s true identity. Reluctantly, he shook his head as if he didn¡¯t want to believe it. He asked, "A Joke-loving Prankster¡­You mean you¡¯re Loki?"


    "Correct! You finally got it!"


    ¡°Just like your nickname¡­ You really do seem to love jokes," replied Yu-Seong, feeling like he wanted to faint once again.


    No matter how many times Yu-Seong blinked, the image of Loki leaning against the window frame remained unchanged.


    "You look quite displeased about something," said Loki.


    "Well¡­ I mean, I thought¡­of course that Loki would be a man¡­¡± said Yu-Seong.


    "Gender is not important to a god, and you can talk to me casually. This is unlike you and it seems weird," said Loki.


    ¡°Well, then.¡±


    Yu-Seong seemed to find it easier to speak now; perhaps it was because he now knew that the woman was truly Loki. In fact, he also felt the want to speak more comfortably.


    ¡®If I think about how much trouble I''ve gone through because of him¡­¡¯


    In fact, Yu-Seong still couldn¡¯t help gritting his teeth.


    "But anyway, it seems like it doesn''t matter to mention the gods¡¯ real name in this space."


    "Of course, because it''s a secret space I created, and I''m using the excuse of a reward. If not, that annoying old man would not have stayed still," replied Loki.


    ¡°Annoying old man¡­ You are talking about Odin, I assume.¡±


    Loki smirked and nodded as she stroked her fair cheek. ¡°I''ll have to get rid of that damned old man someday, but it''s not that easy. By the way, I heard Thor has been showing interest in you lately. Just so you know, you should stay away from both of them. Odin, that old man is very wicked and evil, and Thor is ignorant and will surely lead you to destruction..."


    As Loki rambled on with her speech filled with anger and curses, any doubts Yu-Seong had about her true identity vanished. The person in front of him was undoubtedly Loki.


    ¡®Come to think of it, it''s not a strange thing¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong''s assumption that Loki would be male was perhaps influenced by the cultural content that was widely known in modern times.


    However, when he thought about Norse mythology, Yu-Seong remembered that Loki had actually given birth to three children by herself.


    ¡®Hel, Jormungand, and Fenrir.¡¯


    In fact, Loki¡¯s children were the monster gods that had led to Ragnarok¡ªthe downfall of Norse mythology, so it wasn''t strange for Loki to be a woman.


    Yu-Seong nodded, trying to convince himself. It wasn''t easy to break the image he had established in his mind.


    "Anyway, I can understand why you didn''t recognize me instantly. News about me being Thor''s brother and whatnot is known on Earth. You could have been mistaken. But still, I thought you, Choi Yu-Seong, would recognize me soon enough."


    Loki''s overall dissatisfaction with the Nordic gods, starting with Odin and Thor, turned into a complaint about Yu-Seong not recognizing her immediately.


    As Yu-Seong listened to her, he tilted his head and asked, "But aren''t you here to give out the reward?"


    "Yes, so I don''t have much time allowed."


    "But is it okay to keep complaining like this?"


    ¡°I have nothing else to say."


    "Well, that''s true, but..."


    Actually, come to think of it, there was a lot of information that could be obtained from a god. Yu-Seong just happened to be caught up in Loki''s prank.


    Suddenly realizing this fact, Yu-Seong looked at Loki in surprise. Only then did he see the deep smile on Loki''s face. In her dark purple eyes, there seemed to be a sly energy rippling.


    Yu-Seong finally realized that he had been tricked. He tried to scream at Loki, but his voice wouldn''t come out. It was as if his throat was submerged in water.


    ¡®What the...?¡¯


    Everything around him suddenly felt distant and unreal, even though he was clearly still in the same place. Neither space nor time had changed.


    "Choi Yu-Seong, anyway, there''s nothing I can tell you right now. Don''t be mad that you were tricked. And you know that there''s something more important,¡± said Loki.


    As she gestured, the pure white Dragon Egg that had been right beside Yu-Seong was pulled toward her by some force.


    ¡®Loki? What is she trying to do?¡¯


    As she lifted the white Dragon Egg into the air, Loki looked quite satisfied and gently stroked it with one hand. "It''s warm. Yeah, this level of physical form should be sufficient."


    Then, as she muttered something incomprehensible, a purple energy flowed from her hand and began to erode the Dragon Egg. The previously white Dragon Egg began to be dyed in the same purple color as Loki''s.


    Yu-Seong had no right to stop Loki or question her actions, and could only watch helplessly. Gradually, his consciousness began to fade away, just like when he first entered this place. The scenery in front of him became increasingly distant.


    ¡®You¡­ What are you...up to again?¡¯


    As Yu-Seong closed his eyes, leaving his last question lingering in his mind, Loki chuckled and waved her hand. She said, "See you again, my friend."

 CH 183

    When he regained consciousness, Yu-Seong found himself standing in the middle of a square with a high white fountain in the center. He was holding the Dragon Egg that had turned into a violet color in his arms.


    ¡®Where am I...?¡¯


    Yu-Seong momentarily wondered before his senses, which had been somewhat scattered, quickly returned. He heard the mixed sounds of his surroundings.


    The clear water gushing out from the fountain hitting the stone pavement, the flapping of birds flying over the square, and the hum of people''s conversations all blended together to create a peaceful soundscape that flowed clearly into Yu-Seong''s ears.


    "Is that guy a newcomer?"


    "An egg? It looks strange."


    "But wait, I think I have seen that guy before."


    The conversation wasn''t solely in Korean. The air was filled with a medley of languages, including English, Japanese, Mandarin, Spanish, and many more.


    Yu-Seong felt all his senses return and he let out a short breath. He quickly left the square, still holding the Dragon Egg tightly in his arms.


    ¡®Come to think of it, the 10th floor is a rest area... It''s the first place where everyone gathers, regardless of which country¡¯s Tower they have entered.¡¯


    If people formed a party and started activities on this 10th floor, it would allow people from different countries to move up together to the 11th floor. It was indeed a square for a meeting. One puzzling thing was that there were more people than Yu-Seong had expected.


    ¡®Even if there are people from other countries... In Korea, I thought Kim Do-Jin and I were the fastest¡­¡¯


    Something was strange. Yu-Seong thought to himself that perhaps his conversation with Loki wasn''t as short as it seemed. He quickly looked around.


    ¡®But it doesn''t seem like a lot of time has passed. At least the gate to return to Earth hasn''t opened yet¡­¡¯


    Even as he hurriedly left the square, Yu-Seong was aware of the number of people and the situation around him. He quickly came to one conclusion.


    ¡®Opening the gate to return to Earth isn''t that difficult anyway, so I can take my time to solve that. What''s more important is finding someone who can tell me what happened... Should I look for Kim Do-Jin? No, if people have come up this far, maybe the Jin siblings or Yoo Jin-Hyuk are already here.¡¯


    Then, at that moment, another question arose in Yu-Seong¡¯s mind.


    ¡®Come to think of it, has Kim Do-Jin been away from me for a long time?¡¯


    Did Do-Jin wait for him or did he start acting alone? Typically, one would choose to wait for their colleague.


    ¡®But Kim Do-Jin is not your average guy.¡¯


    In fact, Do-Jin was more likely to wander around alone, and from the start, he had gone along with Yu-Seong somewhat reluctantly. Perhaps Do-Jin would have likely continued on without waiting by the time he felt that Yu-Seong was running a bit late.


    ¡®Seeing that the gate to return to Earth is not open¡­ Maybe he went straight to the 11th floor.¡¯


    While this could alter the future slightly, Yu-Seong wasn''t too worried. After all, they had ascended the Tower together to the 10th floor and he had experienced Do-Jin''s ways more than anyone else.


    ¡®He is not the kind of person who would fall into a dangerous situation.¡¯


    On the contrary, Do-Jin might put someone else in danger. Yu-Seong thought calmly and left the square where people had gathered.


    ***


    The 10th floor of the Tower of Heaven was essentially referred to as the Rest Village, with many buildings resembling the architecture of medieval Europe just like during the time of missions.


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    ¡®In fact, even the NPCs here give off a medieval Western vibe.¡¯


    The dress, behavior, and lifestyle had some differences, but many aspects resembled the Western culture of the past. However, there were distinct differences, including magic tech and alchemy.


    ¡®That¡¯s why the productive type players from Earth are reaping so many benefits.¡¯


    Since the Tower of Heaven had been activated, it wouldn''t be long before many artifact creators who learned technology from the 10th floor of the Tower of Heaven would appear on Earth.


    Of course, there were also shops and lodging in this Rest Village. Even strangers from Earth could buy a house using this world¡¯s currency. And there were two ways to earn the currency of this world.


    ¡®The first is to complete the missions or work inside the Rest Village and earn money through labor.¡¯


    This was the usual and common way, while the second method was somewhat twisted.


    ¡®After all, crime always exists in the world.¡¯


    Everyone was still quietly watching each other, but it wouldn''t be long before there were also robberies and frauds happening within this place. The reason why they didn''t act aggressively and only exchanged cautious glances was that there were security forces called guards also present in this village.


    ¡®And that public authority is quite powerful.¡¯


    Having gotten up to the 10th floor of the Tower, there might be some people who might try to confront the soldiers. However, the important thing was that, even among these soldiers, there were individuals with exceptional skills mixed in.


    ¡®Moreover, there are knights¡­¡¯


    Up ahead, there were also elite troops and guards tasked with protecting the city, along with wizards and a market. With a significant number of NPC residents, the city''s public security was quite robust.


    ¡®Well, for now, I don''t know much about those upper echelons.¡¯


    Actually, it wouldn''t have been difficult to create the current atmosphere just by showing a few soldiers being dispatched and taking their carelessly acting colleagues to prison.


    ¡®Of course, even in such situations, there are always some quick-witted individuals who can find their way around things.¡¯


    With such thoughts in mind, Yu-Seong walked on with the purple Dragon Egg in his arms. Then, suddenly, he caught sight of three burly men standing in a dark alleyway with a figure between them.


    ¡®After all, the public authority can''t do much about things that happen out of sight. They would think it¡¯ll be even neater if they erase the evidence.¡¯


    Yu-Seong could easily read between the lines regarding this situation. He also noticed a small-bodied woman with long black hair being surrounded by the men.


    ¡®It''s hard to pretend that I didn''t see it, I guess.¡¯


    Clicking his tongue, Yu-Seong stepped into the dark alleyway. He had little interest in the dialogue of third-class villains or the conversation of the men spewing nonsense.


    "Enough," he said shortly but firmly.


    The three men, who had been spitting while cornering someone, turned to look at Yu-Seong. Their faces turned red as they directed angry glares at him and spoke in an unknown language.


    ¡®Based on my feelings, perhaps it''s some sort of Russian language?¡¯


    In fact, it didn''t matter where they were from. Yu-Seong spoke in English, which could be easily understood by anyone.


    ¡°Get the hell out, jelly muscle.¡±


    Perhaps he had used a provocative phrase, the men''s faces turned red in anger. Approaching Yu-Seong with threatening gestures, they exhaled rough breaths.


    ¡®There are three of them, but it''s a narrow alley. The only thing I have that could be considered a burden is...the Dragon Egg.¡¯


    Actually, Yu-Seong wouldn''t feel burdened even in a wide-open space, but a narrow space was a better situation to be in. And although the Dragon Egg was seemingly cumbersome, it could never be broken, so he considered it to be a very useful tool if he looked at it from a different perspective.


    ¡®Shall I try to do a strength test?¡¯


    Yu-Seong easily dodged a punch from one of the charging men and swung the large Dragon Egg with one hand.


    Crack-!


    Instead of the egg creaking, there was a sound of a person''s head breaking before the massive man fell back. He was bleeding.


    "What an amazing weapon."


    Yu-Seong examined the Dragon Egg just in case, but nodded with a satisfied expression. He couldn¡¯t find a single scratch on it.


    "...#[email protected]!^&!...?!"


    The second big man was taken aback by the unexpected situation. He appeared angry as he repeatedly spat out what sounded like curses in Russian.


    Yu-Seong swung the Dragon Egg and hit him on the head. Finally, he showed the remaining man the red blood flowing on the surface of the purple Dragon Egg and asked, "Do you want more, or do you want to run away with your friends?"


    Even though Yu-Seong spoke in Korean, perhaps because of the gesture he made with his chin, the third man seemed to understand the common body language used worldwide and carried his two colleagues on each of his shoulders. Then, he quickly disappeared from the alleyway.


    The man might be seeking revenge against Yu-Seong, but it wasn''t a major concern for Yu-Seong.


    "Hmm..."


    After confirming the men¡¯s backs, Yu-Seong naturally turned to the small figure who was previously surrounded by the men alone.


    ¡®Wait, it¡¯s not a woman?¡¯


    At first glance, with the long flowing hair and slender figure, Yu-Seong had thought the person was a woman. However, upon closer inspection, it was clearly a man.


    Looking at the slightly seductive eyes and the debauched smile that exuded a certain decadence, Yu-Seong couldn''t shake off his feeling of doubt.


    ¡®In his eyes¡­¡¯


    There was no feeling of tension or fear at all. Instead, the other man looked at Yu-Seong and the Dragon Egg in his hand with curiosity. It was as if nothing had happened just moments ago.


    ¡®This is somewhat¡­¡¯


    When Yu-Seong felt a sense of unease, the man who had been leaning halfway against the wall slowly bowed at his waist. He said, "I am grateful for your kindness. If it''s not too much trouble, may I ask for your name?"


    The man had a western appearance, except for his dark hair and black eyes. He also spoke Korean fluently.


    Perhaps it was because of the language, or maybe it was due to the seductive aura that the man exuded, Yu-Seong casually told him his name despite the strange tension.


    "¡­Choi Yu-Seong."


    "Choi Yu-Seong. Nice to meet you. My name is Eveheim Uriel. You can call me Eveheim for short."


    "Eveheim..."


    The name seemed familiar but also unfamiliar at the same time. Yu-Seong tried to search his memory for the character''s name in the original novel he had read, but he couldn¡¯t recall anyone.


    ¡®Could he not be from the novel?¡¯


    Eveheim had an enigmatic and powerful aura, something that was hard to call it ordinary. To put it bluntly, he had a magnetic vibe that made it difficult to look away from him, and Yu-Seong found himself observing the man excessively.


    Realizing what he was doing, Yu-Seong felt embarrassed. He said, "Oh, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to stare at you like that."


    Eveheim merely smiled in response. "It''s alright. It''s common for me."


    "Well..." Yu-Seong nodded before groaning softly.


    To be honest, it was difficult not to be captivated by someone like Eveheim. His magnetic presence drew anyone toward him. Thus, Yu-Seong was easily convinced by the man¡¯s simple comment.


    "Well then, I shall take my leave now. We shall meet again when fate permits, my life saver. I shall not forget your name, Choi Yu-Seong," said Eveheim with a smile.


    Then, he slowly walked away from Yu-Seong. It was at that moment when a sweet yet profound vanilla scent reached Yu-Seong''s nostrils.


    ¡®Sweet vanilla scent... I''m sure I''ve read that description before¡­¡¯


    The problem was, that description could fit anyone or anything. As Yu-Seong contemplated this, Eveheim disappeared from his sight.


    Left alone, Yu-Seong scratched his head and shook his head. "Ah, forget it. Maybe I''ll remember him later."


    It was possible that Eveheim wasn''t a character from the original novel, after all. He might simply be a different and unique person.


    "Let''s get back to what I was doing."


    With a shrug, Yu-Seong left the alley and began searching for his party.

 CH 184

    Yu-Seong thought that most of his companions, or perhaps all of them, had reached the Tower of Heaven¡¯s 10th floor before him. Thus, as he wandered around, he thought that he might come across some familiar faces.


    In fact, he was not mistaken.


    "...Huh? Choi Yu-Seong?"


    At a bar that had the atmosphere of becoming quite lively after sunset, a man was drinking on the terrace. He recognized Yu-Seong and his eyes widened in surprise.


    "Bernard Yoo?"


    In response, Bernard stood up from his seat with his distinctive bright smile, walked toward Yu-Seong, and hugged him with his arms outstretched. He said, "Wow, how long has it been since we last met?"


    Yu-Seong nodded with a smile as Bernard patted his back quite roughly. He replied, "Yeah, it feels like it''s been a while."


    "It''s been almost six months. By the way, are you alone?"


    Next to Bernard was Meghan, who was relaxing together with him. She greeted Yu-Seong with a nod and raised her beer glass.


    "What do you think? How about a drink before you go?"


    "I''m actually looking for my companions right now but..."


    "But?" Bernard, who was sitting slightly apart from Yu-Seong, asked him, "Well, you don''t really have to keep wandering around, do you? You can easily see people passing by from this terrace seat.¡±


    In fact, Yu-Seong also needed a break. He knew that he would likely become busy again once he returned to Earth, so he decided to take the opportunity to enjoy this leisure time.


    ***


    ¡°You¡¯ve made a good choice,¡± said Benard Yoo.


    Yu-Seong ended up joining Bernard and Meghan. He sat on the terrace outside the bar and started to drink beer. Putting down his glass with a bright expression, he exclaimed, "Ah, it''s so refreshing!¡±


    He had been running non-stop since entering the Tower of Heaven, and this one glass of refreshing drink was something he had missed.


    "They say they preserve the temperature with magic, but I think it tastes even better than Earth beer," Bernard said.


    "I agree," Meghan chimed in.


    "Agreed, agreed. By the way, when did you two arrive on the 10th floor?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "It''s only been three days since we got here. At that time, there weren''t that many people, but there were suddenly so many more the next day,¡± said Bernard.


    Yu-Seong''s eyes twinkled from the unexpected information that Bernard had given.


    ''I guess that time didn''t seem to pass that much.''


    Beside Bernard, Meghan tilted her head at the Dragon Egg in Yu-Seong¡¯s hand. She asked, "May I ask what that is?"


    "Oh, this... Um..." After thinking for a moment, Yu-Seong nodded lightly and replied, "I believe it is a Dragon Egg."


    "Phew-!" Bernard''s eyes grew wide with surprise as he spewed beer into the air. "What? What did you say? A Dragon Egg? That winged creature?"


    "Yes. Actually, I''m pretty certain," Yu-Seong replied.


    "My goodness, where did you even get it?"


    "On the 9th floor. There was a bit of a story behind it."


    "There''s something like a Dragon Egg coming out of the 9th floor? Well, we have also experienced something similar to a hidden-piece a few times, but..." said Bernard.


    After hearing that, Bernard and Meghan couldn''t hide their surprised reactions. No other emotions but curiosity could be found in their gaze as they continued to look at the egg.


    ''If I had to say, it''s curiosity.''


    Despite knowing the truth, there was no sign of greed or any negative emotions. Yu-Seong couldn''t help but smile as he realized that Bernard and Meghan were also good people.


    ''...And that''s why I decided to stay with them.''


    In truth, carrying the Dragon Egg alone was burdensome for Yu-Seong. The egg was unusually large, attracting unwanted attention. Therefore, it was difficult for him to protect it alone.


    ''It''s better to have trustworthy people around.''


    As Yu-Seong looked to the side with that thought in mind, Bernard asked with widened eyes and a disgusted face, "Why are you smiling at me suddenly?"


    "Just because. Do I need a reason?¡± asked Yu-Seong.


    When you''re just trying to make great content at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡°Maybe it''s because he likes you, Bernard?" suggested Meghan.


    "Between men? Don''t make me shiver, Meghan."


    "Same-sex relationships are possible too. It''s surprisingly common. Bernard, you don¡¯t seem to know, but..."


    "Stop. I''m not part of that. Let''s just pretend I didn''t hear anything,¡± said Bernard.


    "I don''t dislike him, but I''m not interested in that either, Meghan," said Yu-Seong.


    At the intense denial of the two, a strange look of disappointment crossed Meghan''s gaze. She said, "It''s not as bad as you think.¡±


    "It doesn''t matter if people love each other, but don¡¯t get me involved," said Bernard.


    ¡°Hm¡­¡±


    After making a strange nasal sound and stroking her chin, Meghan turned to Yu-Seong as if she suddenly remembered something. She asked, "How about with Kim Do-Jin?¡±


    "Well, he''s still the same. We came up here together, but I arrived a little late."


    "But didn''t he wait for you?" Bernard asked.


    "He''s never been the type to wait," Yu-Seong replied with a smirk as he tipped his beer glass.


    "Come to think of it, he has a pretty selfish personality," Bernard commented.


    "Yes, very mean. I still curse his name when I remember how much trouble he had caused us on the 9th floor," Yu-Seong said with a hint of anger in his voice.


    "Why do you keep hanging out with someone like him? Just cut him off," Bernard suggested.


    "I''m thinking about cutting him off already," Yu-Seong replied with a smirk.


    As they lightly clinked their beer glasses, they suddenly felt a heavy presence behind them and heard a voice.


    "...look who''s enjoying themselves by bad mouthing someone behind their back."


    Turning around, Yu-Seong and Bernard spewed their beer into the air.


    ¡°Phew-!¡±


    ¡°Pheww-! Kim Do-Jin?"


    "Disgusting."


    Do-Jin sat down at an empty table nearby, crossed his legs, and stared outside as if he had no connection to the three of them.


    "How did you get here¡­?" Yu-Seong asked urgently.


    Without even glancing at Yu-Seong, Do-Jin called for the owner and ordered a beer.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you go up to the 11th floor first?" asked Yu-Seong again.


    Do-Jin, however, still gave no response.


    Bernard watched Do-Jin and raised his eyebrows with his eyes narrowed. Then, he said, "Seems like he''s sulking.¡±


    "Sulking? Really?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "True, it''s not like he would sulk over something as small as talking about him," Bernard explained.


    "Wasn''t it not just talking abotu me, but also talking behind my back?" Do-Jin burst out as he glared at Bernard, then he emptied the glass of beer at once.


    Yu-Seong noticed something strange in Do-Jin¡¯s behavior before his eyes widened in surprise. He asked, "Hey, what about your egg...?"


    "My egg hatched. I didn''t expect you to still be carrying the egg. And...the color has changed too," said Do-Jin, glancing at Yu-Seong''s purple egg. Tilting his head in curiosity, he asked, "What exactly happened?"


    "If I answer, you should also tell me why you are here," said Yu-Seong.


    "I¡¯ll think about it if you apologize first."


    "Sorry."


    "..."


    Yu-Seong''s calm apology filled Do-Jin''s eyes with a strange emotion. It was anger, according to the Character Understanding skill.


    "Why? I apologized as you told me to.¡±


    "The sincerity... Never mind," said Do-Jin. He sighed deeply, rubbed his forehead, and lowered his head. He muttered, "Since when did I become so childish?"


    "You''ve always been childish," Bernard responded.


    "Shut up, Bernard."


    "See? Even a little teasing makes you sensitive."


    Yu-Seong quickly intervened and sat between the two who looked like they were about to explode at any moment. He warned, "If you two really start fighting here, the security guards will catch you. And considering you¡¯re here before me, shouldn''t you know that already?"


    "Hmph, who¡¯s fighting with who?" Do-Jin replied.


    "I never bother fighting with such a childish guy," added Bernard.


    While the two exchanged a few more light arguments as they glared at each other, Yu-Seong suddenly thought that the scene was quite familiar to him.


    ¡®Yoo Jin-Hyuk and Chae Ye-Ryung.¡¯


    Perhaps the phrase ¡®lovers'' quarrel¡¯ would be more fitting for them. Although, what exactly should he call these two in front of him?


    As Yu-Seong pondered, Meghan snapped him out of his thoughts. She commented, "Wow, what a hot friendship.¡±


    "Quiet, Meghan!" scolded Bernard.


    "What a noisy woman," muttered Do-Jin.


    Meghan shrugged her shoulders at their intense gazes.


    ***


    It took more than thirty minutes for the two men to cool down. In the meantime, as Yu-Seong silently watched the people passing by on the terrace, other customers started to come into the bar. This was because there were many people who were interested in seeing the group drinking outside.


    "So, why did your egg turn out like that?" Do-Jin asked.


    ¡°Oh, this¡­¡± Yu-Seong pondered for a moment before explaining calmly. "A god appeared and gave me some sort of blessing, so the color changed into this.¡±


    "A god appeared in front of you directly?" asked Do-Jin.


    "Yeah," responded Yu-Seong.


    Do-Jin smirked and shook his head side by side. "You''re lying again. Well, I''ll let it slide this time."


    "You never believe me whenever I tell you the truth.¡±


    ¡°I''d rather believe you if you said you made a contract with a demon," said Do-Jin.


    "Don''t demons suit you more than me?" said Yu-Seong.


    "Wait, can I ask a question?" Bernard, who had inserted himself between Yu-Seong and Kim, raised his hand.


    "Say it," said Do-Jin.


    "Did a real Dragon hatch from your egg?" asked Bernard.


    Do-Jin nodded slightly as he tilted his beer glass.


    ¡°Then, where is it?¡±


    "Here," Do-Jin replied briefly as he pointed to his own shoulder.


    "Can¡¯t see anything."


    In response, something black and shiny about the size of a human head briefly appeared on Do-Jin''s shoulder. Then, it disappeared again.


    "J-Just now..."


    "Antareus, that''s what I named it. Since you guys don''t believe me, I thought I''d show you its appearance for a moment." Do-Jin smirked and scratched the air above his shoulder with his index finger.


    Kiiuuuung-!


    Then, a strange sound came from the empty air.


    "A-Are you saying it''s really a Dragon?" exclaimed Bernard.


    "It is indeed a Dragon, and it''s impressive that it can use magic despite being born recently,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    Do-Jin raised his head with pride at the reactions of Bernard and Yu-Seong, clearly showing how proud he was of the dragon he had obtained.


    ¡®But, when will my Dragon be born?¡¯


    Just as he looked at Do-Jin with an envious gaze and placed his hand on the purple Dragon Egg, Yu-Seong felt a sensation of something wriggling and moving from within the egg. The movements were transmitted to the surface.

 CH 185

    ¡°Huh? I felt something moving inside just now.¡±


    "Really? Is it about to hatch?" Bernard asked with a surprised gaze as he put his hand on the purple Dragon Egg.


    Then, he looked at Yu-Seong with the same surprised expression. He asked, "Hey, I feel it too. Is it just breaking out of its shell right now?"


    "Kim Do-Jin, how was your egg?"


    Do-Jin smirked at Yu-Seong¡¯s urgent expression. Looking at the Dragon Egg, he said, "I also had that feeling, and it did hatch a few days after. But...not immediately. Just before hatching, the surface of the egg will start to crack.¡±


    "Right now, perhaps it''s just responding to our voices?"


    "Probably," Do-Jin lightly answered as he tilted his beer glass once again.


    Yu-Seong and Bernard looked disappointed, displaying similar expressions.


    Meghan, who had been watching them with a strange gaze, suddenly asked Do-Jin, "By the way, Mr. Kim Do-Jin, why are you still here?"


    "Oh, that''s right. It¡¯s your turn to answer now."


    Yu-Seong remembered the question he had earlier, which he had forgotten about due to the Dragon Egg.


    When Yu-Seong asked the question, Do-Jin froze for a moment. Only after a short and natural silence did Do-Jin speak while looking out at the terrace and slowly placing his beer glass down on the table. "I had some unfinished business.¡±


    "I don¡¯t believe that," replied Yu-Seong.


    "It''s true. Even if you don¡¯t believe it, believe it. I trusted your lies earlier."


    "I never lied in the first place." With a smirk, Yu-Seong shrugged his shoulders and asked, "Wait, were you really waiting for me...?"


    "..."


    Silence once again filled the air. It was at that moment when Yu-Seong looked at Do-Jin with narrowed eyes, amid the strange vibe. Naturally, his Character Understanding skill allowed him to sense Do-Jin¡¯s feelings.


    ¡®Bewilderment and¡­anger? Why would he be angry now?¡¯


    While Yu-Seng tilted his head in confusion, Bernard, who was watching from beside them, chuckled and tilted his beer glass. "You can tell at a glance that he was waiting for you, though I have no idea why.¡±


    "Even if I say I wasn¡¯t..." Do-Jin said with a deep sigh


    After glancing at Bernard, Do-Jin shook his head. He showed no interest in continuing the conversation.


    For Yu-Seong, it was better that way. He didn''t want to deal with any unnecessary arguments between the two.


    Speaking of which, why was Meghan sitting back and staying out of the situation? When Yu-Seong met her eyes for a moment, Meghan gave him a playful wink with a strange expression of joy on her face.


    ¡®...Why is she so excited?¡¯


    Indeed, the world was full of inexplicable things.


    Entirely lost in thought, they all naturally fell into a deep silence. As they didn''t continue talking, each of them stared outside at the view from the terrace.


    Suddenly, Yu-Seong remembered Eveheim, whom he had encountered on the alley. At that time, he had given up trying to recall the man as his vague memories made it difficult to trace. However, Yu-Seong was sure that Eveheim was definitely not an ordinary person.


    ¡®He must be a character from the original novel, who would it be?¡¯


    If he had such a unique aura, he would have been described vividly in the original novel.


    ¡®Come to think of it, even though he¡¯s a man, he is very pretty looking.¡¯


    Yu-Seong remembered Eveheim¡¯s long hair and the decadent darkness he exuded. As he sorted through a few keywords, his gaze began to tremble rapidly.


    ¡®Wait, wait a minute. I think...I might know who he is.¡¯


    There was a character, a character that had such a description, in the original novel now coming to his mind.


    ¡®The leader of the Demon King Worshipers¡­ Godfather.¡¯


    As he laughed bitterly, Yu-Seong unknowingly tilted his beer glass to take a big gulp.


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    ¡®Come to think of it, I looked past that situation too easily. However, he did leave quite a strong impression.¡¯


    This was not like Yu-Seong, who had become more sensitive after going through several crises. The reason was simple.


    ¡®It was the Godfather¡¯s Perception Distortion skill.¡¯


    Perception Distortion was one of the Godfather''s signature skills in the original novel, capable of scattering the target''s senses and mind to leave them vulnerable.


    ¡®It''s practically a fraud skill, fitting for the ultimate villain of this world.¡¯


    Depending on the skill level, the Perception Distortion skill could destroy the target in various ways. It could range from making them unrecognizable even when passing by, to clouding their judgment like with Yu-Seong earlier, and even disrupting their senses and mana flow.


    In fact, the Godfather was already considered to be one of the most powerful figures in the world.


    ¡®Even though he¡¯s a member of the Demon King Worshipers, the original novel depicted him as possibly being even stronger than the Demon King himself... ¡¯


    With such a fraudulent skill, it was no exaggeration to say that the Godfather was a force to be reckoned with. He was beyond anyone except the main character, Do-Jin.


    ¡®Also, the Godfather used Korea''s Tower of Heaven in the original novel.¡¯


    There was only one reason for this¡ªhis interest in Kim Do-Jin. Perhaps there was some sort of connection between extremely powerful individuals who transcended normal boundaries.


    Despite not having fully regained his power as a returnee, Godfather''s interest in Do-Jin was enormous.


    ¡®According to the original novel, they were supposed to climb the tower together, but it all fell apart because of me.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had twisted one plan, but it seemed like there were no immediate effects to this.


    ¡®Perhaps the encounter between the Godfather and I might be one?¡¯


    In the original novel, it was inconceivable for a third-class villain like Yu-Seong to even have a chance meeting with the Godfather, the King of Evil. However, it was only a small butterfly effect, so it didn¡¯t seem that bad considering the significantly changed history.


    ¡®Of course, I should keep a close eye on those...¡¯


    Despite everything that had happened, the Godfather had mentioned repaying Yu-Seong to some extent for his kindness. Needless to say, there was a possibility that it could lead to a positive outcome.


    As Yu-Seong harbored such hopeful thoughts, a familiar and friendly face appeared outside the terrace. He called out urgently, "Yoo Jin-Hyuk, Chae Ye-Ryeong!"


    Hearing the urgent call, the two walking side by side turned their heads to look at Yu-Seong. They beamed with a bright smile.


    "Boss!"


    "Yu-Seong hyung!"


    It was a moment when Yu-Seong¡¯s colleagues naturally started to join him.


    ***


    Eveheim, the Godfather, could use his Perception Distortion skill to hide himself, making him nearly imperceptible to most people. However, he did not necessarily use the skill continuously while walking around. There were two reasons for this. Firstly, this place was not on Earth, but inside the Tower of Heaven.


    ¡®I guess it''s still a bit clumsy to operate the skill for now.¡¯


    In order to continuously use powerful skills like Perception Distortion, the Godfather had to constantly consume his mental energy due to the reset phenomenon. The resulting fatigue and stress were not something to be taken lightly. After all, viewed from a broader perspective, if annoyance was the first reason, the second reason was confidence.


    ¡®Anyway, it doesn''t matter if they recognize me or not.¡¯


    Eveheim¡¯s appearance definitely attracted attention. Moreover, his small stature and sensuous charm naturally drew people toward him. Therefore, he inevitably got into various situations, but in reality, he believed that he could handle the majority of them alone.


    Even if he had experienced the reset phenomenon, his power was at a level that could not be compared to that of ordinary players. If they bothered him first just because they thought he was easy to handle, there was only one option¡­


    "Ugh... Just...kill me."


    It was just a few hours ago.


    After escaping with the help of Yu-Seong, one of the giant men had stumbled into an alley. He coughed up blood and begged for help as he was clutching onto the Godfather''s robe with reddened eyes. His lower half had disappeared, and he was soaked in blood as he lay on the ground in agony.


    Grabbing onto the end of the Godfather¡¯s trousers, he pleaded, "Please... Just let me die..."


    "If you were lucky enough to survive, shouldn''t you have taken the opportunity to run away?" Eveheim said, casually brushing the man''s hand away.


    The reason behind their deaths was straightforward. Once Yu-Seong had left, those who remained had stumbled upon Eveheim alone, and in a fit of rage, they dragged him into the alley with the intent of resorting to violence.


    From Eveheim''s perspective, it was a legitimate act of self-defense. The unexpected factor was that Eveheim knew exactly how to make a person suffer before they died.


    Eveheim exited the dark alley, leaving behind the man who would have died if left alone. Although he paused for a moment when he heard curses, resentment, and anger-filled voices from behind, they soon faded away. Already, there was a greater weight of hatred on his shoulders.


    ¡®There''s nothing to be afraid of.¡¯


    The Godfather smiled coldly as he completely left the alley.


    Then, a massive man, even bigger than the group of men seen before, blocked Eveheim¡¯s path. His enormous body was possibly bigger than two normal men combined. He also had sharp features all around his face, exuding a stronger, more ominous aura than Eveheim. In fact, he attracted more attention than even Eveheim himself.


    Naturally, some of those who watched the situation smiled somewhat fiercely at Eveheim. Then, they couldn''t help but flinch.


    "How did it go? Were you successful?" asked the man in a surprisingly cautious manner.


    "No. Unfortunately, things didn''t go as planned," replied Eveheim arrogantly.


    Eveheim, who looked way weaker than the man, walked along the street naturally. The man who had just joined Eveheim naturally followed beside him.


    "That would be a shame. You have gone all the way to Korea just for that guy, Kim Do-Jin..."


    "Well, I did gain something, Jackson.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­?¡±


    ¡°I met Choi Yu-Seong," Eveheim said, mentioning the name that caused Jackson''s large eyes to sparkle.


    "Is he the next candidate after Kim Do-Jin? He seems to have some useful talent," Jackson asked curiously.


    "We''ll have to watch him a little longer, but he seems rather intriguing," replied Eveheim.


    "Usually, when you call someone intriguing, it¡¯s meant as a compliment," Jackson remarked.


    ¡°And you seem to have more wounds than before.¡±


    "Hahaha-! This reset phenomenon isn''t so bad. It feels like I''m really using my body again."


    As Jackson laughed heartily, Eveheim smiled wryly. Then, a blond woman leaning against a building on the other side of the village caught Eveheim''s eye. She seemed somewhat provocative in her red dress, but when her gaze met Eveheim''s, she naturally approached them and greeted them with a raised hand.


    "Oh my, Godfather. We met sooner than I thought. Hello, Jackson," said the woman.


    "Talia."


    The two people were only the start; soon, others began to gather around them. Before they knew it, six people had formed a hexagonal shape around Eveheim as if they were escorting him.


    If anyone who knew their faces had seen them, they would have recoiled in horror. The six Hexagram Masters, the true rulers of the Demon King Worshipers, had entered the Tower of Heaven.


    As they all walked together, along with Eveheim, Talia, the second woman to join them, suddenly remembered something and said, "By the way, Godfather, I heard an interesting rumor. They say there''s a Dragon Egg on the 10th floor of the Tower of Heaven.¡±


    Naturally, at the mention of such a keyword, everyone, including Eveheim and the other five Hexagram Masters, turned their heads to look at Talia. They were unable to hide their interest.

 CH 186

    "Dragon Egg?"


    His eyes widening in surprise, Jackson, who had a massive build, raised his voice.


    "Shh, what if someone hears us¡­?" said a young man with a small stature and a frail body who quickly scanned his surroundings.


    "So what if they do hear us? Do you think they''ll compete with me?" said Jackson, snorting arrogantly and looking around with pride.


    Sure enough, no one dared to meet Jackson¡¯s gaze. Even though they had all experienced the reset phenomenon and were limited in their abilities within the Tower, Jackson''s powerful aura remained unchanged.


    In fact, he seemed even more wild and untamed than he did outside the Tower. It was only natural that most people wouldn''t even dare to meet his gaze.


    "What should we do, Godfather? If you give the order, I''ll go and take it right away," Jackson asked.


    With a hint of hesitation on his face for a moment, Eveheim smiled and shook his head. "A Dragon Egg... I''m not saying that I''m not interested, but let''s give up on that for now.¡±


    All six Hexagram Masters had their eyes wide in surprise. They knew that their boss was someone who always had a strong desire to obtain anything he wanted. In the past, there was nothing that Eveheim had expressed a desire for and not been able to obtain. Therefore, the fact that he was willing to give up on something was highly unusual and unexpected.


    "I know who has the Dragon Egg, or at least I have an idea regarding that," said Eveheim.


    "Is it...Choi Yu-Seong?" Jackson asked.


    Eveheim smiled strangely and nodded to Jackson¡¯s question.


    "Do you mean Choi Yu-Seong has the Dragon Egg? Is he someone we should be wary of?" Talia asked in surprise.


    Jackson smirked and shrugged his shoulders. "He''s someone we need to be cautious of and someone we''re considering recruiting. Anyway, we need to start preparing for the next Black King soon¡­"


    "Is it already time to replace the Black King?¡±


    "There have been a lot of rumors lately."


    "Come to think of it, that woman, Rachel..."


    "That''s enough."


    All of a sudden, the six Hexagram Masters who had been causing the earlier commotion fell silent with their mouths tightly shut. Despite everything, Eveheim was the absolute ruler within the Demon King Worshipers. Thus, no one wanted to deny Eveheim.


    "It''s not a topic that we need to keep secret, but perhaps we''ve already said too much. So, Godfather, are you really planning to give up on the Dragon Egg?"


    After all, the Dragon Egg was something beyond ordinary. Talia, who was quite disappointed that they were giving up, asked the question again. However, Eveheim never wavered from his decision.


    "Sometimes, it''s important to repay your debts to those who have helped you, and that requires knowing how to control your own desires," Eveheim said.


    Eveheim then turned his gaze toward a small tavern in the distance. People were gathered there. As he examined their faces, a smile formed on his lips.


    ¡®Hm, Korea¡­¡¯


    It seemed like there were more and more reasons for him to stay and not leave Korea for a while.


    ***


    Yu-Seong''s group, including Jin-Hyuk and Ye-Ryeong, was soon joined by Yu-Ri and Do-Yoon within an hour. As more people gathered, Do-Jin, who had already seemed somewhat distant, got up from his seat with a cold expression and quickly disappeared.


    ¡®But perhaps he''ll still be nearby after all¡­¡¯


    In any case, neither Yu-Seong nor anyone else bothered to catch Do-Jin since his face clearly showed his discomfort and unease.


    ¡®That''s the nature of individualism in a main character.¡¯


    Yu-Seong laughed inwardly as he spent the night drinking with his companions, Bernard and Meghan, before bustling around busily from early morning.


    ¡®We need to open the gate to return to Earth.¡¯


    In the first place, opening the Dimensional Gate to return from the 10th floor of the Tower of Heaven to Earth was not difficult. It was not opened simply because no one had tried. All they had to do was press a hidden button on the fountain in the center of the city.


    With such a simple act, Yu-Seong opened the huge blue Dimensional Gate. His companions watched him with twinkling eyes.


    "Wow..."


    "As expected, Yu-Seong hyung is amazing."


    Yu-Seong simply shrugged at the admiration from Ye-Ryeong and Jin-Hyuk.


    1. You are the first one to open the Dimensional Gate to return to Earth.


    2. Special reward is given: Emergency Return will now be available to you immediately.


    A new hidden-piece that Yu-Seong was not aware of had been opened.


    ¡®Huh? Emergency Return?¡¯


    In fact, the ability was simple.


    ¡®At any time, I can open a Dimensional Gate to return to Earth from anywhere. The reuse waiting time is one year¡­¡¯


    It could be used only once a year, but he could return to Earth from any point, not just from a return point. This was clearly an unexpected benefit.


    ¡®This is indeed a surprising gain.¡¯


    Yu-Seong couldn''t help but smile as he looked at his companions¡¯ happy faces.


    When he had told them that they could return to Earth from the 10th floor, they had all been excited. It was easy to understand why. Growing within the Tower of Heaven was mysteriously satisfying, but staying there without being able to go home could be tiring. It was like constantly staying inside a dungeon, but finally, the gate to return had opened.


    "Then, shall we go back home now?" Yu-Seong asked.


    Then, the group turned their heads toward him and then threw themselves toward the gate to return to Earth with Yu-Seong in the lead.


    ¡®This is just the beginning.¡¯


    Many people would return to Earth, and a lot would change. At this point, curiosity began to take hold of Yu-Seong¡¯s mind.


    ¡®How will my father deal with this?¡¯


    The original novel¡¯s Choi Woo-Jae did not get to experience this situation.


    ''Since he died before the Tower of Heaven opened.''


    The Tower of Heaven had opened earlier than originally planned, so it would indeed bring many changes. At this point, Yu-Seong had no choice but to make one decision.


    ¡®I would have thought it wasn''t the right time, but...I have to meet her.¡¯


    Making up his mind, Yu-Seong closed his eyes and opened them again to find himself in the middle of a street in Myeongdong, Seoul.


    ***


    The stories of the returnees from the Tower of Heaven to Earth had recently become the hottest issue. Many people felt curious about the sudden appearance of the Tower and the vanished gods, wondering what had happened inside and what could be gained or lost.


    At this point, most of the information had been given by Yu-Seong himself.


    ¡®The contents up to the 10th floor of the Tower will be revealed soon anyway.¡¯


    In addition, he had slowly uncovered some hidden-pieces that he considered to have little use. Naturally, the price of information increased significantly when it was rare. Therefore, unbeknownst to Choi Woo-Jae, Yu-Seong had earned a considerable amount of money.


    ¡®The more money, the better.¡¯


    The more money he had, the more he could do at once. For example, Yu-Seong had started investing more money in Yu-Ri''s Hidden Team to expand its scale.


    ¡®Simply gathering information and engaging in small-scale combat won''t be enough.¡¯


    There might be bigger fights in the future. That was why Yu-Seong decided to invest a lot of money in the Hidden Team, who were working solely for him and not for Choi Woo-Jae. They definitely returned the money he poured in, and obviously the more money he put in, the higher the returns would be. Yu-Seong didn''t doubt it.


    In the meantime, he made an effort to combine the power he had gained in the Tower of Heaven with his abilities on Earth. Sometimes, he paid attention to the Dragon Egg, hoping that it would hatch soon. However, unlike Do-Jin''s prediction that it wouldn''t take long, the egg remained quiet and unresponsive.


    Also, at this point, Do-Jin''s guild, Eclipse, declared full-scale activity. Similar to Yu-Seong, it seemed that Do-Jin had also gathered quite a bit of funds.


    After about a week had passed, Woo-Jae called for Yu-Seong, as always, to the same quiet and dimly lit office. Although, Yu-Seong felt a different feeling from usual as he entered the office.


    ¡®It''s a space that remains associated with a really scary memory, but¡­¡¯


    Somehow, he couldn''t help but feel cozy in this space.


    ¡®Come to think of it, is it because Father isn''t here?¡¯


    Woo-Jae hadn''t arrived yet. Yu-Seong had permission to come in first, but the feeling of an office without Woo-Jae was quite awkward and strange.


    ¡®Also, surprisingly, the light is quite good here¡­¡¯


    Sunlight poured into the room through the window, which had been partially blocked by Woo-Jae''s small yet broad back before. Was that the reason? Yu-Seong picked up books from the bookshelf in the office, reading them quite naturally.


    Soon, the office door opened and Woo-Jae walked in. Startled, Yu-Seong quickly put the books back on the shelf, and Woo-Jae asked with a smile, "What were you reading?"


    "Ah, the title of the book is... The Devil''s Deal..."


    "It''s a pretty good book. It''ll be helpful in running the company. Take it."


    "What?"


    "I''ve memorized everything anyway, so I don''t need it."


    Woo-Jae sat in his usual spot, smiling wryly as he turned his back to the sun. At that moment, Yu-Seong felt a darkness settling into what had previously seemed quite bright.


    ¡®As expected¡­ Does this place have its own unique vibe only when Father is here?¡¯


    Yu-Seong couldn''t help but smile slightly, but he also unconsciously tensed up and lowered his head shortly.


    "Thank you, I''ll read it well," Yu-Seong replied.


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    "If you have any other books you want to read in the future, feel free to take them. I''ll allow you to come in here even when I''m not around."


    "...Pardon?"


    "Why, don''t you like my gift?"


    ¡°Of¡­Of course I like it.¡±


    Rather, Yu-Seong was very happy with the gift. It was because of what had been written in the original novel.


    ¡®Choi Woo-Jae hides some really important things in this office...''


    While there were some ordinary management books among the books on the bookshelf that Yu-Seong had picked up, there were many more extraordinary things, such as the bribery list of politicians, the scandals and secrets of entertainers, and even the weaknesses of the company''s executives! It could be said that there were more precious things in this office than any other ancient relics.


    ¡®These are truly treasures that can be called the power of a Comet Group...¡¯


    Yu-Seong''s eyes brightened as he unknowingly looked around the office.


    Woo-Jae flipped through a report on his desk and asked casually with a smirk, "Still, you got quite a lot by going to the Tower of Heaven, didn''t you?"


    "Oh, yes. I think it was a pretty good experience."


    "It seems like it. Just looking at your momentum, it seems like you¡¯re at the same level as a decent A-rank hunter. You''re a B-rank hunter now, right?"


    "...yes."


    "It¡¯s interesting. Many studies have been conducted on how to break the limits of a player, but there has never been an exact result. Although, it is quite common in exceptional individuals known as Irregulars..." Woo-Jae quickly flipped the report he was looking at and smirked as he met Yu-Seong¡¯s gaze. "I''ve never seen anyone with your ability grow so quickly, Yu-Seong..."


    "You flatter me," responded Yu-Seong.


    "Don''t try to be too humble. Your abilities continue to exceed my expectations¡­and the information you obtained from the Tower of Heaven has certainly earned you a lot of money," said Woo-Jae.


    Perhaps the report that Woo-Jae had been reading was related to Yu-Seong.


    "Oh, yes. I thought that if information could be turned into money, it would be best to sell anything I didn''t need as soon as possible."


    Yu-Seong nodded slightly, as he knew that he couldn''t hide this piece of information from the beginning.


    "And that money is now flowing out to a place where I can''t track it through a Swiss bank account..."


    "...¡±


    Woo-Jae was talking about the funds going to the Hidden Team. In fact, it was a considerable amount of money moving around. There was no way to avoid getting caught at this point, no matter how careful Yu-Seong was.


    ''But I thought I could hold out a little longer...''


    Woo-Jae had found out faster than Yu-Seong expected. It was at this point that Yu-Seong was quietly worrying about Woo-Jae''s reaction to the unexpected situation.


    "Excellent. You truly are my son. The Choi family should at least be capable of this, shouldn''t they?" Woo-Jae looked at Yu-Seong with a pleased smile.

 CH 187

    Yu-Seong''s expression momentarily froze at Woo-Jae''s unexpected reaction. He had only shown that expression for a mere moment, but he knew that Woo-Jae had caught his changed reaction.


    "Why? Did you think I would scold you or something?" Woo-Jae asked.


    "...no," Yu-Seong replied.


    "Well, I can tell just by looking at your expression. Even though you''re all different in your own ways, my children all have similar traits. Haha¡­¡±


    Would that be a compliment or an insult? Yu-Seong couldn''t tell what Woo-Jae meant by his words.


    "Can you drink?" Woo-Jae suddenly asked.


    Yu-Seong was surprised by the sudden question.


    ¡®Drinking, all of a sudden?¡¯


    One after another, Woo-Jae made unexpected offers that left Yu-Seong feeling astonished. However, Yu-Seong managed to keep his calm.


    "I''ve been living quietly these days, but I used to be the troublemaker of the family, no?"


    "So...?" Woo-Jae asked.


    "...I''ve had my fair share of days where I drank too much and ended up causing trouble," Yu-Seong admitted.


    Even if that memory wasn''t truly his own, Yu-Seong had undoubtedly participated in many company dinners during his time as a game company employee. During those situations, excessive drinking of soju was the norm. Therefore, he had no reason to worry about being weak at drinking in any place.


    "That was just a result of getting drunk. What I meant by my question was whether you know how to enjoy it," Woo-Jae asked again.


    "Oh¡­ Roughly I do," Yu-Seong said.


    "You should learn a little. You''ll need it in the future. Wine, whiskey, cognac¡­ It would be good to know about tea as well. You''ll have to meet a lot of people who enjoy these things when you become Vice President next year. You should start preparing for that now."


    "I understand," Yu-Seong said.


    Woo-Jae was already thinking that Yu-Seong would achieve the goal he had set for him by next year.


    Yu-Seong tensed up at the realization. He knew that he couldn''t afford to make a mistake while Woo-Jae trusted him so much.


    "You are the third child who succeeded by earning money behind my back without being caught. I know that you are all using it for your own secret organizations or to increase your funds. And I''ve never scolded any of the others. I''ve only praised them, but remember this," Woo-Jae said, leaning forward with a sly smile. "Make sure you never get caught. Even if it''s my child''s, I have a habit of getting greedy for delicious food¡­¡±


    "...I''ll remember that," Yu-Seong replied with a quavering voice.


    Woo-Jae smirked and flashed a subtle smile, then said, "That aside, there''s something you need to do.¡±


    "Something I need to do?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "Take this first," Woo-Jae said as he handed Yu-Seong a document.


    Yu-Seong''s eyes widened in surprise as he read the title. ¡°Dungeon special access pass¡­¡±


    Yu-Seong''s restrictions on entering dungeons, which were imposed on all players in Korea except for Kim Do-Jin, had been lifted.


    "Unlike the temporary pass you received before, this is permanent. You can also include two more colleagues. It''s what you''ve been hoping for," Woo-Jae said.


    "Thank you!" Yu-Seong immediately bowed his head in gratitude.


    Although the access pass could be immediately taken away if Yu-Seong caused an accident in a low-grade dungeon, it was a type that could be used permanently. With this, Yu-Seong''s range of activities had expanded.


    As Yu-Seong''s face was filled with excitement, Woo-Jae let out a sinister chuckle. He said, "Recently, two new dungeons have appeared in Incheon Songdo and Busan Port. Both are ranked 6th and 7th, respectively.¡±


    Yu-Seong''s gaze instinctively shifted toward Woo-Jae''s face, unable to discern his intentions. However, one thing was clear:


    ¡°So, clearing one of those dungeons would significantly boost the Comet Guild¡¯s reputation, given that I am a B-rank member,¡± stated Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Yes, that essentially means accomplishing the mission I had tasked you to complete by next year,¡± said Woo-Jae.


    Woo-Jae''s task for Yu-Seong was to achieve A-rank by next year. Officially, the 6th grade dungeon was practically impossible to clear unless one was an A-rank hunter, so it was not wrong to state such a claim.


    Yu-Seong thought for a moment. There were two ways to approach this.


    ¡®The 6th ranked dungeon could be cleared relatively easily, even with only Ye-Ryeong and Jin-Hyuk.¡¯


    In fact, Yu-Seong thought it would be quite straightforward. It was because he believed that the power of the three people who had just come out of the Tower of Heaven was on a much higher level than an average A-rank hunter.


    Ultimately, there was only one way to leave a strong impression in a Rank 6 dungeon.


    ¡®To clear it solo, alone.¡¯


    Yu-Seong would have to solo clear the dungeon like the dungeon racing event. It would also be at a new dungeon with no information available, so a solo clear would attract even more attention.


    ¡®It''s a dungeon that appeared in Pyeongtaek and Busan. At this point... I''ll have to go in and see, but I can roughly predict it.¡¯


    In fact, Yu-Seong was quite confident in clearing the Rank 6 dungeon by himself. However, the important thing here was that clearing the Rank 7 dungeon with three people would attract more attention.


    ¡®Since the difficulty level increases significantly every three ranks of the dungeons.¡¯


    In other words, up to the Rank 6, skilled A-rank hunters could clear the dungeons somehow. However, the Rank 7 dungeon was completely different.


    Based on the criteria of a new dungeon that had no information, it was considered necessary to have at least two S-rank hunters in order to clear it reliably. Moreover, even if they managed to clear it cleanly, any casualties in this circumstance would be a loss for the nation. Ultimately, Woo-Jae was bringing this up as a test.


    ¡®It¡¯s a choice between the easy path or the difficult path.¡¯


    With those choices given, Yu-Seong and Woo-Jae looked directly at each other.


    "The second child will take the path that you do not choose," said Woo-Jae.


    If it were Mi-Na, she could easily clear even a Rank 7 dungeon. After all, she ranked at the very top among S-rank hunters. Ultimately, the most stable choice was for Yu-Seong to choose the Rank 6 dungeon, and for Mi-Na to enter the Rank 7 dungeon.


    Therefore, Yu-Seong made a choice.


    "I''ll choose the Rank 7 dungeon."


    "Why?"


    "Because I lack confidence," Yu-Seong replied.


    "Huh...?"


    Woo-Jae was taken aback by Yu-Seong''s response, which echoed a statement that he had read in an interview during Yu-Seong''s early player''s examination.


    "I lack confidence in failing either choice, so I have decided to challenge the Rank 7 dungeon to make an even greater impact."


    "What? Hahaha-!"


    "Isn''t this better for you too, Father? Rather than a powerful S-rank hunter showing overwhelming strength, it''s more exciting for the B-ranked rascal to turn the tables in a magnificent way. It will be a hot topic."


    "Of course!" Woo-Jae shouted loudly as he looked at Yu-Seong with glittering eyes. "Now, I''m starting to look forward to how far you can go, my son."


    For Yu-Seong, it was the first time he had heard the words ¡®my son¡¯ from Woo-Jae.


    ***


    After Yu-Seong left the office, Pil-Doo strolled out slowly from the tightly packed bookshelves. Looking at the man who just appeared, Woo-Jae asked, ¡°What do you think? He seems to be making me prouder and prouder, doesn''t he?¡±


    In front of Yu-Seong, Woo-Jae would try to come across as strict, serious, and intimidating¡ªa typical grown-up. However, when Pil-Doo appeared in the room, Woo-Jae dropped his facade and revealed his true colors.


    While Pil-Doo watched him, Woo-Jae tried hard to be careful not to speak thoughtlessly.


    ¡®The Chairman''s character is clearly not consistent with this behavior.¡¯


    Woo-Jae had always been a strict and imposing figure, even when his children were performing well. However, he seemed to treat Yu-Seong with a slightly softer approach.


    Of course, Pil-Doo could easily guess the reason. Yu-Seong''s mother had died, and Yu-Seong was in a more difficult situation than his other siblings. However, he was still achieving great things while growing rapidly. In fact, even Pil-Doo found it difficult to deny Yu-Seong¡¯s true potential.


    "...It''s not good to focus too much on one side," said Pil-Doo.


    He offered this advice with difficulty, causing Woo-Jae to stare at him with surprise.


    ¡°Secretary Kim, you''re also considering Yu-Seong as the potential next Chairman, aren''t you?" asked Woo-Jae.


    Initially, Pil-Doo had regarded Yu-Seong as just a child, and even though he had tried to change his perception recently, the gap between Yu-Seong and his older siblings was already too significant. How could he possibly wake up and continue down the same path, just like a dragon who was once lying down and hiding its strength before?


    ¡®During his early years, Zhuge Liang[1] was just learning to spread his wings and take flight in the world.¡¯


    However, Yu-Seong was different. He had shown too many mistakes to be considered a hiding dragon, and he had lost too much from his mistakes. Pil-Doo believed that, no matter how things turned out good, Yu-Seong would only be exhausting himself by attempting to imitate those who were superior to him.


    But the more Pil-Doo watched Yu-Seong, the more he seemed to be doing quite well, and now he was slowly soaring toward the sky. In other words, Yu-Seong had begun to enter the line of the next Chairman candidate, as perceived by Woo-Jae. And even Pil-Doo was finding it hard to deny this fact.


    "That''s why I''m worried. It seems like I¡¯ve already lost in the bet with you," said Pil-Doo.


    How should he say this? As he pondered, Woo-Jae slammed his desk again and burst out laughing. He said, "You''re not admitting defeat so easily, are you? Looks like there''s no way out this time?"


    ¡°...¡± Pil-Doo sighed without saying a word.


    At first, he couldn''t have imagined that simply betting with Woo-Jae on whether or not he would follow Yu-Seong would lead to this outcome.


    However, before long, Pil-Doo would find himself assisting both Yu-Seong and Woo-Jae. It was like giving new wings to a tiger that had already started to fly. Perhaps then even Mi-Na would be threatened by Yu-Seong.


    Actually, to be exact, Mi-Na would surely be surpassed by him. The reason was simple:


    ¡®Since the Second Miss has no interest in taking over the Chairman position.¡¯


    Yet, despite this, Mi-Na''s involvement in company affairs was driven by a combination of Woo-Jae''s stubbornness and the fault of In-Young, to some extent. Strangely, Mi-Na was opposed to even considering In-Young for the Chairman position. However, it was different if it was Yu-Seong. Therefore, the ultimate opponent that Yu-Seong had to overcome would be In-Young.


    In-Young''s strength was different from Mi-Na''s. Despite seeming like she was fighting alone, she actually had access to powerful support from her maternal side of the family, which was not widely known. Additionally, she possessed a strong and tenacious personality. Even Pil-Doo felt distinctly fearful of fighting against In-Young.


    "Don''t think I''m too biased. Unlike his siblings, Yu-Seong doesn''t have any maternal relatives," said Woo-Jae.


    ¡°But you said his innate ability is the best among all," said Pil-Doo.


    "That is what''s interesting. Hehe..." Woo-Jae stroked his short beard and looked out the window.


    "I always wondered when that ability would bloom, but it seems like it''s finally starting to bloom properly now. Yes, other children have secretly embezzled money from me before, but that was only possible because they relied on the power of their maternal relatives. But Choi Yu-Seong did it all by himself,¡± said Woo-Jae.


    "It must be thanks to the capable people who helped him," said Pil-Doo.


    "But isn''t it important who gathered those capable individuals?"


    "You''re right."


    Pil-Doo no longer denied Yu-Seong. He had worried before, but if Yu-Seong were to become the Chairman in such a situation, wouldn''t that also be fate?


    ¡®It also means it''s time for me to give up my ambitions.¡¯


    As Pil-Doo''s gaze turned to Woo-Jae with a sense of shame, he suddenly looked out the window, mirroring Woo-Jae''s gaze. Then, he looked at Woo-Jae with a surprised expression.


    In front of Yu-Seong, who had just opened the front door, stood In-Young. It was as if fate had brought them together.


    "Did you call her?" asked Pil-Doo.


    Woo-Jae nodded calmly. "Haven''t they not seen each other''s faces in a long time? As they are rivals who must compete for this position in the future, it''s time to recognize each other."


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    As Woo-Jae smirked, a cold chill flashed across his eyes. Although he cared for Yu-Seong deeply, he was not willing to relinquish his position as the representative of the Comet Group easily.


    ¡®Father Woo-Jae and the Chairman of the Comet Group are entirely different individuals.¡¯


    Pil-Doo thought to himself as he watched the scene unfold, feeling a mixture of fresh emotions.


    1. Zhuge Liang was a famous figure in Chinese history who lived during the Three Kingdoms period. He was a renowned military strategist, statesman, and inventor known for his intelligence, wisdom, and resourcefulness. People often use his name as a reference or comparison to describe someone who has similar traits or accomplishments. ?

 CH 188

    After leaving Woo-Jae''s office, Yu-Seong descended the stairs and was shocked by the woman he saw in front of him.


    ¡®Choi In-Young?¡¯


    He initially wondered what the woman¡¯s intentions were. Given In-Young''s notorious and malevolent personality in the original novel, Yu-Seong felt tense for a moment just from remembering it.


    ¡®But...I don''t think she expected to meet me here either.¡¯


    In-Young''s gaze was equally guarded and suspicious as she looked at Yu-Seong. If she had no ulterior motives for showing up here, it was clear why the situation had arisen.


    ¡®Father must have planned this.¡¯


    The two exchanged a cautious glance, taking in each other''s presence amidst the palpable tension.


    In-Young slowly ascended the stairs. She was smiling as she extended her hand toward Yu-Seong, who was standing in front of her. "It''s been a while, Yu-Seong.¡±


    "Yes, I haven''t seen you in a long time, In-Young noo-nim," Yu-Seong replied as he shook her hand lightly.


    In-Young¡¯s smile seemingly reached her eyes. "It seems like you''ve grown a lot since then. You used to look up to me, but now you seem taller than me."


    "Really? I always thought I was taller than you..." said Yu-Seong with a slight smile, his gaze trailing down to In-Young''s high heels. He then joked, "Maybe it''s because you often wear high heels that you made that mistake.¡±


    "Oh, is that so?" In-Young replied indifferently as her eyes flashed with a red energy.


    When In-Young let go of his hand, Yu-Seong suddenly felt a slight dizziness. He quickly shook his head to dispel the strange discomfort he was feeling. When he looked back up, In-Young had already walked past him and was waving her hand casually as if nothing had happened.


    "Take care, let''s have a meal next time. After all, we''re still family."


    As the woman opened the large door and disappeared further into the house, Yu-Seong couldn''t help but feel a sense of wariness toward her. Looking at her walking away, he nodded lightly and replied, "Good, let''s schedule a time soon."


    He had no intention of backing down.


    ***


    As In-Young walked into the house, leaving Yu-Seong behind, one of the household staff, Park Na-Rae, immediately followed her. Na-Rae was the only one supporting In-Young in Woo-Jae¡¯s house.


    "The Chairman is in his study. Should I contact him right away?" Na-Rae asked.


    "It''s fine. He probably already knows. By the way, when did he call Yu-Seong?" said In-Young.


    "It was just over an hour ago."


    "So they talked the whole time?"


    "No, ma''am. The Chairman had some business to attend to and left the study for a while, so Young Master Yu-Seong was alone there for about thirty minutes."


    "Yu-Seong was alone in the study? Did Father just leave him there?"


    Na-Rae flinched at In-Young''s sharp gaze and lowered her head. She said softly, "I apologize. It was hard to get access to all the information¡­ But I didn''t hear any commotion from inside."


    "If that''s the case, then it must have been intentional. And also, the timing of this meeting¡­¡± In-Young slowed her pace deliberately as she walked further into the house, her expression becoming more stern. She muttered, "Yu-Seong is climbing up faster than expected... It is to the point where I''m starting to worry about him more than Mi-Na unni...?"


    Yu-Seong''s sudden rise in power and confidence was surprising, as it was very different from before. However, it was also understandable. He had undergone significant changes recently and was even receiving the full attention and favor of Chairman Choi Woo-Jae.


    It was like witnessing the unstoppable momentum of a person, and the timing couldn''t have been more perfect. However, there was one thing that bothered In-Young.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure I applied my Charm skill to him.¡¯


    Her Charm skill was one of her representative abilities, with infinite uses ranging from seduction to obedience. It could even cause someone to lose their senses. She had wanted Yu-Seong to be obedient, which was why he had almost lost his balance on the stairs.


    ¡®But he didn''t kneel in the end.¡¯


    In-Young had expected to snort at the sight of Yu-Seong collapsing on the stairs as she left. However, he had only staggered a bit before quickly regaining his composure and calmly meeting her gaze. It was as if he knew that the Charm skill had been applied to him.


    "If you''re worried, it''s best to do whatever it takes to get rid of him..." said Na-Rae.


    "It''s easier said than done. He''s under too much scrutiny right now. Father and Mi-Na unni are constantly watching him. Whatever we do now will not end well. But we still have to get things done. After I enter Father¡¯s study, call this number and find out in detail what Yu-Seong obtained in the Tower of Heaven.¡±


    In-Young thought that the reason her Charm skill had been discovered was because Yu-Seong had gained some kind of special ability from the Tower of Heaven.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am."


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    "Oh, and one more thing. I''m planning to enter the Tower of Heaven too. Clear a good day for me," In-Young said.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll make that happen,¡± responded Na-Rae.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said In-Young, smiling mischievously and use her Charm skill on Na-Rae.


    Na-Rae trembled and blushed as soon as In-Young''s eyes flashed red. She unconsciously twisted her body, unsure of which way to turn.


    Meanwhile, In-Young turned her head toward Na-Rae. She looked at her with a cold gaze, just like a venomous snake.


    ¡®As expected, there''s no problem with my skill. That means it must have been Yu-Seong who did something. It''s ridiculous. I thought he was just a small fish, but he''s a shark, after all.¡¯


    The image of Woo-Jae, the terrifying master of the household, came to In-Young''s mind, but she forced herself to smile and hide her true emotions.


    ¡®I''ll be the one to sit in that seat, Father.¡¯


    She had no intention of backing down, for she had already passed the point of no return.


    ***


    The morning after visiting Woo-Jae''s house, Yu-Seong finished his morning training and looked at Yu-Ri, who was always waiting for him in front of his house. He said, "You don''t have to come out here to wait for me every time. It''s not necessary.¡±


    "I enjoy it,¡± replied Yu-Ri as she handed him a towel.


    Yu-Seong chuckled as he used the towel to wipe away his sweat.


    "By the way, regarding what you asked me to find out yesterday,¡± she said.


    ¡°About In-Young noo-nim?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    "Have you found something already?¡±


    "No, they couldn''t find anything. There¡¯s no trace of the Fifth Young Miss'' blood anywhere, not even in the dungeon. It''s said that not a single drop of blood was spilled."


    "...I see." Yu-Seong frowned briefly and sighed.


    When he met In-Young the day before, he had smelled a familiar odor of blood from her. Feeling suspicious, he had then immediately contacted Yu-Ri to investigate it.


    ¡®This smell of blood. I think I previously smelled it in Pyongyang.¡¯


    The smell had reminded him of Emilia, one of the Twelve Dark Kings who had turned out to be a vampire, one of the non-human races.


    But why did he smell a scent similar to Emilia''s blood on In-Young? It could have been a simple mistake, but there were too many suspicious points to overlook, so he had requested an investigation. However, the result stated that there was no trace of blood at all.


    For upper-level vampires, it was easiest to distinguish their bloodline by analyzing their DNA.


    ¡®But lower-level vampires can''t hide when they are exposed to sunlight¡­¡¯


    On the contrary, upper-level vampires were not afraid of sunlight or religion. Thus, the easiest way to distinguish them from humans was through their blood structure.


    ¡®It''s a shame that the original novel only covered Choi In-Young''s story briefly.¡¯


    The original novel mainly focused on Do-Jin''s story. As a reader, Yu-Seong hadn''t really cared about the stories of other supporting characters. However, now that he was inside the novel, he found it very inconvenient. There weren''t many stories in the novel that were directly related to the Choi family, except for Yu-Seong and Woo-Jae. That was why there wasn''t much interest in In-Young''s true identity from Do-Jin''s perspective.


    ¡®Furthermore, Choi In-Young was killed by Choi Mi-Na in the middle of the story.¡¯


    In the original novel, In-Young had been a character who didn''t play a big role. However, the fact that In-Young was on the same level as Mi-Na and almost became the head of the company was something that needed to be taken into consideration.


    "Okay, let''s put that aside for now... By the way, could you please bring me some water and my phone?" Yu-Seong asked Yu-Ri.


    "Here you go," said Yu-Ri, handing him the items.


    Yu-Seong drank the water before sending a message to Mi-Na, asking her to contact him when she had time.


    ¡®If In-Young is really a vampire...then I can¡¯t resolve the situation alone.¡¯


    It could turn into an incident that could overturn the country''s fate, considering the fact that a vampire, a blood-sucking race, was living at the center of a powerful conglomerate that played a certain role in the country''s rise and fall.


    ¡®I wonder if Father knows about this... If she is really a vampire.¡¯


    With a small doubt in his mind, Yu-Seong left a message for Ji-Ho, his eldest brother. Then, he went into the shower room without expecting a reply as it was early in the morning.


    ¡®And I better start looking for a way to save Ji-Ho hyung-nim.¡¯


    In fact, Ji-Ho was too valuable a character to simply let him die in vain. In many ways, there was nothing lacking in his talent, ability, or character.


    Originally, Yu-Seong thought there was no way to save Ji-Ho¡¯s life. However, with the opening of the Tower of Heaven, the situation had changed slightly.


    ¡®I can get that Elixir on the 20th floor of the Tower of Heaven.¡¯


    The Elixir was a legendary potion that could cure any incurable disease, something that would only appear in fantasy novels. However, it had also appeared in the original novel, [Modern Master Returns].


    ¡®Originally, it was used to save Baek Ah-Rin, a colleague who was dying from overuse of energy by Kim Do-Jin¡­¡¯


    In fact, there was no need to use a whole bottle of Elixir to treat injuries. The original novel had even described Kim Do-Jin using it excessively.


    ¡®We can share it.¡¯


    It would be okay even if Ji-Ho didn''t fully recover. If he could prolong his predetermined lifespan, that alone was satisfactory.


    ¡®And Helen in Pyongyang¡­¡¯


    By next year, Yu-Seong would be able to reach A-rank like Woo-Jae had said. He was already stronger than most A-rank hunters. Thus, if he actually became an A-rank player, he would have power comparable to S-rank.


    ¡®But to be stable, I¡¯ll still have to become S-rank.¡¯


    He had to go and rescue Helen. After all, she had sacrificed herself in the land of death to save Yu-Seong and Do-Jin. How could he forget that?


    ¡®I have a lot of homework to do¡­¡¯


    As he washed and tidied up, Yu-Seong realized that there was so much to do in this world that he had thought was just a novel. It was clear evidence that he was gradually becoming more and more integrated into this world.

 CH 189

    After finishing his shower, Yu-Seong''s first task was to check on the Dragon Egg that he had carefully placed in a corner of his room.


    ¡®I never thought I would meet Loki in the Tower of Heaven.¡¯


    If the egg hadn''t been right in front of him, Yu-Seong might have thought it had all been a dream. However, when he looked at the mysterious purple Dragon Egg, he could feel that this dream-like event had been very real.


    "It''s so quiet even though Do-Jin said it¡¯s about to hatch,¡± Yu-Seong mumbled to himself as he stroked the somewhat feisty Dragon Egg. "I heard that Kim Do-Jin is going to do some sort of joint training with the Dragon... He''s probably going to make something great."


    Yu-Seong couldn''t help but feel a little envious of Do-Jin. However, he did not express his jealousy when they exchanged messages.


    ¡®Anyway, I also have a Dragon Egg, so¡­¡¯


    However, not seeing the egg hatch quickly made him anxious.


    "Could it be that Loki, that damn god, cursed it with some sort of strange magic? It''s certainly plausible, given that she is notorious for having a terrible temper."


    As Yu-Seong''s suspicion turned to anger, the Dragon Egg suddenly began to vibrate loudly.


    "Huh...?"


    Surprised, Yu-Seong leaned closer to the egg and tried to focus his mind. However, he was only greeted by a deafening silence.


    "It definitely responded just now. What was that? Could it be about to hatch?"


    If possible, Yu-Seong hoped that the Dragon Egg would hatch before he entered the Rank 7 dungeon.


    "And of course, I hope it¡¯s born healthy," Yu-Seong said as he stroked the Dragon Egg with affection and longing one last time.


    After that, he checked his schedule on his phone before leaving for work and saw a message he had written the night before. He clapped his hands in excitement.


    "Right, I can''t forget about this!"


    He ran to the living room and grabbed a bag of candy before returning to his room. There was still plenty of time before he had to leave for work.


    ¡°Summon Dimensional Merchant.¡±


    When Yu-Seong would call, a pink door that brightens up the room would appear and Ping Pong of the Lion Bear Clan would walk out of it with his usual dignified appearance. At least, that was the usual process.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    However, even though the pink door was opened, Ping Pong did not come out immediately. This had never happened before, which confused Yu-Seong.


    Then, Ping Pong suddenly appeared. He was dressed in what seemed like a battle suit with a wig on top of his head, walking with the same swagger as usual. He was also holding a book, which could have been a novel or a comic, in his hand.


    ''Mr. Ping Pong...?''


    Feeling thoroughly confused, Yu-Seong called out to Ping Pong and questioned him.


    Ping Pong simply handed Yu-Seong the book in his hand.


    ¡®War Deity Who Levels Up?¡¯


    With a slight smile, Ping Pong looked at Yu-Seong, who had received the book with a somewhat familiar title, and said, "I''m sorry. I attempted to aggro when showing you this. The fighting skills between the ministers are so cool! I can¡¯t believe that the main character, who was like a loser, has changed so much. [War Deity Who Levels Up] is a real legend¡­"


    "Oh my, Mr. Ping Pong, what did you see this time?"


    Ping Pong, standing in the same spot, glanced at Yu-Seong who held the book he had just received. He said, "This is the trend among the Dimensional Merchants these days. By the way, how does this battle suit look? I made it to look like the one on that book cover."


    "It''s very cute."


    "Isn''t it cool?"


    "It''s so cute."


    "Hmm... Yu-Seong, it seems you''re lacking in aesthetic sense."


    Regardless of how shiny and stylish his attire was, the Lion Bear Clan member with short arms and legs had limitations in how he could come across in appearance. Above all, not many people could say that Ping Pong was cool while he was swinging his short, fluffy tail left and right very proudly. His tail looked just like cotton candy, after all.


    "Anyway, it''s been a while. What brings you... Ohhh!"


    Before he could finish his sentence, Ping Pong received a lollipop from Yu-Seong. He quickly took off his uncomfortable cosplay costume and returned to his original form. He also began quickly licking the lollipop with his pink tongue.


    ¡®I can''t help but think he¡¯s cute.¡¯


    Yu-Seong watched Ping Pong''s adorable expression with a content look before saying, "Listen as you eat. You may know this, but the Tower of Heaven has appeared on Earth.¡±


    "I''ve heard the news. Thanks to its appearance, the supply of karma points from the gods is not as smooth as it used to be," said Ping Pong.


    "However, karma points are not only accumulated by receiving the gods¡¯ support, right?"


    When Yu-Seong asked his question, Ping Pong stiffened. Even his tongue, which had been flicking across the candy before, froze.


    "I know that karma originally means the consequence of one''s behavior, and undoubtedly, the value I''ve accumulated exists. There would be karma points accumulating even without the gods¡¯ sponsorship, right? Currently, I can''t see them in the system messages, but as a Dimensional Merchant, you should be aware of that."


    "You know quite a lot of detail. It has fascinated me since I first heard it. It should be information that isn''t known on Earth yet..." said Ping Pong.


    "Oh, that''s a simple reason. This world is just like the novel I was reading. And I happened to possess the character from that world. There are a lot of difficult things about it, but this particular aspect is advantageous," said Yu-Seong.


    "That''s a pretty plausible plot. That kind of scenario should be common in genre novels. Hmm, I should read something like that for my next book."


    Yu-Seong grinned at Ping Pong''s calm reaction. As Ping Pong clearly accepted the explanation as truth, he then asked, "Anyway, can you convert my karma points?"


    "In the first place, that information isn''t a secret, so it''s not difficult to do so. However, if you consume too many of your karma points at this point, it might not be good for your future growth. Are you sure about this? Keep in mind that it could have a negative impact instead."


    The reason why the gods gave karma points and support was to raise their own godly status. In other words, they could gain more karma points through their sponsee¡¯s achievements. Therefore, Yu-Seong was confident with his choice.


    "Generally, it wouldn''t be a good idea to recklessly consume your karma points at this point, right?" Yu-Seong asked confidently.


    However, would it be the same for Yu-Seong?


    "I''ve already done a lot of things that were difficult or impossible in this world," he added.


    Assuming that this world was really just a novel, and that the character Yu-Seong had achieved impossible feats, Ping Pong''s concerns about using up his karma points would be meaningless. After all, Yu-Seong''s karma points would have accumulated to a level where using the points wouldn''t be a problem.


    "If that''s your will, I''ll grant it. But use it carefully," said Ping Pong.


    Yu-Seong nodded.


    Ping Pong finished his lollipop before spreading his hands wide open. Then, a pink energy wave in the shape of an ellipse spread out from his pink jelly soles and touched Yu-Seong. He then said, "I''m sure that you, Choi Yu-Seong, would have accumulated a decent amount of karma points. However..."


    After confirming the numbers hovering over Yu-Seong''s head, Ping Pong blinked his small, black, round eyes. He questioned, "Are my eyes playing tricks on me?"


    "What''s wrong?" asked Yu-Seong.


    He couldn''t see the karma points. In the first place, karma points were only visible to the Dimensional Merchants of their contracted partners.


    "...eight hundred thousand."


    "What?"


    "Your current karma points are eight hundred thousand, Choi Yu-Seong. Amazing! You truly are my contracted partner! Wooo hooo!"


    In the end, Ping Pong let out a cheer of joy.


    ***


    According to the original novel, an ordinary person could accumulate an average of around one thousand karma points by the end of their life. However, individuals with notable achievements, exceptional skills, or those who were famous figures or notorious criminals, could accumulate an average of around ten thousand karma points.


    ¡®Of course, there are people who far exceed these levels, but¡­¡¯


    For instance, legends like Einstein had accumulated more than several hundred thousand karma points during his lifetime. This was because he had such a significant impact on Earth through his discovery of atomic energy, and those were his accumulated karma points across the span of his entire life.


    Theft is never good, try looking at [ pawread dot com ].


    Yu-Seong was only 21 years old.


    ¡®I¡¯ll soon be 22, but¡­¡¯


    He was just in his early twenties, but his karma points had already reached an astonishing eight hundred thousand. It was a level that did not make any sense in this world.


    ¡®When the original novel¡¯s protagonist, Kim Do-Jin, was an S-rank hunter, I think he had approximately one million karma points.¡¯


    However, despite being only a B-rank hunter, Yu-Seong had already accumulated nearly the same amount. This was likely due to the many changes he had made in this world.


    ¡®So there are things that I¡¯ve gained as much as I¡¯ve lost due to the butterfly effect.¡¯


    Since he had been worried about the outcome, Yu-Seong found himself sighing in relief as the result was exactly as he had hoped.


    He had been holding back from using his karma points as he needed to save them for his future growth. However, the fact that his karma points had accumulated to this level meant that he could afford to buy the necessary items without worrying about his karma points running out.


    Regardless of Yu-Seong''s change of mood, Ping Pong had an ecstatic expression on his face as he jumped up and down in place. Raising his voice, he exclaimed, "And most of your karma points are leaning toward the light rather than darkness! Evil karma will make you increasingly sick. I''m really proud of you, Choi Yu-Seong. I''m lucky that you''re my first contracted partner. I''m really happy!"


    "Are you really that excited about it?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "Of course, why wouldn''t I be excited? I don''t want to accumulate any evil karma points, no matter how large the amount may be. That''s how I sincerely feel. Evil karma can truly harm one''s existence, and even Dimensional Merchants can''t be free from that fate either. With this many karma points, you wouldn''t need to worry too much about the future, even if you consume some at this point. In fact, you might even be able to increase the investment value."


    "You seem to have the desire to become a good Dimensional Merchant, Mr. Ping Pong."


    "Of course. As the one who will lead the Lion Bear clan, I will become a great... Well, I said something unnecessary," said Ping Pong sheepishly.


    "Lion Bear clan leader? What? Are you a prince or something...?"


    "Oh-huh, pretend you didn''t hear that!"


    As he stretched out his cute paw, Ping Pong interrupted Yu-Seong and asked with a shaky gaze, "Anyway, tell me what you want to do with your karma points. I will try my best to help you.¡±


    Yu-Seong grinned as he watched Ping Pong try to avoid answering his question. He got down to business, saying, "First, I want to convert one hundred thousand karma points into system points so that I can use them directly."


    "Do you really need that much?"


    Indeed, Yu-Seong needed that many karma points as he planned to upgrade all of his special skills to B-rank.


    ¡®Anyway, one hundred thousand karma points could be easily recovered just by clearing a 7th-rank raid dungeon.¡¯


    By accomplishing what was considered difficult as a B-rank hunter, one would have a great opportunity to accumulate karma points. And what if the person who accomplished that was Yu-Seong, who was originally the villain in the novel?


    ¡®Maybe I can reap even more benefits.¡¯


    In other words, this entire process was an investment.


    With Ping Pong''s help, Yu-Seong used the one hundred thousand karma points, which had been exchanged through the system interface, to upgrade all of his skills. He could feel a significant increase in his power just by doing so.


    ¡®I already thought I was close to the top tier of A-rank, but¡­ ¡®


    Now, he might not have a problem going head-to-head with the topmost tier of A-rank or even the lower tier of S-rank.


    ¡®Just defeating an S-rank would be enough to accumulate a considerable amount of karma points.¡¯


    As Yu-Seong became stronger, the ways to accumulate karma points naturally had become endless. Knowing this, he was quite satisfied with this situation.

 CH 190

    Karma referred to the consequences of one''s past actions, and it accumulated more strongly when those actions or accomplishments were difficult for ordinary people to achieve.


    ¡®And most importantly, the skill with the highest number of points is Green Wind Spirit Cat¡­ So I can say that I''ve achieved even more stability now.¡¯


    The Green Wind Spirit Cat skill, which Yu-Seong had obtained from the Tower, was considered as an F-rank special skill when he returned to Earth. However, he was able to bring it up to B-rank in one fell swoop. It was a natural choice.


    ¡®It¡¯s difficult to persist after sustaining an injury, no matter how strong you are.¡¯


    With the healing ability of the Green Wind Spirit Cat skill, Yu-Seong could keep fighting as he constantly recovered from injuries. If he managed to get the Green Wind Spirit Cat to S-rank, it would grant him regeneration similar to that of trolls even mid-combat. Moreover, he could share the benefits of the skill with his party members.


    Therefore, in terms of versatility, the Green Wind Spirit Cat skill could be considered as strong as Yu-Seong''s current strongest skill, the God''s Chakra.


    ¡®Also, this will be a great help in clearing the dungeon this time.¡¯


    Yu-Seong happily hummed inwardly and told Ping Pong his second request: upgrading the dimension bundle.


    ¡®It¡¯s already level 3 now.¡¯


    From level 3, dimension bundles started to include quite rare treasures from other worlds. Yu-Seong wanted to purchase the tool he needed the most, so he asked, ¡°Can you show me the engraving item ¡®Rune of the Subspace¡¯?¡±


    "Hmm... That''s one of the most expensive treasures in the level 3 dimension bundles. It is worth about three hundred thousand karma points."


    Yu-Seong froze at the high price. He said, ¡°It¡¯s more expensive than I thought.¡±


    "Magical items capable of handling subspace are typically priced quite high. And considering this item''s value as an engraving, isn''t the price even more reasonable?¡± explained Ping Pong.


    "But it''s still a subspace pouch in the level 3 dimension bundle. It must have a very small size, right?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "Of course, if we''re using Earth standards, it would be limited to about one pyeong[1], but¡­it''s still subspace," said Ping Pong.


    In short, subspace was always expensive, no matter what.


    ¡®To upgrade all my skills, I need one hundred thousand points. Then, upgrading the dimension shop requires fifty thousand points. And if I buy the Rune of the Subspace for three hundred thousand points¡­¡¯


    More than half of the eight hundred thousand karma points that Yu-Seong had would be gone.


    Yu-Seong started to waver since he wanted to leave at least five hundred thousand points untouched.


    ¡®Do I have to give up the subspace pouch?¡¯


    He was disappointed that he couldn''t obtain the item, which he considered a must-have. He wanted to use it to carry the Dragon Egg with him all the time. However, there was nothing he could do about it. No matter how much he tried to think of the investment, three hundred thousand points right now was still a considerable amount.


    While thinking about it, Yu-Seong''s eyes suddenly twinkled. He asked, "By any chance... Can I receive a discount coupon instead of a lottery ticket as a reward for leveling up the dimension bundle?"


    The level-up reward for the dimension bundle was usually a random item lottery ticket. While it was possible to draw the Rune of the Subspace through this lottery, it was purely a matter of luck.


    ¡®Hmm¡­ I¡¯d call it absolute luck if I could hit that.¡¯


    With this in mind, Yu-Seong found it easy to make a definite choice this time.


    "Changing to the discount coupon... Actually, I was going to recommend that method too."


    Ping Pong, who had a smile in his black eyes, took out what looked like a calculator from his pocket and started tapping on it rapidly. "Let''s see... With the discount coupon from the level-up reward of the dimension bundle, the special discount for the first subspace purchase, and Ping Pong''s special discount, it amounts to..."


    Ping Pong''s eyes sparkled as he handed over the pink calculator that looked like a child''s toy to Yu-Seong. He exclaimed, "It''s about a 30% discount! You can buy it for one hundred thousand points!"


    ¡°Oh wow! It¡¯s a must-buy!" Yu-Seong shouted as he covered his mouth.


    As soon as Yu-Seong paid the karma points, Ping Pong smiled and handed him a small glass bottle filled with blue liquid from the dimension bundle. He said, "If you drink this, the Rune of the Subspace will be engraved into your body. Congratulations, Choi Yu-Seong. You now have your first subspace.¡±


    In fact, the fact that subspace was being sold in the dimensional store was a secret. Most people didn''t know about it, and Dimensional Merchants didn''t bother to tell them. Also, the price of three hundred thousand points was actually too low compared to the value of subspace, so it was more profitable for Dimensional Merchants to keep it hidden and wait for the right buyer who was willing to pay the right price.


    ¡®However, when selling to humans from Earth, they must follow a fixed pricing system. This may make them hesitant to deal with Earth people.¡¯


    Anyway, that was why Yu-Seong had chosen the Lion Bear clan as his Dimensional Merchant, as they were kind-hearted and generous.


    Originally, the discount coupon received as a bonus for upgrading the dimension bundle was known to be around 5%. However, there seemed to be a pretty significant amount of price reduction on top of that. After all, the reason for the discounted price would be the combination of the first-purchase discount for subspace and Ping Pong''s special discount, which he had mentioned jokingly.


    Yu-Seong quickly drank the blue liquid. After confirming the Rune of the Subspace had been engraved on his hand like a tattoo, he looked at Ping Pong and said sincerely, "Thank you so much. I was about to give up buying it, but I was able to get it thanks to you.¡±


    "If you know that, then you should prepare lollipops every day for this great Ping Pong!" Ping Pong exclaimed.


    ¡°I shall follow your command, my lord,¡± Yu-Seong replied.


    "Oh no! Those words are prohibited! If my father finds out that my identity has been revealed, I''ll be in trouble!" Ping Pong warned.


    "I shall be careful, my lord," Yu-Seong teased.


    ¡°Yo¡­You! Choi Yu-Seong!¡± Ping Pong, who was originally reddish in color anyway, turned even redder from anger as he stomped his feet.


    After a moment of enjoying the cute sight, Yu-Seong handed Ping Pong five lollipops and brought about a dramatic reconciliation.


    "Don¡¯t think I forgave you just because you gave me these lollipops, Choi Yu-Seong. The next time you summon me, prepare 10 more,¡± Ping Pong said.


    Watching Ping Pong talk while licking the lollipops in his hands, Yu-Seong couldn''t help but feel like most problems could be solved with lollipops.


    ¡®With this, I''ve completed leveling up all of my skills and acquired the subspace as well.¡¯


    He took the first step in preparing for the Rank 7 dungeon attack.


    ¡®All that¡¯s left now is to gather people for the raid.¡¯


    It seemed like he would be busy for a while.


    ***


    While Yu-Seong had been in the Tower of the Heaven, reporters Park Jin-Hwan and Kim Jin-Young had enjoyed leisurely days until they were finally summoned.


    "Wow, congratulations. It seems that the Comet Guild has recently achieved the top spot in the Korean guild ranking," congratulated Jin-Hwan.


    "And the overall evaluation of the Comet Group has also skyrocketed to the top spot. Congratulations, Mr. Choi Yu-Seong," said Jin-Young.


    Yu-Seong scratched his cheek awkwardly at their praise. He replied, "It''s not really mine, it''s a company my father and his employees created.¡±


    "Wow, you are even humble. It''s already widely known that your help has played a significant role in the company''s rapid growth. Awesome! We respect you," Jin-Young said as he applauded.


    Yu-Seong smiled and looked at Jin-Hwan. The man had somewhat cold and rigid looks when they had first met, but he now looked quite chubby.


    "I gained a lot, right? I think I''ve gained some weight since I''ve been doing a lot of desk work lately," said Jin-Hwan in embarrassment.


    Yu-Seong shook his head. "No, you look rather good now. Before, you were too thin.¡±


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    "It may be because there were many times when I had to be disciplined and sharp before¡­ In any case, things have changed in many ways thanks to you, Yu-Seong¡ªwell, I should probably call you ¡®boss.¡¯ My daughter likes you a lot because I''ve been able to stay at home more often than before," Jin-Hwan said.


    "Huh? Reporter Park, are you married?" Yu-Seong asked in surprise.


    It was Jin-Young who replied to the question.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t have an actual wedding, but it''s been a while since he got married. His daughter is already six years old, haha."


    "...it is like that sometimes with unplanned pregnancies," Jin-Hwan said.


    "What about you, Mr. Kim?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "I''m totally single. Please introduce me to a good woman if you know one," he replied.


    After breaking the ice with some small talk and learning new facts about their personal lives, Yu-Seong got to the point. He said, "The reason I called you both here today is that our next big project is about to be announced.¡±


    "How big is it this time?" asked Jin-Hwan as his eyes sparkled sharply at Yu-Seong¡¯s words.


    He had a feeling that the project was significant in scale. Perhaps it was the sense of a seasoned reporter.


    "My Hunting Team 8 and I will raid the Rank 7 dungeon," Yu-Seong announced.


    "I see," Jin-Hwan replied pretty calmly, nodding a few times before his eyes widened. He asked, "Pardon? What did you just say?"


    ¡°You heard it right. I¡¯m planning to announce that I¡¯m going to clear the Rank 7 dungeon,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Sorry. If you don''t mind my asking, what rank are you, boss?¡± Jin-Hwan asked calmly while Jin-Young looked flustered.


    ¡°B-rank,¡± replied Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Oh my goodness... Boss, you are aware that the Rank 7 dungeon is classified as a raid dungeon, right?¡± asked Jin-Young.


    There was quite the leap in difficulty between Rank 6 and Rank 7 dungeons. Moreover, Rank 7 dungeons were classified as raid dungeons that required a minimum number of people, basically a decent attack team.


    ¡°Of course, we won''t be raiding the Rank 7 dungeon with just Hunting Team 8. I''ll be the raid leader, and the team members will play the pivotal role,¡± explained Yu-Seong.


    ¡°As far as I know, except for Jin Yu-Ri and Jin Do-Yoon, there are no members in Hunting Team 8 with ranks high enough to do well in the Rank 7 dungeon...¡± said Jin-Hwan.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Chae Ye-Ryeong and Yoo Jin-Hyuk are both C-rank. I am B-rank,¡± replied Yu-Seong calmly.


    ¡°Boss, let me be frank. The Rank 7 dungeon is on a different level. I don''t know who you''re going to gather, but...¡±


    "We will not be relying heavily on S-rank members. Maybe one person if necessary?"


    ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± exclaimed Jin-Young, pressing his hand to his forehead with a shocked gaze.


    ¡°I know. We know you''ve accomplished great things so far, boss, but this is a different scale altogether. You have to assume that the raid boss monster is at least a lower-level demon,¡± said Jin-Hwan.


    ¡°That''s why we''re doing it. We need to accomplish something on a different level to make a stronger impression,¡± replied Yu-Seong.


    After a brief silence, Jin-Hwan said with shining eyes, ¡°Boss. You''re going to do it anyway, aren''t you?¡±


    Yu-Seong chuckled in response to Jin-Hwan''s question. He simply replied, "If I didn¡¯t do stuff like this, wouldn''t you two also be bored by now?"


    "The priority should be your life, not preventing our boredom. Especially if it''s you that we''re talking about!" shouted Jin-Young.


    Jin-Hwan raised his hand to interrupt Jin-Young''s exclamation and leaned forward. "You''re confident, right?"


    "I said this to my father, but... To be honest, I don''t have much confidence," replied Yu-Seong.


    "Huh¡­?"


    "To be more precise, I don''t have much confidence in failing," said Yu-Seong.


    Yu-Seong''s confidence left both Jin-Hwan, who was trying to act calm, and Jin-Young, who was getting excited, somewhat bewildered.


    "I¡¯m thinking of a team of eight to ten members at most," said Yu-Seong.


    "So there will be three to five additional members aside from Hunting Team 8, right?" asked Jin-Hwan.


    "Yes. I think that¡¯s how we¡¯re going to do it," said Yu-Seong.


    He handed a document to the two reporters, and Jin-Young''s eyes widened as he looked at it.


    "Huh¡­? Boss, this name here¡­"


    "I haven¡¯t decided on every single member yet, but if I convince them, they¡¯ll probably be in," explained Yu-Seong.


    "Wouldn''t the Chairman be a little uncomfortable with this?" asked Jin-Hwan.


    If it were in the past or if it were any of his other siblings in the Choi family, they might have backed up or answered the question cautiously. However, Yu-Seong shrugged and gave a casual reply.


    "If he entrusted the work to me, that means he also gave me the authority to decide. The important thing is to succeed, isn''t it?" he said.


    In fact, Yu-Seong knew exactly what Woo-Jae wanted. In turn, Jin-Hwan realized that Yu-Seong was very confident, unlike the other members of the Choi family. He took a deep breath.


    ¡®I thought there wouldn''t be any more surprises, but¡­¡¯


    The two reporters'' eyes lit up with expectation as they looked at the confident Yu-Seong.


    1. 1 pyeong is roughly equivalent to 3.3 square meters or 35.6 square feet ?

 CH 191

    Jin-Hwan slowly scanned through the list again before saying, "If we can consistently keep these 10 people on the team, we can safely say that a new attack team has been formed in Korea."


    As mentioned before, an attack team was distinctly different from a guild. If a guild''s primary objective was profit, then an attack team was a non-profit organization that prioritized protecting the world in case of emergencies. As a result, attack teams received more praise and respect than guilds. In fact, such attack teams were usually formed without regard for status, nationality, or affiliations.


    ¡°Yes, on the premise that all members agree,¡± said Yu-Seong with a smirk.


    The two reporters'' eyes sparkled as they looked at him.


    ¡°So¡­you have the intention to form an attack team.¡±


    ¡°Well, there''s no reason not to. Even though the members on here are still rookies¡­¡±


    Yu-Seong was sure that the majority of them would soon become hunters representing the world.


    The two reporters smiled, sharing similar thoughts as Yu-Seong himself.


    "Even if it¡¯s not certain, can we feature a provocative headline for this piece of news?¡± asked Jin-Young.


    ¡°That would be good for garnering attention,¡± said Yu-Seong with a slight nod.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    They went on to have a brief meeting. The two reporters mostly had great opinions and suggestions for Yu-Seong, which would be good for his Star Factor¡¯s development. Most importantly, they discussed the filming plan for the attack on the Rank 7 raid dungeon.


    Despite Jin-Hwan and Jin-Young being experts in using specialized magic tech drones for filming dungeon raids, they would still face a shortage of staff for this upcoming shoot. After all, at least ten journalists with expertise in operating specialized magic tech drones would generally be required to film in a Rank 7 raid dungeon of that level. In this case, personnel allocation was necessary.


    "To be honest, I don¡¯t have much knowledge regarding that area. If you need more people, just hire them. After all, the attack team will have more frequent activities in the future,¡± Yu-Seong said.


    "Wa-Wait a minute, sir. Are you saying that we can choose whoever we want?" asked Jin-Young in surprise.


    Yu-Seong nodded. "The selection of experts should be left to those who are experts themselves. The boss can¡¯t necessarily do or know everything well just because they hand out the salary, right? By the way, we can create business cards that designate you as team leaders¡­¡±


    After hearing Yu-Seong¡¯s words, both reporters¡¯ smiles widened as they looked at each other.


    They were recognized within the company, but their young age currently prevented their promotions to high-ranking positions. As a result, there were many aspects of the company''s system that they found frustrating.


    However, since having been hired by Yu-Seong, they had been able to execute their plans in various ways. For example, they had been quite satisfied with executing ideas through the NewTube videos especially since the content had been successful.


    The only thing that they had found unsatisfactory was the lack of manpower. Just like they couldn''t cover the heavens with one hand, there were limitations with just the two of them working. But now, they could supplement their team with other members, and even become team leaders themselves.


    "Then, about the employment pay¡­" Jin-Hwan cautiously asked.


    "Please pay 10% more than the industry''s highest rate. That way, you guys will also be more comfortable in hiring others," said Yu-Seong.


    "Is, is that okay?" Jin-Young asked.


    Only when she saw Yu-Seong¡¯s smile did she nod.


    For a moment, they had forgotten that the person in front of them was a chaebol whose family owned the largest conglomerate in Korea, and that recently, they had been exerting the greatest influence within the company.


    "I understand." Coming to a conclusion, Jin-Hwan announced, "I¡¯ve decided to quit Min-Guk Newspaper."


    "Isn''t that where you are working full-time?¡± Yu-Seong asked in surprise as he looked at Jin-Hwan.


    "Now, Yu-Seong Tube is my workplace," replied Jin-Hwan firmly with a determined look in his eyes.


    He had made this choice partly because Yu-Seong¡¯s earlier decisions had moved him. But of course, there was another even more important reason.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong is a true giant.¡¯


    While Min-Guk Newspaper was a well-known broadcast company in Korea, its scale was different from that of the Comet Group. Jin-Hwan also believed that, even if he didn''t consider the Comet Group, Yu-Seong himself was someone who could create something that far surpassed Min-Guk Newspaper.


    It wasn''t even a gamble.


    ¡®This is the winning move.¡¯


    From now on, Jin-Hwan would go all-in with Yu-Seong. He had no doubts regarding this choice of his.


    "I''ll also resign from the Dae-Guk Newspaper," Jin-Young said shortly after.


    "You too, Jin-Young?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "You trust and support us in such a big way, so I don''t want to be wishy-washy anymore. Even though I am sometimes called a trash reporter[1], I''m Kim Jin-Young, and I''ve never learned to waver, boss," Jin-Young said with a thump on her chest.


    Jin-Hwan nodded with a proud look on his face.


    "Thank you. I am grateful for your decision. Although I cannot say it is a reward, I would like to offer you a bonus equal to what you received at your previous company¡­"


    Before Yu-Seong could finish speaking, Jin-Hwan interrupted him to say, ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. The revenue share from Yu-Seong Tube alone is more than my salary from the previous company. From now on, we will make our own income with our own hands.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Jin-Young added.


    Did he have a reason to stubbornly reject their proposition when they spoke to him so earnestly? Yu-Seong felt like he understood their feelings well, as he had also once been an office worker of a company.


    Finally, Yu-Seong smiled happily and reached out his hand. ¡°Well then, I look forward to working with you two, Team Leader Park and Kim.¡±


    "I''ll look forward to working with you for the rest of my life, boss."


    "Don''t worry, boss. Just leave it to us."


    This was the moment when Yu-Seong had completely won over their hearts.


    ***


    Bernard, who had recently returned from the Tower of Heaven, was taking a break. He was sipping his favorite whiskey at a bar in Los Angeles, USA, when he received a call.


    Seeing Bernard tilt his head in surprise, Meghan, who was drinking next to him, asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    "It¡¯s Choi Yu-Seong. I wonder why he''s calling me?"


    ¡°You guys are friends, so why wouldn¡¯t he call you?¡± Meghan replied.


    "I usually message him. Let me take this call for a moment," Bernard said with a wry smile before answering the phone in fluent Korean.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me.¡±


    - Bernard, is this a good time to talk?


    "Unusually courteous of you. Do you have something important to ask me?"


    The call had just started, but Bernard already found himself to be in a good mood. Perhaps it was due to the alcohol he had already consumed, but chatting with Yu-Seong was always enjoyable. Even meaningless small talk felt fun.


    Bernard had a lot of connections and many people who liked him, but Meghan never used the term ¡®friend¡¯ for any of them. Bernard never had a clue as to why until now.


    ''I''ve never had so much fun with them.¡¯


    On the other hand, Yu-Seong''s voice alone made him happy. For Bernard, it was the feeling of finally realizing that this was what it meant to have a friend.


    - It''s a very important request. Can you come to Korea if you have time?


    "To Korea? My goodness, friend. That''s quite a request."


    - Is it a difficult one?


    "No, it''s definitely possible. I can take a private plane and arrive tomorrow night, your time. Just wait."


    Bernard got ready to leave the bar once he paid the bill with his card. This was because he thought there must be a reason for Yu-Seong to call him so suddenly.


    - It''s not that urgent. I just need you to return within this week. I''ll let you know some details beforehand, and you can make your decision and depart.


    "Whatever it is, it''s okay for me. It shouldn''t be a problem."


    Shrugging his shoulders, Bernard smiled wryly and grabbed his coat from the bar''s coat hanger.


    - That''s not something to be said so lightly. A new Rank 7 raid dungeon has appeared in Korea.


    "Oh, I heard about that. Didn''t it appear in Busan?" asked Bernard.


    - That''s right. I plan to conquer it with the lead attack team.


    "So you plan to form an attack team,¡± said Bernard as he quickly understood Yu-Seong''s intention. Then, he suddenly remembered something and expressed his doubts. "If it¡¯s a Rank 7 dungeon... There must be restrictions on entry. Can I even go?"


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    - With the authority I have, I can authorize entries for at least two people. And if I ask my father, I could probably add two or three more.


    "Confident as always, the ace of the Comet Group," said Bernard.


    - I''m not joking. I want to invite you and Meghan to the team. By the way, among the members, only Meghan is an S-rank.


    "Don''t they recommend at least three S-ranks for the first clear of a Rank 7 dungeon?"


    - Yes.


    However, Yu-Seong was saying that he planned to bring only one S-rank player. Meghan had pretty good skills, but this was still a very dangerous task. That was also why the rewards were considerable if they succeeded.


    Bernard easily understood the situation. His eyes twinkled while he licked his lips. The taste of sweet and rich whiskey suddenly rose deep in his throat.


    "That sounds like fun. If I only I had the ability, then I¡¯d be the one asking you."


    - Does that mean you are in?


    "I''m okay with it. And Meghan is..." Bernard turned to look at Meghan, who wouldn¡¯t have missed the conversation they just had as an S-rank hunter.


    "That sounds interesting. Please let me participate too," Meghan said.


    With Meghan''s agreement, Bernard nodded with a broad smile. He said, "I''m okay too, but is it really okay? If the name ''Cheon-Ji'' is included in this Comet Group''s plan, your father might not be happy."


    - That''s why he''ll actually be pleased, since I''m the leader of the attack team.


    "Oh, well... I think I understand your father¡¯s intention," said Bernard.


    A child of the Cheon-Ji Group participating in an attack team under the Comet Group''s name would lead to useless rumors and articles based on that fact alone.


    "Rather, I might be the one who gets scolded by my grandfather."


    Even though he was saying that, Bernard didn''t seem to care much about it. In fact, he wouldn¡¯t have agreed right away without even thinking about that in the first place.


    ''If it''s in the format of an attack team, then it¡¯s easy to justify.''


    As the attack team was a non-profit organization, Yu-Seong''s choice of the term ''attack team'' made sense to Bernard. An attack team was a win-win strategy for both parties.


    "As expected of a smart guy. Anyway, I''m going to hang up so I can head out immediately."


    - Thanks.


    After ending the call, Bernard looked at Meghan. Their eyes seemed to be burning with a similar passion, perhaps due to the teacher-student relationship between them. In fact, they were excited for the upcoming raid.


    "As soon as we get to Korea, we need to enter the local dungeon for adaptation training. We should do that as soon as we get over the jet lag," said Meghan.


    "I suppose so," replied Bernard.


    "But I''m not sure if I can protect you if a Rank 7 raid monster appears."


    "That''s also obvious."


    In fact, that was why their relationship was so favorable for Bernard. Ever since he first met Meghan, he had hoped to fight alongside her someday. And now, that day had finally come.


    "Are you having fun?"


    What else could he say?


    "Too much."


    After giving a casual answer, Bernard suddenly thought of something.


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin... Will he participate too?¡¯


    Despite his unpleasant personality, Do-Jin''s skills were undeniably good. Bernard knew that the upcoming raid was sure to be an exciting one in many ways.


    1. "???" is a Korean slang term used to insult reporters, typically those who are seen as unprofessional or unethical. It can be translated as "jerk journalist," or "trash reporter." ?

 CH 192

    After the call with Bernard was finished and his work was done, Yu-Seong grabbed his phone once again in the evening.


    ¡®Since Kim Do-Jin is in the dungeon for most of the time during the day¡­¡¯


    It was difficult to reach him by phone, but Do-Jin would typically emerge from the dungeon around 9 pm at night. After all, if he didn''t take a break, he would be exhausted for the next day''s dungeon run.


    ¡®In the end, even that steel-like Kim Do-Jin has his limits.¡¯


    The problem was that Do-Jin, the protagonist of the original novel, easily overcame those limits in most battles and dangerous situations. And now, to some extent, he and Yu-Seong shared some kind of relationship.


    ¡®It kinda¡­feels like we''re friends now.¡¯


    This was not a joke but a sincere thought. When he had first been sucked into the novel, Yu-Seong never thought that this would have happened.


    Yu-Seong lightly slapped himself.


    ¡®I can¡¯t be certain yet. First of all, he''s trying to kill my father¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong started to hope more and more that Woo-Jae wouldn''t die. But could Do-Jin give up on that goal? The relationship between Do-Jin and himself would most likely be considered a separate issue from the one between Woo-Jae and Do-Jin.


    ¡®He''s a guy with clear principles.¡¯


    While Yu-Seong was lost in thought for a moment, Do-Jin answered the phone.


    - It''s rare for you to call me first.


    "Do-Jin," said Yu-Seong calmly as he responded to Do-Jin¡¯s somewhat bitter tone.


    He immediately explained the main point of the call.


    After listening to everything, Do-Jin''s conclusion was simple.


    - An attack team for a Rank 7 dungeon... Not bad.


    "I knew you would say that."


    - It''s a great chance to promote Eclipse Guild''s name since we''ll be doing a joint attack.


    In fact, the current Eclipse Guild had a high potential to become a Top 10 guild in one to two years. This was as long as its members continued to grow steadily.


    ¡®If I had to point out a flaw, it would be the lack of reputation...¡¯


    Of course, Do-Jin and Ah-Rin were both rising stars in South Korea, and they were impressive rookies. However, they needed to be more than mere rookies to propel their guild to the Top 10.


    "It''s time to drop the ''rookie'' nickname."


    Do-Jin was in B-rank and on his way to A-rank soon.


    ¡®In fact, if he really wanted to, he could take the promotion test and move up immediately.¡¯


    However, Do-Jin had stopped at A-rank for a similar reason to Yu-Seong''s.


    ¡®He hasn''t grown to the maximum potential within B-rank yet.¡¯


    This situation was slightly different from the original novel¡¯s events. It was highly likely that Do-Jin had also realized something during his trip to Pyongyang with Yu-Seong.


    ¡®Still, the rank itself is progressing faster than the original novel¡­¡¯


    There seemed to be no problem. In fact, as mentioned before, regarding the timeline itself, Do-Jin was stronger now than in the original novel. Having been to the Tower of Heaven, he now had the ability to use the special move he couldn''t at that time, and he could do so without any restrictions.


    - Okay, there''s no reason to miss out on this opportunity. And of course¡­


    "I''ll be the attack team leader," said Yu-Seong. When there was a brief silence over the phone, he added, "As you said, this is truly an opportunity for the Eclipse guild. It''s not a loss for Comet Guild."


    - But from the Comet Guild''s perspective, it''s also a chance to properly promote your name.


    "Kim Do-Jin."


    - I''ve never given up the position of leader to anyone.


    This was expected.


    In fact, the reason why Do-Jin had become the guild leader and surpassed Ah-Rin, who had proposed the idea of creating the guild in the original novel in the first place, was due to Do-Jin''s own pride. It might seem childish and stupid, but the foundation was his own firm sense of confidence.


    ¡®It¡¯s confidence that he can do better than anyone else.¡¯


    It was also due to the betrayal and frustration Do-Jin had experienced after trusting someone else in the otherworld he had traveled to.


    In reality, Do-Jin, who had a lot of war experience, could possibly show better skills than Yu-Seong if he became the attack team leader.


    ''Of course, that¡¯s only if he formed a team with the members he chose.''


    However, when it came to the current composition of the attack team, Yu-Seong was confident that he could do better than anyone else.


    "You won''t be disappointed. Trust me."


    - If that''s what you''re saying, there''s no need to hear more. Negotiation is impossible.


    "Kim Do-Jin."


    - I¡¯m hanging upl.


    Yu-Seong looked at his phone with a slightly annoyed smile. He muttered, "This stupid guy¡­ Does he really have to be like this?"


    Yu-Seong knew that Do-Jin would be stubborn, but he thought there would be some room for negotiation.


    ''In the original novel, I¡¯m sure he had a somewhat flexible personality...''


    But why was he reacting so sensitively to Yu-Seong''s proposal? It felt like there was no mutual respect even though they had reached similar levels in their skills.


    ¡°Answer the phone, Kim Do-Jin, answer it."


    Furious, Yu-Seong made several calls, but he received no response.


    - The customer is not answering the call¡­


    Finally, he received a concise text message on his phone.


    - If you want to negotiate, give up your position as the leader.


    After checking the text message, Yu-Seong sat on the bed and held his forehead. "...That¡¯s something I can¡¯t give in to."


    In fact, it was not just a matter of pride for Yu-Seong.


    "Actually, now that it''s gotten to this point, there are a lot of things that make me feel bad too¡­¡±


    However, there was only one thing that mattered most.


    ¡®If I don''t become the leader of the attack team, Father won''t allow it.¡¯


    Fundamentally, this attack should be led by the Comet Guild.


    Having Bernard, the grandson of the Cheon-Ji Group¡¯s Chairman, as a supporter or even having the Eclipse Guild join the team wouldn''t be a big problem. As Jin-Hwan had said, while this might make Woo-Jae a little uncomfortable, it could be offset by showing him how Yu-Seong embraced them all.


    It would put the Comet Guild in quite a favorable position, which would please Woo-Jae.


    But what if Do-Jin became the lead of the attack team and took control?


    ¡®This will make Comet Guild a sidekick¡­ He will never allow it.¡¯


    Thus, Yu-Seong would have to persuade Do-Jin somehow.


    ¡®Anyway, to conquer the Rank 7 raid dungeon in this situation, Kim Do-Jin''s help is essential.¡¯


    Of course, if Do-Jin continued to avoid calls until the date of the dungeon raid, it would be difficult. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to meet in person either.


    "If you¡¯re going to be this stubborn, there is a way to persuade you," muttered Yu-Seong with an evil smile.


    ***


    The next morning, before heading to the dungeon as usual, Do-Jin received a call from the Vice President, Baek Ah-Rin, asking him to come to the company¡¯s office.


    "I heard it¡¯s something important..."


    As soon as he saw Yu-Seong and Do-Yoon sitting next to each other in the conference room, Do-Jin''s gaze hardened.


    "Since the Comet Guild has asked for cooperation¡­ We should at least listen to what they have to say from our guild¡¯s perspective, right?" said Ah-Rin calmy.


    After glaring at Ah-Rin, Do-Jin let out a short sigh.


    "Are you not going to sit?" Yu-Seong asked from his seat and raised his hand in greeting with a smile on his face.


    "Annoying guy."


    Do-Jin eventually took a seat without leaving the conference room. No matter how much he asserted his pride, he wasn''t a fool.


    Yu-Seong had come here not as an individual but on behalf of the Comet Guild. Considering that the Eclipse Guild was already in a difficult position due to the pressure from the Top 10 guilds, they should welcome Yu-Seong¡¯s visit with open arms.


    "I heard a bit about it before you arrived. I think the offer is positive regardless, so why did you say no?" Ah-Rin asked.


    Do-Jin sat down and looked at Yu-Seong. "Did he not say it himself?"


    "I did, that you begged me to give you the position of the attack team leader."


    "So you heard," said Do-Jin to Ah-Rin.


    "Hey, do you think this situation is the same as when you asked me to give you the position of the guild master?"


    Ah-Rin, who had become somewhat close to Do-Jin now, looked at him with a bewildered expression. She wanted to expand the guild''s size, so she saw the current situation as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Understandably, she found Do-Jin¡¯s reason for refusing the offer ridiculous.


    "But..."


    "Think about it seriously. This is..." Ah-Rin started to speak as she turned to look at Yu-Seong.


    ¡®The rascal of a big and powerful family.¡¯


    Yu-Seong used to be known as the rascal of the Choi family, but nobody addressed him as such anymore. Thus, Ah-Rin felt uncomfortable, unnecessary chattering in front of him.


    "Shall I step aside for a moment?" Yu-Seong asked with a shrug.


    In fact, he had already made some progress regarding negotiations anyway.


    ¡®Although, I haven''t completely dismissed the possibility of a worst-case scenario yet¡­¡¯


    If the emotional struggle with Ah-Rin intensified, Do-Jin could leave the Eclipse Guild. However, the likelihood of that happening was low.


    ''Kim Do-Jin, once he sinks his teeth into something, he won¡¯t let go.¡¯


    This time, his pride would once again get in the way.


    Just as Yu-Seong was about to get up from his seat after nodding at Ah-Rin, Do-Jin grabbed him and said, "Stay seated."


    Do-Jin let out a deep sigh as his gaze revealed complex emotions. In fact, he already knew that his decision had been a childish one. He didn''t necessarily have to take on the role of the attack team leader. It was a job he could do once the Eclipse Guild had grown even more and he could form his own team.


    Although he was very proud, he had the patience to take a step back for the future. Or at least, that would usually be the case.


    However, Do-Jin had a simple reason to insist on becoming the attack team leader.


    "You have to take on the role of attack team leader because it''s the will of the Comet Group¡¯s Chairman, your father, right?"


    Yu-Seong finally understood why Do-Jin was so insistent on his choice.


    ¡®This guy... He didn''t want to follow Father''s orders, that''s why.¡¯


    As Yu-Seong expected, Do-Jin''s resentment toward Woo-Jae had not diminished at all.


    In fact, if Woo-Jae had been right in front of the man, Do-Jin might have suppressed most of his emotions. However, with Yu-Seong standing before him on Woo-Jae¡¯s behalf, following Woo-Jae''s orders just went against all of his instincts.


    Do-Jin knew that this was a foolish decision, but he had his reasons.


    ¡®Is he saying he trust me?¡¯


    Yu-Seong wanted to express what a stupid question that was to Do-Jin. Was Do-Jin asking him to ignore his resentment toward Woo-Jae, after showing it all so plainly in front of him?


    Despite not being raised with much care, Yu-Seong was still Woo-Jae¡¯s son. And Do-Jin was making such an unreasonable request to him, Woo-Jae''s child.


    ¡®The original Choi Yu-Seong would have definitely taken the bait.¡¯


    Read this novel and other amazing translated novels from the original source at the "pawread dot com"


    With just a little instigation from Do-Jin, the original Yu-Seong might have been burning with fear and resentment toward his father, Woo-Jae. But how about the Yu-Seong standing in front of Do-Jin now?


    ¡®I feel a bit upset, but...¡¯


    This fact came as no surprise, but Yu-Seong found it a little difficult to accept it. Above all, he had to correct a part of Do-Jin''s misconception.


    "Of course, if I''m not the attack team leader, my father might be upset. But the role was not decided by my father''s orders. It''s my choice."


    This was enough to slightly alleviate Do-Jin''s resentment. His eyes, which had been burning with resentment and mixed feelings, slowly returned to their usual state. He was calming down.


    ¡®He¡¯s still not fully accepting it, but¡­¡¯


    This was unsurprising. Do-Jin would be aware that Yu-Seong¡¯s will was likely reflected by Woo-Jae.


    ¡°...let''s have a match."


    "What?" Yu-Seong said with his brows furrowed deeply.


    He was suddenly reminded of the nightmare on the 9th floor of the Tower of Heaven.


    "Not a life-or-death battle, but a duel."


    "Really? Just a duel?"


    "Of course, we might end up with a broken bone or two." With a cool laugh, Do-Jin added, "If you''re not confident, you can give up. What will you do?"


    "Kim Do-Jin, you really¡­!" exclaimed Ah-Rin as she stood up with a bewildered expression.


    "...Alright." Yu-Seong, who had been lost in thought, gave a firm nod.


    Not only Do-Yoon and Ah-Rin were surprised, but Do-Jin himself. His eyes widened as he thought he had just made an unreasonable request.


    "Let''s do it. A duel. With all our strength this time," replied Yu-Seong.


    This time, it would be a head-on battle without any interference. As long as they weren''t aiming to kill each other, it was actually something that Yu-Seong had always wanted to do¡ªto fight with all his strength in the current world, not inside the Tower of Heaven.


    ¡®If that happens, I can find out where I stand right now¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong''s eyes glittered with excitement.

 CH 193

    The dual match with Do-Jin was set for two weeks later. Because of that, the originally scheduled raid date was also pushed back a bit.


    Thankfully, Woo-Jae and Bernard didn''t mind. From Woo-Jae''s perspective, the important thing was to finally conquer the dungeon. As for Bernard, he actually thought the delay was better as it gave him more time to become stronger. Meanwhile, Jin-Hyuk and Ye-Ryeong also decided to take the promotion evaluation for achieving B-rank.


    In many ways, Do-Jin and Yu-Seong¡¯s match was helping everyone gain more preparation time. And it was Yu-Seong himself who had requested more time for preparation.


    When Yu-Seong came home and shared the news, Yu-Ri asked, "...Are you really confident?"


    Yu-Ri knew well that Yu-Seong was formidable enough that it was difficult for him to find a worthy opponent among the hunters of the same rank. In fact, even Yu-Ri, who was competing at the upper level of A-rank herself, felt that the gap between her and Yu-Seong was getting narrower.


    However, it was a problem that Do-Jin was going to be Yu-Seong¡¯s opponent. He was someone who could not find a worthy opponent among hunters of the same rank, and there was a difference between struggling to find an opponent and not being able to find one at all.


    It was a difference between being the strongest and being the one who chased the strongest. Yu-Seong was fully aware of this fact.


    "There is always a champion who defends their title, but it is also common for a challenger to take away that title. I''m not confident yet, to be honest," Yu-Seong answered calmly.


    ¡°You are not confident to¡­not lose?¡± Yu-Ri asked, recalling Yu-Seong¡¯s usual joke.


    Yu-Seong slowly shook his head. "No, I mean it this time. I really don''t have the confidence to beat Kim Do-Jin right now. To be clear, his combat power is at least one or two levels higher than mine."


    "Is the difference really that big?" asked Do-Yoon, who had been standing next to them with his arms crossed.


    Yu-Seong felt that the gap between himself and Do-Jin was one sheet of paper[1].


    "Kim Do-Jin keeps a lot of his skills hidden, and he becomes even stronger when in a desperate situation."


    In fact, this was often called the protagonist''s buff. Yu-Seong didn''t explain the situation any further. He knew that, even if he did explain, the information could not be easily understood.


    "Is there a way?" Yu-Ri asked.


    Yu-Seong nodded slowly. "I wouldn¡¯t have accepted the duel without having a method in the first place. There is a way to make up for the shortcomings in a short period of time, even if it might not be enough for now.¡±


    "How?"


    "By finding a good master."


    ¡°...¡± Yu-Ri''s eyes narrowed suspiciously.


    "Don''t look at me like that. I''m serious," Yu-Seong said.


    "Then, where is this good master?" Yu-Ri asked.


    In fact, there were many skilled and talented people who were quite good at teaching, including Yu-Ri and Do-Yoon. However, they wouldn''t be enough.


    "I already know who it is. And because of that, I plan to be alone when learning from my master," said Yu-Seong with a firm look.


    "What?"


    "Just as I said. I can''t be together with you two while training with my master. Please understand. My master is a very shy person.¡±


    "But you don''t know what might happen," Yu-Ri said.


    "It''s okay.¡±


    "Young master, you have already been attacked by many villains. In the unlikely event that something happens..." said Do-Yoon.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. The person I want to learn from is really strong," said Yu-Seong.


    "You can''t cover the sky with one hand," Yu-Ri cautioned.


    Yu-Seong nodded his head. ¡°That usually is the case, but my master¡­is different.¡±


    He understood that the two wouldn''t easily agree with his decision. After all, he couldn¡¯t offer a lot of details regarding his decision.


    However, if the master of Do-Jin from the original novel, who was the strongest figure in this world, were to be Yu-Seong''s master, she could protect him even from the Demon King.


    "Trust me again this time."


    ¡°You are asking us to trust in your future foresight again?¡± Yu-Ri asked.


    By now, Yu-Ri had already guessed that Yu-Seong didn''t really have the future foresight skill. This made her anxious, but seeing Yu-Seong''s firm gaze, she couldn''t oppose him any longer.


    Do-Yoon was the same. Seeing Yu-Seong''s resolute expression, he realized that no words could persuade him anymore. Then, he asked, "...Can you at least tell us where you''ll be training?"


    "Sorry. My master will hate that you have the location if I tell you anything.¡±


    "How about giving you a ride nearby?"


    Yu-Seong shook his head with a wry smile. He didn''t have the confidence that the two wouldn''t watch him from afar. If that was the case, the person who would become Yu-Seong''s master would surely notice.


    In the end, the two sighed in defeat and nodded.


    "Will you contact us from time to time?"


    "If you promise not to track my phone," answered Yu-Seong.


    "Honestly, I can''t promise that."


    Yu-Seong chuckled. Slowly getting up from the sofa, he wore the cap he had prepared in advance and took the car keys from Do-Yoon, who often drove. He said, "I understand how you two feel. Thank you, and sorry. Please understand for now.¡±


    Anyway, it was something he had decided to do before entering the Tower of Heaven again. It was something that he would have to face sooner or later, and the two eventually had to reluctantly give their approval.


    "You''re coming back in two weeks, right?"


    "Of course."


    "If you don''t contact us after two weeks, we''ll find you no matter where you are in the country."


    Yu-Seong smiled at Yu-Ri and waved his hand lightly. He also wore his horn-rimmed glasses and a black mask. He said firmly, "I''ll be back."


    Do-Yoon silently bowed his head.


    ***


    Namyangju, located in Gyeonggido, appeared to be a bustling city center. However, some parts of the outskirts were quite remote and peaceful countryside villages. It was in one of these villages that an Italian foreign car, with a rather loud exhaust sound, pulled up.


    Yu-Seong parked the car in a secluded location away from the village and checked the location on his navigation system. Then, he nodded his head in confirmation. "I found the exact location.¡±


    Rather than dragging a noisy car around and attracting attention, Yu-Seong thought that it would be better to walk quietly from this point onward. Thinking so, he got out of the car and started quietly walking down the country road with fields on both sides.


    Even though the location wasn''t far, every step felt heavy to him. After all, he was on his way to meet someone who could be called his first master in life. Maybe that was why he felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness in his heart.


    After ten minutes of walking along the country road, he exchanged glances with a yellow dog that greeted him from the village entrance. He eventually stood in front of the gate of the closest house.


    ¡®First, how should I greet her?¡¯


    Perhaps unfamiliar with being in a rural village, Yu-Seong found himself contemplating how to start the conversation as he stood at the house which had its door wide open.


    Tap.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Yu-Seong screamed and quickly turned around when someone tapped on his back.


    "Huh? Why are you so surprised?" The woman clicked her tongue at Yu-Seong¡¯s dumbfounded expression.


    She was about 180cm tall, which was quite the height for a woman, and despite the chilly spring weather, she only wore a white plain T-shirt and jeans.


    The woman looked up at the surprised Yu-Seong and tilted her head in wonder. "You look like the yangban I saw on TV. What are you doing in this countryside?"


    "Pa, Park Ok-Rye?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "You know me?" the woman asked in a calm, indifferent voice, and her eyes didn''t even show a hint of caution.


    Yu-Seong clearly knew the woman. In fact, he could not help but know her.


    ¡®But I didn¡¯t expect to meet her right away.¡¯


    Park Ok-Rye appeared to be in her mid-twenties despite being over sixty years old. She also didn''t seem to belong in the rural village.


    And just how could she maintain her youth like that? The secret, which made everyone in the village envious, was simple.


    ¡®She is using her mana to stay young.¡¯


    It was quite a common practice among hunters. The problem was that Ok-Rye was not a hunter or a player, but she could actually control mana.


    In this world, there were three types of beings who could use mana without going through the awakening process.


    ¡®Non-human races, wizards, and transcendent beings.¡¯


    Ok-Rye belonged to the third group.


    Yu-Seong forced his pounding heart to calm down, then removed his hat, glasses, and mask. With a bow, he said, "I came here to receive guidance."


    He then wondered if he had said the right thing.


    Ok-Rye turned her gaze to briefly look at Yu-Seong before saying with a smile, ¡°Good, you¡¯re handsome. You passed the first round. Sit down for now.¡±


    She smirked and gestured with a tilt of her chin for Yu-Seong to sit at the table placed in the yard.


    ***


    Park Ok-Rye, who was 63 years old but looked like she was under 25 in terms of physical appearance, brought kimchi and makgeolli[2] from the house.


    As Yu-Seong sat in the yard, she handed him a brass cup and asked, "Do you know how to drink?"


    "Yes, I do."


    "Drink it."


    Ok-Rye appeared to be very relaxed. She filled their cups with makgeolli and lightly clinked her brass cup with Yu-Seong¡¯s before emptying her cup in one gulp.


    "Damn, this is the real deal. Makgeolli''s gotta be icy like this."


    "Um¡­ Grandma..."


    "Grandma? Do I look like a grandma to you?"


    With a somewhat awkward expression, Yu-Seong shook his head in response to Ok-Rye''s question.


    "Call me ''noona''."


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    "...Huh?"


    "If you don¡¯t want to, you can leave."


    "...Noona."


    "Haha, it feels pretty good when a handsome person like you calls me noona." Ok-Rye chuckled somewhat oddly and drank several cups of makgeolli.


    Then, she went on to say, "I remember seeing you on TV. You were the troublemaker in the Comet Group, but now you''re known as the rising morning star¡ªChoi Yu-Seong, the ninth child. I don''t know how you found out about me, but I assume it''s possible through the Comet Group. You might have found out somehow."


    In reality, the Comet Group was not aware of Ok-Rye¡¯s existence. They only vaguely knew that the South Korean government was hiding one of the three transcendent beings in the world like a secret weapon. In fact, Ok-Rye was a particularly special transcendent being among them.


    Ok-Rye continued to drink makgeolli and slowly scanned Yu-Seong''s body with her black eyes. Her actions seemed casual, but there was a strange and mysterious power that could be felt from her eyes.


    Yu-Seong could only sit in front of Ok-Rye in a tense posture and remain silent.


    "Let¡¯s see. You have been training quite well. Unlike most players these days, you have steadily built your foundation and improved. Even without my guidance, you are quite capable of receiving quite a bit of attention. Why did you bother to come here?"


    "I want to defeat someone."


    "Is there someone among S-rank hunters who you hold a grudge against?"


    "We are of the same rank."


    "Someone comparable to you in the same rank... Ah, Kim Do-Jin. That guy." Ok-Rye chuckled and nodded in understanding. "He''s a monster. He''ll soon be in the same realm as me."


    In the original novel, Do-Jin also became a transcendent being like Ok-Rye. However, Yu-Seong was aware that Ok-Rye was an even greater monster than Do-Jin.


    Ok-Rye was an infinite reincarnator, having already lived 99 lives and was currently living her 100th life as a transcendent being. This was why she was known as the strongest character in the original novel''s world.


    1. The Korean idiom used to metaphorically express that the difference in quantity or degree is minimal ?


    2. makgeolli is a traditional Korean liquor that is usually made by fermenting rice or wheat with nuruk (a type of fermentation starter). ?

 CH 194

    Although Ok-Rye''s gaze seemed indifferent, it sometimes became so sharp that it felt like she was peering into Yu-Seong¡¯s soul. Whenever Yu-Seong met her gaze, he unconsciously gulped.


    As they exchanged several cups of makgeolli and chatted, Ok-Rye chuckled and asked, "So what do you want to learn from me?"


    "I want to learn many things, but... just because I want to, doesn¡¯t mean that I am able to, does it?"


    In the original novel, Do-Jin suffered greatly in order to learn from Ok-Rye. It was not surprising that Ok-Rye, a transcendent being, was not inclined to easily teach her martial arts to others.


    "Well, of course. If such a handsome young man calls me ''noona'' and asks for a favor, I have to at least pretend that I can''t refuse. Hehe."


    Yu-Seong didn''t quite understand Ok-Rye, because Do-Jin was no less handsome than himself. Nevertheless, in the original novel, Do-Jin spent over three months doing various chores and clearing dungeons as instructed by Ok-Rye in order to learn from her. Compared to that, it seemed easy for Yu-Seong to be allowed to learn from Ok-Rye.


    ¡®I wonder if it''s because my facial features are more appealing to her?¡¯


    Or maybe it was because Do-Jin couldn''t call Ok-Rye ''noona'' due to his personality? In fact, in the original novel, Do-Jin never called Ok-Rye ''noona''.


    ¡®From the beginning, he came here with the introduction of the Association president and called her master.¡¯


    Anyway, Yu-Seong passed Ok-Rye''s disciple test very easily.


    "Why? Why are you looking at me like that? Did you think I would give you some strange task to receive my teachings?"


    "Uh..."


    "Hahaha! Look at this immature guy. His emotions are written all over his face. How can he survive in this harsh world?" Speaking with a smirk, Ok-Rye filled her own cup with the last remaining makgeolli.


    "I''m naturally moody, but I''m feeling good today. An unexpected guest came, and he''s handsome and called me ''noona''. There''s nothing more I could ask for. I''ll take you as my disciple.¡±


    "..."


    "It''s rare in the world these days, so let''s do a formal greeting. Dear disciple, do you know the Nine Bows ritual?"


    "Of course."


    Ok-Rye set down her makgeolli cup and sat cross-legged in a fairly formal posture. "Go ahead, it''s been a while since I''ve received a greeting from a disciple."


    Yu-Seong silently kneeled before bowing respectfully. One, two, three... The nine bows of different rituals continued on.


    Only as it approached the end did Ok-Rye laugh loudly and extend her hand. She said, "I''m Park Ok-Rye. Call me ''master'' from now on, young disciple.¡±


    As he watched Ok-Rye and wondered if this was really the end, Yu-Seong cautiously opened his mouth to greet her. "Master."


    "Hahaha! Perhaps it''s been a while¡­ That sounds good to hear."


    As he looked at the laughing Ok-Rye, Yu-Seong wrapped the title of ''master'' around the tip of his tongue again. It was a strange feeling, one that made him feel uplifted.


    ***


    After forming a formal bond between master and disciple, Yu-Seong told Ok-Rye about the remaining time and the current situation.


    "Two weeks? You have to be able to beat Kim Do-Jin within that time?"


    "...Is that difficult?"


    "Difficult? Not at all. Kim Do-Jin has some potential, but he''s still a novice. For me, I could win with just one finger."


    "That''s for you, master."


    Ok-Rye''s words were not an exaggeration. In fact, if she wanted to, she could subdue Do-Jin with just her voice, let alone a finger. However, for Yu-Seong, it was definitely not an easy task.


    "However, it won''t be easy to follow my training program. You might even feel like dying. Are you still okay with that?"


    "Yes."


    In the first place, Yu-Seong had no intention of beating the main character of the original novel without facing such extremes.


    Seeing Yu-Seong''s determined gaze, Ok-Rye nodded with a strange expression on her face. "Good. Show me everything you have now. Two weeks is too short a time for you to learn something new from me, so we¡¯ll focus on improving what you already have."


    "I understand."


    "Follow me."


    After Ok-Rye waved her hand, a blue-dimensional portal formed in the empty space. She proceeded to enter it with an indifferent expression and Yu-Seong followed her.


    Inside the portal, the landscape that unfolded before them was a barren wasteland where it was hard to find even plants, let alone people. Looking around and frowning from the intense sunlight, Yu-Seong asked, "Where are we...?"


    "I can''t even remember the name¡­ It¡¯s somewhere in the US. After all, there¡¯s no other suitable place to train where people are hard to find.¡±


    This meant that, with one gesture from Ok-Rye, they had instantly crossed from Korea to the US. Yu-Seong looked at her in surprise.


    Ok-Rye nodded as if it was nothing with her arms crossed. She said, "Give it your all. Don''t worry about me getting hurt or dying."


    "I understand."


    Silently, Yu-Seong activated all the ancient relics he had with him and transformed Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice into the form of a spear. From the beginning, he wasn¡¯t worried about hurting her. While she did not directly interfere with the world, if she set her mind to it, she was a transcendent being capable of single-handedly killing even the Demon King.


    ¡®If I think about it, there''s a higher wall than the S-rank hunters I saw during my E-rank days.¡¯


    There was absolutely no reason to worry about Ok-Rye getting hurt.


    ¡®From the beginning, with all my might¡­¡¯


    Boom-!


    As if thunder was ringing in his head, Yu-Seong¡¯s hair stood on end, and electricity began to flow through his body. The power of the wind that supported his body to float was quite light as well.


    ¡®The fury of the Lightning Punisher, the breath of the Wind Watcher, the vitality of the Giant Hunter.¡¯


    By fully utilizing the power of the three ancient relics, and with the reinforcement abilities obtained from the Tower of Heaven, the Wind Thunder Dragon God Art skill that was originally difficult to maintain flowed quite naturally throughout Yu-Seong¡¯s body.


    ¡®Perhaps¡­¡¯


    Perhaps this power alone was enough to defeat Do-Jin at this moment? However, Yu-Seong immediately shook his head.


    ¡®As much as I''ve grown..¡¯


    No, perhaps Do-Jin had become even stronger than that.


    "Well... Wind Thunder Dragon God Art skill, huh? You have quite a useful skill."


    Even this Wind Thunder Dragon God Art skill was just a ¡®useful skill¡¯ for Ok-Rye.


    Feeling the thrilling electricity flowing through him, Yu-Seong said with a glint in his eye, "Then... Here I go!"


    With a loud shout, Yu-Seong crossed the vast wilderness with a flash.


    ***


    Time flew by like an arrow. This was especially true for Yu-Seong, who hardly realized the passage of time.


    The training that started in the wilderness had no concept of day or night, and meals were not even taken into consideration. Yu-Seong''s training was literally an infinite battle. There was no rest and no room for complacency. Even when he was tired after pouring out his Wind Thunder Dragon God Art, Ok-Rye relentlessly attacked Yu-Seong and forced him to evade and defend himself.


    As Ok-Rye shouted for him to push his body and mind to the extreme, Yu-Seong felt like he might die. However, he still pushed himself to the limit. Even though he felt like he was about to collapse from exhaustion, what more could he do?


    Regardless of his doubts, Yu-Seong''s body moved without rest. The situation was peculiar; he was already exhausted, but his body continued to respond. Later, even the doubts disappeared from his mind. Ok-Rye either attacked or induced an attack without saying a word, and Yu-Seong somewhat instinctively moved his body according to Ok-Rye''s will.


    Just when the thought of actually dying from exhaustion had completely vanished from Yu-Seong¡¯s mind, Ok-Rye pulled back her fist and stepped back. She asked, "You said two weeks, right?"


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Hm, you still haven''t regained your senses," commented Ok-Rye.


    Without another word, she lightly tapped Yu-Seong''s forehead with her fingertips as he rushed toward her.


    Smack!


    "Uh-!"


    After rolling on the ground a few times, Yu-Seong suddenly stood up. His dazed look quickly went away, his eyes regaining their usual light.


    "Didn''t you say the appointment was after two weeks at noon?"


    "Oh, yes."


    "It''s time."


    ¡°What...?"


    "The two weeks that you mentioned have passed."


    Yu-Seong looked at Ok-Rye with an incredulous expression. He remembered coming over to this barren land with her and starting their first battle. However, since then, he had no idea how time had passed.


    "Did I spar with my master without eating or sleeping?"


    In response to Yu-Seong¡¯s question about the inexplicable situation, Ok-Rye pointed at him to reveal a blue aura connecting to his body like a thread. She said, "You wouldn''t have been able to do it in normal circumstances. But with someone''s help, it''s possible enough."


    "Ah..."


    Ok-Rye forcibly grabbed Yu-Seong, who was about to collapse from exhaustion at any moment, and made him move. She explained, "What you''ve been doing is an unconscious sparring. Two weeks is too short a time to teach you something new, but it''s enough to bring out your maximum potential. And to do that, it''s much easier to bring out your power in a state of unconsciousness rather than consciousness..."


    "I roughly understand."


    "You don''t need to fully understand anyway. More importantly, there''s another reason why I woke you up exactly after two weeks."


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    "What reason?"


    "Your potential is not ordinary, but Kim Do-Jin is such a monster. I took out another insurance policy just in case. There''s a limit to bringing out your potential with a two-week-long training."


    "It sounds a bit different from what you first said..."


    Ok-Rye smirked at Yu-Seong''s question and shook her head. "It doesn''t mean you''re losing. It''s just that we needed to make use of the two weeks fully."


    As she was disappearing from Yu-Seong''s sight, Ok-Rye¡¯s fist grazed Yu-Seong''s cheekbone.


    Yu-Seong instinctively turned his head to avoid the punch without much thought, and his eyes widened in surprise. He couldn''t see Ok-Rye''s attack, but his body moved on its own.


    "Right now, your body is in a state of extreme tension and excitement, which is practically the best situation to fight in. The best option would be to rest after embodying everything you''ve learned¡­.¡± Ok-Rye let out an awkward laugh before saying with a smile, ¡°...but there wasn''t enough time for that."


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    "In an hour, all the recoil of your previous training will come."


    "...It¡¯s going to hurt a lot."


    "Very much so. It could be as painful as the first awakening."


    "Oh, my goodness..."


    Ok-Rye giggled at the sight of Yu-Seong''s panicked expression. She then said, ¡°Did you think it would be easy to grow rapidly in a short period of time? Since there is a promised match, there is no other choice but to push yourself. I hate hearing that my disciple got beaten up somewhere.¡±


    "I see¡­ Uh, by the way, what time is it now, master...?"


    "It''s 12:10 pm in Korea."


    "...I said the appointment was at noon."


    "I got carried away with the fun of teaching my disciple after a long time, so I was a little late."


    Yu-Seong realized he was late and hurriedly spoke up.

 CH 195

    ¡°Master, can I ask to use the teleportation portal we used to come here to get to Hannam-dong?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "There''s no reason to say no, but it might be difficult to get to the exact location. I can only teleport to places I''ve been to."


    That was good enough.


    "Well, here''s the address..."


    Upon Yu-Seong''s urgent request, Ok-Rye checked the location and tilted her head in confusion. She said, "Seoul has changed a lot. There are many buildings unfamiliar to me, since I haven¡¯t been there. It might be dangerous, so we might have to go somewhere a little further away..."


    "Please do!"


    In fact, as long as it was in Hannam-dong, it didn''t matter where they went. It would still be faster than flying on a plane from the United States.


    Smiling at Yu-Seong''s urgent look, Ok-Rye tore the air with one hand and created a portal. Just before Yu-Seong jumped into it, Ok-Rye called him, ¡°Yu-Seong.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    "I''ll say it again, but I can''t stand it if I hear that my disciple got beaten up or lost to someone," said Ok-Rye as she raised her fist and smiled.


    "..."


    "In case you lose, be prepared for a grueling three-year training and not two weeks like this time," Ok-Rye warned.


    He hadn¡¯t even felt the aftermath of the training yet, so why was he terrified already?


    With his body already trembling, Yu-Seong nodded and said, "I will definitely win, master. See you later!"


    After Yu-Seong jumped into the portal and disappeared, Ok-Rye momentarily looked at the final spot he had stood at. Then, she slowly looked up at the sky. "Baek Yu-Ri, your son has grown up welli. He¡¯s strong and confident. You might be able to feel at ease even there."


    Ok-Rye recalled her friend, her cute little younger friend, who had been her disciple before Yu-Seong. Thinking about the woman named Baek Yu-Ri from a distant past, Ok-Rye smiled bitterly.


    She had been so happy when Baek Yu-Ri had sent a photo of her newborn baby, Yu-Seong. She had been so happy to have a truly cute nephew. But now, Baek Yu-Ri, the mother and someone who should have watched the child grow up, was no longer in this world.


    "It would have been nice if you could have seen him like this with me..."


    It was regrettable and sorrowful. Although Ok-Rye had experienced frequent separations and deaths over many years, it was not easy to adapt to the fact that someone had left her side.


    At the time of the accident, if it hadn''t been for the promise of fate that transcendent beings were bound by, she would have immediately gone to the Comet Group and turned the whole house upside down to find the culprit.


    That explained a wish she made very desperately.


    ¡®May the shadow of death cast upon that child be banished by my teaching¡­¡¯


    Despite this, what if unavoidable death were to strike Yu-Seong again this time? A deep anger swirled in Ok-Rye''s eyes, which had been calm and serene a moment ago.


    ¡®Then, even if I fall into a more severe curse of fate¡­ I won¡¯t bear it anymore.¡¯


    She sincerely hoped that such a day would never come.


    ***


    Do-Jin, who had arrived almost an hour early at the hunter training center in Hannam-dong where he had promised to meet Yu-Seong, looked at his watch with his arms folded. He commented, ¡°12:18.¡±


    Ah-Rin flinched at Do-Jin¡¯s sharp tone as she stood next to him. Yu-Ri and Do-Yoon, who were sitting across from them, couldn''t bring themselves to meet his gaze.


    "Hey, he''s late. And you said you couldn''t get in touch with him, right?" Do-Jin asked.


    Yu-Ri briefly made eye contact with Do-Jin before slowly nodding in agreement. "Yes."


    It was a situation that worried her quite a lot as well.


    ¡®He promised he would come back safely¡­¡¯


    Even though the scheduled sparring time had come, Yu-Seong was still not here.


    Yu-Ri tried not to show it outwardly, but she was indeed very worried.


    ¡®Do-Yoon oppa seems like he might run out right away if Yu-Seong oppa still doesn¡¯t show up¡­¡¯


    Just as Yu-Ri was looking at Do-Yoon''s stiff expression¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m worried.¡±


    ¡°Yes, right¡­. What?¡± Yu-Ri who initially replied carelessly turned to Do-Jin in surprise.


    "Choi Yu-Seong is often late for appointments, but this is the first time he''s been this late."


    Despite the angry look and the scowl on his face, was he genuinely concerned? Yu-Ri¡¯s expression shifted to one of puzzlement as she watched Do-Jin.


    "It''s 12:30. I can¡¯t stand it anymore. I¡¯ll go out to find him," said Do-Yoon urgently from his seat next to Yu-Ri.


    It had been over 30 minutes now and they hadn''t heard back from Yu-Seong. Do-Yoon couldn''t take it anymore, since they hadn''t been able to confirm his location or contact him for the past two weeks.


    Just when Do-Yoon was about to go outside, the door of the training center, which had been closed, opened wide.


    Bang-!


    With a slightly loud noise, Yu-Seong opened the iron door where the mana barrier was activated. He had a tired expression on his face. Out of breath, he said, "Huk, huk. Sorry for being late, everyone!"


    His disheveled appearance, with torn clothes and an overall unkempt look, seemed to indicate that he had rushed there in a hurry.


    Do-Jin frowned and snorted at Yu-Seong''s appearance. "You look like a mess. Go take a shower and change your clothes before we start. I''ll wait a little longer."


    "No."


    Yu-Seong desired to clean himself up, but he didn''t have the luxury to do so. He now had about 40 minutes left. If he missed the time limit, a tremendous aftereffect from the past two weeks of training would come, making the spar impossible.


    "I''m sorry I¡¯m so late, but let''s start right away. Oh, if you''re not feeling good about fighting with me in this state, I can go and shower quickly."


    "What''s the point of feeling uneasy while we''re going to splatter blood on each other anyway?" Do-Jin chuckled and slowly scanned Yu-Seong from head to toe. He asked, "But are you sure to fight like¡­?"


    "I can do it. Don''t worry, I can easily beat you."


    "Beat me?" Do-Jin''s eyebrows twitched, but his eyes and mouth formed quite a bright smile. He added, "It seems like you''re telling a funny joke.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a joke,¡± replied Yu-Seong.


    Although he felt a twinge of guilt at seeing the smile on Do-Jin''s face when the man was really angry, Yu-Seong tried to remain as calm as possible. The more excited he got, the better. If they were going to fight anyway, it was better for him to be emotionally charged.


    ¡°Then, let''s start right away,¡± said Do-Jin as he went toward the center of the wide training center.


    While they were talking, Yu-Seong managed to catch his breath. Then, he approached Yu-Ri and Do-Yoon, greeting them with a gentle gaze. ¡°Sorry for making you worry.¡±


    ¡°It''s okay. You came back safe and sound.¡±


    ¡°Are you really okay to start right away?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Yu-Seong calmly replied to Do-Yoon''s question and moved forward slowly.


    He wasn¡¯t just concerned about the time limit.


    ''I can really win.''


    The truth was, Yu-Seong didn''t really know what kind of training Ok-Rye had put him through. After the initial stages, he had no memory of the unconscious sparring. However, he knew instinctively that it was incredibly harsh training.


    Just the thought of doing the training again made him break out in cold sweat and brought up feelings of terror in his mind. However, the effect of it was clear.


    ''I have no idea what she did, but...''


    Overall, Yu-Seong''s skills that had previously reached B-rank had all received an additional rating of B(++) now.


    ''It''s not just one +, but two.''


    In fact, at this point, it was safe to say that he had reached the limit of B-rank. It was not just the visible numbers alone.


    ¡®My body feels really light.¡¯


    The basis for his confidence of winning was sufficient.


    Despite it being a sparring session, Do-Jin was holding a real sword. He said casually, "If you''re scared now, I can change my choice of weapon.¡±


    "No, if it''s not a real sword, we wouldn¡¯t be able to show our true skills, right?"


    After all, the weapon they were accustomed to was the best one for showing their skill. And now, the two of them had to clearly confirm each other''s skill.


    ¡®Now is the chance.¡¯


    Perhaps, after having trained under Park Ok-Rye alone, now would be the only time where Yu-Seong was stronger than Do-Jin.


    Just as Do-Jin was competitive, Yu-Seong also wanted to compete and win again Do-Jin. No, in fact, his desire was even stronger than Do-Jin¡¯s.


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin, the protagonist of the original novel.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had never properly fought Do-Jin before. However, whenever they exchanged blows, Yu-Seong felt an insurmountable wall. But how about now?


    With a small grin on his face, Yu-Seong raised his spear and assumed the proper stance. Standing in front of Do-Jin, the movements of the spear in Yu-Seong¡¯s mind were different from usual.


    ¡®Cu Chulainn.¡¯


    Cu Chulainn''s Secret Spear skills were finally showing their full range of techniques now.


    Do-Jin''s eyes narrowed instinctively at Yu-Seong''s different demeanor from usual. Then, he returned Yu-Seong¡¯s smile with one of his own. He commented, "I don''t know what you''ve been doing for the past two weeks, but¡­you''ve changed a bit."


    If Yu-Seong''s spear skills had just started to bloom, then Do-Jin''s sword skills had already been in full bloom for a long time. Above all, Do-Jin was also looking forward to one thing.


    ¡®I can finally see it this time, his true limits.¡¯


    Do-Jin never thought of Yu-Seong as weak. He also didn''t think that Yu-Seong¡¯s current appearance was due to just two weeks of intense training.


    "Come on, Choi Yu-Seong."


    ¡®Show me everything you''re hiding.¡¯


    Just as Do-Jin murmured inwardly, Yu-Seong disappeared from his sight.


    Bang-!


    Immediately after, Yu-Seong¡¯s blue mana-enveloped spear and Do-Jin''s sword collided in midair. That was just the beginning of their spar.


    The three people who came as observers¡ªthe Jin siblings and Ah-Rin¡ªcould hardly believe the quick strikes that followed one after another.


    Kagagakang-!


    The two metal armors clashed six times in just one breath, and flames burst into the air. The exchange of attacks continued for several breaths. The tip of the spear and the end of the sword never touched the other person¡¯s body. Even the mana canceled out before it could cause any harm to each other.


    Yu-Ri, feeling the sweat in her clenched fist, turned her gaze to the side. There, Do-Yoon, who was also clenching his fist with a similar expression, looked pleased with the glint in his eyes. Clearly, he was enjoying it.


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    "If it''s at that level..."


    "If I were in the middle of that, I''d have to fight with all my might."


    Finally, Yu-Seong stood on the same level as Do-Yoon, who was considered a skillful fighter ranking in the top of the A-rank. In fact, Yu-Ri''s thoughts were not much different.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure he hasn''t used his full power yet, but¡­¡¯


    The displayed ability of Do-Jin, who was called the genius of the era, was expected. However, the growth achieved by Yu-Seong was truly astonishing. The two siblings who had been with Yu-Seong for a long time could not suppress their admiration at Yu-Seong¡¯s incredible growth.


    "Oh...my goodness!"


    "Young master..."


    While they couldn''t hide their joy, at that moment, Yu-Seong''s spear grazed Do-Jin''s shoulder and blood splattered into the air.

 CH 196

    It was a very minor flesh wound. However, this minor flesh wound was the trigger of a significant change in the flow of the battle.


    This was a battle between a spear and a sword. A clear difference in speed began to appear between the wielders of these weapons.


    ¡°The young master¡­is a bit faster.¡± Do-Yoon, whose eyes suddenly sharpened up like a predatory wolf¡¯s, showed extreme concentration.


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Yu-Ri¡¯s eyes opened wide in surprise as she focused on the fight..


    Once again, Yu-Seong¡¯s spear scraped Do-Jin¡¯s thigh.


    Whoosh~


    Although his flesh was revealed and blood gushed out from his wounds, Do-Jin did not even raise an eyebrow as he maintained his concentration. A moment later, a blue pentagram magic circle appeared at the tip of Do-Jin¡¯s sword.


    Surprised, Yu-Seong quickly lifted his spear to defend himself as a magic sphere condensed by Do-Jin shot out toward him.


    Bang!


    With a loud explosion, Yu-Seong stumbled and was pushed back by a considerable distance.


    ¡®When did he prepare this kind of magic?¡¯


    The magic sphere had greater power than what Yu-Seong had expected.


    With blood flowing from his lips, Yu-Seong looked straight ahead. However, he could not see Do-Jin, who should have been in front of him. Quickly taking seven steps of his Wind Control, he then used its chaotic and confusing movements to avoid Do-Jin¡¯s subsequent attacks.


    Whoosh!


    At that moment, Do-Jin slashed at Yu-Seong with his sword and almost ran him through. As Yu-Seong¡¯s clothes became tattered, blood splattered everywhere.


    If Yu-Seong¡¯s Wind Control movement had been a bit more predictable, Do-Jin¡¯s current attack would have immediately won him the battle.


    ¡®As expected¡­ Kim Do-Jin.¡¯


    Clearly, Do-Jin had not wasted time while Yu-Seong was receiving training from Park Ok-Rye. Do-Jin¡¯s offensive movement was much sharper than what Yu-Seong had expected.


    Having barely managed to evade Do-Jin¡¯s attack, Yu-Seong used his arm to rebound off the ground and fly into the air, creating some distance between himself and Do-Jin. He wanted to be able to better see Do-Jin¡¯s movements.


    As Do-Jin continued to attack, Yu-Seong defended against his onslaught.


    Do-Yoon, who was watching the unfolding scene, let out a short sigh. ¡°The young master has lost the momentum.¡±


    The most important thing in a fight between equals, or those who were similarly skilled, was momentum. Once someone started to lose momentum and timing, they would inevitably be on the backfoot and be pushed back; thus, it would become difficult for the one who had lost momentum to regain the upper hand.


    Due to this fact, it became difficult for Yu-Seong to escape his defensive posture and reinitiate an attack.


    At first, when the battle went back and forth, it was clear that Yu-Seong had the initiative and momentum.


    However, the powerful magic that Do-Jin had quickly prepared and used instantly reversed the momentum. Now, it was Do-Jin who was initiating the attacks. Naturally, the movement of his sword started to surpass the speed of Yu-Seong¡¯s spear, and Yu-Seong ended up on the defense.


    To turn the situation around, Yu-Seong needed to bring out a trump card, just like what Do-Jin had done earlier.


    ¡°Young master!¡±


    ¡°Yu-Seong oppa¡­¡±


    ¡°Kim Do-Jin¡­!¡±


    Cold sweat trickled down the backs of the three people¡ªDo-Yoon, Yu-Ri, and Ah-Rin¡ªwho were watching the battle from afar.


    At the center of everyone¡¯s attention, Yu-Seong, who was focusing on defense, suddenly had a thought.


    ¡®If I keep getting pushed back, there will be no way out.¡¯.


    He had come to the same conclusion: now that he had lost the initiative, he was going to be suppressed and there was nothing he could do about it.There were many trump cards that he could bring out, but the same was true for Do-Jin as well.


    ¡®Like how Kim Do-Jin used magic earlier¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong needed a means to turn the tables once Do-Jin revealed an opening.


    While considering his options, Yu-Seong was being increasingly forced onto his back foot. His top was already ragged and tattered, practically torn to shreds, and his well-trained upper body muscles were covered in blood. Nevertheless, his eyes maintained a sense of vigilance.


    ¡®There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll let myself collapse from just this alone.¡¯


    Do-Jin looked at Choi Yu-Seong and inwardly laughed. He had no intention of defeating Yu-Seong through an ambiguous, non-committal approach.


    ¡®When you see a small gap¡­¡¯


    Do-Jin was planning on landing an immediate, fatal blow.


    ¡®Now!¡¯


    Do-Jin¡¯s eyes shone brightly once he saw Yu-Seong struggling to avoid the tip of his sword. He transferred his mana into the magic circle at the tip of his sword. However, right when the rune magic circle was on the cusp of being completed, it was suddenly scattered by a foreign energy.


    ¡°¡­?!¡±


    Stunned, Do-Jin looked at Yu-Seong, who had seemed to be on the brink of collapse just moments earlier.


    Yu-Seong straightened himself out using Wind Control, struck out with his spear, and extended his arm out with an open palm. He commanded, ¡°Dancing Electric Doll.¡±


    With the activation of Yu-Seong¡¯s skill, Do-Jin quickly took a step back and opened a magic defensive barrier. Once again, as if to nullify his magic, a foreign energy tried to interfere and disperse his magic barrier.


    This time, Do-Jin just snorted. ¡°You dare¡­!¡±


    Once he was able to complete his spell, imprisoning the Dancing Electric Doll inside the magic barrier, Do-Jin looked straight ahead at Yu-Seong, who was lunging straight at him.


    ¡®When did he learn Dispel?¡¯


    Do-Jin knew that he was the one who had taught Yu-Seong about magic. However, he had no idea how far Yu-Seong had progressed in it.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong, you must have trained and developed your magic ability quite a lot. It seems you have already become a Class 3 expert.¡¯


    Yu-Seong, who could sense Do-Jin¡¯s misunderstanding, poured out a quick offensive to not lose his regained momentum.


    In truth, Do-Jin¡¯s thoughts were not entirely wrong. However, they were not quite right either. In fact, it was right after Ok-Rye¡¯s training that Yu-Seong had reached Class 3.


    ¡®Actually, to be specific, I reached Class 3 during training.¡¯


    Moreover, there was only one type of Class 3 magic that Yu-Seong had learned¡ªDispel, a kind of magic that could interfere with an opponent¡¯s magic.


    ¡®I see¡­ Master deliberately focused on training me to use Dispel¡­¡¯


    As the spar continued, Yu-Seong slowly recalled bits and pieces of what he had learned during his training with Ok-Rye.


    Those training sessions had been long and difficult. And within that training period, Ok-Rye had focused on teaching Yu-Seong Dispel.


    ¡®Anyway, it is obvious that Kim Do-Jin is in a higher class than me.¡¯


    It would be foolish for Yu-Seong to fight head-on with the same type of magic against Do-Jin, who used a much more eclectic variety of magic. However, he did think that constantly using the only Class 3 magic he knew of, Dispel, could help him keep Do-Jin in check.


    Dispel had a high failure rate as it was a difficult spell to execute, but once it succeeded, it could break an opponent¡¯s magic even if one was only a lower-class magic user. Thus, if it worked, one could break an opponent¡¯s tempo and gain the upper hand in terms of momentum. This was because, if one¡¯s magic failed once, gaps in their defense were bound to appear.


    Having regained his momentum, Yu-Seong maintained his offensive rather easily and placed Do-Jin on his back foot.


    ¡®Raging Snake, Coiling and Rising Snake, Poison Fanged Snake.¡¯


    Yu-Seong unleashed Cu Chulainn¡¯s spear moves, which were now naturally ingrained in his body, one after another, leaving cut marks all over Kim Do-Jin¡¯s body¡­


    ¡°Ha-!¡± Do-Jin burst out laughing and deployed a spell once more.


    This time, it was with his palm rather than his sword.


    Belatedly noticing the spell that Do-Jin had secretly prepared during their fierce battle, Yu-Seong tried to use Dispel in turn, activating it through the tip of his spear, but he was a step too late.


    Do-Jin¡¯s rapidly unfolding magic wrapped around his body and sword. Though Do-Jin had been on the defensive, he instantly switched toward the offensive.


    ¡®The tempo¡­!¡¯


    In an instant, Do-Jin¡¯s movements had become twice as fast.


    ¡®He used Haste on himself!¡¯


    Haste was, quite literally, magic that made one move faster.


    The problem with using Haste was that most wizards could not adapt to the sudden change in their movements, so they would inevitably make mistakes. However, this did not apply to Do-Jin.


    Do-Jin adapted to his accelerated movement relatively easily and launched an offensive without revealing any new gaps.


    Indeed, it was not easy to regain momentum once it was lost. Having such thoughts, Yu-Seong did not want to miss this opportunity.


    ¡®I wanted to hide this as much as possible¡­but since my opponent is Kim Do-Jin, I guess there is nothing I can do about it.¡¯


    In order to win the battle, Yu-Seong had to pour out everything from the start. Thus, he did not hesitate any longer and activated another skill, one that he had acquired but had not yet used.


    ¡®Gale Force.¡¯


    When he had defeated the Black Gauze King, Emilia, one of the Twelve Dark Kings of the Demon King Worshipers, Yu-Seong had received skill offers from two gods. Between the two, he had rejected the offer from Odin, the Father of Magical Hymns.


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    ¡®Loki and Odin do not get along anyway.¡¯


    Nothing good would come about if Yu-Seong simultaneously accepted and received the support of two gods who were at odds with each other.


    In any case, the moment he chose to hold hands with Loki, Yu-Seong had no choice but to distance himself from Odin.


    As a result, Thor and the other gods expressed their disappointment at his choice, but there was no other alternative for Yu-Seong. Thus, he had accepted the offer of an equally powerful god who was not at odds with Loki, the Cold Wind of the West.


    And the skill Yu-Seong had received from that god was Gale Force, which only had one effect.


    ¡®Within a radius of 30 meters around me, paths of wind will form.¡¯


    The skill had an area effect that accelerated one¡¯s speed when riding the wind flow and decelerated when not riding the flow.


    Gale Force was an advanced skill where different paths of wind met to create chaotic gale force winds and allow one to completely subdue one¡¯s opponent!


    The reason why Yu-Seong had not used Gale Force earlier was simple.


    ¡®If I do not ride the wind paths properly, it is more of a poison than a benefit.¡¯


    Gale Force resembled Haste in that both were difficult to use properly; however, the difficulty level was much higher for Gale Force.


    The magic¡¯s powerful effects could only be realized if one took advantage of a tailwind to move faster while at the same time the opponent¡¯s range of movement was restricted by a headwind or tailwind.


    The more skilled one¡¯s opponent was, the faster they would realize the effects of the skill; hence, Gale Force was difficult to properly use. Of course, that was usually the case for most powerful spells.


    Yu-Seong had learned some ways to properly utilize Gale Force during his training with Ok-Rye.


    ¡®Be clearly aware of the space around me.¡¯


    One had to rule over one¡¯s surrounding space. In other words, one had to have control over the surrounding air.


    Yu-Seong had not yet perfected this concept, but he had learned the skill well enough to be able to apply this air control within the range of his spear.


    Yu-Seong activated Gale Force and sensed the currents around him through the tip of his spear.


    The most important thing for Yu-Seong was that the effect of the wind pushing him forward would be compounded by another gust of wind taking the opponent by surprise and pushing them from behind, right into the path of his attack.


    Do-Jin, who was unaware of the rapidly changing situation, naturally fell into Yu-Seong¡¯s trap as a gust of wind pushed his back. As he was caught up in the tailwind, Do-Jin¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡®Just one fleeting moment of distraction,¡¯ thought Yu-Seong.


    Do-Jin would not fall victim to the same move twice. As the main character in the novel, he would undoubtedly be able to copy and imitate Yu-Seong¡¯s skill the second time around.


    However, now was Yu-Seong¡¯s chance. He used his tailwind to drive forward while Do-Jin was being held up by a gust of wind from behind. Then, Yu-Seong¡¯s spear pierced through the air between the two clashing wind paths.


    A vacuum formed, a space where no sound could be heard and nothing could be sensed.


    Feeling the impending danger, Do-Jin hurriedly activated a spell, but Yu-Seong did not pay much attention to Do-Jin¡¯s actions.


    ¡®This sort of attack cannot be stopped with hastily cast magic.¡¯


    A moment later, the vacuum space exploded and sent out a powerful gale that spread across the entire training center.

 CH 197

    Do-Jin hurriedly cast a Shield spell. However, as Yu-Seong expected, Do-Jin¡¯s hastily cast spell was not able to stop his Gale Force.


    Yu-Seong could see the panic in Do-Jin¡¯s eyes as the winds produced by Gale Force flung the latter backward.


    Bang-!


    Do-Jin¡¯s back slammed against the wall of the training center, and it seemed as if he would fall to his knees. However, it was Yu-Seong who cried out in astonishment instead.


    ¡®Oh my god¡­¡¯


    Do-Jin was rushing toward Yu-Seong through the gaps between the raging Gale Force winds. Though wounds appeared all over Do-Jin¡¯s body, to the point that the raging wind seemed to turn red from his free-flowing blood, Do-Jin charged forward without hesitation and thrust his sword at Yu-Seong¡¯s throat, which was open to attack due to Yu-Seong¡¯s focus on casting Gale Force.


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±


    Barely avoiding Do-Jin¡¯s sword, which passed by right in front of his eyes, Yu-Seong inhaled sharply and shifted his focus back to Do-Jin.


    ¡®Already¡­?¡¯


    In spite of bearing the brunt of a passing Gale Force wind striking him head-on, Do-Jin pushed through the winds and caught up to Yu-Seong, eventually reaching Yu-Seong¡¯s left side.


    Do-Jin had moved much faster than what Yu-Seong had expected; however, it was not due to using Haste. To be precise, Do-Jin¡¯s movements had not accelerated; rather, they had become more compact and concise. Each step Do-Jin took, and even the smallest movements of his shoulder muscles, were surprisingly refined and neatly compressed.


    ¡®I can''t avoid this¡­!¡¯


    Yu-Seong tried to muster a defense by raising his spear, but Do-Jin¡¯s sword passed his gap-riddled defenses and pierced his abdomen.


    ¡°¡­ Young master!¡±


    ¡°Yu-Seong oppa!¡±


    Right when Jin Do-Yoon and Jin Yu-Ri¡¯s startled shouts reached his ears, Yu-Seong felt a burning pain rise from his belly button to the top of his head.


    ¡®You bastard¡­¡¯


    If Yu-Seong had not slightly deflected the tip of Do-Jin¡¯s sword with his spear at the last moment, Do-Jin would have stabbed a critical area.


    Do-Jin¡¯s gaze was cold. He quickly pulled his sword out of Yu-Seong¡¯s abdomen, then spun around[1] and struck at Yu-Seong¡¯s neck. This move was also thoroughly concise and nearly flawless.


    Based on his extreme focus, which he had trained to the limit during his training session with Bak Ok-Rye, Yu-Seong knew that he would not be able to avoid Do-Jin¡¯s sword. He was well aware of the sword skill that Do-Jin was currently using, a skill that was difficult to block or avoid.


    ¡®Flawless Sword¡­ has he already perfected it?¡¯


    It was the very foundation of Do-Jin¡¯s swordsmanship, the sword art that he had used when he had defeated a Demon King in his previous world. It was a sword art that had no form or technique, unlike normal martial arts.


    At the beginning of the spar, Do-Jin had not reached this high of a mastery in his Flawless Sword. While his techniques had appeared perfect at a first glance, they had in fact been lacking in a few key points, so Yu-Seong had been able to handle him relatively easily; however, it appeared that Do-Jin¡¯s skill level had further developed during their battle.


    ¡®Well, he is the main character after all¡­ and crises make one grow quicker, right?¡¯


    Though this reality was unfortunate for Yu-Seong, it was unavoidable.


    ¡®Right, Do-Jin is just regaining his previous strength and abilities.¡¯


    Gale Force was a powerful skill, but that was also why it could be helpful to Do-Jin instead. Yu-Seong could not afford a half-assed approach¡ªjust like Do-Jin, he had to act with the intention of killing his opponent.


    ¡®Too bad I can¡¯t use Flawless Sword like Do-Jin does.¡¯


    In terms of both magic and the ability to handle weapons, he was not Do-Jin¡¯s match. Thus, it was close to impossible for Yu-Seong to beat the regressor. Luckily, Yu-Seong could at least move faster and in a more sophisticated manner than Do-Jin could.


    This long, drawn-out thought passed through Yu-Seong¡¯s mind in a split second. Feeling the cold edge of Do-Jin¡¯s sword approaching the nape of his neck, Yu-Seong poured out all he had.


    ¡®Activate Wind Thunder Dragon God Art.¡¯


    Rumble-!


    The sound of thunder and lightning filled the training center, and right as the tip of Do-Jin¡¯s sword touched his neck, Yu-Seong disappeared.


    With not an ounce of surprise in his eyes, Do-Jin shifted his stance to the left, threw out his sword, and widened the distance between them.


    Bang-!


    Swinging his spear in a wide arc, Yu-Seong cut Do-Jin¡¯s sword in half! With lightning crackling and swirling around his body as if flowing together with his Gale Force winds, he shot upward. Without any hesitation, he moved together with the air currents and reengaged Do-Jin.


    From his subspace, Do-Jin took out a new sword and smiled as he unleashed Flawless Sword once more.


    Bang-!


    With another explosion, Do-Jin was pushed back, and a huge flame rose in front of Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes.


    Without any hesitation, Yu-Seong rushed into the flame and broke through. Despite having gone through the flame, he did not have a single burn mark.


    As his eyes lit with blue flames, the distinctive feature of Insight, Do-Jin could not help but exclaim with admiration when he understood the movements of the wind flowing around Yu-Seong.


    ¡®In that short moment, he scattered and neutralized my flames with his wind.¡¯


    Do-Jin was surprised and could not help but think¡­had he ever met a person like Yu-Seong in his previous world or in this world?


    Although he had experienced despair when he first faced the overwhelmingly powerful Demon King and shuddered at the deep darkness that the Demon King exuded, Do-Jin had never experienced anyone ever chasing him at such terrifying speed.


    ¡®His attacks are relentless!¡¯


    Do-Jin had attained full mastery Flawless Sword, which he had planned to do for a while, but despite awakening the beast within him and striving with all his might, Do-Jin realized that he could no longer keep up with Yu-Seong¡¯s crazy movement speed. He realized that it would be difficult to block all of Yu-Seong¡¯s spear attacks.


    At that moment, Do-Jin acknowledged that if the Heavens had sent someone down to Earth to be his opponent, that someone was definitely Yu-Seong.


    ¡®Yes, you¡¯re my rival¡­!¡¯


    While these thoughts were quickly passing through Do-Jin¡¯s mind, right in front of his eyes, he saw Yu-Seong charging at him with the spear pulled back, ready to launch an attack.


    ¡®It¡¯s coming.¡¯


    Based on Yu-Seong¡¯s breakneck speed and familiar-looking stance, Do-Jin knew that Yu-Seong¡¯s ultimate move, Lance Charge, was coming.


    Did Do-Jin have a sword skill to withstand and confront such an ultimate move head-on? No, he did not; however, he did not show any sign of distress. There was no need to panic. No matter how fast and strong Yu-Seong¡¯s attack was, it could be evaded with a single step, and it could be deflected with a single, short blow.


    Do-Jin closed his eyes and focused all his senses on the tip of his sword and the sound of the tearing atmosphere as his sword moved through space. Yu-Seong¡¯s movement was seemingly as fast as lightning, but the direction from which it was approaching Do-Jin could be discerned just by the sound Yu-Seong gave off.


    ¡®It¡¯s here.¡¯


    Do-Jin felt Yu-Seong¡¯s spear touch the tip of his sword, and at that moment, he saw the image of a lightning bolt striking down.


    The image of the sword moving in his mind was not strong, nor was it quick. However, Do-Jin¡¯s sword accurately met the path of Yu-Seong¡¯s lightning, then continued up that path, slashing through the lightning.


    Do-Jin envisioned the move in his mind, then proceeded to make it a reality. He moved and twisted naturally with the flow of the raging wind as he slashed downward with his sword.


    ¡®Flawless Sword, Absolute Lightning.¡¯


    Right before their weapons collided, Yu-Seong gasped as he saw Do-Jin¡¯s mysterious and astonishing movement unfold in slow-motion.


    ¡®Lightning¡­¡¯


    His attack was being cut apart. The problem was that, having launched an all-out attack with his spear, Yu-Seong could no longer pull back, no matter what. This meant that there was only one way out for him.


    Like Do-Jin, Yu-Seong had to overcome his limits at this critical moment.


    ¡®The Wind Thunder Dragon God Art is not just about pouring in power and letting the technique guide your swing¡­¡¯


    He had to be the one controlling the technique.


    Yu-Seong¡¯s mental strength, which he had reinforced during his training sessions with Bak Ok-Rye; his physical strength, which was based on his solid chakra; and his constant technical training shone through at that moment.


    ¡®Wind Thunder Dragon God Art ¡ª Lance Charge, Coiling and Rising Snake!¡¯


    To cut off Do-Jin¡¯s technique, Yu-Seong¡¯s spear wrapped around the approaching sword and swung upward!


    The winding, snake-like Lance Charge was an esoteric technique, one of the forms of the Magic Spear. As it unfolded, the two weapons rapidly intertwined, with sparks flying out in all directions.


    Clang-!


    Everything happened in a flash, but for the two of them, the exchange was long and drawn out.


    In the end, Yu-Seong¡¯s spear rose like lightning as it grazed Do-Jin¡¯s neck. Do-Jin stiffened, with Yu-Seong¡¯s spear now resting on his shoulder.


    At the same time, Do-Jin¡¯s sword, which Yu-Seong had expected to be near the ground based on its trajectory, instead pointed upward, having stopped on the left side of Yu-Seong¡¯s neck.


    Both of them stopped moving. Between them, hot, pure-white steam rose in the air, slowly scattering away.


    A long silence ensued.


    They stood still, both with their weapons still poised to cut off the opponent¡¯s head, until Do-Jin finally broke the silence.


    ¡°Choi Yu-Seong.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    A silent moment later, cracks began to form on Do-Jin¡¯s sword.


    Crack-!


    Then, half of Do-Jin¡¯s sword shattered into pieces, falling to the ground.


    Do-Jin watched this happen with a calm expression on his face. Then, he spoke up again.


    ¡°¡­ You¡¯re the attack leader.¡±


    Yu-Seong smiled at Do-Jin and nodded.


    ¡°The position was mine from the start.¡±


    At the same time, Yu-Seong staggered and collapsed on his side.


    ¡°Young master¡­!¡±


    Jin Do-Yoon rushed in and quickly supported Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Hmpf¡­¡±


    Do-Jin snorted coldly. He turned his back at Yu-Seong and looked at his broken sword.


    ¡®In the end, I couldn¡¯t stop his lightning.¡¯


    He had expected Yu-Seong¡¯s lightning to follow a straight, downward path. Instead, it had risen up like a snake about to bite its prey, thoroughly smashing and ruining his sword.


    After staring at his broken sword for a long time, Do-Jin trudged past Ah-Rin.


    ¡°Do-Jin, are you okay!?¡± With a concerned expression, Ah-Rin caught up with Do-Jin.


    Do-Jin nodded his head heavily. ¡°Just this once.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the kind of weakling who¡¯ll crumble just from one loss.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Ah-Rin exclaimed.


    Do-Jin smiled.


    As a regressor, he had traversed a long and difficult path, so one defeat was not something that would throw him into despair.


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    Even in this world, he did not expect to always be victorious. Hadn¡¯t he felt despair when he had first seen the mighty Demon King? However, in the end, Do-Jin was confident he would come out on top.


    ¡°Honestly, my pride took a hit¡­ but that¡¯s about it.¡±


    He felt bad, but he had to admit the truth: Yu-Seong was indeed his rival. Hence, Do-Jin could accept the result.


    ¡°Next time, I will win.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re a much more thoughtful guy than I thought, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ah-Rin said as she clenched her fists tightly in admiration over Do-Jin¡¯s unexpected reaction. ¡°Okay, then I shall also work hard and not lose out until the day our Eclipse surpasses the Comet Guild!¡±


    ¡°Naturally, vice president. That is your role.¡±


    Do-Jin¡¯s role was to always lead the way, stand at the forefront, and overwhelm the opponent. Each had their own path.


    As Do-Jin organized his thoughts in this way, a cold, sharp gaze settled in his eyes as a voice filled with deep resentment rang in his mind.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong¡­ will he become another barrier in my pursuit to kill Choi Woo-Jae?¡¯


    Hoping that this scenario would not come to pass, Do-Jin headed outside the training center.


    ***


    The hospital required Yu-Seong to recuperate for at least two weeks. No matter how good his physical ability was as a player, Yu-Seong had a hole in his abdomen and accumulated fatigue and injuries throughout his body. Even with the help of players with considerable healing abilities, Yu-Seong needed time to heal naturally.


    If it had been the Yu-Seong of the past, he would have sighed and looked down helplessly at his hospital bed as he waited for time to pass by.


    ¡®But it¡¯s different now.¡¯


    Yu-Seong summoned the Green Wind Spirit Cat and received additional healing assistance whenever there was no one watching him. As a result, he recovered from all his wounds and fatigue and left his hospital bed in a mere two days!


    ¡®As expected, the effect of staying up all night!¡¯


    Even the doctor who had forced him to rest was surprised by this miraculous recovery, which made Yu-Seong all the prouder for having obtained the Green Wind Spirit Cat from the Tower of Heaven.


    1. The raws say ¡°half circle,¡± but that would put Do-Jin¡¯s back toward Yu-Seong. ?

 CH 198

    Unlike other heal-type players, Yu-Seong could continually operate Great Wind Spirit Cat, which was inexhaustible, as long as he supplied it with chakra. In this sense, his recovery ability was greater than that of others.


    For normal players, such mana consumption might be burdensome, but Yu-Seong saw things differently.


    ¡®The joint effect of drinking a mana stone extract every day and using The God¡¯s Chakra are amazing.¡¯


    Yu-Seong also recently realized that the efficiency ratio of the energy created from The God¡¯s Chakra was more than 1.5 times higher than that of ordinary mana.


    In particular, the amount of chakra consumed in relation to the healing effect seemed relatively low, possibly because Great Wind Spirit Cat paired well with The God¡¯s Chakra.


    ¡®Though, this sort of detail never came out in the original novel¡­¡¯


    To put it bluntly, this was also a hidden piece. As a player who specialized in chakra mana, Yu-Seong was very satisfied with such a positive result.


    Although puzzled by his recovery speed, the doctor approved Yu-Seong¡¯s discharge, so Yu-Seong was making his way toward the hospital exit with a satisfied feeling. However, his eyes widened when he saw a familiar face waiting for him at the exit.


    ¡°Mi-Na noo-nim?¡±


    With a box of beverages in one hand, as if she had planned to pay Yu-Seong a visit, Mi-Na blinked her big eyes and tilted her head. ¡°Yu-Seong? I heard that you suffered a serious abdomen puncture wound, no?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ That¡¯s not untrue, but¡­ I¡¯m fine now.¡± Yu-Seong laughed awkwardly and scratched his cheek.


    ¡°Your abdomen puncture wound healed in two days? No matter how effective heal skills are¡­ Did you learn Super Regeneration?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, but I do have a similar skill.¡±


    The Super Regeneration skill could only be applied on oneself, but Great Wind Spirit Cat could be used on others. Yu-Seong was proud that he possessed such an incomparable heal skill.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡± Mi-Na sighed and clicked her tongue before smiling and nodding. ¡°Well, I expect as much from you. Please continue to amaze me, my dear Yu-Seong.¡±


    ¡°¡­for some reason, I feel a bit scared by your choice of words.¡±


    ¡°If you do well, I can leave this troublesome president position of mine and run off, right?¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­¡± Yu-Seong chuckled awkwardly and evaded the question.


    In truth, Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t picture Mi-Na leaving the Comet Guild¡¯s President position.


    ¡®Because you¡¯re so good at what you do¡­¡¯


    No matter how much Yu-Seong developed, Woo-Jae, who had seen Mi-Na¡¯s achievements with his own eyes, would never let her go. Although she outwardly expressed her annoyance with her title and responsibilities, Mi-Na was obviously skilled in running the guild.


    Even though she had the support of Woo-Jae and the secondary effects of being supported by the Comet Group, no one could deny that her leadership and management skills, which stemmed from her overwhelming charisma, allowed the Comet Guild to quickly rise and become the number one guild in the industry.


    ¡°You probably don¡¯t need this but take it anyway. Drink it when you get home.¡±


    Yu-Seong quickly snatched the box of beverages from Mi-Na and nodded. ¡°Thank you. By the way, you came to visit me in the hospital this time around, too.¡±


    Was it because they often saw each other at work and their relationships overlapped in many ways? Unlike the past, when Mi-Na had looked at Yu-Seong with a somewhat displeased and doubtful look, Mi-Na currently looked at him with a hint of curiosity and appreciation.


    ¡®Mi-Na noo-nim, who hates evil people, seems to have a hard time sorting out her emotions because of the past behavior of the original owner of this body, but¡­¡¯


    In any case, positive changes were taking place, so Yu-Seong decided to view this change as a good thing.


    ¡°Looking at your current condition, I guess there was no reason for me to come¡­ But, like I just said, you may become quite useful to me, so I¡¯m trying to be nice to you. If possible, please hurry up and quickly develop so that this older sister of yours can rest in peace.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡± Yu-Seong smiled and nodded after hearing Mi-Na¡¯s frank words.


    However, no matter how far Yu-Seong developed, Mi-Na would likely find it difficult to quit her position as the Comet Guild president. Regardless, Yu-Seong decided to respond in a positive tone.


    ¡°Oh, the main reason for my visit is something else.¡±


    ¡°The main reason?¡±


    ¡°The investigation you requested for me to conduct.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Yu-Seong responded.


    Recently, Yu-Seong had asked Mi-Na to investigate and look into the connection between Choi In-Young and a vampire.


    As her eyes sharpened, Mi-Na gradually lowered her voice as she continued speaking. ¡°I think your guess is somewhat correct. It will take more time for a firm conclusion, but I¡¯m mobilizing all the manpower at my disposal. I think a conclusion can be reached within a month.¡±


    ¡°In a month? That¡¯s fast.¡±


    ¡°To put it bluntly, considering that you¡¯ve provided me with your own reinforcement forces, a month¡¯s time is actually quite long. Everything has to be conducted outside of father¡¯s gaze¡­ It¡¯s not like that side is filled with a bunch of idiots.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    As Yu-Seong reflected, he recalled that it was not just Mi-Na who he had asked to look into the issue.


    ¡®There¡¯s also Ji-Ho hyung.¡¯


    Ji-Ho, the eldest who had retired from the Comet Group, was also looking into the issue from the shadows.


    Perhaps Woo-Jae had already noticed what was going on to some extent.


    ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to assume that the Special Police Force is also moving.¡¯


    In any case, the Special Police Force was the best track, search, and arrest specialists in the country.


    Of course, it would be difficult for even the Special Police Force to freely investigate the Comet Group¡¯s children. However, with the internal help from the Comet Guild¡¯s president Mi-Na and with the protective cover that Ji-Ho had provided, the story was different for Yu-Seong.


    ¡®The pieces are starting to fit together.¡¯


    Even if Woo-Jae found out about the Special Police Force investigation, Ji-Ho could come forward and help protect Mi-Na¡¯s secret.


    From Yu-Seong¡¯s point of view, this was an unforeseen and unintended dynamic that further strengthened his overall plan.


    ¡°Since you pointed me toward a general direction and drew an overall picture, I was able to start putting things in motion, so I feel that you¡¯ve done a tremendous job.¡±


    Yu-Seong finally understood why he saw a slightly appreciative look in Mi-Na¡¯s eyes. He said, ¡°That wasn¡¯t my intention, but I¡¯m glad that you see me in such a good light.¡±


    ¡°If you drew such a picture unintentionally, that¡¯s amazing in its own way. You¡¯re doing great. You¡¯re already fulfilling my wish by constantly surprising me.¡± Mi-Na shrugged, looking unconvinced.


    She seemed to firmly believe that Yu-Seong had acted with intention and had created the current situation.


    ¡°Ah, but what if my guess is confirmed to be true¡­?¡±


    What if In-Young was not simply involved with a vampire but was a vampire herself?


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to capture her and tear her to pieces,¡± Mi-Na answered without a hint of hesitation as she gave a fierce smile.


    From her point of view, a vampire was an existence that represented pure evil. Due to the deep-seated resentment she had for all things evil, which stemmed from her childhood trauma, Mi-Na was not going to wait around and see how things played out.


    ¡®If Choi In-Young is a real vampire, she won¡¯t be easily defeated¡­¡¯


    Considering that there was a high probability that Mi-Na would move with the assistance of the Special Police Force, Yu-Seong felt that there would not be much of a problem.


    ¡°Anyway, I stopped by today to update you on the situation. I think you have the right to know since you were the first informant.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. This is nothing.¡±


    ¡°But you also took the time to visit me in the hospital,¡± Yu-Seong said as he saw Mi-Na smile back at him.


    We are "pawread dot com", find us on google.


    Mi-Na could be said to be tall, but for whatever reason, Yu-Seong felt as if she looked even taller from where he was.


    ¡®Is it because of her body ratio? Or is it because of the atmosphere?¡¯


    In the end, Yu-Seong could not help but be left with an indelible impression that Mi-Na was a great person.


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t gone and caused so many accidents in the past, I would be more fond of you¡­¡± Mi-Na briefly expressed her thoughts before clapping her hands as if she had suddenly recalled something. ¡°Oh, and also, you should keep in touch with Ji-Ho.¡±


    ¡°Ji-Ho hyung-nim?¡±


    ¡°Your most recent contact with him was to ask him to look into Choi In-Young, but you haven¡¯t contacted him otherwise, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°That guy is timid, so he might be secretly upset that you haven¡¯t been keeping in touch with him. Be careful.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll make sure to get in touch with him.¡±


    ¡°Right. Anyway, good luck with the raid.¡± Mi-Na gave a smile before quickly turning around as if she had nothing more to say.


    However, she quickly turned back around and ruffled Yu-Seong¡¯s hair as if she had just thought of something.


    Yu-Seong was a bit taller than her, but she was wearing high-heeled shoes, so her movement was not awkward at all.


    ¡°¡­Noo-nim¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to try such a gesture on my younger brother. Anyway, I¡¯ll be off now,¡± said Mi-Na before she turned around and left.


    Yu-Seong felt a strange feeling stirring in his heart as he watched Mi-Na leaving.


    ¡®Family¡­¡¯


    Choi Woo-Jae, Choi Ji-Ho, and now Choi Mi-Na¡­ The most unexpected change after entering the novel¡¯s world seemed to be a change in the characters¡¯ mindsets.


    ***


    In a quiet traditional Korean house (hanok) built at the foot of an unknown mountain located on the outskirts of Goyang city in the Gyeonggi-do province, a pale-faced young man sitting in a wheelchair smiled while answering the phone.


    ¡°Yes, I know. Of course. Thank you.¡±


    His responses in the conversation were a succession of short answers. It was, after all, unusual for him to give a lengthy response.


    Nevertheless, the warmth in Ji-Ho¡¯s voice made Baek Chul, who was standing behind Ji-Ho and watching him intently, break out into a smile.


    ¡°No. Of course not¡­ Rather, I¡¯m grateful that you contacted me first.¡±


    For the first time in the conversation, Ji-Ho gave a long reply.


    ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll try and reach out to contact you first. Don¡¯t be concerned about me. I heard you have something important to do, so you should make sure to do well,¡± said Ji-Ho with a smile before hanging up the phone.


    ¡°Does it give you so much pleasure to have a phone call with young master Yu-Seong?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha¡­ Did it show too much?¡±


    ¡°Your smile right now is the brightest I¡¯ve seen in recent days. Your complexion looks much better as well.¡±


    ¡°Since Captain Baek is saying such things, even if it¡¯s a bit of a nuisance, I¡¯ll have to call Yu-Seong more often.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a good idea.¡±


    When the two shared a laugh together, a cool mountain breeze passed between the two.


    Cough! Ji-Ho let out a short cough.


    Surprised, Baek Chul quickly approached Ji-Ho. ¡°Master!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± Ji-Ho said lightly as he turned to Baek Chul and smiled.


    However, blood was dripping from the corners of his mouth.


    ¡°Recently, it seems to be happening more often¡­¡±


    ¡°It could be worse. Everything must flow according to the will of the world, no?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak as though you¡¯ve reached some sort of enlightenment. Master is far too young for that.¡±


    After Baek Chul gave his response, Ji-Ho smiled and nodded. He said, ¡°I will try my best. By the way, if you have time, can you go to Seoul with me?¡±


    When Ji-Ho made such an unexpected request, Baek Chul looked surprised as he was not one to hide his emotions. He asked, ¡°You want to see master Yu-Seong?¡±


    ¡°I would like to say hello to my father¡­and see Yu-Seong and Mi-Na¡­¡± Ji-Ho¡¯s voice trailed off as a firm sense of determination filled his eyes.


    ¡®While I still have some time left¡­¡¯


    Recently, Ji-Ho felt a strong desire to do as much as he could.


    ¡°Really¡­ Will it be okay for you?¡±


    After that fateful incident, Ji-Ho had chosen to live in seclusion and detested leaving the mountainside. As if he had been bitten by people and everything in the world, Ji-Ho had tried not to look at or venture out into the wider world as much as possible.


    However, Ji-Ho was now trying to actively reengage with the world. This marked a monumental first step.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve decided after some consideration.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±


    Baek Chul no longer expressed his doubts. He also did not try to stop Ji-Ho; actually, to be more exact, Baek Chul was not able to stop Ji-Ho.

 CH 199

    Every member of the Choi family was stubborn, so there was no way any of them would listen to someone else¡¯s advice if he or she had their mind set on something.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Baek Chul solemnly nodded.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, Captain Baek, do you remember your promise?¡± Ji-Ho turned his gaze toward Baek Chul and smiled.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°If I should ever die¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say such things!¡± Baek Chul shouted loudly as his eyes turned bloodshot.


    Baek Chul had a bulky figure and exuded a very masculine presence, but he was a man with a surprisingly soft heart.


    Ji-Ho smiled and said, ¡°Please, I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    Seeing that Baek Chul was not able to answer, Ji-Ho nodded and started to move around with his wheelchair. ¡°I should head in and get some rest. If I don¡¯t want Captain Baek to worry, I have to manage my health a bit more diligently.¡±


    ¡°¡­There must be some way.¡±


    ¡°There could be, but I don¡¯t see it.¡±


    After calmly prophesying his own end, Ji-Ho entered his room.


    Silently watching Ji-Ho¡¯s receding figure, Baek Chul lowered his head while clenching his fists.


    ***


    Time passed, and the bright morning of the day of the raid soon came.


    The start of such a day could be quite tense, throwing one off one¡¯s routine, but Yu-Seong spent the morning in the same way he spent most mornings. He broke into a sweat with his early morning training session, took a shower, and finished with a diet-conscious protein-rich breakfast.


    After that, Yu-Seong arrived at Gimpo airport with his party members using a rented van. They then head to Busan on a private plane provided by the company.


    ¡®I heard that Bernard Yoo and Meghan have already arrived in Busan¡­¡¯


    Ah-Rin had already arrived in Busan as well; however, the problem was that she did not come with Do-Jin, nor was anyone able to get in contact with him.


    But Yu-Seong was not too worried. He was certain that Do-Jin would eventually appear at the designated raid site.


    ¡®He¡¯s not someone who won¡¯t follow through on his promise.¡¯


    Yu-Seong arrived at Busan¡¯s Gimhae airport with a relatively light heart and got into another van to head to Sasang Terminal in Busan, where the Rank 7 dungeon appeared.


    The new dungeon entrance had arisen aboveground on a busy road where buses and cars would have normally traveled. Thanks to the considerable amount of time afforded to them, the entire site had been neatly organized.


    ¡®It¡¯s a mess¡­but it¡¯s a mess in a different way.¡¯


    From inside the van, Yu-Seong saw a swarm of foreign and domestic media reporters and personnel flocking to the site; this was to be expected, as Kim Jin-Young and Park Jin-Hwan had already spread the news of what was to happen.


    ¡®The first raid to be led by a B-Rank attack leader,¡¯ Yu-Seong thought.


    Among his party members, there was only one S-Rank member. When accounting for all the party¡¯s attack members, the party¡¯s average rank was B.


    If Yu-Seong and his party was successful, it would be a monumental event that would destroy the traditional outlook that, in order to attack a raid dungeon of Rank 7 or higher, an attack party needed an average party member rank of A + or higher and needed at least 3 S-Rank members.


    ¡®On the other hand, if I fail¡­ it¡¯ll be a great disgrace.¡¯


    If the dungeon raid failed, many would come out and state that the raid group was too arrogant and greedy, that the Comet Guild was too full of itself, and that the entire Comet Group was overstepping its boundaries. Hence, it was understandable that everyone¡¯s attention on this current raid.


    ¡®I also see quite a few people from other guilds.¡¯


    As if they had no intention of hiding their identity, the gathered people from other guilds each wore their guild badges, and there were also some hunters who were wearing their gear. Among them, there were probably many who wanted to participate in the raid.


    ¡®Whether they succeed or fail, they¡¯ll benefit unconditionally as long as they make it out alive.¡¯


    On the other hand, there were those who were waiting to laugh at the Comet Guild¡¯s failure.


    ¡®For example, the Daehyun Guild.¡¯


    Normally, the Cheon-Ji Guild, which was created by the Cheon-Ji Group and was currently ranked second in the guild rankings in Korea, would have joined the Daehyun Guild in wishing for the Comet Guild¡¯s raid to fail. This was so that they could ridicule the Comet Guild¡¯s failure.


    ¡®But the situation is different now.¡¯


    This was because Bernard Yoo, although not a member of the Cheon-Ji Guild but belonging to the third generation of the Cheon-Ji Group, was included in Yu-Seong¡¯s raid party.


    Even though the Comet Group and Cheon-Ji Group were fierce competitors, there was no need to hold a knife to each other¡¯s throats in such a situation.


    Rather, the Cheon-Ji Guild had publicly wished for the raid¡¯s success and offered their support, sending out supplemental gear and supplies through its support team; they even went as far as to offer potions, which were difficult to obtain.


    Since things had publicly progressed in this fashion, it meant that the two sides would be standing shoulder-to-shoulder.


    ¡®Just because we were enemies once doesn¡¯t mean that we need to remain as enemies forever.¡¯


    The working relationship between Yu-Seong and Bernard could become a bridge that connected the divide between the Cheon-Ji and the Comet Group, the two leading conglomerates in Korea.


    Of course, there were bound to be people who would kick up a fuss about this possibility. However, taking other factors into consideration, this potential budding relationship had a chance to turn out a positive result.


    ¡®The future has already changed a lot anyway.¡¯


    When he had first arrived in this world, Yu-Seong had been quite afraid of potentially changing the future. However, his thoughts were different now.


    ¡®Since things are how they are, I¡¯ll take the initiative and change things to my advantage.¡¯


    This frame of mind was also the reason why he had taken the initiative to form this current raid party.


    Inside the van, Yu-Seong turned and looked at the other Comet Guild¡¯s Hunting Team 8 members, who were looking out at the gathered crowds with slightly nervous or excited expressions on their faces.


    Feeling Yu-Seong¡¯s gaze upon them, every member turned their head toward him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    With Yu-Seong¡¯s brief command, everyone got up from their seats and slowly headed for the van¡¯s door, which opened automatically.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°The Comet Guild is here!¡±


    ¡°The main character has arrived. Everyone, get ready!¡±


    Once the van door opened, a cacophony of loud voices, at a much higher decibel level than when the van¡¯s door had been closed, was heard as spotlights started turning on.


    Of course, Yu-Seong was the first to get out of the van.


    ¡°Choi Yu-Seong-!¡±


    ¡°The Comet¡¯s scion!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the Prince of Reversals, Choi Yu-Seong!¡±


    Yu-Seong slightly blushed after hearing the various nicknames that he didn¡¯t even know existed and calmly walked past the glaring spotlights.


    ¡°Wow, no matter how I take a picture, Choi Yu-Seong¡¯s image is immaculate.¡±


    ¡°Before, he was just a handsome troublemaker, but now, he looks like a real prince.¡±


    The comments were a little bit embarrassing for Yu-Seong, but on the whole, the situation was not too bad.


    ¡®My Star Factor is continuously growing.¡¯


    The attention and the people¡¯s cheers were aspects that Yu-Seong needed to learn how to enjoy.


    With his head raised and his shoulders straight, Yu-Seong set aside his initial feeling of embarrassment and confidently walked amongst the reporters who had opened a path for him to walk through.


    Yu-Seong was followed by Do-Yoon and Yu-Ri.


    ¡°It¡¯s Black Shadow, Jin Yu-Ri!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the Beast of the Moonlight, Jin Do-Yoon!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re siblings, and they¡¯re also the Prince¡¯s guardians!¡±


    It had not been long since the Jin siblings first publicly revealed their skills for the world to see. However, it did not take them long to establish a public reputation, as they were already known amongst the top performers in the A-Rank; thus, it was only a matter of time before the public got to know them.


    ¡®I can understand Jin Yu-Ri being used to this, but I actually thought that Jin Do-Yoon would have shown a bit of embarrassment¡­¡¯


    Both did not show even the slightest signs of embarrassment, which Yu-Seong had shown, but Do-Yoon appeared to be slightly nervous.


    ¡®He¡¯s on edge, like he¡¯s expecting someone to jump out of nowhere.¡¯


    With him being so on edge, Do-Yoon probably did not even register the many eyes and loud voices around him.


    ¡°The two super rookies are here, too!¡±


    ¡°The Comet, no, Korea¡¯s new future!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the couple! The Demonic Beast Tamer and the Water Fairy!¡±


    ¡°Who said we¡¯re a couple?!¡± Ye-Ryeong shouted angrily after hearing the reporters¡¯ shouts.


    ¡°Huh? I heard news that you two are dating. Do you have anything to say about this?!¡±


    Right when the reporters, whose eyes seemed to widen at the same time, saw an opening to rush at the new arrivals, Jin-Hyuk said, ¡°Don¡¯t link me with such a snot-nosed shortie; it makes me annoyed.¡±


    Jin-Hyuk, who spoke in a lower tone than normal, stared at the reporters icily. Surprised by the sudden standoffish aura that he exuded, the reporters were left speechless.


    Although Jin-Hyuk was still relatively young and small, many people found it hard to approach him because of the unique air that he exuded around him.


    ¡®Jin-Hyuk seems like a person who would be able to kill others if he got angered.¡¯


    Considering Jin-Hyuk¡¯s notoriety in the original novel, this sort of scenario was a possibility, but the current Jin-Hyuk had changed.


    Thinking this, Yu-Seong glanced back at Jin-Hyuk with a somewhat proud gaze.


    Sensing Yu-Seong¡¯s gaze, Jin-Hyuk¡¯s icy demeanor disappeared, his face turned red, and he soon dropped his head.


    ¡®Cute kid.¡¯


    To Yu-Seong, Jin-Hyuk was just a cute kid.


    From the other side of the area, five familiar faces slowly approached Yu-Seong and his party.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Burning Hero, Bernard Yoo!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Death Dancing Meghan!¡±


    ¡°The Saintess, Baek Ah-Rin, is here, too!¡±


    Bernard, Meghan, and Ah-Rin looked relieved and happy once they found Yu-Seong and his party.


    ¡®It looks like they¡¯re familiar with this sort of thing.¡¯


    Right when Yu-Seong was about to feel a sense of envy at the calm and natural expressions of the approaching party, Bernard quickly approached Yu-Seong and whispered in a small voice, ¡°Damn, this is such a burden. Why are there so many people here? Did you call them over here, you psycho?¡±


    ¡°¡­Wow, you¡¯re really good at saying the most awful things without the slightest change in your facial expression.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s quite used to standing in front of a camera while secretly moving his lips,¡± Meghan answered when she saw that Yu-Seong was surprised by Bernard¡¯s crass language and facial muscle control.


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t have a very good personality. But knowing that I¡¯d cause a scene if I just went out in public with my natural manner of speaking, I practiced speaking with the least amount of facial movement.¡±


    Bernard did not deny the fact that he was using some secretive way of speaking his mind; he smiled at the people around him while he slightly moved his lips to talk to Yu-Seong. His slight lip movements were not picked up by the people around them.


    ¡°But where is that rotten Kim Do-Jin? Didn¡¯t he come with you?¡± Bernard asked.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to reach him.¡±


    ¡°Wait, is he possibly not coming?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll come.¡±


    ¡°You seem to be very confident of that, no?¡±


    ¡°Because I believe that he¡¯ll keep his promise.¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡± Yu-Seong made a puzzled expression as the two were walking among the reporters toward the dungeon¡¯s square. He stated, ¡°But you¡¯re already here.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m asking if you believe in me, man.¡±


    ¡°Of course I do. We¡¯re friends.¡±


    After Yu-Seong responded with an exasperated expression on his face, Bernard had a satisfied smile on his face.


    As for Yu-Seong, who had responded without much thought, he was surprised by his own choice of words.


    ¡®Friend.¡¯


    Did the original Choi Yu-Seong, an employee of a game company, have a friend? In his own world, he had been naive and not particularly talkative, so in truth, he probably never had any true friends. Sure, he had colleagues and had been a boss to others, but that was the extent of their relationships.


    However, in this world, he genuinely felt like he had friends. Furthermore, it was not just restricted to his immediate family.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    This world, which only existed in a novel, had given him so many things.


    ¡®My friends.¡¯


    Bernard, Meghan, Yu-Ri, Do-Yoon, Ye-Ryeong, and even Jin-Hyuk¡­were all of different ages and genders, but they were definitely all his friends. Yu-Seong was confident that they would have his back during a fight, which was why he had asked them to participate in this raid as his party members.


    ¡®Then, I guess Kim Do-Jin is also¡­a friend.¡¯


    Once Yu-Seong calmly organized his thoughts, a question suddenly popped up in his mind: Would Do-Jin feel the same way?


    Right when he had such a thought, the shouts of the reporters rang out twice as loud as before. Hearing their shouts, Yu-Seong gave a faint smile as he slowly turned to look and made his way through the crowd.


    ¡®It¡¯s as if he knows he¡¯s the main character; he¡¯s the last to arrive.¡¯


    Do-Jin had arrived.

 CH 200

    When a crowd started to gather, the cheers grew many times louder than before.


    ¡°Prince of Reversals!¡±


    ¡°Monster!¡±


    ¡°Burning Hero! Death Dancing!¡±


    ¡°The Prince¡¯s guardians!¡±


    ¡°Demonic Beast Tamer! Water Fairy! Even the Saintess!¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    The crowd, including the reporters themselves, had voices that seemed to pierce the sky. There were far more people who wished for the success of the raid than those who wanted it to fail. Of course, this was an unsurprising sight.


    ¡®If we successfully accomplish the raid¡­ Korea will be the first country to do so under such conditions.¡¯


    Korea would become the first country to clear a Rank 7 dungeon with an average raid party member rank of B.


    A successful raid would bring Korea one step closer to becoming a premier player country, which was currently considered the most important economic value in the world. This was the reason why most of the crowd were expressing cheers of support at the scene.


    ¡®I feel a strange sense of responsibility. I wonder if national athletes feel this way?¡¯


    Yu-Seong calmed his nerves, took one last look behind him, and lightly waved his hands. Then, he entered the dungeon square.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°So handsome!¡±


    ¡°I hope you succeed this time, too.¡±


    Carrying the expectations of his family, friends, and many others, Yu-Seong felt a great change in his heart.


    ¡®This feels more than just a novel¡¯s world¡­¡¯


    This world was no longer different from his real life; it had become his everything.


    ***


    Right after entering the dungeon square, things became busy and hectic.


    First, Yu-Seong had to change out of his plain clothes and put on a battle suit that had been custom-made for the raid.


    Wearing a suit that had the Comet logo and had cost over 50 billion won to make, Yu-Seong was startled to see an unexpected detail. He muttered, ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    The brand logo of the Cheon-Ji Guild was attached to his chest under the Comet logo. Even Do-Jin¡¯s Eclipse Guild¡¯s logo had been stitched onto the sleeve of his right arm.


    The support team leader quickly offered an answer after seeing Yu-Seong¡¯s surprised expression. ¡°It was the boss¡¯ order.¡±


    The support team leader was referring to the Comet Guild¡¯s boss, Mi-Na. However, there was no way Mi-Na would have made such a decision by herself.


    ¡®Father took action.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was certain that Woo-Jae had met the Cheon-Ji Group¡¯s chairman and had probably signed some sort of agreement. It must have been something in the works after Yu-Seong had reported the list of members in his raid¡¯s attack team.


    The party members all expressed different emotions after putting on the battle suits that prominently displayed the various sponsors¡¯ names. In particular, Ah-Rin seemed overwhelmed with emotion, saying, ¡°I heard this would happen, but I didn¡¯t expect the logo to be so prominent. I¡¯m very grateful to the boss.¡±


    On the other hand, Do-Jin frowned as he saw the Eclipse Guild logo stitched on the right sleeve of his battle suit and the logo of the Comet Guild on his chest. He probably assumed this detail had been done under Woo-Jae¡¯s directive.


    ¡®Although it might be a bit distasteful, you shouldn¡¯t frown so much. Isn¡¯t this a good thing in the end?¡¯


    Yu-Seong sighed with that thought in mind while looking at Do-Jin¡¯s reaction. It was times like these when he was reminded of Do-Jin¡¯s unyielding grudge against Woo-Jae, his father.


    ¡®Friends and family.¡¯


    Yu-Seong did not want to give up either side; he needed to find a resolution.


    While Yu-Seong was having such thoughts, the attack team continued their preparations. The support team was also busy with their own preparations, having used a drone to film and record information regarding the dungeon structure and monsters to create a database.


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t figure out the boss monster. Sorry.¡±


    It hadn¡¯t been an easy task to film with a drone while avoiding the eyes of the dungeon monsters.


    This initial reconnaissance was different from the information gathering and recording that would happen when the attack team or party members were engaged in battle.


    While everyone else was busy preparing for the raid, the Comet Group¡¯s support team members were finishing up their recon and were able to provide a fairly detailed map of the dungeon.


    In truth, the skill level of such a recon was considerable and rather impressive compared to any other recon team in Korea, or in the world, for that matter.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Upon receiving the database and map, Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡®I kind of expected as much, but¡­¡¯


    Being familiar with this dungeon, Yu-Seong naturally had a smile on his face.


    ¡°The transport drones are ready. We¡¯ve stocked them with food, supply gear, and additional treatment kits, just in case.¡±


    As the support team leader gave his report, Yu-Seong nodded. Then, he realized another truth.


    ¡®From an advanced party that does recon with drones to transportation drones and supplies¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong could not help but feel that this level of preparation was drastically different from normal dungeon hunting; this was the preparation necessary for a raid. With the preparation having been done, he did not feel tense even though this was his first time experiencing such a massive hunt.


    The entire preparation phase took a little over an hour to be completed.


    ¡®13:59 and 12 seconds.¡¯


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "pawread dot com".


    Since Yu-Seong had decided to enter the raid dungeon at exactly 14:00, there was less than 50 seconds left on the countdown clock.


    Everyone in the party stood at the entrance of the huge dungeon, which exuded a deep darkness that seemed to want to suck people inward.


    After looking at such a familiar yet unfamiliar scene, Yu-Seong glanced around him. He wanted to see if anyone was being overly nervous or excited. However, he saw that every party member¡¯s expression was calm and stable.


    ¡®Well, Chae Ye-Ryeong and Yoo Jin-Hyuk seem a bit excited.¡¯


    However, Yu-Seong was not concerned about their level of excitement.


    ¡°Ten seconds left.¡±


    Just when the supply team leader shouted out the remaining time, Yu-Seong nodded in acknowledgment.


    ¡°10, 9, 8¡­ 3, 2¡­!¡±


    As the supply team leader gave the final countdown, the initially calm surrounding began to enliven. Yu-Seong also refocused on what was ahead rather than on his companions.


    ¡°0!¡±


    Once the last number was stated, Yu-Seong, Do-Jin, and everyone else in the party dived into the dungeon.


    This was how Yu-Seong¡¯s first raid started.


    ***


    Even after the start of the dungeon raid, the dungeon square remained as busy as before. The filming crews were the busiest, preparing their drones for filming. They were eager to take pictures and film the activities of each raid member who had entered the dungeon, the entire raid team¡¯s performance, the counterattack of monsters, and everything else in-between. No one wanted to make a mistake.


    ¡®Well, that should be expected since everything will be broadcasted live.¡¯


    Jin-Hwan unconsciously snorted as if he was influenced by the bustling fervor around him.


    Possibly because this raid had raised such a public issue, there were more people than expected who wanted to watch the raid, and the raid party¡¯s attack strategy unfold live; moreover, Yu-Seong had approved of the live transmission. Therefore, if anyone made a mistake or had a misstep, it would be captured live on a video feed.


    Hence, while gritting their teeth and focusing on their drone operation and filming, the reporters felt a sense of tension that spread throughout their entire bodies.


    Thankfully, that initial feeling of tension did not last long. To be precise, the fervor and heat remained but no longer originated from a sense of anticipation.


    ¡°How far have they progressed within the dungeon?!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve progressed through 20% of the map that was created from the initial recon.¡±


    ¡°What is the projected attack time before raid completion?!¡±


    ¡°1 hour 11 minutes and 36 seconds.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god¡­!¡±


    The reporters exclaimed as they heard the communication between the Comet Group¡¯s support team leader and the party team members.


    ¡®The average clear time for a Rank 7 raid dungeon is 15 hours!¡¯


    However, this current raid, which had a relatively lower average party member rank, was progressing through the dungeon at a much faster pace than other Rank 7 dungeon raids.


    Considering that all the monsters inside the dungeon were elite, the progression speed was unbelievably fast.


    Moreover, none of the attack team members were showing any signs of exhaustion. The team members worked well together and progressed smoothly through the dungeon.


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin and Choi Yu-Seong¡­¡¯


    In particular, the teamwork between these two, who led from the forefront, was amazing.


    Famous for being tricky monsters to deal with, the lizardmen of the swamp area died without putting up much of a resistance whenever Do-Jin and Yu-Seong swept past them. The pair lived up to their names as the most promising star players in the Korean scene.


    ¡®Is it because they¡¯re rising stars?¡¯


    The reporters could not help but marvel at the ease with which Do-Jin and Yu-Seong were clearing through the elite Lizardmen, monsters famous for requiring at least A-rank players to properly contend against them.


    ¡°Have they already reached S-Rank? Perhaps they just haven¡¯t gone through the rank promotion review?¡± a reporter unconsciously said aloud the exact thought that Jin-Hwan was having.


    In fact, it was a thought that had popped up in every reporter¡¯s mind.


    The two were seriously overwhelming for B-Rank players. Even if one searched through the records of all the players in the whole world, one would not be able to find anyone comparable.


    ¡®There might be one or two similar cases, but¡­¡¯


    At least, officially, no such similar player record existed.


    Soon, the gathered reporters¡¯ doubts became a sense of astonishment. Then, that sense of astonishment turned into admiration.


    ¡°If those two are really B-Rank players¡­¡±


    ¡°What will happen when they reach S-Rank?¡±


    Right when all of the Korean viewers were daydreaming of the day when Do-Jin and Yu-Seong became S-Rank transcendent realm players, Do-Jin and Yu-Seong slowed down, took a step back, and allowed a new vanguard to come forward.


    ¡°Burning Hero! Death Dancing!¡±


    At the vanguard position were now Bernard and Meghan. Of the two, Meghan¡¯s skill clearly stood out.


    ¡®I¡¯ve heard of the Death Dancing skill in passing, but it¡¯s so gorgeous to see firsthand!¡¯


    As Meghan danced around with her two longswords, the surrounding monsters were literally shredded into pieces. She also threw herself into the swamp, which was often called the worst dungeon field, without any hesitation and slaughtered the now fleeing Lizardmen.


    ¡®The class of a top S-Rank player is certainly different.¡¯


    Meghan was in the upper-middle class amongst the United States¡¯ S-Rank players.


    As shown by Meghan¡¯s performance, talented players were not unique to Korea. The power of the United States, which was famous for being the greatest player power in the past and present, was enormous, and every viewer was reminded of this very fact as they watched Meghan¡¯s display of skill.


    Bernard was also holding his own, performing admirably. Although his attacks looked simple, the results they produced were inarguable and captivating. Every time he powerfully sent a punch flying out, the Lizardmen on the receiving end exploded and died; watching such explosions, many of the gathered reporters could not help but feel a sense of satisfaction.


    Furthermore, it was not just these four who were performing admirably in the raid. Although Do-Yoon, Yu-Ri, Ye-Ryeong, and Jin-Hyuk did not stand at the vanguard, they performed solidly in the party formation¡¯s flanks and rear positions.


    The majority of the raid party members were clearly displaying abilities that exceeded the limits of their respective ranks. That alone was something to be in awe of. However, the player who gave every viewer goosebumps was Yu-Seong, who thoroughly commanded such a talented group of players.


    ¡®The timing on the replacement of the vanguard and the arrangement of the rear formation are thorough and solid.¡¯


    No matter how talented a hunter was, the longer one stayed in the humid swamp environment and faced the constant attacks from its inhabiting monsters, one¡¯s concentration level would eventually drop due to exhaustion.


    However, whenever such a time was imminent, Yu-Seong shrewdly changed the position of his party members within the formation or yelled out words of encouragement to further motivate the party members.


    In other words, Yu-Seong, the leader of the raid, was the main reason why the current raid team was able to exert greater power than their expected output.


    When Jin-Hwan first looked at the list of attackers that Yu-Seong had publicly presented, he had doubts about whether they would be able to work together properly. However, seeing the overwhelming results on the battlefield, Jin-Hwan could not help but chastise himself inwardly.


    ¡®You idiot. You still haven¡¯t learned.¡¯


    Jin-Hwan was reminded once again that Yu-Seong was not a person who could be judged under the same lens as others. As always, Yu-Seong went beyond his perceived limits and surprised everyone with his unimaginable actions and results.


    ¡®Sometimes, being too cool-headed and rational makes one stupid.¡¯


    Being overly rational and critical were not always a good thing. Occasionally, there were times when one was so deeply buried in such emotions that one would miss the clear truth that existed right in front of one¡¯s own eyes.


    Moreover, this was not just the case for Jin-Hwan. Many of the gathered reporters had their own expectations, anxieties, concerns, or dissatisfactions regarding the raid party; however, after witnessing such an unbelievable scene, these reporters could not help but self-reflect and feel a burning sense of passion in their hearts.


    ¡°Keep going.¡±


    ¡°Show me how awesome you all are.¡±


    Proof of this emotional sentiment was illustrated by the growing number of reporters who clenched their jaws and concentrated on filming while unconsciously mumbling words of encouragement.

 CH 201

    Individuals were gathered outside of Dungeon Square, observing the ongoing dungeon raid through the live TV broadcasts. All of them shared relatively similar thoughts.


    "The speed right now is incredibly fast, isn''t it?"


    "What is the shortest time to conquer a Rank 7 raid dungeon?"


    "It''s a little less than 8 hours, I think."


    "What is the average rank of the members of an attack team?"


    "S-rank. They have fewer members though. There¡¯s only seven of them in total."


    After pooling the knowledge of numerous individuals, a singular conclusion dawned on each person¡ªit was an incredible assertion. Thinking about it objectively, comparing the performance of an average B-rank attack team to that of an average S-rank team seemed quite laughable. However, given the situation, it was impossible for everyone here not to have expectations.


    The internet chat and comments were not much different.


    - Wow, the speed is insane, isn''t it?


    - Choi Yu-Seong is skilled in combat, but how could he also excel in strategy and deployment? Is there anything he can''t do?


    - He¡¯s Ronaldo¡­no, Messi of the raid world¡­ Choi Yu-Seong is the god of raids.


    - By the way, how much time has passed now?


    - It has only been 2 hours and 30 minutes.


    - Oh, it¡¯s frustrating not knowing how long the dungeon is.


    - What happens if he breaks the record?


    - Then, of course, the stock prices of the Comet Group will skyrocket.


    - The Comet and Cheon-Ji Group''s stocks are already rising, aren''t they?


    - I''m going to buy Comet crypto coins. Don''t look for me.


    - NSFW[1]) Sorry for aggroing you, but have you seen Kim Do-Jin and Choi Yu-Seong''s raid level? It''s insane! Their skills are on par with the best in the world. Can you believe Choi Yu-Seong used to be a loser? Seriously¡­


    Despite the mostly excited reactions, naturally, there were also many negative thoughts.


    - It''s still in the early stages.


    - Is a raid dungeon that easy? And let¡¯s be real, the boss monster attack is the most difficult part.


    - Uh, trap zones haven''t even appeared yet.


    - Don''t get too excited and start buying stocks. Or y¡¯all will end up going to the Han River[2].


    ©¸ Uh, I already bought them.


    ©¸ Congrats, you have bought tickets to Han River.


    ©¸ Yeah, you¡¯ve won the lottery.


    L LOL!


    As the live broadcast gained momentum, people from not only Korea but also abroad were becoming more intrigued by the event.


    - It¡¯s the trap zone!


    - Oh my god. How do you deal with that?


    - See, all the stock maniacs are gonna get their tickets to the Han River.


    Finally, the attack team faced their first crisis.


    ***


    The Swamp Emperor was a Rank 7 raid dungeon, home to a variety of intelligent creatures that resembled lizards or crocodiles. The creatures had the ability to walk on two legs and use tools just like humans. This unique feature made the dungeon exceptionally challenging.


    ¡®It''s not like raid dungeons are easy in the first place, but...¡¯


    Thanks to everyone in the attack team working together and nobody falling behind, they had successfully progressed through the early parts of the dungeon much faster than Yu-Seong had expected.


    ¡®I was a bit concerned that Kim Do-Jin might express some dissatisfaction¡­¡¯


    Perhaps Do-Jin had already accepted his defeat, or perhaps he simply wanted to firmly support the team once he had been entrusted with the task.


    We are bit.ly/3iBfjkV, find us on google.


    ¡®As expected, he is the kind of person who does his best when he has to.¡¯


    What had tripped up Yu-Seong and his team was the trap zone, which was bound to exist in any raid dungeon.


    While traps could also be found in regular dungeons, the scale of the traps in raid dungeons was different. As if to prove this point, the team found themselves panting and laughing in disbelief at the sight before them. They saw a vast swamp resembling a wide river with shiny-eyed lizardmen lurking within.


    Up until now, they had been able to confuse and defeat the lizardmen by taking both forest paths and swamps, or temporarily traversing the swamp and moving on. That was how they had been progressing through the raid dungeon.


    However, fighting against swarming lizardmen in a vast swamp that stretched out like a river with no solid ground to step on seemed impossible. Even if, at first, they managed to maintain some balance, they would eventually end up stuck in the swamp after achieving only a small amount of progress. If that were to happen, death would be the only outcome.


    Meghan, the only S-rank member of the attack team, quickly tied back her messy hair and voiced her concern. She said, "Isn''t this a bit too much?"


    "Is there a way?" questioned Bernard as he scratched his cheek in embarrassment.


    "Hey, Yoo Jin-Hyuk, don''t you have any demonic beasts that could be useful in this situation? Like a giant frog or something?" asked Ye-Ryeong.


    ¡°If I had one, don''t you think I would have used it? Sorry, hyung, I guess I''m not much help,¡± replied Jin-Hyuk, letting out a sigh and dropping his head.


    "It''s okay. Everyone must be tired, so let¡¯s take a break. We''ll figure something out," said Yu-Seong calmly as he patted Jin-Hyuk¡¯s head.


    He scanned the area around them. After defeating all the lizardmen they had encountered so far, Yu-Seong didn''t see any problem with exploring the area on his own.


    "I''ll come with you," Do-Jin said, quickly following Yu-Seong.


    "I can manage on my own¡­" Yu-Seong replied.


    "I''ll still come with you," Do-Jin insisted.


    "Whatever," Yu-Seong said with a shrug.


    Then, he left the team and headed down the path they had taken before. He wandered around, touching the grass and even searching through the corpses of the lizardmen they had killed.


    Do-Jin observed Yu-Seong¡¯s actions from afar with indifference. He said coldly, "There''s no need to act. Don''t you already know the way?"


    Yu-Seong flinched before turning toward Do-Jin. He asked, "Did you notice?"


    "I''ve fought against you several times before. I can easily catch what''s on your twisted mind," Do-Jin replied.


    ¡°Haha¡­¡± Yu-Seong chuckled awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.


    In fact, Do-Jin was right. Yu-Seong already knew the strategy to defeat the Swamp Emperor.


    ¡®The basic strategy depends on the team''s skills, but¡­¡¯


    Trap zone and raid boss hunting were always better with strategy and experience. Besides, the Swamp Emperor was a dungeon that Do-Jin had personally conquered in the original novel.


    ¡®In the original novel, he struggled a bit because he didn''t know the strategy, but¡­¡¯


    In the end, just like a typical party of the protagonist, they could find the solution with little difficulty. They ended up passing through the trap zone and the Swamp River.


    "So, what''s the plan?" asked Do-Jin.


    "It''s simpler than you think. Do you know why lizardmen can walk on top of the swamp?"


    Come to think of it, lizardmen could sink into the swamp when they wanted to, and they could also walk on top of the swamp as if it were flat ground.


    "Well, because they are monsters... Is there any other reason?" said Do-Jin.


    "It''s not an entirely incorrect assumption. They can spray liquid through tiny holes in their scales when necessary. The liquid comes out from..." explained Yu-Seong, pulling out a white organ from the corpse of a defeated lizardman.


    "It''s the lungs," said Do-Jin.


    Although the blue blood distinct to monsters was sticky and messy, it wasn''t difficult to figure out where the organ was located.


    "That''s right. They exhale a liquid called Tellintra from their lungs and send it flowing into their bloodstream. It allows them to jump over the swamp at any time," said Yu-Seong.


    "I see..." Do-Jin responded with glittering eyes.


    As if to demonstrate, Yu-Seong pierced the lung with his spear and sprayed the transparent liquid over his lower body. Turning toward the nearby swamp, he said, "Just to be sure, we should check.¡±


    He stepped onto the swamp without feeling the usual sticky sensation that would cause him to lose his balance. He felt no resistance, which was possibly due to the coat of Tellintra liquid.


    ¡®As expected, this method didn¡¯t change.¡¯


    He proceeded to jump from one end of the swamp to the other, wielding his spear with ease as if he were walking on solid ground. Then, he turned to face Do-Jin.


    "This would make things much easier," said Do-Jin.


    "What do you think? Don''t you think this is enough to make me the leader of the attack team?¡± asked Yu-Seong.


    ¡°As I said, this is a one-time thing," said Do-Jin. He smirked and turned toward Yu-Seong with a mischievous smile. "You¡¯re the Prince of Reversals.¡±


    "What?"


    While pondering over that nickname, Yu-Seong suddenly remembered that someone outside the dungeon had said that to him before he had entered. His face flushed red with embarrassment.


    In fact, he had been embarrassed by the nickname, but he had failed to express it during the earlier chaotic situation.


    ¡®What do you mean, prince¡­?¡¯


    Moreover, it was the Prince of Reversal.


    Yu-Seong had an idea of what the nickname meant, but hearing it from his colleague''s mouth made him feel different about it.


    "Prince of Reversals," Do-Jin repeated.


    "Stop it," Yu-Seong said.


    "It¡¯s pretty immature and embarrassing," Do-Jin teased.


    "Kim Do-Jin."


    "Prince of Reversals."


    "I''ll kill you!" shouted Yu-Seong.


    Do-Jin grinned and turned around to start collecting the lizardmen''s corpses¡¯ lungs. He then said, "I can''t let the prince do such a menial task.¡±


    "You really..." Yu-Seong let out a deep sigh and dropped his head.


    ¡®I need to change my nickname as soon as we''re out of this dungeon, even if it means manipulating the media.¡¯


    Right now, it was just Do-Jin. However, someday, Bernard could also make fun of him. Perhaps, Bernard might have already wanted to make fun of him, but he had been holding back because of the ongoing dungeon progress.


    And once the teasing started, Yu-Seong was certain that he would continue to receive it.


    ¡®I''ll definitely change my nickname.¡¯


    Yu-Seong gritted his teeth and made up his mind.


    ***


    Yu-Seong and Do-Jin explained the Tellintra liquid to the rest of the team. No one felt uncomfortable with the idea of coating themselves in liquid from the monsters¡¯ lungs. In the first place, it was unreasonable to expect a comfortable and clean environment for a dungeon conquest.


    Instead, once they learned that the Tellintra liquid allowed them to use the swamp as if it were flat ground, the team felt a significant sense of joy. By solving the difficult swamp situation in the Swamp Emperor raid, they gained much more freedom of movement.


    "The effect of the Tellintra liquid lasts about 30 minutes after applying it, so we have to cross the Swamp River in that window of time," Yu-Seong explained.


    "How on earth did you figure that out, Boss?" Ye-Ryeong asked.


    With an awkward smile, Yu-Seong said, "As I said, I have a bit of future foresight..."


    ¡°He said he read a novel and was sucked into it,¡± Do-Jin said coldly before Yu-Seong could finish his sentence.


    All of the team members turned to Do-Jin with a surprised expression.


    "I didn''t want to believe it at first, but these days it doesn''t seem impossible," he continued.


    ¡°Haha¡­ No way.¡±


    "If that''s true..."


    For a moment, the group exchanged glances, unsure of how to respond. However, Yu-Seong didn''t hesitate to answer.


    "Kim Do-Jin is right," said Yu-Seong calmly.


    After hearing Yu-Seong speak up, the faces of his teammates lit up.


    "When you two joke around, it really does seem real," said Bernard.


    "I almost fell for it,¡± said Meghan.


    The group started to laugh and make jokes, with Bernard and Megan having started the relaxed conversation. The only person who didn''t join in the laughter was Do-Jin, who remained serious.


    ¡®Is he finally starting to suspect me?''


    However, it didn''t matter to Yu-Seong. Regardless of when or where, Yu-Seong had always been prepared to reveal the truth to people. He just wanted to do it when people would actually believe him.


    ¡®Trying to hide it badly will¡­¡¯


    It would only make it a bigger problem in the end. To offer the truth from the start would make it less shocking for everyone later on.


    ¡®Let''s be honest.¡¯


    Yu-Seong couldn''t bring himself to lie, not to the people he now considered his family and friends.


    "Okay, enough rest. Let''s move on," Yu-Seong said.


    After the short incident passed, the group started to apply the Tellintra liquid on themselves before continuing their journey through the dungeon.


    1. Not safe for work ?


    2. Han River is a representative location for suicide in Seoul, which symbolizes the idea of potentially committing suicide. ?

 CH 202

    As the attack team escaped the trap zone, the Swamp River, a loud cheer erupted from both inside and outside the dungeon square.


    ¡°Waaaagh-!¡±


    "How did they even come up with that?"


    "Perhaps they already knew that?"


    "But how did they already have such information about a dungeon with no data?"


    ¡°Maybe by future foresight or advanced exploration skills?¡±


    Amidst the reporters'' surprise and speculative remarks, an enormous cheer echoed from outside the dungeon square to reach inside of it. Hearing the loud cheer, Jin-Hwan and Jin-Young unconsciously smiled.


    "He''s our boss, but he truly is amazing," commented Jin-Hwan.


    "Yes, he¡¯s pretty unbelievable," said Jin-Young with a hearty laugh.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong¡ªhe''s such an interesting person.¡¯


    Jin-Hwan focused on Yu-Seong, who had once again taken the lead and was running at the forefront like the wind.


    Yu-Seong moved quickly and brilliantly. Even among the attack team members, who were all outstanding and impossible to miss, he stood out in a unique way. Perhaps that was the reason why people always expected great things from him.


    What kind of scene would Yu-Seong cause? Thinking about it, people also had a lot of expectations from him in the past. But now, their expectations of him were the complete opposite of what they used to be.


    ¡®He has become completely likable, even though he was synonymous with negativity just two years ago.¡¯


    Indeed, it was an amazing transformation. Moreover, now Jin-Hwan himself was also a part of this miraculous transformation. He even had the feeling that he was standing at the center of history.


    Jin-Hwan''s heart pounded with excitement, stimulated by the endless desire and longing he had as a reporter.


    However, it wasn''t just Jin-Hwan and Jin-Young. All the reporters gathered here felt the same way, that perhaps they were all contributing to a page in history. The excitement was so intense that they couldn''t let go of the drone controller.


    "After this shoot, we''re probably going to receive a flood of job applications, right?" Jin-Young asked cautiously with a slightly excited expression.


    ¡°We might get buried under all those job applications and not even be able to breathe," replied Jin-Hwan with a chuckle.


    "Oh, my goodness. If dying like that is possible, I have nothing else to wish for," responded Jin-Young.


    Jin-Young''s exaggerated sigh made Jin-Hwan laugh again. Then, suddenly, Jin-Hwan remembered something and asked, "By the way, what time is it now?"


    After escaping the trap zone, the attack team took a short break before moving forward again. Since then, they hadn¡¯t taken any other breaks. In other words, they were still in the process of breaking the shortest record.


    "It''s just past four hours," replied Jin-Young.


    Time seemed to be passing by faster than expected. Jin-Hwan felt an inexplicable tension and his gaze was drawn to the monitor.


    ¡®Since they''ve already bypassed the trap zone, time doesn''t really matter until we encounter the raid boss monster.¡¯


    The important thing was how quickly the attack team could defeat the raid boss monster.


    About thirty minutes later, the enormous raid boss monster, whose size could not be captured by a single camera, shook the ground and revealed its form.


    "Oh my god... What is that?"


    "Is that a dinosaur?"


    "It''s so huge!"


    Find the original at "pawread dot com".


    "It''s the raid boss monster...!"


    The ground shook as a monster so big that it couldn¡¯t be captured by a single camera appeared.


    ***


    Rumble~


    The ground shook under Yu-Seong''s feet as he broke through the line of lizardmen rushing toward him and tore them to pieces.


    In the depths of the dungeon, the boss monster had just revealed itself. The shockwave caused by its appearance was so great that space itself seemed to be torn apart; the tremors made most of the attack party lose their balance and stagger in place for a moment.


    What was even more astonishing was that, with the appearance of the raid boss monster, the lizardmen that were attacking Yu-Seong''s group began to scream and run in all directions. The reason for their behavior was not difficult to discern.


    The enormous raid boss monster caught the fleeing lizardmen with its front paw, then bit down and chewed them up.


    ¡®The Tyrant of the Swamp.¡¯


    As its name suggested, the enormous raid monster showed no mercy. It shouted and bit down anything in its path.


    Kaaaaaa-!


    With a loud roar, the raid monster opened its huge mouth, revealing its terrifying fangs that dripped blue blood and emitting a deadly aura.


    Watching such a scene, Bernard hardened his expression and asked, "Excuse me, but, guys, that''s not a dragon, right?"


    "There''s no way a dragon would appear in a Rank 7 raid dungeon, right?" asked Meghan.


    Bernard now turned his gaze toward Yu-Seong, feeling as if he would know the answer. He asked, "Then, what is that?"


    "It¡¯s the Tyrant of the Swamp. It could be considered a type of dinosaur," said Yu-Seong.


    In fact, in terms of appearance, there wasn''t much difference between the Tyrant of the Swamp and the lizardmen they had encountered before. However, the Tyrant of the Swamp had a much more ferocious and aggressive demeanor, and its eyes showed no signs of reason.


    "It seems like its scales are quite hard," said Do-Jin, who had activated his Insight skill to analyze the Tyrant of the Swamp''s overall abilities, as he furrowed his brow.


    "The hide also looks quite tough," said Yu-Seong.


    "There''s a high chance my sword won''t work," said Do-Jin.


    "That''s highly likely," said Yu-Seong with a calm nod.


    "Do you know how to beat it?" Yu-Ri asked.


    Yu-Seong looked around the group in response to Yu-Ri''s question, and he could see that everyone was looking at him expectantly even if they were trying to hide it.


    Even Do-Jin was watching with interest, his gaze fixed on how Yu-Seong would handle the situation.


    "Yes," Yu-Seong replied calmly amidst the intense stares.


    "Of course..."


    "Your future foresight ability is amazing!" said Do-Yoon and Yu-Ri.


    Yu-Seong inwardly smiled bitterly at their words.


    ¡®What I said earlier seems to be weighing on their minds.¡¯


    It felt like the Jin siblings were deliberately ignoring reality.


    Yu-Seong looked at Meghan, choosing not to dwell on that part. He then said, "The most important thing here is the role of you two.¡±


    Thump, thump.


    The Tyrant of the Swamp could be heard moving, searching for new prey. It had devoured all the lizardmen that had tried to escape from behind the attack team.


    "Is that my and Meghan''s role?" Bernard asked, waving his arm.


    "No," Yu-Seong said, shaking his head and looking at Yu-Ri.


    ¡°Me?¡± asked Yu-Ri.


    "Yes, I believe that, Meghan and Yu-Ri, you two are capable enough to do it," Yu-Seong replied.


    "What do we have to do?" Meghan asked quickly.


    "If you ride on top of its neck and look closely between its scales, you''ll find a small blue gemstone buried there. That¡¯s hitting its nerve," Yu-Seong explained.


    "It does have some similarities to a dragon," Yu-Ri commented.


    Yu-Seong nodded with a slight smile. "Exactly. It even breathes fire, but if you can pierce the nerve precisely, the Tyrant of the Swamp will lose its strength and its skin will become much softer."


    "But there will be consequences, right? It''s called the nerve for a reason."


    "Yes, it will increase its attack power and become much faster," Yu-Seong confirmed.


    Indeed, it was a dangerous method, but there was no other way to penetrate the scales and skin of the Tyrant of the Swamp with their current team composition. This was the only way.


    "Of all parts, why on the top of its head¡­? It would take some effort to ride up there.¡±


    Among the attack team members, Yu-Ri and Meghan had the best mobility. It was not difficult to understand why Yu-Seong chose them.


    "What about me?" asked Bernard.


    "For now, the role of the rest of us is to attract its attention. Bernard Yoo and Jin Do-Yoon in the front, and Kim Do-Jin and myself from the side," Yu-Seong explained.


    The relatively safe rear position was assigned to Ye-Ryeong and Jin-Hyuk.


    After each member acknowledged their position and nodded with a tense expression, Yu-Ri asked, "What about after hitting its nerve?"


    "After that... Kim Do-Jin and I will take care of it," Yu-Seong answered, turning his gaze to Do-Jin.


    Naturally, everyone turned to look at the two of them.


    "..."


    Instead of giving an answer, Do-Jin simply nodded in response to Yu-Seong''s words.


    "Although it''s important that Yu-Ri and Meghan do well, if we don''t attract its attention, the Tyrant will notice them. That''s why every one of us has to give our best effort. If Chae Ye-Ryeong and Yoo Jin-Hyuk feel that it''s too dangerous, you two can step away immediately. Don¡¯t overdo it," Yu-Seong explained.


    ¡°You can trust me, boss!" said Ye-Ryeong,


    "I won''t disappoint you, hyung!" said Jin-Hyuk.


    Yu-Seong watched their firm response and nodded.


    By the time the strategy meeting was over, the Tyrant of the Swamp had already crept up behind them, casting its shadow over their backs.


    "Okay, then... Let the raid begin!"


    With those words, Yu-Seong and the others scattered in all directions.


    Bang-!


    With a loud noise, the Tyrant of the Swamp hit the ground where the party had just been with its thick tail, leaving a deep crater in the earth.


    Feeling the sense of crisis, the attack team stared at the deep crater and took a deep breath.


    ¡®I knew it¡¯s big, even from far away, but¡­¡¯


    Seeing it up close, the Tyrant seemed even bigger than they had anticipated. Above all, the location of battle was not very favorable.


    ¡®There are too many swamps around here.¡¯


    Although the Tyrant of the Swamp did not have any special abilities or intelligence, the surrounding environment and its physical strength made it difficult for the attack team to strike back.


    Fortunately, Yu-Seong had prepared Tellintra liquid for everyone based on the information he had read in the original novel. He had even prepared some spare liquid just in case the effect disappeared over time.


    Yu-Seong believed that the attack team had a solid chance of success.


    Finally, the attack began from the front. Do-Yoon had turned into a complete werewolf, running toward the Tyrant of the Swamp''s front paw, which was raised in a threatening posture, without hesitation.


    Although it was a terrifying situation where he could become minced meat at any moment, there was no hesitation in Do-Yoon''s movements.


    Bang-!


    With a loud sound, a low beast cry escaped from Do-Yoon''s mouth as he blocked the enormous raid monster¡¯s front paw with both arms.


    ¡°Krrrrrrr¡­¡±


    Soon after, mana began to boil all over Do-Yoon''s body, and he began to push the front paw of the Tyrant of the Swamp away.


    ¡®Mountain Push!¡¯


    Bernard added explosive power to Do-Yoon''s special move and delivered a punch, enhancing the explosion of strength.


    Bang-!


    With a loud noise, the Tyrant of the Swamp swayed, as if it was about to fall over, but it quickly regained balance by hitting the ground with its enormous tail. Then, it shook off Yu-Ri and Meghan who were cautiously climbing its back.


    When the Tyrant of the Swamp opened its mouth wide and glared, Yu-Seong shouted urgently, ¡°It¡¯s the Breath!¡±


    Do-Yoon and Bernard quickly stepped back, having already anticipated the attack.


    Quaaaah-!


    A dark bluish liquid poured out of the raid monster¡¯s mouth, covering the ground where Do-Yoon and Bernard had just stood. The targeted ground surprisingly melted into a swamp-like shape.


    Even if they had applied Tellintra liquid, if they were hit by that kind of breath, they would have lost the ability to breathe and would have sunk right into the swamp.


    While Do-Yoon and Bernard caught their breath after retreating to a safe distance from the impact of the breath, Yu-Seong and Do-Jin rushed in from the side.


    "I''ll push you. Stab it as hard as you can," Do-Jin said.


    "Huh?" questioned Yu-Seong.


    Although he had reacted with a question, Yu-Seong understood exactly what Do-Jin was talking about.


    While being surprised by the power of Do-Jin''s magic-reinforcement, Yu-Seong twisted his body and aimed for a relatively weak spot between the tightly packed scales of the raid boss monster.


    ¡®Lance Charge.¡¯


    Yu-Seong activated the magic-reinforcement version of Lance Charge. There was a loud whooshing sound as the air was pushed aside when the lance penetrated the swampy area.

 CH 203

    The Lance Charge pierced through the thick hide of the giant Tyrant of the Swamp and stabbed into the ground past it.


    The Tyrant of the Swamp, not expecting to be injured due to its thick scales and tough hide, let out a loud roar in surprise and pain.


    Keughaaaa-!


    With a roar, it turned to look at Yu-Seong and Do-Jin angrily.


    "Looks like we properly drew its aggro," said Yu-Seong with a grin.


    When Yu-Seong quickly retrieved his spear and began to flee, Do-Jin cast a spell to block the Tyrant of the Swamp¡¯s attack, which was swinging its large paw above Yu-Seong''s head.


    Bang-!


    Although the magic shield had broken, they were still able to buy themselves some time.


    Thanks to Do-Jin''s attack, Yu-Seong was able to create some distance and observe the enraged Tyrant. He pointed his spear toward the area near the Tyrant''s eye, twirling it around.


    Although the Tyrant was more of a beast acting on instinct rather than a creature with intelligence, it understood the meaning behind Yu-Seong''s actions. It took a couple steps forward, seemingly ready to charge at him.


    However, the Tyrant suddenly fell to the ground. The reason was simple. Three party members¡ªDo-Yoon, Bernard, and Kong, who was summoned by Jin-Hyuk¡ªwere pulling the tail of the Tyrant together.


    Keughaaaa-!


    In the midst of the Tyrant''s roar of anger, Ye-Ryeong concentrated and generated a huge water droplet in midair.


    The attack of the floating water droplet did not seem particularly powerful, not exploding even after hitting the Tyrant¡¯s nostrils. Instead, the droplet engulfed and wrapped around the screaming Tyrant of the Swamp''s face.


    In an instant, the trapped Tyrant''s eyes widened inside the water droplet.


    The creature was already becoming increasingly irritated by the trio¡ªJin-Hyuk, Bernard, and Do-Yoon¡ªwho were pulling its tail as it tried to escape with all its strength.


    Now, the sudden confinement within the water droplet was making it even more difficult for it to breathe. No matter how powerful the Tyrant was, it still needed to breathe to exert its strength.


    With his own powerful blow succeeding and the team''s counter-attack taking advantage of the opening, Yu-Seong was inwardly impressed by the attack team.


    ¡®They all moved quickly by making the right judgments.¡¯


    And then, there was Ye-Ryeong. Yu-Seong knew she was a genius, but her control over water droplets was truly remarkable.


    ¡®She can already control the water droplet to such an extent.¡¯


    The Tyrant had a head as big as its massive body, with a circumference that could barely be measured by about ten adult men standing side by side. Naturally, the power of twisting its head was also incredible.


    That was why it was not only difficult to create such a huge water droplet, but it was also several times more challenging to maintain its shape.


    As the Tyrant writhed wildly in the increasingly suffocating situation, Ye-Ryeong maintained the water droplet alone, changing its form slightly in response to each shock that came, rather than fighting against the creature''s strength. Her control of mana was truly remarkable and precise.


    ¡®The Sorceress of the Flood.¡¯


    There was a reason Ye-Ryeong was a genius who would one day be called a disaster.


    On the contrary, the three who had been holding the tail were the first to fall exhausted.


    "Ugh-!"


    "Dammit!"


    "Step back, Kong!"


    Do-Yoon, Bernard, and Jin-Hyuk groaned and yelled as they let go of the Tyrant''s tail, which had started to shake even more violently.


    Even Ye-Ryeong couldn''t hold on any longer at this moment.


    Pop-!


    When the water droplet burst and the suffocating Tyrant regained its breath, it opened its mouth wide with rage.


    "Gotcha," said Yu-Ri, who had already mounted the Tyrant¡¯s head. She plunged her sword directly into the nape of its neck.


    Kiiiiieeee-!


    Suddenly, green mana exploded from the screaming Tyrant''s nerve. Meghan, who had grabbed Yu-Ri''s neck from behind, twisted her body as if she was dancing and swung two daggers. With her daggers slicing through the explosive mana, she thrusted her sword into the nerve once more.


    Bang-!


    The green mana, which had exploded with the sound, disappeared completely.


    Rather than continuing to move, the Tyrant trembled and its scales quivered as it fell to the ground. Even its tough hide was now full of deep wrinkles, as if all its strength had been completely drained.


    At first glance, it seemed like the Tyrant was completely exhausted. However, it wasn''t over yet.


    "It''s the beginning of Phase 2," claimed Yu-Seong shortly.


    Another arm suddenly sprang from the Tyrant''s hide under its original arm. The tail also suddenly split into two branches and expanded.


    Then, an unrelenting attack began, leaving no time for the attack team to catch their breath. The ground was turned upside down, and the air was torn apart. The Tyrant had turned into a rampage state, becoming several times faster and stronger than before.


    Even Meghan and Yu-Ri, who had been on its head, couldn''t hold on and fell to the ground. It was Jin-Hyuk''s Kong which quickly shot forward, jumped into the sky, and caught them.


    "Look out!" yelled Yu-Ri.


    ¡°The tail!¡± shouted Meghan.


    The two women screamed as they landed safely on Kong''s palms.


    When Jin-Hyuk snapped his fingers, Kong disappeared from the air. It was a reverse summoning.


    Boom-!


    The long tail passed just above the heads of the two women. Yu-Ri and Meghan, who had landed safely on the ground thanks to Kong''s support, also began to run away.


    Meanwhile, Yu-Seong, who had gained a reasonable distance, thought to himself.


    ¡®I have to pierce the heart in one shot when I get the chance.¡¯


    The Tyrant''s weakness was like any other living creatures: the heart. However, even though it was covered in relatively less tough hide, the creature''s defensive power was not to be underestimated.


    ¡®I have to break through that hide and disrupt the muscles to pierce the heart in one shot.¡¯


    In fact, Yu-Seong didn''t bother to consider whether it was possible or not.


    ¡®I will definitely succeed.¡¯


    It would be impossible to do it alone. Even though his Wind Thunder Dragon God Art¡¯s breakthrough power was exceptional, there were limits. Someone would have to pave the way for Yu-Seong. And right now, there was a partner next to him who could play that role.


    "Kim Do-Jin," called Yu-Seong.


    "It''s impossible. I might be able to break through the hide, but that''s probably the limit. Even if I hit it hard enough..."


    Do-Jin was aware that the sword wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it, so he made his thoughts clear to Yu-Seong, who simply smiled.


    In fact, during their previous duel, Do-Jin had failed to fully demonstrate his perfect swordsmanship. There was nothing that he could have done, since that had been his best at the time.


    ¡®If he uses his truly powerful swordsmanship, the sword may not be able to stand it.¡¯


    That could be a powerful move in ordinary situations, but Do-Jin could possibly kill his opponent in a duel with that same move. In fact, it was certain¡ªone hundred percent¡ªthat the opponent would die. That was why Do-Jin hadn¡¯t been able to fully unleash his swordsmanship at maximum power.


    But in the current situation, that was not enough.


    When Yu-Seong silently opened his subspace storage, Do-Jin asked, "A subspace skill?"


    "No, it''s an item that I bought," replied Yu-Seong calmly as he pulled out a long sword with a golden hilt that seemed to be sealed from within the storage.


    When he handed it over to him, Do-Jin asked, "This is...?"


    At a glance, Do-Jin was surprised by the grandeur of the sword, which looked far from ordinary.


    "It''s one of the Dual Dragon Blade. It wasn''t easy to get it,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    "Dual Dragon Blade?" asked Do-Jin.


    At the mention of the name, the Dual Dragon Blade trembled in response.


    "It''s an ancient relic with extraordinary power infused within it."


    "No way...!" shouted Do-Jin as his eyes widened.


    Dual Dragon Blade was a sword with a strong ego and it emitted powerful energy. It was a rare ancient relic that was difficult to find during this era, but there was only one such relic that he could possibly imagine.


    "It was used by General Yi Sun-Sin. Use it with gratitude," said Yu-Seong.


    "I will make good use of it," responded Do-Jin with his eyes lighting up in excitement.


    With the Dual Dragon Blade, he would be able to unleash all of his techniques without holding back.


    "After 5 minutes in the Berserk stage, there will be a brief period of grogginess," said Yu-Seong.


    Although they called it grogginess, it was only about three seconds at most. That would be their chance.


    Yu-Seong had been counting the seconds since the Berserk stage began. With the Tyrant''s increased power during the Berserk stage, it was almost impossible to get close to it using their current skills. Thus, they would have to continue widening the distance until they could take action during the three seconds of grogginess.


    While maintaining a moderate distance and waiting for the grogginess period, Yu-Seong and Do-Jin stayed ready. They would have to move just before the grogginess period started.


    "Now...!"


    Both Yu-Seong and Do-Jin simultaneously shot forward. Yu-Seong''s eyes shone brightly as he dodged the tail that was falling toward him.


    ¡®It has lost its strength.¡¯


    The grogginess period had started. Everyone was surprised when the Tyrant suddenly stopped moving. At that moment, Do-Jin, who had been preparing for this moment, poured his magic into his sword.


    Whooong-!


    The Dual Dragon Blade roared with joy as Do-Jin emitted a high-purity mana. At the same time, a massive energy wave shot out from Do-Jin¡¯s sword, commonly known in this world as the ¡®Aurora Blade¡¯.


    ¡®He can already use a technique that requires at least an S-rank swordsmanship skill¡­¡¯


    Although, the duration of this technique was likely to not last very long. Moreover, Do-Jin planned to execute his skills while maintaining the powerful energy wave.


    Then, Thunder and Wind power surged from Yu-Seong''s body simultaneously.


    ''Wind Thunder Dragon God Art.''


    And when his Third Eye opened, he momentarily met Do-Jin¡¯s gaze in the air.


    ¡®This sword is really good. Can I deliver the final blow?¡¯


    ''Sure, if you can.''


    Perhaps because of their Insight and the Third Eye, Do-Jin and Yu-Seong could easily guess what was going on in each other¡¯s mind.


    Do-Jin laughed before raising his voice and yelling, "Antareus!"


    With a huge shout, the black dragon hidden on Do-Jin''s shoulder revealed itself, opening its mouth and releasing Pentagram into the air. Do-Jin was then enveloped in black flames as he stepped into a magic circle.


    ''What the hell did that crazy guy make this time?''


    The energy rising from the black flames surrounding Do-Jin converged into his sword.


    ''Special: Heavenly Gauze Black Flame Sword.''


    After losing to Yu-Seong, Do-Jin had spent that time devising a new special move. His new special technique shredded through the Tyrant''s tough hide in one breath. The flames that followed engulfed the Tyrant''s entire body.


    The Tyrant let out a scream of agony in the face of such tremendous force.


    ''Insane...''


    Yu-Seong let out a ridiculous sigh inwardly. It was a technique that he had not even seen in the original novel. If those flames did not go out, the Tyrant would eventually become ashes, so Yu-Seong could understand the confidence Do-Jin showed in the moment.


    ''But...''


    The opponent was not favorable for being the target of that technique. In the Berserk state, the Tyrant''s resistance clearly decreased, but its regeneration ability increased overwhelmingly. On the other hand, the flames would rather become a threat to the attack team once the grogginess period ended.


    ''I do understand his intention.''


    Do-Jin tried burning the Tyrant¡¯s heart with one blow without knowing about its regeneration ability. As a result, his sword could not reach the heart.


    ''It''s a shame, but he clearly opened the way.''


    Do-Jin looked at Yu-Seong.


    ''I know. I''ll finish it.''


    This was truly the end. With the Wind Thunder Dragon God Art wrapped around him, Yu-Seong mustered all his strength and leaped onto the Tyrant, preparing to strike the final blow.


    The fierce black flames could not penetrate the rough wind caused by Yu-Seong.


    Read the most updated version of this novel and other amazing translated novels from the original source at "pawread dot com"


    ¡®A single blow¡ªstarting from the ground, passing through the Tyrant''s body, all the way up to its back and over... ¡®


    Like a flash of lightning, Yu-Seong reached the sky and then plunged back down, piercing the Tyrant''s head with his spear.


    Crunch!


    There was no scream, only the sound of the massive Tyrant hitting the ground. It was the signal announcing the successful conquest of the Rank 7 raid dungeon, the Swamp Emperor.

 CH 204

    Once the Tyrant of the Swamp fell, a thunderous cheer shook the entire Republic of Korea. It was the raid that had been highly anticipated with many concerns and worries, but the results were beyond everyone''s expectations.


    To everyone''s amazement, the total clear time for the Rank 7 raid dungeon was only 6 hours and 36 minutes, overwhelmingly surpassing the previous record of 7 hours and 58 minutes to become the shortest time.


    Some people criticized the dungeon for being too easy for a Rank 7 raid, but such an issue wasn¡¯t significant enough to catch everyone else¡¯s attention. Although the difficulty level was lower than a typical Rank 7 raid dungeon, the fact that the average rank of the attack team was B completely shattered the manual''s requirement that the raid dungeon needed a minimum average rank of A+. In fact, there were even discussions about whether all members of the attack team could be Irregulars.


    In fact, that speculation was not wrong. Yu-Seong had become an Irregular when he had experienced great pain during his awakening. According to the original novel''s setting, Do-Jin and Bernard were also Irregulars, and it went without saying that the same was true for Jin-Hyuk and Ye-Ryeong, who were considered future disasters.


    Although Meghan, Do-Yoon, and Yu-Ri were not Irregulars, they were no less talented than the others. In other words, every member of the attack team was exceptional, and they even did well to support each other.


    However, even among these exceptional individuals, there was always an MVP (most valuable player), and most dungeon score companies chose Yu-Seong as the top performer of this raid. He scored 9.9 out of 10, surpassing Do-Jin''s score of 9.8, and his name resounded throughout the world.


    ***


    From North America, South America, Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa, people of all countries, genders, and races cheered for Yu-Seong and his attack team''s achievements.


    Indeed, it was an incredible record¡ªsomething that had been deemed impossible. It was something that nobody could have imagined.


    Articles about the achievement began with phrases like ¡®Unbelievable record¡¯ and ¡®Unimaginable event¡¯ and were published in newspapers and news outlets all over the world.


    Woo-Jae¡ªwho had already sent a message to everyone involved with the Comet Group around the world to move just before Yu-Seong struck the spear over the Tyrant''s head¡ªburst into uncontrollable laughter that lasted for days.


    "Hahaha!" He laughed loudly, forgetting his previous statement that smiling was awkward for him.


    Pil-Doo couldn''t help but join in the laughter as well.


    ¡®The Comet''s stock has surpassed its all-time high.¡¯


    The Comet Group had held its position as the top company in the domestic market, but its corporate value had only reached the top 10 in the overseas market. However, after this unprecedented achievement, the company''s overseas evaluation value had skyrocketed to within the top 5.


    It was rare to see such a dramatic rise in a top 10 battle, where each rank had a significant gap. It was no wonder that Woo-Jae couldn''t stop his laughter. He had also instructed Pil-Doo to prepare several gifts for Yu-Seong.


    While it could be seen as pretty excessive, even Pil-Doo had to admit that the man deserved it this time.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong deserves to receive gifts of this magnitude.¡¯


    Of course, Yu-Seong¡¯s siblings, who had previously treated him as a mere pebble due to the pressure from Mi-Na, would harbor some discontent and eye him with hostility. As Yu-Seong continued to grow stronger, it became increasingly clear that Mi-Na''s ability to protect him was reaching its limit.


    Many of Woo-Jae''s gifts also had similar meanings behind them. From now on, it would be even harder for Yu-Seong to endure on his own in this household. That was why the gifts that would soon be given to him were not so much spoils, as they were supplies.


    ''How will Yu-Seong endure this situation?''


    Perhaps the tipping point would come sooner than expected.


    Just as Pil-Doo''s mouth twitched from him having such thoughts, Woo-Jae spoke up with a hyena-like laughter. "Now, you''re starting to look forward to it rather than worry about it, aren''t you?"


    Without realizing it, Pil-Doo jolted slightly. He smiled awkwardly and nodded. In fact, he couldn¡¯t deny Woo-Jae¡¯s words. Anticipation rather than worry¡ªthat was the perfect way to put his feelings into words.


    "I understand how you feel. I feel the same way," said Woo-Jae.


    Woo-Jae had thought of Yu-Seong as just a reckless daredevil jumping around without knowing what he had, but as time went on, this one son of his had caught up to and even surpassed his siblings who had been ahead of him. It was really amazing, to the point where he couldn''t help but let out a dry laugh.


    Woo-Jae''s gaze fell on the newspaper article in front of him, after sharing the same sentiment as Pil-Doo. A large photo of Yu-Seong and his attack team, all looking confident, was displayed.


    "Did they officially apply as a team?"


    "No, it was a temporary formation."


    "That''s a shame,¡± responded Woo-Jae as he smacked his lips.


    Woo-Jae had mixed feelings when he first saw the list of attack team members. Now, he was surprised but also impressed.


    ¡®The grandson of Cheon-Ji Group and Kim Do-Jin¡­¡¯


    Woo-Jae knew they were talented individuals, but even he hesitated to reach out to them.


    The Cheon-Ji Group was one of the top two companies in South Korea, competing with the Comet Group for market dominance, and Do-Jin had some suspicious aspects about him. However, Yu-Seong had taken these two under his wing and had led them as he pleased.


    Consistently maintaining this attack team would undoubtedly benefit the Comet Group, and ultimately, the successor to the company would benefit the most. As Woo-Jae''s thoughts reached this point, he suddenly remembered the face of Yu-Seong, who had expressed a desire to inherit the chairman''s position. He muttered, "Perhaps it''s better to give it to the ninth child who wants it than the second child who doesn''t even care if I give it to him."


    Trembling slightly, Pil-Doo asked, "Do you already think about it that much?"


    "Who knows. If he¡¯s blocked by the wall, the fifth, it''s a meaningless story from the beginning," replied Woo-Jae.


    ¡°...Right.¡± Pil-Doo nodded in agreement.


    As Woo-Jae slowly got up from his seat with a strange smile on his face, his phone began to ring in quick succession. Of course, there weren''t many people who could directly call him on his phone.


    Woo-Jae¡¯s gaze naturally shifted to the name on the screen, and when he saw the name Choi Ji-Ho, the expressions of both men changed once again.


    "The first, first young master is¡­¡± said Pil-Doo.


    "He must also have made a decision. It¡¯s pretty exciting," replied Woo-Jae as he slowly picked up his phone and pressed the call button.


    "...This is Choi Ji-Ho. Father. How are you?"


    It had been a long time since Woo-Jae had heard his eldest son¡¯s voice.


    ***


    The room resembled a vast warehouse, and Talia approached Eveheim, who was fixated on the large TV showing the scene of Yu-Seong and his team subduing the Tyrant of the Swamp. She quietly handed him a cup of tea.


    Eveheim, who was sitting on a brown leather sofa, hunched over while watching a video, lifted his head and gave a decadent smile. "Thank you, Talia."


    "Don''t mention it. By the way¡­ Kim Do-Jin is still the one you''re interested in, right, Godfather?"


    "Kim Do-Jin has always been our top priority." Eveheim chuckled and hunched back over to take a sip of warm tea. He said, "But who I''m looking at now isn''t Kim Do-Jin."


    Eveheim''s gaze returned to the video after he made that strange remark. In fact, from his perspective, the battles had been boring even with the Tyrant of the Swamp''s massive size and power.


    The Tyrant was just like any other monster to Eveheim. In fact, if he had been involved, he wouldn¡¯t have needed to intervene. Even if one of the six Hexagram Masters had to fight, they would have easily defeated the Tyrant alone. However, he still found watching the raid video enjoyable.


    Talia, who followed his gaze to the video, muttered to herself, "Meghan, that friend, seems to have almost reached her limit. She''s talented, but it seems like she won''t be able to go any further."


    "You''re right. That girl''s bowl is already overflowing."


    "Rather, that kid named Jin Yu-Ri seems quite interesting. She''s intelligent and familiar with assisting. She''s a talented person I''d like to take on as a disciple, and I haven¡¯t felt this way in a long time," Talia said as she licked her lips.


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    "That guy Jin Do-Yoon seems to have potential too. If we guide him well, he could become quite useful."


    The person who spoke up next was Jackson, leaning against one side of the wall of the huge warehouse. Despite his massive size, he was surprisingly quiet before he opened his mouth. Even a decent S-rank hunter wouldn¡¯t easily catch his sound or presence.


    "Chae Ye-Ryeong, was it? That little girl caught my eye."


    "For me, it¡¯s Yoo Jin-Hyuk. He¡¯s the most talented I''ve seen," said Noah and James, who were also Hexagram Masters with abilities in Projection and Demonic Beast Summoning, respectively.


    The two people with similar abilities naturally looked at the talented children. In this interesting situation, the Hexagram Masters looked at each other and laughed.


    "Then, what about Jacob...?"


    "I''ve had my eye on that guy Bernard for a long time," said Jacob, pointing to his chosen talented individual.


    Five of the six Hexagram Masters had marked their talented individuals. Everyone then shifted their gazes toward Olivia, the last remaining Hexagram Master. She was known to be the quietest among them, often wearing deep black robes. But this time, wouldn''t she speak up?


    When everyone''s gaze was focused on Olivia, Eveheim suddenly burst into a laugh. "See? Aren''t you all the same as me? We are not looking at the individual, but everyone. It''s interesting, isn''t it?"


    He wasn''t just watching Do-Jin, the current top priority for the Demon King Worshipers recruitment. Instead, he was watching the entire attack team.


    At the mention of it, the Hexagram Masters'' mouths curved into similar smiles.


    "It''s surprising that the entire attack team is made up of such excellent individuals who we are all interested in. Then, Godfather, you must have marked one as well..." said Jackson.


    "Of course, it would be Kim Do-Jin, whom he has been watching." Talia received Eveheim¡¯s words with ease.


    "Choi Yu-Seong."


    When a small voice echoed through the warehouse, everyone''s gaze naturally followed the voice. Olivia, with her deep robe and black hair, was looking at Eveheim. She said, "I want him, Choi Yu-Seong. Give him to me, Godfather."


    "Hmph¡­!" Eveheim let out a short laugh, then shook his head with a cool expression. "No, I refuse."


    At his resolute answer, Olivia''s white cheeks puffed up slightly beneath her robe.

 CH 205

    "Olivia, even if you make that expression, I still won¡¯t give him up, because unlike the speculations of Jackson and Talia, the person I want is not Kim Do-Jin," said Eveheim.


    "I know, so give him to me. Choi Yu-Seong."


    "Don''t be stubborn."


    "Godfather, you are the one who shouldn¡¯t be stubborn."


    "Are you going to continue acting like this? Remember, I am your Godfather."


    "...You''re abusing your power shamelessly."


    "Hehe¡­ Isn''t that what it''s for?" Eveheim let out a casual laugh and turned his gaze back to the video.


    In reality, even though they were having a relaxed conversation about who they had chosen, the probability of Yu-Seong''s attack team joining forces with the Demon King Worshipers was extremely low.


    ¡®With his background, and also considering their past behavior until now¡­¡¯


    There was a high probability that they wouldn''t fit in with the Demon King Worshipers. In other words, the emotions of the six Hexagram Masters and Eveheim himself, who had said they were interested, were honestly just keeping their guards up.


    ¡®The sense of danger that those in the attack team may one day threaten us¡­¡¯


    Perhaps, it was interesting.


    Many people thought that the Demon King Worshipers organization had appeared suddenly after the appearance of dungeons. However, the reality was quite different. Most of them had lived in different worlds, existing as darkness for a long time before being united under the name of Demon King Worshipers. Lycanthrope King Jackson and Vampire Queen Talia were representative figures of these existences.


    The reasons for these individuals coming together under the name Demon King Worshipers were quite diverse. For example, Jackson''s family had mostly been killed by humans when he was young. Therefore, he despised humans in general, but he also knew that, even with his powerful strength as the Lycanthrope King, he could not win against an infinite number of humans. Jackson''s desire to punish Earth through the arrival of the Demon King could be seen as a fairly simple reason in a way.


    ¡®But it''s certain.¡¯


    This was the case with all the Hexagram Masters gathered here. Someone sought revenge, someone else had a vile, baseless hatred for humans, and still others stood here for the revival of their own clans.


    These individuals, who harbored such long-standing evil intentions, felt a sense of danger from the newly-formed attack team, which, to put it mildly, had only just begun to spread its wings.


    There was a strange feeling that the newly formed attack team might hinder their goals. That was why they were considering crushing the team underfoot while they were still immature.


    ¡®If we fail to recruit them¡­¡¯


    If they couldn¡¯t get it, then it might be better to trample the bud before it grew. In fact, it was not impossible if they made up their mind.


    Even if South Korea ranked in the top 10 player nations in terms of armed strength, it would struggle to withstand the simultaneous attack of all seven individuals gathered here.


    The problem was in the aftermath. The Hexagram Masters and Godfather were all gathered in the narrow country of South Korea, and it would take considerable time to resolve the situation if an incident were to occur.


    No matter how strong their power was, South Korea was still a decent country. They were not confident in escaping without being caught after quickly finishing everything.


    First, Japan, China, and Russia would intervene, and if it took more time, Europe and the United States would also join in the effort to exterminate the Demon King Worshipers. In the midst of all this, there was only one place that would suffer damage.


    ''South Korea.''


    Excluding Korea, what happened to someone else''s land wouldn''t be a big deal in the eyes of other countries. From a global perspective, eliminating all the ringleaders of the worst terrorists¡ªthe Demon King Worshipers who could summon the Demon King someday¡ªwould be considered a much greater benefit.


    ''Nevertheless, the excitement...''


    In fact, the excitement was inevitable. Starting with Eveheim, all six Hexagram Masters of the Demon King Worshipers were greedy.


    Amid that strange, oppressive atmosphere, Eveheim, who had silently turned off the TV with a remote, looked around the room. He asked, "You don''t really plan on causing any trouble, do you?"


    "...Of course not," replied Jackson as he tried showing an awkward smile. He scratched the back of his head sheepishly.


    Unless Eveheim personally led them, they wouldn''t do something they had been told not to do. In fact, they were not a ragtag bunch of misfits.


    "Let''s all be patient for a while. Soon, an opportunity will come to us as well..."


    At Eveheim''s words, which sounded like a prophecy, the six Hexagram Masters smiled and nodded.


    ***


    After the Swamp Emperor raid ended, Yu-Seong had thought he would become extremely busy. In fact, there were plenty of things that would make him busy. With the rampage of interviews and TV appearances, there would not have been enough time to handle them all.


    However, Yu-Seong had chosen to avoid contact with all media.


    ¡®The Star Factor has already reached its peak.¡¯


    With the success of the Swamp Emperor raid, Yu-Seong''s fame had reached the top tier of the world. While his practical combat ability might still lag behind S-rankers, his name value did not fall behind. Thanks to this, Yu-Seong''s leveling up speed had already far surpassed the level of Titanic Growth.


    ¡®If I decide to raise my level from now on, I could achieve the S-rank within this year.¡¯


    However, he decided against it. He was keenly aware that the matured growth he would experience after leveling up would be far more potent than simply increasing his rank.


    Of course, that didn''t mean that Star Factor had become meaningless.


    ¡ºSpecial Skill: Star Factor B.


    The more people pay attention to the holder, the faster his growth level accelerates.


    In a short amount of time, the interest towards skill holders has drastically increased to the point of absurdity, and a rank adjustment effect has occurred.


    Hidden Piece is opened.


    D-rank perks ¨C Increases focus of attention when exposed to video media such as cameras.


    C-rank perks ¨C The more flamboyant the fight, the less mana is consumed.


    B-rank perks ¨C When in a situation where many people are cheering, your maximum mana (or Chakra) increases


    Current acceleration rate +300%


    Additional privileges are opened by achieving new interest figures. Experience points required for growth -15%


    Special) ¡®Prestige Show Off¡¯ effect is being used. If the target''s fame is lower than the user''s, it can randomly trigger a curse.


    The current fame of player Choi Yu-Seong: 1300.


    ¡»


    As he looked at the special perks that had been added due to his increase in rank, Yu-Seong felt such joy that his heart warmed up.


    ¡®In such a situation where attention is pouring in, I can almost consider my mana to be infinite.¡¯


    Having almost infinite mana, which was the equivalent of infinite Chakra for Yu-Seong, was of great significance.


    ¡®If my body can withstand it, I can even maintain the Wind Thunder Dragon God Art infinitely.¡¯


    The Wind Thunder Dragon God Art had great power, but it had the drawbacks of physical strain and excessive mana consumption. However, the second drawback could practically be resolved by Star Factor alone.


    ¡®If I use the Wind Thunder Dragon God Art to the limit that my body can handle right now¡­¡¯


    In fact, when Star Factor''s effect was not activated at all, the mana capacity was lacking, and the limit was about two minutes. Even with the power borrowed from ancient relics, two minutes was all it could effectively last.


    Fortunately, the Wind Thunder Dragon God Art was such a flashy skill that it activated the C-rank perks shortly after being launched. As a result, the actual time that the Wind Thunder Dragon God Art could be maintained was five minutes. In addition to that, what if the B-rank special perks were also applied here?


    ¡®It would depend on the level of interest, but a maximum of 10 minutes could be possible.¡¯


    If Yu-Seong could maintain the Wind Thunder Dragon God Art for that long, even an S-rank hunter wouldn''t stand a chance against him unless they were at the top ranker level. It might sound arrogant, but Yu-Seong was confident in his abilities.


    ¡®I am strong enough.¡¯


    Now, Yu-Seong no longer needed to tremble in fear at the sight of any enemy like before. He was content with his growth, and he was seeking a path for further advancement.


    Just then, Yu-Seong received an unexpected call from someone. He muttered, "Choi Min-Seok?"


    When he answered the phone, he could hear a slightly quavering voice on the other end of the line.


    - Yu, Yu-Seong? Is that you?


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


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    - Uh¡­ Well... I think it''s important news, so...


    Having already been beaten badly by Yu-Seong once before, Min-Seok had become like a frightened animal and was unable to even think about attacking him again.


    "Do you need to meet me in person?"


    - No, no need to!


    Yu-Seong couldn''t help but chuckle at Min-Seok''s surprised reaction. He then asked, "Then, what is it?"


    - Um¡­ In-Young noo-nim contacted me and said she wants to meet me with the third hyung-nim.


    Yu-Seong''s eyes glittered.


    ''Choi In-Young has started to move.''


    Based on what he had observed so far, In-Young had been exercising as much patience as possible in this uncontrollable situation.


    ''But now, she must be thinking of getting rid of me by any means necessary. Even if she has to face Mi-Na noo-nim.¡¯


    Amidst all this, she was making a very characteristic decision by choosing to use family members instead of external forces.


    ''She''s still scared to think of having to deal with Father.''


    She was trying to gather all of Yu-Seong¡¯s remaining siblings to restrict him. In fact, the reason why she had called Choi Min-Seok must have been because of that very choice.


    "It''s good news. Thanks."


    - Uh, ok. Yeah.


    A smile unconsciously crept onto Yu-Seong''s face after he hung up on Min-Seok, who had responded with bewilderment.


    ''Choi Min-Seok.''


    The animal that was filled with fear now seemed completely subservient to Yu-Seong. It was clear that he had chosen Yu-Seong over In-Young, whom he feared so much.


    ¡®Not bad.¡¯


    In-Young was gathering the strength of the siblings.


    ¡®Direct confrontation is dangerous for now.¡¯


    No matter how much he had grown recently, Yu-Seong still needed more time to be ready for that kind of battle.


    ¡®If Kim Do-Jin helps me, the situation could be different, but¡­¡¯


    This time, Yu-Seong couldn''t rely on Do-Jin, but not because he assumed that Do-Jin would dislike being involved.


    ¡®No, he would rather jump in with joy.¡¯


    It would be a situation where Do-Jin could delve into the heart of the Comet Group''s power structure. Do-Jin would even be happy to imagine the day when his sword would reach Woo-Jae''s heart.


    Being aware of this fact, Yu-Seong knew it would be foolish to drag Do-Jin into it.


    ¡®At least for the family dispute, I shouldn''t ask for Do-Jin''s help.¡¯


    The same went for Meghan and Bernard. Although they might also step forward to help Yu-Seong, it would be very unpleasant for Woo-Jae.


    ¡®Collaborating on external business and having Cheon-Ji Group interfere in our family''s internal strife are two completely different things.¡¯


    In other words, Yu-Seong might have to fight against all of the other siblings under In-Young''s command with his current strength.


    ¡®Except for Choi Min-Seok, maybe... And the youngest one, she wouldn¡¯t come forward.¡¯


    The youngest member of the Comet Group had recently started high school. She had awakened at just five years old, already reaching A-rank at such a young age.


    In fact, she was widely considered a genius. However, she was indifferent to the world and had no particular interest in household affairs.


    Her hobbies were just eating tteokbokki[1] with school friends, chatting in cafes, and singing loudly in karaoke rooms.


    Eventually, Yu-Seong would have to confront the remaining four siblings, excluding the deceased Choi Byung-Chan, who had already stepped back, along with Choi Ji-Ho and Choi Mi-Na, who were stationed at In-Young''s main base.


    As previously mentioned, it wouldn''t be easy to handle them with the power he currently had. So, what would be the best way to disappoint and anger In-Young at this point?


    ¡®Something that can also buy me some time.¡¯


    After simply thinking about his concern, Yu-Seong smirked slyly.


    ¡®I can just visit the Tower of Heaven.¡¯


    If In-Young and his other siblings were plotting, but Yu-Seong and his acquaintances were not present, the situation would be thoroughly futile for In-Young.


    ¡®Really, I''m glad that the Tower of Heaven appeared early.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was certain that he no longer needed to stay in B-rank by the time he finished his adventure in the Tower of Heaven.


    ¡®A-rank.¡¯


    Finally, the area of ability in this world, known as the realm of power, was right in front of him.


    1. Tteokbokki is a popular Korean street food made of cylindrical rice cakes stir-fried with spicy gochujang sauce and various ingredients such as fish cakes, and vegetables. ?

 CH 206

    In-Young, looking at the faces of the people who had gathered after receiving her call, couldn¡¯t help but smirk. After a moment of speechlessness, she sighed. "Haa..."


    "Where''s Min-Seok?" asked Choi Yeo-Reum, twisting her lips.


    Yeo-Reum was the seventh child of the Comet Family, and she was widely known as a player with Natural Projection skill. She smirked subtly at In-Young, seeming to mock her sister with a cynical attitude. In fact, she hadn¡¯t even come here willingly.


    "You said we¡¯re all getting together after a long time, so what''s this?" Yeo-Reum said.


    "Choi Yeo-Reum, you sure talk a lot."


    "Look at that, Seok-Young oppa is still sticking to In-Young unni like a bodyguard. Are you sure you two are siblings? You guys could pass as a bodyguard and his lady, haha!"


    "You...!" shouted Seok-Young.


    "It''s okay, oppa. I''ll handle it," said In-Young.


    Even though Yeo-Reum was being quite rude, In-Young remained calm and spoke in a steady voice.


    ¡®Even though she''s making me angry, I still need that woman''s help at the moment.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had grown quickly. He was now powerful enough to reach the tips of In-Young¡¯s toes. In order to shake off this sense of crisis, In-Young had considered stopping her brother by injuring him in some way.


    Unfortunately for her, Mi-Na¡¯s behavior had also become increasingly difficult to tolerate.


    ¡®If I concentrate on Choi Yu-Seong, there''s a chance that Choi Mi-Na could take control of the company by herself.¡¯


    In-Young could never allow that to happen, but she couldn¡¯t handle Mi-Na alone. This was why she had to rely on Seok-Young''s help so far. Together, they could manage Mi-Na''s behavior.


    ¡®Besides, the third oppa has also provided some assistance.¡¯


    In-Young was stalling for time, knowing that she couldn''t win against Mi-Na alone. Mi-Na''s individual power was estimated to be comparable to Woo-Jae''s, so In-Young was constantly working on increasing her strength while buying herself some time.


    However, as mentioned earlier, Yu-Seong had grown rapidly and was now strong enough to reach the tips of her toes. This meant that she had to deal with him too.


    And during the short period of time, she would have to face Mi-Na alone. This would certainly be a difficult task.


    ¡®I have already informed my mother''s side, so the situation should be somewhat manageable, but¡­¡¯


    It wouldn''t be wise to rely too heavily on external forces, such as the power of her maternal relatives. In-Young needed to quickly bring Yu-Seong under control, getting out of this unfavorable situation as soon as possible. For that, Yeo-Reum''s power was essential to her.


    "You know, Yu-Seong is becoming uncontrollable these days," In-Young said.


    "It''s hard not to notice," Yeo-Reum replied.


    "Doesn''t it make you uncomfortable?" asked In-Young.


    Yeo-Reum shrugged in response. "Not really..."


    Although she sounded disinterested, her eyes flickered.


    In fact, In-Young knew Yeo-Reum quite well.


    ¡®She may act cool, but she''s just a narrow-minded kid.¡¯


    Yeo-Reum clearly wasn''t interested in inheriting the company. She didn¡¯t have an interest in holding high positions like the chairman or being on the board of directors. What she wanted was something quite simple.


    ¡®Money. Just enough money to live luxuriously without any worries.¡¯


    The crucial question was: who would provide Yeo-Reum with the money she needed? That was the reason why Yeo-Reum had come to this gathering.


    ¡®Even though she claims that she has come here to reunite with the family after a long time¡­¡¯


    In truth, Yeo-Reum had come here to pick a side and see who could help her. She wanted to figure out who she could rely on to take responsibility for her financial needs until she died.


    However, In-Young was certain that the young girl wouldn''t choose Yu-Seong''s side. The reason was simple.


    ¡®When Yu-Seong was being bullied by Min-Seok, he had asked for Yeo-Reum¡¯s help before.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had asked Yeo-Reum for help, since she had a somewhat less intimidating and more approachable image than the other siblings. However, the outcome had been disappointing with Yeo-Reum choosing to remain indifferent. Yeo-Reum hadn¡¯t felt the need to get close to someone who she perceived as weak.


    As a result, Yeo-Reum suspected that Yu-Seong might hold a grudge against her, and so she was trying to quietly piggyback on In-Young''s plan to get rid of him.


    In-Young was also well aware of Yeo-Reum''s intentions, so she didn''t feel the need to rebuke or scold her in any way.


    ¡°What happened to Min-Seok is quite surprising, but we don''t really need that coward anyway. We just need to deal with Yu-Seong,¡± said In-Young.


    "I understand that, but what I''m curious about is whether I''m the only one responsible for catching Yu-Seong."


    The only people gathered here were In-Young, Seok-Young, and Yeo-Reum. Min-Seok would usually be present as well, but he had suddenly disappeared. In-Young was flabbergasted by this turn of events, while Yeo-Reum, who had been hopeful, felt equally disappointed.


    To be honest, the current Yu-Seong was more than Yeo-Reum could handle on her own.


    "Who said you''ll be alone? Oppa will help you,¡± said In-Young.


    "You mean Seok-Young oppa? Then what about Mi-Na unni?" asked Yeo-Reum.


    "I''ll take care of that myself." In-Young flashed a sly smile as she revealed her ace in the hole. She said, "And even though he''s not here, our third brother, Jin-Woo, has agreed to assist with the operation on Choi Yu-Seong."


    Jin-Woo, the third child of the Choi family, also didn''t feel great about Yu-Seong climbing up his leg.


    "And so, you''re handling Mi-Na unni by yourself, unni?" asked Yeo-Reum.


    "Yes, it won''t be easy. That''s why all of you need to give it your best," said In-Young.


    "And the plan is...?" asked Yeo-Reum.


    "It''s simple. Choi Yu-Seong, that rascal, has a huge weakness, right?" said In-Young as she let out a chilly laugh.


    In fact, the most significant factor contributing to Yu-Seong''s reputation was his pristine record of success. He carried the expectations of Woo-Jae, the nation, and its people on his shoulders and had not disappointed them even once. As a result, his shameful title of ''rascal'' was gradually fading away.


    However, what if he were to fail just once? Normally, if someone consistently failed and then succeeded once, they would be praised. But in this case, what if they kept performing well and then failed all of a sudden? If that were to happen, Yu-Seong would probably receive criticism instead. The previous story about his ''rascal'' behavior would resurface once again, and eventually, Yu-Seong would become the subject of public scrutiny.


    When that happened, In-Young and her siblings would seize the opportunity to do everything in their power to tarnish Yu-Seong''s reputation. They would make it challenging for him to recover his position in society. After all, crafting false narratives was not as difficult as people assumed.


    In-Young''s explanation had Yeo-Reum''s eyes gleaming with excitement. The young girl commented, "This sounds fun."


    "Given Father''s personality, he''ll soon put Yu-Seong to the test again. This test will probably be a turning point. If he does well again, then¡­¡± In-Young gulped and had a bitter smile on her face.


    If that happened, Yu-Seong would rise further up and reach In-Young¡¯s chin, not just her toes. Indeed, it was a terrible thing to imagine.


    Yeo-Reum also shuddered at the thought. Anyways, she didn''t want to face the current Yu-Seong in any way.


    "Okay. It''s probably a good idea to give it a try," said Yeo-Reum as she made up her mind.


    At that moment, In-Young looked at Seok-Young and grinned satisfactorily.


    Suddenly, In-Young''s cell phone rang.


    ¡®Choi Jin-Woo?¡¯


    The unexpected call was from Choi Jin-Woo, the third child of the Choi family.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± In-Young asked calmly.


    Hearing some news over the phone call, her expression gradually hardened. She said, "What...? Really? Alright, let''s discuss it further once you''re inside.¡±


    In-Young hung up quickly. She couldn''t hide her fluctuating emotions as she turned to Yeo-Reum and said, "The plan we just talked about is on hold for now."


    "What? Why all of a sudden?" asked Yeo-Reum.


    In the first place, In-Young had a strong resolve to have organized this gathering. However, she was suddenly canceling the plan after receiving just one phone call. In truth, her change of mind didn''t make much sense.


    "Can you at least explain why?" Yeo-Reum asked anxiously as In-Young tried to leave the room hastily.


    If there were any changes happening in the household, Yeo-Reum had the right to know about it.


    In-Young hesitated for a moment, considering whether to snap at Yeo-Reum, but then she simply breathed a sigh. She said, "The first reason is that the target has disappeared.¡±


    "What? So Choi Yu-Seong has gone missing?" Yeo-Reum asked, her face lighting up with delight.


    Wouldn''t that be a good thing? In-Young wanted to pound her chest in frustration at Yeo-Reum''s misunderstanding.


    ¡®Can''t you understand what I''m saying?¡¯


    At this point, with everyone''s attention fixed on Yu-Seong, the idea of him being kidnapped was very unlikely. Even if In-Young wanted to, it was impossible to do anything unless the Demon King Worshipers¡¯ entire main force came forward.


    Faced with a stupid younger sibling, In-Young had to explain everything in detail for them to understand. She said plainly, "Of course not, Choi Yu-Seong has entered the Tower of Heaven."


    "Oh... So that''s what happened. My goodness, that means he realized that you''ve made a move," Yeo-Reum exclaimed.


    "That''s right," said In-Young before gritting her teeth.


    ¡®Choi Min-Seok¡­¡¯


    She was certain that the coward had completely lost his mind. She wanted to chase after Min-Seok and put him back in his place right away, but she didn''t have the luxury of doing so.


    If Yu-Seong had simply disappeared, then they only had to delay the plan. After all, he wasn''t going to live in the Tower of Heaven for the rest of his life. However, there was another reason for In-Young¡¯s growing anxiety.


    "Secondly, this is something that you''ll find out soon enough..." In-Young let out a deep sigh, her delicate features twisting into a frown. She said, "Ji-Ho oppa has returned.¡±


    "...What? Big brother was definitely..." said Yeo-Reum.


    "I don''t know the details," In-Young responded.


    However, Ji-Ho''s return was no small matter in the Comet Group. In fact, it was a huge storm.


    ¡®Choi Ji-Ho.¡¯


    The man who had seemed unlikely to return to the world after that incident had now officially returned to the household. Although nobody knew what Ji-Ho would do in the future, the fact that he had been close to Mi-Na was well known within the family.


    ¡®Choi Ji-Ho, Choi Mi-Na.¡¯


    In-Young clenched her fists once again as she spoke her enemies¡¯ names. It seemed like the burden on her shoulders had doubled.


    Where was the solution to this problem? As she pondered, a sudden realization shone in her eyes. It was as if she could see the algorithm that the two were following.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong... My goodness, is he the reason for those two returning?¡¯


    It seemed unbelievable, but if her suspicions were proven right, then In-Young had found the key to solving the situation.


    However, as In-Young had already mentioned, Yu-Seong was not on Earth at the moment.


    ¡®Haha... I feel like I got clobbered by them¡­¡¯


    In-Young let out a cold laugh as she got into the car.


    ***


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    After entering the Tower of Heaven, Yu-Seong felt time flying by him like a bullet once again. Several months had gone by, and before anyone knew it, autumn had come and gone, and winter had arrived.


    Yu-Seong, who had attracted significant attention from the world upon entering the Tower, had finally returned to Earth.


    After clearing the 16th floor, Yu-Seong stood at the forefront of the tower, accompanied by the Jin siblings, Ye-Ryeong, and Jin-Hyuk. He checked the calendar and smiled contentedly.


    ¡®It''s already December.¡¯


    He had made it out of the Tower before the year was over. Do-Jin and Bernard¡¯s group, who had entered the Tower about a month later than Yu-Seong, were also expected to return to Earth soon.


    ¡®Until then¡­¡¯


    There were still many things that needed to be taken care of. Fortunately, the time spent in the Tower had brought Yu-Seong significant growth.


    ¡®I¡¯ve definitely reached my limit as a B-rank.¡¯


    Now, Yu-Seong had to advance to A-rank no matter what. Do-Yoon and Yu-Ri were in the same situation. They had already started the S-rank promotion evaluation before Yu-Seong. As for Ye-Ryeong and Jin-Hyuk, they were up for the B-rank promotion evaluation. The power of the attack team had clearly been enhanced.


    Most importantly, long-awaited news reached Yu-Seong the day after he had returned to Earth. He murmured, "Finally..."


    The violet dragon egg that had been asleep for a long time, unlike Do-Jin¡¯s egg, began to crack open by itself.

 CH 207

    The Dragon Egg trembled, swaying from side to side. The cracks on the hard shell¡¯s surface indicated that a creature was about to hatch from it.


    Realizing the Dragon Egg that he had been habitually checking every night was showing a significant change, Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t hide his excitement.


    ¡®When I first saw the egg, I thought that it would hatch right away, but¡­¡¯


    After the arrival of winter following a long autumn, the Dragon Egg finally showed signs of hatching. The wait had been much longer than Yu-Seong anticipated.


    While waiting for his own Dragon Egg to hatch, Yu-Seong had grown increasingly envious as he witnessed the impressive performance of Antareus, Do-Jin''s dragon.


    ¡®I¡¯ve encountered him once in the Tower of Heaven.¡¯


    Before the Tower of Heaven, Yu-Seong had last seen Antareus when fighting with the Tyrant of the Swamp. Surprisingly, in that short span of time, Antareus had grown to two heads taller and larger as well. And although he spoke in a clumsy fashion, Antareus could still converse with Do-Jin in the human language.


    Certainly, Yu-Seong couldn''t help but feel envious. However, finally, he was going to have a Dragon too.


    ¡®We both obtained the Dragons at the same time¡­ It''s just that I''m really late. I wonder what this fellow, hatching from a violet Dragon Egg blessed by the god Loki, would look like?¡¯


    Having watched the egg while eagerly waiting for it to hatch this entire time, Yu-Seong observed the egg finally cracking open. The first thing that emerged from the cracked egg was a fairly long tail.


    ¡®Purple¡­¡¯


    When he first laid eyes on the tail''s dark purple color, Yu-Seong suddenly thought of Loki''s dark gaze.


    ¡®Well, since Loki blessed it, perhaps it''s only natural.¡¯


    After that, everything happened in a flash. The Dragon, with its tail emerging first, swiftly freed itself from the shell and vigorously extended its arms. Then, with a loud crack, a head slightly resembling that of a lizard but definitely looked like a Dragon emerged from the shell to reveal itself to the world.


    When the Dragon slowly turned its head toward him, Yu-Seong muttered to himself, ¡°Wow, those purple eyes really resemble Loki''s.¡±


    At that moment, the Dragon effortlessly brushed off the crumbling eggshell and opened its mouth to speak, "Heh, well, since I am Loki myself, of course I resemble her.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­ I mean, what?¡± exclaimed Yu-Seong.


    The moment of excitement about his Dragon¡¯s birth was short-lived. Yu-Seong was so captivated by the sight of the Dragon speaking in human language that his eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Why? Is it the first time you''ve seen a Dragon speak as soon as it''s born?¡±


    ¡°N-No, it''s just... You¡­ Are you really...?¡±


    How come he could clearly perceive Loki''s cold and mischievous aura through the Dragon''s behavior and demeanor? He had to be mistaken, for sure.


    Looking at Yu-Seong¡¯s stunned expression, Loki showed a cool smile on the Dragon¡¯s lips and nodded. ¡°Yes, you''re right, Choi Yu-Seong. It is I, a Joke-loving Prankster, who has appeared here!¡±


    The Dragon, or rather Loki, took a short-legged pose commonly seen in animation and, with a twinkle in her violet eyes, said, ¡°Be happy. It''s a very rare occurrence.¡±


    ¡°You are joking!¡±


    Yu-Seong could only scream like a mad person.


    ***


    The moment of shock lasted for a long while.


    Regardless of Yu-Seong''s expression, Loki showed no concern at all. She simply showed a pleased smile while hopping around the vast room on her short legs to check her physical condition.


    "Hmm, the body of a Dragon is indeed excellent. The ability to be so active upon waking up,¡± muttered Loki calmly. Then, looking over at Yu-Seong, she said, "Choi Yu-Seong, I have a favor to ask of you."


    "Uh?"


    "Put me up on the bed," said Loki confidently as she stretched her short arms. With her wings still not fully unfolded, she asked, "Since I''ve become a Dragon, shouldn¡¯t I have to practice using my wings?"


    ¡°That¡¯s something you can handle yourself¡­¡±


    "Unfortunately, my arms and legs are too short. I might be able to fly if I use mana, but I''d prefer to fly using my own body... By the way, if you don''t listen to me, I''ll throw a tantrum on the floor," said Loki.


    "Is that something a god should say?" said Yu-Seong.


    "As you know, I don''t have the dignity of a god. Are you going to keep resisting?" asked Loki, who was still in the form of a Dragon.


    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    Yu-Seong let out a deep sigh as he lifted Loki, who had taken on the attitude of a cat being served by a cat butler, onto the bed.


    In that short time, Loki, no, the Dragon attempted to move and fly on the bed with her wings unfurled. However, she suddenly fell flat on the floor. Then, she looked up at Yu-Seong and spread her arms once again.


    ¡®...You want me to pick you up again after that failure.¡¯


    There were so many things that Yu-Seong wanted to say, but he had to suppress his inner thoughts and lift Loki back onto the bed again.


    Loki let out a chuckle and said, "As expected of you, Yu-Seong! I like you for your quickwittedness!¡±


    In this unclear situation of who was the owner and who was the pet, Yu-Seong could only pat his chest.


    ***


    ¡®My Yongyong[1] that I thought of¡­¡¯


    In fact, the Dragon Yu-Seong had in mind was a rather playful one that followed him around like a child. It had a childlike innocence while showing some Dragon-worthy strength at times.


    ¡°Oh, it seems like the wings are starting to move now. Hey, Choi Yu-Seong, I think we just need to invest another hour.¡±


    This bad-tempered behavior of making Yu-Seong her slave was not at all what he had expected.


    "Hey, why do you look so upset? Is there something bothering you?"


    ¡°How can I not be upset¡­?¡±


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    ¡°Of course, you should be absolutely ecstatic. You were chosen by this divine being, not just any ordinary Dragon. Well, most of my powers were left in my original body, but I¡¯m still much greater than a Dragon raised by someone like Kim Do-Jin, or whoever that is,¡± declared Loki proudly.


    ¡°''I don''t need that. Return my cute Yongyong to me,¡± responded Yu-Seong.


    Come to think of it, where did the soul that was supposed to be attached to the Dragon''s body go?


    In response to Yu-Seong''s curiosity, Loki raised her nose in the air and said confidently, "Ah, that cute little thing. I placed it inside the body of my Giant creature. Since it has no idea it was originally a Dragon, it seems quite satisfied. It¡¯s happy to have a good mother and father."


    Although something was definitely off, the heartwarming story ended in such a way that it was difficult to grasp.


    ¡°Don''t be too disappointed. Actually, I already knew it, but you''re quite useful, Choi Yu-Seong,¡± said Loki.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Despite her being in a Dragon form, Yu-Seong felt a chilly playfulness in Loki''s smile. He immediately became expressionless after understanding the full situation.


    ¡°My Chakra...is decreasing¡­?¡±


    He wasn¡¯t practicing anything, nor was he using any skills. Nevertheless, his amount of Chakra was continuously decreasing.


    ¡°I''ve tried many things, but it''s not easy to be a great god''s incarnation on Earth in this young Dragon''s body. Your Chakra, the mana that''s become deformed, is being well utilized. It''s much more powerful than ordinary mana,¡± commented Loki.


    Currently, it appeared that Yu-Seong''s Chakra was necessary for Loki''s activities. In fact, his Chakra was flowing into Loki without any permission or explanation. He was left speechless by the entire situation.


    "What the hell have you done?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "You and I have a clear contract, Choi Yu-Seong. It''s not difficult to share the Chakra," said Loki.


    Indeed, Loki was enjoying it. She was happy to see Yu-Seong suffering.


    Yu-Seong had no choice but to grit his teeth to Loki''s wickedness, no different from the actions of a myth. He cried out angrily, "You¡¯re just a burden, after all!"


    "A burden? You''re saying such a regrettable thing. Even though I am limited by having a Dragon''s body, I can still use the power of god."


    "By using my Chakra?" exclaimed Yu-Seong.


    "Of course!" said Loki.


    Yu-Seong was at a loss for words in the face of Loki''s confidence.


    "Well, your mana is quite useful. But with the current situation, I will drain you of your mana just from using my power of god once,¡± explained Loki.


    "...Just admit it, you''re a burden," said Yu-Seong.


    Ultimately, Loki was nothing more than a one-time-use skill at the moment. Moreover, it was a one-time-use skill that continuously consumed mana like a summon. Even after thinking about it some more, Yu-Seong still felt like Loki was just a burden.


    "Hey, my contracted friend, don''t say such regrettable things. The situation may be like this for now, but as I grow, things will change. Don''t you see? And what do you think about the power of a god? Don''t underestimate it just because it can only be used once."


    Loki''s playful gaze gradually faded away as she added, "It wouldn''t be difficult to blow up a small city on Earth or anything, with that one use alone.¡±


    "...What?" claimed Yu-Seong.


    "Of course, it''s only when there is enough mana to support it, but..." Loki shrugged her short shoulders lightly. "Besides, I''m busy too, so I can''t keep playing around in this body. I have things to do up there. So, most of the time, I''ll be asleep."


    ¡°You¡¯d be asleep?¡± asked Yu-Seong.


    "Young Dragons grow faster the longer they sleep. You can place me inside the subspace that you have. A Dragon''s body can withstand the cold temperatures in that space without issue. What''s more, your Chakra won''t be depleted while I''m sleeping..."


    "When needed, I can summon you to borrow your power of god, right?" asked Yu-Seong as his disappointed eyes sparkled.


    "That''s right. Your head''s finally working, Choi Yu-Seong," smirked Loki, pointing at herself with her short claws. "As I grow, the power I can wield will become more diverse. And besides, I''m basically a god, you know?"


    "What does that mean?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "And you have Eye of Replication and Fusion skills," explained Loki.


    "Yes..." Yu-Seong''s eyes widened with his voice trailing off.


    "Normally, I can only transmit skills through sponsorship. But with a Dragon''s body like this?"


    "You can use the skills," said Yu-Seong as he realized.


    "Yes, and you have the ability to copy them," said Loki.


    "Wow..."


    Yu-Seong couldn''t help but marvel.


    The path of growth that should have followed the A-rank became much broader for him. And with this, Yu-Seong could potentially reach the maximum potential for growth that could be shown at A-rank much faster than expected. No doubt, the time needed would certainly be much shorter.


    "I''m sorry for calling you a burden. I sincerely apologize," said Yu-Seong.


    At Yu-Seong''s honest admiration, Loki''s nose raised with pride. She replied, "Finally, you recognize my true worth, Choi Yu-Seong. Hehe..."


    Perhaps it was because of Loki¡¯s rather cute appearance as a young Dragon? Yu-Seong had completely forgotten the dark and cold aura that she had within the Tower of Heaven.


    When Yu-Seong lifted her in his arms and started rubbing her face against him, Loki cried out, "What, what are you doing?!"


    "This pretty little thing!" said Yu-Seong.


    The Dragon''s exterior, which was thought to be cold and hard, turned out to be warm and soft. Maybe it was because she was still a baby, or maybe it was because she could change the temperature and texture as needed? Either way, Yu-Seong would trust anything about Dragons.


    "Stop it, Yu-Seong! How dare you do that to a god!" demanded Loki.


    As always, Loki brought joy alongside challenge and hardship. Yu-Seong couldn''t help but feel happy whenever he experienced her temper, even though he knew her temperament well.


    "You, you really are the best," said Yu-Seong excitedly, not even noticing Loki¡¯s hint of rebelliousness.


    1. Yongyong is a cute nickname that Yu-Seong has given to his Dragon, drawing inspiration from the Korean word ¡®Yong,¡¯ which means dragon. ¡®Draggy¡¯ or ¡®Gongony¡¯ are alternative translations for this term. ?

 CH 208

    After getting over his sense of excitement, Yu-Seong asked Loki, ¡°So¡­ What should I call you?¡±


    Loki tilted her head. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I can¡¯t keep calling you by your nickname, Joke-loving Prankster, can I?¡±


    Yu-Seong knew that calling Loki by her real name was dangerous. He could get into trouble as an ordinary human being, because he knew that Loki was a god possessing both a god¡¯s name and divinity.


    ¡®I may not be able to withstand her divinity, so I may start throwing up blood and die¡­¡¯


    Even if that did not happen, another unfortunate and unlucky incident may occur to Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Yu-Seong, as expected¡­ You definitely know of my identity.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯d be a fool to not know by this point.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, well¡­ That puts us in an awkward position~¡± While spinning herself in place, Loki smiled at Yu-Seong with sparkling eyes. She added, ¡°If I don¡¯t grant you permission, you can¡¯t call me by my real name, right?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Yu-Seong was surprised by Loki¡¯s unexpected response.


    ¡°Why are you so surprised? If you recognize my divinity and god name, you can call me by my name as long as I directly grant you permission. I see now that you sort of know the rules but not fully.¡±


    It was obvious that Yu-Seong did not know all the rules. The original novel had no explanation of the rules that Loki was referring to.


    ¡°Anyway, since you¡¯re a partner with whom I¡¯ve already made a soul contract with, shall this god allow you to call me by my name? Try and call out my name, Yu-Seong.¡±


    ¡°¡­Everything will be alright, right?¡±


    ¡°Do you not trust a god¡¯s word?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have any doubts if it was any other god, but you¡¯re a bit mischievous.¡±


    ¡°Hey, trust me. Try it¡­ Try, try.¡±


    Loki enjoyed joking around, but she probably had no intention of killing Yu-Seong.


    ¡®Come to think of it, she has had plenty of chances to kill me if she has wanted me dead, right?¡¯


    For a moment, Yu-Seong let out a nervous laugh, nodded his head, and wet his lips before calling out, ¡°L-Loki¡­?¡±


    Having called Loki by name, Yu-Seong trembled in fear before realizing that nothing was happening to him. He did not feel any pain or shock whatsoever.


    ¡°See, I told you to trust me.¡± With twinkling eyes, Loki smiled broadly at Yu-Seong. ¡°No matter how bad my personality is, there¡¯s no way I¡¯d kill a hard-earned contractor. Don¡¯t forget this point, Yu-Seong.¡±


    Feeling the strangely serious atmosphere, Yu-Seong unconsciously nodded his head vigorously. ¡°¡­Sure.¡±


    ¡°And another thing, now that I have descended into this altered body form, I should be able to teach you quite a lot.¡±


    Hearing Loki¡¯s comment, Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes shone brightly. He knew that Loki would be able to provide him with many secrets and other hard-to-obtain information about this world. He eagerly asked, ¡°Are you sure you can just tell me those things?¡±


    ¡°Obviously, you need to meet some qualifications. If one knows a secret without having the proper qualification, a ridiculously heavy karma will weigh one down.¡± Loki smiled and nodded before continuing, ¡°Well, that¡¯s it for today. This god shall now call it a day and leave. I feel that something will happen to my main body soon.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving already?¡±


    ¡°You seem slightly sad that I¡¯m leaving so soon.¡±


    ¡°Not really, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Whenever you call my name, I¡¯ll come back to this altered body form¡­¡± Loki¡¯s purple eyes, which had been sparkling, gradually changed into a dull gray. She said, ¡°See you again, Yu-Seong.¡±


    The Dragon¡¯s body, having lost all of its power, collapsed onto the ground.


    Yu-Seong smiled at Loki¡¯s speedy exit, lifted the light Dragon¡¯s body, and slowly pushed it into his subspace.


    In any case, Yu-Seong had obtained Loki as an emergency power source. From his point of view, there was no reason to hesitate any longer.


    ¡®Well then, shall I take the promotion test right away?¡¯


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    After selecting the extreme difficulty setting for his A-Rank promotion review, Yu-Seong disappeared from the room.


    ***


    ¡°Long time no see, Yu-Seong.¡±


    Facing Mr. Guy¡¯s smiling face, Yu-Seong nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go right into the test.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re quite confident this time around, no? Hehehe.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve completed all my preparations.¡±


    Yu-Seong had never been in a better condition and circumstance for his promotion test.


    Seeing Yu-Seong¡¯s confident attitude, Mr. Guy nodded with twinkling eyes. ¡°You have certainly grown remarkably well. Well then, I bid you good luck, Yu-Seong. Hehehe.¡±


    When Mr. Guy disappeared with a smile, the scenery around Yu-Seong changed. The closest area to him now was a fairly wide plain area. Then, in front of him was a huge number of undead troops wrapped in darkness.


    At the same time, a message appeared before his eyes.


    Yu-Seong had been given a defense mission this time; although, it was possible for Yu-Seong to go on the offensive if he wanted.


    ¡®I just need to get into their bases and defeat the five generals of death, right?¡¯


    Yu-Seong did not want to endure the mission for 100 hours. He hadn¡¯t chosen to stay in the B-rank for so long only to be dragged around in a promotion test.


    Of course, Yu-Seong still had to face some considerable hurdles. Due to the penalty for selecting the extreme difficulty mission setting, his overall ability levels had been reduced by half. Thanks to this penalty, his body felt as heavy as a bail of cotton that had been soaked in water.


    However, his condition still felt much better than what he had initially expected.


    ¡®What would be the simplest and most efficient way to complete this review?¡¯


    Yu-Seong shot forward as he saw the undead army advancing toward him. The undead forces seemed endless, but the number that could attack Yu-Seong at any one time was limited.


    ¡®At best, ten is the limit, right?¡¯


    However, Yu-Seong soon regretted having such a thought.


    Around ten undead soldiers, composed of zombies and skeletons, were near him.


    ¡®At best, they¡¯re just low-ranking undead.¡¯


    Yu-Seong would not face any difficulty in defeating these sorts of opponents. Smashing the zombies and skeletons with a light swing of his spear, he soon jumped into the air.


    Digging through the dirt, red-eyed ghouls reached out and tried to grab onto Yu-Seong¡¯s ankles.


    ¡®Crazy¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong had momentarily forgotten that this was an A-Rank promotion test on the extreme difficulty setting. It was only natural that he would be bombarded by some nonsensical forms of attack.


    Just as he had such a thought, Yu-Seong felt a wave of heat rise in front of him. He was frightened by the sensation of his skin heating up, so he quickly flung himself to the side through Wind Control.


    Bang-!


    A large fireball burned the undead and the general area where Yu-Seong had been standing just moments earlier.


    ¡®Magic?¡¯


    Then, when he raised his head, Yu-Seong saw a barrage of arrows pouring down on him. A group of gargoyles that were unaffected by the rain of arrows also descended toward him.


    ¡®This is nuts¡­!¡¯


    Yu-Seong hurriedly unfolded Dancing Electric Doll while using Wind Control to leave the spot where he had been standing.


    The zombies and skeletons that had been attacking Yu-Seong were shattered into pieces by the gargoyles¡¯ descending attack and the rain of arrows. Even with this loss, the undead army did not seem to have sustained any meaningful loss. The lower-ranking undead, the zombies and skeletons, were literally just bait; their numbers were truly innumerable.


    ¡®They¡¯re even resurrecting¡­¡¯


    As skeletons with staffs in their hands hurled magic at Yu-Seong, a lich waved its hands and the fallen low-ranking undead rose up once more.


    As long as the undead were not completely crushed or unable to move, they could rise back up even after being struck by a few arrows or had their forms slightly deformed. To make matters worse for Yu-Seong, there was more than one lich.


    ¡®Two, three, four¡­¡¯


    The number of liches appearing in the rear of the enemy forces gradually increased. Since this was the case, the number of low-ranking undead forces was essentially infinite.


    Once he recognized that he was essentially up against an army of immortals, Yu-Seong gritted his teeth. He had goosebumps all over his body.


    ¡®If I get caught up in this, it¡¯ll be dangerous.¡¯


    Under these conditions, he would have to be extremely lucky to drag the battle out and survive for 100 hours. Of course, this was not the scenario that Yu-Seong wanted or envisioned.


    ¡®I need to be more daring.¡¯


    Although his overall abilities had been decreased by half, Yu-Seong did not hesitate to use his skills.


    ¡®Wind Thunder Dragon God Art.¡¯


    Yu-Seong raised his power in an instant and caused a thunderbolt to crackle.


    Rumble-!


    Accompanied by a rumbling thunderbolt, lightning struck and swept away the undead all around Yu-Seong. The lightning also wrapped around Yu-Seong¡¯s body.


    ¡®Run.¡¯


    Following the winds, Yu-Seong cleared away most of the undead with the lightning that crackled around him.


    He took decisive action upon realizing that his lightning would affect the undead like a heavenly punishment. The lightning acted like a source of divine power, so the fallen undeads¡¯ resurrection speed was considerably lowered.


    Panicking, the liches used more magic. Unfortunately for them, their magic was destroyed when Yu-Seong started swinging with his lightning-wrapped spear.


    This scene would have driven any witnesses mad with shock. Being able to split magic just by wielding one¡¯s weapon? As told in legends, the wizard¡¯s greatest nemesis had appeared on the battlefield. However, maintaining this appearance and ability was not difficult for Yu-Seong.


    ¡®Wrap Dispel around the tip of my spear and cut the magic itself.¡¯


    The magic used by the liches was swift and threatening, but it was insignificant compared to the magic that Do-Jin had used. Hence, having already faced a greater opponent before, Yu-Seong was able to cut through the liches¡¯ magic easily.


    Gaining confidence, Yu-Seong cut through several magic spells and made his way through the undead army without much difficulty. This was all thanks to the fact that his anti-mage qualities were beginning to bloom.


    If Do-Jin had been by Yu-Seong¡¯s side, Do-Jin would have clicked his tongue after realizing that he had played a part in awakening the strongest anti-mage player with his own hands. Yu-Seong himself was not aware of this fact.


    Just as he started to feel more comfortable with dealing with magic and the countless undead soldiers, Yu-Seong caught sight of one of the generals of death in the distance. The general of death was atop a huge dark horse, emanating an ominous darkness around it, so it was easy to spot the general amongst the legion of undead.


    ¡®Let¡¯s start with that one¡­!¡¯


    While looking at the general, Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes twinkled at the thought of using Lance Charge. However, Yu-Seong soon tilted his head when he saw that the five generals of death were positioned quite close to each other.


    ¡®Eh?¡¯


    Was it because Yu-Seong had randomly broken through the undead army? All the generals of death were angrily chasing after him right now.


    ¡®If that¡¯s the case¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong changed his mind about using Lance Charge. Using Wind Thunder Dragon God Art at regular intervals, he started to gather the generals of death who were chasing after him.


    In other words, he was pulling aggro. He was familiar with taking such actions, since he often pulled aggro when hunting in the dungeons.


    As the generals of darkness came closer, a suffocating spirit pressed down on Yu-Seong¡¯s shoulders. However, he felt relatively fine.


    ¡®I might be able to complete this all at once.¡¯


    While recalling that any crisis was also an opportunity, Yu-Seong smiled.


    ¡®I never thought I¡¯d be able to test it out right away.¡¯


    With enough magic power, a small city on Earth could be blown up. Recalling that fact, Yu-Seong opened his subspace and shouted, ¡°Loki!¡±


    In the end, Yu-Seong did not have to wait 100 hours for god¡¯s punishment to befall upon the undead army.

 CH 209

    After shouting out loud, Yu-Seong confidently awaited Loki¡¯s arrival and god¡¯s heavenly punishment to descend on the immortal army. However, he was met with silence. Nothing changed.


    Actually, to be precise, there were some obvious changes and not all was quiet. All of a sudden, the generals of death surrounded Yu-Seong while riding atop hideous-looking skeleton horses. They clutched their weapons and brandished them at Yu-Seong.


    After hearing the sound of air being ripped apart and feeling an onslaught of killing intent approaching him, Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes widened as he quickly contorted himself.


    ¡®They¡¯re going to launch another attack¡­¡¯


    It was not just one general of death either; all five were planning to attack him. On top of that, ghouls that crawled on the ground were also simultaneously launching their attacks at him.


    What Yu-Seong had thought of as an opportunity quickly turned into a crisis. The situation had turned dire when Loki did not respond to his call to decimate the undead army.


    ¡®Ugh, goddamn Loki!¡¯


    Didn¡¯t Loki say that she would come upon being called? Was his trust misplaced? Seething and swearing at Loki inwardly, Yu-Seong released a fully charged Wind Thunder Dragon God Art strike in all directions.


    The weakest monsters surrounding him, such as the ghouls, zombies, and skeletons, collapsed from the Wind Thunder Dragon God Art strike¡¯s lightning. He was now left to deal with the five generals of death.


    After avoiding one of the generals of death¡¯s sword strike, Yu-Seong was faced with another mace-wielding general of death.


    Bang-!


    The force of the mace strike was so strong that, when the mace hit the ground, pieces of stone soared into the air.


    Despite feeling nervous, Yu-Seong managed to avoid the mace strike without much difficulty. Moreover, his reaction was not something that he had to consciously think about.


    ¡®My body remembers.¡¯


    His body recognized and remembered how to avoid threatening auras. This was all thanks to the training that he had done with his teacher, Bak Ok-Rye.


    The next attack was from a general of death who wielded a long spear.


    ¡®This is easier!¡¯


    Yu-Seong knew how to read the spear¡¯s movement. After all, he was already well versed in using a spear from his mastery of Cu Chulainn¡¯s Magic Spear skill.


    After Yu-Seong avoided the spear attack, the next general¡¯s attack was not from a weapon. When he got closer to the generals of death to avoid the spear strike, another general of death jumped off his skeletal horse and swung his fist at him. At first glance, the punch seemed ordinary, but Yu-Seong¡¯s instinct urgently shouted a warning at him.


    ¡®If you avoid only what you see, you¡¯ll get struck!¡¯


    With a sense of regret, Yu-Seong licked his lips and widened the distance between him and the generals of death.


    Just as he made his hasty retreat, the punch extended by the punching general of death stretched all the way to Yu-Seong¡¯s nose. Then, it contracted back like a rubber band.


    ¡®What the heck¡­!¡¯


    If he had been a bit careless, he would have been hit in the head by the general of death¡¯s fist. The only end he would then face would be collapsing on the ground while spilling blood.


    Yu-Seong was momentarily taken aback by the unconventional attack, but he quickly caught his breath and calmed himself. If he had not regained his composure, a great ax strike swinging down toward his head from another general of death would have split his skull.


    Once again, with a roaring sound, the ground shattered, and stone fragments flew upward. However, this was not the end. With the ax strike having cracked the ground where he had been standing earlier, Yu-Seong momentarily lost his balance and staggered.


    Then, as if he had been waiting for such an opening, the sword-wielding general of death, who had launched the first attack, fiercely launched a follow-up attack.


    ¡®This is dangerous¡­!¡¯


    Yu-Seong did not have enough time to counter with his spear. Inhaling sharply, he took out the gun he had hidden away near his waistband.


    ¡®I¡¯m not sure if this will work, but¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong¡¯s body reacted quicker than what his mind could process. At that moment, a flash of lightning burst out from the tip of his gun¡¯s muzzle like a sudden flame and struck the sword-wielding general of death.


    Yu-Seong had fired off a magic bullet, something he had learned from Jenny.


    ¡®I thought it might be possible if I spread it out like magic¡­¡¯


    The result was fairly successful for a first attempt. When Yu-Seong landed on the ground and rotated in the air after firing off his magic bullet shot, he saw a mace and punch attack approaching him; he jumped forward without hesitation. He first dodged the stabbing spear attack before dodging the fist strike that followed right behind it.


    He could not completely avoid the successive attacks, so a trickle of blood ran down his cheek from sustaining a minor injury. However, he was able to maintain a stable stance, so he immediately unleashed a Cu Chulainn Spearmanship move.


    ¡®Raging Snake!¡¯


    Yu-Seong¡¯s spear, which he wielded like a whip, moved geometrically and hacked away at the generals of death who were atop their skeletal horses. Black blood burst into the air, and soon, the generals of death stumbled onto the ground once their skeletal horses were wounded.


    ¡®This is my chance¡­!¡¯


    Yu-Seong was focused on catching at least one general so that he could move on to the next. Ignoring the fist-wielding general, who was the first to regain his balance, Yu-Seong aimed for the ax-wielding general who had yet to regain his balance due to the heavy armor he wore.


    ¡®He¡¯s slow, but he presents the greatest threat.¡¯


    The ax-wielding general would not have presented much of a problem if Yu-Seong had to fight him one-on-one, but the ax-wielding general was burdensome when included in the generals¡¯ joint attacks.


    It was then when Yu-Seong realized why the map had been set up so that the five generals of death were clustered close together.


    ¡®They were never meant to be defeated one-by-one.¡¯


    These generals of death had been created to launch a joint attack. The fist-wielding general of death had launched an attack without the help of his skeletal horse from the start; in other words, the generals of death were always meant to work together.


    ¡®I¡¯ll have to sustain some losses.¡¯


    If possible, Yu-Seong had to avoid sustaining bodily injury that could limit his mobility or fighting capability. Of course, there was no such area on his body. Wherever he eventually sustained injury, it would hurt, but Yu-Seong had to accept the loss to annihilate the ax-wielding general of death.


    ¡®I¡¯ll give them my flesh to cut their bones. Through a single Lance Charge¡­¡¯


    Right when Yu-Seong urgently pulled his arm back to launch an attack, the sword-wielding general of death, who had clearly been behind him moments ago, appeared in a flash in front of him.


    ¡®What¡­?! Teleportation?¡¯


    It seemed as though every death knight had at least one special hidden ability. Belatedly realizing this fact, Yu-Seong sharply inhaled some air and avoided the general¡¯s sword strike.


    In the meantime, the ax-wielding general, who had regained his balance, raised his weapon again while emanating an eerie aura.


    ¡®I¡¯m too late.¡¯


    Yu-Seong made a helpless frown as he quickly rotated his spear. The moment he deflected the oncoming sword and fist strike, a long spear quickly approached his chest area as the sound of one foot slowly tearing through the air rang out.


    ¡®He threw his spear like a javelin¡­ I¡¯m too late.¡¯


    Sharply inhaling once more, Yu-Seong gritted his teeth and braced himself for the inevitable pain that was to come. However, at that moment, he felt his Chakra draining away from his body as a purple magic circle appeared in front of him and blocked the thrown spear.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯


    Perplexed as to what had happened, Yu-Seong soon saw a purple dragon rush out from a tear in his subspace.


    ¡°Ah, sorry, truly sorry. I¡¯m a bit late because I had something to take care of.¡±


    Loki spoke confidently, but Yu-Seong felt that she was acting shamelessly.


    Regardless of whatever Yu-Seong thought about her, Loki raised her head with a relaxed gaze and an arrogant expression on her face. She then gave out a wild, maniacal laugh. ¡°Anyway, this altered form of mine has appeared. Drum roll!¡±


    ***


    Although Loki appeared through a tear in Yu-Seong¡¯s subspace, the crisis situation on the battlefield did not change. The generals of death were still surrounding Yu-Seong, and the endless army of undead were fast approaching.


    To make matters worse, Yu-Seong¡¯s Wind Thunder Dragon God Art weapon had expired, reaching the end of its allotted use time.


    ¡®My mana¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong was also running low on Chakra. If more time passed in this state, it would be difficult for him to maintain Loki¡¯s summoning.


    ¡°Why did you come so late?!¡±


    ¡°I told you; something came up.¡± Speaking calmly, Loki narrowed her eyes at Yu-Seong. ¡°Anyway, you have that thing, right?¡±


    When Loki finished speaking, Yu-Seong flinched as his facial expression subtly changed. He asked, ¡°How do you know about that?¡±


    ¡°As I said, you are contracted with me. So, of course I know.¡±


    With a smile, Loki spread her short arms out wide. Purple magic circles soon appeared once again in the air and easily blocked the oncoming attacks by the generals and undead soldiers.


    However, unlike the first time it was used, the robustness of the magic circles was not as firm and reliable. Cracks were quickly appearing all over Loki¡¯s hexagram magic circles.


    ¡°Hmm, hey you, mana tank. I¡¯m lacking mana. Quickly, charge up my mana.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Yu-Seong¡¯s heart throbbed at the sheer amount of Chakra that was being consumed; however, he could only curse under his breath. Feeling dumbfounded, he reached inside his subspace and retrieved a transparent bottle that held a blue liquid. It was clearly evident how this item was supposed to be used.


    ¡®Mana Potion. I never thought I¡¯d be using such a rare thing like this here.¡¯


    It was not easy to obtain mana potions in the Tower of Heaven, so Yu-Seong felt a deep sense of loss. However, he had no other option.


    ¡®Loki, this bastard.¡¯


    Inwardly, Yu-Seong spat out curses. Without any more hesitation, he opened the cap of the bottle and gulped down the potion. Immediately, a cold sensation made him shudder, and the painful sensation that gripped his heart earlier had completely disappeared. Soon, he felt his nearly depleted mana levels filling up.


    Yu-Seong¡¯s and Loki¡¯s eyes both widened simultaneously at the sudden change.


    ¡°You¡­ Mana, no wait, Chakra? What is this feeling of transcending your capacity?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. What is going on? This is scary.¡±


    The mana energy converted into Chakra and began to swell within Yu-Seong. It was to the point of almost bursting his fully saturated body.


    ¡°Is it the God¡¯s Chakra¡­? Is it because of the efficiency of that skill? That Destruction God¡­ He gave you a pretty nice present.¡± Loki smiled at the unexpected situation and nodded with a satisfied expression. She said, ¡°If I can use this much energy, I can have a little more fun with this body.¡±


    Subsequently, the mana that had filled Yu-Seong¡¯s body to the brim flowed into Loki in a clear, visible form. Then, Loki, in the form of a baby Dragon that was no larger than a human-sized head, began to grow little by little. Eventually, a ferocious-looking horn sprouted from the tip of Loki¡¯s nose, and a pair of wings stretched out from her body.


    Having grown to a size that was larger than two adult men put together, Loki said, ¡°Hey, Yu-Seong.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You need to say the activation words.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Cry out, Yu-Seong! Come, the end of all things¡­ Storm of Destruction!¡±


    ¡°¡­W-What?¡±


    ¡°Come on, if the summoner doesn¡¯t cheer his pet on, how can you expect the pet to do well?¡±


    ¡°You crazy bastard, how can you say something so shameless with a straight face?¡±


    Search "pawread dot com" for the original.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, you can do it! Wake up the inner temper tantrum baby within you!¡±


    Hearing Loki¡¯s words, Yu-Seong¡¯s face turned red; however, Yu-Seong eventually turned his head to the side and said, ¡°¡­Storm of Destruction.¡±


    ¡°Your voice is too quiet! Louder! Make sure to properly memorize the order of the spell¡¯s activation phrase as well!¡±


    ¡°Damn it, is this the Korean army?! Why should I have to say such childish words?¡±


    ¡°Hey, if you run out of mana again, you¡¯ll have to consume another one of your priceless potions.¡±


    Hearing Loki¡¯s slight threat, Yu-Seong could not help but feel taken aback as a sense of urgency appeared on his face. He did not want to consume another one of his precious potions. Eventually, Yu-Seong steeled his heart.


    ¡®Whatever, no one is watching me here anyway!¡¯


    If he had done what Loki wanted him to do in the outside world, Yu-Seong would have probably obtained another embarrassing nickname.


    ¡®Prince of Reversals is embarrassing enough!¡¯


    With a red face, Yu-Seong shouted as he clenched his fists, ¡°Oh, come¡­! The end of all things!¡±


    His voice initially trembled when he spoke the first few words, but there was strength in his voice by the time he completed the phrase.


    Loki slowly made a satisfied smile. Then, through the gaps between her sharp teeth, purple spheres began to quickly gather.


    Seeing such an unusual scene unfolding, Yu-Seong gave up on trying to maintain his pride; he swung an arm out and shouted, ¡°Storm of Destruction!¡±


    Immediately, with a great roar, god¡¯s punishment descended and covered the entire undead army.

 CH 210

    ¡°¡­Mr. Choi Yu-Seong, you¡¯ve surprised me many times in the past. To be honest, aside from yourself, I¡¯ve also met many strong people belonging to Earth who have set numerous amazing records. However, I¡¯ve never encountered an achievement as unbelievable as yours. There probably won¡¯t be one like it in the future, either.¡±


    While Mr. Guy tried to remain calm, Yu-Seong scratched his cheek and asked, ¡°Well, is there a problem?¡±


    With the help of a god, Loki, Yu-Seong aced his promotion test easily. To put it bluntly, he had displayed an overpowering show of force that was not commensurate with his rank. That was why Yu-Seong fully understood Mr. Guy¡¯s bewilderment.


    ¡°¡­Actually, there¡¯s no problem. But for the Joke-loving Prankster to intervene¡­¡±


    ¡°My main body is still trapped within the confines of that filthy Tower, so I didn¡¯t take a step outside my boundary,¡± snorted the small Dragon as it flapped its wings by Yu-Seong¡¯s side.


    ¡°You¡¯re certainly not wrong.¡± Mr. Guy nodded as he once again chuckled at the unbelievable situation.


    He looked at the completely ruined battlefield before gazing at Yu-Seong. ¡°Congratulations, Choi Yu-Seong. This is a tremendous achievement. You didn¡¯t need the entire 100 hours; you have annihilated the undead army without the scheduled god¡¯s punishment. No matter how I think about it, your accomplishment is beyond my comprehension. The system is calculating your compensation rewards right now, but honestly, it¡¯s taking awhile due to your astronomically large accomplishment.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s a good thing, right?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, yes.¡±


    Mr. Guy probably insisted on adding the word ¡®perhaps¡¯ because he was being put in a difficult position.


    Seeing Mr. Guy scratching his cheek as he was deep in thought for a while, Loki complained, ¡°Why are you dragging this on? Can¡¯t you just look through the list of compensation rewards, pick a few, and hand them over for Yu-Seong to choose?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I¡¯m having a hard time choosing. Hmm¡­¡± Mr. Guy sighed before waving his hand in the air.


    Although Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t see anything, it was clear that there was some sort of list that only Mr. Guy could see. Mr. Guy¡¯s gaze went up and down the empty air in front of him before he eventually let out a defeated sigh.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve compiled a rough list. Please pick one.¡± Mr. Guy then waved his hand as if he was throwing something at Yu-Seong.


    At the same time, three options unfolded before Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes.


    1. Special promotion: Direct access to S-Rank.


    2. Nine-headed Snake¡¯s Colorful Accessory Set.


    3. Obtaining at least 5 Special Skills of S-Rank or higher.


    Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes widened once he saw the choices. He exclaimed, ¡°Special direct promotion to S-Rank?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a list of rewards myself; the system seems to have recognized Mr. Choi Yu-Seong as already being beyond the A-Rank. Well, I agree with its assessment.¡± Mr. Guy, stroking his long beard, tilted his head and stated, ¡°In my opinion, I think the first choice is better than going through another cumbersome promotion test, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Guy, you¡¯re being quite naughty,¡± Loki stated in a flabbergasted tone of voice before turning to Yu-Seong. She continued, ¡°You¡¯re not going to choose option one, right?¡±


    This novel is available on "pawread dot com".


    ¡°Of course not, I¡¯m not dumb.¡±


    Yu-Seong felt good that the system had judged him to be an S-Rank or higher. In this case, even a non-human machine was viewing his limits as being ridiculously high for his current rank. However, choosing option one just because of that sentiment would be foolish.


    ¡®In other words, the system is telling me that I¡¯m already at a level where I can take and pass the S-Rank promotion test any time I want.¡¯


    In the end, Yu-Seong would eventually obtain the S-Rank, so option one only brought forward that eventuality a little bit quicker. The advantage of option one was that it would save him time, since he wouldn¡¯t need to gather 100 levels of A-Rank experience.


    However, Yu-Seong was still unconvinced.


    ¡®Is it necessary?¡¯


    Thanks to his Star Factor skill, Yu-Seong¡¯s speed of leveling-up was already unparalleled. If he really wanted, he could reach the qualification to take the S-Rank promotion test within two to three months. Moreover, if he chose option one, he would have to give up the reward for completing the S-Rank promotion test. Hence, Yu-Seong obviously excluded option one from his consideration.


    ¡°Hehehe¡­ I put it in as a small joke, but I guess it is not working out well.¡±


    ¡°Your pranks reflect your mischievousness, Mr. Guy,¡± Yu-Seong responded.


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t Mr. Choi Yu-Seong previously played pranks on me as well?¡± Mr. Guy smiled and shrugged his shoulders.


    In the meantime, Yu-Seong looked over the remaining two reward options. After a moment of looking back and forth between the remaining two options, he quickly made up his mind.


    ¡®Let¡¯s do option two.¡¯


    Actually, Yu-Seong considered the third reward option very highly, so he had been torn between the two remaining options.


    It was commonly accepted that having more skills was always better for a player, as skills conferred multiple benefits. In fact, Yu-Seong mostly agreed with this general sentiment. Moreover, if the skill rewards in option three were given as Special Skills, then they would not affect his empty skill slot count either. Needless to say, option three would truly be a transcendent reward option.


    However, Yu-Seong decided to place his trust on Loki, on his own Eye of Replication, and on the power of his Fusion skill.


    ¡®Anyway, there¡¯ll be many opportunities for me to acquire more skills in the future.¡¯


    On the other hand, getting his hands on a treasure from an other-world was a different situation.


    If he wanted to obtain just a part of an other-world¡¯s treasure, Yu-Seong felt that he would be able to purchase it somehow through his accrued Karma Points. If he was lucky, he might even be able to purchase a couple of parts. However, getting his hands on a complete item set, which was rare in its own right, was an entirely different situation.


    As the item set¡¯s name suggested, the set¡¯s various components produced an additional power and effect once the set was complete, and there was no guarantee that these otherworldly treasures could be obtained no matter how many Karma Points one had.


    ¡®There¡¯s probably only one unique set item in every dimension, and each set item probably has an owner already.¡¯


    Hence, collecting all the set items was most likely more difficult than collecting all the dragon balls, a popular concept that had been described in an old Japanese comic.


    In other words, the value of items was at their highest when a set was complete.


    ¡®It¡¯s a pity that I have to give up the 5 Special Skills of S rank or higher, but¡­¡¯


    This time around, Yu-Seong was convinced he had to choose the item set option. He firmly stated, ¡°I choose option two.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t have any regrets, right?¡± Mr. Guy asked with sparkling eyes.


    Yu-Seong, who had already made up his mind, answered quickly without any hesitation, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll see you again¡­in the near future¡­ Mr. Choi Yu-Seong.¡±


    After hearing Mr. Guy¡¯s words, Yu-Seong felt his consciousness slipping away at a rapid pace. It was time for him to go back to reality.


    ***


    The Nine-headed Snake¡¯s Colorful Accessory Set was, as its name suggested, a treasure from an other-world that consisted of nine different items.


    ¡®Two earrings, two bracelets, four rings, and one necklace.¡¯


    As the name suggested, the set items were mainly in the shape of a snake¡¯s head or a coiled snake.


    ¡®If I wear all of these, I¡¯ll have no choice but to look flashy.¡¯


    With his given nickname, his bizarre spell chant, and now this accessory set, Yu-Seong felt like he was gradually becoming something like an awkward, mid-puberty teenager. However, he knew that there was no turning back now.


    ¡®¡­I can¡¯t give this up.¡¯


    No matter how embarrassed he might feel, Yu-Seong could not give up something that provided him with such enormous benefits.


    First of all, there was the effect of the two earrings.


    ¡®My maximum mana capacity has increased.¡¯


    Yu-Seong felt as though each earring increased his mana capacity by 25%. Hence, by gaining 50% more mana capacity in total, he felt as though the sudden increase had emptied his insides.


    ¡®I feel so empty and weak.¡¯


    However, this problem was quickly resolved once he put on the two bracelets, which overlapped with each other, on his left arm.


    ¡®Increased mana recovery speed.¡¯


    Yu-Seong¡¯s God¡¯s Chakra continuously restored his mana even without Yu-Seong having to consciously concentrate on the act. Now, with the addition of the Nine-headed Snake¡¯s bracelets, the speed of his mana recovery had increased exponentially.


    ¡®This is great, no? If I have about five more of such bracelets, even if I use Wind Thunder Dragon God Art continuously, my mana level won¡¯t decrease. Rather, it¡¯ll constantly fill up.¡¯


    With such thoughts in mind, Yu-Seong reached a hypothesis and he could not help but chuckle.


    ¡®Right now, I can probably use a skill similar to that of my Dancing Electric Doll indefinitely without worrying about mana consumption.¡¯


    Skills that he had never dared to use beyond a few times, due to his lack of mana, could now be used to his heart¡¯s content.


    By acquiring the God¡¯s Chakra and the Nine-headed Snake¡¯s bracelets, he had achieved unbelievable growth.


    ¡®In addition to all this, there are the four rings.¡¯


    The four rings shared the same effect.


    ¡®Increased vitality.¡¯


    This increase in vitality had two meanings.


    The first was that it literally improved Yu-Seong¡¯s physical strength. His concentration levels during battle would increase, and he would be able to fight for longer.


    That was not all. To test something out, Yu-Seong transformed his Pharoah¡¯s Caprice into a short dagger and drew a long cut on his palm. In an instant, blood flowed from the large wound, but the wound quickly regenerated with the four rings¡¯ glow.


    ¡®If I summon the Green Wind Spirit Cat while wearing these four rings during battle¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong gave out another satisfied chuckle.


    ¡®Sooner or later, people will probably be calling me a Human Troll.¡¯


    In other words, Yu-Seong would be compared to a monster that was known for its regeneration ability. From his own point of view, being called a Human Troll was better than his current nickname, the Prince of Reversals.


    The final item was a necklace. As soon as he put it on, Yu-Seong felt half of his mana instantly disappear. He was initially taken aback by the sudden sensation of having half of his mana being taken away; however, he knew the effects of the Nine-headed Snake¡¯s Colorful Accessory Set based on the original novel, so he soon regained his composure.


    ¡®That¡¯s why I chose this in the first place. The explanation of this set in the original novel is largely to blame.¡¯


    Yu-Seong did not choose the accessory set because it looked good. In the original novel, [Modern Master Returns], the effects of the Nine-headed Snake¡¯s Colorful Accessory Set had been clearly spelled out for him.


    ¡®Originally, it was a treasure that the Immortal Demon King had gathered and used.¡¯


    Due to the effects of this other-world treasure, Kim Do-Jin and his party had struggled mightily against the Immortal Demon King in the novel. However, Yu-Seong was now in possession of this set.


    Even if he had to face the Immortal Demon King sometime in the future, Yu-Seong was confident he would be able to deal with the Demon King much more comfortably than what Do-Jin had to go through in the original novel.


    ¡®Anyway, this necklace is the most important item. It is also the essential representative symbol of the Nine-headed Snake.¡¯


    The Nine-headed Snake¡¯s Colorful Accessory Set possessed a rather non-intuitive effect.


    ¡®Half of my total mana has been sealed.¡¯


    At first glance, one might have this thought, but the reality was a little different. Half of his mana had flowed into the necklace that Yu-Seong was wearing, and that was not all.


    If his regenerated mana reached above half his maximum mana capacity, the necklace would suck in that additional mana. This sort of mechanism might have concerned others who were not familiar with the necklace¡¯s set effect, but Yu-Seong knew the effects beforehand. This was why he was not concerned.


    ¡®Mana accumulation.¡¯


    The set effect was to immediately take half of a player¡¯s maximum mana capacity and store that mana within the necklace. In a way, this could be seen as an immediate penalty. However, the story changed when one activated the necklace¡¯s second ability, ¡®emission¡¯.


    ¡®Once I use emission, I can use the mana I¡¯ve accumulated in the necklace in whatever way I want for five minutes.¡¯


    In other words, depending on the amount of mana one accumulated, one could use mana that may be several times the amount of mana that one had or even of one¡¯s overall maximum capacity.


    ¡®By combining this Nine-headed Snake¡¯s Colorful Accessory Set¡¯s effect and Loki¡¯s spell, with its embarrassing spell chant¡­¡¯


    It was now possible for Yu-Seong to borrow a god¡¯s power and blow up a small city. Having seen the effects of Storm of Destruction firsthand, Yu-Seong was sure of it.


    ¡®It¡¯s like I¡¯ve become a walking nuclear bomb.¡¯


    As an A-Rank player, Yu-Seong was relating himself to a nickname that was often given to players of EX rank or higher.


    Yu-Seong seemed to be very satisfied with his present situation.

 CH 211

    After confirming the effects of his set items, Yu-Seong started working on raising all of his skills to A-Rank.


    Similar to when he had reached B-rank, Yu-Seong summoned Mr. Ping Pong to convert his Karma Points. As expected, he was in possession of quite a lot of Karma Points. If he continued progressing as he did up to now, completing difficult and sometimes unimaginable tasks, he would never be lacking Karma Points.


    ¡®It won¡¯t be easy to maintain such a pace, but¡­¡¯


    When was this new life ever easy? Still, Yu-Seong believed he could accomplish whatever he set forth for himself; as he had done up until now, he would continue to progress in the future. In this new world, which had become his reality, he no longer had doubts about his life¡¯s path.


    ¡®After upgrading all my skills to A-Rank, my power has more than doubled.¡¯


    With the set items¡¯ additional effects, Yu-Seong¡¯s actual power had increased by nearly fourfold. Nevertheless, he felt a slight sense of regret. He soon found the reason why.


    ¡®For the present me, the wall between B- and A-Rank is paper thin.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was not referring to his growth in power, as he had become at least four times more powerful than before. The problem was in the areas where he had been struggling to develop through training.


    ¡®I feel like there¡¯s a wall in front of me but¡­¡¯


    It was hard for Yu-Seong to see or understand what lay beyond that wall. He had assumed that he would find some sort of resolution upon entering A-Rank, but that, unfortunately, did not seem to be the case.


    ¡®Maybe it isn¡¯t a matter of rank.¡¯


    Since he did not find a resolution or gain any realizations, Yu-Seong felt that there was no reason for him to remain in A-Rank for any extended period of time.


    ¡®I can quickly hit level 100 and move on to the S-Rank.¡¯


    In any case, the higher rank he became, the more his physical and mana abilities would automatically improve. Moreover, to get used to his newly upgraded A-Rank skills, Yu-Seong felt the need to spend some time hunting.


    ¡®I¡¯ll have to move as quietly as possible¡­¡¯


    If In-Young on Earth noticed his return, there was a high chance that she would make things rather cumbersome for him.


    ¡®It¡¯s nice that I can enter dungeons without any party members thanks to the Special Admission ticket.¡¯


    Yu-Seong could see why Do-Jin desired a Solo Play Ticket so much. Although Do-Jin would probably obtain one sooner or later, by that time, Yu-Seong would have already completed most of the necessary preparations he had in mind.


    After organizing his thoughts, Yu-Seong''s mind was momentarily cleared. Just as concentration of one¡¯s consciousness was necessary for development, so was recovery.


    ¡®Let¡¯s get a good night¡¯s sleep for now.¡¯


    Starting tomorrow, Yu-Seong would become busy.


    ¡®I¡¯ll have to get up in the morning, summon Loki, and replicate and fuse the necessary skills right away. Also¡­¡¯


    Although Yu-Seong had momentarily cleared his mind and was set on taking some rest, he could not stop the various thoughts and ideas from popping into his mind. He spent a little more time organizing his priorities.


    Then, as his mind was finally starting to clear, Yu-Seong felt exhausted, and his consciousness started drifting.


    ¡®Ah, whatever. Let¡¯s think about it later.¡¯


    Yu-Seong quickly fell into a deep sleep.


    ***


    Early the next morning, Yu-Seong summoned Loki and replicated dozens of skills, and continuously fused them together. Although he had planned to only spend a morning, he ended up spending the entire day replicating and fusing skills.


    ¡®There are so many powerful skills.¡¯


    Now that he had reached A-Rank, a bounty of powerful skills that he could not have even imagined using in the past were now readily available to him. Moreover, all the skills had been carefully selected by Loki, a god, so Yu-Seong was naturally impressed by them.


    The only problem was that Yu-Seong had to choose the more efficient skills among all the available ones.


    ¡®Thanks to being an All-Rounder, I can use most of the skills, but¡­¡¯


    He had to carefully choose the best amongst them, as the best skills would produce the most optimum fused skills. Then, with the most optimum fused skills, Yu-Seong would be able to attain greater achievements and accumulate more Karma Points in the future.


    Only when the sun was going down did Yu-Seong finish his work. He had finally obtained a set of skills that he was satisfied with.


    ¡®Shadow Bind, Young Phoenix¡¯s Heart, Dual Operation.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had three new fused skills. He made a satisfied smile after completing the seemingly endless process of Replication and Fusion.


    Shadow Bind was a skill that used physical force to directly manipulate shadows; Shadow Bind was more of a skill to keep an opponent in check rather than a direct attack.


    Young Phoenix¡¯s Heart was a skill that further complemented Yu-Seong¡¯s regenerative power, which had become one of his strong points. Since Yu-Seong highly valued his own survivability and considered his life to be the most important thing over all else, he was not going to pass up the opportunity of possessing skills that reinforced those principles.


    ¡®Above all, most of my other regenerative skills are recovery-based for external injuries¡­¡¯


    On the other hand, Young Phoenix¡¯s Heart allowed the user to quickly recover from dangerous internal organ injuries.


    Now that he possessed skills that were a reliable insurance against external and internal injuries, Yu-Seong felt a sense of comfort in his heart.


    ¡®My body takes such a beating all the time.¡¯


    No matter how well one dodged or fought, one would still often sustain injury. However, now that he had the Nine-headed Snake¡¯s Colorful Accessory Set and the Young Phoenix¡¯s Heart, Yu-Seong¡¯s fear of injury was significantly less than before.


    ¡®It¡¯ll also make it easier for me to counter opponents who think they¡¯ve seriously injured me.¡¯


    Additionally, the last skill, Dual Operation, was an optimized skill that fit well with Yu-Seong¡¯s All-Rounder quality.


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    ¡®It¡¯s like a fraudulent skill that makes it possible for me to operate two abilities at the same time!¡¯


    In other words, Dual Operation made it possible for Yu-Seong to fight while summoning Green Wind Spirit Cat, a combination that he had thought up last night, or use his Spearmanship and magic at the same time. Furthermore, being able to activate two skills at the same time meant that Yu-Seong could use special moves such as ¡®Lance Charge¡¯ much faster.


    ¡®The situation is completely different if I can use two different skills at the same time versus using them successively.¡¯


    As it was now possible to combine more skills in the same amount of time, it was now possible for Yu-Seong to develop a more powerful finishing move than Lance Charge.


    ¡®Moreover, it¡¯ll help me better disguise my super special moves, like Storm of Destruction.¡¯


    The more Yu-Seong¡¯s skills became known to the public, the greater public recognition and admiration he would receive. However, he was also aware that that enabled many others to thoroughly analyze his skills.


    This was why it was important for him to possess a hidden card; it may become an indispensable factor in his survival.


    While feeling quite satisfied with his newly acquired skills, Yu-Seong suddenly slapped his forehead when a realization popped into his mind.


    ¡®Wait, I can use Dual Operation to train in both martial arts and magic at the same time, right?¡¯


    Even though it was already late into the night, Yu-Seong could not stop the flood of new development avenues that were rushing into his mind. In the end, with an excited heart, he immediately stepped outside to start training.


    The next day, he woke up early in the morning to train some more. This was how he ended up spending the next few days.


    While raising his experience level, Yu-Seong became convinced of one thing.


    ¡®I¡¯m not four times more powerful than when I was a B-Rank player.¡¯


    When including the power of his new skills, Yu-Seong was now at least eight times more powerful. He began to understand why most players focused so much on the strength of their skills rather than training in their skills.


    ¡®However, training has always been the firm foundation for my growth.¡¯


    He did not forget about this fact.


    At this point, Yu-Seong became curious about something.


    ¡®I¡¯m actually looking forward to the day when Do-Jin finally comes out of the Tower of Heaven, aren¡¯t I?¡¯


    There was a high probability that Do-Jin would also be in A-Rank and be significantly stronger upon emerging from the Tower. Moreover, there was another fact that Yu-Seong could not ignore.


    ¡®At this moment in time during the novel, Do-Jin was stronger than I am now.¡¯


    Then, how much stronger would the Demon King be? Yu-Seong had recently gained a lot of power, but there were still many strong existences in this world. This was why Yu-Seong constantly pressed forward aggressively instead of taking a breather.


    ***


    Late at night, Min Young-Hoon, the Vice President of the Heaven Guild and an S-Rank level 60 player, frowned upon receiving a phone call. He said, ¡°Choi In-Young, are you telling me to take care of that kid myself?¡±


    - Please. Right now, I don¡¯t have the energy to take care of things outside of my own work.


    In-Young had found out an hour ago that Yu-Seong had returned from the Tower of Heaven. Right after she had heard the news, she immediately called Young-Hoon and asked him to deal with Yu-Seong himself.


    After Mi-Na¡¯s appearance, Ji-Ho had suddenly reappeared, so it was difficult for In-Young herself to directly deal with Yu-Seong. Although neither Mi-Na nor Ji-Ho had made a move, the situation was volatile and could change at any moment. In preparation for any unexpected incidents, In-Young had to remain vigilant as she awaited her siblings to make their moves.


    - Well, can you do something about it or not?


    Hearing an earnestness in In-Young¡¯s voice, Young-Hoon bit his lip. He knew all too well that this particular task was very dangerous. He didn¡¯t think that he would fail, but¡­ Even if he succeeded, Woo-Jae would undoubtedly hound him down and stamp him out.


    Currently, the Comet Group had solidified its position as the No. 1 company in Korea; the Comet Group was a monstrous dinosaur, a colossal force to be reckoned with. The situation was markedly different from the past. Furthermore, Young-Hoon had also begun to realize just why many people were afraid of Woo-Jae.


    ¡®There are more things hidden beneath the surface.¡¯


    To get involved in Choi family matters was to become enemies with such an imposing person. No matter how he thought it over, Young-Hoon knew that dealing with Yu-Seong would be a stupid choice. Regardless of whether he succeeded or failed, Young-Hoon was highly likely to be dead once the dust settled.


    ¡°Choi In-Young. This¡­¡±


    - I know; I realize it¡¯s a great burden for you, but that kid has grown too much. I can¡¯t trust anyone else but you to get things done properly.


    Nevertheless, Young-Hoon had trouble saying no to In-Young because of the earnestness he could hear in her voice. He could also picture her imploring eyes, which did not help him think rationally. Hence, it was difficult for him to reject her request.


    - You said you would lay down your life for me. Were you lying?


    ¡°¡­No.¡±


    - I love you, Min Young-Hoon. I¡¯ll somehow stop my father. So, please take care of Yu-Seong in whatever way you can. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m asking you to kill him. Kidnap him and bring him to me.


    Inwardly, Young-Hoon laughed.


    ¡®She¡¯s saying she loves me?¡¯


    He knew that In-Young was lying. He also knew that he could not trust her to take care of Woo-Jae. If such a thing was possible, In-Young would have taken care of Yu-Seong herself.


    Young-Hoon knew all of this, but he could only let out a deep sigh in the end. He said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying when I said I¡¯d give up my life for you. In the past and even now, my heart hasn¡¯t changed, Choi In-Young.¡±


    - Really?!


    Hearing In-Young¡¯s happy voice, Young-Hoon could not help but feel a sense of loathing. At the same time, he was filled with a sense of pleasure.


    Young-Hoon nodded while not understanding the reason behind it. He declared, ¡°I¡¯ll break that cheeky kid¡¯s neck and bring him to you.¡±


    - Thank you, Min Young-Hoon! I won¡¯t forget your contribution to my cause.


    In-Young would have to remember because, after this, Young-hoon would most likely disappear from the Republic of Korea. In fact, he would probably disappear from the face of this Earth.


    - Then, when can you start?


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason to drag things out.¡±


    Young-Hoon looked at his watch; it was 3 PM. It would not be difficult to track down where Yu-Seong was once he obtained Yu-Seong¡¯s general location.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start immediately.¡±


    - I love you. I really love you, Min Young-Hoon.


    ¡°¡­and I as well.¡±


    With a bitter smile, Young-Hoon hung up the phone and looked out the window, where he could see the skyline of downtown Seoul at a glance. As the image of In-Young smiling brightly back at him through the window appeared in his mind, he felt an ache deep within him.


    ¡°That bitch.¡±


    Young-Hoon smiled as he juxtaposed his own face with the woman he imagined on the other side of the window.


    ¡®You fool.¡¯


    However, there were things in the world that one had to do even if one had all the facts and knew it was a huge mistake. Young-Hoon decided that this was one of those times.


    With slow steps, Young-Hoon left the office that he had occupied for a long time.

 CH 212

    When he entered the Rank 6 dungeon alone, Yu-Seong could feel firsthand just how much he had grown.


    ¡®It¡¯s not difficult.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had been very strong even as a B-rank player. Even back then, it would not have been impossible for him to hunt in a Rank 6 dungeon alone; however, it wouldn¡¯t have been easy. Back then, he would have needed at least ten minutes to hunt and defeat a single monster.


    ¡®Actually, it wasn¡¯t very efficient.¡¯


    However, the situation was entirely different now. Yu-Seong was now able to defeat a Rank 6 dungeon monster within three minutes and gain the commensurate experience points with relative ease. Moreover, he did not have to try as hard as he had done when he had been a B-rank player.


    ¡®I can adjust how much physical strength I exert and be able to hunt in moderation.¡¯


    If he slightly exerted himself, he might even be able to solo play in a Rank 7 dungeon. However, he probably would not be able to contend against a Rank 7 dungeon¡¯s boss monster.


    ¡®Hmm, a solo raid¡­¡¯


    Recalling the boss monster in the Rank 7 dungeon, Tyrant of the Swamp, Yu-Seong could not help but feel a trickle of sweat running down his back.


    ¡®It¡¯s probably still a bit too much to deal with something like that all by myself, right?¡¯


    Of course, if Yu-Seong fought as if it was a life-or-death situation, the outcome might be different. However, he currently did not feel the need to risk his life for such a result.


    Even while he had these various thoughts, Yu-Seong swung his spear and neatly pierced the heart of a Rank 6 monster, a Calvado, that stood in front of him.


    The Calvado, which resembled a rhinoceros, was a monster that used its large size and hard skin to recklessly rush its opponents in a melee attack.


    ¡®The problem is that a Calvado is about twice as big as the average rhinoceros, and it¡¯s more than three times faster.¡¯


    Although the Calvado¡¯s main form of attack was a head-on melee rush, it also had the flexibility to quickly rotate its body and attack from other angles. Due to this reason, Yu-Seong had to be careful and maintain his focus when facing off against the Calvados.


    Even the slightest slip of concentration would open Yu-Seong up to be gored by the Calvado¡¯s thick and sharp horns as it recklessly charged at him; if he should be struck by those horns, he would immediately be on the next train to the underworld.


    However, even against such an enemy, Yu-Seong had the time to think about other matters. So, in essence, it was not very difficult for him to accumulate experience points.


    - Your level has risen.


    Yu-Seong easily leveled up. Moreover, thanks to his Star Factor, his speed in acquiring experience points was remarkably fast.


    ¡®I¡¯ve already reached Level 10 in the A-rank.¡¯


    He had achieved this in less than a week after becoming an A-rank player. The speed of his leveling up was incredibly fast, especially when one considered how it was exponentially more difficult to level up as one¡¯s rank rose. If others knew of his leveling up speed, they would probably have rubbed their eyes in shock and amazement.


    ¡®Not bad.¡¯


    Two days ago, Ye-Ryeong and Jin-Hyuk had contacted Yu-Seong to say that they had both successfully completed the promotion test and entered the B-rank. Moreover, they had also stated that they planned to immediately work on raising their levels to take the A-rank promotion test as soon as possible.


    ¡®Just like how I felt that there was no meaning for me to remain in the A-rank for an extended period of time, the two probably also think that it¡¯s unnecessary to stay in the B-rank for long.¡¯


    Although some might say that the two were being impatient, Yu-Seong was not concerned about the two¡¯s rapid development because he personally knew Ye-Ryeong and Jin-Hyuk. In fact, if comparing only one¡¯s growth potential, the two probably had an advantage over Yu-Seong.


    As Yu-Seong was having this thought, he finished off the last of the Calvados. Afterward, he checked his dungeon timer while catching his breath.


    ¡®Five hours and thirty minutes.¡¯


    He had entered the dungeon around 11:00 AM, so the time in the outside world was around 4:30 PM.


    ¡®Perhaps I should call it a day and wrap things up a little earlier than usual.¡¯


    While having this thought, Yu-Seong turned to head over to the dungeon gate.


    ¡°¡­?!¡±


    However, at that moment, Yu-Seong saw a pair of eyes gazing at him from a distance. It was a man with an impressive scar around his left eye, and from the man¡¯s appearance alone, Yu-Seong knew that the man was not staring at him out of simple curiosity.


    ¡®What? An ambush?¡¯


    An ambush would not have been strange. By now, In-Young would have already noticed that Yu-Seong had returned to Earth. However, the issue was that the man exuded a considerable aura as he slowly approached Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Choi Yu-Seong.¡±


    Being approached by the man who had clearly called out his name, Yu-Seong had no doubt about the other person¡¯s intentions. Hence, Yu-Seong smiled and said with a nod, ¡°Did my sister, Choi In-Young, send you?¡±


    Once Young-Hoon heard Yu-Seong¡¯s response, he shuddered. Even the scar on his left cheek twitched wildly. He muttered, ¡°¡­Perhaps. Anyway, I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re quite talented, but I¡¯ve never heard about you being so smart. Is it some sort of special Choi family trait?¡±


    When Young-Hoon smiled and spread his palms, a wriggling brown energy soon solidified and formed a long rod in his hands.


    ¡®Materialization?¡¯


    There were not many players who specialized in materialization, such as Yu-Ri, in the whole of Korea. Moreover, the man had a long scar near the corner of his left eye. Thus, it was not difficult for Yu-Seong to guess who his opponent was.


    ¡°Min Young-Hoon of the Heaven Guild?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Silence could sometimes be an unspoken affirmation. The man, Young-Hoon, just smiled coldly as a strong sense of determination settled into his eyes.


    ¡°Since death will soon come, there¡¯s no need for any elaborate introductions.¡±


    Although it was unclear who he was directing his words to, whether to Yu-Seong or himself, Young-Hoon quickly disappeared from sight.


    Yu-Seong became nervous, because he knew that Young-Hoon was not an ordinary S-Rank player.


    ¡®He¡¯s an Irregular.¡¯


    Yu-Seong knew that Young-Hoon was a player with overlapping abilities from two skill attribute areas: Phenomenal and Projection.


    In addition, like Yu-Seong, Young-Hoon was famous for being a person who trained heavily. Although his official position was as the Vice President of the Heaven Guild, he could easily venture out on his own and create a Top 10 guild if he set his mind to it. And in terms of fighting style, Young-Hoon was incredibly fast.


    In the blink of an eye, Young-Hoon¡¯s weapon of choice, a rod, had precisely reached Yu-Seong¡¯s forehead area.


    Yu-Seong was clearly in a threatening situation, but he remained calm. His body moved reflexively and calmly.


    Bang-!


    With a sharp crack, Young-Hoon¡¯s rod soared high into the air.


    ¡®He¡¯s able to block my attack? Didn¡¯t he just register as an A-rank hunter?¡¯


    Young-Hoon started to understand why In-Young was so wary of Yu-Seong. Although Young-Hoon himself had seen videos of the well-known Yu-Seong fighting on NewTube, Yu-Seong¡¯s fighting prowess was much better than what he had initially expected.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s my last fight, so I expect a challenge!¡±


    Young-Hoon¡¯s entire body exuded an explosive, ferocious energy as he had an angered expression on his face. At the same time, his deflected rod stretched out like a chain and was making its way to wrap around Yu-Seong¡¯s body.


    Yu-Seong used Wind Control to evade the chain-like rod that was wrapping around him. Then, he lunged at Young-Hoon with a spear stab move.


    At that moment, Young-Hoon screamed out, ¡°Ack-!¡±


    Along with that loud cry, a powerful energy emanated from Young-Hoon¡¯s mouth, like a Dragon¡¯s Breath, and struck Yu-Seong¡¯s body squarely.


    Boom-!


    ¡®He¡¯s expelling energy through his mouth?¡¯


    Yu-Seong was taken aback because he had never read about this type of attack in the original novel. He also hadn¡¯t come across such information in his present life; Yu-Seong scoffed as he watched his chest area, which had been cut up due to the attack, quickly recover.


    ¡®If I was still at B-Rank, this sort of attack would have put me in a dangerous situation.¡¯


    The effects of the Nine-headed Snake¡¯s rings and the Young Phoenix¡¯s Heart skill had activated simultaneously, which allowed Yu-Seong to quickly recover from his wounds and regain his original state.


    By the time the cloud of dust that had risen from Yu-Seong being slammed against the dungeon¡¯s walls had cleared away, Yu-Seong was already able to stand up completely intact.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re fine after being hit by that attack? You¡¯re much tougher than I thought.¡±


    While waiting for the cloud of dust to clear, Young-Hoon thought that he had dealt a fatal blow on Yu-Seong. However, he soon saw Yu-Seong scoffing while standing steadfast.


    After registering Yu-Seong¡¯s state, Young-Hoon stretched his hand out and quickly shot out sharp thorns that he had materialized from his palm.


    Yu-Seong could not help but be tongue-tied at his Irregular opponent¡¯s outrageous attack that combined both Materialization and Projection. He swung his spear to deflect the oncoming thorns, took out his gun, and then fired magic bullets in succession at Young-Hoon.


    ¡°Ah¡­ I see, you¡¯re a dual ability player yourself. So, you¡¯re also an Irregular.¡± Young-Hoon showed a rather surprised expression as he materialized a defensive barrier to deflect Yu-Seong¡¯s magic bullets.


    Of course, the reality was that Yu-Seong was not a dual ability player like Young-Hoon.


    ¡®I¡¯m just an All-Rounder type player.¡¯


    In a way, it was more accurate to say that Yu-Seong was a multi-ability player. It was the truth that the magic bullets that Yu-Seong had shot without much effort did not have much power behind them.


    ¡®But the threat of it is enough.¡¯


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    Above all, if he could wield a spear and a gun at the same time, Yu-Seong could deploy various strategies to keep his opponent on the back foot.


    ¡®And if I focus on shooting, I should be able to increase the power behind the magic bullets.¡¯


    However, it was almost impossible to wield a spear with one hand while maintaining a mana circuit with the other to continually send out magic bullets. For this reason, Yu-Seong had previously used both his gun and spear alternately, but he had never used them at the same time.


    ¡®But¡­¡¯


    Now, things were different. He was able to use Dual Operation, a new fused skill that allowed him to divide his focused consciousness into two areas; hence, Yu-Seong was able to rush at Young-Hoon while wielding his spear in one hand and firing off with his gun in the other.


    Bam, Bam, Bam-!


    The muzzle blazed with fire at high speed. Focusing his mind on shooting out magic bullets, the power behind the bullets became much stronger than before.


    Young-Hoon, who quickly created another defensive barrier to block the new attack, laughed coldly before materializing several sharp, spear-like barbed thorns and firing them at Yu-Seong. His thick thorns could not be deflected by the magic bullets.


    Yu-Seong momentarily loosened his grip on his spear, extending it out so that his grasp was lower on the spear¡¯s shaft. Then, he rotated his body with force.


    The barbed spear-like thorns, which were imbued with Young-Hoon¡¯s mana, got caught up in Yu-Seong¡¯s whirling motion and were torn apart. Also, at the same time, the magic bullets that Yu-Seong had fired while making the whirling move quickly passed by Young-Hoon¡¯s ear.


    ¡®What¡­?¡¯


    Young-Hoon was thoroughly confused as to how Yu-Seong was able to shoot his magic bullets while wielding his spear.


    Whether he held his spear short or long, Yu-Seong¡¯s movements were natural and smooth.


    As Young-Hoon felt cold sweat running down his back after receiving his latest, unexpected attack, Yu-Seong approached Young-Hoon and sent out a terrifying stab with his spear, which he now held much higher on the spear¡¯s shaft.


    Young-Hoon hurriedly tried to block and evade the oncoming attacks.


    ¡®I¡¯m at a disadvantage in close combat. Dragging out this fight won¡¯t be beneficial for me either.¡¯


    Although Young-Hoon knew that he was only going up against an A-rank player, Yu-Seong¡¯s attacks were much too fierce and powerful to be categorized as coming from an A-rank player.


    ¡®Above all, this guy¡­hasn¡¯t even used his signature skill yet.¡¯


    Young-Hoon was referring to Yu-Seong¡¯s Wind Thunder Dragon God Art skill, where lightning crackled around Yu-Seong¡¯s body following a flow of high-speed wind. Young-Hoon could not help but recognize that, ¡®Yu-Seong has already surpassed A-rank in terms of power¡¯.


    Young-Hoon had to approach Yu-Seong as someone in the same rank as himself or even higher.


    ¡®Choi In-Young requested that I bring you back alive, but¡­¡¯


    Regretfully, Young-Hoon understood that if he put any conditions or restrictions on himself, he would not be able to handle Yu-Seong.


    Yu-Seong had already become a powerful existence who was difficult to handle even for Young-Hoon himself, a powerful player who prided himself on being ranked among the top 10 in Korea.


    ¡®Choi In-Young, in the end, you¡¯re clumsy and underprepared in regard to Yu-Seong.¡¯


    It seemed that everyone was still underestimating Yu-Seong. Everyone saw Yu-Seong developing at a frighteningly quick pace, but that was all they saw.


    ¡®This guy will become a monster.¡¯


    If Yu-Seong was not stopped here, it was clear for Young-Hoon that Yu-Seong would become a tremendous existence who would eventually eclipse Woo-Jae.


    ¡®It¡¯s a waste to kill off such a talent; however¡­¡¯


    Young-Hoon did not forget what he needed to do.


    ¡®I promised that I¡¯d give up my own life for Choi In-Young¡­¡¯


    As a man, he had no intention of going against his word. Young-Hoon was certain that he needed to finish Yu-Seong off before Yu-Seong had a chance to use any of his hidden skills.


    The killing intent in Young-Hoon¡¯s eyes became stronger as the inner mana within his body circulated at a faster pace. He felt the sensation of his entire body being on fire when he drew out such a large amount of mana so quickly.


    He felt a shot of pain that was enough to be considered dangerous, but Young-Hoon, who had already prepared for death, did not concern himself with such pain.

 CH 213

    Chapter 213


    Skillfully controlling one''s mana without letting it erupt was a crucial technique, and this was an area that Young-Hoon had confidence in.


    ¡®I''ll finish the match before he even gets the chance to use that skill.¡¯


    With Young-Hoon¡¯s focus somewhat scattered, Yu-Seong''s attacks began landing effectively even though they were all being blocked or avoided.


    Despite the increasing injuries, Young-Hoon didn''t show much concern. Indeed, pain was just a fleeting sensation. After all, it would all be over if he died.


    Watching Young-Hoon, Yu-Seong had a small doubt.


    ¡®I feel like his movements have become slower...?¡¯


    The change could simply be due to exhaustion, or Young-Hoon could possibly have some trick up his sleeve.


    However, releasing the tension he had just gained would be foolish. Yu-Seong chose to continue pouring out his attacks rather than retreating.


    Meanwhile, some of the rampaging mana around Young-Hoon leaked out as if it wanted to escape outside at any moment.


    ¡®It¡¯s time...!¡¯


    Just as Young-Hoon recognized it was the opportune moment, Yu-Seong also saw the stream of mana. Just as he gave up his attack and tried to back away a bit, he heard a loud scream signaling the end.


    ¡°Thorns of Death!"


    Sharp thorn spears sprouted all over Young-Hoon''s body like that of a porcupine.


    Just as he grew long and thick spears all around him, Young-Hoon felt something from behind grip his neck tightly.


    ¡®A shadow?¡¯


    In a desperate moment, Yu-Seong had activated his Shadow Bind Skill. However, the range of the thorn spears was too wide. The large and sturdy thorn spears pierced and destroyed even the walls inside the room, causing the narrow passage to collapse with a loud rumble.


    Baaaang-!


    Even as debris fell around them, neither Young-Hoon nor Yu-Seong could afford to pay much attention to the damage done.


    Buuubuk-!


    The piercing sound of flesh being torn apart resonated in Yu-Seong''s ears. Soon, blood gushed out from all over his body, which had holes all over.


    "Kuaak-!" Yu-Seong screamed in pain. He shook violently as he was impaled by the sharp thorn spears. As Young-Hoon collected his mana, Yu-Seong collapsed weakly to the ground.


    "Haa, haaak...!" Kneeling down on the ground, Young-Hoon let out rough groans while sweating profusely. He slumped down in place once he could no longer endure it.


    With not a single ounce of strength left in his body, Young-Hoon looked down at the collapsed Yu-Seong, who was bleeding profusely onto the ground.


    ¡®I''ve killed him¡­¡¯


    Perhaps due to the sudden rise of a shadow that had grabbed Young-Hoon¡¯s neck, or perhaps because of his extraordinary reaction which had been caused by luck or skill at that moment, Yu-Seong had his vital areas like the brain and heart spared.


    However, despite that, he had sustained injuries that no ordinary person could survive. No, even without the injuries, no person could survive if they lost that much blood.


    ¡®Sorry it turned out like this.¡¯


    In fact, Young-Hoon did not hold a grudge against Yu-Seong. If he had to pick someone to hate, it would be In-Young, who had asked him to kill Yu-Seong in the first place. The nauseating taste of blood filled his mouth as he let out a solitary smile.


    "Kueeek-!"


    Blood poured out of his mouth like a waterfall, and he could not help but feel the damage he himself had caused by accumulating and releasing mana at an excessive level.


    Finally, as Young-Hoon collapsed on the dungeon floor beside Yu-Seong, he caught an unusual phenomenon through his blurry vision. He became very suspicious.


    ¡®Green light?¡¯


    Where did such a bright light come from in this dark dungeon?


    ¡®No way... Could there be a healing-type player hiding here?!¡¯


    Young-Hoon was surprised, but he could not do anything about it. He had no strength left. Moreover, even the most extraordinary healing ability could not heal such severe injuries.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong is dead.¡¯


    That was the immutable truth, after all. Thinking so, Young-Hoon closed his eyes, unable to hold on to his consciousness any longer.


    ***


    How much time had passed? Yu-Seong, who had become a gruesome sight with holes all over his body, seemed to gradually return to his original form. His hazy eyes suddenly became clear and sharp.


    "Argh-!" He immediately groaned in agony and shuddered. His body temperature dropped rapidly due to the loss of blood.


    Nevertheless, Yu-Seong quickly checked the dungeon timer.


    ¡®10 hours and 30 minutes.¡¯


    The last time Yu-Seong had checked the time was 5 hours and 30 minutes before meeting Young-Hoon. Thus, five hours had passed since then.


    Considering that the battle didn''t last very long, Yu-Seong realized that he had lost consciousness for at least four hours or more. Moreover, he had lost consciousness inside the dangerous dungeon. If Young-Hoon''s last attack had not created a wall that would have prevented monsters from approaching, both of them would have faced certain death by now.


    ¡®I was lucky in many ways.¡¯


    He had tremendously improved his recovery ability before meeting Young-Hoon, the debris had formed a thick wall, and he hadn¡¯t even been crushed underneath the thick dirt wall! Certainly, there was simply no other way to describe the situation other than luck.


    Yu-Seong felt cold sweat dripping down his back. Then, laughing, he watched the Green Wind Spirit Cat, which was running around all over his body and poking him.


    ¡®If I hadn''t summoned it at the last moment, I would have been in big trouble.¡¯


    What Yu-Seong had chosen in his last moment before falling unconscious and sacrificing his life to Young-Hoon''s special move hadn¡¯t been a spear or a gun.


    ¡®If I had not used Shadow Bind Skill to interrupt the thorn spears¡­¡¯


    If he hadn''t used Shadow Bind, his brain and heart would have been shattered by now, and he would have become a lifeless corpse. Even if he had displayed his divine power like the Wind Thunder Dragon God Art, Young-Hoon''s suicidal attack would have been an unavoidable strike in the narrow confines of the dungeon.


    In fact, it was his instinctive sense trained alongside Bak Ok-Rye that had saved his life once again. Feeling his physical body gradually recovering, Yu-Seong let out a deep sigh and got up from the floor.


    "Ugh..." He couldn''t help but groan.


    Thankfully, he didn¡¯t have much difficulty in moving his body.


    The last thing Yu-Seong remembered was the power of the thorn spear. After confirming that his arms and legs were still intact, he ran his hand over his face and let out a bitter laugh. "At this rate, even if they called me an undead, not a troll, I wouldn''t have anything to say."


    Likely, he would be called a half-immortal.


    Above all, Yu-Seong, who valued survival above everything else, had obtained the ability he needed most to escape the death crisis that could reach him at any time.


    Then, Yu-Seong¡¯s gaze turned to Young-Hoon, who still hadn''t regained consciousness.


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    ''I learned a lesson from you.¡¯


    Yu-Seong''s original approach to combat had been to save his secret techniques for as long as possible. He believed that the sooner he could see through the opponent''s underlying motives, the easier it was to fight them. And in fact, this was true in most battles.


    ¡®But if the opponent risks their life¡­¡¯


    Moreover, if there was not a significant difference in skill, the one who first used a technique that could instantly overpower the opponent''s life might have an advantage.


    ¡®Of course, if that attack is blocked, then the danger will come soon after¡­¡¯


    It was often called ¡®burning one''s bridges¡¯.


    For those who had no place to retreat and had to fight, they often believed that they should use their full power. After all, they had the thought that they had nothing to lose. In most cases, they would even push themselves and surpass their own capabilities. In fact, desperation could lead to a new transcendence.


    ¡®From now on, when I fight someone with that kind of look in their eyes, I should not drag it out.¡¯


    Even if you were fully prepared, there might be tactics that were unavoidable. At times like this, the best defense was a good offense.


    Recalling the previous battle, Yu-Seong sat in front of Young-Hoon and summoned the Green Wind Spirit Cat again.


    Meow-!


    Had it grown even more since then? Yu-Seong smiled contentedly as he listened to the small whimpering sounds emanating from the Green Wind Spirit Cat. Then, pointing to the unconscious Young-Hoon, he said, "Heal that person please.¡±


    The Green Wind Spirit Cat tilted its head curiously at Yu-Seong, but soon obeyed and jumped down onto Young-Hoon''s body. It began its healing by poking the man.


    As he watched Young-Hoon gradually recover, Yu-Seong fell deep in thought.


    ¡®Young-Hoon, the Witch''s underling.¡¯


    Although he was a remarkable performer in Korea, the original novel portrayed him as someone who had been manipulated by In-Young and had died a pitiful death. Indeed, it was a regretful end. Although the details were vague and only briefly mentioned in the original novel, Yu-Seong remembered an important point.


    ¡®If Young-Hoon hadn''t been under the influence of In-Young''s Charm Skill, perhaps his choice would have been different.¡¯


    In fact, Yu-Seong had had this thought ever since he had first seen Young-Hoon in the dungeon.


    ¡®What if I undo the Charm Skill and use him as a sword to strike Choi In-Young from behind¡­?¡¯


    In order to do so, Young-Hoon could not be killed. Yu-Seong also needed to find a way to control him somehow.


    The Nine-headed Snake¡¯s Ring, the Green Wind Spirit Cat, the Young Phoenix¡¯s Heart, and the powerful regeneration ability Yu-Seong had gained from the Tower or Heaven¡ªall of these abilities had been acquired so that he could challenge danger and almost resurrect himself like he had just experienced.


    Despite the slight danger he had faced, the opportunity he had been waiting for had arrived. Yu-Seong sat cross-legged with closed eyes, operating the God¡¯s Chakra.


    As time passed once again, a voice suddenly interrupted him by calling out, "...What are you doing, Choi Yu-Seong?"


    In the midst of concentrating on God¡¯s Chakra, Yu-Seong slowly opened his eyes to the sudden voice. He saw Young-Hoon, who was still unable to stand, looking at him with surprise in his eyes.


    Checking the dungeon timer for a moment, Yu-Seong nodded.


    ¡®Two more hours have passed.¡¯


    Now the Chakra, which had been emptied to aid Yu-Seong¡¯s regeneration, had fully recovered.


    While Yu-Seong nodded again with satisfaction, Young-Hoon asked, "If I''m not mistaken, this is not the underworld but the dungeon I remember coming to."


    "That''s correct," replied Yu-Seong calmly.


    Young-Hoon slowly stood up, still trembling, with a bitter smile playing on his lips. He asked, "You didn''t die even after taking that attack earlier on?"


    "As you can see," replied Yu-Seong.


    "But I don¡¯t see a Heal-type player here¡­?¡±


    ¡°Instead, I have a cat with healing powers." Yu-Seong then summoned the Green Wind Spirit Cat onto his palm and grinned. It was a clever creature that had disappeared after healing Young-Hoon.


    ¡°A Heal-type pet? You have something unusual. No, but still¡­¡±


    Young-Hoon couldn''t help but grin at the sight of Yu-Seong''s now-healthy body, which was completely different from the hole-ridden state he remembered. He then asked, "What are you, some kind of undead?"


    "I thought I could be called immortal, but being treated like an undead¡­ Isn''t that a bit too much?" Yu-Seong said.


    "How the hell are you alive?" Young-Hoon shouted.


    "Like I said, I have a healing ability at the level of an immortal," explained Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Then why did you save me?!" screamed Young-Hoon with genuine anger visible in his red eyes. He yelled, "You should have let me die! I was going to die anyway. Did you not even want to let me have the last bit of satisfaction in my heart?"


    Although he clenched his fist and tried to draw on his mana, all he could do was groan from the excruciating pain that ran through his body like burning fire.


    "I roughly checked, and your mana circuit has been severely damaged. You''ll need to rest for at least two weeks to use mana," said Yu-Seong calmly.


    ¡°So why did you¡­!¡± shouted Young-Hoon.


    ¡°Don''t you hate Choi In-Young?¡± Yu-Seong asked calmly, interrupting Young-Hoon''s outburst once again.


    Before he knew it, his Third Eye was now open on his forehead. Finally, his Third Eye was awake.

 CH 214

    The Third Eye had three main abilities: analysis, prediction, and mental defense. In fact, the first two were almost inseparable.


    ¡®Third Eye can read an opponent''s habits, movements, and preferred skills during battle to predict their next move.¡®


    However, there were instances when Third Eye couldn''t predict an opponent''s actions, such as when Young-Hoon had used his Thorns of Death Skill, which he had bet his life on. This was unsurprising, since it was not Future Foresight in the first place.


    ¡®Still, having Third Eye makes a huge difference.¡¯


    It read and analyzed the opponent''s movements during battle, transferring the data to the brain as it was. Additionally, it provided mental defense against mental attacks and, when combined with other mind shield skills, could easily deflect fear and hypnosis.


    Mental fortitude was just as important as physical strength in battle, and since meeting Rachel two years ago, Yu-Seong had been training his mind relentlessly. It was thanks to this training that he had successfully increased his mental strength and acquired an additional ability when the Third Eye had finally reached Rank A


    ¡®Hypnotism.¡¯


    It was a surprising skill, but Yu-Seong wasn''t yet skilled enough to use it effectively in battle.


    ¡®Also, it doesn''t work well against opponents with strong mental fortitude.¡¯


    In that sense, using Hypnotism during battle on an S-rank player like Young-Hoon was impossible.


    ¡®And he was even prepared to die¡­¡¯


    However, now things were different. Young-Hoon had lost the battle, and had a somewhat broken heart. He was feeling anxiety, hatred, and anger. Yu-Seong could use these emotions to increase the success rate of Hypnotism through the Third Eye.


    "You know it too, don''t you? Choi In-Young only needs people for her purposes, to use them," Yu-Seong said calmly as he infused mana into his Third Eye.


    "Stop!" Young-Hoon shouted with a wavering gaze.


    If he had been in his normal state, he might have laughed and ignored Yu-Seong. However, he was certainly affected now.


    Yu-Seong calmly continued to talk, pushing mana into his Third Eye. He said, "Choi In-Young won''t need a man like you. Do you know how many men have already met their ends because of her? Well, I bet you already know¡­"


    "I don''t know," Young-Hoon replied.


    "You''re pretending not to know, aren''t you? Shall I list them out for you? Kim Do-Hoon, Lee Jin-Yong, Kwak Han-Cheol..."


    "Stop it!" Young-Hoon''s voice rose again. Gasping for breath, he said firmly, "Kill me.¡±


    "Why do you have to die?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "I failed the mission..."


    "You mean the mission that Choi In-Young gave you? Do you have to die because of failure?" Yu-Seong said with a smirk. "In truth, you''ll only die if you succeed."


    "Choi Yu-Seong..."


    "Do you know? Choi In-Young is a witch, using her Charm Skill on you. Why do you think so many men have died because of her? Even those who were skillful and famous in some way."


    ¡°...¡± The wavering of Young-Hoon''s gaze began to intensify.


    "One more thing, even her maternal family are vampires," Yu-Seong said.


    In fact, this part wasn''t entirely confirmed yet. It was rather safe to say that they could be vampires. However, Yu-Seong had stated it with conviction.


    ¡®I need to speak firmly.¡¯


    There was a saying¡ªfight poison with poison. Charm was a form of Hypnotism, so Yu-Seong also had to use Hypnotism to break through. The problem was that if the Charm Skill that In-Young had used on Young-Hoon was a skill that combined the characteristics of a witch and a vampire, then even a flawless Hypnotism would be hard to cause any damage.


    Indeed, Yu-Seong had to press on. Instead of giving Young-Hoon time to think, Yu-Seong had to make him reach a conclusion.


    "Vampires and witches are both a perfect match for Charm Skills. You would have believed that all this time Choi In-Young, who is only at A-rank, could never succeed in any skill against someone like you, who is at S-Rank, right? But that''s not the case. Due to the combination of race and lineage traits, she can even ensnare an SS-rank hunter with her Charm Skill.¡±


    Of course, this was a story that could only be possible when there were many gaps in the mind.


    ¡®Or maybe he was infatuated by her appearance from the start.¡¯


    Details like that could be revealed later. Regardless, it was true that Young-Hoon had been captivated by In-Young''s appearance from the very beginning.


    As Young-Hoon''s gaze began to shake heavily, Yu-Seong said, "Young-Hoon, the first place you met Choi In-Young was in the underground bar of the Cheo Hotel in Myeong-dong, right?"


    "How do you know that...?"


    "In the bar, there were only you, the bartender, and Choi In-Young."


    The meeting seemed like destiny as they had met in a tranquil and serene space. At that moment, Young-Hoon hadn¡¯t been able to help but fall for In-Young''s charming smile.


    "Noo-nim had ordered me to do it, to Charm you. Oh, and by the way, she also charmed Kim Do-Hoon and Lee Jin-Yong in the same way," Yu-Seong calmly said.


    "You''re lying!" shouted Young-Hoon.


    It was partially true that Yu-Seong was telling a lie. After all, why would In-Young have needed to order Yu-Seong to rent the entire bar in the first place? She could have easily employed one of her staff to do the job. However, at least Yu-Seong was certain that the place where Young-Hoon thought of as their first meeting spot had been a prepared stage.


    ¡®That''s how it was described in the original novel.¡¯


    Yu-Seong shrugged his shoulders. "Can''t you remember? You used to go there sometimes and had met Kim Do-Hoon. You both would awkwardly smile and keep your guard up.¡±


    Young-Hoon couldn''t deny it; he remembered those days when it had been hard to get in touch with In-Young.


    "Who do you think she was with during those times?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "Arghhhhhh!" Young-Hoon screamed, grabbed his head, and began to roll on the ground from side to side.


    Noticing this show of weakness, Yu-Seong activated his Third Eye urgently and decided to drive a decisive wedge. He said, "She''s insane. She even has an incestuous relationship with my older brother, Choi Seok-Young."


    "No way..."


    "You wouldn''t want to believe it, right? You saw with your own eyes that Choi Seok-Young and Choi In-Young went into the hotel together, but you thought that siblings wouldn''t do that kind of thing."


    At the same time, a powerful light burst out of Yu-Seong''s Third Eye.


    Young-Hoon began trembling uncontrollably as he stared at Yu-Seong with a dazed expression. Tears streamed down his cheeks. In front of him, right in his mind¡¯s eye, was the image of In-Young with her arms around Seok-Young''s waist and then entering the hotel.


    It was a virtual reality made with Hypnotism, but it was not difficult for Young-Hoon to recall that exact moment. After all, this was something that he had actually experienced.


    Young-Hoon was angry. Even though In-Young and Seok-Young were siblings, he had felt jealous of their relationship. It wasn''t normal¡ªhis emotions, his doubts, and their relationship were all strange.


    "That''s right. Wake up. Min Young-Hoon, you are not in a romantic relationship with Choi In-Young. To her, you are just another one of her many tools," said Yu-Seong.


    The illusion that had been unfolding before Young-Hoon shattered like glass. He began laughing, even though it sounded more like a whimper. "Heh, Heehee..."


    Naturally, Yu-Seong''s gaze changed. He muttered, "No way, he didn''t completely lose his mind from the clash between Hypnosis and Charm Skills, right?"


    Originally, mental type skills were bound to have some risk when demonstrating on the opponent. Moreover, since Young-Hoon was already under In-Young¡¯s Charm Skill, there was no way to ignore the worst-case scenario.


    "Hehehe... Hehehehe..."


    Young-Hoon, who had been laughing hysterically for quite some time, clenched his fist tightly and looked at Yu-Seong. At that moment, Yu-Seong could tell one fact.


    ''He''s definitely gone a little crazy.''


    The man¡¯s gaze was somewhat cloudy, as if something was off. However, it didn''t seem like he had completely lost his sanity.


    This novel is available on "pawread dot com".


    "Your words are right. I remember. Her red eyes, the ones that make people''s hearts race!" Young-Hoon recalled the mysterious glint in In-Young¡¯s eyes that he had seen many times before. He then screamed madly, "I was fooled! I was fooled! That damn woman ruined me. Damn it all! Aaaah!"


    Then, he slowly began to stand up with all his strength.


    ¡°You need to rest more¡­!¡± Yu-Seong hurriedly tried to stop Young-Hoon, whose body was still in a terrible state.


    It wasn''t good for Young-Hoon to move that violently. Nevertheless, surprisingly, he stood up straight, panting, and with a force that was hard to hold back. Looking Yu-Seong straight in the eye, he declared, "I''m going to kill Choi In-Young.¡±


    "..." Yu-Seong chose silence instead of giving the man an answer.


    "I won''t force you to help me. If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t have even thought of this and would have died cluelessly. If I had learned this in hell, I would have strongly regretted it." Then, with a burning gaze, Young-Hoon turned his back to Yu-Seong. He said, "I''m grateful to you. I won¡¯t forget it.¡±


    "Are you going to do it alone?" Yu-Seong asked Young-Hoon from behind him.


    "Why? Would you do it alongside me if I asked you to join me?"


    Yu-Seong smiled bitterly. In fact, killing a person was not something that could be done easily. This was especially since In-Young was, in some way, his family.


    However, there was obviously no room for half measures now.


    ¡®It''s either kill or be killed.¡¯


    That was the kind of world he lived in. Slowly, Yu-Seong turned his head toward Young-Hoon, who was looking at him. Then, he offered a smile as he reached out his hand to Young-Hoon. He said, "Let''s get the order straight. You''re the one helping me to kill Choi In-Young."


    Looking at Yu-Seong¡¯s cold smile, Young-Hoon laughed awkwardly and shrugged his shoulders. "It seems like there isn''t a single sane person in the Choi family. Hahaha.¡±


    He then stumbled toward Yu-Seong and tightly grabbed his hand. He shouted, "Okay, give it a shot. Use me as a sword to strike her to your heart''s content, just like In-Young did. If you can kill her, I''ll do anything!"


    "Looking forward to it," Yu-Seong replied.


    And with that, he joined hands with Young-Hoon, who had been reborn as a vengeful spirit.


    ***


    Before leaving the dungeon, Yu-Seong had instructed Young-Hoon to hide and wait. He had even brought in the full force of the Hidden team to assist Young-Hoon.


    ¡®Young-Hoon is the final piece to pierce into In-Young''s heart.¡¯


    The more cards hidden, the better. Yu-Seong then checked the missed calls on his phone, which he had stored in a locker in Dungeon Square. Then, he saw a familiar name.


    ¡®Ji-Ho hyung-nim?¡¯


    The freezing cold sensation that had taken over his heart with the intention of killing In-Young slowly melted away. Yu-Seong dialed the number and heard Ji-Ho''s voice before the second ring ended.


    - How have you been?


    ¡°I''m doing well, of course. And you, hyung-nim?" asked Yu-Seong.


    - I''m in Seoul right now.


    ¡°What?¡± asked Yu-Seong.


    He was surprised that Ji-Ho, who was in retirement, had returned to Seoul.


    "Where are you now? I¡¯ll be there right away,¡± questioned Yu-Seong.


    - Come to the family home.


    Just then, a much colder and lower voice than Ji-Ho was heard¡ªit was the voice of Woo-Jae.


    "Father?"


    - I have something important to say. The whole family needs to gather before 10 a.m. tomorrow.


    Yu-Seong''s eyes widened at the declaration.


    ¡®The whole family?¡¯


    Had there ever been a time when Woo-Jae had summoned not just one individual but everyone in the family? Yu-Seong was certain that this was an event that didn''t even exist in the original novel. And with Ji-Ho''s unexpected return, it only added to his suspicions.


    He could tell that something major was about to take place.


    "Yes, Father," replied Yu-Seong, swallowing hard.


    A significant change was on the horizon.

 CH 215

    Early the next morning, Yu-Seong set off for his family home after getting himself mentally prepared.


    ¡®Come to think of it, it''s my first time going to my family home alone.¡¯


    Yu-Seong would always have someone accompany him, preferably Do-Yoon or Yu-Ri, as their presence helped him push away the emotions he still harbored about Woo-Jae. However, he now felt okay even without them around.


    Having conquered his emotions on his own, he could walk toward his family''s home without any burden.


    ¡®Is it because I have successfully navigated through many crises, or could it be the assistance of my acquired skills?¡¯


    In fact, the reason behind this change did not matter. The important thing was that Yu-Seong was no longer weak either physically or mentally.


    As he arrived in front of the massive mansion, Yu-Seong''s eyes were drawn to the high wall. Ever since he had first seen it, the tall wall always reminded him of the image of a castle. In fact, this house was a fortress.


    CCTV cameras and security guard personnel were stationed throughout the area, ready to respond to any intruders with malicious intent. This was regardless of whichever direction the possible intruders might choose to come from.


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    Perhaps it was this atmosphere that intimidated Yu-Seong, who instinctively shrank back just from looking at the tall wall from the outside.


    ¡®Today feels a bit different¡­¡¯


    But why would it feel different today? Yu-Seong noticed that the castle walls looked quite sturdy, but not scary. Soon understanding the reason behind this change, he chuckled to himself.


    ¡®I now see it as within my reach.¡¯


    The fortress, that sturdy and intimidating castle, had come close enough for Yu-Seong to reach. It was no longer beyond his grasp.


    ¡®I must survive.¡¯


    This was Yu-Seong''s first goal, and he was proud that he had achieved it to a certain extent. Naturally, his second goal followed.


    ¡®If I survive, I might as well survive well.¡¯


    Of course, he planned to do so to the best of his abilities. After all, greed could harm a person.


    Yu-Seong took his eyes off the castle walls that he wanted and headed into the house.


    ***


    There was a unique and somewhat acrid smell emanating from Woo-Jae''s office. It was like the scent of old wood and books that one might find in an attic. While some people might find the scent unpleasant, Yu-Seong didn¡¯t dislike it.


    ¡®Rather, I¡¯d say I like it.¡¯


    But today, as soon as he entered the office, he couldn''t smell the familiar scent that he enjoyed. Instead, the strong scent of cosmetics and perfume pierced his nose.


    Yu-Seong''s gaze naturally turned to In-Young, who was sitting on a sofa in the office while being flanked by Seok-Young and Jin-Woo. She had on heavy eye makeup and red lips.


    Their gazes met for a moment, and it felt like a sharp tension hung in the air. However, no one committed a rash act. The office had a strange scent today, but the heavy atmosphere that usually pressed down on the surroundings remained the same.


    "Take a seat," said Woo-Jae, who was sitting lazily behind the desk in the center of the office.


    "Yes, Father," replied Yu-Seong calmly as he sat on one of the spacious empty sofas.


    "Wait and have a chat. Everyone will be here soon," said Woo-Jae before he started flipping through the book that was on his desk.


    The ensuing silence was eventually broken by In-Young, the fifth oldest among the siblings, rather than the two eldest siblings, Jin-Woo and Seok-Young. She said, "How are you? You seem to be doing well.¡±


    "...Thanks to you," Yu-Seong answered with a slight smile.


    "I''m glad. I was worried because I haven''t heard any news lately."


    "Haha..."


    In-Young was adopting a bold attitude for someone who had previously attempted to have him killed or kidnapped. Yu-Seong couldn''t help but laugh at the ridiculous act.


    Tilting his head in amusement, Yu-Seong said, "By the way, I met the Vice President of the Heaven Guild.¡±


    "Oh, I didn¡¯t know you had a connection with him," answered In-Young.


    "Thanks to you, we have a pretty deep connection now," Yu-Seong replied.


    "I haven''t seen him in a while. How is he doing?" asked In-Young.


    "As you can see..." Yu-Seong shrugged and gestured to himself.


    What did he mean by that? For a moment, In-Young''s eyes narrowed sharply.


    ¡®Min Young-Hoon¡­ Is he dead?¡¯


    Or maybe he had managed to escape from Yu-Seong and survive.


    ¡®It would be better if it were the latter. It would be too much of a waste to simply discard such a valuable asset.¡¯


    In-Young clearly had no idea that Young-Hoon had woken up from her Charm Skill, so she still secretly wished for him to be alive.


    Just then, the closed door opened to reveal someone else entering the office.


    "What, did you tell me to come slower for this interaction to happen?" Mi-Na openly asked Woo-Jae with a cold laugh.


    "Isn''t it interesting?" Woo-Jae smirked as he closed the book.


    After hearing his father¡¯s comment, Yu-Seong felt a chill running down his spine.


    ¡®I knew something was off.¡¯


    Woo-Jae had instructed them to gather at 10 am, but only four people had come early. It was usually expected for the Choi family to arrive at least 30 minutes early to any meeting. It was now revealed that this had all been a part of Woo-Jae''s plan from the beginning.


    Amidst the hostile confrontation between the two, Woo-Jae had observed Yu-Seong and In-Young while listening in on their conversation. Although his eyes had remained fixed on the book, his senses had been fully attuned to his two children.


    ''Why the two of us?''


    As Yu-Seong was pondering, Mi-Na approached him and plopped down next to him. Then, she turned to In-Young and said coldly, "Watch your gaze, and lower your eyes.¡±


    After Mi-Na spoke so brazenly, In-Young furrowed her brows and said, "We''re in front of Father, sister. Don''t you need to be careful about what you say?"


    "Bullshit. Are you Father? Who are you to decide that?"


    Meanwhile, Woo-Jae seemed oblivious to the situation with his eyes fixed on his book. It was impossible to read his thoughts.


    Nevertheless, it worked out in Yu-Seong''s favor, as Mi-Na''s appearance was helping to partially keep In-Young in check.


    ¡®I seem to be riding on her coattails, but it¡¯s true that I¡¯m quite close to Mi-Na noo-nim, so.¡¯


    Even this diversion of In-Young''s gaze was a refreshing change.


    Soon after, Min-Seok and Yeo-Reum also arrived at the office. Min-Seok, who hiccuped and made a comical expression upon seeing In-Young, eventually took a seat next to Yu-Seong. Naturally, In-Young''s gaze narrowed. Fortunately for her, Yeo-Reum took a seat next to Seok-Young.


    ¡®This is getting interesting.¡¯


    It felt like the siblings were taking sides in a fight. The already heavy atmosphere became even more oppressive.


    Click.


    Then, the door clicked open once again and, with the rolling of a wheelchair, announced the arrival of someone. Upon seeing the newly-arrived man¡¯s face, Jin-Woo couldn''t hide his emotions and furrowed his brow deeply.


    Yu-Seong couldn''t help but show a broad smile of delight. "Ji-Ho hyung-nim!"


    "Long time no see," responded Ji-Ho.


    ¡°Everyone has arrived,¡± Woo-Jae said.


    Before they could exchange pleasantries any further, Woo-Jae spoke up loudly and closed his book. He stated, "I didn''t call the youngest here.¡±


    Woo-Jae didn''t want to force her into this harsh world, as she was still a student and simply wanted to live a normal life.


    ¡®She can take care of herself.¡¯


    As Woo-Jae briefly remembered the face of his youngest child, who had said she would give up everything to live her own life, his gaze turned toward Ji-Ho.


    Ji-Ho had arrived by rolling his electric wheelchair to stand next to Yu-Seong.


    Four and four, excluding the deceased Byung-Chan and the absent youngest, the number of people on each side was evenly matched. However, this made it uncomfortable for In-Young.


    ¡®How did it come to this?¡¯


    Woo-Jae, who inwardly clicked his tongue, put on a pleasant smile. Just as everyone''s attention was fixed on him, he dropped a bombshell that he had prepared. He announced loudly, ¡°I''ll enter the Tower of Heaven tomorrow.¡±


    Everyone, except for Ji-Ho, who already knew what Woo-Jae was going to say, was shocked by the unexpected news. The prospect of their father entering the Tower of Heaven couldn''t be taken lightly, as it wasn''t a simple matter of his own growth. It meant that the absolute authority figure of the household would disappear, and those who had previously been constrained by his presence could now freely pursue whatever they had failed to before. Furthermore, this gathering of siblings for scheming clearly indicated Woo-Jae''s intentions.


    ¡®He¡¯s trying to solidify the succession scheme!¡¯


    Woo-Jae had been silently observing his children being in competition with one another, but now he had decided to drive a wedge between In-Young and Yu-Seong, who were both at the center of it all.


    ¡®Why not Mi-Na noo-nim or Ji-Ho hyung-nim?¡¯


    Although Yu-Seong had recently made significant progress, there were still many areas in which he was lacking compared to the other two. In-Young shared the same thoughts and looked at Woo-Jae.


    "I won''t go alone," said Woo-Jae as he leaned forward and continued his announcement. "Kim Secretary is going, and so is Mi-Na."


    This was an even more shocking statement than when Woo-Jae had declared that he was entering the Tower of Heaven.


    ¡®Mi-Na noo-nim is going too?¡¯


    This turn of events would tilt the power balance heavily. Although Yu-Seong trusted his somewhat overbearing hyung-nim and noona-nim, he couldn''t help but be bewildered.


    "...I''ve never heard of that," said Mi-Na, wearing a ridiculous expression.


    "This is not a suggestion, Mi-Na," Woo-Jae replied firmly.


    Mi-Na''s expression hardened. Despite being the only child known for standing up against Woo-Jae, she knew that she wouldn¡¯t be able to rebel against him in this particular situation. After all, it was undeniable that the will of Woo-Jae held the greatest significance within the family.


    "We leave tomorrow morning. Any comments?" Woo-Jae asked.


    "No, sir," Yu-Seong replied.


    ¡°Me too,¡± said In-Young.


    ¡°...Sure,¡± Mi-Na responded.


    The rest of the siblings accepted the situation without saying a word, knowing that the decision had already been made.


    Yu-Seong, as always, tried to think of the best way to handle the situation.


    ¡®If Mi-Na noo-nim isn''t there, then my only official support will be Ji-Ho hyung-nim¡­¡¯


    In-Young, on the other hand, still had many people she could rely on. She tried to hide her laughter as she thought about how Woo-Jae was supporting her.


    "Now, all of you, leave the room," Woo-Jae commanded.


    With that, In-Young and her group were the first to leave the office. Only when they were further away did Yu-Seong stand up from his seat. Although he couldn''t quite discern Woo-Jae''s thoughts, there wasn''t much time for preparation. He only had one day, after all. The time given was too short, and there was much to be done.


    "Then, I''ll take my leave as well," Yu-Seong said as he tried to leave quietly.


    As he was leaving, Woo-Jae''s voice followed him.


    "This is the final test," Woo-Jae said.


    What did that mean? Woo-Jae was giving In-Young an advantageous position while cheering Yu-Seong on.


    ¡®Yeah, that''s the kind of person he is.¡¯


    Woo-Jae was a person who gave more rice cakes to the child he disliked. [1] Perhaps even Yu-Seong''s thoughts were a part of Woo-Jae''s plan. Nevertheless, it didn''t bother Yu-Seong, as Woo-Jae was a person who always kept his word.


    ¡®The final test.¡¯


    With this, Yu-Seong could become the clear successor of the Comet family. Perhaps this was something that had already been discussed with Mi-Na and Ji-Ho.


    After organizing his thoughts, Yu-Seong spoke while recalling the high fortress wall he had seen before entering his family home. He said with a wry smile, "I won''t disappoint you.¡±


    Then, with Woo-Jae¡¯s smirk and hand gesture, Yu-Seong left the room. Ji-Ho also followed behind Yu-Seong, bowing slightly toward Woo-Jae as he left.


    1. This Korean idiom implies that even though you may dislike someone, you should still treat them with kindness and generosity. ?

 CH 219

    During Ji-Ho''s prime, his nickname had been ¡®Pungbaek,¡¯ which meant the Lord of the Wind. There were two skills that had earned him such a nickname.


    One was Wind Control, which Yu-Seong had also acquired. This technique allowed the player to move according to the flow of the wind, seemingly gliding through the air. It wasn''t flashy, but it produced simple yet sharp movements. The second was the skill that Ji-Ho had just demonstrated.


    ¡®Palm Gust Strike!¡¯


    One should not think of it as merely shooting wind with the palm of the hand. During Ji-Ho''s prime, the force contained in the wind he could shoot forward had weighed over three tons. Moreover, it rode on the wind and had an incredibly fast speed.


    ¡®In Ji-Ho hyung-nim''s prime, it exceeded 150 meters per second¡­¡¯


    In other words, it was like a three-ton truck flying through the air at a speed of 500 kilometers per hour. It was also a move that didn¡¯t end in a single burst.


    ¡®Ji-Ho hyung-nim''s Palm Gust Strike rapid-fire speed was very well known.¡¯


    He hadn¡¯t been called ''Pungbaek'', the Lord of the Wind, and the future strongest player of South Korea for nothing.


    As if to prove it, Ji-Ho unleashed a Palm Gust Strike that caused the solid iron floor to cave in and shatter with a loud noise. Without pausing for a moment, he fired consecutive Palm Gust Strikes at Jin-Woo, who was swiftly dodging every strike, within the warehouse.


    Ji-Ho even boldly approached Jin-Woo using Wind Control, hoping to settle the battle quickly.


    ¡®Although its power is tremendous, it can¡¯t possibly be as great as it was in his prime¡­¡¯


    Ji-Ho must have chosen this method because he couldn''t fight for a long time. If Jin-Woo kept running away in this situation, buying time with the Fireball Projection skill he boasted about, there would be virtually no chance for Ji-Ho to win.


    ¡®But¡­¡¯


    Jin-Woo would never have chosen such a method because he wanted to let Ji-Ho know that he had grown and was no longer a coward.


    As Ji-Ho approached, Jin-Woo looked for an opportunity and rushed forward with a shout. "I won''t go easy on you, hyung-nim!"


    Then, with one hand, Jin-Woo created a large flame and swung it down from above.


    Hwaak-!


    The wave of fire covered Ji-Ho, or at least, it appeared to be doing just that. Then, a sudden gust of wind split the wave of fire in two. From within it, Ji-Ho emerged and extended both hands at the same time.


    "Hmph!" Jin-Woo, who had been waiting for this moment, let out a snort as he swept the floor with his foot.


    With his kicking motion, the wall of fire rose high and reduced the power of Ji-Ho''s Palm Gust Strike. In the meantime, Jin-Woo himself disappeared.


    Missing Jin-Woo¡¯s movements, both Yu-Seong and Ji-Ho were momentarily confused.


    "It''s no longer your time, hyung-nim," said Jin-Woo.


    Using the explosion of flame from his feet, he suddenly appeared next to Ji-Ho before extending both hands forward.


    "It''s time to take a break now!" shouted Jin-Woo as the flames from his hands flashed and surged.


    Upon being struck, Ji-Ho, who was floating in the air, blurred and disappeared.


    ¡®A clone?¡¯


    Surprised, Jin-Woo swung one hand around and formed a wide flame defense shield. He was now on high alert as an attack could come from anywhere.


    Suddenly, a voice came from above. Ji-Ho said, "Here, Jin-Woo."


    Looking up, Jin-Woo saw Ji-Ho with a white energy swirling around him. The man was laughing as he shot a Palm Gust Strike.


    ¡®Future foresight...! He was gauging my reaction.¡¯


    Jin-Woo crossed his arms in an X shape and conjured flames, activating all of his defensive skills. Suddenly, his mind was filled with a buzzing sensation and a cacophony of sound.


    Bang-!


    A deafening explosion followed, but Jin-Woo remained calm. He didn''t have Future Foresight like Ji-Ho, but his battle experience had sharpened his senses.


    ¡®At this point, hyung-nim would¡­¡¯


    Ji-Ho would have no choice but to approach Jin-Woo to conclude the battle. His Palm Gust Strike wasn''t as powerful as before, so it couldn¡¯t possibly knock Jin-Woo down from a distance.


    In this case, Jin-Woo was absolutely right. There was a ripping sound on his left, followed by a dull energy. He spewed flames without even checking his surroundings, then saw Ji-Ho blurring and disappearing in the midst of the attack.


    ¡®Another clone?¡¯


    Jin-Woo clicked his tongue and fired the flames as his senses led him. His eyebrows furrowed as he was once again fooled by the clone. He muttered irritably, "Acting like a fly and dragging things out for so long isn''t my style, now just¡­!"


    Just then, his mana circuit began to radiate intense heat throughout his body. The heat began at his toes and quickly spread, engulfing his body and causing his muscles to tense up.


    Fwoosh-!


    With a sudden burst, flames sent sparks flying in all directions. In his transformed state as the Flame Spirit Man, Jin-Woo didn''t miss the sensation of the sparks making contact with something outside of him.


    Pah-!


    In an instant, the flames flicked their tongues like a snake and swallowed Ji-Ho whole.


    Caught off guard, Yu-Seong was startled. He knew that, this time, it wasn¡¯t a clone. The fact that Ji-Ho didn''t appear anywhere after being engulfed by the flames was proof of that. He exclaimed, "What the...!"


    Just as Yu-Seong was about to rush out, Ji-Ho chuckled as the flames, which had risen ferociously, dissipated just as quickly. He then pinched Jin-Woo, who had transformed into a Flame Spirit Man, in the ribs.


    This was close-range combat. No matter how powerful Jin-Woo was as an S-rank player, he had to be prepared to break a few ribs if he was hit by Ji-Ho''s Palm Gust Strike.


    "Why did you extinguish the flames?" asked Ji-Ho.


    "...because there was no need to kill you," answered Jin-Woo.


    Ji-Ho chuckled, tapping his own head with Jin-Woo''s fist that had landed on his temple. He said, ¡°And that¡¯s why you were scared to swing this.¡±


    ¡°I¡­!¡±


    Before Jin-Woo could speak up, Ji-Ho continued speaking. "What''s the big deal if you''re a little scared? I was scared too, thinking that I might have really died just now."


    "If you are scared, why did you even come out and fight? You''re in such a bad physical state!"


    "I know, hehe. Cough, cough-!"


    As Ji-Ho spat blood and fell to the ground, Jin-Woo quickly caught him and grumbled with a deep frown. He cried out, "Choi Yu-Seong!"


    Even before the urgent shout, Yu-Seong had already approached with a wheelchair. He swiftly picked up Ji-Ho, summoning his Green Wind Spirit Cat.


    "What is this...?" asked Ji-Ho, surprised.


    "It''s mainly used for treating external injuries, but it''s also useful for internal injuries. For now, let this guy poke and prod at you," replied Yu-Seong.


    "Hehe... What a cute skill," chuckled Ji-Ho. Looking back at Jin-Woo, he said, "Everyone faces their fears when fighting, and sometimes even despair. But don''t we all keep moving forward regardless?"


    "What are you trying to say?" asked Jin-Woo.


    "Even if you went easy on me, your level is comparable with the level I had during my prime. You''ve grown very well, Jin-Woo. Excellent job."


    At that moment, Jin-Woo''s eyes flushed red and his expression distorted. He complained, "Do you still see me as a kid?"


    "Jin-Woo, I''ve never seen you as a kid, to begin with," answered Ji-Ho.


    "But why¡­!"


    "Because I see you as a younger brother," said Ji-Ho.


    ¡°...?!¡±


    "We have different mothers. Not just you, but most of us siblings are like that. But we have the same father and use the same surname."


    As the effects of the Green Wind Spirit Cat''s treatment gradually showed, Ji-Ho''s complexion improved slightly and he continued speaking. "Jin-Woo, hyung can pretend to be a little more mature for his younger brother, right? I know it may seem childish to you, but conversely, the younger brother can also rely on his hyung a little bit. That''s not a bad thing."


    In fact, that was just how people lived.


    Taking a deep breath, Ji-Ho leaned back on the wheelchair with his shoulders. "My turn ends here. In the end, we each make our own decisions. But Jin-Woo, know that you don''t need to be scared anymore or demoralize yourself. You are my younger brother and a great adult¡­in the past, present, and future. "


    "Just because of those words, do you think I¡¯ll¡­" Jin-Woo''s tearful cheeks quivered as he spoke through gritted teeth.


    Yu-Seong calmly watched as he pushed Ji-Ho''s wheelchair and created some distance between them.


    There was a brief silence. After what might have been a long time, Jin-Woo raised his head and said, "There is no obligation for me to accept you, even if Father and hyung have approved of you."


    ¡°Well, that goes without saying¡­" said Yu-Seong.


    After all, wasn''t the current situation a result of that? However, something had changed. Jin-Woo''s momentum seemed different. If his anger toward Yu-Seong had filled him up before, he was now much colder, calm and collected.


    "Take up your weapon, Choi Yu-Seong. Let''s test your qualifications," Jin-Woo said firmly, shedding light on the meaning of his words.


    ''If I win this battle¡­''


    Jin-Woo, who had conserved his full war power, would then stand beside Yu-Seong.


    The problem was that Yu-Seong wasn''t as confident in his ability to win as he had initially thought.


    ''His gaze has changed too much.''


    Emotions such as anger, self-importance, and ego-driven confusion had largely been resolved in a short period of time. To be precise, Jin-Woo may not have completely gotten rid of these emotions, but he had succeeded in suppressing them at least for the time being.


    Right now, Jin-Woo was facing Yu-Seong with full determination. As Yu-Seong had already learned from his experience with Young-Hoon, opponents with such determination could not be easily defeated. However, that didn''t mean Yu-Seong was going to give up.


    ¡®I can¡¯t give up.¡¯


    Excluding Min-Seok, who had reluctantly surrendered, Yu-Seong would finally gain the recognition of another sibling who had previously opposed him. Perhaps another precious person would appear by his side.


    "I''ll do my best, hyung-nim," said Yu-Seong with determination in his eyes.


    Unlike the beginning, he was now recognizing Jin-Woo as his family. Even though his gaze toward Jin-Woo was different from before, there was still some hesitation in it.


    "Come on, Choi Yu-Seong," said Jin-Woo.


    The clash of power between the two brothers resonated once again.


    ***


    In front of the logistics warehouse, Jin-Woo''s subordinates waited, listening to the sounds of fighting inside. When they saw the figure emerging from the warehouse, their eyes widened in surprise. "Choi Yu-Seong!"


    Although his skin was burnt, clothes were tattered, and hair was disheveled, he had no visible major injuries. Yu-Seong still had plenty of strength left as he walked. What could this mean?


    "No way¡­ Choi Yu-Seong, did you...defeat Jin-Woo young master?"


    Yu-Seong smiled and nodded. "I won. It wasn''t easy, but I did it.¡±


    ¡°What about Jin¡­ Jin-Woo young master?¡±


    Just before Jin-Woo''s subordinates could express their surprise and anger, they heard a somewhat exhausted voice from inside the warehouse. It was Jin-Woo¡¯s.


    "I¡¯m fine. Just let him go."


    "Young master!"


    Jin-Woo¡¯s shocked subordinates were about to rush inside, but Yu-Seong held them back with one hand. He said, "We''re having a family reunion inside after a long time, so it''s not very polite to disturb us.¡±


    Only later did the subordinates realize that Ji-Ho, who had entered the warehouse with Yu-Seong, was not with him when he emerged. Their eyes widened in shock. As they had been with Jin-Woo since Ji-Ho and Jin-Woo were close to each other, they understood the situation all too well.


    "Well then, I''ll be leaving. Take care of these two. See you soon." With a wave of his hand, Yu-Seong walked through the crowd and made his way to his parked car. His lips were curved into a bright smile.


    ¡®Thank you, Ji-Ho hyung-nim.¡¯


    He was grateful for all he had gained from this unexpected day.


    Read this novel and other amazing translated novels from the original source at the "pawread dot com"

 CH 220

    At that moment, there was another person who had safely completed their A-rank promotion evaluation and returned to Earth.


    "At this rate... It seems like I''ve almost recovered my full strength," said Do-Jin with a strange smile on his face as he checked his physical condition.


    ¡®I purposely tried to match my pace with Yu-Seong, but it seems like this has actually helped with my growth.¡¯


    Do-Jin''s initial expectation was that he would fully recover all the power he had accumulated in the other world by the time he reached S-rank. However, he had already almost fully recovered that power at A-rank.


    Although not yet complete, he might become stronger by the time he reached S-rank and might even surpass the strength he had when he defeated the Demon King.


    ¡®Should I go find Choi Yu-Seong right away and challenge him to a duel of retribution?¡¯


    After some thought, Do-Jin shook his head. Although Yu-Seong was strong at his B-rank, he was not yet comparable to Do-Jin himself, who had surpassed that rank and leapt over the walls multiple times to progress to A-rank.


    Should he give Yu-Seong more time to grow? After a moment of thought, Do-Jin shook his head again.


    ¡®I''ll defeat him when I''m more perfect.¡¯


    Do-Jin now clearly knew what his feelings were toward Yu-Seong¡ªthat of a complete rival. If he were to face such an opponent, he wanted to meet Yu-Seong in a state where Do-Jin himself could demonstrate his true ability. He did not want to battle in a state where he was not yet fully recovered.


    How much longer would Yu-Seong take to chase after him until then? Do-Jin smiled inwardly and picked up the phone. He said, ¡°Association Chairman, this is Kim Do-Jin. I have a request.¡±


    In fact, the best way to recover to his optimal condition as quickly as possible was through real combat or harsh training that was almost like real combat. With that thought, Do-Jin had come up with a great idea.


    "Yes, I want to fight all the hunters of S-rank and above who are affiliated with the Association. Yes, I think it would be a great help. And if possible, I also want to fight with the Sword Master..."


    Before he could finish his sentence, Do-Jin heard a startled and astonished voice on the other end of the line. It was only after receiving a calm response on the other end of the line did he reply, ¡°Could you kindly arrange this as soon as possible? Yes, thank you.¡±


    After giving a brief answer, Do-Jin hung up the phone, walked out of the room, and looked at a family photo hanging on one of the walls. In the photo were a middle-aged man and woman, his younger brother, and Do-Jin. Among them, the middle-aged man''s eyes looked empty, as if asking him a question.


    - There''s no way you''re going to be blinded by useless friendship and forget about revenge.


    A sudden voice echoed in his mind, causing Do-Jin''s gaze to quickly turn cold.


    ''...Of course not.''


    Regardless of his rivalry with Yu-Seong, Do-Jin was determined to seize the life of Woo-Jae at any cost. His original plans had changed and the scale of the Comet Group had grown larger, and he already had a newly established plan. Revenge would be successful in the end.


    ¡®The big day is just around the corner.¡¯


    Do-Jin would put a knife to Woo-Jae''s throat and demand retribution. Then, he would strike the man¡¯s neck in a single blow like the executioner on the guillotine. Do-Jin calmed his mind and thought of the fate that awaited him.


    ''When that time comes... I''ll be free too.''


    Do-Jin no longer wanted to be swayed by the vice that had been tormenting him.


    ***


    After returning home, Yu-Seong sat down in his room with a contented smile on his face.


    ¡®I can''t believe I was able to bring Choi Jin-Woo to my side.¡¯


    When he had gone to fight with Jin-Woo, all Yu-Seong had wanted was for him to stay out of the succession battle. After all, given Jin-Woo''s strong sense of pride, it was unlikely that he would side with someone much younger like Yu-Seong.


    ¡®If it weren''t for Choi In-Young''s Charm Skill, it would have been almost impossible for her to convince Choi Jin-Woo.¡¯


    Although, even with her Charm Skill, In-Young hadn''t been able to completely control Jin-Woo''s mind. The man was simply too prideful.


    However, Jin-Woo had changed his mind to help Yu-Sung with Ji-Ho''s persuasion. This was different from Min-Seok being on Yu-Seong¡¯s side, which was futile.


    ¡®In fact, it is safe to say that Jin-Woo''s power within the family is just below In-Young''s.¡¯


    Therefore, Yu-Seong¡¯s direct forces had rapidly strengthened. Furthermore, the amount of stocks that Jin-Woo and his followers possessed could not be ignored.


    ¡®In this situation, even if I just used a majority vote in the company meeting, I might be able to gain the majority support.¡¯


    Now, Yu-Seong had the option to use a scenario where he could even win completely without shedding blood.


    Of course, considering In-Young''s personality, the chances of her consenting to such a plan were low.


    ¡®Eventually, shedding blood is inevitable, but¡­¡¯


    Still, the fact that he had gained an advantage in the in-house political battle was already a huge accomplishment. Now, Yu-Seong would be able to lead the fight instead of being dragged along by In-Young.


    ¡®I need to change the plan, but this is the first time I feel so happy about it.¡¯


    Yu-Seong smiled as he checked his phone. At the top of his messages was one from Ji-Ho, saying that he had safely arrived home. Just below was a message from Jin-Woo.


    ¡®I''m counting on you from now on.¡¯


    Yu-Seong was aware that the earlier incident had taken place, but receiving a message directly from Jin-Woo made it all the more tangible.


    ¡®At this point, In-Young won''t be able to avoid using the power from her maternal family.¡¯


    Ultimately, this would probably displease Woo-Jae. However, before moving on to the next battle, she had to win the internal company fight first.


    ¡®Maybe she has already drawn them in.¡¯


    Yu-Seong didn''t let his guard down. He went through all the possible scenarios in his head, making preparations for all that could happen.


    But this time, he didn''t need to be as aggressive as before. The wall that his opponent believed to be sturdy was now crumbling, with water pouring out. At this point, Yu-Seong certainly had no reason to hurry.


    ¡®In-Young''s side will contact me first.¡¯


    Currently, reading In-Young¡¯s intentions was a top priority.


    After writing and erasing his plans on paper several times, Yu-Seong finally settled on the most ideal plan and put down his pen. Then, he crammed more information into his head before tearing up the paper.


    ¡®That''s enough.¡¯


    The only remaining task was for Yu-Seong himself to continue to steadily grow to the point where he could prepare for the worst-case scenario. Training and leveling up would be advantageous in achieving this goal.


    ¡®In addition to that¡­ I even got a new skill this time.¡¯


    The fight between Ji-Ho and Jin-Woo was one of the best gifts that Yu-Seong could have received.


    ¡®Now that my level has risen, I can even copy Ji-Ho hyung-him¡¯s Palm Gust Strike.¡¯


    Furthermore, after returning home, he had combined the Palm Gust Strike and the Dancing Electric Doll Skills. This produced amazing results for him.


    ¡º Lightning Strike A.


    The power of the condensed lightning can be shot out like Palm Gust Strike.


    The power and shape will vary depending on the chosen martial technique.¡»


    It was a simple skill description, but acquiring the skill by his Fusion made Yu-Seong want to jump up and down in ecstasy. To put it simply, his new skill, Lightning Strike, was Palm Gust Strike mixed with lightning. Moreover, with the additional effects provided by the Fusion skill that had reached A-rank, it became an incredible force to be reckoned with.


    ¡®Unlike Palm Gust Strike, I can unleash the skill not only through my palms, but also through any weapon or tool I choose.¡¯


    If he were to shoot it from a spear, for example, it would become the Magic Spear that Cu Chulainn boasted.


    ¡®If I combine it with a Raging Snake¡­¡¯


    The attack would become an unstoppable force, extending to the full range of his lightning power.


    ¡®Of course, it''s not usually this easy to do both at the same time¡­¡¯


    However, since Yu-Seong had the Split Mind Skill, this difficulty did not apply to him. With Lightning Strike in his arsenal, his spear skills had reached an unpredictable level that nobody could easily anticipate.


    ¡®And if I use a gun¡­¡¯


    Unlike his spear skills, Yu-Seong''s gun abilities were still lacking at this stage. However, with the power of Lightning Strike, he could shoot out powerful magical bullets from his gun, just like Jenny.


    If he were to use a sniper rifle, he could even pierce through the armor of A-rank hunters, and perhaps even the heads of S-rank hunters from a long distance.


    ¡®What if I also use a cannon or a tank?¡¯


    It wouldn¡¯t be as powerful as using the power of a god from summoning Loki, but it would allow Yu-Seong to directly unleash a considerably powerful attack.


    With all these thoughts in mind, it was impossible for Yu-Seong not to smile.


    ¡®Now, most of the space is under my control.¡¯


    Having the ability to utilize more space in battle was certainly a boastful feat.


    Additionally, Yu-Seong had a Restoration skill and a Mental Defensive skill, as well as Resistance from Insignia of Protection.


    ¡®Thanks to that, the consumption of Chakra is really intense, but¡­¡¯


    This was also mostly covered by the skill, God''s Chakra, which raised his mana to an astounding amount. With the power of the mana potions he had saved up in the Tower of Heaven, Yu-Seong could fight all day long.


    ¡®I feel like I''m becoming a true All-Rounder.¡¯


    With his direct combat abilities alone, Yu-Seong could easily rank among the top fighters in the world.


    ¡®Perhaps the top 1%.¡¯


    It was an incredible level, but he was still disappointed by one particular aspect.


    ¡®There are still more than a hundred people stronger than me.¡¯


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    And there was Do-Jin.


    ¡®I wonder if he''s come out of the Tower of Heaven by now?¡¯


    The competitiveness in Yu-Seong''s eyes grew as he thought of his opponent.


    ¡®Considering the difference in growth rate from the original novel¡­ It would still be plausible for him to regain all the strength he had when he defeated the Demon King within A-rank.¡¯


    Although, at that time, Do-Jin had been armed with equipment with god¡¯s blessings, it was a fact that his skills were already exceptional to begin with.


    ¡®According to the original novel, there were less than 30 beings with superior skills to Do-Jin. This was after he has fully recovered his strength.¡¯


    And among them, there were only about five people who could single-handedly fight against the Demon King who had descended upon the earth.


    ¡®And somehow, the Demon King who descended upon the earth was said to be stronger than those in the other-world.¡¯


    Perhaps it was because the authority of the gods who practically existed in another world had limited the Demon King¡¯s power.


    ¡®Moreover, in the original novel, the number of Demon Kings who descended upon the earth was only eight.¡¯


    And only five people were capable of fighting against them. In addition, among them, three were actually those who had a well-suited disposition for the Demon King.


    In other words, the emphasis in the original novel was that Do-Jin had to fight and defeat all eleven of them who had the level of power of a Demon King. That was why, by the end of the first part of the original novel, Do-Jin was only able to defeat one Demon King.


    However, things were different now.


    ¡®There are at least two people, Kim Do-Jin and I.¡¯


    Additionally, what if Bernard, who was also rapidly growing, and Ji-Ho, who had recovered through the Elixir, were added?


    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t forget about Yoo Jin-Hyuk and Chae Ye-Ryeong too.¡¯


    The number of people was starting to match the opponent¡¯s side to some extent. However, to achieve this, stability in their immediate environment was a priority.


    ¡®First, I¡¯d need to completely stabilize the Comet Group¡­¡¯


    And if possible, Yu-Seong would have to remove any individuals who could become a liability before the Demon King descended.


    ¡®And of course, before that¡­¡¯


    However, there was one more important thing left to deal with.


    ¡®I have to find a way to reconcile with Kim Do-Jin and Father¡­¡¯


    In fact, this was truly difficult. The situation was so complicated that it made the fight with In-Young seem easier. Therefore, Yu-Seong started investigating the situation.


    ¡®Since this world is pretty much different from the description in the original novel¡­¡¯


    Perhaps there were facts that could become variables if he looked into it in detail.


    ¡®They must exist.¡¯


    Yu-Seong no longer resented Woo-Jae. In the first place, to Yu-Seong, who no longer thought of himself as an outsider in this world, Woo-Jae was a person who made him feel the love of family. This was unlike his previous life as an orphan.


    ¡®It won''t be easy, but I have to find a way to do it.¡¯


    Indeed, that was Yu-Seong''s determination.

 CH 221

    After Jin-Woo had joined Yu-Seong''s side, In-Young remained silent for a long time with no visible action being taken. Just like that, more than a week had passed. Yu-Seong considered this to be the calm before the storm. Therefore, rather than rushing into action, he focused on honing his own skills before making a move.


    While having breakfast, Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as he watched the morning news.


    - Kim Do-Jin, South Korea''s strongest rookie, challenges the Sword Master, setting his sight on the title of the best!


    It was news that Do-Jin and Sword Master had had an unofficial match. Although the results had not been officially announced, many speculated that Sword Master had emerged victorious from this match.


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin probably won.¡¯


    Despite being called the best player in South Korea, Sword Master was a somewhat overrated. In the original novel, Do-Jin had been aware of this fact from the very beginning and used it as an opportunity to boost his own reputation by defeating Sword Master once he regained his strength.


    ¡®That time has come sooner than I thought.¡¯


    Although the results had not been made public, those in the know would inevitably spread the word of the match''s outcome. Indeed, everything was progressing faster and faster.


    With such a feeling in his heart, Yu-Seong murmured to himself, "She''ll come today."


    ¡°What?¡± Yu-Ri, who was watching the news from beside Yu-Seong, asked in surprise. ¡°No way¡­ Did you use future foresight?¡±


    It was more of intuition rather than future foresight, but Yu-Seong didn''t dismiss the feeling lightly. He replied, "It¡¯s not that¡­ It''s more of a gut feeling.¡±


    Calm days had passed, but a storm was brewing tonight. The preparations had already been completed, but unexpected variables could still arise. Even so, there would be no more futile defeats like in the past.


    As Yu-Seong steeled himself, Yu-Ri and Do-Yoon also hardened their expressions.


    When afternoon finally arrived, someone rang the doorbell of Yu-Seong''s house. Yu-Ri checked the visitor and turned to Yu-Seong with a surprised expression. She said, "It''s Choi In-Young.¡±


    The fact that In-Young had directly come to his house was unexpected. Yu-Seong was momentarily flustered, but he soon regained his composure and calmly nodded.


    "Did she come alone?"


    "Yes," Yu-Ri replied.


    "Let her in," said Yu-Seong, who knew that he should not show fear when faced with a lone opponent.


    ***


    Soon, they were in the living room.


    Facing each other, In-Young smiled slyly and asked, "Wow, how did you manage to persuade even Jin-Woo oppa to your side? Do you have more charm than I do?"


    "I have no idea what you''re talking about. Did you have a conversation with Jin-Woo hyung-nim?" Yu-Seong replied with a smirk at the strange provocation.


    "Don''t pretend like you don¡¯t know anything. I already figured it all out. Where''s Min Young-Hoon?"


    "He''s dead."


    "Liar."


    "But it was you who sent him to die, wasn''t it, noo-nim?" Yu-Seong asked.


    With a fleeting glance, In-Young tried to read Yu-Seong''s expression. However, she only got a strange sensation when their gazes met.


    ''Is he becoming more like Father?''


    Aside from failing to read Yu-Seong''s thoughts in his gaze, In-Young also felt the heavy weight of his stare. In other words, Yu-Seong was using his gaze to suppress her. This fact alone made In-Young feel a strange mix of discomfort and interest.


    "I wonder if simply trying to take you down is really the best strategy," In-Young commented.


    In fact, her approach wasn''t to go all-out in a frontal assault. Rather, she preferred to lure her opponents in and then make them yield at her feet, even if it meant taking a slightly roundabout path.


    "You know we can''t have the kind of relationship that you want, right?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "You never know. Maybe we''ll surprise each other and get along better than we think possible," In-Young replied as her Charm Skill momentarily flickered.


    Yu-Seong smirked and activated his Third Eye, which allowed him to withstand the Charm Skill. He did, however, have to expend some mental strength.


    In-Young looked at the Third Eye appearing on Yu-Seong¡¯s forehead in surprise. She commented, ¡°Oh, it looks like you have an interesting skill.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have a choice when you use such strange tactics, noo-nim,¡± Yu-Seong replied.


    "What a shame. I''d love to capture you now that I have the chance," In-Young said, pouting and sighing deeply. ¡°Yu-Seong, I have to admit that you are doing well. To be honest, I am quite surprised.¡±


    ¡°If you know that, then you should just give up. The game is almost over,¡± Yu-Seong said.


    ¡°That''s what I want to say. You''ve done well so far, but there''s no guarantee you''ll keep doing well. Everyone has some hidden tricks up their sleeves, so don''t be mistaken in thinking that you have won already. Complacency could be fatal for you,¡± In-Young said.


    "That¡¯s exactly what I wanted to say to you,¡± Yu-Seong replied.


    In-Young''s eyes narrowed again at Yu-Seong¡¯s unyielding attitude.


    ¡®Tsk, I really want him.¡¯


    How could she have ignored such a great younger brother until now? If she had hugged him in her arms before he was all grown up, she wouldn''t have to do such useless things now.


    ¡®It''s a huge shame.¡¯


    They were enemies; the reality of her situation.


    In-Young nodded in resignation at the irreversible reality. "So, your choice is to witness bloodshed between your own siblings."


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you won''t regret your choice?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Yu-Seong replied, grinning brightly.


    In-Young''s calm gaze began to change sharply. She said, "I used to think you¡¯re a cute little brother. I wanted to save you at all costs.¡±


    "Thank you for saying so, even though you don''t mean it," Yu-Seong replied sarcastically.


    "I mean what I just said. If I didn''t, we wouldn''t be having this pointless conversation," In-Young retorted before handing over a piece of paper from her pocket.


    Yu-Seong took the piece of paper, then sighed. He said, ¡°There are many familiar names.¡±


    He could see the names of several executives and directors who had supported Ji-Ho and Jin-Woo. Most of them had signed an agreement to switch their allegiance to In-Young''s side.


    "Like you, I can do it too. With only a little encouragement, they¡¯ve signed the contract without hesitation. You see, that''s the thing. If you get careless and think you''ve won, you might end up choking yourself."


    "But why did you bother coming all the way here to tell me this? Couldn¡¯t this have been resolved as an internal power struggle within the company?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "I¡¯ve come since you might have prepared something too?" In-Young replied.


    ¡°...Oh well, you caught me,¡± Yu-Seong admitted without bothering to hide the truth.


    Knowing that In-Young had the Charm Skill, it would be foolish not to predict that some would be swayed by her powers and betray him.


    "Who is it? Did Yeo-Reum also betray me? Or maybe even Eun-Yul?¡± asked In-Young.


    As she also called out the name of the youngest member of the Choi family, Eun-Yul, who wasn¡¯t even involved in the succession fight, Yu-Seong shrugged his shoulders and said nothing.


    "Well, alright, I didn''t think you would tell me. And even if we take over the organization by division vote, they won''t accept it modestly," In-Young said with a slight smile as she pulled out her phone to make a call.


    Nobody answered even as she waited for a while. After five rings, she hung up the phone as if the call didn¡¯t matter.


    "What have you done?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "Well? What do you think?¡± In-Young threw a question back.


    That brief exchange left Yu-Seong feeling uneasy and a strange sensation coursed through his entire body. He had never felt such a sensation before, but he was well aware of it.


    "It''s a barrier," he said.


    "Correct," In-Young replied with a smirk.


    As she stood up, the vibration of the barrier caused the house and walls to crumble. She then said, "I''ve already surrounded your house with my troops. No one can help you now. You¡¯ve missed your chance.¡±


    Without warning, two dark figures appeared beside In-Young with red eyes and a strong odor of blood.


    Yu-Seong easily recognized them and said, ¡°Vampires.¡±


    The two men grinned. Then, one of the vampires said, "Hehe... In-Young, your little brother is quite perceptive.¡±


    "Did you get caught?" the other asked.


    "Perhaps he already knew," In-Young smirked, shrugging her shoulders.


    Yu-Seong could sense that the vampires were of S-rank level, but the problem was that they were not the only ones. He could tell that more than ten vampires, with a strong odor of blood, had revealed themselves beyond the entrance of the barrier.


    Silently observing the situation, Yu-Seong said calmly, "Now I understand. Vampires weaken during the day, but that doesn''t matter inside this barrier. That''s why you¡¯ve trapped me here and called these people over.¡±


    In-Young tilted her head and replied, "You''re mostly right. But the most important thing is that no one will know what we do inside the barrier.¡±


    "It must have been difficult to find a barrier master of this level. Your family must have put in quite an effort," Yu-Seong noted.


    "If you know that so well, why don¡¯t you start getting scared? I don¡¯t want to get bored while watching you.¡± In-Young chuckled and shrugged.


    "You said it, In-Young," Yu-Seong said with a cold smile. "Just when you think you''ve won, the crisis will strangle you.¡±


    "What?" In-Young asked, startled.


    "Don''t get ahead of yourself. You''re not the only one who can hire a barrier master," Yu-Seong said.


    As the barrier began to crack like shattering glass, In-Young and the vampires looked around in surprise.


    "I have someone who will soon become the world''s best barrier master," Yu-Seong declared.


    In fact, this was the moment why Yu-Seong had never publicly announced that Jin-Hyuk had the ability of barrier master.


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    ¡®Of course, Jin-Hyuk would not be able to break through this large barrier alone.¡¯


    Thus, he had put his best soldier on standby by Jin-Hyuk¡¯s side.


    ¡®Loki.¡¯


    At Yu-Seong''s request, the mischievous purple dragon consumed a large amount of his mana and moved toward Jin-Hyuk to help break the barrier.


    As a result, the space that had been traversed using the barrier¡¯s power was starting to reveal the original layout of Yu-Seong''s house. The vampires, who had used the power of the barrier to cross the space, began to disappear one by one.


    In-Young looked bewildered, having not expected this situation at all. In fact, her reaction was only natural. Typically, it took at least an hour on average for the barrier to be broken, so it was natural for her to show such an expression.


    "Well, it''s always carelessness that ruins everything," Yu-Seong said with a teasing smile.


    Annoyed by Yu-Seong¡¯s tone, In-Young shouted, "Capture Choi Yu-Seong!"


    After all, in chess or shogi, the game was over once the king was captured. Around them, there were still over ten S-rank vampires.


    Although In-Young admitted that her maternal family had provided her as much support as possible, it had actually caused more problems.


    Just when the vampires were about to attack Yu-Seong, Do-Yoon and Yu-Ri tried to block their attacks.


    Bang-!


    Suddenly, a man broke through the almost destroyed barrier with his strength. Revealing his huge build with a fierce and beast-like momentum, he greeted, "Hello, vampire friends. Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Jackson¡­?¡±


    The SS-rank hunter and Hexagram master of the Demon King Worshipers, Beast King Jackson, had appeared. In fact, his appearance had been intended by Yu-Seong.


    ''Because at this moment, the Godfather is attempting to subjugate the vampires.¡¯


    Yu-Seong felt relieved to see that the incident was unfolding as planned, despite his initial worries about the passage of time. After all, there was no reason not to use the information he had gained from reading the original novel.


    ¡®It''s a bit uncomfortable that he''s from the Demon King Worshipers.¡¯


    However, there was no better way to deal with this situation. As the saying went, ''play somebody off against somebody'', this was the way to suppress the enemy with another enemy.


    Of course, this plan came with a problem that Yu-Seong had to face.


    "So, you were the one who provided this valuable information? How interesting," Jackson said.


    The problem arose when Jackson, who had been looking down at the terrified vampires and In-Young, turned his gaze to Yu-Seong.

 CH 222

    In fact, hunters at SS-rank or higher were very rare on Earth.


    ''At most, there may be about 30 of them?''


    In the demon world, SS-rank hunters could be considered to be at least as powerful as a duke. Even among the Demon King Worshipers¡¯ Hexagram Masters, Jackson, the Beast King, was one of the closest to the pinnacle.


    ¡®I was wondering who would come, and it turned out to be the most extreme one¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong bit his lip, feeling cold sweat trickle down his back.


    Since the Godfather intended to subdue the vampires, Yu-Seong had predicted that the Demon King Worshipers would send a fairly strong individual to seize this opportunity to gain the upper hand. However, the actual monster that had arrived was much more formidable than Yu-Seong had expected.


    Moreover, as mentioned before, Jackson was somewhat of a radical. He was known to turn the entire surroundings into a mess if he felt like he was being obstructed, even if the obstruction was not necessarily his target.


    "Damn it, run away!"


    The desperate vampires were not running for nothing.


    ''The problem is that even if they run away...''


    Jackson was not a man one could just get away from.


    Jackson had been standing in front of Yu-Seong just moments ago, but now, he was smashing several vampires¡¯ heads in succession. He stopped them from running away.


    Meanwhile, the surviving vampires had a thought. ¡®No matter how much of a monster he is, he won¡¯t be able to catch us all alone.''


    As if reading their minds Jackson, who was left alone in the collapsing barrier, snickered. "You stupid idiots. If I wanted to catch all of you from the beginning, it would have already been done.¡±


    There was a reason why Jackson had let the vampires go. The vampires who had fled were frozen solid in mid-air before falling back to the ground like hail. They shattered into pieces and instantly died.


    Naturally, everyone''s gaze turned to the woman on a witch''s broom.


    Waving her hand lightly under the full moon in the night sky, the woman remarked, "If you hadn''t sent any, I would have been so disappointed.¡±


    "Talia-!" the vampires exclaimed.


    As another Hexagram Master, the Queen of Frigidity, had appeared, the vampires who were fleeing stopped in their tracks. In fact, they had already given up on life.


    "Didn''t the Boss tell you not to do anything stupid and to lay low for a while? Why didn''t you listen?" Talia asked with a smile as she waved her hand in the air.


    Watching as all of the vampires on the ground turned into ice and floated into the air at Talia¡¯s wave, Yu-Seong couldn''t help but feel cold sweat running down his back.


    ¡®How much mana and precise control do you need to do something like that?¡¯


    Yu-Seong couldn''t help but shudder in fear.


    ¡®These are the Hexagram Masters.¡¯


    They were practically the strongest people in this world.


    ¡®For now, It is impossible for me to deal with them.¡¯


    What should he do if they decided to start a rampage? Yu-Seong started to come up with a plan for emergencies.


    "Don''t be so afraid, Choi Yu-Seong. I was just surprised. I have no intention of doing anything to you," Jackson said, turning to smirk at Yu-Seong. He added, "Unfortunately, I''m not in a position to do anything to you right now. Someone even higher than me is watching over you from above.¡±


    In fact, there was only one person who was higher than a Hexagram Master in rank.


    ¡®The Godfather, Eveheim, who is the pinnacle of the Demon King Worshipers.¡¯


    Although he called himself a Demon King Worshiper, Eveheim was a monster just as strong as the Demon King himself.


    Recalling the brief interaction he had with Eveheim, Yu-Seong sighed in relief.


    ¡®I knew he was someone who was clear with his favor and resentment, so did have some hope, but¡­¡¯


    He never thought that his plan would work so well.


    After eliminating all the vampires around them, Jackson and Talia started talking about In-Young, who looked pale.


    "What should we do with that girl?" asked Talia.


    "The Godfather didn¡¯t say anything about her, right?¡± responded Jackson.


    "He didn''t say anything, but that girl is from the Helarg family."


    "Does that matter? The Helarg family will disappear from this world after today."


    As the conversation between the two continued, In-Young''s face turned even paler.


    ¡®What? My family is going to disappear?¡¯


    The Choi family was In-Young¡¯s paternal side of the family, but she had simply been commanded to stay with the Chois by her maternal side of the family. Even though the Comet Group was large, the difference in scale between them and the Helarg family, a vampire clan that owned one of the world''s top five companies, was big.


    However, Talia and Jackson were claiming that such a powerful family like the Helarg family would disappear. It would have been a bad joke coming from anybody else, but these two were Hexagram Masters. Even if the strongest vampires of the Helarg family had come out, they wouldn''t be able to withstand the greatest powers of the Demon King Worshipers in a fight.


    "Well, if that''s the case, there''s nothing we can do but eliminate the last survivor ourselves," Jackson said with a smirk, banging his fist.


    "See, this is why you should have listened to the Godfather from the start." Talia shook her head, as if she was unable to understand the vampires.


    Jackson, who looked as if he was about to smash In-Young''s head with his fist, stopped and turned to look at Yu-Seong. He asked, "Hey, you. Do you want to save this woman?"


    ¡°...¡± Yu-Seong didn''t say anything. In truth, he didn¡¯t care if In-Young died. However, he didn''t want to let her fate be in Jackson''s hands.


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    ¡®She should be judged by someone else.¡¯


    The problem was, why had Jackson had even asked Yu-Seong such a question? Yu-Seong believed that things could become difficult if a powerful and scary monster like Jackson heard the answer to his question and threw a pointless tantrum.


    "Just answer honestly. I¡¯m asking because I want you to owe me one,¡± said Jackson.


    Yu-Seong slowly nodded at Jackson''s sly grin. "I''m not going to save her, but she doesn''t deserve to die like this.¡±


    Jackson chuckled, "You''re quite honest. If you said you wanted to save her, I would have smashed her head right away. Haha."


    After watching Jackson slowly drop his fist with a light laugh, Talia burst into laughter. "Since he¡¯s one of the Godfather''s chosen ones, you want to look good, don''t you?"


    Jackson shrugged his shoulders. "It wouldn''t hurt. You never know how our relationship might change in the future.¡±


    Again, Talia burst into laughter at Jackson''s words.


    From Yu-Seong''s perspective, the statement was not an easy one to understand.


    ¡®What does it mean that Eveheim has chosen me? Why would that happen?¡¯


    The original novel had a similar story.


    ¡®The Godfather''s successor.¡¯


    The basic plot was that the Demon King Worshipers would first cause chaos in the world by summoning the Demon King, with the ultimate goal of reigning supreme themselves. While considering the Godfather to be the ruler of this world, they also sought to find a successor to him.


    However, in the original novel, the person Eveheim had targeted was not Yu-Seong but Do-Jin. Why had this suddenly changed?


    ¡®Is it a good or bad thing?¡¯


    Feeling the sudden approach of people due to the barrier¡¯s complete collapse, Jackson asked, "So what are you going to do, Choi Yu-Seong? If you accept my offer¡­"


    "I''ll accept it," said Yu-Seong.


    "Good. We could be good friends," answered Jackson with a smile. Then, turning his gaze to Do-Yoon, he said, "And I also quite like you too.¡±


    As if he was already in his werewolf state, Do-Yoon''s fur stood on end. He could tell just how overwhelmingly powerful the man in front of him was.


    "See you again, my friends," said Jackson as he backed away.


    "You lady, over there. You are mine. I''ll see you again," said Talia, waving to Yu-Ri before disappearing.


    After the two Hexagram Masters who had whipped up a storm around them had left, In-Young, who had stood rooted to the spot with a dumb expression, burst into a loud laugh. "Ahaha, ahahahaha! How¡­ How embarrassing¡­¡±


    Everything she had believed in had crumbled in an instant, leaving her in such a pitiful state that she could do nothing but laugh.


    "How could this happen? Do you know what I did to survive? Do you know what I endured?" screamed In-Young, who turned to look at Yu-Seong with her red eyes.


    Just as Do-Yoon stepped forward at that moment, Yu-Seong raised his hand to stop him. He said, "I''ll speak with her.¡±


    A brief silence ensued as the two siblings, who could have been ordinary siblings, looked at each other.


    "It''s really over now. I''d like to say I''ll spare you, but you''ve committed too many evil deeds."


    "You never know, your friends outside might be struggling. You''re too confident. Haha," said In-Young.


    "You can¡¯t be so clueless as to say that and mean it, right? You know that Choi Seok-Young and Choi Yeo-Reum can''t even handle Jin Woo hyung-nim alone."


    However, Yu-Seong also had the support of Min-Seok and Ji-Ho, as well as his own full power to rely on.


    "...They¡¯re probably already subdued from the beginning," said Yu-Seong.


    "I know!" shouted In-Young as she charged fiercely toward Yu-Seong. She yelled, "But it''s still not over yet, is it? Whether in Chess or in Janggi, you have to capture the King to end it.¡±


    Yu-Seong dodged In-Young¡¯s attack with ease, using minimal movements. He also managed to strike her abdomen with a strong kick.


    Thud-!


    "Cough!" In-Young spat blood and was thrown into the air.


    ¡®A-rank, half-vampire.¡¯


    Her physical combat abilities were certainly impressive, and some S-rank hunters would struggle to keep up with her. However, her charging recklessly toward Yu-Seong was useless; he was skilled enough to be caught off guard by her and still win.


    ¡®I was certain after watching the Hexagram Masters earlier.¡¯


    Talia and Jackson were both surprisingly strong, but Yu-Seong was confident that he could catch up to them soon. His growth rate was incredibly fast.


    Needless to say, In-Young was no match for him.


    "So give up," Yu-Seong said calmly.


    "Who said I''m giving up?!" In-Young retorted as a red energy swirled around her again.


    While Do-Yoon and Yu-Ri tensed up at In-Young¡¯s aggressive stance, Yu-Seong remained unfazed. He could see a black shadow quickly escaping from within the red energy with his Third Eye.


    ¡®She¡¯s running away.¡¯


    In fact, if he really wanted to catch In-Young, he could have chased after her and captured her no matter what. However, he didn''t do that hastily.


    ¡®If someone is to bring an end to her...¡¯


    It wasn''t him who had to judge In-Young. There was another person who had to do it.


    "Jin Yu-Ri, clean up the surrounding area and coordinate with the police if people come."


    "Yes, oppa," replied Yu-Ri.


    "Jin Do-Yoon, you can help Yu-Ri," Yu-Seong commanded.


    "Are you planning to go after Choi In-Young, young master?" asked Do-Jin.


    "Don''t worry. You know I can handle those situations on my own," replied Yu-Seong with confidence.


    Seeing Yu-Seong''s reliable and confident smile, the two siblings couldn''t say anything.


    ¡®Young master... already...¡¯


    ¡®Yu-Seong oppa has already been free from our grasp for a long time.¡¯


    The more the Jin siblings thought about it, the more they realized it to be true. In the battle to take over the vast Comet Group corporation, they hadn''t done much. They had simply been following Yu-Seong''s orders and managing the people as needed.


    And yet, even with their limited roles, Yu-Seong was able to successfully end this massive fight without any major issues. Their young master, who had once seemed small and insignificant, had surprisingly grown tremendously in a short amount of time.

 CH 223

    The dark alleyway didn''t fit in with the glamorous city of Seoul, and even the streetlights were all out. After running aimlessly for a while, In-Young stopped and leaned against a cold wall to look up at the sky.


    ¡®It''s pitch black.¡¯


    Even without the streetlights to illuminate it, had she ever felt the night sky to be so indifferent and cold?


    In-Young shook her head with a smirk. Her sweaty skin was getting irritated from the hairs sticking to it. She slowly brushed her hair back before saying, "Come out. I know you''re there.¡±


    An answer soon came as a man emerged from the darkness.


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    In-Young''s lips curved up into a smile as she saw the cold, black eyes that shone through the long strands of hair covering the man¡¯s forehead. She said, ¡°Min Young-Hoon.¡±


    "Choi In-Young."


    As they called out each other''s names, the two ran toward each other. It looked like they were about to embrace each other, but what they actually exchanged were sharp nails and daggers.


    When crimson blood fell to the ground, In-Young laughed as she wiped away the blood from the wounds on her cheek. She commented, ¡°It hurts.¡±


    ¡°Does that tiny wound hurt?¡± With a mocking smile on his face, Young-Hoon threw his dagger at In-Young.


    In-Young quickly dodged the dagger. With her eyes flashing red, she asked, "Do we have to keep doing this between us?"


    Young-Hoon flinched at the question before letting out a snort. Then, he avoided In-Young¡¯s attack and lifted his foot to strike her neck with a powerful blow.


    Thump-!


    Getting hit hard in the neck, In-Young fell back and writhed on the ground like a bug. Her throat was constricted by the weight of Young-Hoon¡¯s foot. ¡°Kk, keugh¡­!¡±


    "That damn red eye!" Young-Hoon cried.


    Glaring at In-Young angrily, he looked like he was about to crush her neck with his foot. If he thought about the years he had spent under her Charm Skill, completely mesmerized by it, he couldn''t help but tremble with anger.


    However, he still managed to release the force he had gathered at the tip of his foot. He said, "It''s a waste to kill you like this.¡±


    In-Young tried to fight back, but the outcome of this battle had been obvious from the very beginning. Young-Hoon was one of the top 10 strongest players in South Korea, while In-Young herself didn¡¯t have the combat power to even rank within the top 100.


    What made In-Young a threat was her overwhelming obsession and her Charm Skill, which helped her trap even those who were stronger than her.


    Young-Hoon pushed In-Young¡¯s face to the side with his foot, seeing her partially dilated eyes and limp expression. Hearing a strange noise, he asked with a frown, "You''re laughing? You find this funny?"


    "Ahaha..." In-Young briefly chuckled.


    Her gaze was no longer fixed on Young-Hoon. She was looking up at the black sky, devoid of any light, and slowly reached out her hand in that direction.


    ¡®Is it really over?¡¯


    She was unwilling to believe in this outcome. In fact, she couldn''t even believe it in the present moment. It was true that so much had happened and changed in a single day, just from afternoon to night, that she could hardly believe that this was her reality.


    In an instant, her maternal side of the family that she had put her faith in had perished, and all the power and authority she had had crumbled like shards of glass, scattering in all directions and becoming difficult to even trace.


    Right now, she truly wished that when she opened her eyes and got up, everything would be like a dream and a new morning would shine upon her. She desperately wished for it, but the excruciating pain that shot up her arm sharply reminded her of the reality she was in.


    "Ack-!"


    "So, you''re deluding yourself into thinking you''re a pitiable woman now? You know very well what you''ve done up until now," Young-Hoon said.


    Reality was cruel and merciless, not giving anyone the chance to possibly erase the past. Knowing this for a fact, In-Young laughed again amidst the agony. "Pffft, hahaha, ahahaha-!"


    "Choi In-Young!" Young-Hoon, infuriated, created a black thorn in one hand as if he couldn''t stand it anymore. He was going to end In-Young¡¯s life.


    At that moment, another presence was felt in the darkness.


    Thump, thump.


    The footsteps drew the attention of both Young-Hoon and In-Young. The one walking toward them was soon revealed to be Yu-Seong.


    Young-Hoon was the first to react sensitively to Yu-Seong¡¯s unexpected appearance. He didn¡¯t think that the man would personally come here. He asked harshly, "You''re not going to speak nonsense like how she shouldn¡¯t die, are you?¡±


    ¡°Would you listen even if I said that?" replied Yu-Seong.


    ¡°No, if that¡¯s the case, either you or I would have to die,¡± growled Young-Hoon in a low voice.


    Yu-Seong shrugged his shoulders at Young-Hoon. ¡°I don''t intend to do that. I¡¯ve only come to watch her final moments.¡±


    ¡°...Do we have that kind of relationship?¡± In-Young asked as she laid on the ground.


    Yu-Seong cocked his head. ¡°Of course not. We don¡¯t have any sort of a relationship between us. If anything, I¡¯m here so I can see whether you really die or not. It¡¯s just to confirm things with my own eyes.¡±


    In-Young felt a chill run down her spine as she looked at the smiling Yu-Seong.


    ''Choi Yu-Seong.''


    She just realized that Yu-Seong was far scarier and more dangerous than she had thought. Unfortunately, this realization had come too late. That was why she had lost.


    ¡°I should have dealt with you before you became like this.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you try a few times already? You just failed to,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    ¡°I mean, I should have risked my life and come after you. Kuk,¡± In-Young said as she grimaced in pain. She then asked, ¡°What about Choi Seok-Yeong?¡±


    ¡°I haven''t confirmed it yet, but he''s probably dead,¡± Yu-Seong said as he had previously given that command.


    To be honest, Seok-Yeong''s life was no different from a living hell. After all, In-Young had sworn a slave oath on his soul. He was better off dead.


    ¡°...Well, thanks for letting me know. I won''t be lonely on the way.¡±


    Yu-Seong no longer spoke.


    Young-Hoon was going to be responsible for In-Young¡¯s death. After giving Yu-Seong a chance to have a brief conversation with In-Young without any interference, he said, ¡°I want to give this woman the most painful death possible.¡±


    ¡°You don''t have to think too hard, then. Right now will be the most painful for her,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    Young-Hoon''s burning eyes were fixed on In-Young, whose eyes were empty and filled with despair.


    "Don''t even think about keeping me alive. If it''s not now, then you''ll come back to tear my throat out at some point in the future."


    Indeed, In-Young was a dangerous and frightening woman. Since Young-Hoon had boasted of being closer to her than anyone else, he could read her heart well.


    ¡°Don''t you regret it?¡±


    "About what?"


    ¡°Your life... The choices you''ve made in your life...¡±


    ¡°Very much so. But Young-Hoon, I don''t regret seducing you,¡± In-Young said calmly as her eyes no longer shone red.


    ¡°How come¡­?¡±


    ¡°Because there''s no better opportunity than using a man who has fallen for me when I don''t even love him,¡± said In-Young.


    ¡°...That''s enough of an answer,¡± said Young-Hoon.


    With his fist forming a black blade in the darkness, he pierced In-Young¡¯s neck with one swift and cold motion.


    "Gasp-!" In-Young felt hot blood spilling out of her mouth as her waist was bent by the strong impact. She could smell the strong odor or iron.


    In the moment of her death, she thought, ''...This feels really disgusting.''


    Young-Hoon sat weakly in front of In-Young''s completely lifeless body. He didn''t say anything for a long time. He didn''t even express any satisfaction of revenge or resentment. The only thing he did was to drop several tears.


    After some time, Young-Hoon looked back at Yu-Seong, who was trying to leave quietly. He said quietly, ¡°...You can contact me whenever you need me.¡±


    Yu-Seong stopped walking for a while, turned his head, and silently nodded.


    ¡°I''ll repay the debt somehow,¡± said Young-Hoon.


    Once Yu-Seong was no longer in sight, Young-Hoon cradled In-Young''s face in his arms. He knew he needed to get up and leave, but his body wouldn''t move. He simply stood there, frozen in place for quite some time.


    ***


    Sword Master, Byuk Je-Ho, was an old man known as the best hunter in South Korea. He looked at the sword rising to the sky with a hopeless gaze.


    The sword, which had accompanied him throughout his life and sacrificed its body for his journey, spun high up in the sky before stabbing into the ground. Finally, the sword was broken.


    "...Impressive," said Je-Ho after a long period of silence.


    His gaze was fixed on the handsome young man, Do-Jin, in front of him.


    Do-Jin appeared to be quite tired. He was soaked in sweat, and his torn clothes exposed many red wounds on his skin.


    However, it was Je-Ho himself who had dropped the sword. Do-Jin¡¯s sword was at his throat. If this had been a real fight, there was no doubt that he would be the one to die.


    ''Is it because of the difference in momentum?''


    Momentum in a fight could bring about unexpected results. This was also true for sports, where weaker teams could win against the stronger ones.


    Was the fight between him and Do-Jin similar to that? Je-Ho snorted and shook his head. No, it was a matter of skill. In fact, Do-Jin had calmly led the battle to have it come to such an end from the very beginning.


    Je-Ho had come to this battle to witness that last moment. With pain in his heart and injuries on his body, he was certain of how he had lost the battle. He said to himself, ¡°The last movement of the sword...was the best.¡±


    Of course, Do-Jin''s swordsmanship up until the end of the battle had been impressive and deserving of his reputation. However, his extraordinary swordsmanship still hadn¡¯t been enough to defeat Je-Ho, who had the somewhat overrated title of ¡®Sword Master¡¯. The important thing had been that one final move, the one where the sword had seemed to pierce through the world.


    If faced with the same attack again, Je-Ho had no confidence in stopping it. After all, Je-Ho himself had built a wall of effort and passion. On the other hand, he could see that Do-Jin had effort, passion, and brilliant talent.


    "...It was bound to happen someday," admitted Je-Ho calmly.


    Just then, Do-Jin took a step back and bowed his head slightly with a hint of respect in his eyes and expression. He declared, "Now, I''ll take the title of Sword Master."


    "Of course, you should," Je-Ho said with a chuckle before turning around.


    In fact, he felt no regret.


    ¡®The world is changing.¡¯


    Many things that had remained ahead were being pushed out of the way by the rushing current.


    Watching Je-Ho''s back as the old man left, Do-Jin lowered his sword and thought, ¡®Finally¡­¡¯


    After the fight with Je-Ho, Do-Jin knew that he had reached the level of swordsmanship that he had displayed before returning to Earth. If he could continue to show this level of swordsmanship, he wouldn''t be afraid even if his opponent was a Demon King.


    ''It''s really just around the corner.''


    At this point, he had just defeated his best training opponent in Korea. If so, should he go abroad then?


    As he wiped his sweat away and sat down on the ground, he received a phone call. He looked at the name floating on the screen before answering the call, "What''s up?"


    His voice was cold, but still expressed his inexplicable excitement. The passion to jump in and fight immediately rose within him.


    However, the purpose of Yu-Seong''s call was not for them to battle each other.


    - Let''s go to Pyongyang.


    "What...?"


    - The person we owe our lives to is there, remember? You aren''t just pretending to not know, are you?


    Do-Jin''s face lit up with a slight smile as he listened to Yu-Seong''s words, and he shook his head in response. He said, "No, I didn''t mean it like that.¡±


    In fact, he would love to go to Pyongyang, which had probably become the stronghold of demons by now.


    "I¡¯ll go with you," said Do-Jin.


    And that was how their next journey was decided.

 CH 224

    After In-Young¡¯s death, the previously tense atmosphere in the Comet Group quickly returned to its original state. This was partly due to the approved succession struggle that had taken place while Woo-Jae was still in good health. It was also because of the significant contributions made by Jin-Woo.


    ¡®I don''t have much to do.¡¯


    With Jin-Woo standing by his side, someone who had once been a somewhat difficult opponent, Yu-Seong felt sturdy and reliable.


    "...Thank you very much."


    As Yu-Seong approached him to offer his respects, Ji-Ho gave a casual wave with a pleased smile on his face. He said, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. This is just a show of Jin-Woo¡¯s sincerity. Please forget about the past and get along with Jin-Woo.¡±


    "Of course." Yu-Seong smiled widely.


    Feeling satisfied by Yu-Seong¡¯s response, Ji-Ho said, "Now that Father is returning, you will be officially designated as the successor. It was truly a long and difficult journey. I have done my part, so I''ll..."


    A quick look at "pawread dot com" will leave you more fulfilled.


    "I know you want to rest, but you have to rest in a healthy manner," Yu-Seong interrupted Ji-Ho before the man could finish his sentence.


    Then, before Ji-Ho could respond, Baek Chul spoke up from behind him. "I hope the same for you."


    Ji-Ho smiled wryly. "If that''s the will of heaven, then it will be so. But fate is always cruel..."


    "I know fate well, and it''s a friendlier companion than you might think," Yu-Seong confidently reassured Ji-Ho with a hand on his chest. He then said, "As you know well, I wasn¡¯t the type of person who should be taking up such an important position.¡±


    "...Well," said Ji-Ho, feeling a strange mix of emotions.


    Come to think of it, in the future he had seen, Yu-Seong''s fate was to be followed by death. But what about Yu-Seong in front of him?


    ''Is it possible for the future to change?''


    Seeing the surging emotions in Ji-Ho''s eyes, Yu-Seong said with a smile, "Just wait for me, hyung-nim. I will definitely save you."


    Hope was a dangerous emotion to hold onto. However, Ji-Ho couldn''t help but smile as he gradually warmed up to that feeling in his heart.


    "...Then I¡¯ll believe my reliable little brother," Ji-Ho said with determination in his eyes.


    He truly believed that, if he could survive, he would be the best helper for his younger brother out of anyone else.


    ***


    In order to treat Ji-Ho, Yu-Seong needed to climb up to the 20th floor of the Tower of Heaven and obtain an Elixir.


    ¡®The minimum requirement to reach the 20th floor of the Tower of Heaven is to achieve an S-rank on the surface.¡¯


    That was why Yu-Seong, who had returned to Earth, intended to achieve S-rank as quickly as possible.


    ¡®And I''m currently at level 40 of A-rank.¡¯


    His growth rate was not bad, but he still needed quite a bit of time to reach max level. With that concern in mind, Yu-Seong had come up with a way to kill two birds with one stone.


    ¡®That way, I can level up quickly and also find opportunities to repay my debts¡­¡¯


    He had decided to go to Pyongyang, where he could gain experience by fighting the demon tribe, level up, and save Helen. If he succeeded in doing all of that, then it would be the ultimate gain for him.


    ¡®In fact, I am trying to kill three birds with one stone.¡¯


    Once he had come up with that plan, he had immediately contacted Do-Jin and said that they should go to Pyongyang.


    However, there was always a risk that came with a good opportunity. Above all, Clarius, the Count of Demon, was located in Pyongyang.


    ¡®With my current abilities, I can handle the situation to some extent, but I can''t guarantee a definite victory.¡¯


    Moreover, he had to consider the variables that would come with spending a long time in Pyongyang. That was why he had called on Do-Jin for support.


    ¡®In the first place, it''s Kim Do-Jin''s job to handle the demons in Pyongyang.¡¯


    In order to gain approval to take on the demons in Pyongyang with only a small group of people, Yu-Seong needed to get special authority and this required the power of the Korean Player Association. If Do-Jin had won the title of Sword Master by now, obtaining special authority from the Association would be made a lot easier.


    ''Because he has proven his own strength and worth from that one battle.''


    Yu-Seong also had special authority which he had obtained with Woo-Jae¡¯s help, so the two of them could go to Pyongyang alone. The problem left was transportation, but that could be easily resolved.


    ''Since we''re on our way to take care of things anyway, the Korean Player Association will support us greatly.''


    Do-Jin, who had been granted permission to use one of the three stealth-coated transport planes that was difficult to locate by both monsters and demons in Korea, stood at the runway of Gimpo Airport.


    While waiting in front of the sleekly designed stealth plane, he noticed Yu-Seong approaching. Then, he made a strange expression. He could see that Bernard was walking with Yu-Seong right next to him.


    "...I thought that only the two of us were going?" asked Do-Jin.


    "I did think about it, but I thought it would be nice to have one more colleague who fits well with us," Yu-Seong explained.


    To be entirely honest, Do-Jin and Bernard Yoo were the ones who originally took care of the demons in Pyongyang.


    ¡®If you think about the flow of the original novel¡­¡¯


    In any case, wouldn''t it be much more secure to have the two people who were originally supposed to handle the situation in Pyongyang together? Despite the butterfly effect, Yu-Seong believed that having a certain level of stability could be achieved by doing this.


    ¡®Plus, Bernard Yoo is the type who grows quickly with some support¡­¡¯


    As Bernard was one of the talents who would eventually defeat the Demon King in the future, having him gain experience fighting demons together with them seemed like a good thing in many ways for him.


    Naturally, Do-Jin, who couldn''t possibly know about Yu-Seong''s thoughts, narrowed his eyes and looked at Bernard. He asked Yu-Seong, "Is it¡­really necessary?"


    "I don''t have any intention of being helpful to you either. I¡¯m here because Yu-Seong begged me so earnestly to come here," said Bernard with a snort.


    Do-Jin''s gaze shifted to Yu-Seong. He asked, "Is that true?"


    "What?" Yu-Seong said.


    "That you earnestly begged him."


    Seeing Do-Jin''s rather displeased expression, Yu-Seong looked at him like he was being ridiculous. He said, "Whether I begged him earnestly or not, the important thing is that I called him here.¡±


    "Do you think I''m not enough on my own?" said Do-Jin.


    Ignoring Do-Jin''s low growl, Yu-Seong walked by him and lightly tapped his shoulder. "It''s not that you''re not enough, but I thought it would be better if we had more support. I hope we can stop fighting each other sooner or later.¡±


    This would be good in many ways for fighting the Demon King in the future.


    Still unaware of Yu-Seong¡¯s thoughts, Do-Jin¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as he said, ¡°Injuries during the battle are just¡­"


    "I''m always taking that into consideration. Please just understand that I did this for us," said Yu-Seong.


    "For us¡­¡± Do-Jin made a strange expression and quickly walked into the stealth plane, passing by Yu-Seong. With furrowed brows, he said, "Do as you please. I already know he won''t listen to me.¡±


    "What a bad temper," said Yu-Seong. With a shrug of his shoulders, he turned to look at Bernard and said, "Even so, he doesn''t dislike you. You know that, right?"


    "Nope, I don¡¯t know," replied Bernard, showing his usual big smile with a casual shrug. "Well, it doesn''t really matter. He''s reliable in his own way."


    In fact, Bernard also didn''t come to this place without any thought. This was a mission to exterminate the demons in Pyongyang. Even with external justification, he knew that it was a dangerous task equivalent to raiding a dungeon of rank 8 or maybe even 9 according to the country''s evaluation difficulty.


    Yu-Seong also knew just how difficult this task could be, so having a trustworthy colleague was definitely a good thing. It was regrettable that the maximum limit for this mission was three people, but he had also found this limit to be beneficial.


    ¡®Yoo Jin-Hyuk and Chae Ye-Ryeong are in the next rank promotion evaluation, and Do-Yoon and Yu-Ri are more efficient in training than actual combat for now.¡¯


    As for Meghan, who usually supported Bernard, it was sad to say but she had already reached her limit of growth. Although it might be a somewhat dangerous journey, the fight would not end in Pyongyang. As there were still countless enemies, including the battle with the Demon King left, they couldn''t simply focus on safety without taking their growth into account.


    Of course, there was also something they believed in.


    ¡®If Helen is still in Pyongyang¡­¡¯


    The three of them would eventually become four.


    ¡®And really, if Rachel is also alive¡­¡¯


    At least until they escaped Pyongyang, she could also play an active role as an ally.


    Despite the external justification, Yu-Seong''s main mission for this trip to Pyongyang was personnel rescue. In fact, the demon extermination was a mission that could fail. However, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem as long as they gained experience and could leave.


    And what if they did end up killing off all the demons in Pyongyang?


    ¡®To put it into perspective, we would be equivalent to a three-member elite raid.¡¯


    Upon accomplishing the mission, there was nothing but expectations for how far the three of them could grow. They had already set their sights on at least an S-rank, but they would certainly continue to move forward with confidence to pass the promotion evaluation easily.


    "Let''s go."


    With Yu-Seong''s determined words, Bernard gave a nod and moved forward, releasing his tense shoulders.


    Exactly 30 minutes later, the stealth plane took off into the sky from Gimpo Airport in South Korea.


    ***


    The underground tunnel was humid and dark, with an unpleasant odor permeating the air. The demon, boasting a height of around two meters and sharp thorns all over his body, halted his footsteps. He slowly turned his one and only eye to the left, toward a round tunnel that didn''t fit in with the rest of the underground space.


    The giant round tunnel was large enough for a human to pass through, let alone a demon of his size. With his head tilted at the tunnel, a wide smile spread across the demon''s lips as he sniffed the air.


    ¡®Human scent.¡¯


    He licked his lips and stepped forward into the tunnel before the wide opening suddenly began to close shut as if it were a trap.


    After turning around in surprise, the demon snickered. Although he didn¡¯t know who had set the trap, he thought it was foolish of them to underestimate a demon noble''s power.


    ¡®I''ll let you experience just how terrifying the power of the Baron of Demon is.¡¯


    The demon chuckled to himself and stepped further into the tunnel, but something suddenly flew at a rapid speed from deep within the tunnel. It shattered his head with a loud crack.


    Bang-!


    The demon¡¯s body twisted and fell to the side, with his broken parts regenerating very quickly.


    A red-haired woman swiftly emerged from the other side of the tunnel and kicked the demon with her foot, snapping his spine completely.


    Whack-!


    Then, she jumped onto the demon¡¯s back and began to swing her ax at him as if she were mincing beef.


    The demon''s body wriggled to fight back against the attack, but the woman''s movements with the ax were too fast for it to retaliate effectively. As a result, the demon''s body was about to become a well-tenderized lump of meat without having a chance to mount a decent counterattack.


    Meanwhile, a woman wearing a flipped robe slowly walked out of the tunnel on the other side. With a frown, she said, "Stop it, you crazy bitch. We won''t even have anything left to eat.¡±


    In her robe, Helen uttered unimaginable words to indicate that they were demon-eating people.


    At that moment, Rachel lightly licked the demon''s blood and flesh from her ax and tilted her head.

 CH 225

    "The better the meat is tenderized, the more delicious it is, don''t you think?" Rachel said.


    "Hmph, even if you tenderize demon meat, it will still be tough and unpleasant to eat!" replied Helen.


    Rachel let out a low laugh as she swung her ax again, beheading the demon. When she heard Helen snorting, she said, "Are you not going to eat it? If you keep acting like that, I won''t give it to you!"


    ¡°Without my alchemy skills, you wouldn''t even be able to eat this demon meat,¡± Helen remarked.


    Despite their bantering, Rachel''s ax continued to rain down haphazardly on the demon''s body. She kept grinding the flesh until the demon''s regenerative abilities could no longer keep up. She continued doing that until the demon finally shuddered and died.


    The rest was Helen''s job. After summoning her mana, Helen began to extract the venom and magic remaining in the demon''s body. Then, she sprinkled them into the air before lighting a fire to cook the meat.


    As Helen worked, Rachel watched the flow of Helen¡¯s mana and licked her lips with the tip of her tongue. She commented, "Your mana control is always impressive. I thought I''m pretty good at this too, but I can only take a step back when facing you, Grandma.¡±


    "If you know that, then shut up and watch," Helen replied.


    Theft is never good, try looking at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    "Oh my, how fierce. You know I love your style, Grandma. You know, since our blood is already pumping, want to have a match with me?¡±


    "Your suggestion will only attract all the damn demons passing by. If you can''t control yourself in heat, go to the surface and catch some demons," said Helen.


    "Hehe... You¡¯ve got the potty mouth," said Rachel as she chuckled.


    Feeling relaxed, Rachel watched Helen cook the meat before staring up at the ceiling with frustration. She muttered, "Should I really jump up to the surface like Grandma said and cause a scene?"


    Them being trapped in this underground space wasn''t due to lack of strength. In fact, they often visited this underground area because it had the least amount of demon activity and was a good place to rest. Furthermore, Helen''s sanctuary was just beyond this area.


    ¡°You could do that if you want. You and I could survive for a few days just by eating and running around," Helen said.


    "If we could just avoid that little guy," Rachel said with a sardonic smile on her lips.


    In her mind was the picture of a demon with an appearance similar to that of a young boy. Thinking of that particular demon, she asked, "He was so damn strong. Could he be a Demon King?"


    "At the very least, he must be a duke," Helen replied.


    They had not been idle in their attempts to escape from Pyongyang, but they had unfortunately failed each time. The problem wasn''t the demons in the city center. In fact, they had grown at an alarming rate in this demon-filled world that they were now at the pinnacle of S-rank¡­ They were trapped in this place because of a little demon that would suddenly appear whenever someone attempted to leave Pyongyang, rendering them powerless.


    Without saying a word, the strange being with white skin would simply stop those attempting to escape. He didn''t exude a strong presence like the giant stone statue in the center of the city, nor did he show off excessive mana. Regardless, he was certainly strong.


    ¡®At this point, if I pass the promotion assessment, I could probably take on Hexagram Masters now.¡¯


    Rachel thought, feeling confident in her own growth.


    Helen had also grown just as strong. Yet, despite their strength, the two of them together could not defeat one small demon.


    Helen was guessing that the small demon was at least a Duke of Demon, but Rachel thought otherwise.


    ¡®He''s definitely a Demon King!¡¯


    Despite not showing any destructive tendencies or rational movements, that demon¡¯s strength alone was undoubtedly on par with that of a Demon King.


    Although they had been left behind in Pyongyang together, it was only because of the little demon, the little Demon King, that they had formed a team. After all, they still growled at each other at the mere sight of the other person¡¯s face.


    "Okay, it''s done," said Helen.


    While Rachel was lost in thought, Helen tossed the fully cooked demon meat over to her. Rachel caught it with an ax in one hand and shoved it into her mouth, then narrowed her eyes in distaste. She complained, "It''s thick, tasteless, and fishy."


    "If you don''t want it, just throw it away," said Helen.


    "Who said I¡¯ll throw it away? Our cute Gold Nugget is probably happily enjoying delicious meat by now. I hope he didn¡¯t forget my kindness," said Rachel.


    Looking at Rachel¡¯s mischievous grin, Helen let out a deep sigh and shook her head. "Yu-Seong and you probably won''t ever meet again."


    ¡°And how do you plan to guarantee that?¡± Rachel asked sharply.


    "Because I''ll make it happen," Helen said.


    They were currently on the same team, but she knew that Rachel was truly a crazy woman. Thinking that her chances of being helpful to Yu-Seong were low, she had planned to get rid of Rachel somehow.


    ¡®If I can just kill her as soon as we escape from here¡­¡¯


    Rachel shivered slightly and shrugged her shoulders as she met Helen''s threatening gaze. Then, flashing a bright smile, she looked up at the dark ceiling of the underground passage and said, "Ha¡­ Okay. Your enthusiasm is so low. But too bad, I think I''ll be able to meet our cute little Gold Nugget soon."


    "Don''t say such things..." Helen glared at Rachel before getting up from her seat to head back to their hideout.


    Their rest time was over, and they could not afford to waste any time if they wanted to capture the little Demon King and escape Pyongyang. In this situation, it did not matter that they were famous players throughout Earth.


    ¡®Don''t do anything unnecessary, and wait calmly, Choi Yu-Seong.¡¯


    Helen sincerely hoped that Yu-Seong would not come to this dangerous place known as Pyongyang.


    ***


    Ever since they were high up in the clouds, they had used the mana stone to activate their invisibility. Moments later, the stealth craft, which the demons could not easily sense, settled on the ground.


    A few flying demons that they had encountered on the way down had seemingly sensed the stealth craft¡¯s movements, but they had only been able to make a puzzled noise. After all, they couldn¡¯t pinpoint the stealth craft¡¯s exact location.


    Thanks to that, Do-Jin, Bernard, and Yu-Seong could land on the ground using the stealth craft.


    In the ruined city beneath a black sky, Yu-Seong looked at the gray asphalt that had cracked and become rough. He laughed bitterly. "It''s like Apocalypse World.¡±


    In a world that had been completely destroyed, only demons were left to reign in many small cities. In fact, this would be the outcome of the entire Earth if there were no main characters like Do-Jin in the original novel.


    ¡®Of course, it looks different now as the original novel¡¯s plot is being reflected in my reality.¡¯


    As they looked at the city of Pyongyang, so different from the one they remembered, all of them laughed bitterly.


    Then, the stealth craft floated back up into the sky.


    Crash-!


    However, it crashed into the sea with a loud explosion not even a minute later.


    "How...?"


    No large demon-like beings were visible around them, and there wasn¡¯t an ocean spirit that had jumped into the sky. In fact, the three of them couldn¡¯t sense any mana in the situation. However, the stealth craft had exploded without warning.


    Yu-Seong and Do-Jin both activated their Third Eye and Insight respectively at the same time among the bewildered group.


    ¡®What is it?¡¯


    At that moment, Yu-Seong saw a white blur moving quickly. He knew that something was there, but he couldn¡¯t confirm its shape or form. He muttered, "...a kid?"


    On the other hand, Do-Jin vaguely saw the identity of the white figure. However, even he couldn''t be sure.


    "Damn it..." Bernard let out his anger, clenching his fists.


    The stealth driver who had safely brought them to Pyongyang had now lost their life in a situation where they had only needed to return home. It was impossible not to be angry. Yu-Seong also felt a similar emotion to Bernard, but Do-Jin''s reaction was somewhat different.


    "It¡¯s unfortunate, but he probably expected such a death," said Do-Jin coldly.


    Bernard raised his eyebrows and said, "Just because he was prepared for it doesn''t mean he welcomed the idea of dying.¡±


    "And what¡¯s going to change if we grieve and get angry?" Do-Jin asked calmly.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± Bernard shouted.


    Yu-Seong quickly stepped in front of Bernard and pursed his lips. Then, he said, ¡°Nothing will change. However, as humans, we can¡¯t help but have emotions and grieve. Kim Do-Jin.¡±


    ¡°Grieve¡­¡± Do-Jin smiled coldly, trembling as a sharp energy emanated from him. He growled, ¡°At least you shouldn¡¯t say such a thing¡­ You shouldn¡¯t, Choi family¡­¡±


    The intense atmosphere went away only a moment later. Do-Jin frowned, as if confused by his own words. He shook his head and said, ¡°That¡¯s enough. Our goal is to take down the big guy standing in the middle anyway.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Nodding, Yu-Seong understood Do-Jin''s state of mind and inwardly sighed. The scene of the desolate city and the sudden death of someone had created a small crack in their morale, but they couldn''t afford to be swayed by it.


    ¡®This confirms that Kim Do-Jin still harbors resentment toward Father, and the Comet group.¡¯


    Yu-Seong, who was thinking of the future more than the present, looked at the giant Count of Demon standing in the middle of Pyongyang. He muttered, "It won''t be easy to go back.¡±


    It was true that they probably had to deal with excessive demons and the demon realm.


    ¡°I''ll take the lead,¡± Bernard volunteered.


    In the first place, he had the highest defense among the three and was the most suitable for the position.


    No one expressed any complaints, and Yu-Seong naturally led the group. He suggested, ¡°Then let me take the middle, and Kim Do-Jin can take the rear.¡±


    After determining their respective positions, the three of them ran forward in silence. There was no discord or discomfort, and even their breathing was in perfect unison.


    ¡®Isn''t this also a somewhat sad situation?¡¯


    Just as Yu-Seong couldn''t stop but to show a bitter smile on his face, Bernard let out a scream as he swung his fist and smashed the head of a demon in front of him.


    "Aaaaaaaah-!"


    With that cry, demonic creatures began to pour out from all directions.


    ¡®There are no demons among them.¡¯


    Demons were closer to human form, with the only distinctive feature being the horns that sprouted from their heads.


    Yu-Seong calmly assessed the situation and began to swing his spear. Do-Jin also cleanly cut off the enemies he was chasing and tidied up the rear. However, Bernard was being motivated by somewhat different emotions. He seemed deeply shaken by the earlier death of the stealth driver and was pouring out his strength with an angry scream that seemed to come from a vengeful avenger.


    ¡®While Kim Do-Jin''s coldness might be a concern, I also sense some danger from Bernard. Perhaps he needs to calm down.¡¯


    With that in mind, Yu-Seong approached Bernard to talk to him and try to calm him down.


    At that moment, a demon with four arms and horns protruding from its head appeared before them.


    ¡®With Bernard''s current state, it''s dangerous¡­¡¯


    Although it was uncertain which title of nobility the demon was, Yu-Seong was aware that most demons were strong. Just as Yu-Seong was about to get in front of Bernard, there was a loud explosion.


    Boom-!


    Shockwaves emanated from Bernard''s fist, which turned into a shape resembling a large horn, and shattered the demon''s entire body.


    Yu-Seong and even Do-Jin were both taken aback by Bernard¡¯s unexpected display of power.


    With a sense of pride as one of the original novel¡¯s strongest characters, Bernard spread his shoulders wide as if shaking off his pent-up emotions. He exclaimed, "Ahhh-! That was refreshing. Let''s go, my friends! I''ll crush anyone who shows up in front of me!"


    At this moment, both Yu-Seong and Do-Jin found themselves unable to resist a slight smile. They had to acknowledge that they had both underestimated Bernard to some extent.

 CH 226

    Bernard''s actions were so prominent at the forefront that there was practically nothing for Yu-Seong and Do-Jin to do.


    ¡®Bernard wasn''t simply wasting time.¡¯


    Perhaps Yu-Seong¡¯s appearance, which was not as the original novel had been written, and Do-Jin¡¯s rapid growth had served as stimuli for Bernard.


    ¡®I predicted it to some extent, but¡­¡¯


    Even Bernard''s current level of growth was showing remarkable progress, going beyond expectations.


    Although it was unknown what Bernard had been doing in America, it was clear that he was now one of the top three A-rank players by current standards.


    ¡®I previously would have said the best A-rank player, but¡­¡¯


    Do-Jin and Yu-Seong himself were also in A-rank, so it couldn''t be said that Bernard was the best A-rank player.


    ¡®Anyway, if Bernard keeps up with that strength¡­ all Do-Jin and I have to worry about are the big guys over there.¡¯


    The Count of Demon, Clarius, was as solid as a rock. It moved slowly and began adopting a protective stance only when the three of them approached.


    In truth, there were some doubts in Yu-Seong''s mind about Clarius.


    ¡®That guy¡­ What is he protecting?¡¯


    They weren¡¯t being called ¡®guard monsters¡¯ for no good reason. There had to be something that Clarius was protecting for it to not move from that spot.


    It could simply be the Philosopher''s Stone.


    ¡®If that power is used properly, you could even summon the Demon King¡­¡¯


    But what if it was not the Philosopher''s Stone?


    "Maybe it''s already there..." Yu-Seong muttered to himself, lost in thought.


    Do-Jin, who had repelled most of the demons with his Chain Lightning, approached Yu-Seong and tried to initiate a conversation in a hoarse voice. He said, "Yu-Seong, I don''t usually say this kind of thing, but I¡¯ll tell you in advance.¡±


    "Yeah...?"


    "It''s ominous and chilly. but the one out there isn''t the problem. The white one we saw earlier..." said Do-Jin. As the image of the white being that had detonated their stealth plane came to mind, his expression twisted in frustration as he clenched his jaw. "If we can''t stop that thing with our own strength..."


    If they had no way of stopping it, they would lose. With this thought crossing his mind, frustration and anger flashed across Do-Jin¡¯s face.


    Seeing Do-Jin''s frustration, Yu-Seong nodded in agreement and said, "I know. If it gets to the point where it''s impossible for us to win, I''ll escape even if I have to abandon you.¡±


    Do-Jin found Yu-Seong¡¯s declaration to be absurd. With a wry smile, he said, ¡°I was going to say that you should be the bait.¡±


    "Normally, the bait is someone stronger. You''re the one doing it," replied Yu-Seong.


    "Someone stronger¡­?" Do-Jin''s eyebrows twitched and his lips curled into a smile. He said, "I remember you winning in our sparring match.¡±


    "That was just luck. If we fought now, Kim Do-Jin, you would win," said Yu-Seong as he instinctively knew what level Do-Jin had reached.


    Do-Jin was likely at a level where he could fight the Demon King and produce decent results, assuming he put his life on the line.


    ¡®He has almost regained all of his power from before his return.¡¯


    In other words, he had reached a level of skill equivalent to that of hunters who had reached the pinnacle of most S-ranks.


    ¡®And he''ll probably break through the next wall too.¡¯


    There was no way Yu-Seong would abandon Do-Jin. In fact, even back in Seoul, Yu-Seong had anticipated such a worst-case scenario to some extent.


    ¡®If the opponent is really the Demon King, then this level of combat is worth a try.¡¯


    Of course, it would not be easy, and there might be more demon nobles they would need to defeat along the way. However, if they could overcome all those obstacles and plunge their swords into the Demon King''s throat and heart, then they could all cross the wall together at once.


    The memory of his encounter with Jackson, the Hexagram Master, flashed through Yu-Seong''s mind. Yu-Seong thought that he had become strong enough, but facing such transcendent power reminded him of an experience he never wanted to relive.


    Obviously, there were also risks involved.


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin could become my enemy in the end.¡¯


    However, this world needed a hero like Do-Jin. No, even beyond that, Yu-Seong himself could no longer think of Do-Jin as someone to be abandoned.


    "So if it doesn''t work out, you die. We''re friends, aren''t we?" Yu-Seong said casually.


    Do-Jin¡¯s eyes widened as he murmured, "Friends..."


    "Yeah, you and me. And Bernard Yoo over there," said Yu-Seong.


    "I''m not sure if I want to admit that,¡± Do-Jin said.


    "Then, why are you smirking?"


    "Don''t lie, I¡¯m not¡­!"


    "Anyway..."


    If it really got dangerous, Do-Jin should be the one to run away. Unlike others, Yu-Seong had already thought of various scenarios in his head.


    Before Yu-Seong could finish speaking, Do-Jin interrupted with a snort. "Well, anyway, it seems like you''re aware of your own position. We don¡¯t have much choice. If a dangerous situation arises, run away. I''ll be bait, as I''m the one with the best skills."


    ¡°...Whatever,¡± replied Yu-Seong with a smirk and a nod.


    However, all of that was just for the worst-case scenario plan.


    "Let''s start with Plan A for now."


    "Plan A?" Do-Jin asked.


    Yu-Seong, who had two handguns instead of a spear, continued speaking. "We''ll fight as noisily and disorderly as possible."


    "...And why is that?"


    Instead of answering Do-Jin''s question, Yu-Seong began firing the two handguns wildly in different directions. As his Lightning Strike thundered all over the place, he finally said, "To draw attention.¡±


    Noticing Yu-Seong''s Star Factor after his rather late response, Do-Jin clicked his tongue.


    "You''re crazy," Do-Jin muttered, but he continued to fight the demons with a flashy and noisy skill that he had not shown before.


    ¡®You don''t want to lose, huh?¡¯


    That was when Yu-Seong chuckled to himself.


    Bernard, who was fighting more splendidly than anyone else on the front line, turned around and raised his voice. "Friends, you guys are spicy-!"


    Feeling the power of Bernard¡¯s enthusiastic cheer, Yu-Seong fired both guns in all directions and thought to himself.


    ¡®We are trying our best, so please come and help us quickly, Helen.¡¯


    If those two supporters arrived, they could work toward the best possible outcome even in the worst-case scenario.


    ***


    Helen, who was resting with her eyes closed in the underground bunker she had built herself, opened her eyes slightly. She sensed a single presence coming toward her door. She asked, "What is it, Rachel?"


    Had this crazy woman come to fight again out of restlessness?


    "Hehe, hehehehe...!"


    Hearing that the response from the other side of the door was mad laughter, Helen sighed naturally and said in an annoyed voice, "I''m asking what you''re doing right now.¡±


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    "Don''t you hear it?" asked Rachel.


    "What nonsense..."


    Suddenly, Helen''s mind cleared. Her hearing was not as sensitive as Rachel''s, who was standing in front of the door. However, Helen prided herself on being able to sense the flow of mana faster than anyone else.


    ¡®Someone has entered Pyongyang. The number is...three or four?¡¯


    It was not easy for Helen to determine the exact number as the waves of strong mana were continuously occurring.


    "Who the hell is there¡­? Are they Demon King Worshipers?" Helen wondered aloud.


    Were they deploying troops to retrieve the Philosopher''s Stone? If they had this level of mana power, they were at least within the top 30 in the rankings among the Demon King Worshipers.


    With Rachel''s excitement and laughter finally making sense to her now, Helen commented, ¡°So you''re excited because you have your allies now."


    "Allies? Oh my, Grandma, you must be mistaken. Isn''t this voice familiar? It''s that child. He has come looking for me!"


    "That child...?"


    "Aaah, our cute little Gold Nugget is calling for me. He is also looking for you, Grandma. How long will you stay huddled up in this narrow room?" said Rachel cheekily.


    "No way...!" Helen, surprised, jumped up from her seat.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong?¡¯


    Was this powerful mana that she had sensed really the young boy she had been thinking of?


    Rachel, who sensed Helen¡¯s surprise, burst out laughing again. "Didn''t I say we would meet sooner than you thought? I can''t wait to see our little Gold Nugget. I told you, Grandma, out of loyalty, so now I''ll go ahead. See you later!"


    With those words, Rachel banged on the wall with a loud noise and disappeared.


    Bang-!


    ¡®Oh my...!¡¯


    Helen quickly prepared herself, feeling perplexed.


    ¡®She was calm for a while, but now she''s gone mad again!"¡¯


    Rachel''s madness was dangerous. It could pose a threat to Yu-Seong, who had come all the way to this dangerous place. After all, Helen couldn¡¯t predict just which side Rachel would choose to be on.


    ¡®This foolish boy¡­ Why did you come to such a dangerous place?!¡¯


    Helen let out a deep sigh and quickly slammed the door to follow Rachel.


    ***


    As the three of them openly fought with all their might, the demonic creatures began to swarm around them like crazy. They often encountered the demons as well. However, there was one direct advantage that the three had gained from this situation.


    ¡®Level up!¡¯


    Yu-Seong''s level had already reached level 70 in A-rank, even though they had arrived in Pyongyang less than a day ago. If he could defeat even the Count of Demon, he would soon be able to hit A-rank max.


    ¡®If I have time, should I aim for S-rank while we''re in Pyongyang?¡¯


    In fact, the growth one could achieve through training within A-rank was almost at its limit, so it might be better to aim for S-rank at this point.


    While Yu-Seong was contemplating such thoughts with inner happiness, the Count of Demon, Clarius, who had been frozen in the center of Pyongyang, began to move.


    "Oh, did we finally enter his territory?" Bernard gulped and slowly turned away.


    Clarius spoke with shining red eyes.


    - Bringing your own death. Foolish humans.


    With shining red eyes, Clarius continued to speak as if delivering a message to the humans. The momentum of the Count of Demon, which spread around him, was as heavy as the wet weather. It weighed the trio down.


    Despite feeling the immense pressure, a smile spread across Yu-Seong''s face.


    ¡®Just a few months ago, I wouldn''t have been able to move a finger here¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong could feel the threat, but he no longer had any restrictions on his movements. Would Do-Jin feel the same way as him?


    Bernard also had a slightly excited expression as he asked, "How much experience points do you think we can get from that?"


    "Well, I don¡¯t know. We''ll find out when we catch him," commented Yu-Seong.


    In fact, it would definitely give them more experience points than any of the previous demons they had defeated.


    Bernard created an attack that produced energy in the shape of a sharp horn. As the attack exploded with a massive shockwave, he dashed toward Clarius, the Count of Demon.


    The demon sustained a significant injury, with a large hole appearing in the center of his body. However, his regenerative ability was remarkable as a high-ranking demon. If Bernard had been alone, he would have found it difficult to take the demon down after using such a powerful technique.


    ¡®But there are three of us.¡¯


    Do-Jin jumped into the sky, with black flames wrapped around his entire body. He wielded his sword in all directions.


    Clarius¡¯ regeneration speed noticeably slowed down wherever the flames touched him.


    Do-Jin slowly descended from the air as he conveyed his determination to Yu-Seong through Insight.


    ¡®I leave the finishing blow to you.¡¯


    In fact, Yu-Seong found the request to be favorable. He put away his guns and, with the Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice, created a giant spear. Its size was enough to equal that of a five-story building. The immense weight pressed down on Yu-Seong''s shoulders, but his body had grown strong enough to easily withstand it.


    After heavily tilting back the giant spear to face the giant, the air split apart with a sharp sound.


    Whizz-!


    Then, with all his might, Yu-Seong unleashed the power of lightning on the spear and threw it forward


    Zzwi-eek-!


    Accompanied by a sound similar to that of tearing paper, flames burst into the air like a streak of light. The flash of white lightning and red flames merged, cutting through the night sky of Pyongyang. The gigantic meteor-like spear smashed through the Count of Demon''s body and head at the same time.

 CH 227

    The Meteor Spear was a new special move that Yu-Seong had come up with after much contemplation since coming to Pyongyang. Its purpose was undoubtedly to take down the giant Count of Demon, Clarius, that had established himself in the city.


    ¡®I thought I needed a special move that could match up against big guys like him.¡¯


    Having gained power, he was now able to handle and shoot weights that had previously been unimaginable to him. The power he wielded was undeniable; he had inflicted a massive and indelible wound on a once-formidable enemy, who just a few months ago had been so fearsome that he had been forced to flee.


    "Wow, it''s even hotter than my Buffalo Boom skill!" exclaimed Bernard.


    Meanwhile, Do-Jin showed a strange smile.


    ¡®He seems¡­somehow satisfied.¡¯


    Yu-Seong trembled slightly and felt a sense of unease under Do-Jin''s unpredictable gaze.


    "Don''t let your guard down. He''s not dead yet!"


    Yu-Seong''s attack had blasted Clarius''s head and body apart, resulting in a devastating injury. How could it still be alive?


    Despite the fact that regeneration was one of the basic attributes of the demon race, and that high-ranking nobles like Clarius had reached the level of super regeneration, it was hard to believe that the Count of Demon was still regenerating.


    Bernard felt a sense of frustration as he looked down at Clarius. He commented, "Is that really regenerating? Seriously, this is absurd.¡±


    While the massive hole in Clarius''s body slowly closed up, returning to its original shape despite still burning from Do-Jin''s Black Flame, Do-Jin did not look perturbed. He had fought demons before, including the Demon King, so he had predicted this very situation.


    He said nonchalantly, "It''s something that will take a lot of time anyway. We just need to chop it up while we wait.¡±


    "Oh, is it really that easy? How simple," said Bernard skeptically.


    "I''m quite used to pulverizing weakened demons. Do you think I haven''t done so before?" Do-Jin replied with a snort and twinkling eyes.


    ¡°What a big ego¡­¡± muttered Bernard.


    Before Bernard could finish his sentence, Do-Jin suddenly had an urgent expression on his face. He threw himself at Clarius with his sword.


    At that moment, a dimensional space next to Clarius split open and a massive arm swung out with a loud crash.


    Bang!


    Do-Jin, who had been pushed back while defending himself with his sword, clicked his tongue.


    Yu-Seong also frowned at the unexpected situation. He muttered, "Again...?"


    Emerging from the portal was a new demon with a similar appearance to Clarius, the demon they had just defeated. Like Clarius, it had a massive grayish body resembling a stone statue, but its hair was noticeably shorter.


    "It''s Elarius, the Count of Demon and the twin of Clarius," mumbled Yu-Seong.


    Along with Clarius, Elarius was known as one of the two Guardian Demons of the Demon World.


    ¡®I can''t feel any indication that the Philosopher''s Stone is activating.¡¯


    Who the hell had summoned that giant second demon? As he had just exhausted his full strength using his special moves to defeat Clarius, Yu-Seong did not welcome the arrival of Elarius.


    ¡®Of course, if the three of us work together, we can knock him down somehow, but¡­¡¯


    Moreover, there was a high probability that Clarius would resurrect from his Super Regeneration soon. Surely, there was a way to deal with Elarius.


    ¡®If I summon Loki here, I could slay Elarius with a single strike.¡¯


    However, that would require him to reveal all of his cards¡­ While he contemplated this, Yu-Seong turned to glance at Do-Jin.


    Do-Jin had a calm and cold look in his eyes as he watched Elarius, his determination to fight burning bright.


    ¡®Should I trust him a bit more?¡¯


    While Yu-Seong continued to ponder deeply, Bernard ran toward Elarius and used his newly developed special move, Buffalo Dash, once again. Although the Buffalo Dash was less powerful than Yu-Seong¡¯s Mentor Spear, it could be used more frequently and rapidly.


    ''But this is already the fourth time.¡¯


    Despite being less costly than the Meteor Spear, the Buffalo Dash was not a technique that could be used ten times. This was made clear when the fourth attack proved weaker, with smaller horns and less power than the previous ones.


    Elarius even laughed and took the attack head-on, staring at Bernard. If the attack had been similar to the previous ones, it might have been strong enough to pierce through its entire knee.


    "Tch,¡± Bernard muttered as Elarius''s fist fell over his head.


    Thinking that he had no time left to waste, Yu-Seong leapt forward and wrapped his arms around Bernard before rolling with him on the ground.


    Thump-!


    With a loud noise, the ground beneath Bernard''s feet crumbled and collapsed.


    "Wow, Yu-Seong. If I was squashed, I''d have become a pancake," Bernard said.


    "Are you joking at a time like this?" Yu-Seong replied.


    "Anyway, hardening your expression won''t change the situation," Bernard said.


    Just as the two of them exchanged jokes and fake laughter, Do-Jin, who had been motionless until then, dashed forward and swung his sword to unleash a large-scale magic circle. What shot out of the magic circle was a massive snowstorm that swept through the streets of Pyongyang and covered Elarius''s entire body with sharp snowflakes.


    Despite its high defense and attack power, Elarius seemed to have difficulty dodging the attack due to its large size. Furthermore, with the added snowstorm, its movements were significantly slowed down and it became even more visible to the naked eye.


    Moreover, Do-Jin had more attacks up his sleeve. He jumped over the space where the Blizzard was raging, and plunged his hand, adorned with another magic circle, into Elarius''s ankle and hit it hard. Then, a giant ice column began to shoot up and freeze Elarius''s body.


    Startled, Elarius tried to jump up and escape. However, Do-Jin had already landed back in his original spot, having crossed the space.


    Yu-Seong could only gasp in amazement at Do-Jin''s incredible attack.


    ¡®Did that crazy guy even master the Freezing spell?¡¯


    Lightning and Thunder were closely related to each other, while Fire and Ice were clearly opposites. Therefore, it was rare for a wizard to use two elements, Fire and Ice, simultaneously. Moreover, it was difficult to find someone who could unleash such powerful magic as Do-Jin.


    ¡®And that guy... He had even beaten the Sword Master using only his swordsmanship, didn¡¯t he?¡¯


    Clearly, Do-Jin had reached the pinnacle of sword fighting as a Sword Master. Nevertheless, he didn''t reveal his Sword Aura during this battle. In fact, Do-Jin intended to conceal a special move as backup, just like Yu-Seong had.


    ¡®I should also reach the realm of Sword Aura quickly.¡¯


    Would it be possible once he reached S-rank?


    While Yu-Seong had such thoughts, Elarius was almost completely frozen in the midst of the raging Blizzard. In that case, it was obvious what Yu-Seong and Bernard needed to do before Elarius could move again.


    ¡®We need to finish Clarius before he moves again!¡¯


    The two made their decision and ran forward.


    Amidst the sound of wind being ripped apart, an ax flew from somewhere and precisely struck Elarius on the forehead. The impact was so strong that the giant Elarius, who had been frozen, could no longer resist and fell back.


    Feeling shocked, Yu-Seong, Bernard, and Do-Jin turned to the woman with red hair who flew by like the wind. She passed by Yu-Seong in a fleeting moment and exclaimed, "Kyahaha! It''s been ages, my dear Gold Nugget! Let''s deal with that first and then catch up properly!"


    At the same time, Rachel, the woman with red hair, jumped up from the ground and swung her ax to ruthlessly cut Elarius''s head that had fallen on the ground.


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    Crack, crack, crunch-!


    With a dull thud, Elarius''s giant head was split in half, with blood and flesh scattering in all directions.


    Rachel paid no attention to the Blizzard raging around her or the frigid energy being unleashed by Do-Jin. She simply wielded her overwhelming violence to strike the enemy.


    "What, what the hell is that?" Bernard exclaimed, staring at Rachel in astonishment.


    Furrowing his brows, Do-Jin hardened his face as well. Rachel had managed to dispel his magic, even though he had used his full power, simply through the force of her own energy.


    Rachel, indiscriminately using violence against a powerful enemy even like a Count of Demon, rendered even Yu-Seong speechless.


    ¡®The Slaughter Queen¡­ She has become even stronger.¡¯


    Contrary to Yu-Seong¡¯s belief that Rachel would not develop properly while trapped in Pyongyang, her power was much more intense than he had expected. Yu-Seong thought he himself had become much stronger in a short amount of time, but Rachel''s growth was also somewhat incredibly rapid.


    ¡®Everything in this world is flowing faster than I knew.¡¯


    Moreover, Yu-Seong noticed that Rachel was the only one who had appeared in front of him. As this realization dawned on him, he panicked and jumped forward. Even though Do-Jin¡¯s sharp Blizzard swept over his entire body, he had no time to care about such things.


    Do-Jin quickly withdrew his Blizzard magic in surprise. After all, Elarius was already dying from Rachel''s ax strike, its head completely in pieces. He didn¡¯t have to keep using his magic.


    "Kyahaha-!"


    Rachel was swinging her ax like a madwoman when Yu-Seong reached out and grabbed her by the shoulder. He asked urgently, "Helen, what about Helen? What happened to her?"


    Rachel stopped swinging her ax and tilted her head. She asked, "Helen?¡±


    Then, she gave Yu-Seong a chilling smile as she stood up. ¡°You''re not trying to ask about that worthless grandma and bothering me, are you, Gold Nugget?"


    As she spoke, the violent and rough aura initially directed at Elarius began to pour down on Yu-Seong, who felt chills all over his body.


    In the past, Yu-Seong would have collapsed in his spot without being able to withstand this. However, he had also grown, perhaps even more than Rachel, allowing him to stand on both feet.


    ¡°Shut up, and just answer. Where is Helen?¡± Yu-Seong asked as he confidently addressed her.


    "What if I killed her?" Rachel snickered, twirling her ax before swiftly throwing it toward Yu-Seong''s head.


    Yu-Seong used his Wind Control to dodge the hand ax. Then, he quickly pulled out his gun from his pocket, firing the mana bullet at Rachel using Lightning Strike.


    Kwarrang-!


    Rachel blocked the Lightning Strike head-on, then smiled brightly at her arm which had turned black like coal from the impact. She remarked, "Gold Nugget, you''ve really grown a lot.¡±


    "Answer me, Rachel. Where is Helen?" Yu-Seong repeated.


    "The answer is..."


    Rachel didn''t even finish her sentence before Yu-Seong suddenly lowered his head, avoiding a sharp ax that had just grazed his scalp.


    Just as Rachel proceeded to leap at Yu-Seong with her ax in hand, Bernard jumped in and unleashed a massive explosion with his fist.


    "Fast, but too linear..." said Rachel as she avoided Bernard''s attacks with a light twist of her head and a smile.


    Her expression froze when Do-Jin''s sword stopped right below her neck. He asked, "Have you heard of fishing, you crazy yangban?"


    Bernard shrugged his shoulders after Do-Jin had easily subdued Rachel for a moment.


    "Ahaha! This is really fun." Rachel laughed once again.

 CH 228

    Yu-Seong stared at Rachel with cold, sunken eyes and asked, ¡°This is your last chance to answer. Did you really kill Helen?¡±


    Rachel smiled mischievously and tilted her head. ¡°Maybe?¡±


    ¡°I see that you don''t understand my words.¡±


    The voice that followed belonged to Do-Jin, who extended his sword. His weapon gently pierced Rachel''s white neck, staining her skin with blood.


    ¡°Wow¡­ If you kill me now, you''ll regret it. Gold Nugget, you haven''t forgotten my kindness, have you?¡± said Rachel with a smile that reached her eyes.


    Yu-Seong frowned deeply. When the demons first descended upon Pyongyang, she had let Yu-Seong and Do-Jin escape the city.


    ¡°Don''t waver, Yu-Seong. Just think about what''s important right now,¡± said Do-Jin.


    ¡°I know. That''s why I won¡¯t kill her,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    Just as Yu-Seong tilted his head slightly and slowly approached Rachel¡­


    ¡°You kids!¡±


    Someone quickly approached from behind with an urgent voice.


    Helen, showing off her black cape and purple hair, grabbed Yu-Seong''s shoulder and yelled, ¡°Why did you come all the way here?!¡±


    ¡°Helen?¡± asked Yu-Seong.


    "Ahaha!" Rachel burst out laughing as the two met in a somewhat bewildering reunion.


    ¡°Do you even know where you are, you idiot!¡± said Helen to Yu-Seong.


    "I know. That''s why I came. I''m relieved to see that you don''t seem to be hurt anywhere," said Yu-Seong.


    Helen scolded him while Yu-Seong smiled and nodded in relief.


    ¡°What happened here?¡± asked Bernard as he tilted his head in confusion at the situation.


    Meanwhile, Do-Jin briefly clicked his tongue and pushed the tip of his sword deeper into Rachel¡¯s neck. He growled, ¡°It means that she¡¯s just playing with us.¡±


    ¡°It was just a joke. Gold Nugget¡¯s friend, I believe you don¡¯t really intend to kill me with this,¡± said Rachel.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I am someone who lacks gratitude. I also enjoy betraying trust,¡± said Do-Jin.


    ¡°...What a pity,¡± said Rachel with a wide grin.


    She looked over at Helen, who was sharing the joy of their reunion with Yu-Seong. Then, she asked, ¡°Hey, Grandma, these guys are trying to kill me. Can you help?"


    ¡°Just die,¡± replied Helen.


    "No camaraderie here, huh, Grandma?" Rachel retorted, her expression souring at Helen¡¯s response that had returned without any hesitation.


    Just before Rachel was about to continue her conversation with Helen¡­


    Thuuud-!


    With a loud rumble, the two Counts of Demon finished their regeneration and began to rise from their resting places. In that situation, Do-Jin coolly clicked his tongue and sheathed his sword.


    ¡°Oh, now you want me to help?¡± asked Rachel.


    ¡°Even if you just want to leave here, you¡¯ll have to help,¡± said Do-Jin.


    In fact, from the beginning, Do-Jin had no intention of killing Rachel who also knew his intention well. There had only been one thing Do-Jin wanted to say from the beginning.


    ¡°Stop thinking about useless things. If I want to kill you, I can do it anytime,¡± said Do-Jin.


    "Oh, how scary," Rachel said with a smirk. Shrugging her shoulders, she then raised her hand ax high and asked, ¡°So, can I go and smash these guys'' heads now?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± said Yu-Seong, having just finished a brief reunion with Helen. He also stepped forward onto the battlefield.


    Finally, in addition to the original three members, Helen and Rachel were finally added.


    ¡®Even if there are two Counts of Demon....¡¯


    There was nothing to be afraid of. The situation was completely different from the past, where he had to turn and run away in fear at the appearance of demons.


    "Let''s deal with them swiftly and calmly," said Yu-Seong casually.


    In the end, they took less than 30 minutes to completely defeat the two Counts of Demon.


    ***


    After arriving in Pyongyang and having defeated countless demonic creatures and demons, including the two Demon Counts, Yu-Seong had achieved level 80 of A-rank. This meant he only needed to level up 20 more times to reach S-rank!


    ¡®I was expecting this, but the experience point gains are really hitting the jackpot here.¡¯


    As he conversed with Do-Jin and Bernard, Yu-Seong noticed that the two were also in similar situations. Although he was happy that he had achieved his goal of having his colleagues rapidly develop to prepare for the future, he knew that there were still some problems.


    Despite having defeated the two demons known as the Counts of Demon, who had been as strong as a Marquis, they all knew that a greater monster still remained in Pyongyang.


    ¡°So...that white demon is the real problem, after all,¡± said Yu-Seong. While remembering the small white demon that had destroyed the stealth plane, he nodded.


    Inside the secret alchemy-made hideout, Helen smiled wryly as she faced Yu-Seong. She said, ¡°This place is much more dangerous than you think, Yu-Seong. Rachel and I have already surpassed S-rank, but¡­ That little kid is impossible to defeat.¡±


    Rachel grinned and winked at Yu-Seong. ¡°Now that things have turned out this way, should we just live here like a normal family, Gold Nugget?¡±


    ¡°I refuse,¡± replied Yu-Seong.


    He couldn''t even manage a normal relationship, so how was he to become family with Rachel, the epitome of a crazy woman? Indeed, it was a terrible thing that he didn''t even want to imagine.


    ¡°Ah... That''s too bad. Is it because of the lover next to you?¡± asked Rachel.


    ¡°Lover? Who?¡± asked Yu-Seong.


    With a sharp gaze, he turned to look at Do-Jin, whose expression had hardened in an instant. He then said to Rachel, ¡°We should joke around in moderation.¡±


    "We should have just killed her," said Do-Jin.


    Just as the two of them simultaneously stood up and drew their weapons, Helen stepped forward to calm them down. ¡°Let''s calm down. Even if all five of us combine our strength, it may not be enough to defeat that little guy together. For now, let''s endure her.¡±


    Rachel laughed loudly and held her stomach as if she found the situation amusing. Yu-Seong sighed and approached her, but Rachel easily dodged his kick by twisting her body. Standing up from her spot in the corner with an excited expression, she said, ¡°Didn''t you hear what Helen just said?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to kick you because you¡¯re annoying,¡± said Yu-Seong. Then, he clicked his tongue in disappointment and sat back down.


    Finally, Yu-Seong began to reveal the most important story that came to mind afterwards. He said, "Alright, let''s get serious. There''s something I haven''t shared with you all yet. I have the ability of future foresight.¡±


    ¡°What...?¡± exclaimed Helen, her eyes widening in surprise at Yu-Seong''s unexpected words.


    ¡°Future foresight¡­.¡± mumbled Do-Jin with a strange expression. He clicked his tongue, because he already knew that Yu-Seong''s words were false.


    However, Yu-Seong had a pretty clear reason for bringing up this story. He went on to say, ¡°Thanks to that¡­ I found out who that little Demon King is.¡±


    It was information from the original novel. Although he couldn''t recall it at first just by looking at the white demon, Yu-Seong had now completely remembered who the little Demon King was after hearing Helen''s explanation.


    Naturally, everyone''s ears perked up.


    ¡°For now, as you two predicted, he is indeed the Demon King,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    However, it was just that the Demon King wasn¡¯t fully awakened yet.


    ¡°The Demon King¡­!¡± exclaimed Helen.


    ¡°My goodness,¡± said Bernard in surprise.


    Although they had anticipated it beforehand, the actual realization of the fact felt different. On the other hand, Do-Jin''s gaze became even sharper. In fact, Yu-Seong found it easy to guess just what the man was feeling.


    ¡®He probably thinks of this as the second Demon King hunt.¡¯


    Yu-Seong also felt a creepy feeling in his heart as he recalled the identity of the little Demon King. However, now that he was telling the story to the others, his heart was becoming more and more calm.


    ¡®It''s as if this was fate from the beginning¡­.¡¯


    In a way, it was a strange event from the very beginning. It was strange that even though the power of the Philosopher''s Stone had been activated, only the Counts of Demon had been summoned.


    The Count of Demon, Clarius, had considerable power, but there was still too much power left in the Philosopher''s Stone. Moreover, there were too many sacrifices in this summoning.


    ¡®Since it consumed the blood of the entire Pyongyang¡­.¡¯


    Therefore, Yu-Seong should have thought of it from such a perspective since the beginning.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t the Count of Demons that was summoned from the beginning,¡± continued Yu-Seong.


    In fact, Clarius had been a Guardian Demon. The appearance of a Guardian Demon meant that there was something to be protected. In the original novel, there was only one existence that the twin Guardian Demons protected.


    ¡°The Demon King of Sloth, Acedia,¡± stated Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Is that the name of the Little Demon King?¡± asked Rachel with twinkling eyes.


    ¡°In the first place, he''s not just a Little Demon King. What you two saw was probably...his avatar,¡± continued Yu-Seong.


    As Yu-Seong calmly continued his story, both Helen and Rachel trembled.


    ¡°That was just his avatar?¡± Helen asked in a quavering voice.


    She was shocked that the small being, whom even the two who believed themselves to have surpassed S-rank were unable to defeat, was not the real Demon King but merely his avatar. She could even feel shivers running down her spine.


    ¡°Yes. Acedia is known as the Demon King of Sloth. That¡¯s why he isn¡¯t moving around much,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    ¡°So, Gold Nugget, you mean you found all this out through your future foresight, right?¡± said Rachel.


    ¡°To be precise, I realized it while listening to Helen''s story,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    Yu-Seong''s calm gaze now slowly moved past Do-Jin and toward Rachel.


    Honestly, Yu-Seong was scared. The Demon King was truly powerful, but the reason that he thought there was still a way was simple.


    ¡®Do-Jin is originally the Slayer of the Demon King.¡¯


    Do-Jin was the warrior who had fought and won against the powerful Demon King. In truth, if he wasn''t here with them, it would have been even more difficult to guarantee victory. Moreover, this situation was one of the worst assumptions that Yu-Seong had already considered from the beginning. However, as he had said, this situation was like fate.


    ¡®Of all the Demon Kings, it had to be Acedia¡­¡¯


    Yu-Seong''s gaze passed Do-Jin and landed on Rachel, whose eyes glinted red under that strange gaze.


    ¡°What''s wrong? Gold Nugget, what''s with that look in your eyes?¡±


    Previously, whenever Yu-Seong looked at Rachel, his gaze conveyed only fear and anger. However, this time, it was different. There was a sense of anticipation mixed with a strange display of unease in his eyes.


    ¡°...Everything is on you, Slaughter Queen,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°In my future foresight, it is none other than you who will defeat the Demon King of Sloth,¡± he added.


    The entire gathering''s attention shifted to Rachel at Yu-Seong¡¯s unexpected statement.


    Rachel, with her red hair swaying, giggled as she pointed to herself with her index finger. She said, "Me? Well, I''ve always dreamed of battling a Demon King.¡±


    She trembled from a potent mixture of excitement and curiosity, and she made no effort to conceal it. She then asked, ¡°So, you mean that I am the destined one to kill the Demon King?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± replied Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Hm, should I believe you...?¡±


    It was evident to Rachel that Yu-Seong''s gaze was too unwavering for this to simply be a baiting tactic.


    In fact, it was true that Yu-Seong did not speak falsely.


    ¡®Because...¡¯


    In the original novel, Rachel had defeated the Demon King and died herself. And in that situation, the target had been none other than the Demon King of Sloth, Acedia. In other words, this fight was like a predetermined fate.


    ¡®Rachel, you will defeat the Demon King and die together.¡¯


    Rachel smiled strangely and nodded as she looked into Yu-Seong''s eyes. ¡°It''s a pretty cool destiny. I like it, Prophet Gold Nugget.¡±


    Afterwards, she began to loosen up her body without hesitation. She declared, ¡°If the future is like that, there''s no reason to wait. Let''s leave right away without dragging it out. I''ll show you how hot-headed I can be. Hahaha!¡±


    If fate was certain, why did one part of Yu-Seong¡¯s heart feel uneasy for no reason?


    ¡®...Is it because of gratitude?¡¯


    While Yu-Seong absent-mindedly thought of the idea of gratitude, Do-Jin grabbed his shoulder.


    ¡®Don''t be swayed by emotions.¡¯


    Facing Do-Jin¡¯s cold gaze that seemed to say so, Yu-Seong nodded his head.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    ¡®I know.¡¯


    He understood well enough.

 CH 229

    Despite Rachel''s desire to immediately start rampaging, Yu-Seong''s opinion was to delay the fight against the Demon King of Sloth for three more days. He knew that they needed time to best condition themselves to the new battle conditions and for himself, Do-Jin, and Bernard to adapt to their level of growth. This was in case of any emergency.


    Sitting alone in the empty room that Helen had created through alchemy, Yu-Seong checked the time on his hunter-specific digital watch before slowly getting up from his seat.


    ¡®They should be asleep by now.¡¯


    Then, he walked out of the room and knocked on Helen''s door after passing through a short hallway.


    "Come in," came the quiet reply.


    Yu-Seong cautiously opened the door and walked inside. He remarked, "I didn''t realize earlier on since everyone was gathered together, but your room is quite spacious.¡±


    "Why? Is your room too small for you to stay, young master?" she asked.


    "No, it''s just a temporary stay, so it doesn''t matter," he replied with a smirk.


    With a casual shrug, he glanced at Helen and wondered how he should start the conversation.


    While he was wondering and feeling some hesitation, Helen spoke up. "Tell me honestly, do you really have future foresight?"


    "Is it so hard to believe?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "It feels strange. It doesn''t seem like a lie, but at the same time, it''s hard to believe it as the truth,¡± she replied.


    Perhaps deceiving Helen was impossible, given her extensive experience. Yu-Seong smiled and nodded. He then explained, "To be honest, it''s not future foresight. It''s just a different way of seeing the future.¡±


    "It''s contradictory to say you don''t have future foresight but can still see the future," Helen remarked.


    "Haha, is it? It might be a long story. Can I sit down?" Yu-Seong asked.


    Perhaps it was because he had to face a truly dangerous fight. He decided that it would be okay for him to reveal some truths to Helen at this moment.


    "You don''t need permission for something like that," Helen replied with a smirk, waving her hand.


    Suddenly, the ground beneath Yu-Seong shifted and transformed into a chair.


    ¡°You want me to make you something like this, huh?¡± said Helen.


    "I didn''t mean that at all¡­but thank you," Yu-Seong said appreciatively.


    "You sit down so naturally for someone who rejected my kind offer," Helen replied.


    "Haha... It''s impolite to refuse a favor."


    Helen sat across from Yu-Seong with crossed legs. Her gentle smile reached her eyes as she asked, "So, what do you want to talk about?"


    "It''s about a reader of a novel," Yu-Seong replied with a smile.


    "A novel?" Helen asked with a puzzled expression.


    Yu-Seong continued to speak, sharing his truth with her. Whether or not she believed him was up to her.


    Despite having shortened the story, he still shared extensively. After all, he had so many details to convey. Eventually, he took over an hour to finish what he wanted to say.


    Finally shutting his mouth, Yu-Seong looked at Helen. It was clear that Do-Jin had taken his truth as a joke, so he had to wonder just how Helen would react.


    Helen stared into Yu-Seong''s black eyes before lightly clicking her tongue. She asked, "So, you''re Choi Yu-Seong, but also not Choi Yu-Seong?"


    "I''m not sure. At first, I did take on that perspective, but¡­¡± Yu-Seong trailed off, thinking about the deep sense of oneness and the natural world.


    Were the two of them really different beings?


    "Hmm, there''s a story about parallel worlds on my list of research topics. It''s possible that the you in another world saw something that the current you have perceived," Helen said.


    "Like a dream?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "Exactly," she replied.


    Yu-Seong quickly held back the words that came to mind.


    ¡®Maybe this is all just a dream?¡¯


    Was it because this was the first time he had shared his truth and received a positive response without any pushback? Yu-Seong''s gaze trembled involuntarily as he looked at Helen, who offered him a strange smile.


    "Don''t worry. As you''ve said in your story, this is your reality that you can no longer doubt," Helen said.


    "You''re right," Yu-Seong agreed.


    "Right, kiddo. If it was really a big deal, you would have felt it already. You know the saying, most of our worries are unnecessary anxiety," Helen reassured him.


    "Haha, I didn''t know I would get comfort from you, Helen," Yu-Seong said.


    Helen smiled, then reached out and ruffled Yu-Seong''s hair. "I don''t know what you''re thinking, but you don''t need to carry such a heavy burden on your own. You''re someone worthy, and you have many days ahead. Do you understand what I mean?"


    "Thank you, Helen," Yu-Seong said.


    "Don''t mention it."


    After that reply, Helen smiled warmly once again and ruffled Yu-Seong¡¯s hair. Then, she continued speaking as if she had suddenly remembered something. "That guy, Kim Do-Jin, you said he¡¯s the protagonist of the novel you read?"


    "Yes, originally, he¡¯s fated to kill my father and myself," Yu-Seong explained.


    "...And how about now?" Helen asked.


    "I think he still hates my father," Yu-Seong replied.


    "That puts you in a difficult position. You''ve become friends with him, but that fate is still intertwined," Helen said.


    "Friend... Do you think he feels the same way?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "Undoubtedly. He must feel the same way," Helen replied. She rubbed her chin and looked at Yu-Seong with a gleam in her eye. "Okay, when this is all over and we go back to Seoul, I''ll show you another miracle.¡±


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    "Pardon?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "Did you forget my nickname?" Helen reminded him with a smile.


    She was Helen, the Miraculous Alchemist. Although she sported a young appearance, she had lived for many years and was known by such a name.


    "I¡¯ll try to find a way to connect you and that friend somehow. The price for my help is you saving me and bringing me back to Seoul," Helen said.


    Yu-Seong''s eyes widened at the unexpected offer. In fact, his story was a story that no one believed or cared about until now. And Helen was showing him such kindness.


    How could he express this moment of gratitude? Overwhelmed with emotion, Yu-Seong''s gaze trembled and he couldn''t bring himself to meet Helen''s gaze.


    ¡®It would be great¡­ If we can all return to Seoul together,¡¯ Yu-Seong thought to himself, clenching his fists.


    "Thank you, Helen. And for that, there is one more thing I want to ask you," he said.


    "So you came to me with a hidden agenda from the very beginning?" Helen said.


    ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Yu-Seong couldn''t help but let out a soft laugh, feeling a warmth reminiscent of being with his own mother.


    With a determined grip, he turned to Helen and pulled out something he had hidden in his embrace.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± Helen said as she stared at the blue mana stone, which was worth billions.


    It was classified as the highest grade, excluding navy and violet.


    ¡®It¡¯s a reward I¡¯ve obtained for clearing the Swamp Emperor.¡¯


    Yu-Seong had deliberately kept the reward a secret, knowing that it could be useful in situations like this.


    "There''s something I want you to make with this," Yu-Seong said.


    Next, he revealed a secret alchemy recipe to Helen that he had learned from reading the original novel. It was a highly advanced technique, but he was confident that Helen, with her current skills, could manage it.


    As he expected, Helen nodded without hesitation. She said with an ambiguous look, "I will need about two days, but I think I can do it. I just didn''t quite understand what you were planning to do with it.¡±


    When Yu-Seong shrugged as his eyes crinkled with a smile, Helen looked at him and asked, "Don''t tell me¡­ You don''t have a hidden agenda, do you?"


    "Of course not. Trust me, Helen. We both need to survive Pyongyang so we can witness miracles together, right?" said Yu-Seong.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Helen pondered.


    ¡°Helen, you''ve heard my story. I don¡¯t want to die any more than anyone else, so please don¡¯t worry. But if you''re still anxious¡­ Okay, I''ll be honest with you. What I asked you to make is a kind of seal stone," said Yu-Seong.


    "A seal stone?" Helen repeated.


    "Yes. It''s to trap a being as powerful as a Demon King in another dimension for about a year. This prevents them from returning to this world for a period of time.¡±


    In fact, a year should be enough time to deal with the Demon King and return safely from Pyongyang.


    "But we have to use it very carefully, because it''s a one-time use," Yu-Seong cautioned.


    "Okay, I trust your word," Helen replied with a nod, clicking her tongue. She commented, "So that''s why you said you needed three days. You clever kid.¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­¡±


    "Okay then, go take care of yourself. Like you said, you''ll need to manage your condition," Helen said, turning her back to Yu-Seong and waving her hand.


    "Thank you for believing in me, Helen," Yu-Seong said just as Helen turned her back.


    Glancing at her reliable back, he got up from his seat and walked out of the room.


    ¡®With this, I''ve prepared the ultimate last resort for the worst-case scenario. I''m sorry for lying to you, Helen.¡¯


    Meanwhile, Helen didn''t even turn to look at Yu-Seong¡¯s retreating back. Her eyes held a deep determination.


    ***


    Three days passed in the blink of an eye, during which the group had worked on leveling up and taking care of their conditions whenever they had the time. Finally, they gathered together and stepped out onto the surface, leaving the underground tunnels behind.


    Yu-Seong gazed upon Juseok Palace in the distance, which had once been splendid but had now completely collapsed.


    ¡®Acedia, the Demon King of Sloth is there.¡¯


    Indeed, this would be the first Demon King raid in this world, but the media and even the drones couldn''t keep up with their movements. Thus, there was no one to record this epic battle.


    "Still, it''ll become a legendary battle that everyone will remember," Bernard, who was standing right beside Yu-Seong, said as if reading his thoughts.


    "But legends have to be told by someone, right? It''s better to just focus on staying alive for now. If we all die here, no one will remember us."


    Helen was the one who gave that reply. She had spent the last few days researching the new alchemy recipe that Yu-Seong had given her and carefully carving it onto the mana stone. Despite her diligent work, her complexion remained as fine as ever.


    "...That''s a bitter story," Bernard said, letting out a bitter laugh in response to Helen¡¯s words.


    Then, he turned to look at Yu-Seong and said, "Hey, prophet friend. You must have some kind of plan, right? We''re dealing with a Demon King, and I can barely stand the thought of it. Say something that can reassure us.¡±


    "Well, I don''t have a specific plan... But if I had to say something, it would be to deal with him while he''s not in the complete form," Yu-Seong said calmly.


    Rachel was the one who unexpectedly brightened up at Yu-Seong''s nonchalant lie. She quickly said, "If he''s not at full power now, how cool will he be at full power? Are you saying I can take down someone like that?"


    "Don''t think unnecessary thoughts. Future foresight doesn''t necessarily flow according to a predetermined fate," Yu-Seong answered.


    "Haha¡­ Of course. I''m just happy," Rachel replied with a smirk.


    Fortunately, Rachel seemed to have no objections and was easily accepting Yu-Seong''s words.


    ¡®If she could be a truthful ally, there would be no one more reliable than her. Unfortunately¡­¡¯


    However, Rachel was someone they would likely face again after this battle, given their past encounters.


    After taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Yu-Seong approached Helen and asked in a quiet voice, "Helen, what I asked for..."


    "I have it," she replied immediately.


    "Please give it to me. Since it''s a one-time use item, it should be given to someone who can use it effectively..." said Yu-Seong.


    Without even listening to the end of Yu-Seong''s request, Helen swiftly walked away.


    "Helen?" he called after her.


    "I already know how to use it. You won''t get a chance. I''ll do it," she declared confidently.


    Yu-Seong''s face showed a mix of emotions before he quickly composed himself and the expression disappeared.

 CH 230

    ¡®Is there a way to stop her?¡¯


    If Yu-Seong were to force himself and take action now, it would only deepen Helen''s suspicions.


    ¡®...Besides, she would not know the full extent of how to use it anyway.¡¯


    Yu-Seong decided it would be best to confiscate it and prevent any potential tensions. With his mind made up, he nodded and said, "I understand. I trust you, Helen.¡±


    "I hope you don''t have any strange ulterior motives," Helen replied with narrowed eyes.


    Yu-Seong gave a wry smile in response and shrugged his shoulders.


    Swoosh-!


    As they walked through the alleyways, demonic creatures and demons began to emerge one by one from between the streets.


    "The Guardian Demon may have fallen, but the path to the boss room is still blocked," Bernard remarked with a smirk while swinging his arm. "As always, the vanguard will be me..."


    Before he could finish his sentence, an ax flew through the air and obliterated the head of a demon that was standing in the front line.


    "Huh?" Bernard looked dumbfounded as he saw Rachel, with her red hair fluttering in the wind, charging into battle and swinging her hand ax randomly.


    "Gyahahaha!" Rachel laughed maniacally.


    Blood and flesh flew in all directions as she fought against the demonic creatures. Ironically, it was the demons who were cowering in fear and hiding from her fierce onslaught.


    "...I can''t even tell who exactly is the demon here.¡± With a dry laugh, Bernard turned to Yu-Seong and asked, "Can we really trust that woman?"


    "At least until we defeat the Demon King?" Yu-Seong replied, drawing his spear.


    "If she makes any sudden moves, I''ll kill her immediately," Do-Jin declared, unsheathing his sword and joining the fray.


    "Well, that''s a reassuring thought." Bernard shrugged as he followed suit, and the three of them charged forward to join Rachel in battle.


    Then, Bernard raised his eyebrows in surprise as he unexpectedly lost his lead. "Huh?"


    "Everyone, take cover! Commence firing!"


    Suddenly, following Helen''s order to fire, bullets were shot everywhere on the battlefield from the Homunculus unit she had created behind them.


    Baaaang-!


    Amidst the chaos, Rachel found herself surrounded by bullets and sparks. Her eyes glowed red as she tilted her head back. She exclaimed, "Ahaha, this is so exhilarating, Grandma Helen!"


    "Unfortunately, you haven''t died," Helen replied.


    As the bullets flew past them, Yu-Seong and Do-Jin found themselves facing each other. They couldn¡¯t help but feel a strange sensation while listening to the conversation between the two women.


    ¡®At least we''re better than those two.¡¯


    Do-Jin nodded in agreement with Yu-Seong''s unspoken thoughts.


    In fact, the level of the women¡¯s craziness surpassed that of a normal fight.


    ***


    In the end, Helen took the lead, leaving Bernard with no chance to step forward. It was because her Homunculus unit was already in action, using their guns and gunpowder to melt away the demonic creatures that attempted to approach them.


    ¡®Originally, ordinary guns wouldn''t work against demonic creatures nor demons, but¡­¡¯


    Surprisingly, the Homunculus unit handled by Helen could shoot bullets with mana. The group couldn''t help but admire how Helen was able to calmly coordinate such a large-scale unit while holding her own.


    "Grandma Helen, you truly have a crazy amount of mana," Rachel praised.


    Even Rachel, who was usually insane and battle crazed, had retreated from the battlefield. She realized that she would only get in the way.


    Thanks to this, it didn''t take the group long to reach the collapsed Juseok Palace where the Demon King of Sloth, Acedia, was located.


    ¡®The problem is that there are more demons in there.¡¯


    This problem was also easily solved with Helen at hand.


    "Buy me some time," she ordered as she handed over the attacking demons and demonic creatures to the group.


    She then recited a spell, causing her scattered Homunculus unit to reunite and float in the air as one. In a short amount of time, it writhed like a liquid monster before solidifying into a form that was strangely familiar to modern people.


    "A missile?" Yu-Seong muttered to himself as he looked up at the sky.


    "Correct. Everyone, step back," Helen replied lightly, gesturing from above to the others below.


    Thuuuuuud-!


    Just as the group stepped back, they were freaked out by the heavy weight that subsequently fell from the air to the ground. A loud impact reverberated throughout Juseok Palace as the missile landed at its center, causing a massive mana explosion.


    Thuud!


    The resulting mushroom cloud of distinct blue-green mana rose up in front of the group, and the ruins that were once called Juseok Palace disappeared without a trace in the wind and dust clouds.


    Rachel, who had furrowed her brow at the sight of the wind and dust clouds, laughed heartily and applauded. She exclaimed, "Wow, Grandma Helen! Why did you hold back for so long when you have such a hot technique? It''s so cool!"


    As the mushroom cloud disappeared, something began to wriggle from beneath the now-destroyed Juseok Palace.


    Helen, who had become visibly tense, stepped back and said, "I shouldn¡¯t waste too much mana on these small fries, since I of course need to rest for a while. Please take care of the rest.¡±


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "pawread dot com".


    Once Helen was done speaking, something white sprang up from the ground and attacked her. Rachel was the one who stood in front of her and blocked the attack with a small fist and hand ax.


    Bang-!


    It was an unreal fight that caused a deafening noise. The two clashed before Rachel, who had never backed down from any enemy until then, flew up in the air. A white demon the size of a five-year-old child floated toward her in the air, trying to kick her chin.


    What blocked the demon¡¯s way was a mana circle that had suddenly been created in the air.


    Thud-!


    The demon, who was struck by the impact of his own kick due to the mana circle, slammed onto the ground. His fall raised a large cloud of dust.


    ¡°Little Demon King! This is so thrilling!¡± Rachel shouted, taking advantage of the gap to barely regain her posture.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Demon King of Sloth, Acedia,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    He ran forward without missing the opportunity, stretched out his spear, and created lightning and wind around his body.


    The Demon King of Sloth, Acedia, who was trying to stand up and dodge, stiffened and grabbed the approaching spear with both hands.


    Crack-!


    With determined eyes that seemed to suggest that he wouldn¡¯t lose in a power struggle, Acedia looked at Yu-Seong, who was surrounded by sparks of lightning. After making that direct eye contact, Yu-Seong felt his strength gradually diminishing. He was shocked, because this was what he had seen through the future with his Third Eye.


    Bernard¡¯s fist, wrapped in a burning flame, hit Acedia''s chin hard.


    Crash-!


    Once again, raising a cloud of dust, Rachel''s hand ax flew toward Acedia who was just slammed onto the ground. And as Acedia turned his head to avoid the hand ax, Do-Jin''s sword touched his neck.


    Slash-!


    His cut neck immediately regenerated, but Acedia had a deep frown on his face. A part of his chin had been cut off.


    However, that wasn''t the end. Helen, who had recovered her stamina quickly, jumped into the battlefield and extended a giant armored palm.


    Thuuud-!


    Acedia''s teeth chattered as he extended his arms to withstand the renewed power struggle.


    ¡°Now''s the time! Kiddos!" Helen shouted.


    Do-Jin and Rachel attacked from the sides, while Bernard struck from the front and Yu-Seong from behind. All of them delivered powerful blows. Do-Jin''s sword and Rachel''s hand ax severed one of Acedia''s arms that was being held back, and Bernard''s fist punched a large hole in his chest. As for Yu-Seong''s spear, it pierced through Acedia''s swaying head.


    This entirely occurred within a single breath of time. Helen then summoned a giant palm that fell disastrously over Acedia''s completely subdued head.


    Crunch-!


    Acedia''s body cracked as he was flattened to the ground like a pancake.


    ¡®It¡¯s easier than¡­I thought...?¡¯


    All five of them had fought with the Demon King together, so it was not a one-on-one battle. Perhaps it was because they were aware that their opponent was a Demon King, so they had fought with all their might and best efforts.


    Even though it was an incomplete attack, the group had managed to overpower the Demon King of Sloth, Acedia, who struggled to regenerate after their assault for a long time.


    ¡°Whoa...¡± Bernard approached Yu-Seong, who had stepped back to catch his breath, and spoke with narrowed eyes. He asked, ¡°Did we get him?¡±


    ¡°Hey, that''s...!¡±


    Indeed, Bernard''s words were dangerous.


    Before Yu-Seong could finish speaking, Acedia, who was wriggling like a well-kneaded pancake, stopped moving.


    ¡®Did he really die just from this?¡¯


    However, there was not even a level-up message to confirm that they had defeated the Demon King. Everyone in the group was looking at the milky white liquid with tense eyes when¡­


    - ...Those bugs are so annoying.


    As a voice echoed in their minds, the pure white liquid began to turn pitch black.


    The desperate group tried to rush forward, but their bodies suddenly froze in place. They felt trapped in a lie. To be precise, their movements had become incredibly slow, like a scene in a slow-motion movie.


    The black liquid flickered in everyone''s eyes, slowly taking shape and growing like a tree. It soon formed a figure with black skin instead of pure white and black eyes that seemed to swallow an even darker darkness. The figure also had two horns above the head.


    Acedia, who had looked like a mere five-year-old child, suddenly grew into a young adult. He slowly looked around at the group.


    ¡®Finally...!¡¯


    An alarm went off in Yu-Seong''s mind. He knew that there was only one meaning to the change in the Demon King of Sloth¡¯s appearance.


    ¡®His consciousness has completely awakened.¡¯


    Up until now, Acedia had been acting roughly, like swatting away annoying bugs, without any real purpose. As his nickname suggested, the Demon King of Sloth hated anything that was bothersome and didn''t even like using his own strength directly.


    However, having been bombarded with attacks that he could not handle, his consciousness that was once asleep had awakened completely.


    ¡®I thought it would be better to knock him down in a way that he wouldn''t even realize it...¡¯


    This happening was not just because of Bernard¡¯s slip of the tongue.


    ¡®It was too big of a hope from the start.¡¯


    As the group was shocked and tense, Acedia, who seemed to have regained full consciousness, smiled fiercely and spoke with a glint in his black eyes.


    - You insignificant bugs. It would be best if you all just died quietly.


    Then, Acedia, who casually stretched his neck as if warming up, took slow steps toward Do-Jin.


    - You. You have been quite annoying since the earlier battle. You can die first.


    Just as Acedia slowly raised his arms, sharp thorns shot out from them like a sword.


    ¡°Lo...¡±


    Yu-Seong''s lips, which had been trying to move since the moment Acedia reflected his will, let out an urgent voice.


    ¡°Ki......!¡±


    Could a small voice and not a shout be heard? The question was answered as a purple lightning bolt rained down from the sky like a thunderbolt and struck Acedia on the head.


    ¡°Tada! I! Have! Arrived!¡±


    Yu-Seong''s secret weapon, the purple dragon Loki, had joined the battlefield.

 CH 231

    As Loki¡¯s lightning bolt fell upon Acedia''s head and touched the ground, the party''s previously slow movements accelerated. Simultaneously, the thorns wielded by Acedia seemed to have pierced through Do-Jin''s head.


    When Do-Jin''s figure faded like a mirage and disappeared, Acedia frowned and turned his gaze toward Yu-Seong and Loki, who both stood before him.


    - You are...?


    "Shh. If you say it carelessly, I might get really angry, you know? Then, you would die," said Loki as her ominous smile reached her eyes.


    Acedia''s mouth twitched and commented, "Interesting. I thought they were quite decent for being bugs, but they have certainly exceeded my expectations.¡±


    "Well then, shall we start playing?"


    The group, as if they were waiting for the flow of time to return to normal, simultaneously attacked Acedia from all directions. Swords, spears, axes, fists, and mana bullets seemed to leave holes all over Acedia''s body in an instant.


    - You''re still slow.


    However, amidst the faintly scattered figures, Acedia, who appeared in the air, yawned leisurely before displaying a smile. At the same time, thorns were sprouting out from his entire body once again.


    "Would you like to take a moment to look here?"


    Acedia turned his gaze toward the small voice as his eyes widened. He could see that Loki''s mouth was wide open, with violet lightning crackling in all directions. In that moment, what crossed Acedia''s mind were not the petty threats of mere humans. Then, he swiftly turned his body and shot all the thorns he had prepared at Loki.


    In an instant, Loki''s figure, swiftly engulfing the lingering lightning bolt around her mouth, vanished into thin air. It was as if it had been an illusion.


    -...?!


    Acedia came to the realization that he had been deceived. As soon as this realization hit him, Helen''s Homunculus Fist tightly gripped Acedia while Rachel''s ax descended upon his head, aiming to shatter it.


    Clang-!


    Gritting his teeth, Acedia swung his horns to block Rachel''s attack. He then exerted all his strength as his thorns wildly shot out toward Helen''s fist.


    - How dare you toy with me?


    "Ughhh! Now''s the time, kiddos!" shouted Helen.


    Blood streaked from the corner of her mouth as she smiled and took a step back.


    "Buffalo Dash!" Bernard shouted loudly as his fist was thrust forward.


    This time, instead of mere horns, the form of a charging buffalo emerged and crashed into Acedia in an instant. With both hands pouring out his full power, Acedia raised his head and threw the charging buffalo into the air.


    Then, Yu-Seong, stepping on the air and ascending, shouted as lightning bolts crackled in all directions, ¡°Meteor Spear!¡±


    After the Buffalo Dash, a spear, which had grown enormous like a missile, blocked Acedia and pushed him back. However, that was all. It failed to inflict any significant damage on him, and he even managed to evade the Meteor Spear.


    - Is this all you''ve got?!


    Right beside Acedia, who smirked with wild eyes, dozens of magic circles surrounded Do-Jin who appeared in the space with a fierce stance.


    "Antareus," called Do-Jin.


    In response to the ongoing summoning, a black dragon emerged from the air and threw itself into the magic circles surrounding Do-Jin. Immediately, Do-Jin''s appearance underwent a change.


    ¡®That''s...?¡¯


    Horns sprouted from Do-Jin¡¯s head while his eyes sharpened like those of a reptile. Even his arm, which held the swinging sword, transformed into that of a mighty dragon. A thick aura of mana generated above his sword as Do-Jin swung it swiftly.


    None could see Do-Jin¡¯s movements, not Yu-Seong or Bernard, let alone Rachel and Helen. Even Acedia himself couldn''t keep up with the lightning speed of his sword, which sliced through him hundreds of times in the blink of an eye.


    - Krraaah-!


    Acedia screamed as he was torn apart and scattered into the air.


    "What the heck, Gold Nugget? Your friend... What was that just now...?" Rachel asked Yu-Seong.


    Even Loki stared wide-eyed at Yu-Seong.


    Find the original at "pawread dot com".


    ¡®I don''t know either! That... That technique, or appearance, was never in the original novel!¡¯


    It was as if Do-Jin had transformed into a different species at that moment. If one had to call it something, it could only be called a dragonkin.


    Do-Jin, who displayed swordsmanship far surpassing his rank, was pale. Stepping back, he said, "Finish it, Choi Yu-Seong. Now might be the perfect opportunity.¡±


    ''Although I originally intended to be cautious in using Loki to conserve mana, but¡­''


    The fragmented form of Acedia, which was already in the process of regeneration, was gradually returning to its original shape.


    "Just a little more time..."


    Before Yu-Seong could finish his sentence, Bernard¡¯s Buffalo Dash erupted once again with great force.


    "I guess this is the end for me too..." Bernard kneeled and collapsed in place.


    Just as Acedia''s head, in the midst of regeneration, expressed surprise while blocking the attacks, Rachel''s ax flew toward him.


    Thunk-!


    Helen formed a giant fist to catch the moment Acedia''s head exploded. She said, "If there''s anything, now is the last chance, Choi Yu-Seong.¡±


    It might be possible to achieve victory without using the seal stone. Yu-Seong, with an anxious expression, looked at Loki who gathered purplish energy at the corner of her mouth. As the purplish energy rapidly condensed, the mana that filled Yu-Seong''s entire body fell to the ground like fuel being poured into a high-speed engine.


    ''It doesn''t matter. Go ahead and take all of my mana.''


    In fact, this was the opportunity that Do-Jin had made by unleashing his hidden secret technique that hadn''t even appeared in the original novel.


    Gripping this very chance tightly, Yu-Seong squeezed out every last drop of mana and poured it all into Loki. Blood trickled from his mouth.


    ¡®Please, Loki.¡¯


    This time, it was not a joke.


    Yu-Seong shouted with all his might, "Storm of Destruction!"


    Loki, with a satisfied smile curling up at the corner of her mouth, released a long, purplish beam of light that gathered around her mouth in response to that shout.


    Crackle-!


    Thanks to Yu-Seong''s mana infused within it, the lightning that emerged scattered in all directions. It overwhelmed Acedia''s entire body and dug into the ground.


    Booooom-!


    A tremendous roar erupted nearby and extended far into the distance, gradually fading away. At its conclusion, Loki, having unleashed all the energy from her mouth, fell to the ground in a powerless state instead of dissipating into the air. She then said to Yu-Seong, "Ah, hey. Sorry... I fell a bit short..."


    "What...?" exclaimed Yu-Seong.


    Loki closed her eyes, and her figure became transparent as she was sucked back into Yu-Seong''s subspace.


    It happened in an instant, accompanied by a sharp, piercing sound that seemed to tear through the air. Four kilometers away, sparks began to bloom, but it was already too late to react. Right in front of Yu-Seong, Acedia, who had regenerated at some undisclosed moment, emitted a dark and furious aura in all directions. With an angry glare, he extended his sharp thorns past Yu-Seong''s forehead.


    "Ah..."


    Guided by Helen grabbing the nape of his neck, the trembling Yu-Seong was thrown outside the battlefield. He couldn¡¯t stop shaking.


    ¡®My mana is¡­¡¯


    With almost no mana left, Yu-Seong felt sudden symptoms of exhaustion to overcome him.


    - I¡¯ll kill you, and obliterate you all forever. You worthless vermin!


    Consumed by anger, Acedia''s next target was Helen. However, once again, someone with fluttering red hair stood in his way.


    Rachel extended her ax, swinging it relentlessly like a raging tempest. She collided fiercely with Acedia''s fists in the air.


    Booooom-!


    Amidst the successive explosions, a bright smile spread across Rachel¡¯s face. The many wounds spreading across her body did not dampen her mood. She exclaimed, "You''re amazing, Demon King! Truly amazing! I will kill you. Since that''s my destiny! Ahaha!"


    - Arrogant woman.


    Along with a deep voice that suppressed a loud laughter, thorns sprouted from Acedia''s knee and pierced through Rachel''s abdomen.


    "Cough-!"


    With a sputtering sound, Rachel spewed blood. She swayed but refused to stop, continuing to swing her ax at Acedia.


    -... What?


    Already consumed by madness, Rachel seemed to have forgotten pain as she relentlessly swung her ax. However, unexpectedly, it was Acedia who began to falter under her relentless assault.


    "Die, die, die! Aha, ahaha-!"


    Was it truly her destined fate? Rachel charged toward death. As for Acedia, he grew tired of Rachel¡¯s relentless determination and unknowingly took a step back. It was as if they were approaching the completion of the original novel.


    Just as Rachel''s ax struck Acedia''s neck, sending him flying, black light poured out from Acedia''s eyes and cascaded over Rachel''s head.


    This time, it truly felt as if time had stopped. Rachel''s rigid gaze, with her body frozen, briefly glanced at the sky. A black darkness descended upon her forehead.


    ¡®Huh? Am I...dying?¡¯


    Before the thought could even complete itself, someone forcefully pushed her body.


    Crashhh-!


    Time, which had been flowing slowly, suddenly sped up as Rachel collapsed to the ground. She clutched her abdomen, blood spilling out.


    "Ueeek-!"


    Then, her gaze shifted to the man who had taken the hit from the black beam in her place.


    "Gold Nugget...?"


    After retrieving a mana potion from his subspace, Yu-Seong had regained his strength before rushing forward. He was the one who had pushed Rachel aside. As a result, his arm was torn and bleeding.


    ¡®Why did I do that...?¡¯


    In fact, Yu-Seong was certain that it would have been better for Rachel to die in this battle. However, when faced with the situation before his eyes, he couldn''t bring himself to witness that sight.


    Acedia''s foot came crashing down over Yu-Seong''s head as he let out a bitter smile.


    - You''re constantly getting in the way!


    This time, it was Do-Jin who threw himself forward and unfurled a magical barrier.


    Boom-!


    Amidst the thunderous sound, Do-Jin, with blood spilling from his mouth, raised his hands and expanded the magic circle while staggering.


    - Both of you... Really...!


    Withstanding Acedia''s attacks that were full of frustration, Do-Jin, gasping for breath, shifted his gaze. He said, "Choi...Yu-Seong...!"


    Yu-Seong, receiving treatment from the summoned Green Wind Spirit Cat for his partially torn arm, clenched his fists tightly. He knew that Do-Jin had also reached his limit.


    ¡®There''s no other way now.¡¯


    The time had come to use what he had considered to be his last resort. Just as Yu-Seong made a decision, he turned his gaze toward Helen.


    Behind Acedia, Helen took out the seal stone and looked at Yu-Seong. She said, "Kiddo, you remember how I said that you wouldn''t have a chance, right?"


    Then, a burst of light erupted from the seal stone in her hand to envelope Acedia''s body.


    Acedia''s eyes widened as he tried to shake off the power using his usual strength, but it proved to be more stable than he expected.


    - And what the heck is this?"


    Surprised by the unexpectedly stable activation, Helen tilted her head in surprise.


    "I will bind your time..."


    Before she could finish her sentence, Yu-Seong dashed forward and thrust his spear into Acedia''s shoulder, which was just in front of Do-Jin''s magic barrier.


    Unfortunately, Helen only partially knew about the seal stone.


    ¡®You¡¯re right about the method of activating the seal stone, but you¡¯re still unaware of the additional sacrifice required.¡¯


    With a secret action known only to Yu-Seong, in a language incomprehensible to anyone, an artificial stillness spread throughout the surroundings.


    At that moment, Yu-Seong turned back and glanced at his companions. With his lips curled into a determined smile, he said, "Don''t worry. I won''t..."


    Yu-Seong''s words were left unfinished, because a bright white light started to spread widely starting from the surroundings of Acedia. Then, an explosive burst of seven-color light surged from the ground to seemingly devour them whole.


    "What... What just happened?" Helen exclaimed, taken aback by the unexpected turn of events.


    In a state of confusion, she rushed toward the cascading beams of light that resembled a waterfall. However, her efforts were in vain.


    Thund-!


    Helen, as if hitting a wall, was stopped by the barrier of seven-color light. As she tumbled to the ground, she shook her head vigorously and questioned, "Why...? How...?"


    The energy of the seal stone had intertwined with the power contained within the Philosopher''s Stone. Startled by the situation that she had created herself but couldn''t comprehend, Helen quickly tried to leap forward again, but the outcome remained unchanged.


    "Choi Yu-Seong¡­?!" Do-Jin yelled.


    "Gold Nugget!" shouted Rachel.


    "This crazy¡­!" exclaimed Bernard.


    Do-Jin, Rachel, and Bernard all joined Helen, pointlessly attempting to break through the barrier of seven-color light. However, no matter how fiercely they attacked, the light stood firm, gradually solidifying and transforming into an impenetrable form.


    Before the final barrier of seven-color light soared up like an ice pillar in Antarctica, the group helplessly sank to their knees and let out sighs of despair. "Ha..."


    Indeed, it was the day when Yu-Seong and Acedia, the Demon King, had been sealed together for the first time.


    ***


    - What have you done, human?!


    As Acedia gave a horrified scream, Yu-Seong removed the spear that was embedded in the Demon King¡¯s shoulder. He looked at the shapeless world of seven colors all around him.


    "...Did it work?"


    Yu-Seong breathed a sigh of relief upon confirming the sight.


    - I asked, what on earth have you done? If you don''t want to experience pain worse than death, speak up!


    Acedia growled like a beast, giving threats in a low voice.


    With a playful smile, Yu-Seong replied, "Here? Well, it has various names, but..."


    Feeling a serene sensation emanating from somewhere within the barrier of seven-color light that illuminated their surroundings, Yu-Seong''s eyes sparkled as he trembled. He revealed, "Usually, it''s called the sanctuary of the transcendent beings."

 CH 232

    True to its name, the sanctuary of the transcendent beings was where those who transcended humanity, whose power touched or surpassed that of gods, found respite. Due to its nature, several mystical laws applied within its confines.


    - You arrogant brat!


    First, beings other than the transcendent ones could not harness mana within this place. Even Demon Kings were no exception to this rule. Despite Acedia''s anger, his attempts to release mana were in vain.


    In fact, the same applied to Yu-Seong.


    ¡®It''s not just mana... Even the system doesn''t operate here.¡¯


    Second, none of the players¡¯ abilities, which were no different from divine blessings, worked this sanctuary of the transcendent beings. Even ranks held no meaning within this space. It was for this reason that Yu-Seong had deliberated at length before entering this space with Acedia.


    ¡®The transcendent beings are monsters that surpass even the system ranks.¡¯


    And now, an outsider had entered their sanctuary. Although they could not possibly reach a favorable outcome under these circumstances, Acedia continued to groan, seemingly unable to believe the current situation, as he focused on his concentration. He sought even the tiniest glimmer of hope that perhaps even a speck of mana could be moved.


    "Come on, act like a Demon King. What are you even hoping for? Seriously, give up. Why do you keep groaning like that?"


    -...How dare you insult me?!


    When Yu-Seong shrugged dismissively, Acedia rushed at Yu-Seong, this time swinging his fist hard. Even without mana, the physical abilities of a demon far surpassed those of an ordinary human. However, Yu-Seong had trained his physical capabilities for quite a long time.


    ''I should be able to somehow dodge this...''


    However, could he deal with the next strike as well? As Yu-Seong pondered, tilting his head and evading the punch, his side was struck viciously by Acedia''s shin.


    ¡°Ugh-!¡±


    After flying through the air and crashing into the ground, Yu-Seong rolled over the floor with blood pouring from his mouth.


    The Demon King, Acedia, approached immediately to deliver a series of wild punches. The successive waves of excessive violence brought unbearable pain to every part of Yu-Seong, whose eyes gradually closed. His breath ceased.


    Acedia finally halted his fist. He straightened his back and revealed a smile.


    -You arrogant human, do you think the name of Demon King loses its meaning just because my mana is sealed?


    Then, as he turned around and intended to find a way to escape, he suddenly shivered.


    - ...What the? I just confirmed that he died.


    Right behind Acedia was Yu-Seong, who Acedia thought had just breathed his last. In spite of the pitiful state he had been in just moments before, he looked completely unharmed.


    Standing up from where he had fallen, Yu-Seong explained, "The second law of the sanctuary. Unless a transcendent being allows it, one cannot die here."


    - ...Immortality is a realm untouched even by the Demon Kings, except for the Absolute Ones. Who do you think you are to say that to me?


    Acedia swung his fist at Yu-Seong''s head once again. The fierce force shattered the man¡¯s skull.


    Bang-!


    Amidst the thunderous sound, pale brain matter and crimson blood burst out, splattering in all directions. Acedia clicked his tongue, casting a gaze at the lifeless body of the collapsed Yu-Seong in front of him.


    This time, Acedia was sure that Yu-Seong had truly died. There was no doubt about the perfect execution of the murder.


    However, Yu-Seong''s head, which had burst open, was suddenly restored, appearing as if he was regenerating just like a demon. The next moment, he jerked upright, enveloped in a green light.


    When Acedia tried to interfere with the recovery, he was forcefully pushed away by the intense green light and was unable to even approach Yu-Seong.


    Yu-Seong blinked in surprise at his miraculous and instantaneous resurrection. He tilted his head with a twinkle in his eyes, murmuring, "How refreshing. I feel like I lost consciousness but then regained it right away."


    - What on earth is this¡­?


    "As I said, it''s useless, so stop and give up. We are not the ones to decide whether to live or die here anyway,¡± said Yu-Seong.


    - ¡­


    Acedia''s arms dropped and his expression turned bitter. After all, as the Demon King of Sloth, he had no inclination to waste any effort on fruitless tasks.


    - Human, explain the current situation in detail. If you fail to convince me, you will experience the torment of never-ending death.


    The Demon King¡¯s question sounded as if he was considering a more reasonable approach. Yu-Seong responded with a subtle smile, "Didn''t you hear me? That¡¯s not your choice. All will within this sanctuary¡ª"


    "Is determined by us, the transcendent beings."


    Before Yu-Seong could finish speaking, seven pillars of light of different colors rose around them and seven similarly colored doors appeared. From the blue door, a man came out, and it was he who finished Yu-Seong''s sentence. Yu-Seong shivered at the sight of the blue-haired, blue-eyed man with fair skin.


    ''That man is Gabriel....''


    In the original novel, Gabriel briefly appeared at the end of Book 1, so Yu-Seong didn''t know his exact personality. However, he could deduce that Gabriel was quite an arrogant guy from just a few lines of dialogue.


    ''He''s not in the highest position.''


    The sanctuary of transcendent beings was originally inaccessible to any being other than the transcendent ones.


    Yu-Seong''s entry into this sanctuary had only been made possible by using the blue mana stone that Helen had created. This stone had stimulated the Philosopher''s Stone and set the coordinates for teleportation to this place. From the transcendent beings¡¯ perspective, it could be considered that an unauthorized outsider had entered the sanctuary.


    Therefore, it was naturally challenging for Yu-Seong to make a good impression on the transcendent beings. That was also why he had hoped that the first transcendent being he could meet would be someone he knew.


    ¡®It would be best if the master came.¡¯


    However, of all the transcendent beings, Gabriel, who had an arrogant and cold personality, had happened to be the first to sense something amiss and arrive at this place.


    Acedia trembled upon sensing Gabriel''s presence, and he fell silent.


    ''In fact, not even most of the Demon Kings could match the transcendent beings.''


    Moreover, Acedia, the Demon King of Sloth, was among the weakest Demon Kings.


    ''If we were to compare, he would be like the weakest among the Four Heavenly Kings.''


    From Gabriel''s perspective as a transcendent being, Acedia was nothing but an ant.


    "One human, one Demon King. It''s an odd combination. Did you come here by coincidence or with some intention?" Gabriel''s narrowed eyes pierce through Yu-Seong and Acedia as if seeing through them.


    Yu-Seong gulped.


    ''It''s okay. Gabriel can''t read thoughts.''


    Gabriel''s eyebrows furrowed as he gazed at Yu-Seong. He murmured, "...Baek Yu-Ri?"


    Yu-Seong''s eyes widened at his remark. He asked, "Pardon...?"


    "And I can even sense the energy of Bak Ok-Rye here." Gabriel lightly clicked his tongue and sighed. "So it''s you. You deliberately led that filthy thing into this place.¡±


    Acedia shivered and his expression changed at Gabriel¡¯s harsh words. However, he dared not respond.


    ¡®At least he knows his place.¡¯


    As Yu-Seong looked on, dumbfounded, Gabriel, who had been observing him, rubbed his chin. After a brief silence, Gabriel nodded decisively. He said, "Seems like you know everything and still came here willingly. In that case, you wouldn''t expect any mercy from me, would you?"


    Gabriel''s index finger emitted a dot of blue energy from its tip. Although it was small in size, Acedia could sense the power contained within it.


    - W-Wait! As you said, I was forcibly brought here by that human!


    "So what?" Gabriel replied.


    - W-What?


    "You''re a Demon King. You''re wicked beings who tear humans apart with the excuse they¡¯re weak." Gabriel smirked coldly. "We have decided not to interfere in human affairs, so we can only step back and observe. But that doesn¡¯t mean that we like you."


    - W-Wait, if you just let me leave this place, I¡¯ll quietly return to the demon realm...!


    Before Acedia could even finish speaking, a faint thread of energy flowed from Gabriel''s fingertip and pierced through the center of Acedia''s head. It did not seem like anything much, but upon contact, Acedia''s formidable body, with its strong physicality and regenerative abilities, disintegrated into dust and scattered in all directions.


    "..."


    Yu-Seong could only gulp down his saliva as he witnessed the scene.


    ''No matter how weak he is, and even if his mana is sealed...''


    The Demon King, whom Do-Jin and his party members had struggled against, had been completely annihilated with just a simple attack. Indeed, one could only tremble in the face of a transcendent beings¡¯ overwhelming power.


    The gaze of Gabriel, the transcendent being in question, turned toward Yu-Seong. With a similar blue glow at the tip of his finger, he looked at Yu-Seong with a cold gaze and said, "You understand everything and have willingly stepped into this realm, hoping for the demise of the Demon King. Now that I have granted your wish, you must be prepared to accept death, correct?"


    "...Not at all." Yu-Seong confidently shook his head.


    In fact, the reason he had come this far was because he didn''t want to die. How could he truly be prepared to accept death?


    "Do not expect mercy. Your unfortunate fate is inevitable, but it is the path you have chosen for yourself..." said Gabriel.


    No, he could not die. Yu-Seong had meticulously planned and prepared for even the worst-case scenarios¡ªincluding this situation. Thus, with a trembling body, a firm stance, and a gaze filled with determination, he addressed Gabriel.


    "Eveheim," said Yu-Seong.


    "What...?" Gabriel''s eyes showed a hint of his bewilderment.


    "He¡¯s one who rejected transcendence and chose the path of the demon.¡±


    ¡°How do you know about him? Did Bak Ok-Rye tell you...?"


    Before Gabriel could finish speaking, a figure emerged from beyond the yellow door and said, "I haven''t said a word."


    Bak Ok-Rye, dressed in a floral pattern reminiscent of a countryside grandmother, clicked her tongue as she looked at Yu-Seong. She asked, "How on earth did you manage to come this far?"


    "...Haha," Yu-Seong laughed awkwardly.


    Ok-Rye''s eyes narrowed even further as she asked, "How did you even know that Eveheim was originally a transcendent being?"


    "To explain everything, it would be quite a long story," replied Yu-Seong.


    After sharing a look with Ok-Rye, Gabriel remarked, "We must kill him. No matter how deep the connection, one who has not yet transcended entering this realm is a violation of the laws.¡±


    "Oh, don¡¯t be inflexible, Gabriel. There''s no need to kill him, is there? I don''t know how he knows that fact, but from what I''ve heard, my disciple''s idea doesn''t seem bad," said Ok-Rye.


    "You think he can kill Eveheim? Don''t you find it impossible?" said Gabriel.


    "Before talking about possibilities, it is clear that he has the qualifications. As you know, he is Baek Yu-Ri''s son."


    At the mention of ''Baek Yu-Ri''s son,'' Gabriel''s gaze trembled once again.


    Just then, another presence appeared beyond the green door and commented, "I''ve been quietly listening, wondering what''s going on. But it''s quite an interesting situation, isn''t it?"


    A small boy holding a smartphone in one hand flashed between Gabriel and Bak Ok-Rye to have a better look at Yu-Seong. "Baek Yu-Ri''s son, seeking revenge by killing Eveheim?¡±


    ¡°Seeking revenge?"


    This time, Yu-Seong expressed his confusion about the current situation.


    "Well, he certainly has the qualifications. However, despite giving up transcendence, Eveheim was originally the owner of the purple door. It might be more prudent to find someone else for the job..." said Gabriel.


    "As you said, how could that ¡®someone else¡¯ stop Eveheim, who was the original owner of the purple door?" Ok-Rye pressed for an answer.


    "That¡­¡±


    Finally, Gabriel firmly closed his mouth. Come to think of it, it was reasonable to believe that there was no one capable of defeating Eveheim, who had bound himself to the mortal realm by breaking his seal.


    "I''m on Granny Bak¡¯s side. Even though I don''t know much, it seems interesting," the small boy chimed in.


    As a result, two of the three transcendent beings sided with Yu-Seong. The situation was now uncertain. However, the idea of Yu-Seong defeating Eveheim, who was originally a transcendent being, seemed implausible no matter how many times one thought about it.


    As silence fell upon everyone, Yu-Seong, as if he had been waiting for this moment, raised his hand and asked, "If I can inherit and pick up some skills and techniques from all three of you, wouldn''t my chances of success increase?"


    "What...?"


    Gabriel¡¯s eyebrow shot up in ridicule at the unexpected statement. On the other hand, Bak Ok-Rye''s eyes sparkled with a rather favorable light.


    Find the original at "pawread dot com".


    "Well, that''s true. If we don''t do much, it will be difficult to stop Eveheim," she acknowledged.


    "A co-disciple of the three of us? That sounds interesting, doesn''t it? Let''s do it, let''s do it!"


    In response to the words of Green, the boy with green hair, Gabriel relaxed his perplexed expression. He soon sighed and nodded. "...It''s an absurd story, but indeed, it seems to be the closest to the correct answer.¡±

 CH 233

    Gabriel dispelled the blue energy on his fingertips and looked at Yu-Seong with narrowed eyes. Sensing the piercing stare, Yu-Seong involuntarily tensed up and swallowed hard.


    "You planned this from the beginning, didn¡¯t you?" Gabriel said.


    "...I can''t deny it. Haha," Yu-Seong said with a nod as he sheepishly scratched his cheek.


    In fact, since lying wouldn¡¯t work in this situation, it was better for him to confront it sincerely.


    "To be honest, this is my worst-case scenario. Given that I¡¯ve broken the rules, I never anticipated that my master would support me, and... Truth be told, I tend to get easily frightened," Yu-Seong explained.


    "I don''t want to die!" Green yelled out, then grinned. ¡°I can hear the whispers of your heart. That¡¯s why you had no intention of confronting Eveheim in combat, didn¡¯t you?"


    Although he appeared to be a boy on the surface, Green was a monster who had lived for over a thousand years.


    ''He even seems to be able to read thoughts to some extent...''


    According to the original novel, there was such a character among the transcendent beings, and it seemed to be Green.


    "But still, I try not to delve as much as I can. Otherwise, it would torment both of us," Green said.


    "...You''re very considerate," said Yu-Seong.


    "I think so too,¡± Green said with a smile.


    Yu-Seong inwardly nodded before Green continued, "Becoming a common disciple of the three of us is undoubtedly a remarkable event, a situation that won''t occur again in the human world. However, even if you were to truly reach the realm of transcendence, fighting against Eveheim would present an absolute life-or-death situation.¡±


    "...I know."


    In fact, that was why Yu-Seong considered this situation to be the worst. Great power came with great responsibility¡ªa line from the Spider-Man cartoon that Yu-Seong quite liked, and it perfectly encapsulated the current situation.


    "Still, I don''t think it¡¯s completely impossible. In any case, I am choosing to confront Eveheim in order to survive here, and thanks to that, I¡¯d have the opportunity to train under all three of you. However...the problem is that the time given to me is at most one year," Yu-Seong said.


    He only had a year to surpass the S-rank and reach the realm of transcendence¡ªa daunting task within such a short time. In fact, the task appeared to be logically impossible.


    "In one year, it''s impossible for you to even get close to Eveheim¡¯s level. Your talent is decent, but Eveheim is the first one among us who entered the realm of transcendence." Ok-Rye, who had taught Yu-Seong once, calmly assessed the situation.


    Then, she smiled and looked at Gabriel. She added, "But that doesn''t mean that this task is entirely impossible.¡±


    "I know. Now that we''ve made the decision to teach him, we must ensure that we do it properly..." said Gabriel as he stared at Yu-Seong directly with his blue eyes. "Now that you have understood and accepted your fate, I will dedicate myself to assisting your growth. What I mean is¡ª"


    Before Gabriel could finish speaking, Green popped out between the two and interjected, "There''s no need to say it! That kid already knows everything.¡±


    "What...?" Gabriel narrowed his eyes and glared at Ok-Rye.


    "No, I didn''t say anything," Ok-Rye said as she waved her hand and shook her head once again.


    "The situation is a bit unique, but there''s no reason to doubt it. I''ll guarantee it!" Green said.


    Gabriel, who had been full of suspicion, let out a sigh and nodded in response to Green''s words. He said, "Fine. Since we don''t have much time, we can discuss the details later.¡±


    "You are about to initiate Time Dilation right away, right? How much can you extend it? May I inquire about that?"


    "First, let me put it more realistically. One year is not enough. We need at least three years," Gabriel stated.


    Both Ok-Rye and Green nodded in agreement.


    Indeed, no matter how far Time Dilation was pushed, there was a limit.


    "...I mentioned about a year to my party, but if the three of you are in agreement, I will follow your suggestions," Yu-Seong nodded and agreed.


    After all, it was much better to train for a longer period and grow steadily rather than risking death through haphazard training.


    ¡®Actually, the most concerning thing is the variables that may arise while I¡¯m away¡­¡¯


    However, since Yu-Seong had already ended up in the worst-case scenario, there was no way around it.


    "Alright. My disciple has agreed. Then, Gabriel, if we have three years, how much can you extend it?" Ok-Rye asked.


    "If it''s within this sanctuary, I can extend it to a maximum of five hundred years," Gabriel replied.


    Yu-Seong, who had read the original novel and had a rough idea of what transcendent beings were, was still greatly surprised by Gabriel¡¯s words.


    ¡®He can extend three years to five hundred?!¡¯


    Even though it was only possible because they were within the sanctuary of the transcendent beings, which essentially served as a gathering spot for energy and also the point from which mana stones spread across the world, the scale of this ability was still beyond comprehension. Yu-Seong now understood why the achievements of transcendent beings were not revealed until the completion of the first chapter of the original novel.


    ¡®This completely throws off the balance, doesn''t it?¡¯


    On the other hand, he couldn''t help but think that it made perfect sense for Superbia, the sole surviving Demon King of Pride, and Eveheim to be selected as the ultimate bosses of Chapter 2.


    ¡®There are beings who would not step up at this stage.¡¯


    They were monsters who had reached an entirely different level. Even though Do-Jin had gone back in time, he had not reached the same realm as the transcendent beings.


    ¡®Perhaps in Book 2, he eventually reached the level of a transcendent.¡¯


    Yu-Seong gasped, feeling the distinct and significant difference in scale. Gabriel, noticing his reaction, said with a frown, "Of course, that''s just the maximum. When it''s my turn, I would have to train you and maintain the Time Dilation simultaneously¡­so the limit would be around 250 years.¡±


    "That''s still incredible," Yu-Seong remarked.


    Could a skill that allowed for the extension of 3 years to 250 years be considered mere magic? Yu-Seong thought that it would be more appropriate to call it a miracle or an extraordinary transcendental power


    Meanwhile, Ok-Rye and Green, seemingly unsurprised by this revelation, nodded in agreement. The three transcendent beings thus engaged in a discussion among themselves regarding the allocation of time.


    "It''s definitely better to divide the training time rather than doing it all at once," Green commented.


    Gabriel nodded. "Even though he is the son of Baek Yu-Ri and has considerable talent, we must be cautious not to administer too much at once. Otherwise, it could cause him to collapse instead..."


    "If that''s the case, I''ll take on the initial training. In terms of establishing the foundation, I can handle it with about fifty years of training," Ok-Rye said as she stepped forward.


    "Then, can I have a hundred years?" Green raised his hand with an excited expression.


    "Make it seventy-five. Even a century is too short to showcase my abilities," Gabriel said.


    "Ehh, Gabriel, you''re so greedy."


    "Hmph..."


    Ignoring Green''s grumbling and letting out a snort, Gabriel approached the blue door that belonged to him, took a seat, and focused his concentration. Within less than a minute, the surrounding space began to ripple and shift with a short echo.


    ¡°The Time Dilation has started. Well then, shall we get started, my disciple?¡± asked Ok-Rye.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be out! It''s boring just watching anyway. See you in fifty years, my disciple!" said Green enthusiastically.


    Just as Ok-Rye rotated her arms and casually cracked her neck to warm herself up, Green yawned and waved goodbye. He headed toward the green door to exit the sanctuary.


    "Oh, wait. Green."


    As if something had suddenly occurred to her, Ok-Rye grabbed Green.


    "Yeah, what''s up?" asked Green.


    "Now that I think about it, that guy who died in this place earlier seems to be of some use,¡± said Ok-Rye.


    "Oh, you mean the Demon King?" Green said.


    ¡°Can you bring him back to life?" asked Ok-Rye.


    "I can''t fully resurrect him because Gabriel completely annihilated him. If it''s only his physical abilities...it might be somewhat possible. But it won''t have any sense of self or consciousness," Green explained.


    "Please," Ok-Rye requested.


    "It''s for the sake of the disciple, so it''s no big deal," answered Green, smiling and nodding.


    Afterwards, he waved his hand and the green energy in front of the green door began to gather into the form of a living being. Half an hour later, Acedia, who had been completely annihilated, appeared before Yu-Seong with a vacant expression in his eyes.


    "Oh my..." Yu-Seong exclaimed, unable to contain his astonishment at the truly remarkable sight.


    Just as Yu-Seong was captivated by what he was witnessing, Green rubbed his nose and waved his hand again. He said, "Then, really, I''ll see you in fifty years!"


    Fifty years was a span of time far surpassing Yu-Seong''s entire life thus far. Although he couldn''t fully comprehend its magnitude, Yu-Seong understood that such a significant amount of time would indeed elapse. It appeared as if there was an abundance of leisure, but in reality, that wasn''t the case.


    As if to prove that very point, Ok-Rye, touched Green¡¯s Acedia in a few places and then smiled in satisfaction. She said, "Training your body to this extent should ensure that nothing can hurt you. Now, it''s your first trial.¡±


    The motionless Acedia''s body then creaked as it began to move forward.


    "I''ll adjust the strength appropriately, so fight as much as you can. You can¡¯t die here anyway. I won''t release the mana seal, so you''ll have to rely solely on your physical strength," Ok-Rye instructed.


    It was a simple and crude training, but Yu-Seong didn''t doubt Ok-Rye''s method.


    ¡®She has always favored this kind of approach.¡¯


    Above all, there was no room for doubt. Acedia¡¯s fist sliced through the air, appearing in front of Yu-Seong¡¯s face in the blink of an eye.


    ¡®Ah!¡¯


    In fact, it wasn''t due to Yu-Seong''s own will that he had evaded the attack. Ok-Rye had suddenly appeared behind him, gripped his collar, and thrust his arm forward.


    Bang-!


    Yu-Seong''s eyes widened in surprise as Acedia was forcefully pushed back. He hadn¡¯t actually moved of his own will; instead, he was being manipulated like a puppet by his teacher.


    "Relax your body and clear your mind. This is beyond the realm where your consciousness can respond. I''ll engrave the movements I teach you into your very being. This is the first step," Ok-Rye explained.


    "I will...!"


    Before Yu-Seong could offer a complete reply, Acedia''s kick came rushing toward him. Under Ok-Rye¡¯s control, he was forced to avoid it as cold sweat dripped down his forehead.


    ¡®In this state, for fifty years¡­¡¯


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    Even though it was the sanctuary of the transcendent beings, where he wouldn''t age or die, it was by no means an easy task. However, Yu-Seong would endure and continue moving forward. Eventually he would reach transcendence. After that, he would return to the world where he rightfully belonged.


    Indeed, the path ahead was already determined. As he made this promise, Yu-Seong was now destined to protect the world and was unable to withdraw anymore.


    ¡®Please wait for me, everyone.¡¯


    He made a firm resolution in his heart, and a blazing determination surged within him.


    ***


    In front of a logistics warehouse in Incheon, Eveheim''s eyes sparkled with interest as he gazed at the setting sun with a somewhat relaxed expression.


    "This is an earlier visit than I expected," he remarked calmly, turning his gaze to the sword pointed at his neck.


    "I heard that you''re the leader of the Demon King Worshipers," Do-Jin said to him with a cold gaze.


    "...Well, I do hold such a position," Eveheim replied.


    "Let me get to the point. Bring the Demon King of Sloth here," Do-Jin said.


    "Well, that''s an...interesting demand. If I could bring him, wouldn''t I have already done so? I mean, I am the leader of the Demon King Worshipers, you know?¡±


    "There must be a way. Bring him back, no matter where he is. I''ll kill him," Do-Jin said.


    "That doesn''t sound like something you should tell me." Eveheim smirked and shrugged at the rough threat.


    At that moment, Do-Jin''s sword flew from his grip.


    Taken aback by the unexpected development, since he hadn¡¯t even sensed any mana, Do-Jin attempted to reach for his sword. However, before he could grasp it, Eveheim''s hand swiftly shot forward and seized him by the throat.

 CH 234

    "Keog...!"


    Purplish energy swirled in Eveheim''s eyes as he pushed Do-Jin toward the warehouse¡¯s closed iron doors with determination. Do-Jin groaned in pain.


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    "Kim Do-Jin, how do you think you could figure out where I was? Do you believe it''s merely a simple coincidence? Like some astonishing stroke of luck... Oh, I see."


    Eveheim nodded as he gazed into Do-Jin''s fiery eyes. Sensing the man was overwhelmed with emotions, he commented, ¡°It¡¯s your unwavering self-confidence. You appear to believe that you''ve reached here solely through your own abilities.¡±


    "Shut...up!" Do-Jin shouted, his voice echoing within the warehouse.


    In response, two magic circles simultaneously formed around Eveheim, unleashing flames and lightning bolts.


    Eveheim released Do-Jin''s throat and took a couple of steps back. A glimmer of curiosity flickered in his eyes.


    ''Silent Incantation?''


    Eveheim knew Do-Jin to be an excellent swordsman.


    ¡®I did expect him to have some level of knowledge in using magic, but¡­¡¯


    However, he had never expected that Do-Jin would be a wizard capable of using magic without any sound or movement. Moreover, the man wasn''t triggering just one, but two spells simultaneously.


    ¡®Beyond being a wizard, he has reached the realm of a sorcerer.¡¯


    Moreover, the sword swinging at him exuded a formidable aura that was akin to a surging light.


    ''An Aura Master and a sorcerer... Isn''t that a typical example of a hero?¡¯


    In truth, Eveheim''s interest in Do-Jin had waned somewhat since discovering Yu-Seong. There were many reasons for that.


    ¡®Yu-Seong¡¯s the son of Baek Yu-Ri. He also possesses remarkable talents and exudes an aura of mystery, appearing to conceal something¡­¡¯


    There were numerous factors that made Yu-Seong appear considerably more intriguing. However, now that Eveheim was face to face with Do-Jin, he knew that underestimating him was out of the question. Particularly when it came to talents, Do-Jin undeniably surpassed Yu-Seong. Above all, the waning emotions that had previously caused Eveheim to lose interest in Do-Jin appeared to have resurfaced.


    Seeing the emotions reflected in Do-Jin¡¯s eyes, Eveheim murmured, "Anger, resentment, hatred."


    As he evaded the pouring magic and the precise and elegant sword strike, Eveheim''s lips curled into a smile. Do-Jin''s gaze was the only thing he focused on.


    Gradually, dozens of magic circles unfolded around Do-Jin.


    ¡®Even as he strikes with his sword, he seems to still be chanting. Is he planning to unleash this spell?¡¯


    Eveheim felt a sense of anticipation. He hoped that Do-Jin wouldn''t disappoint him, if possible.


    As if in response to his wish, Do-Jin¡¯s eyes widened in determination.


    "Antareus-!"


    A black dragon suddenly appeared from behind him. It leapt into the magic circle. Human and dragon then merged together, becoming one.


    "Oooh...!"


    A brilliant white light flashed before Eveheim''s eyes as he witnessed the astonishing appearance of a dragonkin.


    ¡®Blood?¡¯


    Immediately after, blood trickled from Do-Jin''s chest.


    A smile crept upon Eveheim''s lips as he commented, "Isn¡¯t this quite something?"


    Although engulfed by the surrounding black flames that pursued him as if to devour him, he felt no fear. In fact, even though he had relinquished his transcendent status, he had once been the owner of the purple door, a being at the pinnacle of this world.


    Once again, a bright smile formed on Eveheim''s lips as he tightly grasped Do-Jin''s sword, which was enveloped in swirling black flames, with his bare hand. He said, "I''ve made up my mind, Kim Do-Jin.¡±


    "Shut...up!" yelled Do-Jin.


    "For now, let''s first calm your mind a little."


    As a momentary purple light flashed in Eveheim''s eyes, Do-Jin floated helplessly in the air. He hadn¡¯t caught sight of that at all.


    ¡®What the...?¡¯


    Without even realizing what attack had hit him, Do-Jin fell to the ground and lost consciousness.


    Eveheim leisurely approached the unconscious Do-Jin and grabbed his limp head with one hand. He said calmly, ¡°Within a span of five years, I will bestow transcendence upon you as a gift.¡±


    Slowly lifting Do-Jin up, Eveheim looked at the stubborn face in his grip as a bright smile slowly bloomed on his face.


    ***


    The ones who had conveyed the news of Yu-Seong being sealed with the Demon King in Pyongyang were none other than Helen and Bernard. Upon their return to Korea, the two of them had been summoned to the Special Police Force for questioning. This had caused a further delay of two days before they had finally been able to meet Yu-Ri and Do-Yoon.


    During that period of time, it seemed like the Jin siblings had already received some information and organized their thoughts.


    Yu-Ri was trying to restrain her emotions, but her expression was still visibly tense. She turned to Helen. "...Was there truly no alternative?"


    "To be honest, it was an unexpected turn of events," said Helen.


    ¡°I heard it was a sealing. In that case, the young master''s life is¡­¡±


    "That is something I am not sure about/cannot confirm. I am¡­deeply sorry," Helen replied as she shook her head lightly and lowered her gaze.


    Yu-Ri''s gaze then shifted toward Bernard, who stood beside Helen, and noticed his unusual silence.


    "...I am sorry,¡± Bernard said.


    "It was Yu-Seong oppa who suggested going to Pyongyang. You two don''t need to apologize. But what I''m curious about is...where is Kim Do-Jin?" Yu-Ri asked.


    As far as Yu-Ri knew, there were only two individuals who had gone to Pyongyang with Yu-Seong: Do-Jin and Bernard. However, one of them had returned with him, while the other was nowhere in sight. Moreover, it was mentioned that the missing person hadn''t even attended the investigation, which naturally raised concerns.


    "I don''t know. As soon as we got off the plane, he said he had something to take care of and disappeared. Now, even the Special Police Force can''t find him." Bernard let out a sigh and began explaining the situation.


    Yu-Ri''s sharp gaze intensified. Gritting her teeth in frustration, she murmured, "Why does it seem to me as if he has run away?"


    "He didn''t give off that impression. Rather, it was more like he was chasing after something..." said Helen.


    When Helen''s perplexing words trailed off, Bernard took over.


    "In my opinion, it seemed more like he was being pursued. It was as if he couldn¡¯t afford to just do nothing¡­¡±


    "It''s a confusing statement."


    "I agree."


    Bernard forced a smile and nodded in response to Yu-Ri''s comment. With his fist clenched, he reassured her, "However, my gut feeling tells me that Choi Yu-Seong will be safe. He said it himself: without a doubt, he will survive.¡±


    "It''s something that the young master has said himself?" Do-Yoon inquired. When Bernard nodded in reply with a firm and resolute gaze, Do-Yoon said, "Then I suppose we have to believe it.¡±


    In fact, there was no other choice. However, the path they had to tread had become clear. Do-Yoon turned away, as if to indicate that further conversation was unnecessary.


    ¡°Oppa?" Yu-Ri called out.


    Do-Yoon slightly turned his head and said, "I''m going to enter the Tower of Heaven. After that, I''ll continue exploring dungeons.¡±


    With those words, he left without glancing back.


    Yu-Ri could empathize with Do-Yoon''s emotions, as she also felt the anguish at losing Yu-Seong and being unable to protect him. She clenched her fist and lowered her head, walking toward the opposite direction of Do-Yoon.


    In her heart, she yearned to immediately chase after Do-Yoon. However, that was not a viable option for her right now.


    ¡®There are many things I need to sort out.¡¯


    First and foremost, she had to notify certain individuals about what had transpired¡ªJin-Hyuk and Ye-Ryeong, in particular. It was possible that they too would then feel the urge to rush to Pyongyang immediately, and she would have to¡­


    ¡®I should talk them out of it.¡¯


    In that case, there was a strong likelihood of them following in Do-Yoon''s footsteps. They would most likely train so that, once Yu-Seong returned, they wouldn''t lose him like this again.


    ¡®I¡¯ll also have to inform the Chairman and the First Young Lady as well¡­¡¯


    Additionally, she would need to inform Ji-Ho, as well as Jin-Woo, who was currently handling the company affairs in Yu-Seong''s absence.


    ¡®And...I have to inform Jenny and the Hidden Team too.¡¯


    Lost in her thoughts, Yu-Ri walked on while contemplating each task she had to fulfill. Before she realized it, her legs gave in, and she dropped to the ground on the side of the road. She exclaimed, ¡°How come¡­!"


    Why hadn''t they been brought along? Was it because they were considered unnecessary? Were they deemed not strong enough? As Yu-Seong kept growing stronger, Yu-Ri had at some point found herself looking up to him.


    As she was overwhelmed by self-contempt and anger, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. She cried, "Yu-Seong oppa..."


    If Yu-Seong were to return, she would never let him go like this again. Determined, Yu-Ri mustered strength in her knees and rose from the ground. She moved forward, her gaze fixed on a distant place, filled with unwavering determination.


    ***


    "Now, what are you going to do?" Helen asked Bernard, who stood next to her, as they watched the backs of the departing Yu-Ri and Do-Yoon.


    "I am going to visit my grandfather," Bernard said.


    "Come to think of it, you mentioned being Chairman Yoo''s grandson. What do you intend to do when you meet him?" Helen asked.


    "With my current abilities, there are limitations. I plan to ask my grandfather for help and grow as quickly as possible. Enough to be able to personally strike down the Demon King," said Bernard.


    "But didn''t you say that your grandfather dislikes you? That''s what I recall hearing."


    "Well, he was certainly angry. It''s because I didn''t listen to him," said Bernard with a wry smile. Scratching his cheek sheepishly, he added, "But it is what it is. I still need assistance... The one who requires help should give in.¡±


    "You don''t necessarily have to do that," Helen said.


    "What do you mean?"


    "You may not know this, but I actually have more money than your grandfather."


    "Ah...?"


    It was widely known that Helen, also known as the Miracle Alchemist, received support from the wealthiest individuals in the world. Therefore, her confidence was understandable.


    "But even for you, Helen, it could be a burden. I require a significant amount of money..."


    "It''s not a burden. I have far more money than you can imagine. To put it on a global scale... I would definitely be within the top 100."


    At that level, Helen clearly didn''t need to rely on support from the wealthiest individuals; instead, she had attained the status of a wealthy individual herself.


    "My goodness, how did you...?"


    "I made various investments with the money I received and managed a few companies. That''s how things turned out. If we consider just personal funds, then not even your grandfather could compare. By the way, this is a secret that no one else in the world knows."


    "Ah, yes... But why would you tell me such a thing?" asked Bernard.


    "Choi Yu-Seong sacrificed himself for all of us. If someone can help save his life, then it''s worth the investment. And we must also retrieve the Philosopher''s Stone." After mentioning their first goal, Helen grumbled slightly and furrowed her brow. "By the way, I wonder what we should do about Rachel.¡±


    Rachel was currently a globally wanted criminal. As a result, upon her return to Korea, she had immediately been apprehended by the Special Police Force for investigation. If the legal process followed its course, there was a strong likelihood that she would be sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison after her abilities were sealed.


    "Come to think of it, it was quite surprising how she cooperated without much resistance. I thought she would put up more of a fight..." said Bernard.


    "Well, she knows there''s no escape from that predicament. She''s a cunning woman, and as Choi Yu-Seong said, she was also destined to slay the Demon King..."


    In other words, in terms of raw power, Rachel was undeniably formidable. However, her personality and the current circumstances were the key concerns.


    "In my opinion, it might be best to give up on Rachel..."


    Bernard believed that aligning with a notorious criminal would yield no benefits. At that very moment, before he could express his honest thoughts, a voice rang out.


    "Oh, my, look at you. Did you think you could just abandon me and leave? Do you want me to break your head?"


    "Eekkk-!" shouted Bernard.


    Suddenly, Rachel materialized behind them, delivering a forceful slap on Bernard''s shoulder and causing him to jump back in alarm. Twirling an ax in her hand, she wore a disturbingly bright smile that radiated unwavering madness.


    As he observed Rachel, Bernard stood frozen like a mouse caught before a cat. His lips trembled.

 CH 235

    "Teehee-! No need to be frightened. Luckily for you, I''m not particularly interested in seeing what your brain looks like."


    Helen''s eyes narrowed as she observed Rachel mock Bernard with a boisterous laugh. She asked, "How on earth did you escape, you criminal?"


    "Well, you know, I used my beauty. It worked out nicely, huh?¡± responded Rachel.


    "...You killed someone again," said Helen, scrunching her nose.


    With a cold smile spreading across her lips, Rachel retorted, ¡°Are you trying to tell me that you haven''t killed anyone? Spare me your hypocrisy. Above all, you know it, don''t you?"


    "You''re a villain," Helen said.


    "That''s right, ahaha! Villain. That word suits me so well," Rachel said to Helen, feeling that it fit her perfectly. She added, "Help the villain just this once. I beg you.¡±


    ¡°The Special Police Force won''t remain still."


    "Sure there are some difficult characters over there. But, well, you''ll hide me well, won''t you?"


    "Why should I?"


    "Well... Because we''re comrades?"


    "That''s bullshit," said Helen, clicking her tongue.


    Looking into Helen¡¯s eyes, which were filled with deep contemplation, Rachel said, "As you know, revenge is something I will exact no matter the cost. Tenfold, if necessary. And, though it may be hard to believe, I am also capable of repaying favors. Helen, I am that kind of person.¡±


    "So, what you''re saying, you villainous woman, is that¡­ If I help you, you''ll repay me regardless of the consequences," said Helen.


    "Yes. That''s why I''m here. This time, I owe a debt to my Gold Nugget," Rachel said as her eyes sparkled with an odd light.


    In fact, she had not forgotten.


    "That guy clearly wished for my death. Why? Because he was afraid of me."


    And yet, Yu-Seong had saved her¡ªsacrificing himself and leaving her behind. At the most important moment, he had made the choice to seal himself with the Demon King. Just the thought of it made Rachel tremble, sending shivers down her spine.


    ¡°I''m dying to see what''s inside his brain, but I have no right to do so. No justification. How could I dare to take his life and be left with this debt?" Rachel said.


    "You crazy woman..."


    "That''s right. That''s why I''m intrigued by Choi Yu-Seong. He''s one of the few individuals I''ve encountered who is just as mad as me!" Rachel exclaimed.


    Now, Helen didn''t feel inclined to refute Rachel''s words. In fact, it was truly unimaginable that Yu-Seong had saved Rachel. She mused quietly, "There seems to be some kind of attraction between madmen..."


    "So, help me," Rachel shamelessly requested.


    When Helen eventually nodded, Rachel shouted, "Kyaaah-! You''re the best, Grandma!"


    "But there are two conditions," Helen added.


    "Tell me."


    "First, you must leave the cult of the Demon King Worshipers. In any case, the place is¡­¡±


    "I will leave." Rachel smiled gleefully.


    Rachel agreed to distance herself from the massive organization more easily than Helen had expected.


    "I was merely seeking amusement, whether it was with the Demon King or the Godfather. However, being with Choi Yu-Seong is much more enjoyable," Rachel confessed.


    "Secondly, promise me that you won''t kill Choi Yu-Seong no matter what happens," Helen said.


    "Oh, that¡¯s..." Rachel twirled her fiery red hair with her index finger and furrowed her brow in deep contemplation.


    "It seems like the Special Police Force is starting to move," Helen said, sensing the approaching presence from a distance.


    Despite that, Rachel let out a deep sigh. Still showing no signs of urgency, she said, "I''m usually good at making promises that I can''t keep, but this situation does make me hesitate a little, since I''m the one seeking help.¡±


    "If you can''t promise that, then piss off," Helen responded firmly.


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    "Ah... Really... I guess there''s no other choice. Fine," Rachel finally said.


    "I¡¯ll believe you,¡± Helen said.


    "Believe me. Despite being a liar and a villain, at this moment, I am sincere," Rachel added.


    Indeed, Rachel would never kill Yu-Seong; that was certain. However, she knew that achieving her goals didn''t always necessitate taking lives. Deep down, Rachel hoped for one thing.


    ''I hope my Gold Nugget doesn''t become too strong.''


    As Rachel thought about Yu-Seong, someone she could engage with and have a bit of fun, she unconsciously licked her lips.


    Suddenly, a group of Homunculi emerged from Helen''s hands, coalescing into a sizable mass that seemed intent on engulfing Rachel in a single gulp.


    "Huh...?"


    "Endure it. It might be stifling, but there''s no better way than this to secretly escape," Helen advised.


    "Thank you, Grandma," Rachel said with a smile.


    Helen neatly folded the package containing Rachel and put it in her pocket. Then, she turned to Bernard and said, ¡°Let''s go now. If one stays in there for too long, they typically end up dying.¡±


    "...You didn''t explain that to her," Bernard said.


    "That''s something she¡¯ll have to endure," Helen replied.


    With a determined gaze, Helen walked briskly ahead.


    ¡®Choi Yu-Seong, I will believe that you are alive.¡¯


    The task at hand was clear until then.


    ¡®When you return, I will find a way to repay you, kiddo.¡¯


    In fact, Rachel wasn''t the only one indebted.


    ***


    In the sanctuary of the transcendent beings, there stood seven brilliantly shining doors of different colors.


    Yu-Seong''s eyes sparkled as he looked at Acedia. The approaching zombie¡¯s shirt was so tattered that it could barely be called a piece of garment.


    In the past, Acedia''s speed had been too fast for him to comprehend. However, he could now clearly perceive his movements.


    ¡®It¡¯s even slow.¡¯


    With slight exaggeration, the zombie Acedia was sluggish enough for Yu-Seong to yawn. There was no need to use his spear. With ease, he skillfully evaded the incoming fist and delivered a powerful elbow blow to Acedia¡¯s head.


    Thud-!


    With a resounding thud, Acedia¡¯s head burst apart, showering everything around him with blood. As Acedia¡¯s body attempted to regenerate, Yu-Seong rapidly punched it all over, making sure that didn¡¯t happen.


    Thus, approximately thirty minutes of fighting passed. Even though Demon King Acedia had been transformed into a zombie devoid of mana, regenerative abilities, and coherent thoughts, he was still a foe that Yu-Seong couldn¡¯t have imagined fighting just a while back. However, Yu-Seong managed to beat Acedia to a pulp, and now he wore a contented expression.


    As he gazed at Bak Ok-Rye, who was standing behind him, he said, "What do you think? I think this is good enough. It''s about thirty minutes shorter than last time.¡±


    "Of course, it''s only natural since I personally taught you the Beast King''s Instinct. If I had directly intervened, it wouldn''t have taken even five minutes to crush that creature," Ok-Rye responded.


    "...It''s a bit unfair to compare it to you, master," Yu-Seong remarked.


    Upon hearing that reply, Ok-Rye clenched her fist, snorted, and stood in front of Yu-Seong. "I¡¯m talking about when I just use my fists, without relying on any mana. Surely, you don''t believe that a true Demon King can be compared to this mere zombie, do you?"


    "Of course not," Yu-Seong replied.


    "Especially when considering Eveheim, the previous owner of the purple door, there is no room for complacency, my disciple!" Ok-Rye emphasized before disappearing.


    Something whistled through the air, grazing Yu-Seong¡¯s cheek and staining his ear with blood. Just like when he had first faced Acedia, he had been unable to see the attack just now.


    ¡®But I managed to dodge it.¡¯


    The Beast King''s instinct, which could be considered the foundation of Ok-Rye''s combat skills, was an ability that reached deep into the subconscious rather than involving conscious thought.


    "You don''t need to see it with your eyes. Your instinct will be faster than your hands," Ok-Rye said.


    Thud-!


    Yu-Seong was pushed back. He had raised both arms to block, but the impact made his arms scream with pain.


    ¡®I knew it¡­¡¯


    In other words, one could nitpick that Yu-Seong''s Beast King instinct was only half-complete. On the contrary, Ok-Rye possessed a fully perfected combat instinct as the Beast King. From the beginning, their instincts'' efficiency differed greatly. How could he possibly keep up until the end?


    Bang-!


    Finally, Ok-Rye¡¯s kick made contact with Yu-Seong¡¯s waist, making him bend over and lose his balance. Ok-Rye seemed to have aimed for that exact moment, because she followed up with a punch that made Yu-Seong crumble down in pain.


    "It''s about the realm of the unconscious, not conscious thought! Clear your mind! If you let your body move naturally, without thinking about it, you will reach a higher state!"


    Ok-Rye''s voice echoed even though it was not audibly discernible. Yu-Seong understood what she was saying.


    ¡®I''ve heard those words for a few decades.¡¯


    These words had been hammered into his mind by sheer power of repetition..


    In fact, even though he couldn¡¯t hold his stance anymore and had fallen to the ground, Yu-Seong continued to retreat even if it meant scooting backward with a pained expression. He partially evaded Ok-Rye''s attacks.


    Of course, he couldn''t avoid them all. Ok-Rye¡¯s strikes poured down relentlessly, and more than half made contact. Eventually, Yu-Seong lost consciousness, and his body began to regenerate once again.


    The sanctuary of the transcendent beings was a realm where one would not age or perish, and they used such advantages to the fullest extent.


    "Hmm, 10 minutes and 18 seconds. That''s 20 seconds longer than last time," Ok-Rye remarked, nodding as she checked the time.


    Indeed, considering the rate of improvement alone, it was quite impressive.


    "We''ve passed the halfway mark from the initial goal of twenty minutes."


    "...how many years did you say have passed?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "Thirty years."


    "Then we only have twenty years remaining. Will it be possible?"


    "It''s certainly doable. Awakening your instincts is always the most challenging part. Besides, if you continue to endure blows until the moment of your death, there won''t be an opportunity for the instincts to wane. Moreover, as you approach the brink of death, you might even experience a panoramic recollection of your lifetime, don''t you think?" Ok-Rye replied.


    In the sanctuary of the transcendent beings, death did not come in the conventional sense. However, the sensation of dying was undeniably present. And every time, this feeling was accompanied by a recollection of one¡¯s lifetime..


    "Yes..." Yu-Seong responded.


    "Each time, it''s like reviewing your life, revisiting what you''ve learned. It''s inevitable that it will accumulate. Can''t you sense the acceleration?" Ok-Rye asked.


    "...Yes," Yu-Seong agreed.


    Ok-Rye¡¯s words were certainly true, but it was such a simplistic and unsophisticated method of training. Without the illusory training space of the transcendent sanctuary, it would have been an impossible feat from the start.


    Suddenly, Yu-Seong imagined what he would become when he completed this training and let out a hollow laugh inwardly.


    ¡®I might end up not much different from those so-called monsters¡­¡¯


    As Yu-Seong''s thoughts drifted, Ok-Rye gently lifted his chin and adjusted his posture. At the same time, she prepared herself to unleash a powerful strike with her fists and said, "Now, even though I said that, there''s no time to rest. You must continue to diligently pursue the Beast King''s instinct until it reaches at least the 7th stage."


    There was no time to rest¡ªYu-Seong had heard those words countless times during the previous recollection, his body trembling involuntarily as he inadvertently glared at Ok-Rye.


    ¡®I never expected it to be an easy task from the start, anyway.¡¯


    If he could guarantee absolute safety in this perilous world by completing this training, he would get up and keep moving forward no matter how many times he fell.


    ¡®I don''t want to be relying on or indebted to anyone anymore.¡¯


    Just like his friends outside, Yu-Seong also fortified his resolve.


    ***


    Twenty years later, Yu-Seong was finally able to remain standing after enduring Ok-Rye¡¯s blows.


    Ok-Rye burst into laughter and stepped back. She praised, "Thirty minutes! Congratulations on surpassing the record. Well done, as expected of my disciple! Hahaha!"


    Yu-Seong had surpassed the initial goal of twenty minutes by an additional ten. As he experienced the exhilaration of his remarkable growth, Yu-Seong came to the realization that even his Beast King''s combat instinct had reached an astonishing level, the 9th stage. It was a moment of pure thrill, akin to the rapid acceleration of a car.


    Then, Green emerged from beyond the green door with a broad smile. He exclaimed, "Yay! Finally, it''s my turn, right?"


    There was always another mountain to climb. Facing his next teacher, Green, Yu-Seong said with a nod, "I look forward to working with you."


    "Same here."


    This moment marked the commencement of another phase of Yu-Seong¡¯s journey of ascension.

 CH 236

    In the outside world, only three years had elapsed, but the incredibly lengthy period of 250 years had passed for Yu-Seong. It was a period of time difficult to grasp within the context of a human lifespan. However, due to his unwavering dedication to his training, Yu-Seong seemed oblivious to the magnitude of those years.


    "...Time''s up."


    "Already?"


    In response to Gabriel''s tone, which had never changed since the beginning, Yu-Seong unconsciously chuckled and scratched the back of his head. He muttered, "Yeah, that does sound a bit strange. It was a whole 250 years..."


    As he was inside the sanctuary of the transcendent beings, Yu-Seong''s appearance had hardly changed over the years. His hair hadn''t grown, and there were no visible signs of aging on his face. The only noticeable difference was the slightly worn-out clothes, which he had actually repaired several times.


    "Time is indeed a peculiar thing. When you''re eagerly awaiting something, it feels unbearably slow. However, when you reflect on the past, it seems to have flown by in the blink of an eye¡­ It gains a relative value.¡±


    Gabriel, the only transcendent being out of the three who could manipulate time, spoke in a manner befitting his ability. Casually flicking his finger, he continued, "The extension of time has come to an end.¡±


    "Wow... So, from now on, time will flow like..." Yu-Seong said.


    "That''s right. It will flow just like normal."


    "It''s difficult to fully comprehend the reality of it.¡±


    "As time passes and your physical body ages, you will naturally come to understand things that you once wished to remain ignorant of. Well... But considering your current state, even though you will age, it won''t make much of a difference," Gabriel said.


    Yu-Seong smiled with confidence as he gazed down at his hands, which were adorned with calluses. In truth, Gabriel''s words were indeed accurate. Entering the sanctuary of the transcendent beings in the first place was a choice he had made, having assumed the worst-case scenario.


    The weight of facing Eveheim, the Godfather of the Demon King Worshipers and the ultimate antagonist of the original novel, was indescribable. However, Yu-Seong¡¯s thoughts had changed slightly.


    "Perhaps it''s because I''ve been so well-trained by the three masters... I feel like even Eveheim won''t be a problem."


    "Don''t get too conceited. While it''s true that your talent has surpassed expectations, Eveheim is an abnormal monster with thousands of years of knowledge and wisdom. Complacency will only bring about your demise," Gabriel warned.


    With a wide smile, Yu-Seong nodded. "I will keep that in mind, master. So now, I should return to where I originally was¡­"


    "Ah, before that, there are a few things that need to be addressed. First, it''s about your secret," Gabriel replied.


    Yu-Seong had only one secret: he was originally a reader of the novel who had transmigrated into the story as a character, eventually reaching this very point.


    From Yu-Seong''s perspective, the hundred years he had spent with Gabriel was the longest he had spent with someone. Yu-Seong also respected, trusted, and followed Gabriel as his master. There was no reason to keep the secret, and Gabriel had given it serious thought over the past time and reached a certain conclusion.


    "It''s not entirely impossible. The universe is vast, and there are countless places similar to the world we know. In such cases, when two souls recognize each other come into contact, there is a possibility of fusion."


    "Two souls aware of each other?" Yu-Seong questioned as his eyes widened in surprise at Gabriel''s unexpected words.


    "It''s something I''ve heard from Green. There is a supreme god, one of the top deities in the universe, who presents stories to individuals with the same soul. Through these stories, the god stimulates and inspires their souls, potentially leading to the fusion of their souls," Gabriel explained.


    "Oh my... Are you saying¡­?"


    "You said you¡¯ve heard about doppelgangers before, didn''t you?¡± asked Gabriel.


    "Yes, I''ve read about them in novels. However, when I look at myself and this Choi Yu-Seong, we look so different..."


    "Don''t think that doppelgangers are merely defined by physical resemblance. It is the twin souls that truly make them doppelgangers. In fact, the true doppelgangers are those whose souls are completely identical," Gabriel clarified.


    "Twin souls..."


    In other words, it meant that the initial cowardly Yu-Seong and the current Yu-Seong were not fundamentally different beings.


    "I have come to realize this while teaching you, and I can say with absolute certainty that you are Baek Yu-Ri''s son. And you are Choi Yu-Seong," Gabriel declared.


    "...I understand," Yu-Seong replied, finally understanding why Gabriel had brought up this topic first.


    After all, Yu-Seong had thought he had suddenly transmigrated into the novel and became a completely different person. He would have been lying to himself if he said that he didn''t experience any confusion about his identity in this situation. Even if it wasn''t apparent at the moment, such wavering could eventually become a small crack that would lead to a significant turning point.


    "If we put it in simpler terms, I suppose I''ve awakened the memories of a different world," Yu-Seong mused.


    "As expected of my disciple, you have good comprehension," Gabriel said with a satisfied smile as he nodded vigorously.


    It was a bright smile, the kind that Yu-Seong had never seen from Gabriel.


    "It seems you can smile like that too, master. It''s the first time I''ve seen it," Yu-Seong remarked.


    "...Hmm, hmm," Gabriel cleared his throat, appearing somewhat awkward.


    His gaze, which had been warm, turned cold again. Then, he continued, "The second topic we need to discuss... It pertains to your birth and the feud.¡±


    "Oh, that part has already been explained by master Green," Yu-Seong mentioned.


    "...Huh?" Gabriel''s eyes widened.


    Evidently, there was something the transcendent beings had agreed not to discuss with Yu-Seong.


    "I was supposed to tell you about it once all your training was complete..."


    "I was so curious that I couldn''t help but plead with him. As you know, Master Green is somewhat soft-hearted," Yu-Seong explained.


    "...He simply enjoys chatting," Gabriel replied with a sigh, rubbing his forehead. "In that case, I don''t have to talk about this story."


    "Yes, it''s truly like fate... I never imagined that my mother was a disciple of yours, Master Gabriel," Yu-Seong exclaimed, his astonishment evident in his voice.


    "...If that traitor hadn''t taken her life, I''m certain that your mother would have become the owner of the red door," Gabriel stated.


    In a way, Baek Yu-Ri had been one of the upcoming transcendent beings. And Woo-Jae, without knowing this fact, had genuinely fallen in love with her and had believed her to be an ordinary woman. Indeed, it was something unimaginable not only in the past but also in the present for him.


    However, it was evident that the two of them had deeply loved each other during that brief period, and as a result, Yu-Seong had been conceived in Baek Yu-Ri''s womb¡ªan unforeseen twist of fate.


    Instead of considering this incident as his own mistake, Woo-Jae had regarded it as a symbol of their love. He had also made a promise to Baek Yu-Ri¡ªto never abandon Yu-Seong and to trust him until the end.


    ¡®So, that''s why, even in the original novel, Choi Woo-Jae believed in Choi Yu-Seong until the end.¡¯


    It was because of this promise that Do-Jin ended up assassinating Woo-Jae. Yu-Seong''s death was not Woo-Jae''s intention after all.


    ¡®So he kept his promise until the very end.¡¯


    Upon learning this truth, Yu-Seong fully understood the excessive protectiveness of Woo-Jae that had been somewhat incomprehensible before.


    ¡®And moved by his words, my mother, with master''s permission, revealed the story of the transcendent beings to him¡­¡¯


    In fact, Woo-Jae had been shocked to learn about the new world.


    ¡®Despite that, he never stopped pursuing his path.¡¯


    Truly, he was not an ordinary ambitious man.


    "He wasn''t someone I particularly liked. He had multiple women besides your mother and was driven by his own desires. However, despite all that, I trusted him. With his ambition and sharp mind, I believed he would be capable of safeguarding that child... I was arrogant."


    Of course, the outcome had been inevitable given that his opponent was Eveheim. However, even with that in mind, her death was still too heartbreaking to even think about.


    "And when you declared that you would kill Eveheim, I couldn''t help but sense your fate," Gabriel stated.


    "But originally, you intended to kill me, right?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "...An outsider entering the sanctuary of the transcendent beings is against the rules. This kind of variable should never happen again. You, too, came to this place because of your knowledge of the world you¡¯ve read in another world. It''s impossible for someone else to replicate the same thing. And even if the same situation were to occur, my choice would be no different," Gabriel explained.


    "Master, I already know you''re the obstinate kind," Yu-Seong replied with a bright smile as he looked into Gabriel''s firm blue eyes.


    It was indeed Yu-Seong who had initially broken the rules. Surviving and reaching this point was a fortunate sequence of events that could only be described as fate.


    ¡®If I hadn''t been my mother''s son¡­¡¯


    However, Baek Yu-Ri had been a student of the transcendent beings, and Eveheim had been her enemy. In many ways, everything was a good fit.


    ¡®I have a feeling I know why that bastard looked at me with such eyes.¡¯


    Perhaps it was because he had embraced his true self as Yu-Seong entirely. Naturally, anger toward Eveheim, the one who had murdered his mother, had taken hold in his heart.


    "Well then, there is only one more story I need to share with you. However, before I do, I want you to make a promise," Gabriel said.


    "A promise?" Yu-Seong questioned.


    "Yes. It is my hope¡ªno, it is our hope that once you have taken revenge on all your enemies, you will return to this place and serve as the owner of one of the doors," Gabriel explained.


    Yu-Seong''s eyes widened in surprise at Gabriel''s unexpected proposition. With only one thing that his master¡¯s words could mean, he asked, "You... Are you granting me the qualification of a transcendent being?"


    Gabriel nodded heavily in response to Yu-Seong''s question. He proceeded to explain, "Your growth over the past 250 years has been remarkable, surpassing all of our expectations. To be frank, you have not only exceeded our predictions but have also demonstrated the qualifications to become one of the owners of the doors purely through your strength alone.¡±


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    "I don''t think I''m quite at that level," Yu-Seong replied, scratching his cheek with a perplexed expression.


    It was true that he had gained a considerable amount of confidence in his own abilities. If he were to venture into the outside world, he would likely be pointed at and labeled as a monster. However, when compared to the three transcendent masters who immediately came to mind, he couldn''t help but feel significantly inadequate in comparison.


    "Though you still lack some experience, time will resolve those aspects. So, how will you respond to our proposal?" Gabriel asked.


    After a moment of contemplation, Yu-Seong tightly closed his eyes and shook his head. He replied, "I''m sorry. I know that I have to accept your proposal, which comes from the masters, no matter what, but¡­"


    "Are you concerned for your acquaintances on Earth?" Gabriel asked.


    "...you¡¯re right," Yu-Seong honestly confessed.


    Gabriel let out a short laugh, then asked, "I was a bit hasty. Let me correct myself. Yu-Seong, after you have enjoyed your life as a human, would you be able to return here and take ownership of a door?"


    The life of a transcendent being was close to infinite, but the life of a human was finite. Having already lived for a long time, there was no reason why the transcendent beings who still had eons to live couldn''t wait for a century or so.


    "After I finish my life as a human..."


    Would there come a time when he no longer harbored any attachments to the world? Yu-Seong couldn''t envision that moment clearly yet. However, if such a time were to come, he felt he could answer without hesitation.


    "I will do that. When that time comes, I will return to this place and be with you, Master," Yu-Seong declared.


    "Thank you," Gabriel responded, a faint smile appearing on his face once again.

 CH 237

    In fact, Gabriel''s story wasn''t over yet. He went on to say, "Now that you have made a promise, I can tell you about the secret of these seven colored doors, a secret known only to us transcendent beings.¡±


    A secret exclusive to transcendent beings¡ªupon hearing these words, Yu-Seong''s eyes sparkled without him even realizing it, and he involuntarily gulped.


    "As you know, Yu-Seong, each door represents the transcendent being''s color," Gabriel explained.


    "It''s the same as the colors of the mana stones, right?" Yu-Seong remarked. When Gabriel nodded with a smile, he continued, "If we think of it in terms of mana stones... The strength of the owner should increase as the doors progress from red to purple, but I don''t think that applies in this case.¡±


    "In terms of combat power, you are correct. However, the first color, red, and the last color, purple, hold symbolic meanings," Gabriel said.


    As Yu-Seong leaned in, listening intently to his story, Gabriel said, "The owner of the red door represents all transcendent beings and holds the greatest authority, which also comes with the greatest voting power. Do you remember when you first arrived here, and Granny Bak, Green, and I cast our votes?"


    "Yes, I do," Yu-Seong replied.


    "Voting is quite a reasonable method. Although it has the drawback of suppressing minority opinions, it is rare to find a peaceful method of reaching a consensus among each other. That''s why the owner of the red door is special."


    "Because of the voting power?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "That''s correct. To put it simply, unlike the others, the owner of the red door can exercise two votes."


    "Wow," exclaimed Yu-Seong.


    In other words, transcendent beings determined their course of action through voting, and the power of two votes from the red color could determine the direction they ended up taking. It was a formidable power that could dominate the powerful group of transcendent beings. Yu-Seong could easily sense the distinctiveness of the red door.


    "On the other hand, the owner of the purple door doesn''t differ much from other transcendent beings in typical situations. However, if it feels that red is forcing their opinion upon the rest of us..."


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    "They can make an objection," Yu-Seong interjected.


    "Indeed, you are clever. That''s precisely it. The owner of the purple door is the only one who has the ability to nullify the votes of the red transcendent being."


    No matter how remarkable a transcendent being might be, they could not always make the right choices. In such situations, the power held by the owner of the red door became excessively strong and a means of restraining it was required.


    "It''s quite...democratically designed," Yu-Seong said.


    "It''s astonishing, especially when you consider the origins of the one who created this space," Gabriel replied.


    "If we''re talking about the person who created this space...could it be Eveheim?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "No way. It''s undeniable that Eveheim was a special figure among transcendent beings. However, he wasn''t powerful enough to create a space like this."


    Until now, Yu-Seong had believed that the sanctuary of the transcendent beings was created by the combined efforts of many transcendent beings. But now, it seemed that the one who had created this space was someone else. He couldn''t guess who that might be.


    "The Deity of Transcendence."


    "...The Deity of Transcendence?"


    Just hearing the title offered no clue to their identity.


    Gabriel smiled faintly and nodded. "Yes. When we fill all seven doors of this resting place for transcendent beings, we will be able to meet the Deity of Transcendence directly.¡±


    Transcendent beings were those who had surpassed the limits of humanity solely through their pure strength. However, why were they still bound to mortality and not revered as gods? Yu-Seong suddenly had the feeling that he was starting to understand what the whole thing was about.


    "So, it was all for the sake of the Deity of Transcendence," Yu-Seong assumed.


    "I hope you won''t feel too disheartened. The Deity does not impose their path upon you. Additionally, in order to protect the world that had been ravaged by mutations, the Deity directly sought the assistance of another great god and borrowed a tool called the system, implementing it here on Earth," explained Gabriel.


    "So the system and the awakening were created by the Deity of Transcendence?" Yu-Seong inquired, his eyes widening with curiosity at the revelation of another secret about the world.


    "No, as I said, I heard that they had the help of another great god. However, I don''t know the exact details," Gabriel replied.


    This was as far as Gabriel''s story could go. His gaze conveyed that there were more secrets, but he couldn''t share them with Yu-Seong at the moment.


    "Understood," Yu-Seong said, suppressing the burgeoning curiosity within him.


    "Don''t delve too deeply into it. After all, it will still take hundreds of years, even after your arrival, to fill all seven doors. When that time comes, naturally, you will come to know everything," Gabriel advised.


    "It feels like I''ll have to endure for an incredibly long time, but eventually, the time will come when we forget and move on," Yu-Seong mused.


    "This marks the conclusion of all the stories to be told. As I mentioned before, even if you were to become a transcendent being, it is not obligatory for you to abide by the Deity''s will. The choice ultimately rests in your hands..." Gabriel remarked.


    "You mean I should take my time and carefully contemplate until the right moment arrives, correct?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "It''s truly comfortable to have such an intelligent disciple," Gabriel said.


    "Haha..." Yu-Seong forced a slightly awkward laugh.


    Gently resting his hand on Yu-Seong¡¯s shoulder, Gabriel said, "Yu-Seong, as I mentioned earlier, you have far exceeded our expectations. However, the burden placed upon you is equally significant, and I am concerned about that..."


    His hand then emitted a blue light, enveloping Yu-Seong entirely.


    Without resistance, Yu-Seong accepted the power, floating into the air as his body was pushed backward. He whispered, "Master..."


    "I believe in you, Yu-Seong. You are our disciple."


    Before Yu-Seong knew it, Ok-Rye and Green, who had entered through their respective doors, waved their hands at him.


    "Even if you defeat Eveheim, you won''t be able to find us."


    Yu-Seong''s eyes widened at Gabriel''s unexpected words.


    "We¡¯ve also put in a considerable amount of effort to train you," Ok-Rye remarked as she scratched her cheek.


    Indeed, extending three years into 250 years had been no easy choice. The feat could be considered tough even for beings so close to divinity.


    "We plan to recuperate and cultivate our strength within this place for a while. So, until we meet again..."


    Before Green could finish speaking, Yu-Seong suddenly collided with the purple door as he was propelled by Gabriel''s power.


    "But if I return to this place, I''ll still be able to meet you anytime, right?!" Yu-Seong exclaimed urgently as the three pairs of eyes bid him farewell with gentle smiles.


    "Of course," came Gabriel''s response.


    "I will wait." Green''s voice followed suit.


    "See you again, my disciple."


    With Ok-Rye''s voice as the final sound, Yu-Seong was completely drawn into the realm beyond the purple door. The interior space was a dazzling passage where the seven colors shimmered from all directions.


    There, Yu-Seong failed to articulate any definite will. He simply drifted through space like flowing water for a considerable amount of time before eventually descending into a dimly lit world.


    Yu-Seong immediately surveyed his surroundings.


    ¡®It''s nighttime.¡¯


    The place where Yu-Seong had stepped foot was a solid stone floor. Judging from the height of his line of sight, it appeared to be a rather tall building. A peculiar scent filled the air¡ªan amalgamation of gunpowder and oil. As Yu-Seong turned his head to assess his surroundings, his eyes glistened with excitement.


    ¡®Lights. It''s a military base.''


    Although the military base was located at a considerable distance from Yu-Seong, the darkness no longer obstructed his vision. Thanks to that, he could easily determine where he was at the moment.


    ''That is...''


    Beyond the illuminated military base, a towering, rainbow-colored seal stone rose high like a building of over thirty floors.


    ''It''s Pyongyang!''


    And where he had fallen was a partially distant, collapsed building within that Pyongyang fortress.


    The moment Yu-Seong comprehended the entire situation, a sticky liquid suddenly covered his head from behind.


    Having been observing the situation calmly until then, Yu-Seong lightly stepped forward and punched back. Beyond the sticky barrier that had spread behind him, demons were launching a surprise attack, but their heads suddenly burst apart and they collapsed to the ground, twitching. There was no time for them to regenerate, as Yu-Seong stepped forward to trample on the fallen bodies until they exploded and scattered all over the place.


    "Hmm... It seems there are still a few demons left."


    Yu-Seong, who only had a vague sense of the substantial changes that had taken place during that notably long span of three years, took a look at the sizable stone known as the seal stone. Now, perhaps due to the nearing completion of its purpose, cracks were slowly forming on the seal stone, as if signifying its role had been fulfilled.


    ''It''s going to collapse soon.¡¯


    However, if it were to break, the soldiers who encircled it might be harmed.


    ''But that mustn''t happen.''


    The likelihood was high that the army that had been dispatched to rescue him was present. Of course, Yu-Seong was reluctant to cause any harm to them.


    Extending his right hand, Yu-Seong summoned a green energy that materialized into a door, spacious enough for a single person to pass through. With leisurely steps, he crossed through it, and in an instant, he found himself high in the sky above the place where the army was located.


    While floating in mid-air, once again, Yu-Seong released green energy, activating his magic. Then, he cleared his throat and shouted, "It''s collapsing!"


    A thunderous voice echoed through the sky and the earth, reaching everyone. At that moment, the soldiers who had witnessed the cracks in the seal stone began to move urgently. They didn''t know who informed them, but the thought of avoiding an imminent threat prompted them to take action. Yu-Seong watched their movements from above the sky, humming a light tune to himself.


    ¡®This should be a fairly comfortable evacuation. There''s no need to exert any more effort.¡¯


    Truly, the convenience of magic could not be underestimated. If Do-Jin had laid the foundation for Yu-Seong''s magical abilities, Green had perfected them. Currently, Yu-Seong''s mastery of magic far surpassed that of Do-Jin during their battle with Acedia.


    ¡®Master Green, thank you. Thanks to you, I can handle things so comfortably. Now, the only task to be done here is¡­¡¯


    This time, Yu-Seong''s gaze shifted beyond the crumbling seal stone, toward the underground. A Third Eye appeared on his forehead, glowing with a blue light. The third eye delved deep into spaces not normally visible, easily revealing the intricate paths and troop arrangements in the underground.


    ¡®The Philosopher''s Stone. It¡¯s still there.¡¯


    Although its power may have waned due to summoning the Demon King and establishing a connection to the sanctuary of transcendent beings, the Philosopher''s Stone itself could be regenerated and utilized once more at any given time.


    ¡®I''ll have to collect it.¡¯


    That item belonged to Helen, as agreed. Yu-Seong once again traversed the space and descended toward the Philosopher''s Stone. The soldiers and players who had been guarding the Philosopher''s Stone in case of an emergency failed to perceive Yu-Seong''s movement. In fact, the reason was quite simple.


    ¡®Time Dilation.¡¯


    It was one of the skills taught by Gabriel, the last of the three masters, who had control over time. Within this space time passed roughly twice as slowly for everyone but Yu-Seong.


    ¡®It''s such a powerful ability that even maintaining it for thirty seconds is difficult, but¡­¡¯


    Thirty seconds was more than enough. Yu-Seong made up his mind, concealing his presence. After grasping the Philosopher''s Stone in his hand, it took less than a second for him to escape.

 CH 238

    Inside the quiet office, a figure sat in the chair with sunlight streaming through the spacious window behind him. The brooding Woo-Jae ended the call with a sneer on his face. Rubbing his forehead, he swore. "Damn fools.¡±


    "What''s the matter?" Pil-Doo asked cautiously, having observed Woo-Jae''s changing expression in real-time.


    "The seal stone in Pyongyang has collapsed. They say they found nothing," Woo-Jae replied.


    "What about the young master, Yu-Seong¡­?" asked Pil-Doo.


    ¡°He went completely missing, and we have no idea whether he¡¯s dead or alive. Damn it,¡± Woo-Jae replied. He repeatedly clicked his tongue, pounding his chest in frustration. "Furthermore, the Philosopher''s Stone that was connected to the seal stone in the underground was also stolen, and they have no idea who the culprit is.¡±


    "That¡¯s a mind-boggling situation." Pil-Doo frowned with a click of his tongue. He then asked, "The Philosopher''s Stone was promised to be handed over to the Miraculous Alchemist, right?"


    "It''s not for free. In exchange, she was going to help the Comet Group secure exclusive contracts with the recently emerged artifact creators," Woo-Jae explained.


    Recently, Helen was referred to as the mother of all artifact creators. It was because she had established a company to support the manufacturer type players who had long been overlooked until the appearance of the Tower of Heaven. After this fact became known, many figures in the industry sought her assistance.


    However, among them, the one Helen chose was the Comet Group of South Korea, and in return, she demanded the Philosopher''s Stone. Since Woo-Jae wanted to grow his company and had no reason to refuse, the contract was signed.


    In truth, Woo-Jae was left in the dark about Helen¡¯s true motivation. She believed that she was acting with great kindness toward the Comet Group, which would eventually become Yu-Seong''s company. In fact, thanks to the promise with Yu-Seong, the Philosopher''s Stone practically belonged to her already.


    "I''ve lost so much. When I had entered the Tower of Heaven, I never imagined things would turn out like this," said Woo-Jae.


    Despite reaching the SS-rank, which could be counted as one of the top powerhouses in the world, losing Yu-Seong, the chosen successor, meant the losses were multiplied several times over. Moreover, considering the promise with Yu-Seong''s mother, Baek Yu-Ri, that still weighed heavily on Woo-Jae¡¯s heart, he was in an unbearable situation.


    "This is frustrating."


    Just as Woo-Jae uttered these seldom-heard words, a shadow seemed to cast over Pil-Doo''s face. Woo-Jae¡¯s expression suddenly stiffened. He rose from his seat and grabbed the long spear he had concealed behind the curtain near the window.


    In an instant, Yu-Seong, who had traversed space by opening a portal from within Woo-Jae''s office, widened his eyes as he saw the spear aimed at his forehead. The close proximity was highly dangerous, as a slight miscalculation could result in the spear piercing through his head to lead him toward instant death.


    However, before such an unfortunate event could occur, Yu-Seong moved on instinct. Naturally, as he looked at the spear that had reached in front of his eyes, Yu-Seong slightly bent his body and extended his arm to catch the spear that was tearing through the air.


    Woong-woong!


    A heavy vacuum sound echoed throughout the entire office.


    "...Choi Yu-Seong?" Woo-Jae said with a quavering voice.


    Yu-Seong, who was gripping the spear, shifted his gaze toward his father and offered him an awkward smile. "Ha, haha... I''m sorry. You must have been surprised when I showed up without warning. I acted in haste because I was in a hurry..."


    "It''s okay," Woo-Jae replied.


    "Pardon?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "As long as you''re safe. That alone is enough," Woo-Jae said.


    Upon seeing Yu-Seong, Woo-Jae''s mouth curved into a smile as he exhaled a sigh of relief and took a seat.


    Yu-Seong, taken aback by the sight of his father''s expression of undeniable astonishment for the first time, could only look at him with a slightly trembling gaze in response.


    ''He was genuinely worried about me.''


    Sometimes, a person''s actions, expressions, and words alone could communicate their sincerity. Experiencing such emotions from Woo-Jae, who always appeared intimidating, felt strangely touching.


    An awkward silence descended between the two, father and son. Pil-Doo, who was a bit uneasy in the situation, cautiously opened his mouth to ask, "...Should I leave you two alone?"


    Woo-Jae nodded silently, and Pil-Doo, offering a slight bow to Yu-Seong, said, "I''ll see you later, Vice President.¡±


    "...Excuse me?" Yu-Seong asked.


    Taken aback by the unfamiliar title, Yu-Seong observed Pil-Doo as he departed the room. As silence permeated the space once again, Yu-Seong was the first to break it. He said, "You must have been very surprised. If you''re wondering what happened during the last three years..."


    "You met the transcendent beings, didn''t you?" Woo-Jae said.


    "Yes."


    As expected, Woo-Jae, who already knew about the existence of the transcendent beings through Baek Yu-Ri, followed the story at a brisk pace.


    "It''s fortunate that you''ve grown much stronger. I came dangerously close to taking the life of my own child with my own hand just now," Woo-Jae said.


    "Haha..."


    In the first place, the issue might have been that Yu-Seong had attempted to teleport into Woo-Jae¡¯s space without uttering a word.


    "Well, you must have the qualifications. Now that you have embarked on the path of a transcendent being, you will encounter numerous challenges. It is a realm that even I dare not venture into..." said Woo-Jae.


    It appeared that he was indeed aware of Yu-Seong''s status as a trainee transcendent being. In fact, it was not at all surprising.


    ''Since it''s only been three years on Earth.''


    No matter how diligently Yu-Seong tried within that limited time, achieving the realm of a transcendent being would be impossible.


    ''Unless there''s a huge variable, it absolutely can''t happen.''


    Most importantly, once someone truly became a transcendent being, they were bound by the rule of not being able to freely interfere with the affairs of this world.


    Deep in contemplation of these thoughts, Yu-Seong, who was gradually coming to accept his circumstances, noticed the attentive gaze of Woo-Jae fixed upon him.


    "You look better now," Woo-Jae commented.


    "Do I?"


    "You seem more relaxed since you''ve gotten stronger.¡±


    Yu-Seong smiled awkwardly and nodded. "I can''t deny that."


    In the past, he was always tormented by the thought of when he might die, constantly feeling chased by something. However, it was different now.


    ''The only person in this world who could kill me now would be...''


    It was likely only Eveheim, since the six Hexagram masters following him were no longer a threat to Yu-Seong.


    "Well... Well, well."


    Watching Yu-Seong sitting comfortably, Woo-Jae clicked his tongue just as he had done when he had heard unpleasant news. However, there was something different from before. His lips and eyes were naturally full of smiles. Consequently, Yu-Seong had no choice but to ask.


    "What''s so enjoyable?"


    "It''s the first time I''ve experienced the feeling of having a reliable child, that''s why," Woo-Jae replied.


    "...Pardon?"


    "I never anticipated having this sensation, which is why it brings me joy. Hehe..." Woo-Jae, who let out a peculiar laugh, asked, "Have you contacted Mi-Na and Ji-Ho yet?"


    "Not yet. I was actually about to ask about Ji-Ho hyung-nim..."


    "The guy who always said he''d die when his time came, is clenching his teeth and holding on to life. He plans to do just that until you returned. He''s holding up well," Woo-Jae said.


    "Then, how is his health?"


    "He''s reached a stage where he can''t utilize most of his abilities, but he''s still alive. I''ve heard that he made a promise to you."


    "Yes," Yu-Seong said as he nodded with a smile.


    On his way here, he had stopped by the Tower of Heaven. It had happened just a few minutes ago, but recalling the experience now brought forth hollow laughter.


    ''Even though most of my physical abilities were reset in the Tower of Heaven... it wasn''t a problem at all.''


    The Beast King''s Instinct, which he had inherited from Ok-Rye, had been a great help. From the start, his body had reacted on its own, and despite being slightly less powerful, he had ended up fighting incredibly well.


    Thanks to this, he had managed to break through the 20th floor in half a day, just as the term ¡®unstoppable¡¯ suggested. In addition, he had also made sure to collect Elixir on his way out. In many ways, he had naturally kept his cool and achieved whatever he had set out to do.


    ¡°I have something to give him. I wanted to contact hyung-nim and noo-nim, but my phone was completely dead," Yu-Seong said as he held up his phone, which didn''t light up on the black screen.


    "I''ll make the calls. I want to see their surprised faces anyway... hehe," Woo-Jae said.


    Upon hearing that, Yu-Seong couldn''t help but be taken aback once again. Today truly was a day where he saw many previously unseen aspects of Woo-Jae. The sight of his father, smiling like a mischievous child while making calls to his other children, was something Yu-Seong couldn''t have imagined.


    After a few rings on the phone, Woo-Jae, his voice returning to its usual heavy timbre, said, "Come home. There''s something I need to discuss with you. Yes, right now.¡±


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "pawread dot com".


    He then looked at Yu-Seong again, a smile still on his face. It was only then that Yu-Seong could read the emotion in Woo-Jae''s expression.


    ''Ah... He''s finally letting go of some burdens.''


    The old man had started showing his true self, partially shedding the weighty responsibility he had been shouldering as the head of the large group, Comet.


    ''He could never be considered ordinary, but...''


    Couldn''t he rejoice for the same reasons as others? The gazes of Woo-Jae and Yu-Seong, each smiling awkwardly toward each other, gradually warmed.


    ''It would be really nice if we could live like an ordinary family from now on, even if we haven''t until now.''


    Of course, there was something they needed to fight through for that to happen. Yu-Seong, who had naturally settled into a chair, was thinking about another name.


    ''Kim Do-Jin...''


    Now, Yu-Seong had no choice but to stop Do-Jin with all his might.


    ***


    Inside a dark cave, surrounded by complex magic circles drawn all around, Eveheim, who had spent three years in this inaccessible space, smiled and called out to the man in front of him.


    "Red."


    A man, characterized by his black hair and red eyes, turned toward Eveheim as he heard the call. He was wearing a red devil mask that obscured his identity, making him unrecognizable. Holding a single sword, he responded to the call, emitting a low growl like a beast that had lost the ability to use human language.


    "My disciple, you seem to be hungry still," Eveheim remarked, his gaze drifting toward the center of the cave where devil corpses laid brutally dismembered. He commented, "Even after indulging in all of that, your insatiable greed remains unabated. Truly, it was fitting to burden you with the sin of gluttony."


    Eveheim chuckled ominously, stroking his chin in thought. "What should we do now... You''ve already devoured everything that could be gleaned from demons. Moving forward, summoning a Demon King-level entity is the bare minimum requirement..."


    Eveheim smacked his lips, seemingly disappointed. ¡°Considering the situation, it is highly probable that the Demon King of Sloth, Acedia, met his demise at the hands of your former comrades. As for Choi Yu-Seong¡­¡±


    "Keughh!"


    At the mention of the name Yu-Seong, Red reacted quite violently. His eyes shone with a desire to charge at Eveheim.


    "Ah, my mistake. Woah, woah, I¡¯ll be careful with that name." Eveheim smirked, shaking his head as though there was nothing he could do about it.


    "Given that you still lack sufficient strength to summon and apprehend the Demon King of Pride, Supeoreubia, I am left with no alternative. It seems I must sacrifice the outside world."


    Eveheim''s smile turned seductive, his fingers pointing toward the entrance of the cave. He commanded, "Red, go outside, eat to your heart''s content, and indulge in blood. Then, another power will come to you..."


    Before he could finish his sentence, Red, seemingly having been waiting for the command, dashed toward the entrance of the cave. His figure disappeared beyond sight at a rapid pace.

 CH 239

    "Oh, well... Perhaps I''ve diminished his reasoning too much. It feels quite peculiar how he dashed off instantly at the mere mention of a feast," Eveheim smirked while scratching his cheek.


    With his hands nonchalantly placed behind his back, he proceeded to advance at a leisurely pace. After three years, a period that felt neither short nor long, Eveheim could easily predict exactly where Red, whom he had diligently nurtured, would inevitably journey.


    ¡®He will go to Seoul. It is highly likely that he will consume the one named Comet first.¡¯


    It was evident what the creature with nothing but his instincts remaining would despise the most.


    "Fate can be quite wicked," Eveheim murmured with a seductive smile adorning his lips as he reminisced about the memories and information he had uncovered when he had first delved into Do-Jin''s mind.


    "The poor fool doesn''t even know who his real enemy is. How amusing, haha..."


    That was why Eveheim had initially wanted Yu-Seong to become the next Red. How electrifying it would have been to watch him being tamed like a beast under the one who had killed his mother? It would have surely sent chills of excitement beyond imagination. However, regretfully, Yu-Seong had been sealed with the Demon King.


    ''To be precise, he has entered the sanctuary of the transcendent beings.''


    Although, how did Yu-Seong come to know about the existence of the transcendent beings? It was a mystery, but Eveheim didn''t consider it significant.


    ''Baek Yu-Ri must have left some sort of trace or something.''


    He chuckled inwardly, shrugging his shoulders. Regardless, since Yu-Seong had entered the sanctuary of the transcendent beings, there were only two possible outcomes.


    ''If he''s unlucky, he would have died on the spot...''


    However, what if he survived?


    "He would become my nemesis sent by the heavens."


    In fact, this wouldn''t be too bad either.


    ¡°If I can overcome my destiny and ascend to the heavens,¡± Eveheim mumbled, a grand ambition burning in his eyes as he wore a slight smile. ¡°Then, I would truly become the ultimate ruler.''¡±


    ***


    The long-awaited family gathering concluded quietly and was filled with warmth. The most significant gain was that Ji-Ho had taken the Elixir.


    ''Given his serious injuries, he mentioned not feeling any immediate changes...''


    However, he should be able to recover and restore all of his mana within a few days. This marked the return of Ji-Ho, who had once been hailed as South Korea''s most promising talent.


    ''Meanwhile, Mi-Na noo-nim has become even stronger.''


    While Woo-Jae had been in the Tower of Heaven, Mi-Na also seemed to have made considerable progress regarding her own power.


    ''It''s a relief that everyone is reliably strong without me needing to worry.''


    Having finished the first family meeting, the next people Yu-Seong sought out were naturally the Jin siblings, Ye-Ryeong, and Jin-Hyuk.


    ''I wonder how these four are doing?''


    Returning home via spatial movement, with a fluttering heart, Yu-Seong couldn''t help but be surprised. He asked the housemaid, "No one''s here?"


    "Yes... By the way, young master, are you really okay?"


    The housemaid, who had been working at the house for a long time, asked with wide eyes. She couldn''t help but be startled by Yu-Seong''s sudden return home.


    "Of course. Don''t I look healthy?"


    It felt like time had been strangely misaligned. Feeling disappointed with this discovery, Yu-Seong wore a regretful expression and said to the housemaid, "Now that my phone is working again, please let me know if anyone comes back."


    "I will. But will you be going out again?" asked the housemaid.


    "I have another friend to wait for."


    Yu-Seong, smiling gently, waved his hand in the air. He stepped once more through a portal in space.


    ''I have many places to visit.''


    Today was likely going to be quite busy.


    ***


    While Yu-Seong was busy searching for his acquaintances, all eyes and ears in the United States were focused on an event that had started the night before. The capital of Arizona, Phoenix, was surrounded by thick fog which cut off all communication and made it impossible to ascertain the situation within.


    The first to respond had been the military and players stationed in the nearby cities. In anticipation of a possible threat, it was only natural to dispatch individuals capable of wielding actual power.


    However, the real problem had arisen here. Of the military and the players who had left at dawn, only one returned by the time the morning sun rose. The man returned horrifically maimed, as if a zombie had torn the flesh from his body. Just before dropping dead on the spot, he spread a terrifying message that a devil had appeared. There were no other survivors.


    Naturally, the entire United States was thrown into chaos. If the identity of the massive fog that had swallowed an entire capital was truly a demon, it meant there was a possibility that a demon of at least Marquis rank, possibly even Duke rank, had appeared.


    A powerful demon had appeared on the mainland of the United States! The government could not ignore the fact that the form of the fog might change in unforeseen ways. As a result, substantial forces were assembled in less than a day. Five S-rank players, representing the United States, along with other powerful players, took their positions at the forefront. Special forces were also dispatched into the fog of Phoenix, prepared for possible combat and survivor rescues.


    Given the considerable forces dispatched, capable of returning with adequate information even in an emergency, no one had thought of the possibility of failure for this mission. However, about three hours after entering the fog, one of the S-rank players representing the United States, Liam, couldn''t help but despair as thoughts of mission failure filled his mind.


    The bodies of his colleagues, who had only been reliable ever since setting off together, had been roughly torn apart. Their blood spilt all over the asphalt road. Among them were as many as four S-rank players, like Liam.


    The ones who had slain them all were the mere three individuals standing before Liam. More precisely, it was the deed of one among the three.


    ''It''s not a demon.''


    Indeed, there was no demon concealed within the mist. Instead, there lurked only individuals more deranged than any demon.


    "You accursed Demon King Worshipers...!" Liam, whose arms had been forcefully ripped from his body and was trembling all over, shouted at the three people.


    The young man positioned in the center, his hair a striking shade of pale white, responded to Liam''s words with a peculiar smile. He said calmly, "Accursed, you say? We are merely fulfilling our original objectives.¡±


    "Truly... Are you carrying out such a widespread massacre just to summon a Demon King?!"


    "Correct!" Noah, the white-haired man, cheerfully replied to Liam¡¯s horrified response. Slightly kneeling down to meet Liam¡¯s gaze, Noah added, "You''re aware of the situation in Pyongyang three years ago, right?"


    "What...?"


    "A Demon King was summoned then. It consumed a great deal of blood and sacrifices," Noah said.


    "You, surely you don''t intend to engage in such madness to replicate that event, do you?"


    "Of course, back then, there was also the power of the Philosopher''s Stone. Hence, we have dedicated extensive research to discover ways of creating something akin to it."


    As Noah flicked his finger lightly, a woman standing to his left handed him a black stone. Noah, accepting the stone, grinned at Liam and asked, "Do you see this?"


    "What... What is that ominous object?" Liam said.


    "It¡¯s the subpar version of the Philosopher''s Stone, or to be more precise, something akin to a Demon King summoning stone," Noah replied with a grin, nonchalantly throwing the black stone amongst the brutally torn bodies.


    As the stone loftily floated among the corpses, tendrils that were as dark as midnight sprung forth to rapidly engulf the nearby bodies. They appeared to be devouring the bodies. The sight was so horrendously ghastly that Liam had to swallow hard, fear and fury simultaneously flashing in his eyes.


    "What¡­ What on earth is this...?" Liam cried.


    Even before Liam finished his speech, the black stone began to tremble violently while emitting an eerie and spine-chilling sound.


    Heeheehee-!


    Upon hearing that sinister and wicked laughter, Noah''s gaze shifted. He remarked, "Oh, this reaction seems different somehow?"


    Noah, with a smile that seemed almost joyful, grasped the neck of Liam, who was still barely alive.


    Having lost his power, let alone the ability to move his body, the only resistance Liam could muster was his words. He asked desperately, "What are you trying to do?"


    "I have conducted several experiments, and it appears that the living subjects were more effective than the deceased," Noah remarked.


    "You, you don¡¯t mean..."


    With a smile on his face, Noah lifted Liam by the neck and approached the black stone.


    Heeheehee-!


    As the stone, flickering its hideous black tendrils like a tongue, emitted a horrific sound, it came into contact with Liam''s back.


    "Wouldn''t an S-rank player like you make a suitable sacrifice?"


    "No, no¡­ Urgh!"


    Liam could not finish speaking. The tendrils that sprung from the black stone wrapped around his entire body in an instant, swallowing him whole. As his body was torn apart while he was still alive, Liam''s eyes widened in unimaginable pain. With a tearing sound that sliced through the air, his pain abruptly ceased.


    Liam, who had fallen to the ground with a thud, screamed in pain. "AAARGH!"


    The pain he had momentarily forgotten then surged back in full force. However, his scream was short-lived. A kick from somewhere struck Liam''s head with a strong force, knocking him unconscious.


    "Ugh-!"


    In front of the unconscious Liam, a woman with flamboyant red hair and captivating red eyes made her grand entrance. She furrowed her brow in disgust as she cast a disdainful gaze toward Noah, who held the Demon King summoning stone.


    "Ahaha! What on earth is the Hexagram Master doing, cradling such a grotesque thing like a baby? Are you going to feed it milk? Hahaha!" she clicked her tongue and burst into mad laughter at Noah.


    Her laughter, filled with ridicule, caused Noah''s already thin eyes to narrow further. He muttered, "I thought I was mistaken... You''re alive, Rachel,"


    Rachel, the woman with fiery red hair, nodded and extended her hand. She said cheekily, "I''ve been waiting to split open the head of the bastard like you. That''s why I''m still alive."


    "Crazy bitch."


    Noah spat out an insult and turned his head to the side. Just at that moment, a cold ax blade swished past right next to his neck.


    "Wow, nice hunch. But can you dodge this too?"


    Laughing loudly, Rachel drew out two hand axes from her waist and hurled them at Noah.


    "You''re kidding me..." Noah clicked his tongue lightly and his figure shifted to the left.


    At that moment, a man appeared next to Noah like a lightning bolt. His red cloak fluttered as he threw a punch and spoke in a low voice, "Buffalo Dash."


    BOOM-!


    With an exploding sound, Noah, struck by the gigantic horns of the charging bull, spat out blood and was thrown into the air.


    "Nice, Bernard."


    At the sound of Rachel''s clapping, Bernard, who had his cloak pulled over his head, smiled awkwardly and shook his head. He said, "By the way, did you really have to knock that man out that hard?"


    "I didn''t kill him, did I?" Rachel responded.


    "Isn''t there a gentler way to knock someone out?"


    "That''s not my style, so..." Rachel shrugged her shoulders with a smile.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "pawread dot com".


    Bernard was about to click his tongue when Noah, who had been thrown high into the air and then fell to the ground, began to let out a hearty laugh.


    "Hehe, hahaha... How funny that you look down on me!"


    Then, a powerful blue energy, similar to a sword formed through the Shapeshift skill, began to take shape around Noah, who was now floating in mid-air.


    Noah, the man with the moniker of ''Infinite Bombardment'', lived up to his name as thousands of swords materialized around him.


    "There''s no escape. All will be killed and offered as sacrifices for the summoning of the Demon King."


    Just as Noah¡¯s cold voice rang out as he prepared to launch his attack toward Bernard and Rachel on the ground, Bernard pointed toward the sky with his index finger and said calmly, "It''s no use making a fuss..."


    Then, the strange sound that reached his ears was unexpectedly heavy for mere commotion. Naturally curious, Noah looked up and saw a colossal black missile, resembling a meteor, hurtling from above. He murmured under his breath, "...Fuck."

 CH 240

    No one knew better than Noah himself just how powerful the accumulated mana within that black missile was.


    ''It would probably take me at least 10 minutes of concentration to create something like that.''


    Noah, known as the ''Infinite Bombardment'' and recognized as the most powerful Projection skill type player among the Hexagram Masters, found the mass of mana before him to be truly daunting. He had no immediate way to deflect it.


    ''I need to lessen the power...''


    Noah''s gaze fell upon a man and a woman who seemed lost amidst the sudden combat situation. The pair looked unsure when to barge in.


    The man and woman were powerful in their own right, ranked within the top 30 among the Demon King Worshipers, but they were no match for Rachel, who once belonged to the Twelve Dark Kings, or for Bernard who had appeared alongside her. They couldn''t even keep up with the pace of the fight and simply stood there, clearly indicating their struggle to comprehend the situation.


    ''It can''t be helped.''


    Noah, who had already launched all of his mana weapons toward the falling missile, quickly moved behind the man and woman standing idly. He commented, "You''ll have to die instead."


    Their eyes widened. Before they could respond, Noah grabbed them by their collars and threw them into the air. Then, he made and fired dozens of mana weapons at Rachel and Bernard, who were both charging toward him.


    He looked up at the sky.


    Boom!


    The man and women had both desperately poured out their mana, but the missile swallowed them. It exploded, causing a blast wave to sweep across the area.


    Naturally pushed back by the blast, Noah gained some distance, and Rachel and Bernard followed him.


    With an angry expression on his face, Bernard once again unleashed his Buffalo Dash. "You vicious bastard!"


    "Ha...!"


    Noah snorted and managed to evade the attack by soaring high into the sky. Rachel''s ax chased him, slicing through the air, but it was to no use either. The speed and height at which he had ascended into the sky were of an entirely different magnitude from before. Seemingly without end, Noah soared beyond the clouds where his existence could barely be guessed from an ordinary human''s field of vision. Then, a blue light flickered in his eyes.


    ''Two on the ground.''


    Rachel and Bernard momentarily seemed to lose track of Noah''s movements. Then, Noah observed them as they looked around the sky above.


    ''So it¡¯s that woman.''


    A cold smile formed on Noah''s lips when he spotted Helen on a hill approximately two kilometers away. She was quickly setting up a barrier of Homunculus to conceal herself.


    ''So you dare to embarrass, eh?''


    In addition to the unlimited levitation with virtually no mana consumption, the expanded field of view, known as the Thousand Mile Eye, and the ability to summon mana weapons based on massive mana, were the foundation of Noah¡¯s nickname, ''Infinite Bombardment.''


    ''The number of mana weapons I can pour out in 10 minutes is precisely one million.''


    Dodging a downpour of mana weapons, akin to a rain shower, would definitely not be an easy task.


    "Die and become a magnificent sacrifice for the Demon King."


    The sky resounded with a deafening noise as an abundance of mana weapons, infused with a brilliant blue light, were summoned before swiftly descending to the ground.


    Normally, mana, not being a physical substance, wouldn''t be affected by acceleration. However, Noah, as a Hexagram Master, could also make the form of mana somewhat physical, thus enabling it to exert a form of physical force.


    The result was incredible. A lone mana weapon descended from the lofty sky, culminating in a substantial explosion that engulfed the surroundings in fierce flames. Naturally, the range of their evasion further diminished. Bernard and Rachel, scanning for Noah on the ground, appeared confused and unsure about what steps to take next.


    ¡°Haha! How audacious of the three of you, daring to challenge me without an ounce of fear.¡±


    Noah, still enraged, turned his attention to Helen, who was on the hill.


    ''She''s disappeared.''


    Noah once again smiled as his blue eyes shone while searching for Helen, who had hidden herself in the meantime. He commented loudly, ¡°What¡¯s the point of joining them when they¡¯re running away in terror?


    Helen sprinted toward the site of the bombing, where Rachel and Bernard were located. From Noah''s point of view, the situation was leaning in his favor. Indeed, he held no concern whatsoever regarding the approach the three of them would take to engage him in battle.


    ''There''s no way they could reach me here when I¡¯m this high up...''


    All he needed to do, as always, was ruthlessly trample his enemies from the comfort of the high sky.


    ''Perfect.''


    Noah silently reveled in his imminent victory when an unexpected turn of events unfolded. It was Helen who instigated the first transformation among the trio. With a peculiar violet stone in hand, she hurled it forward and a rampart instantaneously materialized in mid-air.


    ''A barrier? Ah, I see. That woman, she''s the Miraculous Alchemist.''


    Noah''s eyes narrowed as he recognized Helen''s true identity. He muttered to himself, "How impressive that she managed to thwart my bombardment with just that."


    However, he snorted inwardly, fully aware that the variables necessary for his victory would not arise. Indeed, what they were doing was simply delaying his victory.


    Just as Noah was lost in thought, the second change unfolded before his very eyes. Beyond the crumbled wall, another massive object appeared.


    ''That is...''


    It was a peculiar structure, bearing a resemblance to what could be described as a missile launch pad. Positioned in front of it stood a rocket-like structure that wasn¡¯t very big.


    ''Are they going to launch that?''


    Indeed, if they used such a method, they could reach the sky.


    Boom-!


    In fact, a rocket was fired into the sky at high speed. Despite this, Noah was still able to smile.


    ''It would have been a bit scary if it was as close as before, but...''


    Wasn''t it only natural for the rocket to succumb to destruction when subjected to bombardment? After all, it was being launched from such a distance.


    Baaaang-!


    The rocket scattered with an explosion even before approaching Noah.


    "Idiots." Noah sneered, readying himself to unleash yet another merciless bombardment upon the ground.


    Suddenly, the lid of the rocket swung open to reveal Bernard, who utilized the rocket''s mana as a springboard to propel himself into the sky.


    "Ahhhhh-! Take this, Ascending Buffalo Rush of Justice!"


    With a strange cry and his fist extended, a wave of red energy spread wide from Bernard''s fingertips. Then, not one but dozens of buffalo charged into the sky.


    "What the...!"


    In fact, this unforeseen variable caught Noah off guard. Startled by the sight of a man bursting forth from the rocket and charging with tremendous mana power, Noah swiftly attempted to divide his bombardment once again.


    Whooo-!


    Another rocket soared high into the sky from the opposite side. It was identical in appearance to the previous one.


    ''So there''s not just one... but two...''


    Then, it was quite clear who would be inside that one.


    ''Rachel!''


    Dividing his bombardment into three parts would be the solution, but there was a problem. The force of Bernard''s Buffalo Rush, the advanced version of Buffalo Dash, was far too dangerous to disregard. Having never encountered such a perilous situation before, the self-proclaimed flawless Noah felt a chill creeping up his spine.


    ''If this doesn''t go well... I might be in trouble¡­¡¯


    No, he was already in trouble.


    Rachel, soaring into the sky, opened the lid of the rocket that had reached just in front of Noah, who had poured all of his mana weapons to block the imminent Buffalo Rush. She raised her ax high, her red eyes shining.


    "Checkmate."


    "...Gah-!"


    Four axes whistled through the air, striking Noah in four different places¡ªhis shoulders, abdomen, and left thigh. They would have probably ripped apart his heart or blasted his head into pieces, but he was able able to avoid a fatal blow thanks to his quick reaction.


    However, that wasn''t the end of it. His mana weapons all vanished, and he started to fall to the ground. Just as his consciousness was blurring from the pain, the herd of ascending red buffaloes charged right into Noah.


    Crash-!


    Noah''s spine broke. He stared up with wide eyes. Amidst the excruciating pain that made his head dizzy, he had a single thought.


    ''I''m going to die.''


    Indeed, the conclusion had been reached. Astonishingly, the Hexagram Master, known as one of the strongest in the world, had been defeated. However, his options were not exhausted yet. He tightly clasped the black stone he held in his hand, a stone infused with the power of gluttony.


    "Eat... me..."


    And with that power, he summoned a new calamity upon the earth. With that command, black tentacles flowed out from the black stone and started ripping Noah into pieces, eating him alive.


    ''This is my end... not bad.''


    Noah, convinced that his demise befitted the noble image of a devout Demon King Worshiper, embraced his death amidst the pain.


    ***


    Thanks to Helen''s aid, Bernard and Rachel ascended into the sky. With further assistance, they were equipped with parachutes on their backs, allowing them to safely descend and land on the ground once again. No one was injured, and they had knocked down the Hexagram Master.


    Their first goal was to gain power within three years, which proved to be enough to hunt the Demon King. They had achieved their first goal, but the three of them couldn''t be completely happy. The black stone, which fell to the ground along with Noah, started to expand and morph into a huge, grotesque, black egg.


    "That..."


    Anyone could see that it was far from ordinary. To be more precise, it was ominous. The three of them, their faces tense, immediately attacked with all their remaining strength.


    However, apart from causing minor cracks on the egg''s surface, there was no significant change. Would delivering a final, fatal blow bring about a different outcome? The thought crossed their minds, but the reality was that they were in a hopeless situation.


    "I don''t have enough mana left to perform another Buffalo Rush," said Bernard.


    "My prepared Homunculus has reached its end, too," Helen added.


    "...And it seems my ultimate skill won''t work on that thing," said Rachel.


    The three looked at one another with furrowed brows.


    "We might have to retreat..."


    Bernard, looking hesitant, didn''t even get to finish his sentence.


    Crack-!


    The sound of the egg, which had rooted itself to the ground, breaking echoed through the air. The trio¡¯s gaze naturally turned toward the inside of the egg.


    Krrrrr-!


    From within, accompanied by a low growl reminiscent of a beast, a being the size of an ordinary man slowly walked out. Its distinguishing features were the horns symbolizing a demon protruding from its head and the sharp, porcupine-like spikes jutting out from its back. And its face was eerily similar to the deceased Noah.


    In the brief silence, the same thought occurred to all three of them, ''The Demon King.'' An unpleasant aura, similar to what they felt when they had first encountered Acedia, surrounded them.


    If they fled, leaving this being alone, immense damage would be caused in the surrounding area. More people than they could imagine might die. The situation had changed from before the egg had hatched.


    "We always seem to face one mountain after another, don''t we?" Helen remarked, a hollow laugh escaping her lips.


    Bernard nodded in agreement.


    Rachel tilted her head with a puzzled look on her face. She asked, "You''re not seriously thinking of fighting that thing in our current condition, are you?"


    "And if we don''t fight..."


    Helen''s irritated question was interrupted.


    [Do you believe you can get away?]


    A voice echoed in their minds. The problem was that the voice sounded uncomfortably familiar.


    "Noah?"


    Bernard, who vividly recalled the Hexagram Master he had slain, widened his eyes in utter disbelief.


    [Yes. My name is Noah. Thanks to you, I remember now. Ah, yes. This must be what the Godfather meant, the process of becoming one with the Demon King. This is the union as a complete devotee.]


    "What are you talking about? Combining the Demon King and a human?" Helen asked, confusion evident on her face.


    Noah, with a somewhat relaxed expression, sauntered forward.


    [Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. This is the power and authority of the Demon King!]


    In response to Noah¡¯s chilling presence, the three of them instinctively began to gather their mana. However, their expressions froze in a state of unease.


    "The mana is..." Helen began to speak.


    Glancing over at Helen along with Bernard, Rachel asked, ¡°You too, Grandma?¡±


    "So it wasn''t just me who couldn''t gather mana?" Bernard asked.


    In fact, it wasn''t just the three of them. To be precise, all the surrounding mana had disappeared.


    [Didn''t I tell you? This is the power of the Demon King! I, Noah, no... The great power of Avaritia, the Demon King of Greed!]


    For an ordinary player, the disappearance of mana meant becoming no different from an ordinary person. Of course, the situation was somewhat different for the three of them.


    Thanks to Yu-Seong''s guidance, they had engaged in relentless physical training and had honed their bodies to surpass the capabilities of an average person. However, the problem was that their movements couldn''t match those of the demon race, especially the Demon King.


    [With this power, even Godfather would kneel before me. Yes, this is what it means to become a real Demon King. To tread upon this world and become its absolute ruler. Mwahahaha!]


    At the mad laughter of the being that had once been Noah, now Avaritia, the earth and the sky greatly trembled. Simultaneously, he lunged forward, grabbing Helen''s throat in one swift move.


    "Guh-!"


    Watching Helen, whose appearance was gradually aging as her mana disappeared, Avaritia''s lips curled into a wicked smile.


    [Old woman. You were the most bothersome of all. You should die first. How? Let''s start by ripping out that cunning and dog-like tongue of yours. Second, your eyes; next, your arms, oh, but you mustn''t die¡­]


    Hearing Noah''s gruesome intentions, Bernard and Rachel lunged forward but were flung away. The two were unable to block even a casual swipe of his whip-like leg.


    "Cough-!"


    "Damn it...!"


    Looking at the two who fell powerless, Avaritia wore a satisfied smile as he gazed at the sky.


    [Ah, perfection. My existence is¡­]


    As he chuckled coldly and tore Helen''s lips apart with his fingers, Avaritia¡¯s face was suddenly, violently contorted on the right side.


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    [Huh?]


    Confusion was his first response to the shockingly fast strike, which was followed quickly by pain.


    [Arghh-!]


    With a resounding scream, Avaritia spun through the air several times before crashing onto the ground. His view of the sky was now obscured. Standing above him, firmly planting his foot on Avaritia''s face, was a man with black hair who had appeared out of nowhere.


    It was Yu-Seong, with his face contorted in anger.

 CH 241

    "Avaritia, Demon King of Greed. You really are troublesome, sucking up all the mana around and making it your own," Yu-Seong commented.


    [Who... Who are you?]


    "What do you mean who? I''m a person who had to run all the way here because of you."


    Yu-Seong, chuckling, forcefully stomped on Avaritia''s head to stop the angry Demon King from trying to rise. He then looked around.


    Bernard, Helen, and Rachel stared at Yu-Seong. They were unable to hide their surprise.


    "Is that really...the Choi Yu-Seong I know...?"


    The first to pose the question was Bernard.


    Hearing Bernard¡¯s voice, Yu-Seong smiled lightly and, as if kicking a ball, powerfully booted Avaritia''s head. With a nod, he said, "It''s been a while, Bernard."


    Bang-!


    Avaritia, who had been sent flying a great distance, crashed into the ground. He stirred up clouds of dust as he screamed. "Arghh-!"


    "But how did you¡­?" asked Helen as she looked at Yu-Seong in disbelief.


    Due to Avaritia''s ability to drain all mana, the three of them, who were quite powerful on Earth, couldn''t move and had been at his mercy. Yet, Yu-Seong, who had been presumed sealed with no new information about him for three years, was treating the Demon King like a toy.


    Indeed, a furious Avaritia madly lunged with a punch, but Yu-Seong easily dodged the rough attack by merely turning his head. He then grabbed Avaritia''s wrist and hooked his ankle around Avaritia¡¯s, tripping him.


    "It appears that I haven''t kicked you enough just yet."


    He lifted Avaritia, kicked him high into the air, spun in place, and landed what was commonly referred to as an overhead kick powerfully onto his head.


    Thud!


    With a loud noise, Avaritia''s head burst open, and his body began to regenerate while shaking violently.


    As he witnessed the regeneration process, Yu-Seong clicked his tongue briefly. He muttered, "As expected, it''s hard to kill him in one shot without mana. Seriously troublesome."


    "Are you really...the Gold Nugget I know?" Rachel, who had been sitting with a disdainful expression until that moment, wiped the blood trickling from her mouth and asked.


    "Why? Are you upset that you can''t torment me anymore?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "Yeah. Originally, it was my wish to take a look inside your head when we met next time," Rachel replied cheerfully as if it was nothing.


    As Yu-Seong witnessed Rachel¡¯s genuinely radiant smile, a shiver coursed down his spine despite his extraordinary strength, which was nearly on par with that of transcendent beings.


    ''That madness is too fundamental.''


    Regardless of how strong or weak Yu-Seong was, it seemed like Rachel was even more curious about what was inside his head now. It was enough to give someone goosebumps.


    "But I''ll have to give up. It would be a significant loss if you were to die in the process of me trying to delve into your mind," Rachel remarked. With a sly smile, she shrugged her shoulders.


    At that moment, Avaritia, who had completed regenerating, got up and stood hunched over.


    "Well, let''s deal with that first before going into detailed discussion."


    "Go for it, my handsome Gold Nugget."


    Just as Rachel cheerfully waved her hand with an innocent child-like smile, Avaritia, who had spikes protruding from his back like a porcupine, roared once again.


    [You insignificant creatures dare to underestimate me?! I''ll kill you all!]


    Was it because it was Noah, the Infinite Bombardment, who had fused into the Demon King? Instantly, the entire world became adorned with spikes erupting from Avaritia''s back. Truly, there was no escape in this world now engulfed by spikes. The sudden onslaught left everyone with expressions of dread and determination.


    Yu-Seong caused afterimages as he indiscriminately caught the spikes shooting toward his companions. It seemed like time had stopped and only he moved at an accelerated pace. The moment his movement ceased¡­


    Craaaash-!


    The spikes disappeared precisely in the shape where they were sitting or standing,. That unbelievable movement left everyone with their mouths gaping wide.


    "My goodness... What did I just see?" Bernard, who had proudly become a top-tier S-rank player after three years of bone-crushing training, asked as he shook his head in disbelief.


    Bernard was not the only one to react in shock. Helen and Rachel, who had surpassed the S-rank to become SS-rank, were also wearing vacant smiles as they watched the back of Yu-Seong, who stood firmly in front of them.


    [Im..impossible... How can a mere human with no mana...!]


    Even Avaritia, the Demon King himself, was left gasping in shock.


    Instead of responding, Yu-Seong returned the spikes grasped tightly in his hands to Avaritia.


    Swoosh-!


    Tearing through the atmosphere, the spikes ignited, trailing a long stream of fire that pierced through the body of Avaritia who was trying to flee in panic.


    [Argh-!]


    Avaritia had sharp spikes embedded all over him and was riddled with holes. He moaned as he repeatedly regenerated.


    Yu-Seong calmly approached the Demon King and raised his hand. He said, "I heard from my masters. Avaritia, Demon King of Greed¡ªJust like Acedia, you are a mere weakling who gained your position with trivial abilities. Those words seem fitting.¡±


    With a cold smile, Yu-Seong, whose hand was shaped like a blade, suddenly tilted his head. He then commented, "Or perhaps, I''ve just become too strong."


    Yu-Seong¡¯s hand moved from mid-air to the ground like a bolt of lightning. No one present could track the strike of that hand as it precisely cleaved Avaritia¡¯s body in half. The moment they thought Yu-Seong had raised his hand, it was already descending toward the ground.


    Following this, a sound like a thunderclap echoed.


    Boom-!


    ''Divine Punishment.''


    Ok-Rye, the most physically inclined among the three masters, had proudly proclaimed that this technique had the potential to obliterate a mere Demon King, even without the utilization of mana, as long as it struck with pinpoint accuracy.


    Indeed, it turned out she was right. With a single strike of Yu-Seong¡¯s hand, Avaritia was split into two and he fell lifelessly to the ground. Then, he started to disintegrate into dust. It had been such a swift attack that not even a single scream was left behind. Following this, the mana swallowed by the Demon King quickly returned.


    After accomplishing that astonishing feat nonchalantly, Yu-Seong took a short breath before looking at his hand. He could see the deep gashes, burnt-like traces, and the blood visible between them. It signified that despite believing he had executed it well, he had still made some mistakes.


    "...It seems I''m more accustomed to wielding weapons, and I''m not good enough barehanded," Yu-Seong muttered to himself upon evaluation.


    "Is it really over?"


    "The Demon King died just like that?"


    Bernard and Helen asked with their eyes wide open.


    Then, without hesitation, Rachel charged at Yu-Seong. She spread her arms wide as if to engulf him. She shouted, "You awesome Golden Nugget!"


    Yu-Seong sidestepped swiftly, dodging Rachel''s attack.


    In the end, Rachel simply smacked her forehead hard against the wall. She let out a short scream. "Argh-!"


    Nevertheless, Rachel immediately stood up from her spot without bothering to wipe off the blood streaming down from her forehead. She asked, "Could you let me see your brain, just once?"


    "Please shut up."


    "...Tsk. You''ve become pricier, Gold Nugget."


    Completely ignoring Rachel, Yu-Seong turned his gaze to Helen.


    "You''re not hurt anywhere, yes? Are you alright?" Helen asked.


    "Yes, I am."


    "That Demon King..."


    "He''s dead."


    "Is it really...you?"


    Helen''s hand was trembling as she asked the same question several times. How much had she blamed and tormented herself after losing Yu-Seong that day? When the agreed-upon time of one year had passed, she felt as if she was going mad. However, she had faith in Yu-Seong. She never forgot his promise that he would return safely.


    "I am indeed Choi Yu-Seong. And, I''m sorry for making you wait so long."


    Looking at Yu-Seong, who slightly but sincerely bowed his head, Helen smiled fondly and gave a nod. She said gently, "Then it¡¯s all good."


    It was enough. As Helen displayed a relieved and comfortable smile, Bernard took large strides toward them. He asked, "Is it my turn now?"


    Yu-Seong asked in response, "Do we need long talks?"


    "No."


    Bernard shook his head decisively and spread his arms wide to embrace Yu-Seong. Unlike when Rachel charged at him, Yu-Seong didn''t avoid this gesture.


    "Dude, welcome back," Bernard said.


    While maintaining a suitable distance, Bernard¡¯s arms that wrapped around Yu-Seong gave a firm pat on his broad back. He said again sincerely, ¡°Seriously, welcome back.¡±


    "Thanks." Yu-Seong nodded slightly and smiled at the simple but fervent emotions present in Bernard¡¯s voice.


    It was a bit late, but seeing his friends reassured him greatly.


    ''I really did come back.''


    His heart swelled with a euphoric sensation.


    ***


    The aftermath of the battlefield was brief, but there was a lot to be done. The sudden appearance of the Demon King Worshipers had caused significant damage to Phoenix City and the United States, so there was a need to explain the situation.


    Moreover, since Yu-Seong had teleported to the United States, he was technically an illegal immigrant. In the midst of this potentially awkward situation, a few phone calls made by Helen had managed to resolve this complex matter in less than three hours.


    "I''ve informed them about the descent of the Demon King as well. The Demon King Worshipers will be hunted more thoroughly from now on."


    Listening to the formidable words of Helen, who had returned after handling all matters, Rachel, who was sitting in one corner of the room drinking beer, shrugged and let out a chuckle. "Wow, I made a good choice getting out quickly."


    "Technically speaking, Helen is a lifesaver," said Yu-Seong.


    "That''s a bit..."


    Caught up in the playful banter between Bernard and himself, Yu-Seong couldn''t help but be carried away by a wave of emotions.


    ''Time really did pass.''


    For him, it had been an incredibly long period. Yet, in some ways, it felt like the stagnant time had changed so much. If it had been three years ago, he wouldn''t have dared to entertain the thought of sharing a room with Bernard and the formidable Slaughter Queen, muchless engaging in conversation over drinks and exchanging jokes.


    "Earlier, you said you''d tell me later. So, how did Rachel end up here?"


    Unable to suppress his curiosity, Yu-Seong posed the question.


    Helen, who was just about to sit on another chair in the room, chuckled and headed toward the refrigerator. She said, "It could be a long story. Besides, there are a lot of things I''m curious about you too.¡±


    Pulling out a bottle of beer from the fridge, she tossed it to him and asked, "Who should start the storytelling, you or me?"


    "Either is fine," Yu-Seong said.


    "Our side of the story might not be that interesting," Helen answered with a shrug of her shoulders.


    When the other two nodded in agreement, Yu-Seong said, "Then I''ll go first. Because there''s probably not much on my end.¡±


    Yu-Seong uncapped his beer with a small smile and brought it to his lips. The sharp taste of alcohol coated his tongue while the cool fizziness filled his chest. The story might not be long, but it spanned a substantial 250 years.


    ''And I can''t talk about the transcendent beings.''


    Rather, it might be a bit tricky to tell them the story. Despite that, once Yu-Seong began, the events of the past flowed out of him smoothly. He talked about meeting a powerful master instead of a transcendent being, and how he had become much stronger due to his opportune training under them.


    "Just in three years?" asked Helen.


    "...Thanks to my masters, I trained for about 250 years," responded Yu-Seong.


    "Does that even make sense?" Bernard asked.


    Yu-Seong shrugged his shoulders at their questions. ¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡±


    "Can I meet your masters too?" Rachel asked with a greedy look.


    Yu-Seong, with a slight smirk, shook his head. "Impossible. Do you truly believe I would introduce you to them before anyone else?"


    "That''s a pity," Rachel said.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    As she sighed in disappointment, Helen, who had been silent, nodded and said, "I think I''ve heard something like that before. That there are people in this world who have transcended beyond our understanding."


    Seeming to have some knowledge about the transcendent beings, Helen didn''t ask any further questions. If Yu-Seong, who had shared countless secrets with them before, chose not to speak, she thought there must be a reason.


    "Now, let us begin our story," said Helen.


    And the conversation naturally flowed into the next story.

 CH 242

    In a way, the story of how the three of them had lived over the past three years wasn''t all that different from Yu-Seong''s.


    "So, you kept entering dungeons to raise levels and rank, as well as to gather money?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "It wasn''t exactly money we needed, but dungeon by-products," Rachel replied with a grin as she twirled her blonde hair.


    "So, you''re saying you were selling those by-products to make money?" Yu-Seong asked again.


    "It¡¯s the opposite. We were collecting these by-products and mana stones to prepare to build something. The research was taking more time and resources than we thought, and we were struggling...due to repeated failures," Helen said.


    "I see. May I ask what kind of research it is?"


    At Yu-Seong''s question, Helen leaned back in her chair with a faint smile. She said, "It''s a training facility equipped with a mana amplification field.¡±


    "A mana amplification field?" Yu-Seong asked as he blinked in surprise.


    "We, the players, live in an era where rank and level are defined by a standard. No matter how talented the player is, they can never exceed the limits of rank. Everyone says that, but...." Helen looked at Yu-Seong with her eyes slightly narrowed. "You, Kim Do-Jin, and this guy next to me, Bernard Yoo, showed that rank is just a number."


    Yu-Seong was secretly amazed. In fact, it took the entirety of Part 1 in the original novel to reach this conclusion. Until then, the world measured the player¡¯s strength predominantly by ''rank¡¯ and ''level.''


    The first person to shatter that idea was Do-Jin. And with Yu-Seong, Bernard, and even Rachel added into the mix, Helen''s thinking had clearly changed.


    "I became more convinced after experiencing the Tower of Heaven. If we can put more effort into training through the mana amplification field, we might be able to transcend rank. No, we could even produce transcendent skills," Helen remarked.


    Yu-Seong nodded. "That''s a valid point. I, too, think the potential is high. But, I didn''t expect that you would have pondered over this for such a long time, Helen.¡±


    "However, I didn''t want the effect to be simply limited to mana amplification. Additionally, I thought it would be better if it could cause some temporal rift with the external world," Helen said.


    "So, you need to make it possible to have more time within the mana amplification field, right?" Yu-Seong asked.


    This bore some resemblance to Gabriel''s Time Dilation. In essence, Helen''s research was similar to scientists'' long-desired development of a time machine.


    "The difficulty is high. I was also scared of its possibility, so I have been putting it off and focusing on other things. But after hearing your story, I¡¯ve now gained confidence," Helen said.


    "So, if it''s not impossible, does your alchemy have the ability to control time?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "It''s not my alchemy. I''ve scouted all the talented scientists, magicians, and artifact researchers for various experiments...." Helen replied.


    "But there must be a reason for the continuous failures, right?"


    "The mana amplification field isn''t the problem. No mana stone could withstand the penalty for time adjustment and would simply collapse. That''s what we need, in the end," Helen said. "The Philosopher''s Stone."


    It seemed about time as Yu-Seong took out the treasure that Helen had been desperately searching for from his possession.


    "That is....!" Helen exclaimed.


    "Of course I brought it. It''s yours, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    "Oh my goodness!" Helen''s eyes shone brightly as she quickly received the Philosopher''s Stone with an admiring expression. She said, "With this... it''s possible enough.¡±


    Helen was a thorough researcher. To clarify, the reason she wanted the Philosopher''s Stone was literally to reach the ''ultimate'' in alchemy. Needless to say, the Philosopher''s Stone was the treasure that would allow her to reach the end of that research.


    "I''ve finally kept a long promise," Yu-Seong said.


    It was indeed a promise that had taken a long time to fulfill. Helen looked at Yu-Seong with a contented expression, nodded, and then spoke with sparkling eyes.


    "We''ve put in a lot of effort over the past three years, but we haven''t been able to help you, who had grown this much. But if this training field is completed... the situation will be very different."


    The eyes of Rachel and Bernard, who had both been struggling for a long time alongside Helen, also shone brightly.


    "I appreciate your thinking of me that way."


    Seeing the three people who were strengthening their firm will made Yu-Seong feel reassured.


    ''I need to go through the Twelve Dark Kings and Hexagram Masters to fight Eveheim.''


    And even after defeating all of them, there was no guarantee of victory when meeting Eveheim. Yu-Seong had obtained a power close to a transcendent being, but he was not yet a complete entity on his own.


    That was how it was for humans. Since primitive times, humans had formed societies; inevitably, a time would come when they would need each other''s strength. How reassuring would comrades like the three people in front of Yu-Seong be in such times?


    ''Ah, excluding Rachel.''


    After nodding inwardly, Yu-Seong asked a question as if he had suddenly remembered something. "I have one more question. I''ve heard about the others, but I still have no idea about one guy.¡±


    "Are you talking about Kim Do-Jin?" Bernard stepped forward as if he had been waiting for the question.


    "Yeah. He hasn''t been active at all for the past three years... He couldn''t possibly have died, right? Haha."


    Yu-Seong''s laughter, filled with jest, gradually awkwardly disappeared. It was because the vibe of the three people in front of him became unusually heavy. He muttered, "No way...?"


    It seemed impossible. Wasn''t Do-Jin the protagonist of the original novel that Yu-Seong had read?


    Observing Yu-Seong''s perplexed expression, Bernard pressed on with his words and said, "I don¡¯t know whether he''s alive or dead.¡±


    "You mean all three of you have no news of Kim Do-Jin?"


    "It''s not just us three. No one knows. He disappeared after returning from Pyongyang and hasn''t appeared since."


    "...But Kim Do-Jin should be fine, right?"


    Despite his somewhat anxious heart, Yu-Seong spoke with a hopefulness.


    Bernard, with his usual cool expression, nodded with a smile. "He should be. Granted, he may come off as a bit self-assured, but there''s no denying his strength, right?"


    Indeed, Do-Jin should be okay. Despite this, Yu-Seong couldn''t understand why the smile on Bernard¡¯s face seemed awkward.


    ''I have a bad feeling about this...''


    Shaking off his emotions, Yu-Seong sent a text message to Jenny, whom he had met in Korea before heading to the United States.


    ~


    [First and foremost, find out about Kim Do-Jin''s whereabouts. It''s very important, so contact me urgently whenever you get information.]


    ~


    ***


    Two people sat across from each other at a table positioned in one corner of a large room. They were sipping tea. The man among them, Ji-Ho, checked a message on his suddenly ringing cell phone.


    "I''ve received a message from Yu-Seong," Ji-Ho said.


    "I got one too."


    The woman seated across, Mi-Na, let a bewildered smile creep onto her face. She exclaimed, "He''s asking for help to find Kim Do-Jin?"


    "Same here."


    "Is this all about finding some man who has suddenly disappeared? It''s not like he''s searching for a lover or something," said Mi-Na with a smirk.


    Ji-Ho gave a gentle smile as he replied, "If it''s someone truly dear to him, he might.¡±


    "I still don''t understand. What sort of creepy thing are these men doing together, ugh...!" Mi-Na said with a shiver. Then, turning to Ji-Ho with a suddenly enlightened expression, she asked, "Right. Didn''t you say you saw Kim Do-Jin last night?"


    "...I didn''t actually see him directly. It was just my future foresight kicking in," Ji-Ho explained.


    "Either way, you saw him. How about passing that on? Your cute little brother is making such a fuss trying to find his lover," Mi-Na said.


    "I think Yu-Seong might get mad if he hears that, you know," Ji-Ho said.


    "Anyway, what did you see?"


    As Ji-Ho furrowed his brows, Mi-Na tilted her head at his thoughtful appearance. She asked, "Is it a story that needs that much consideration?"


    "It''s not that, but the problem is it wasn''t very clear. What I saw was¡­just a red mask resembling a demon, a black uniform, and corpses scattered around."


    "That sounds ominous. It might be better not to share it, after all." Mi-Na clicked her tongue and tilted her head. "But how do you know that was Kim Do-Jin? You said he was wearing a mask?"


    "It was thanks to his face briefly appearing at the end of the premonition when he took off the mask. I was wondering why I wanted to tell you this today...."


    There was a clear reason why Ji-Ho had invited Mi-Na to his house: Do-Jin and his terrible appearance. In front of the man laid countless fallen bodies, among which Ji-Ho thought he saw a quite familiar face.


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    Initially unsure, Ji-Ho grew more certain as he continued to converse with Mi-Na.


    "...I''m not certain, but among the bodies near Kim Do-Jin, I think I saw yours."


    "What? Hahaha!" Mi-Na burst out into a big laugh. "Do you think I''d die that easily?"


    In fact, Ji-Ho knew that Mi-Na was not someone who would perish easily. However, he couldn''t be certain that even she could escape the clutches of the Grim Reaper.


    "I''ll think carefully about it since you told me, oppa. But, you know, right? I don''t believe in any predetermined fate," Mi-Na said. Her determined eyes shone as she lifted her teacup once more.


    Just then, a call came in on the screen of the cell phone lying in front of Mi-Na. Looking over at the lit up screen, Ji-Ho asked, "Ja(×Ó)¡­ Is it a person within the Special Police Force?¡±


    "Yeah. Seems like there''s some incident?"


    Mi-Na picked up the phone with an excited face and nodded. "What''s up? You need me? Uh, yes. ¡­What?"


    Mi-Na''s face turned stiff at her slightly surprised utterance. She answered quickly, "Sul(Ðç) and Oo(Îç) were attacked? Got it. I''ll go right away.¡±


    Then, she quickly hung up the phone and stood up abruptly from her seat. She said to Ji-Ho, "As you can see, it seems like a big event, so I''m going to go."


    "Don''t forget what we just talked about."


    ¡°Another nagging¡­¡±


    Mi-Na, with a chuckle, spoke confidently as she headed toward the door. "Don''t worry. I''m Choi Mi-Na. I won''t die easily."


    With those final words, she left the room and began to run with a focused gaze.


    ''I''m relieved, though. If I were to die, at least it seems there''s someone who would genuinely grieve for me.''


    As she moved through the darkness that flickered with red lights, a smile unknowingly graced Mi-Na''s lips.


    ***


    Even within the Player Association of South Korea, the Special Police Force was renowned for its formidable influence and strength. Only the most skilled individuals were able to join this organization. In fact, it was quite common for members to get injured or die while carrying out special tasks.


    Indeed, the current Leader of the Special Police Force, Kim Seo-Jun, had inherited his position from his deceased predecessor. However, it was unprecedented for five members to be attacked in less than an hour.


    ''Strangely, none of them are dead...''


    A strange monster wearing a red mask was wreaking havoc on the entire Special Police Force. Moreover, there were reports of people being attacked by the monster in various parts of Seoul. Indeed, it was a strange incident.


    According to information provided by the last of the Zodiac signs, Hae, the monster seemed to behave like a mindless animal.


    ''Such a creature seems likely to go on a killing spree...''


    Yet, strangely enough, there had been no reported murders thus far. Likewise, based on accounts from Oo, the horse-masked individual who had sustained injuries and withdrew from the front line, it appeared as if the monster was engaged in a disjointed battle with its own consciousness and kept muttering to itself.

 CH 243

    Was he brainwashed or something?''


    If so, the opponent might not be entirely a villain. That was why Seo-Jun was hesitating to kill the opponent.


    ''If I call Myo, the opponent will die.''


    The woman who wore the rabbit mask was the strongest in the Special Police Force and was famous for her lack of mercy toward those identified as villains.


    What if the opponent was an ordinary player whose reasoning had been partially disrupted by a mental type skill?


    ¡®Then it could potentially result in yet another unfortunate sacrifice.¡¯


    However, it was difficult to regard the opponent as a mere ordinary player, considering the fact that they had targeted and attacked five members of the Special Police Force: Jung, Chug, Jin, Sa, Yu, and Sul.


    Considering the unprecedented situation caused by this individual, it was reasonable to assume they possessed a powerful ability. But even so, Seo-Jun couldn''t imagine Myo, better known as Mi-Na, losing.


    ''She is one of the strongest players I know in South Korea. She¡¯s strong enough to face five others.''


    For that reason, he had requested that she try to restrain the opponent if possible. However, it was uncertain whether Mi-Na would heed his request.


    "My head hurts."


    Seo-Jun, who had forwarded the last received location of the monster to Mi-Na, held his forehead.


    This was a huge incident and couldn¡¯t be determined just based on this. IIf a formidable player like this monster could have their mind controlled, the question arose: how dangerous was the villain responsible for such manipulation?


    Frankly, it was a prospect he didn''t even want to entertain.


    "I hope Choi Mi-Na can really restrain them quietly."


    Even when considering the necessity of extracting information from the opponent, taking their life would not be a favorable course of action. Seo-Jun, deciding to emphasize his request once more, was about to pick up his phone when a message arrived.


    [Myo has just encountered the monster with the red mask.]


    The message was sent by Hae, the pig, who had been watching the situation from the farthest distance.


    "...It''s already too late," Seo-Jun said.


    At this point, it would be unreasonable to hope that Mi-Na would see the message. Seo-Jun''s only option was to fervently hope that she had heard his initial request and would not kill the opponent.


    ***


    Along a dark alleyway in Seoul, where the city''s bright lights were notably absent, Mi-Na tilted her head as she locked eyes with a man who was glaring at her with a body half-bent like a beast.


    "Villain, the Red Mask?" Mi-Na asked.


    "Grrrr..."


    The response that came back sounded like a wolf''s growl.


    "Can''t you spea¡­?!"


    Before Mi-Na could finish her question, the fist of the monster, the Red Mask, whizzed toward her. A part of the rabbit mask tore, blood spattering into thin air.


    ''What¡­?''


    Mi-Na ducked and was barely able to avoid the Red Mask¡¯s attack. She clicked her tongue; it had been much faster than she had excepted. Using the ground for leverage, she spun to create some distance between them. At the same time, she attempted to kick at her opponent¡¯s jaw, but unfortunately missed.


    "Tsk."


    Mi-Na clicked her tongue, drew the long sword from her back, and struck at the Red Mask who was charging again. The Red Mask, who had been charging like a beast, was hit squarely by Mi-Na''s swing, which resembled a baseball bat.


    The Red Mask soared high into the air and crashed into a building, causing a cloud of dust.


    Thuuud-!


    While feeling vibrations akin to an earthquake, a voice came to Mi-Na''s ear.


    - Myo, you haven''t forgotten the commander''s request not to kill the opponent, right?


    Mid-range communication was an ability truly befitting Hae, who was skilled in information collection and analysis.


    "Quiet, Hae," Mi-Na replied coldly, narrowing her eyes to peer into the ruined interior of the first floor of the building.


    All she saw was a darkness where nothing could be felt. The tranquil silence might have suggested that the opponent had been subdued, but Mi-Na was certain that the Red Mask was unscathed.


    ¡®I had initially planned to split him into two.¡¯


    However, a red aura had surged from the monster¡¯s arm and dulled the sharpness of her sword. Because of that Mi-Na had no choice but to push back with force.


    ¡®He even blocked that.¡¯


    In fact, she was aware of the request from Seo-Jun, the leader of the Special Police Force, for her not to kill the Red Mask. It was true that he was a person of uncertain villain status, who had not killed anyone yet.


    Indeed, there was only one thing Mi-Na had thought when she first heard that.


    ''The judgment is ultimately up to me anyways.''


    When had she ever listened to Seo-Jun''s instructions? And now, right before her eyes, as the Red Mask, who ran through the darkness like a madman, stretched out his fist once more, Mi-Na was certain.


    "I have to kill this one."


    Why? Because Seo-Jun, leader of the Special Police Force, had underestimated the opponent. Subduing was only possible when Mi-Na¡¯s skills were overwhelmingly superior. In contrast, right now, she was in a situation where if she didn''t kill, she would be the one to die.


    The long sword swung roughly, clashing with the fist. It condensed mana in the air and shot up toward the sky.


    Baang-!


    To minimize the damage to the city, Mi-Na forcibly redirected the force. Her fingertips tingled and shook.


    ¡®Fighting in this way is dangerous.''


    After becoming an SS-rank player, Mi-Na thought she could count her rivals on one hand even if she searched the entire world. In fact, her assumption wasn''t far off.


    ''I just didn''t expect that this bizarre creature in front of me would be one of those few.''


    Mi-Na slapped away the jaw of the Red Mask, who was gaping like a beast and trying to bite her. Then, with a large swing of her long sword, she forcibly created distance.


    With a wry smile on her face, she said, "This damned bastard is subtly dodging while pretending to get hit.¡±


    Despite seemingly striking the target, there was no sensation of impact on her hand or sword. This indicated that the opponent was engaging in a back-and-forth exchange of attacks and defenses, almost as if to taunt Mi-Na.


    "Hae, it''s not a good idea to fight this guy here. Can you tell me the nearest location with no people or buildings around?"


    - Pardon?!


    Upon understanding the meaning of Mi-Na''s words, Hae¡¯s startled voice hurriedly reached her.


    - You have to move at least 30 km southeast. The exact coordinates are¡­


    Listening to Hae''s voice, Mi-Na, who had parried the charging Red Mask''s attack several times, nodded and then launched high into the air.


    "Hey, Red Mask. Try following me if you dare," she said as she started to run at high speed along the outer wall of the building.


    ''That beast-like creature is driven by instinct. If I run away like this, he certainly will...''


    Mi-Na expected him to chase after her, but the beast-like figure, who was still half-bent over, just stared blankly at her. Noticing that strange reaction, she eventually stopped running and asked, "...What are you doing?"


    "Grrrrr..."


    A low growling sound followed before the Red Mask jumped high into the sky. The direction was the exact opposite of the southeast path Mi-Na had been taking¡ªit was to the northwest.


    "...What the?!" cried Mi-Na.


    Involuntarily swearing, she pulled her rabbit mask tighter and began chasing after him.


    "Hey, stop there!"


    It was the start of a tag game, contrary to what she had wanted.


    ***


    In the tag game that lasted all night, the Special Police Force ultimately lost track of the Red Mask.


    "Is this even possible?! Can no one find any trace of him?"


    As Mi-Na yelled and pulled off her rabbit mask, Seo-Jun, a man wearing a rat mask seated across from her, nodded. He said, "Not only the Special Police Force but also all from the Korea Player Association are moving. Despite this, there''s no sign of him anywhere. He either has an accomplice or is using an exceptional ability to hide his presence.¡±


    "Could it be that some sort of magic-like power has been activated?"


    "Barrier masters and wizards are already on a manhunt."


    "When will they be available?" Mi-Na asked.


    "By dawn tomorrow, at the earliest..." said Seo-Jun.


    "That¡¯s ridiculous. Who knows what kind of accident he might cause in the meantime?"


    At her words, Seo-Jun pursed his lips and nodded. Although the Red Mask hadn''t killed anyone yet, he had seriously injured too many people. And considering his beast-like demeanor, it wouldn''t be strange for his sanity to collapse at any moment.


    ''I didn''t expect that he would be a strong enough opponent for Choi Mi-Na to fail to stop....''


    What would happen if such a powerful individual lost his mind in the middle of Seoul? It would be a relief if the death toll ended in the tens.


    ''I should expect at least three figures.''


    In an instant, Seoul would become a city of death. Even the thought was already making Seo-Jun¡¯s head spin.


    "Find him. We must find him, understand?" Mi-Na insisted.


    Seo-Jun nodded. "I know. That''s precisely why we''ve involved the public authorities."


    "But if we still haven''t found any traces after two hours..." Mi-Na said in frustration.


    After some deep thought, she bit her lower lip and said, "Contact my father."


    "What?"


    "If we inform him of the danger of the current situation and ask for help, he''ll intervene."


    "Do you really think the Chairman of the Comet Group would personally....?"


    "If Seoul collapses, it means that the reputation of Comet is also threatened. Trust me and give it a try. We''ve got nothing to lose, right?"


    Mi-Na was indeed right that there was nothing to lose.


    ''And the payoff would be huge if we succeed.''


    With the approval of Woo-Jae, if Mi-Na¡ªonce Comet Guild¡¯s President¡ªstarted moving, it would provide a justification for the other top ten guilds in South Korea to also participate. With potentially hundreds of lives at stake, there was no room for being selective.


    At Mi-Na''s astonishing calculation, Seo-Jun''s eyes widened. He nodded as he thought, ''I¡¯ve always felt it, but she truly is amazing.''


    Although she seemed to act without thinking, her actions were often underpinned by very sound judgment. That was an accurate description of the majority of Mi-Na¡¯s actions.


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    "Thanks," Seo-Jun responded briefly as he was inwardly filled with admiration.


    "When we report this to the higher-ups, there will certainly be some fellows opposing and worrying about the aftermath."


    From the politics that Mi-Na and Seo-Jun had experienced, there were always those types among businessmen and politicians.


    "I know. Let''s proceed discreetly."


    "Good. I trust you, Leader."


    With those words, Mi-Na left the room. She wasn''t simply going to back off after discussing it; she had intentions to personally pursue and search for any traces of the Red Mask. Having informed Seo-Jun, she was not too concerned about any aftermath that might occur.


    Indeed, Seo-Jun wasn''t exactly a player of extraordinary ability. However, he had more than enough qualifications to be the leader of the Twelve Chinese Zodiac Special Police Force.


    ''At least he''s a man of unyielding righteousness who acts in consideration of the country and its people.''


    After making her decision, Mi-Na suddenly recalled the Red Mask she had seen last night.


    ''Red mask, red eyes, black uniform, sword at his waist... Why does this story sound familiar?''


    Mi-Na, who was clicking her tongue inwardly, narrowed her eyes. She muttered, "No way¡­ Could it be Kim Do-Jin?"


    And Ji-Ho saw the fate of Mi-Na dying at the hands of Do-Jin. In fact, it wasn''t an impossible story. Despite the somewhat evenly matched fight, the Red Mask didn''t even draw his sword against her. Thinking up to this point, Mi-Na once again chuckled in disbelief and clicked her tongue.


    "Come to think of it; he didn''t use his sword when fighting with others either."


    Unlike a fist, a sword had the potential to deliver a deadly blow with a single misguided thrust. What if the individual who restrained themselves from wielding their weapon, even in moments of lost rationality, was truly Do-Jin?


    ''...It''s tricky. I don''t have the confidence to suppress him without killing him.''


    Mi-Na, who had stopped moving for a moment, raised her cell phone and opened the message window. Her quite handsome younger brother Yu-Seong''s face appeared on the screen. The message from Yu-Seong, who was desperately looking for Do-Jin, was the first thing that caught her eye.


    ''How should I tell him?''


    After much contemplation, Mi-Na, who scratched the back of her head, decided to keep things simple.


    ''I can just send him a message that I might have found Kim Do-Jin, or something.''


    With this, her responsibility would be fulfilled.

 CH 244

    At a 20-story high apartment redevelopment site, a place nobody would visit at night, a man sat hunched. Spreading a magic circle around him, he held his forehead and let out a long groan. "Ugh¡­ Ahhhh...¡±


    His pupils alternately flashed with returning sanity and a possessed craze.


    ¡°Stupid¡­¡± Do-Jin, the man cursing at himself, gripped the red mask covering his face with one hand. He yelled, "Get...off!"


    Crackle-!


    With a sound like flesh being torn, the red mask began to peel off from his face. Droplets of dark blood began to fall on the cold and hard cement floor.


    A purple light erupted from the eyes of the red mask as it moved away from Do-Jin''s face.


    - Kim Do-Jin, my son. Surely you''re not going to give up on revenge?


    The voice that momentarily assaulted Do-Jin¡¯s mind caused his hand, which had been pulling at the mask, to tremble violently.


    ''Ah, ahhh......!''


    The red mask, not missing that brief gap, quickly reattached itself to his face.


    Drip, drip.


    Blood trickling down between the mask and Do-Jin¡¯s eyes fell onto his palms.


    ''Blood, corpses, binge eating.''


    To become stronger, he would have to destroy everything and consume without restraint.


    ''More power than now.''


    He had to be more violent and allow this instinct for revenge to bring everyone to their knees! Whenever this crazed emotion tried to overwhelm his mind, a single name tore through his thoughts.


    "Choi Yu-Seong... Choi Yu-Seong..." Do-Jin, whose voice was barely audible as he called the name, was about to clench his blood-filled fist again.


    - Don''t forget your revenge! The Comet! Kill Choi Woo-Jae!


    Once again, a purple aura flowed out from the mask and assaulted Do-Jin''s head.


    "Revenge!" Do-Jin finally cried out.


    With that word on his lips, he abruptly rose from his seat and looked out toward the construction site. The dark night, already burdened with heavy clouds, appeared to sink into deeper darkness.


    Before long, a chilling and alarmingly heavy downpour commenced.


    Thud-thud-thud-!


    The sound of rain hitting the ground resembled the rapid-fire of a machine gun. Following it was the rumbling sound of thunder.


    With his red eyes flashing, Do-Jin ran out of the construction site. He had decided to forget everything else. Right now, only one thing was important to Do-Jin, or rather, to the villain known as Red Mask.


    ''Revenge!''


    Once he could shake off the leash of fate that seemingly bound him, he could be free. When that time came, there would be no need to live with any burden on his shoulders.


    With hatred in his eyes and freedom in his heart, Do-Jin, carrying the ancient evil spirit on his back, cut across the night of Seoul as he was buried in darkness.


    ***


    "Hm?"


    Sitting alone in his office out of habit, quietly reading a book, Woo-Jae turned his head with a short groan at the sudden sound of heavy rain hitting the window behind him.


    "Hmm¡­"


    Could it be due to the cold wind seeping through the gaps with the rainwater? A strangely chilly sensation enveloped his entire body, causing goosebumps to rise up his back. With a shudder, he reached out to pull the black curtain at the end of the window.


    Just then, the shallow silence broke and a loud rumbling began.


    Boom-boom-boom-!


    The sound of someone rushing around inside the house was heard.


    "Who''s causing this commotion¡­?"


    Feeling slightly irritated and apprehensive, Woo-Jae gripped the long spear he had set next to his chair with narrowed eyes. The office door, which had been closed, flung open, revealing the faces of two very familiar people.


    "Chairman!"


    "Father!"


    Seeing the somewhat pale faces of both Pil-Doo and Jin-Woo, Woo-Jae let go of the spear in his hand. His face contorted uncomfortably as he asked, "What is this sudden commotion all about?¡±


    "Didn''t you receive the call?"


    At Pil-Doo''s question, Woo-Jae turned over his phone, which had been tucked under the book he had just stopped reading. He saw the notifications of more than ten missed calls.


    Typically, he would set it to silent mode with no light when he desired to concentrate on a book.


    Having been unaware of the missed calls, he furrowed his brow as he unlocked his phone screen and checked the call history. Tilting his head in slight confusion, he murmured, "What on earth is going on¡­?"


    His mouth clamped shut when he recognized the name of the person who had called him five times at the start.


    ''Choi Ji-Ho.''


    It was his first-born son, who possessed extraordinary precognitive abilities that were rare even worldwide.


    With those sudden calls and now the urgent arrival of these two men, Woo-Jae had to wonder just what did all this mean. However, for someone like him, finding the answer with just these small hints alone wasn¡¯t a difficult task.


    Slowly turning his head to look out the window, Woo-Jae muttered to himself in a barely audible voice, "Am I¡­going to die?"


    At the same time, the surrounding world turned white. For a brief two to three seconds, a bolt of lightning that fell from the sky had swallowed his sight entirely.


    Squeak-!


    The sound of the window opening reached Woo-Jae''s sharp senses. The instant it happened, he roughly swung the spear that he had slightly relaxed his grip on.


    The sound of the surrounding atmosphere being torn apart and sparks flying could be heard. The once white world returned to its normal state in a flash, and the surroundings were covered in darkness.


    Noticing that it wasn¡¯t due to the failure of their eyes to adjust to the sudden flash of light, Jin-Woo cried out urgently, "The light bulb broke!"


    In fact, both Pil-Doo and Woo-Jae had noticed the same thing.


    Cold rain and wind were pouring in through the open window.


    ''This is....''


    With his intuition telling him that the situation wasn¡¯t good, Woo-Jae bowed his head deeply.


    Quickly accompanying the red eyes that floated in the darkness, a sharp silver sword light cut through the place where Woo-Jae''s neck had been just a moment before.


    As Woo-Jae swung the spear behind him, he gripped the desk and pushed down. All of a sudden, a battle suit sprang up from the floor and wrapped around Woo-Jae''s entire body in an instant.


    Meanwhile, the clash of the sword and spear occurred several times, with red sparks flashing and flying in all directions.


    ''I''m being pushed back.''


    He was being pushed back in every aspect¡ªstrength, speed, and skill. Woo-Jae felt a chill in his chest as he recognized his own shortcomings.


    "Father, dodge!"


    With Jin-Woo''s voice, a large flame sprouted and enveloped the opponent who was wearing a red mask.


    Splash-!


    At that moment, crimson blood sprayed into the air.


    ''What...?''


    Woo-Jae, who bent his waist deeply to dodge a nearly fatal attack, opened his eyes wide. He hadn''t seen where or how the last sword strike had come at him. He had only perceived a red flash before instinctively dodging the attack. If he had been just one second late, his entire body would have been cut along with his battle suit and clothes.


    In that brief time, Pil-Doo, who had noticed the opponent''s movements through the flames, charged abruptly and overwhelmed the red-masked opponent with his body.


    For a moment, perhaps thanks to the flames launched by Jin-Woo, the sprinkler system exploded in a burst of water, the emergency sirens sounded, and the room was plunged into utter chaos.


    "Intruder!"


    "It''s the Chairman''s room!"


    The bodyguards who had been stationed in the mansion rushed in a moment late, raising a fuss. In the meantime, a large scream burst from Pil-Doo, who was brawling with the red-masked intruder.


    "Arghhh-!" he cried.


    Seeing Pil-Doo, with one arm severed and spouting blood like a fountain, Woo-Jae''s eyes widened. He shouted, "Kim Pil-Doo!"


    "Chairman, please seek refuge!"


    Startled, Woo-Jae turned to Pil-Doo, who raised his remaining arm to block the red masked man''s attack. Throwing himself forward, Pil-Doo shouted, "You have to live! Chairman, you must¡­!"


    Ignoring Pil-Doo''s desperate plea, the red intruder brushed past him like a shadow and stood in front of Woo-Jae.


    "What the...!"


    Just as the startled Pil-Doo tried to turn around again, a flurry of dozens of blows quickly transpired, and Woo-Jae came to realize one thing.


    ''This guy...''


    The intruder was not going all out. From beneath the mask, Woo-Jae could feel a derisive smirk in the intruder¡¯s eyes, and amidst it all, he felt a peculiar question rise up in his mind.


    ''Surely, I''ve seen these eyes somewhere before?''


    He found the eyes to be quite familiar.


    While Woo-Jae¡¯s questions piled up, another attack from Jin-Woo, following Pil-Doo¡¯s, once again engulfed the red-masked man. Within the billowing black smoke that rose as a result, Woo-Jae''s eyes widened as an image of a young boy screaming at him, filled with resentment and anger, suddenly appeared in his mind.


    "You... You can''t be...!"


    "So you''ve finally recognized me. Then you must know why you must die, right?"


    The opponent finally spoke up for the first time, and his voice was deep and eerily distorted.


    While Woo-Jae recognized the red-masked individual as the child from a company that had merged with the Comet Group, he failed to realize that it was the grown-up Do-Jin.


    Do-Jin, noticing this fact, did not particularly care about it. What mattered to him was revenge. Erasing the tormenting voice in his own head would be enough.


    ''With this, it ends...''


    Without hesitation, he brought down his sword like a lightning bolt directly above Woo-Jae''s head, symbolizing his determination to break free from the bonds of destiny.


    The situation had now changed from before. It was as if Woo-Jae had been given a second of respite earlier on. As he watched the sword strike that fell like light itself, Woo-Jae could only let out a hollow laugh.


    ''Death... I knew it could come at any time.''


    However, he did not expect it to be like this. Still, he felt no regrets.


    ''Even if I die... My bloodline will remain.''


    Woo-Jae felt he had achieved all his goals in life. Just as he calmly accepted his impending death, a new voice rang out.


    "Who says you can...!"


    A somewhat low but definitely female voice echoed as Do-Jin''s sword, which had been falling like lightning, was thrown into the air. Remaining in his collapsed position, Woo-Jae sat back on his haunches and addressed the woman standing before him.


    "What''s with that bizarre look, Mi-Na?" asked Woo-Jae.


    She was wearing a rabbit mask along with a battle suit that clung to her body. Although the look was somewhat awkward, it wasn''t beyond recognition for Woo-Jae.


    "...I''m not Choi Mi-Na," said Mi-Na.


    ¡°It¡¯s obviously you, my daughter.¡±


    "You''re mistaken. I''m meeting you for the first time, elderly gentleman."


    "You unfilial..."


    Just as their conversation was nearing its end, over thirty security personnel players rushed into Woo-Jae''s office and swiftly turned on the lights.


    "Chairman!"


    "Are you alright?"


    "Call the hospital immediately!"


    Amidst the chaotic clamor, flames erupted sporadically, the sprinklers unleashed a torrential spray, rain poured outside the window, and Pil-Doo, losing consciousness, was bleeding profusely. Caught in a moment of surreal oddity, Woo-Jae and Mi-Na could only be overwhelmed in an immense sense of bewilderment.


    "Did Kim Do-Jin disappear?"


    "The Red Mask is gone... Wait, you''re saying that guy was Kim Do-Jin?" After asking Mi-Na that question in surprise, Woo-Jae then burst out into a deep, hearty laugh. "Puhuhu, Puhaha, Puhahaha! What a fate!"


    "Father... I mean, elderly gentleman?" Mi-Na asked.


    Woo-Jae, however, was already looking out of the window. Ignoring Mi-Na, he said loudly, "So it¡¯s you, Kim Do-Jin! The foolish child who has come to take revenge on me!"


    Above, the sky was covered by a pouring rainstorm. Do-Jin, who had summoned a black dragon with a large magic circle drawn behind him, was looking down at the mansion with his sword raised.


    Passing Do-Jin, the black flame wrapped around the tip of his sword rose like a black sun. It blazed fiercely, seemingly impossible to extinguish, and blew away even the pouring rain.


    "My, my God!"


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    The bodyguards who had rushed out after Woo-Jae were aghast.


    "That... We can''t avoid it. So this is what Choi Ji-Ho meant when he saw our destiny to die here, isn''t it?" Woo-Jae said.


    Mi-Na let out a sarcastic chuckle as she scratched her cheek. Even Jin-Woo, who boasted himself as one of the top talents among flame-type players, found himself kneeling in astonishment and his mouth hanging open.


    "How could...this¡­?" Jin-Woo murmured.


    Indeed, it was the end. As the sword whirled around, a colossal fireball descended from above, carrying the potential for a global cataclysm. In that moment, a sense of despair consumed everyone.


    Once more, a brilliant white flash overwhelmed the world. Following it was a thunderous roar that seemed to foretell disaster, accompanied by the crackling sound of lightning that pierced through the heart of the black sun and propelled it into the sky. It was a miraculous moment when the seemingly unquenchable and unstoppable black flame soared into the clouds and erupted with a mighty explosion.


    In front of the startled family, Yu-Seong emerged from a green space and shouted up at the sky, "Kim Do-Jin-!"

 CH 245

    Yu-Seong received a message from Mi-Na, followed by a phone call. The call was from Ji-Ho, who mentioned that he had seen a future where all of their family members had died.


    After this revelation, Ji-Ho made a request. He knew that, interestingly, Yu-Seong had already altered the future once before. After acknowledging that it might seem audacious, he asked Yu-Seong to assist once again.


    ¡®Of course.¡¯


    In fact, this was not a request that needed to be made in the first place. After all, this situation was not someone else¡¯s matter but his own family¡¯s. Moreover, Yu-Seong could no longer consider them as strangers.


    Above all, as Ji-Ho said, Yu-Seong had the power to change the future. What was the evidence? The entire world, which had already deviated significantly from the original novel, served as proof. Ji-Ho''s continued existence, Woo-Jae''s gradual return to humanity, and Do-Jin''s transformation into a friend of Yu-Seong, who was no longer a rascal, were all indications of this change. What more was there to say?


    ¡®Regardless of the reason, if I can change the future and bring about happiness¡­¡¯


    Indeed, he was ready to twist fate time and time again. With that thought, Yu-Seong, leaving the Philosopher''s Stone next to the sleeping Helen, attempted to teleport multiple times and quickly arrived in Seoul. Then, he had an immediate realization.


    ¡®...An explosive rage.¡¯


    He was quick to notice the anger, hotter than the pouring rain, that was engulfing the entire city. Quickly rushing out, he confirmed the black sun which validated his understanding of the rage.


    Then, he appeared in front of his family and saw the man in the red mask. All of the thoughts in his head vanished in an instant.


    ¡®That guy¡­¡¯


    Although the man¡¯s face was covered, it was impossible for Yu-Seong not to recognize him.


    "Kim Do-Jin-!"


    With a loud yell, Yu-Seong reached out his hand, and the spear that had pierced the black sun returned to his grip. Checking the condition of his family and the surroundings, he breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡®No one is dead yet.¡¯


    He had once again twisted the future that Ji-Ho had foreseen. With that realization, a sigh of relief escaped him and his lips curved into a wry smile.


    ¡®Thank goodness¡­ It''s as if I''m the protagonist, showing up just in time.¡¯


    Under the age-old rule that the protagonist must appear at the last moment, the family was all showing expressions of surprise and joy at Yu-Seong''s timely appearance during a critical moment.


    The feeling of carrying everyone''s expectations on his shoulders would have been burdensome in the past, but the situation was different now. Holding his spear, Yu-Seong glared at Do-Jin as he hovered in the sky.


    Also hovering in the sky, Do-Jin trembled alone after Yu-Seong''s sudden appearance.


    Yu-Seong looked at Do-Jin, whose appearance was noticeably different from what he remembered.


    ¡®That guy¡­¡¯


    Do-Jin¡¯s mumbling penetrated the rhythm of the pouring rain, hitting Yu-Seong''s ears precisely. "Choi Yu-Seong, why now¡­? Choi Yu-Seong... What should I do... Kill? Spare? But..."


    Looking at the man¡¯s bizarre appearance, Yu-Seong slightly narrowed his eyes and said, "That guy seems to be in an odd state, doesn''t he?"


    "It''s not just odd, it''s weird. Do you want me to support you?" Mi-Na confirmed, standing next to Yu-Seong.


    "No. He''s more likely to target Father, so noo-nim, it would be best if you watch over there."


    Stealing a glance at Woo-Jae, Mi-Na said with a perplexed expression, "...Who''s your sister?"


    ¡°You can stop pretending, I already know everything," Woo-Jae said.


    Perhaps it was because Yu-Seong''s appearance had brought clear hope, the family was having a somewhat leisurely conversation.


    Just then, Do-Jin suddenly let out a strange cry. He jumped to the ground and was swinging his sword. "Ahhhhhhhh-!"


    ''The target is...''


    It wasn''t Woo-Jae, but rather the figure ahead. Yu-Seong, who had parried Do-Jin''s sword with his spear, couldn''t help but be surprised by the tingling sensation in his wrist.


    ''This guy''s power...''


    It wasn''t inferior even to Yu-Seong, who had trained for as long as 250 years. On the contrary, there was even an inclination to push him down.


    ''Even if he''s the original protagonist, isn''t this a little ridiculous for just three years?''


    Along with his doubts, silver flashes cutting through the rain flickered dozens of times in an instant and ripped apart the surroundings. Bushes split apart, accompanied by a cloud of dust. The droplets of rain bouncing up danced like fairies amidst the sparks.


    "What the¡­?" Jin-Woo, unable to follow the fast-paced exchange with his eyes, shivered in fear.


    He was not the only one. Mi-Na and Ji-Ho also let out hollow laughter.


    "That guy...was truly taking it easy on us, wasn''t he?"


    If Do-Jin had fought them in the same manner as he was swinging his sword toward Yu-Seong now, would anyone here have survived up until this moment? Woo-Jae firmly shook his head. Therefore, he felt another doubt.


    ¡®You''re supposed to desire my demise, considering me your sworn enemy.¡¯


    So why did Do-Jin go easy on him?


    ¡®Or is this not the form of revenge you desired?¡¯


    As Woo-Jae''s thoughts deepened, he narrowed his eyes and watched as Yu-Seong''s spear struck Do-Jin''s shoulder hard. At the same time, Do-Jin''s sword stabbed at Yu-Seong''s head.


    Bang!


    With a loud noise, Yu-Seong, who was forced to step back, touched his hot forehead while letting out a hollow laugh. He commented, "Hey, dude. I almost died there.¡±


    If it weren''t for the protective shield created by the aura at the last moment, his head would have been pierced by the sword.


    ''Doesn''t even compare to the Demon King-transformed Noah, huh?''


    Furthermore, Do-Jin''s current state wasn''t stable. Continually muttering unintelligible soliloquies, he seemed to be forcibly controlling something.


    ¡®If all of that were to explode... I can''t even imagine the magnitude of it.¡¯


    Yu-Seong felt cold sweat trickling down his back. With the chilly wind, he felt particularly cool.


    ''It would be dangerous to keep fighting here.¡¯


    It wouldn''t matter where the battlefield was if he could overpower his opponent in one go. However, amazingly, Yu-Seong did not have the confidence that he could completely suppress Do-Jin''s power at once.


    ''If that power explodes inappropriately and envelops the people around, it would be dangerous.''


    Perhaps the name of the catastrophe that appeared in the center of Seoul could become Kim Do-Jin.


    ¡®The original protagonist turning into a catastrophe¡­¡¯


    Thinking about how ridiculous the situation was, Yu-Seong blinked just as Do-Jin''s figure vanished before his very eyes. Immediately after, a hot and cold touch of metal rose from his shoulder.


    Shkew-!


    "Ah..."


    Yu-Seong grimaced in pain, letting out a short groan, and tightly grasped Do-Jin''s sword with his left hand. Do-Jin, who was about to pull out the sword for the next attack, stopped as he was about to let go of the hilt.


    "Who said I''ll allow you to escape?"


    With a smirk, Yu-Seong, still with the sword lodged in his shoulder, lunged forward. The burning sensation heated his entire body, and his brain throbbed with pain, but Yu-Seong¡¯s senses became clearer than before. In that moment, he grabbed Do-Jin''s shoulder without hesitation and, extending his other hand, swallowed Do-Jin with a green magic circle.


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    "...?!"


    Do-Jin, with a shocked expression, tried to jump out of the magic circle, but he was hovering too close to avoid it.


    "Well, I''ll see you in a little while."


    And with that, Do-Jin was swallowed by the portal and disappeared.


    Right after that, Yu-Seong, pulling out the sword lodged in his shoulder with his own hand, grimaced in pain. "Guh... It hurts.¡±


    Although he had experienced quite a few injuries before, he never seemed to be able to get used to the pain.


    Cursing inwardly, Yu-Seong summoned the Green Wind Spirit Cat. The kitten, once small enough to fit in the palm of his hand, had now grown into a fully-grown cat. It swiftly leaped onto his shoulder, pressing its front paw against him and initiating the healing process.


    ¡®It hurts, but with my high regeneration and the aid of the Green Wind Spirit Cat, this level of injury is laughable.¡¯


    In fact, it wouldn''t be surprising for him to be called a troll or zombie man in any setting. Thanks to that, Yu-Seong, who had quickly recovered from his injury, was about to jump into another portal he had created when he was interrupted.


    "Wait a moment," Woo-Jae, who had been watching the rapidly changing situation, called out to Yu-Seong urgently.


    "Yes?"


    "Can I make one request?" Woo-Jae asked.


    Yu-Seong''s eyes naturally widened. Had Woo-Jae ever used the word ''request'' before? Rather, his father had mostly given him tests or commands.


    While staring at the bewildered Yu-Seong, Woo-Jae, whose composure remained unshaken even in this crisis, said, "Don¡¯t die. And, if possible, do not kill Kim Do-Jin.¡±


    "Ah...." Letting out a brief sigh, Yu-Seong stared at Woo-Jae as he was momentarily lost for words.


    ''Don''t kill him?''


    Without a doubt, Yu-Seong had assumed that Woo-Jae would insist on killing Do-Jin if he posed a future obstacle. He was taken aback by this unexpected request.


    "Can you do it? There are things I need to tell that boy," Woo-Jae continued.


    At the continued question, Yu-Seong''s mind snapped back into focus.


    ''Things that need to be told.''


    There could be clues among the many gaps in the original novel''s plot that were not fully explained.


    "Of course," Yu-Seong answered.


    In fact, Yu-Seong had no intention of killing Do-Jin from the start. He nodded with his eyes shining.


    ''I hope that everyone can live in peace.''


    And, hopefully, they could all reach a happy ending.


    ''I will make it happen.''


    With this determination, Yu-Seong crossed over through space.


    ***


    Yu-Seong emerged in the middle of the vast East Sea through a portal in space.


    "Huh?"


    The sight of Do-Jin, who should have been before him, was nowhere to be seen. This led to a wave of confusion.


    ''I clearly threw him into the sea, so he should have surfaced by now...''


    Was he slightly late? Yu-Seong¡¯s question went away instantly as Do-Jin, resembling a drenched puppy, emerged from the water''s surface.


    "Phew, I thought I made a mistake. How is it? It feels good here, doesn¡¯t it? No need to hold back at all," Yu-Seong said, attempting to initiate a conversation.


    ''There must be some kind of problem since he seems to have lost his mind halfway.''


    And if Do-Jin still had any sense left in him, he could potentially be reasoned with through dialogue. This was the method Yu-Seong chose because he didn''t want to reach a violent conclusion, even if they were fighting due to feelings of revenge.


    "Grrr¡­"


    However, the answer Yu-Seong received was a low growl, much like a beast''s.


    "...Are you really a dog now?" Yu-Seong clicked his tongue, transforming Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice back into a spear.


    ''If he won¡¯t talk...''


    Yu-Seong decided to make Do-Jin regain his senses, even if it required him to use force. After all, Do-Jin was not the only one who didn''t need to restrain his powers due to a change in location.


    "Let me land a few hits on you first," Yu-Seong said.


    As he made this decision and was about to charge at Do-Jin, he heard a voice filled with willpower and not just an animalistic growl.


    "Don¡¯t... interfere... with me."


    Yu-Seong paused with his spear in mid-air. With eyes wide open, he asked in surprise, "Kim Do-Jin. Can you hear my voice?"


    "Choi... Yu-Seong..."


    "Ah... That''s right. It''s me," Yu-Seong answered. Relieved, he grabbed Do-Jin¡¯s shoulder and said, "Snap out of it, Kim Do-Jin. Regardless of what outcome you want, this isn''t it, right?"


    As if in agreement with Yu-Seong''s words, Do-Jin''s head drooped low. Then, he said, "If you... interfere... I will have to kill you too.¡±


    "What?"


    Along with his whisper, two thick horns sprouted from Do-Jin''s head and quickly pierced through Yu-Seong''s shoulder.


    "Guh...!" Yu-Seong groaned.


    Do-Jin then threw Yu-Seong into the air as he began to darken. A shadowy energy was seeping into his body.


    ''That is¡­?!''


    In fact, the dark energy flowing from Do-Jin was now quite familiar to Yu-Seong.

 CH 246

    Demonic mana, the power that symbolized a demon, surged forth from Do-Jin like rampaging tentacles. It relentlessly attempted to ensnare Yu-Seong''s body.


    ''...?!''


    Yu-Seong let out a hollow laugh as he felt his limbs being tied by the abruptly encroaching demonic mana.


    ''Did Kim Do-Jin fuse with a demon?''


    Having previously seen Noah in the United States, there was no room for doubt. With towering, sharp, and thick horns, as well as a red glow emitting from his eyes and tiger-like stripes all over his body, Do-Jin looked no different from a demon to anyone who saw him.


    "What on earth happened in the meantime?" Yu-Seong asked with a short sigh.


    "Kraaaah-!"


    Do-Jin, roaring like a beast, charged at him. Infusing strength into his arms and legs, Yu-Seong effortlessly broke free from the mana tentacles that had bound his body with his left hand.


    Once he seized hold of Do-Jin''s sword, Yu-Seong said, "You should wake up with a jolt.¡±


    "Kraaaah-!"


    Yu-seong¡¯s unhesitatingly swung fist collided with Do-Jin''s face, creating an explosive sound like a cannon firing, and sent the man hurtling toward the Pacific Ocean. Then, quickly chasing after him, Yu-Seong felt a slight remorse at the burning sensation in his fist.


    ''Darn... Despite his bad personality, his only redeeming feature is his face. Did I hit him too hard?''


    Do-Jin¡¯s handsome face might have been quite damaged, but it was alright.


    "Well first, a punch or two to help you regain your senses."


    In fact, the messed-up face could easily be fixed with a few treatments from Green Wind Spirit Cat.


    ''...Maybe it''s not even necessary since he''s a demon now?''


    As expected, Do-Jin''s face quickly returned to normal before he charged at Yu-Seong again.


    "With such a brute method..."


    Just as Yu-Seong was about to say the method was useless, Do-Jin, who had been in front of his eyes, disappeared. He instantly felt a burning heat from behind.


    "Oh...?"


    The moment Yu-Seong turned his head with a short exclamation, a blazing black flame swiftly obscured his vision. As the hot flame seared his skin, he frowned slightly and unfolded his magic, Frost Shield, and stepped forward. As he cut through the flames, Do-Jin''s sword followed from behind.


    ¡®Are you trying to blind me and seize an opportunity?''


    Unfortunately, Yu-Seong could easily discern all of Do-Jin''s intentions. With a snort, he dodged the sword and naturally threw another punch.


    ¡°...?!¡±


    The dark silhouette, which seemed to be charging with a sword, disappeared before his eyes as if it were a mirage.


    ''A clone?''


    Of course, it wasn''t a simple clone. If it were a clone of a commonly seen level, there was no way Yu-Seong would have missed the hint.


    ''I definitely felt his presence until the moment I hit it...''


    Seeing through a high-level clone like this was difficult unless he opened his Third Eye.


    ¡®Kim Do-Jin, dude, you''re quite impressive, huh?¡¯


    Then, Yu-Seong felt a cold touch at the back of his head. Swiftly ducking and swinging his arm in a large arc, his eyes dramatically widened in the next moment.


    Bang-!


    With a loud explosion, Do-Jin''s face, which took a strong hit from Yu-Seong¡¯s elbow, contorted significantly. However, Do-Jin did not evade to lessen the impact, nor did he get pushed back. On the contrary, he leaned even further forward and opened his mouth wide to fiercely bite into Yu-Seong''s arm.


    "Uh¡­?!"


    Surprised, Yu-Seong quickly pulled his arm back, resulting in a chunk of his flesh being ripped off and causing Do-Jin to be thrown further back.


    Munch, munch.


    A cold smile tugged on Do-Jin''s lips as he continued to regenerate his facial skin while chewing on Yu-Seong''s flesh.


    "What on earth are you¡­?"


    Before Yu-Seong''s question could be finished, a small change occurred to Do-Jin''s physique.


    ''His face...''


    Despite wearing a mask, long white hairs sprouted out from his cheeks. They were not human-like but resembling that of a tiger.


    "Grrrrrrr...."


    The subsequent low growling left Yu-Seong with no choice but to harden his expression further.


    ''There¡¯s a possibility he won¡¯t be able to turn back.''


    Finally, Yu-Seong could comprehend the reason why Do-Jin had grown stronger within a mere three-year period.


    ''So, the Demon King who fused with Do-Jin is Gula, the Demon King of Gluttony.''


    If Acedia, the Demon King of Sloth, had the ability to restrict the opponent¡¯s movement, and Avaritia, the Demon King of Greed, had the ability to take away all the mana in the vicinity, the power wielded by Gula, the Demon King of Gluttony, was none other than that of the Food God''s Devouring.


    ''The power to steal the memories or abilities of the opponent by eating them.''


    It differed from the residual abilities of Acedia or Avaritia. The moment he bit, even once, Gula, the Demon King of Gluttony, would obtain something from the opponent''s abilities and grow. Naturally, the stronger the opponent, the more dangerous this power was.


    ''This is troublesome.''


    If it were any other opponent, Yu-Seong would have chosen to obliterate them with a single strike to counteract this power of Gluttony. However, his opponent was Do-Jin and the option to kill was excluded. As a result, the problem was now unfolding right before his eyes.


    Do-Jin, who jumped through the void in one breath, charged forward. Following this, a demonic mana seemingly enveloped Yu-Seong''s whole body like the wind and disrupted his balance.


    ¡®Wind Control?''


    As Yu-Seong swung his arm in surprise, Do-Jin fell away again and chewed on another part of his arm as he grinned.


    Munch, munch.


    With the eerie sound of chewing, this time, Do-Jin''s movements were incomparably faster than before.


    ''Beast King''s Instinct.''


    Indeed, this was dangerous. If they continued in this state, there was a possibility that Yu-Seong would not be able to stop Do-Jin''s rampage.


    As if he knew what Yu-Seong was thinking, Do-Jin''s mouth twisted menacingly and released a beast-like roar. He declared coldly, "If you...want to stop me... Kill me.¡±


    "What?"


    "If you don''t kill me... I''ll kill you."


    At the same time, Do-Jin charged at Yu-Seong as if he were running on all fours. If Yu-Seong resisted this incoming attack, he would be robbed of something again.


    ''Kill him?''


    Yu-Seong furrowed his brows deeply. Come to think of it, that sounded right. In the past, he had felt that Do-Jin''s power was necessary to protect this world. That was why Yu-Seong had spared Do-Jin despite feeling threatened by Do-Jin''s existence. However, was it still the case now?


    Watching Do-Jin approaching, Yu-Seong opened his Third Eye and shook his head inwardly.


    ''No.''


    Do-Jin was undoubtedly the original novel¡¯s protagonist and was destined to be responsible for the future of this world. However, history had already changed. In the original novel, there was no overpowering presence like Yu-Seong overshadowing Do-Jin. It was a statement that had to be repeated over and over, a point that needed to be firmly remembered.


    ''This world is no longer a novel.''


    And Yu-Seong was confident enough to believe that he had become strong enough to protect such a world. In other words, even if Do-Jin were not in this world, there might not be any problem at all. Therefore, Yu-Seong considered the possibility of killing him. Would there be any significant consequences if he did?


    ''Of course, there would be.''


    The blue light emanating from the Third Eye spread in all directions, slowing down the world¡¯s flow of time. Do-Jin, who was darting at a speed beyond sound, appeared peculiar within this slow-motion timeline.


    Yu-Seong walked slowly forward. Then, using his right hand, he gently pushed away Do-Jin''s face as the man attempted to bite while his left hand delivered light strikes to various parts of Do-Jin¡¯s body. Finally, with his right hand once again, he lightly grasped Do-Jin''s collar in a swift motion.


    "Guh-!" Do-Jin groaned.


    The blue light flowing from the Third Eye disappeared soon after, and the timeline of the world returned to its original state.


    Thud, thud, thuuud!


    Shockwaves, akin to a billowing windbag, erupted incessantly from behind Do-Jin¡ªmomentarily subsiding before surging forth once more. He was severely battered. This assault was of such magnitude that even the mighty Demon King would struggle to regenerate swiftly.


    ''After all, I stopped the flow of time itself.''


    Considering the number of continuous attacks within that span, it would inevitably take Do-Jin time to recover.


    While Do-Jin, who could do nothing but be suppressed, laid beneath him, spitting blood and slumped down, Yu-Seong held onto Do-Jin¡¯s collar tightly and said calmly, "You won''t be able to move a finger for at least a minute.¡±


    "..."


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    "You are conscious, right? Listen well, Do-Jin. I''m not going to kill you."


    It was no longer a matter of whether Do-Jin''s existence was needed or not in this world.


    "What I desire is happiness, and, to be honest, I, as an individual, place a great value on human connections," Yu-Seong continued.


    Yu-Seong didn''t mind being labeled as an odd or flawed individual.


    "Didn¡¯t I mention it to you? I''m a novel reader who heard the story of this world from another world and learned about the future... In that world, there was nobody around me, Choi Yu-Seong."


    He had lived a reasonably routine life. He had lived thinking that he might eventually establish a harmonious family in a stable future, but he had never been able to get that close to anyone.


    "The truth is, I was scared. The idea of others discovering my true self was quite a challenging task for me."


    Indeed, Yu-Seong had a harsh life. In his initial world, he had been an orphan without a single friend. The way he lived, constantly striving to avoid being looked down upon by others, had not been conducive to receiving love from others. With that thought in mind, he had led his life in a certain way.


    "So, in the end, I had to meet someone with a false appearance. With that, can we truly respect and love each other as human beings? Not just as simple members of a corporate society, but as family or friends?" Yu-Seong chuckled bitterly and shook his head.


    He concluded, "In the end, I don''t want to reach a conclusion where we¡¯d both be unhappy. I am scared of being alone again.¡±


    "Grrrrr..." Do-Jin moaned in a low voice as he began to recover.


    Watching him, Yu-Seong continued to speak. "So, let me reiterate, I won''t kill you. And I won''t lose anyone around me. This place, which I thought was a world inside a novel, is where I am living. It is a reality where people precious to me already exist."


    "Choi¡­ Yu-Seong¡­"


    "One of those precious people is you, Kim Do-Jin."


    Yu-Seong had phrased it simply, but he held Do-Jin in a different regard. The man was a presence that could not help but be special to Yu-Seong.


    In fact, the reason was simple. When reading a novel, the protagonist and the reader often blended together to achieve full immersion in the story. If an existence that was another ''me'', providing an escape from the complex and frustrating reality, appeared before the reader¡¯s eyes in reality, how could it not be regarded as special?


    ''You can call me a foolish novel addict if you like.''


    For Yu-Seong, who had no one to share his true feelings with, the novel [Modern Master Returns] was a joyful adventure, and its protagonist ''Kim Do-Jin'' was a one-of-a-kind friend in life.


    "So¡­ How could I possibly kill you?"


    "I, I am¡­ I am...!"


    Yu-Seong continued speaking toward Do-Jin, who was beginning to tremble and slowly move his body.


    "You want to take revenge on my father, right? Isn''t the resentment toward the world that shattered your once blissful home still lingering in your heart?¡±


    Yu-Seong chuckled and threw Do-Jin into the air. As Do-Jin flew aimlessly toward the ground like a string that had come loose, it suddenly stopped in mid-air. It indicated that the paused time had come to an end.

 CH 247

    Yu-Seong, while panting slightly, looked toward Do-Jin, who was slowly raising his head. He said, "Now, Kim Do-Jin. You have much to say, don''t you? Is it frustrating for you in your current state, being unable to speak properly? Then, overcome it. You''re not someone who would be defeated by a mere Demon King.¡±


    Slowly, Do-Jin''s beast-like body, which resembled a tiger, began to shrink back into a human form. A distinct human voice started to emerge from his vocal cords, which until now had only produced low growls.


    "Choi... Yu-Seong... I... revenge..." Do-Jin said.


    "On who?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "Choi Woo-Jae...!" Do-Jin cried out in a loud voice, trembling greatly.


    "In such a state? Is this really your will?"


    "No..."


    With his head lowered, Do-Jin had blood trickling down his tightly clenched fist. He was inflicting pain on himself to awaken his consciousness. As Yu-Seong quietly watched him, the red glow in his eyes gradually faded and the horns that had sprouted from his head began to shrink.


    ''Just a little more...''


    The Do-Jin that Yu-Seong knew would be capable of overcoming this pain and coming back.


    In what seemed like defiance of such desperate hopes, Do-Jin''s red mask shook violently as it emitted a violet aura.


    "What?" Yu-Seong asked.


    - Seek revenge.


    Following this, the mouth of the red mask moved on its own, starting to voice words. Do-Jin, who had naturally been regaining his senses, had his eyes dyed red once again.


    ¡®That mask...is quite ominous.¡¯


    Do-Jin tried to rush forward in desperation. Suddenly, a bright light, like a flashbang, enveloped the view, and Do-Jin''s figure disappeared for a moment.


    - Could it be that you intend to forget your grudge? Are you planning to show mercy to the family of your enemy? Kim Do-Jin. Kill. Kill him!


    "Kaaaaaah-!" cried Do-Jin.


    What could be heard was no longer his own voice but a beastly roar of hatred. At the same time, he charged toward Yu-Seong and swung his sword.


    Gradually, Yu-Seong''s vision began to recover. He glanced at Do-Jin''s red eyes while gripping his sword with his bare hands.


    ''A blood vein?''


    Beneath the red mask was blood, which flowed out like tears.


    "Kaaaaaah-!"


    Do-Jin, once again howling like a beast, forcefully pushed away a stunned Yu-Seong. He created some distance between them. Next, a black dragon appeared behind Do-Jin as he held his sword high toward the sky.


    ''Antareus.''


    Antareus, who had inscribed a colossal magic circle, merged with Do-Jin.


    Behind Do-Jin, who had turned into a tiger bearing the horns of a demon, was now trying to take on the form of a dragon. His wings of black flames burned and spread wide. Simultaneously, Do-Jin''s energy skyrocketed to more than twice what it had been.


    ¡®So you are finally serious now, huh?¡¯


    Yu-Seong, with his Third Eye wide open, locked gazes with Do-Jin in mid-air.


    "Evil Annihilation Slash," Do-Jin said.


    "What?" Yu-Seong exclaimed.


    Despite having completely lost his senses, Do-Jin, who had uttered not a beast''s roar but a human voice infused with clear intent, disappeared along with Yu-Seong''s response. Within the realm of supersonic speed, accompanied by a piercing tinnitus that resonated in his head, Do-Jin''s sword barely grazed Yu-Seong''s shoulder.


    Observing the black flames coloring the dark sky in the world seen through the Third Eye, Yu-Seong unconsciously halted in place instead of backing up.


    Shwishhh-!


    From his shoulder down to his waist, a silver streak of sword light passed diagonally. Blood soon scattered into the air.


    ''Ah... The smell of blood.''


    Amid the burning and sticky sensation that was somewhat unpleasant, Yu-Seong grabbed Do-Jin''s shoulder, which was drenched in blood. Actually, there was no need to move quickly. The tip of Do-Jin''s sword, which had swung diagonally, was rigidly still.


    Pointing his sword toward the blue sea, Do-Jin asked, "...W-Why...?¡±


    Looking into Do-Jin¡¯s eyes, which shed red energy, Yu-Seong responded with a snort of laughter. He said, "Suddenly, I thought about this. If I can''t kill you, can you possibly kill me?"


    "Such...idiocy..." Do-Jin said.


    Purple energy began to flow again from Do-Jin''s trembling mask. In one swift move, Yu-Seong reached out and gripped Do-Jin¡¯s red mask. He said with a grin, "Most importantly, isn''t the name of the skill Evil Annihilation Slash?"


    Evil Annihilation Slash referred to a sword that eradicated evil.


    "How could such a sword ever wound me?"


    From the beginning, what Do-Jin wanted to cut was the evil tormenting him. Hence, it could never reach Yu-Seong in the end. Following his earlier comment, Yu-Seong harshly yanked off the red mask that seemed glued to Do-Jin''s face.


    "Kaaaaaah-!" With a scream, Do-Jin staggered.


    - How dare you, a mere human, touch me...!


    Ignoring the voice of the Demon King, Gula, which echoed from within the mask, Yu-Seong caught Do-Jin, who was falling toward the ground with a wavering consciousness, with one arm. He asked, "You okay?"


    Although there was no verbal response, he could clearly see the slow nod of Do-Jin¡¯s head.


    ''This guy¡­''


    Yu-Seong, laughing inwardly, looked at the red mask in his hand.


    - Do you know who I am? Release me, human!


    In fact, Yu-Seong did not pay much attention to the voice from the mask. Instead, he peered through his Third Eye at the entity observing him from behind the mask.


    Knowing that the other party must definitely be hearing his voice from beyond the mask, Yu-Seong declared, "Stop wasting spouting nonsense and wait. I will come to you and end your life.¡±


    With his warning, he put all his strength into the hand holding the mask.


    Crunch-!


    - Aaaaah!


    Along with the sound of something shattering, the agonizing voice of Demon King Gula echoed in Yu-Seong¡¯s head. Then, the red mask shattered and fell into the sea.


    After confirming the demise of Demon King Gula, Yu-Seong looked at the sky, which was starting to calm down and stop pouring. From between the dark clouds, the bright sun began to peek through.


    ¡®Eveheim.''


    Yu-Seong''s gaze grew cold as he thought of the greatest evil in this world, the source of all the malevolence, anger, and resentment that had unfolded.


    ''You must die.''


    This thought was not only due to the promise with his transcendent being masters. As long as Eveheim existed in this world, Yu-Seong would never be able to find happiness. Instinctively realizing this fact, the two had become irreconcilable beings.


    A quick look at bit.ly/3iBfjkV will leave you more fulfilled.


    Returning home with Do-Jin in his arms, Yu-Seong''s eyes were filled with intense hostility toward someone for the first time.


    ***


    In the room echoed a cry mixed with a scream. It was as sharp as the grinding of metal.


    "Ugh..." With a short groan, a trickle of blood streamed from Eveheim''s mouth as he held his head.


    "Ha..." With a deep sigh, Eveheim sat down with a frown. His eyes drew intense wrinkles.


    "Ha ha..." Briefly chuckling in a hollow manner, Eveheim lightly tapped the desk in front of him with his forefinger. He muttered to himself, "Unbelievable. No matter how much power the other three friends have provided, how could it have reached such an extent?"


    Yu-Seong had entered the sanctuary of the transcendent beings and then returned. Although it was a rather obvious fact that the returnees always got stronger, Yu-Seong had clearly defied Eveheim''s expectations.


    "It''s a shame. It really is such a shame. I should have been the one to have Yu-Seong..."


    Eveheim thought he was right all along. There was a reason why, at some point, Yu-Seong had caught his eye instead of Do-Jin.


    "Ah, I should have acted more decisively. Foolishly hesitating..." Eveheim clicked his tongue several times, sighing regretfully and ruefully.


    He shook his head. "Well, there''s nothing to be done. It has already passed. It''s a shame that I couldn''t witness the battle between two individuals who perceived each other as enemies. However, if this is my trial, I must accept it. By the way..."


    Eveheim remembered the last moment when Yu-Seong had glared at him through his Third Eye. He commented, "He was quite angry. If he''s that upset, even I could be in danger. Hmm..."


    He let out a deep breath, stroking his chin.


    This was indeed the truly terrifying aspect of Eveheim. Indeed, he was undoubtedly the strongest in this world, and he himself was well aware of this fact. However, when he felt threatened by Yu-Seong, he immediately started contemplating a solution. He was neither arrogant nor overconfident.


    ''I was complacent and hesitant, and this has turned things around...''


    Thinking about a few options, Eveheim abruptly stood up from his seat. "I would love to prepare a grand show as you wait, but just in case, I need to make sure.¡±


    He felt a strong need to expedite the plan he originally intended to take a considerable amount of time.


    "I need to summon Pride."


    Superbia, the Demon King of Pride, stood at the forefront among the Demon Kings. Objectively speaking, his power surpassed even that of Eveheim without his transcendent abilities. For this reason, the summoning itself was quite difficult.


    ''I''ll need quite a lot of blood...''


    It required a large number of deaths. Of course, this was a burden for Eveheim. Even though the Demon King''s Worshipers were the most powerful criminal group, they could not handle all the resentment in the world. The problem was that this level of sacrifice was necessary to summon the Demon King of Pride.


    ''But there''s no choice¡­ Crisis is an opportunity.''


    Rising from his seat, Eveheim licked his lips.


    ''The original goal was to absorb the power of Pride and ascend to heaven...''


    In a way, the current situation was rather a good thing.


    ''Choi Yu-Seong seems to have a special love for this world.''


    Could he just watch when a Demon King of Pride started to wreak havoc? He would certainly have to stand in Eveheim¡¯s way. In that case, their battle would intensify.


    ¡®Fish in troubled waters, this is a phrase I quite like.¡¯


    Eveheim, picturing a future he quite liked, picked up the phone and summoned the strongest forces of the Demon King''s Worshipers via a message.


    ''Hexagram Masters, Twelve Dark Kings.''


    In fact, it was finally time to let loose the fierce sharks he had raised in the wide sea.


    ***


    As Do-Jin slowly regained consciousness, the first thing he recalled were the events he had experienced with Yu-Seong.


    ''I wish I could believe it was just a dream.''


    If not, there had been too many things that were embarrassingly real. No matter how many times Do-Jin thought about it, what he had experienced was indeed reality. As he opened his eyes and looked around, it was not difficult to come to this realization.


    ''...Damn it.''


    Do-Jin cursed under his breath, but his mood was not entirely bad. No, to be honest, it was rather good. But why? The voice of resentment that always tormented his mind was no longer heard. The voice of his dead father, ordering him to destroy the Comet and kill Woo-Jae, no longer followed him.


    Laughing bitterly at this miraculous turn of events, he slowly blinked and registered the ceiling of the hospital room. It was a rather unfamiliar view for him. When he shifted his gaze to the side, he saw a familiar figure looking out the window.


    At a glance, the man resembled Yu-Seong. However, it was not Yu-Seong. It could not be. The middle-aged man standing with his back turned was Woo-Jae, who was no different from a real enemy to Do-Jin and yet was the father of his friend Yu-Seong.


    "...Choi Woo-Jae," Do-Jin muttered.


    "You''re awake."


    In response to his voice, Woo-Jae turned to look at Do-Jin with gleaming eyes.

 CH 248

    "You''ve changed so much that I hardly recognize you," Woo-Jae said.


    "Or is it that you tried to erase me from your memory?" Do-Jin responded.


    "I can''t deny that. After all, I didn''t always carry that thought in my mind.¡±


    With a disdainful snort, Do-Jin said, "You''re shameless.¡±


    "Still, I did think about you once a year or so."


    "...Are you trying to make me even angrier?"


    "Because I regretted it. If I''d been a bit stronger, I wouldn''t have let your father die like that."


    "Choi Woo-Jae!" Do-Jin yelled out and struggled to rise from his bed.


    However, his body, drained of strength, didn''t move so easily.


    "Listen. Don''t you want to know the truth?" Woo-Jae continued.


    "The truth! If you mean the truth about how you ruined our family and plunged us into the abyss, I know it better than anyone else!" Do-Jin shouted.


    "I admit I made mistakes. But why is it my fault that your family ended up a mess?"


    "Is that what you''re saying?! Because of you, my father committed suicide."


    "Suicide? Right. Let''s start from there. Your father, Kim Woo-Sung, was murdered," Woo-Jae said calmly.


    "What...?" Do-Jin''s eyes widened.


    "I don''t mean murder in the sense that I killed him. Although it was presented as a suicide at the time and subsequently buried, the incident was clearly a murder."


    "What do you mean¡­?"


    "An order came down from a very high place to kill Kim Woo-Sung. I might challenge it now, but at that time, I didn''t have the strength to defy that absolute power. I had no choice but to turn a blind eye," Woo-Jae continued with a bitter smile on his face. "Your father, Kim Woo-Sung, was an exceptional man. I also sought the favor of the high authority man and made multiple attempts to persuade him."


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    "That''s nonsense¡­" Do-Jin cried.


    Confronted with a situation far different from the truth he had known, Do-Jin began to deny all of Woo-Jae''s words.


    "So, the truth is this: Your father, Kim Woo-Sung, was extraordinary but not smart. He tried to live outside the rules set by the world, and those above us do not like such people."


    "But... If you had not ruined the company..." Do-Jin said.


    "On the surface, that''s what it seemed like. However, that was a merger agreed upon by Kim Woo-Sung and I," Woo-Jae explained.


    "What...?"


    "Let me reiterate, Kim Woo-Sung was an extraordinary man. The moment things went wrong, he realized he could not protect Do-Jin Hynix to the end. He called me, who had been seeking him for years, and asked me to merge the company with Comet instead."


    "But why¡­?"


    "In return for giving me the company, he asked me to take care of his family. He already knew he was going to die," Woo-Jae said.


    "..." Do-Jin remained silent for a very long time.


    Were Woo-Jae''s words a lie to deceive him? Or were they, as they sounded, the truth? Either way, there was clearly a problem.


    "If what you''re saying is true, then why...didn''t you honor your promise?"


    "You might find it hard to believe, but I only remembered that promise less than six months ago."


    "What kind of nonsense is that?"


    "More precisely, I had forgotten that Kim Woo-Sung had a family. Something had been implanted in my mind. I only managed to resolve this issue after entering the Tower of Heaven and meeting a deity."


    Do-Jin, who kept widening his eyes without rest, clenched his fist. Noticing his reaction, Woo-Jae said, "It might be hard for you to believe. I''ll leave now, so take some time to think about it. I am not done with telling you the truth yet. Don''t you also need to know who the real enemy is?"


    With that, Woo-Jae started leaving the hospital room slowly.


    "Choi Woo-Jae!" Do-Jin, who had been staring at Woo-Jae''s retreating figure with burning eyes, yelled out.


    Just as Woo-Jae turned to meet Do-Jin''s gaze, Do-Jin found himself recalling his childhood and the past. He remembered the face of a young Woo-Jae who had rushed toward him amidst a collapsing building and roaring flames. What was the desperate emotion that had surfaced on Woo-Jae¡¯s face then?


    ''I only thought it was an unpleasant dream.''


    The idea that Woo-Jae, of all people, would risk his life to save Do-Jin was unbelievable. That was why Do-Jin had regarded it as a dream. Even in his dream, he had been blaming Woo-Jae with a voice filled with resentment and anger.


    However, now, it was a little different. In the dream, there was someone else behind Woo-Jae. It was a monster with purple eyes, wrapped in darkness. The figure Do-Jin had been yelling at wasn''t Woo-Jae, but that strange entity.


    ''Who are you? Just who are you¡­?''


    Despite feeling a throbbing headache, Do-Jin said to Woo-Jae through gritted teeth, "If what you''ve said is a lie, I''ll never forgive you."


    Woo-Jae laughed derisively at the threat, which sounded like a fierce beast roaring. He then asked, "Well, do you intend to forgive me if what I speak is truth?"


    "That''s..."


    "Even forgetting is a sin. Oh, I realize I haven''t said the most important thing yet," Woo-Jae said.


    While standing still, he bent his waist toward Do-Jin.


    ''What...?''


    Woo-Jae bowed deeply before saying, "I''m sorry for forgetting."


    It was indeed a brief phrase and a simple bow. However, these were actions Do-Jin had never expected from someone like Woo-Jae.


    Woo-Jae, appearing to not care about Do-Jin''s surprised expression, turned around and opened the door to the ward. As he moved toward the pouring light while fully opening the door, another figure appeared. It was a middle-aged lady with gray hair and deep wrinkles across her face. She gave a slight bow as she hurriedly approached.


    Seeing the lady, Do-Jin¡¯s eyes bulged out in surprise. He hadn¡¯t seen her face in so long, but he had neither forgotten her nor found this encounter awkward. She was, after all, the only family he had left in this world.


    "Mom...?"


    "Do-Jin."


    His mother, who had been bedridden in the ward with a terminal illness and had been unable to be helped even by Do-Jin himself, was standing in front of him. She appeared to be healthy and smiling.


    "How did this...?"


    The moment he spat out the question, Do-Jin''s face, which had always been cool and cold, distorted and crumbled like that of a child. He hadn''t even imagined his mother, who had been unconscious in the ward, could walk on her own feet.


    "Do-Jin...!"


    Seeing his expression, his mother, Park Hye-Jung, couldn''t help but burst into tears and rushed forward with open arms.


    Do-Jin, who had been lying on the bed, could only stare blankly at his approaching mother. The moment he was in her arms, he couldn''t help but cry.


    ''It''s warm...''


    An incredible warmth wrapped around his whole body and heart. Before, he had thought all hope in this world had vanished. He had thought the only emotions left in his heart were revenge and resentment. However, that wasn''t the case.


    Longing, joy, gladness, happiness¡ªall these emotions that were too overwhelming to be put into words filled Do-Jin''s heart. They washed away the malice that had frozen him with their tears.


    ''I too... I too...''


    He also deserved to be happy. He could be happy.


    ''Never...''


    He didn''t want to lose any of this ever again.


    ***


    Outside the ward, Yu-Seong was leaning against the wall. His eyes widened at the sudden sound of crying. Then, a bright smile spread across his face.


    ''So, that guy knows how to cry.''


    Yu-Seong hadn''t known because Do-Jin always wore a face that seemed like he wouldn''t shed a drop of blood even if stabbed with a knife every day. Thus, he found this sight to be a relief.


    ''Now it''s your turn to be happy.''


    Do-Jin was a man with exceptional mental strength. Therefore, making him fall, even if it was due to the extraordinary mind control of Eveheim, wouldn''t have been easy.


    In fact, Do-Jin had pushed back even the ritual of the Demon King, recognizing his own existence. Still, the reason he had been tainted by darkness and engulfed by malice was because there had been too much darkness deep inside Do-Jin''s heart.


    ''There won''t be a problem from now on.''


    Now, a relatively small light had taken a place in Do-Jin''s heart. Of course, the darkness was still greater than the light, since the pain and anger over what he had lost over time could not completely disappear. However, light, by its nature, asserted its existence powerfully even in complete darkness. No matter how deep the darkness, it was not easy to cover even a small light.


    ''And the light will gradually grow.''


    As time passed, much was bound to change. Yu-Seong also intended to assist with this transformation.


    ''Just as you did for me.''


    If it was true what Gabriel had said, that Yu-Seong, who had been a total fool, had just brought back memories from another world, then it was indisputable that it was Do-Jin who had saved him from his downfall.


    ''I''ve come this far because of that novel, after all.''


    He might have lived a life that would have ended in misery, being continuously labeled a rascal until the very end. Yu-Seong had only made it this far because of Do-Jin''s tale. Therefore, Yu-Seong decided to be another source of light for Do-Jin, who was still full of darkness. The reason for this?


    "Do friends need reasons for such things?" Yu-Seong chuckled, muttering to himself as he cast a noise-cancellation spell in front of Do-Jin''s hospital room.


    Considering Do-Jin''s personality, he probably wouldn''t be pleased if anyone heard him crying.


    ''This way, he won''t be disturbed unnecessarily.''


    Just as Yu-Seong leaned against the wall once again, on the verge of getting lost in thought, his cell phone in his pocket vibrated loudly. He blinked. "Huh?"


    His eyes sparkled as he checked the cell phone.


    ''Jin Yu-Ri.''


    Finally, the few friends who had stood by the side of rascal Yu-Seong were coming back.


    ***


    Yu-Ri, Do-Yoon, Ye-Ryeong, and Jin-Hyuk had all completed their promotion evaluation on the same day and came back. It was as if they had coordinated with one another.


    Upon returning home, Yu-Seong greeted the familiar faces he hadn''t seen in a while with a bright smile. He said, "We''re finally all back together. Hunting Team 8.¡±


    He also couldn''t help but be amazed.


    "What happened¡­? How did all four of you become SS-rank?"


    There were four SS-rank players standing before him. It was surprising as, in the world, SS-rank players were highly esteemed and held great value. No, to speak accurately, it seemed as though two of them had even surpassed SS-rank.


    "Are Ye-Ryeong and Jin-Hyuk...EX-rank?"


    At the sensation of their immense strength, the four of them stared at one another with wide eyes. Their heads shook from side to side.


    "I didn''t say anything," Yu-Ri refuted.


    Jin-Hyuk then responded, "But you arrived first, didn''t you, noona?"


    "Are you doubting me?" Yu-Ri asked.


    "Well, not exactly..."


    Jin-Hyuk¡¯s gaze naturally shifted from Yu-Ri to Ye-Ryeong, who had contacted Yu-Seong right after Yu-Ri. He asked, "Hey shortie, did you say it?"


    "I might just end up killing you. Who are you calling a shortie again? And why would I even say that? I was also looking forward to surprising the boss," Ye-Ryeong said firmly.


    Naturally, the gazes of the three people turned to Do-Yoon, who until then had remained silent, arms folded.


    "...It wasn''t me," said Do-Yoon as he shook his head.


    Once again, the three nodded at him and remained in silent denial.


    "Of course, Do-Yoon oppa wouldn''t do that," Yu-Ryeong said.


    "Oppa does have tight lips," Yu-Ri said.


    "So, a guilty conscience needs no accuser. Shortie, you''re the culprit, aren¡¯t you?" Jin-Hyuk said.


    "All of you, enough." Yu-Seong, who had been enjoying the back-and-forth of the four, stepped in to mediate. He added, "It seemed like everyone wanted to surprise me with their growth without letting me know, but unfortunately, there was no culprit. I simply discovered it on my own."


    "But how did you do that?" Yu-Ri asked, her eyes wide with surprise.


    As far as they knew, Yu-Seong had been sealed with the Demon King for the past three years. Thus, it was difficult for them to accept this as truth. However, the reason was very simple.


    "Because I am just above EX-rank. You''ll understand when you see it."


    Observing the flustered expressions on the four individuals¡¯ faces, Yu-Seong confidently shrugged his shoulders. He sat arrogantly in the center of the sofa.

 CH 249

    Indeed, a picture was worth a thousand words. Yu-Seong thought that showing once would be better than explaining a hundred times. Thus, he led the four to a nearby training ground and proposed a four-on-one sparring session.


    "You''re really going to take us all on by yourself?" Jin-Hyuk asked in surprise.


    Yu-Seong nodded. "Yeah. But, since the training ground might not withstand our full power, we should spar at a level that allows us to gauge our skills appropriately, right?"


    The four of them nodded at the sight of Yu-Seong''s relaxed smile. In fact, Yu-Seong had never made a meaningless suggestion so far. They believed that this time, too, there had to be a reason.


    "Understood."


    Along with Yu-Ri''s reply, the four began to gather their energy in front of Yu-Seong.


    Yu-Seong casually nodded and transformed his Pharaoh¡¯s Caprice into a spear. He said, "Come at me.¡±


    "I¡¯ll go."


    The first to act was Do-Yoon. His movement was as swift as a flickering light, befitting a Physical player of the SS rank.


    ''But he¡¯s still underestimating me.''


    Yu-Seong felt it was time to give them a taste of his true power. With that thought, as Do-Yoon lunged at him, he swung his leg like a whip and hit Do-Yoon''s arm.


    BANG!


    Do-Yoon slammed into the training ground wall with a loud explosion. He trembled for a moment as blood trickled down from his mouth. He looked at Yu-Seong in surprise and said, "Sure enough... young master."


    That was all he managed to say before he fell unconscious.


    Seeing the one who had led the charge collapse, the remaining three''s eyes widened in shock.


    ¡®Even though he hadn¡¯t transformed into a beast¡­¡¯


    A Physical-type player had been knocked out with just a single blow. It meant that if Yu-Seong hit the other three, who were all Psychic-type players, they would go down instantly.


    ''Hmm... I did hit him a little too hard.''


    Yu-Seong¡¯s determination to demonstrate his strength had indeed been quite intense. As a result, one person had been knocked out more swiftly than he had expected, but he didn''t particularly mind. After all, it put the remaining three on high alert.


    "So, shall we see how much each of you has improved?"


    With a smile, Yu-Seong charged toward the three.


    ***


    The sparring session took less than thirty minutes to wrap up. Unlike with Do-Yoon, Yu-Seong had been more controlled when facing the rest, but the fundamental skill gap was simply too wide.


    Yu-Seong gazed at the four individuals¡ªincluding Do-Yoon, who had regained consciousness and joined the spar once again¡ªwho were sprawled out in exhaustion.


    Standing tall with pride, Yu-Seong let out a brief sigh. "Still, I must admit I was surprised. You all did better than I expected.¡±


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    "...There''s no credibility in your words when you say that with such an expression, boss,¡± Ye-Ryeong muttered.


    Yu-Seong scratched his cheek with an awkward smile. "No, it''s not a joke... I should be considered an exception to the standard."


    In the first place, Yu-Seong had been trained by three transcendent beings, who were among the strongest beings in the world, for the whole 250 years. No matter how talented the four were compared to Yu-Seong, it would not be easy to leap over 250 years in just three years. That was a given.


    "So what exactly happened?"


    The question from the always curious and truth-seeking Yu-Ri continued. The other three also naturally showed curiosity in their eyes.


    Yu-Seong, smiling and sitting down in front of them, began his story. "It''s going to be a fairly long story. The thing is, while you guys spent three years training, I spent a total of 250 years.¡±


    His subsequent explanation was the same as what he had told Woo-Jae and Helen. He told the truth, excluding the part about the transcendent beings. He also didn''t hide the existence of his master.


    "I knew from the start that you would become an amazing person, hyung!"


    At Jin-Hyuk''s excited words, Yu-Seong made an awkward expression and shook his head. He said, "I was just lucky. The truly amazing ones are the four of you. Thanks to you, I feel really relieved.¡±


    ¡°You seem to have a plan, right?¡±


    At Yu-Ri''s inquiry, Yu-Seong nodded without hesitation and declared, "Yes. I plan to eliminate the Demon King Worshipers from this world."


    Hearing Yu-Seong¡¯s declaration, the four looked shocked. Despite his casual manner of speaking, it was a task no one had accomplished until now.


    What kind of organization were the Demon King Worshipers? Indeed, they were infamous as the world''s worst and largest criminal group. They were an immense organization with so much power that the whole world would have to unite against it as a single force. Could eradicating such a group be an easy task?


    Strangely enough, the thought that emerged in the minds of the four at that moment was that it might indeed be possible. Above all, even if it seemed impossible, they did not feel like backing down. This was because it was Yu-Seong who had brought up the topic.


    "Since you made up your mind to do it, hyung, we''ll definitely make it happen," Jin-Hyuk said.


    "I owe a lot to you, boss. Even if it''s difficult, we have to do it," Ye-Ryeong said with a radiant and encouraging smile.


    In fact, these two were essentially the greatest force immediately available to Yu-Seong.


    ''It may be too early to judge based solely on a spar, but...''


    According to Yu-Seong¡¯s guess, the two were nearly on par with a Hexagram Master. It meant they hadn''t just mindlessly raised their ranks over the past three years.


    ''They are pretty reliable.''


    Although they weren''t particularly tall, and their faces still showed signs of youth, they could no longer be seen as mere children.


    A pleased smile lingered on Yu-Seong''s face when Do-Yoon and Yu-Ri echoed their companions¡¯ sentiments.


    "We will devote ourselves to being more helpful to you, young master," Do-Yoon said.


    "What can I do when both of the oppas say they will? I''ll follow your lead," Yu-Ri said.


    The siblings'' abilities were, to speak objectively, a step behind Ye-Ryeong and Jin-Hyuk.


    ''But they''ve certainly surpassed the limitations from the original novel.''


    Alone, they would struggle, but if they joined forces, they could, like Ye-Ryeong and Jin-Hyuk, topple a Hexagram Master. More than anything, the trust Yu-Seong had in these two was incomparable to any other individual.


    ''It''s not that I don''t trust others...but these two are definitely special.''


    The siblings even sacrificed their own lives in the original novel for the rascal known as Choi Yu-Seong. Remembering that, how could he not trust them?


    Seeing the four who affirmed his difficult decision, Yu-Seong said with a smile, "I appreciate your support, but... It feels awkward to say this... I suppose I need to explain the reason. It''s not that I want to be a hero."


    "You don''t really have to say it; we will follow your lead anyway..." Jin-Hyuk said.


    An unintentional smile slipped on Yu-Seong¡¯s face, and he nodded in response. He said, "Thank you. In truth, there isn''t much reason. I just thought that the Demon King Worshipers need to disappear for my own happiness."


    "That''s a very reasonable reason," said Yu-Ri.


    Then, everyone burst into laughter. To eliminate a criminal organization obstructing Yu-Seong¡¯s own happiness¡ªthere couldn''t be a more valid reason than this.


    ''In my personal opinion, my abilities are probably on par with Eveheim¡¯s. I may even have a slight advantage.''


    Yu-Seong¡¯s masters, the transcendent beings, had told him so. Thus, it was unlikely to be far off the mark. However, Eveheim surely would have a trick up his sleeve.


    ''And there are Hexagram Masters to assist with that trick.''


    There were also the Twelve Dark Kings and everyone else within the gigantic organization. The fortunate thing was that Yu-Seong had managed to take the life of Noah, one of the Hexagram Masters, faster and easier than expected.


    ''And then, there''s the people I have with me now...''


    Rachel, Helen, Bernard, Baek Cheol, Mi-Na, the four in front of him, and Do-Jin; adding them all up, Yu-Seong could reasonably believe that the power balance was tilting slightly in his favor right now.


    ''The problem is that those Demon King Worshipers can now summon the Demon King quite easily.''


    Furthermore, they were even harnessing the power of the Demon King through summoning. If Yu-Seong had to consider the possibility of facing that as well, he felt somewhat lacking in power.


    ''As for a solution to this...''


    In fact, it wasn¡¯t like there was no solution. If Helen managed to create the training room she had mentioned before, and if they could utilize that space where mana was amplified and time could be extended, he should be able to further enhance everyone''s power.


    ''Helen said she would contact me as soon as it was complete, so I guess I''ll have to wait a bit for this.''


    It might take a little time, but as long as the situation wasn''t too dire, they should eventually find a solution.


    ''In the meantime, my job will be to throw some obstacles in the way of the Demon King Worshipers to prevent Eveheim''s side from doing anything unnecessary.''


    Just as Yu-Seong was reaching a conclusion, a call came in on the cell phone in his pocket.


    ''Father?''


    It was a summons from Woo-Jae.


    ***


    When Yu-Seong visited his family home, he found three quite unfamiliar faces sitting in Woo-Jae''s office. There was a balding middle-aged man with a strong physique, as well as another middle-aged man and a young man, both with striking features and an aura that seemed capable of cutting through anything.


    ''Who are they? They don''t seem to be Korean.''


    As if to answer Yu-Seong''s thought, the robust elderly man seated there began to speak. He said, "Oh, you must be Choi Yu-Seong? I''ve heard a lot about you."


    His Japanese was easy to understand and casual. Understanding the language, but not feeling any need to respond in kind, Yu-Seong walked toward Woo-Jae. Seeing this, the robust man¡¯s eyes narrowed. He asked Woo-Jae, "Does your son not speak Japanese?"


    "Well... I''ve never heard him speak it before."


    Shrugging his shoulders, Woo-Jae looked at Yu-Seong.


    "I do speak it, but I didn''t feel like responding to a stranger who greets me in Japanese in Korea."


    Hearing Yu-Seong''s words, which were delivered in Korean, a broad smile stretched across Woo-Jae''s face as he said, "That¡¯s what he says, Chairman Takaku."


    The Japanese middle-aged man, Takaku, frowned deeply and said, "You¡¯re rumored to be a rather polite young man, but it seems I was mistaken."


    "Me? I''m better known by the name ''rascal,'' actually."


    The conversation kept switching back and forth between Japanese and Korean, but it nevertheless continued without a hitch.


    "Hmm... Very unpleasant. Is it your first time hearing my name?" asked Takaku.


    "I''m well aware. Takaku Ryuu. Aren''t you the Chairman of Issai, the biggest corporation in Japan?" Yu-Seong answered.


    "You know that, and you still talk to me in Korean? That¡¯s..." Takaku mumbled.


    "You''re also speaking Japanese even though you know Korean, aren''t you?"


    At Yu-Seong''s firm retort, Takaku''s face turned bright red, and he turned to Woo-Jae. He yelled, "Your son is completely insane!"


    It was certainly not the kind of thing to say to a father with his son present. Angry, Yu-Seong was about to step in again when¡­


    "What can I do when a son known for being a rascal is acting like one?"


    "...Huh?"


    "Have you ever seen a rascal son listen to his father?" Woo-Jae asked.


    Of course not. If he had been obedient enough to listen to his father, Yu-Seong wouldn''t have been known as a rascal in the first place. In other words, what Woo-Jae was saying was that he could do nothing to stop Yu-Seong.


    Thus, there was no response.


    "Actually, I quite enjoy being a rascal; this is kinda fun," Yu-Seong remarked with a casual shrug of his shoulders.

 CH 250

    The atmosphere of the office, which had once been destroyed by Do-Jin and was quickly restored, was heating up. The heat was, of course, emanating from Chairman Takaku, whose face was glowing red with rage.


    Then, with an idea suddenly occurring to Yu-Seong, he clapped his hands and asked, "I''ve heard that you are also a player, Chairman. I''m seriously worried about your health. Have you perhaps been to the hospital recently?"


    He was indeed pouring gasoline on the fire.


    The Chairman, unable to continue his tirade, grimaced while clutching the back of his neck with his left hand.


    ''If this goes on, that yangban might actually faint...''


    In truth, there had been no instance of a player fainting.


    Meanwhile, a middle-aged Japanese man, who had been quietly observing the situation, looked at Woo-Jae with a sharp gaze and said, "A child is a mirror of their parents... Chairman, I wonder if you have other thoughts on that."


    "If I have to share my opinion¡­. I think he''s grown up quite well?" said Woo-Jae in Korean.


    The man frowned as he said coldly, "I don''t speak Korean. Please speak in Japanese."


    "Ah, right. You''re somewhat lacking in education," Woo-Jae replied in Japanese as he snickered.


    Noticing that the man¡¯s frown deepened, Woo-Jae said, "Oh, I apologize for my mistake. I meant to say that in Korean. Please understand. Who do you think the son resembles?"


    "..." The man bit his lower lip and clenched his fist as he trembled slightly. His gaze was sharp enough to kill.


    "Enough, enough..." Chairman Takaku eventually raised a hand to intervene. He then asked, "We did not gather here to quarrel, did we?"


    His words, seemingly declaring a ceasefire, subtly relaxed Woo-Jae''s combative gaze.


    "So, why did you suddenly start a fight despite not being very eloquent? Tsk, tsk," Woo-Jae said.


    Chairman Takaku grasped the back of his neck once again but said nothing further. Recognizing the loss in engaging in this verbal battle, he wisely chose to remain silent. Then, shifting his gaze toward Yu-Seong, he commented, "I''ve heard you''re currently the most admired young player in South Korea.¡±


    Yu-Seong, wearing a satisfied expression, nodded at the statement made in Korean. He then asked innocently, "Me? Wasn''t I sealed for three years?"


    "Well... I mean, excluding geniuses who''ve already reached world-class, like Chae Ye-Ryeong and Yoo Jin-Hyuk," Takaku continued.


    Even though the pair¡¯s advancement to EX-rank was not yet public knowledge, these two were already referred to as ''world class''.


    ¡®Those kiddos really have grown so much.''


    The fact that they had become such powerful players in their early twenties, powerful enough to slightly intimidate the prideful chairman of the top corporation in Japan, filled Yu-Seong with a strange sense of awe.


    "More than that, unlike them, you''re a chaebol, aren''t you?"


    "Does the origin even matter? It is the person who matters," Yu-Seong replied.


    "Family roots are the basis. It''s something you can''t easily change."


    "Is that so..." Yu-Seong partially agreed with Chairman Takaku''s statement. With a shrug, he added, "Rotten roots can''t be changed easily, indeed.¡±


    Chairman Takaku cleared his throat several times, feeling a subtle displeasure in Yu-Seong''s gaze. He asked, "Did your father tell you why I wanted to meet you?"


    "No. I didn''t particularly care..."


    Seemingly not wishing to continue the conversation, Chairman Takaku looked away from Yu-Seong and turned his gaze back to the middle-aged Japanese man.


    After a moment of silence, the man stood from his seat, bowed slightly in Yu-Seong''s direction, and introduced himself. "Nice to meet you. I''m Yamamoto Kyosuke."


    "It''s a pleasure to meet the renowned Nioh," Yu-Seong replied.


    As his opponent had shown some etiquette and admitted his lack of Korean proficiency, Yu-Seong responded in Japanese.


    ¡®I think it''s only appropriate to give a firm response to Chairman Takaku, since we started off on the wrong foot in the first place¡­¡¯


    At first, when Yu-Seong first entered the office, he hadn¡¯t noticed much. However, upon a closer look, he didn¡¯t struggle to recognize Chairman Takaku and the famous pride of Japan, Nioh. Why had they come here? The question naturally led to the fact that the young man accompanying them both seemed to be of the same age as Yu-Seong.


    To be honest, Yu-Seong really had no idea who the young man was.


    ''Could he be a new figure who has emerged over the last three years?''


    Nioh, seeming to have sensed Yu-Seong''s questioning gaze, gave a nod to the young man.


    Despite the somewhat confusing situation, the young man, who had maintained an unchanging expression and firmly held his ground this entire time, stood up from his seat and said, "I am Takeda Yu-Shin, a disciple serving under Master Yamamoto Kyosuke.¡±


    Finally understanding that the young man was Nioh¡¯s disciple, Yu-Seong''s eyes widened.


    ''Ah, come to think of it, he was mentioned in the original novel but with not much detail.¡¯


    He was introduced as a young genius from Japan, and he was expected to surpass Nioh and become a rising star in Asia.


    "I''m Choi Yu-Seong."


    After brief introductions were exchanged, Takeda Yu-Shin took his seat again. He spoke of embarking on his ninja journey, which perhaps explained the palpable weight of the way he carried himself.


    "Yu-Shin and you are of the same age."


    "Is that so? Is he 22? Or rather, 25?" Yu-Seong inquired, taking into account the three years of being sealed which would make him 25.


    "If we consider Korean age... However, in Japan, he would be 23. So, if it''s alright to you, I arranged this meeting to foster a connection between you and Yu-Shin, and also to propose a friendly duel," Nioh said.


    "I see."


    Afterward, the silent Chairman Takaku stepped in to say, "Yu-Shin is currently the most prominent talent in our country. If you have a friendly duel with him, it would be a huge event.¡±


    "So what do you plan to do?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "We want to broadcast it. It''s not going to be a regular or repeated event, but you have a NewTube channel, right?"


    "So you want to broadcast the duel live?"


    "I''ve heard that you even have a filming crew."


    After Yu-Seong''s disappearance, it was said that Park Jin-Hwan and Kim Jin-Young, the two reporters, had been anxiously waiting for his return.


    Listening to the man¡¯s statement, Yu-Seong could clearly read Chairman Takaku''s intentions. Chairman Takaku would grant him the rights to filming and broadcasting, as long as he agreed to a live broadcast of the duel between the two. Implicit in the Chairman¡¯s words was a clear message.


    ''So you are confident enough, huh?''


    In fact, it made sense. Takeda Yu-Shin, the player, was hailed as a young genius of Japan. After all, he had already reached the rank of S at the age of 23. Although he might not have reached the level of Jin-Hyuk and Ye-Ryeong, he undeniably possessed remarkable talent.


    ''And recently, the status of Korean players has risen quite a lot.''


    This was unsurprising with the successive rise of super rookies like Do-Jin, Yu-Seong, Ye-Ryeong, Jin-Hyuk, and even Bernard who was actively competing in the United States as a proud Korean.


    Naturally, being a neighboring country, Japan couldn''t avoid being compared, and the nation sought a hero to uphold its pride. And who better to fulfill that role than Takeda Yu-Shin himself.


    ''It seems that I have been chosen as the opponent.''


    Upon reflection, the reason was almost laughable.


    ''A former genius from a South Korean conglomerate family.''


    Moreover, Yu-Seong was popular enough to create a significant buzz. This was a superficial reason that could be easily speculated, and as for the most important reason¡­


    ''Because I am the easiest to beat.''


    Yu-Seong had technically been on a three-year hiatus. In comparison, dealing with externally renowned SS-ranked players like Ye-Ryeong, Jin-Hyuk, Bernard, and the others would prove to be a daunting challenge. Furthermore, Do-Jin was recently reported missing. Hence, the Japanese opted for Yu-Seong, who had recently reappeared. Although there might have been some criticism from around, winning could help them win their pride back.


    ''It''s a pretty sharp calculation, but...''


    They had picked the wrong opponent. Perhaps having the same thought, Woo-Jae¡¯s lips soon curved up into a smile as he asked, "So you''re saying that you''ll give us all the filming and broadcasting rights in return for a public duel?"


    "Yes, since we are the ones asking for a favor here," Chairman Takaku said with a snake-like smile.


    Woo-Jae casually nodded in response. He said, "It''s not a bad proposal.¡±


    There was no chance of him losing, which was why Woo-Jae wouldn''t simply let an opportunity like this slip away. Yu-Seong firmly believed that was the reason why.


    "However, just doing the duel itself would be boring, so how about we place a bet between us?" Woo-Jae asked.


    "A bet?"


    After a brief look of contemplation crossed Chairman Takaku''s eyes, he asked, "How much are we betting?"


    Indeed, it was a confrontation between two chaebol chairmen. It was nonsensical to wager a small amount.


    "10 billion dollars."


    "...What?"


    The suggested amount was over 10 trillion won in Korean currency, and Chairman Takaku''s official personal assets amounted to around 60 trillion won. Subtracting 10 trillion from that would inevitably cause him to feel a burden. It was as if a chunk of his assets would be shaved off.


    "Why? Are you scared?" Woo-Jae asked.


    "Hmm..."


    "If you feel burdened by the amount, let''s make a deal. Along with one billion dollars¡­ I am aware that you have investments in several businesses within the North American region."


    "...And?"


    "Give me five of the businesses of my choosing."


    "Isn''t that too much?"


    Any business which had secretly been invested in by Chairman Takaku, a conglomerate leader, would most likely have a significantly higher future value. Besides, Woo-Jae''s proposal made the Chairman wonder if there was something he was missing, leading him to feel a chill of doubt.


    "Isn''t it better than betting 10 billion dollars right away?"


    "Hmm..."


    "If you''re scared, don''t do it. After all, we have nothing to lose.¡±


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    Woo-Jae had no intention of letting go of his advantage in this situation.


    ¡®Is this what they refer to as an unseen land grab?¡¯


    It was a battle among the conglomerates. There were no guns or swords, but someone would inevitably have to bleed. Observing this situation, Yu-Seong had this bizarre scene in his mind.


    "If I lose, there''s no need for resentment, right? I''ll gladly give you 10 billion dollars," Woo-Jae declared, releasing the final arrow he had prepared to seal the deal.


    "...What?"


    "If you''re still scared, there''s nothing I can do."


    At this point, from a rational point of view, Chairman Takaku was well aware that Woo-Jae''s display of confidence was not without reason. Nevertheless, the lure of the prey flaunting its tail before him was too tempting¡ªa staggering 10 billion dollars and the chance to forge a Japanese hero. If Chairman Takaku successfully completed this deal and returned to his homeland, the status of the entire corporation would rise, and it was needless to say that additional income would be significantly generated.


    Moreover, wasn''t Yu-Seong, the chosen opponent, who had been missing for the past three years? Chairman Takaku''s gaze turned toward Nioh, Kyosuke.


    Kyosuke nodded, his expression calm and his arms crossed, indicating he had confidence.


    After deep contemplation, Chairman Takaku nodded his head in agreement. "...Alright."


    Once decided, Woo-Jae did not drag the conversation out. He said firmly, "Let''s write the contract now. When should we set the date?"


    "We''re ready anytime."


    "Let''s schedule it for two weeks from now," interjected Yu-Seong, who had been silently listening.


    In reality, it wouldn''t matter if they fought right away. The need for time was for one reason only.


    "We should have that much time to advertise and make more profits in various ways."


    "We have to allow betting within legal limits since it''s going to be a celebrated event."


    The conversation between the father and son continued before Chairman Takaku, who had been watching them, said, "Then we will take our leave now. Please send the contract by email."


    Since all profits from video broadcasting and betting had been transferred to the Comet Group, there was no room for Chairman Takaku to intervene.


    ¡°Take care.¡± Woo-Jae gently waved his hand.


    Just as the three were about to rise from their seats to depart, Takeda Yu-Shin, who had been observing Yu-Seong, said, "I will win."


    He tried his best to remain calm, but there seemed to be an angry undercurrent, likely a result of witnessing the disrespect shown toward his esteemed Chairman Takaku and Kyosuke.


    Taking in the young man¡¯s demeanor, Yu-Seong nodded his head in response. "Good luck."


    With a frown on his face, Takeda Yu-Shin and the other two Japanese men exited the office.

 CH 251

    Finally, only Yu-Seong and Woo-Jae were left in the office. At that moment, Yu-Seong posed the most important question. He asked, "Since I joined the game, what''s my share?"


    "Hmm," Woo-Jae responded, a twisted smile forming on his lips.


    After a grunt, he said, "I''m the one who arranged the deal. Just take the broadcasting and competition fees. They should fill your pockets quite nicely."


    "But it wouldn''t have been easy without my provocation, would it?"


    "I''ll commend you for shaking the opponent emotionally."


    "Give me half."


    "No. Where did you learn such a crooked...thief''s mindset¡­?"


    "I learned it from you, Father. Didn''t you negotiate like that just now?"


    "I''ve never done that."


    "Alright. I''ll give up on the cash. Instead, allow me to choose three businesses."


    "Impossible!"


    For some reason, Woo-Jae made that exclamation with a joyous smile on his face.


    With a similar smile on his own face, Yu-Seong firmly said, "Then, two businesses and 300 million dollars."


    ¡°Do you know the saying, ''six of one, half a dozen of the other¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Alright. One business and 200 million dollars. But, I should have priority when choosing the business. I won''t yield on this."


    "Hmm..." Woo-Jae let out a short groan, crossed his arms, and showed a contemplative expression.


    Finally, showing a grin on his face, he said firmly, "Let''s draft a contract. Even in financial transactions between a father and son, clarity is crucial."


    "That''s exactly what I want as well."


    And so, two contracts were quickly signed.


    ***


    Upon returning home, Yu-Seong asked Yu-Ri and the Hidden Team to investigate companies in the US that had been invested in by the Issai Group or under Chairman Takaku''s name.


    ''If my memory serves me correctly...''


    Vision Technology was the place where a brilliant scientist, soon to develop the artificial Awakening Stone and astonish the world, belonged. Among the entities set to gain substantial profits as the primary investor was Issai Group, and this was a detail that Yu-Seong had recalled from the original novel.


    ''The future has changed a lot, but thankfully, the artificial Awakening Stone has not been developed yet. Thus, the company might not seem valuable at this time...''


    In fact, Vision Technology was a truly promising company with a substantial core. From the beginning, Yu-Seong had this fact in mind when negotiating with Woo-Jae, so he naturally had a clear goal in mind.


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    And the next day, when Yu-Seong learned that the third-largest investor in Vision Technology was currently Chairman Takaku of the Issai Group, he immediately broke into a bright smile.


    ¡®Indeed, while I am currently the third-largest investor, if I generate some profit from my personal assets and take this gamble, there''s a chance I could become the largest shareholder, couldn''t I?¡¯


    This was only possible because no one was valuing the company highly just yet.


    ''I can''t miss this.''


    Finally, an opportunity had come. The more money one had, the better.


    ''I can track down the Demon King Worshipers, as well as increase my forces.''


    Wasn''t this the most significant realization Yu-Seong recently had while living in this society?


    As he spent the afternoon seated in a chair on his mansion¡¯s front yard, contemplating Vision Technology, which would soon be under his control, and secretly brimming with anticipation, a guest arrived at his front door.


    "Kim Do-Jin?"


    As soon as Yu-Seong, who had sensed something, called out his name, Do-Jin responded from the front entrance, "Can I come in?"


    "Don''t be formal, it is so unlike you. Come in."


    Slowly opening the door, Do-Jin walked into the mansion.


    "Your expression has changed a lot."


    "Has it?"


    "Yeah. It''s brighter. You look good."


    "...Maybe." Do-Jin, who awkwardly acknowledged that change in him, narrowed his eyes. He then commented, "You''ve changed a lot too."


    "Really?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "You¡¯re usually immersed in training around this time, or you¡¯d be in a dungeon."


    Do-Jin¡¯s observation was not wrong. If it had been Yu-Seong from three years ago, he wouldn''t have taken a break even at this very moment, since he would be striving relentlessly for even the slightest growth.


    "Now, I''m not at a stage where I can grow from that..."


    "How about the Tower of Heaven?"


    "It''s the same over there. Anyway, this is a good time to take a decent rest, right?"


    "I¡¯m finding this change hard to understand. What on earth happened during the past three years?"


    Curiosity flared in Do-Jin''s eyes, especially since he had directly experienced Yu-Seong''s abnormal growth.


    "I trained really hard. It''s annoying to repeat the story that I''ve already talked about until my mouth hurts, but since it''s you, I''ll tell you the story. Sit down first."


    As Yu-Seong pointed to a chair on the opposite side, Do-Jin nodded and sat down. Yu-Seong''s explanation that followed was quite long, and Do-Jin, maintaining silence, occasionally nodded and listened carefully.


    "Your masters..."


    "I''ve had that question many times, but I can''t see them now."


    "No, I mean, what''s their connection with Eveheim?"


    "...seems like I¡¯ve misunderstood you."


    "I''ve heard the story several times while I was brainwashed by him. Green, Gabriel, Bak Ok-Rye... The transcendent beings, am I right?" Do-Jin asked.


    "Correct," acknowledged Yu-Seong, who did not vehemently deny it.


    "He seemed quite scared of the three. But you are saying that you became their disciple."


    "Correct."


    Do-Jin, who came closer than others to the core of the story, nodded and asked, "I''m going to ask you two things. Can you answer honestly?"


    "Sure."


    "First, how strong are you now?"


    "...That''s a tough question to answer honestly. Maybe, incredibly?"


    "Weren''t you also not at your best when fighting with me?" Do-Jin inquired.


    "If I had to give an estimation..." Yu-Seong narrowed his eyes and spread out five fingers. He said, "Half. In other words, about 50 percent."


    In reality, it could have been just 30 percent. However, noticing Do-Jin''s oddly distressed expression, Yu-Seong deliberately exaggerated the figure.


    "Didn''t we agree not to lie?"


    "Did you catch on?"


    "I''ve experienced Eveheim. If he¡¯s worried about them, then I should expect that you are far ahead."


    "Haha..."


    "Should I consider it about 30 percent?" Do-Jin said.


    "Roughly."


    "If the three masters are unavailable, wouldn''t it be alright if you teach me?" Do-Jin said.


    "...What?" Yu-Seong''s eyes naturally widened at the unbelievable statement that had come from the prideful Do-Jin.


    "Don''t get me wrong. I''m not admitting that I¡¯ve lost to you. If we learn the same thing, of course, I would be stronger. For an experiment..."


    "You don''t need to beat around the bush with your excuses. Anyway, okay."


    "...Really?"


    "There''s nothing so great about it. In fact, Master Green said something about this before."


    In fact, there should be a total of seven transcendent beings. Among them, there were currently four vacancies. Yu-Seong thought it wasn''t a bad idea for Do-Jin to fill one of those spots.


    "Thank you."


    "No need for thanks."


    "I mean, I''m grateful in many ways. Even about my mother..."


    "That is something my father should take credit for.¡±


    "Choi Woo-Jae?"


    "Yes. As soon as he found out your identity, he started an investigation. And he also spent a lot of money for her treatment."


    "..."


    Deep conflict flashed across Do-Jin''s eyes. He felt conflicting feelings of hatred and gratitude for Woo-Jae. Yu-Seong patiently waited for him to sort out his emotions. After all, this wasn''t something that could be resolved merely by telling him to do so.


    "Let me move on to the second question. You once mentioned that this world is a story from a novel."


    "Let''s get the statement right. I said I have memories of reading a novel with the same settings and characters. And you didn''t believe it."


    "Can you tell me the details of the story?"


    "So you''re finally ready to hear the story." Yu-Seong let out a short laugh before beginning to tell the long story again.


    The conversation that had started in the afternoon continued without a break until it was already sunset. Like before, Do-Jin, after silently listening to the story, closed his eyes and deeply furrowed his brows.


    He muttered, "...Honestly, I don''t want to believe your words."


    "It isn¡¯t the most pleasant thing to believe, I guess.¡±


    Imagine that someone suddenly approached to reveal that you were actually a character from a novel, and not just any character, but the protagonist. In reality, there would be only a few who would take such news positively. It would feel like you had become a puppet moving on threads, like a Marionette, according to a predetermined destiny. How would Do-Jin accept this fact?


    ''Helen said that was also fate.''


    After learning some secrets of the universe from Gabriel, Yu-Seong had made the decision to believe in the existence of both worlds as true. Specifically, he had come to believe that the Yu-Seong existing in both worlds had always indeed been himself.


    ''Should I try to persuade him?''


    Yu-Seong was being cautious in case Do-Jin''s mental state could be shaken.


    "It doesn''t matter. If there''s something like fate, all I need to do is overcome it."


    At Do-Jin''s calm and very characteristic words, Yu-Seong involuntarily burst out laughing. "Puhahaha!"


    "Why are you laughing?"


    "Well, it''s very like you... And you sound like you have Middle School Syndrome[1]."


    "...Middle School Syndrome?" Do-Jin''s face suddenly turned red as he thought about the meaning of the phrase.


    "You''ve changed many fates with that mindset, haven''t you?"


    "Rather than that... I just didn''t want to be unhappy according to predetermined fate. Most of all, I haven¡¯t said out loud that ''I''ll overcome the fate...'' with such a strict, solemn, and serious expression like you have."


    Do-Jin''s face became even redder at Yu-Seong''s words, which were delivered in a deliberately lowered voice.


    "...I''ll kill you. Choi Yu-Seong."


    "Unfortunately, that is an impossible task with your current skill."


    "I''ll assassinate you."


    "Oh, I''ll cheer for you."


    Do-Jin clenched his fist as he was at a loss for words due to Yu-Seong''s excessively mischievous attitude. He growled, "Let''s see if you can still say that on the day training ends.¡±


    "Try hard. I won''t be standing still either."


    After shooting another glare at Yu-Seong, who shrugged his shoulders with a laugh, Do-Jin¡¯s gaze finally calmed down. His expression, which had been unknowingly joyful to the point of showing a smile, also returned to a more neutral one.


    "So... Was there anything else in the novel you read?"


    "What?"


    "Perhaps about my real enemy?"


    Flames blazed in Do-Jin''s eyes, a reflection of the darkness that still lingered within him despite his newfound glimpse of light.


    "You''ve already heard some of the truth from my father, haven''t you?"


    "...That was true?"


    For Do-Jin, it was hard to believe Woo-Jae. However, he could trust Yu-Seong. Considering the father-son relationship between the two, it was rather peculiar for Do-Jin to ask Yu-Seong such a question.


    ''I understand him. There isn¡¯t the luxury of time for him to be troubled by such thoughts.''


    Therefore, Yu-Seong decided to answer confidently.


    "That''s right. The one who killed your father is not mine."


    In fact, this detail did not appear in the original novel. Therefore, initially, Yu-Seong had also been confused about how to solve this problem. However, now he knew the truth.


    ¡®Since Master Gabriel told me.''


    The excessive intervention of Eveheim in the world had always been a subject that greatly discomforted the transcendent beings. Therefore, they couldn''t possibly have been unaware of the truth.


    "So really...."


    "Yes. Eveheim. He''s the one who killed your father. He also killed my mother."


    Do-Jin smiled bitterly, then he sighed deeply and nodded his head. He said, "Without knowing the full truth, we¡¯ve been pointing swords at each other. But we actually share a common enemy.¡±


    Finally, the gears that had been twisted began to move in the right direction.


    1. ¡¯?2?¡¯ is a term used in Japan and Korea to describe the distinctive behaviors displayed by certain adolescents. It encompasses indulging in grandiose fantasies, believing in possessing special powers, and exhibiting an inflated sense of self-importance ?

 CH 252

    "Hold on, let''s get one thing straight. Technically, you were the only one pointing the sword. I was scared to death at first," Yu-Seong confessed.


    At this, Do-Jin avoided his gaze and awkwardly coughed. He said, "...I never seriously intended to kill you.¡±


    "Even after threatening to kill me just a moment ago?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "That was the first time."


    "You have no conscience."


    Yu-Seong chuckled and was about to click his tongue when he felt a vibration on the desk. He picked up his phone, and his eyes lit up. "Helen?"


    - The Time Spell Zone has been completely created.


    There was no need to ask what that meant. In fact, Helen had already explained to Yu-Seong what she was researching: ''The training room that simultaneously amplifies mana and expands time.''


    However, the research had concluded much faster than Yu-Seong had expected.


    "It seems the Philosopher''s Stone did its job quite well," Yu-Seong said.


    - Yes, it''s all thanks to you. Now, one month''s time can be expanded to five years.


    "Wow!" Yu-Seong couldn''t help but exclaim in admiration.


    While somewhat inferior to the time expansion technique of his mentor, Gabriel, it still boasted impressive efficiency.


    "That''s incredible, Helen. You''ve made the discovery of the century."


    - But there are still some problems.


    "Even so, it''s a great achievement. What''s the problem?"


    - Only two people can enter at a time. And I suspect that the maximum usage time is around three months. I''m not sure what might happen if you stay longer.


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    "Oh... So the maximum training efficiency is about fifteen years," Yu-Seong replied.


    Even so, it was a tremendous accomplishment. Reflecting on the growth of his colleagues over the past three years in his absence, it became clear that this would be an enormous catalyst for their growth.


    Naturally, Yu-Seong''s gaze landed on Do-Jin, who was listening in on the phone call with an excited look.


    "Ah, Helen. Have you decided who will be the first to enter the Time Spell Zone?" Yu-Seong asked.


    - First, Bernard Yoo and Rachel are scheduled to go in tomorrow...


    Helen seemed to have decided to stay outside, being the developer, just in case.


    ''Bernard Yoo and Rachel, huh...''


    Indeed, it was certainly an excellent pair. However, right next to Yu-Seong was someone with even greater potential.


    "I''m sorry, but could we change the order?" asked Yu-Seong.


    - Eh? You''re not thinking of going in, are you?


    "No, it''s someone else."


    - Someone else... Could it be...?


    "Right, Kim Do-Jin has returned," Yu-Seong responded.


    Across the line, a brief silence followed before Helen chuckled wryly.


    - Certainly, he would be better than Rachel, that malicious woman. Do you think you can make it by 6 am tomorrow, our time?


    "Of course."


    After all, with a few teleportation spells, they could reach America in no time.


    - Alright. See you tomorrow then. Pass on the message to Kim Do-Jin as well.


    After the call ended, Do-Jin said to Yu-Seong, "It would have been better if we went in together.¡±


    "The Time Spell Zone?"


    "Since you did promise to help me, after all."


    "Right. But, do I really need to be right beside you to teach you?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "I do need you to be right beside me," Do-Jin answered.


    "Why is that?"


    "Well, of course..."


    "Don''t tell me you''re going to forget everything I''ve taught you so soon?" Yu-Seong asked, eyes wide in surprise.


    Do-Jin, who had momentarily closed his mouth at Yu-Seong¡¯s question, sighed before continuing, "It''s not that... What if I encounter a problem or have any difficulties?"


    "Anyway, there is no definitive answer. We''re different people, after all."


    "Hmm..."


    "In the first place, what I can teach you is basically limited to the Beast King''s Instinct and my knowledge of magic."


    Ultimately, Do-Jin was a swordsman, and Yu-Seong was a spearman. From the start, the weapon techniques they could learn from each other were bound to be limited. Hence, Yu-Seong imparted the Beast King''s Instinct that wasn''t influenced by the weapon.


    ¡®Master Bak Ok-Rye suggested that I would learn more quickly through experiencing strikes, taking into account my lack of natural combat talent. But¡­¡¯


    Wouldn''t Do-Jin learn faster if Yu-Seong just taught him the principles? After all, Do-Jin''s combat talent was on a monstrous level. The same applied to his magic knowledge.


    ''Kim Do-Jin himself is already a formidable mage, after all.''


    Yu-Seong merely would have to share some of the transcendent knowledge and wisdom of Green.


    ''And then, what¡¯s left is the Time Adjustment I learned from Master Gabriel...''


    No matter how much of a genius Do-Jin was, it was not something he could learn in just 15 years. It was probably better for Do-Jin to find his own path.


    Convinced by this argument, Do-Jin finally nodded in agreement. He said, "So, in the end, it''s up to me to figure it out.¡±


    "That''s right. Unlike me, you''ve already established a solid foundation. Great, let''s meet up later. I''ll prepare the secret manual in the meantime," Yu-Seong said.


    "Okay. And when I come back in three months..."


    "I didn¡¯t forget. Let''s finish everything."


    The same name crossed both their minds.


    "I appreciate it, Choi Yu-Seong."


    "Don¡¯t mention it. See you later." Yu-Seong chuckled, shrugged his shoulders, and stood up from his seat to head inside the house.


    In fact, the content was quite extensive and time was of the essence. And about 16 hours later, after seeing Do-Jin off into the Time Spell Zone, Yu-Seong returned to Korea and looked at his watch.


    ''Three months, huh...''


    What would Do-Jin look like when he returned?


    ''He will be impressive. After all, he¡¯s the protagonist of the original novel.''


    Yu-Seong couldn''t help but look forward to it.


    ***


    As Yu-Seong awaited Do-Jin''s return, time seemed to fly by. Before he knew it, the day of the live broadcast duel between Takeda Yu-Shin, Japan''s top prospect, and Korea''s rising star, Yu-Seong, had finally arrived.


    This too was an event that Yu-Seong had been anticipating.


    ''If I win this, my wealth will skyrocket.''


    However, he wasn¡¯t the only one. Jin-Hwan and Jin-Young, dedicated reporters for Yu-Seong''s NewTube channel, had also been eagerly awaiting this day.


    "How long has it been since we last filmed you, sir?"


    "You still look remarkable as always."


    To their words, Yu-Seong greeted them with a welcoming smile. He said, "I look forward to working with you today.¡±


    Although this reunion after three years held some awkwardness, both of the reporters reacted as professionals.


    "Of course. We will capture your amazing appearance," Jin-Young replied with a vibrant voice.


    Jin-Hwan also nodded. However, with a faint concern hidden in his eyes, he asked, "Are you really okay?"


    Unable to hold back his emotion, he had to ask Yu-Seong that question.


    Yu-Seong tilted his head in response and asked, "What do you mean¡­ Ah, you''re talking about the duel?"


    "Yes. After all, you''ve had a three-year hiatus."


    It was a widely known fact that Takeda Yu-Shin was an S-rank player. On the other hand, Yu-Seong was publicly known as an A-rank, albeit with rumors suggesting he had skills comparable to S-rank.


    "Those guys will deeply regret it. They have no idea who hyung is, yet they dared to challenge him to a fight."


    The person who answered Jin-Hwan''s question was Jin-Hyuk, who had come to the shooting location with Yu-Seong.


    Wearing dark sunglasses, a deep cap, and even a mask, Jin-Hyuk was now being hailed as one of the strongest forces in Korea and was enjoying immense popularity. Thus, this get up wasn''t an unexpected sight.


    "Is it really to that extent?"


    "Absolutely. My brother is much stronger than both me and that shortie!" Jin-Hyuk said.


    At Jin-Hyuk''s boastful words, both Jin-Hwan and Jin-Young widened their eyes.


    "What?"


    Could that even be possible? During Yu-Seong''s three-year hiatus, Jin-Hwan and Jin-Young had filmed more videos with Jin-Hyuk and Ye-Ryeong than anyone else. Naturally, they had seen the pair evolve into the strongest players in Korea. Therefore, it was hard for them to believe that Yu-Seong, who had taken a three-year hiatus, could be stronger than the duo known as the strongest couple.


    Finally, Jin-Hwan and Jin-Young blinked at each other and settled on a shared thought.


    ''Jin-Hyuk probably said that out of admiration for boss.¡¯


    It was a statement that seemed to be heavily, if not overly, embellished. However, it was also true that seeing Yu-Seong''s reliable presence, much like it was three years ago, reassured them greatly.


    "On the internet and in the media, many people are predicting your defeat, sir. We hope that you prove them wrong this time."


    "Losing to Japan in such a game is unacceptable."


    Yu-Seong nodded at their words of encouragement.


    "Of course."


    "I bet 10 billion won on you, hyung," Jin-Hyuk said.


    "You made that much money?" Yu-Seong asked.


    "Hehe... If it''s for Hyung, I can give it all. It''s my entire fortune."


    "..."


    Yu-Seong couldn''t help but feel strange at Jin-Hyuk''s nervous laughter.


    ''Of course, I''ll obviously win, but...''


    The audacity to bet that much money was still quite remarkable.


    "Tsk, you little brat." Yu-Seong affectionately stroked Jin-Hyuk''s head, and they shared a smile before continuing their brief conversation.


    Just then, everything was ready at the private arena they had prepared for filming. Simultaneously, a luxury Japanese car appeared as if the protagonist had arrived, and three people got out.


    ''Chairman Takaku, Nioh Yamamoto Kyosuke, and Takeda Yu-Shin.''


    They entered with confident expressions and glanced at Yu-Seong before heading to their waiting area to prepare.


    "They seem unpleasant. Are they glaring at hyung? Maybe I should poke their eyes out after the match?"


    At Jin-Hyuk''s words, which sounded too serious to be a joke, Yu-Seong stiffened his expression. He murmured, "Who told you to say such a scary thing?"


    "Ah, what? Uh... I''m sorry."


    "I appreciate your concern, but I''d rather not have you become a criminal or a villain."


    Now, if Jin-Hyuk took the wrong path, he could really become a Catastrophe rank villain.


    "Of course!"


    Although he seemed a bit dejected, Jin-Hyuk quickly perked up again. Looking at him, Yu-Seong unknowingly broke into a broad smile.


    "It¡¯s ready over there," one of the filming staff ran over and reported to Yu-Seong.


    "I''m ready too."


    In fact, all Yu-Seong needed to do was put on some protective gear, so there wasn''t much preparation required.


    Then, exactly 30 minutes later, at the scheduled broadcast time, the lights on the camera turned on, and a worldwide live broadcast began. At that moment, the number of viewers skyrocketed.


    Upon seeing the number, Jin-Young couldn''t help but express his astonishment. "It''s already over 100,000?"


    "What? The broadcast hasn''t even been on for a minute yet!"


    Despite being a long-awaited Korea-Japan players match and a battle for national pride, the rate at which the numbers were increasing was tremendous.


    ''Over 1 million.''


    The event unfolded less than three minutes after the broadcast started on a stage that lacked grand introductions or flashy preparations.


    ''Really astounding.¡¯


    Jin-Hwan unknowingly marveled inwardly as both players began their entrance.


    ***


    Truthfully, it wasn''t a show prepared with grandeur.


    ''Also, considering contingencies, we didn''t even accept general audience members.''


    From Yu-Seong''s perspective, he was naturally heading toward an effortless victory.


    ''I''ve even bet on myself.''


    Already envisioning the sweet taste of increasing wealth, Yu-Seong entered the arena.


    Simultaneously, Takeda Yu-Shin, who had also entered from the other side, commented with a sharp glint in his eyes. "What a shabbier stage than expected."


    "Why? You don''t like it?"


    "I did expect more, being that you''re from Korea''s top conglomerate family."


    "That''s my father, not me. Besides, I consider even such a stage to be excessive." Yu-Seong chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.


    "What?"


    "You know. The main event will last barely a minute, don''t you think?"


    In response to Yu-Seong''s taunt, Takeda Yu-Shin, infuriated enough to have a vein pulsating on his forehead, let out a cold laugh. He threatened, "I will kill you, you insolent fool."


    "Good luck. It will still be tough though."


    As their mutual mind games ended, the actual match began with a powerful whistle. Then, Takeda Yu-Shin explosively approached Yu-Seong at an incredible speed.


    "Die!"


    The Bokken he had drawn from his robe shone a sharp silver, seemingly aiming to slice Yu-Seong''s shoulder. However, Takeda Yu-Shin''s offensive ended there.


    Thwack-!


    With a dull thud, his once sharp nose broke into a mess, and a few teeth flew into the air, glittering under the dazzling lights. His body, not obeying his commands, simply toppled backward.


    ''What happened?''


    Watching the somewhat discordant scene, Yu-Seong''s voice rang out toward Takeda Yu-Shin who was falling backward.


    "Well, it seems luck wasn''t on your side. You worked hard, my promising friend from Japan."

 CH 253

    Having achieved S-rank in a short period of time, Takeda Yu-Shin had boasted that he would become the leader of the next generation of Japanese players. However, he collapsed at a single strike from Yu-Seong. Neither those who watched the scene with their own eyes nor those who saw it through the cameras for the broadcast could believe it. They all had the same question.


    "What did I just see?" Chairman Takaku posed the question.


    However, Nioh Kyosuke, the master who had personally trained Takeda Yu-Shin, found himself unable to provide an answer. He had no choice but to be silent because the match had ended in a split second.


    Even more perplexing was the fact that everyone had clearly witnessed Yu-Seong''s attack during this confrontation. In other words, his movements were not so swift or flashy that even ordinary people, not just the players, could clearly see how Yu-Seong moved.


    Rather, the drones equipped with special cameras for capturing the players'' actions had, in fact, missed the movements of Takeda Yu-Shin. His movements appeared to linger like an afterimage, while Yu-Seong stood there, seemingly dazed, before calmly launching a straight punch.


    It didn''t make sense, but absurdly, the situation ended with Takeda Yu-Shin, who was hit by that slow punch, spinning about five times in mid-air and dropping onto the floor with a thud.


    To the eyes of ordinary people, the current situation appeared as if Takeda Yu-Shin had rushed toward Yu-Seong at a mad speed, only to self-destruct on Yu-Seong''s fist.


    Chairman Takaku''s expression hardened as he requested a camera review, suspecting the presence of an unforeseen trap or overlooked movement. However, ultimately, nothing changed.


    "...By any chance, are you performing some sort of act with Takeda Yu-Shin to defect to Korea?" asked Takaku.


    "You know very well that we would never," Kyosuke replied, scrunching up his face in response to Chairman Takaku''s question.


    "But how could the fight end like this?" Chairman Takaku asked sharply before his gaze shifted toward Yu-Seong.


    After landing that single light blow that brought down Takeda Yu-Shin, Yu-Seong strolled out of the ring, sat on a chair, and comfortably watched the live chat of the NewTube broadcast. He wore a smile the entire time.


    Enraged, Chairman Takaku clenched his fist and glanced at his phone, which was ringing in real time. The government in power was in a complete mess.


    ''I must somehow salvage this situation.''


    It wasn''t merely a matter of losing a simple bet with Woo-Jae. Returning to Japan in such a state would not be favorable. Chairman Takaku had traveled all the way to Korea and provoked a confrontation with the intention of elevating the honor of his nation. However, instead, he had a complete downfall and criticism would cling to him like an indelible price tag for the remainder of his life


    Naturally, Chairman Takaku''s gaze turned toward Kyosuke. He then asked, "Could you explain what just happened?"


    "My best assumption is that Yu-Shin was caught off guard..." Kyosuke replied.


    "You misunderstood my question. Could you have avoided the same situation?"


    Kyosuke''s eyes sharpened at Chairman Takaku¡¯s question. "Chairman, if I understand correctly..."


    "Given how things have turned out, doesn''t someone need to rectify the situation?"


    Kyosuke was a source of pride for Japan and the proud master of Takeda Yu-Shin. It wouldn¡¯t be the best decision in many aspects, not to mention, from Kyosuke¡¯s perspective, it wouldn¡¯t be worth it.


    After all, if Japan''s top player defeated the rising star of Korea, it would just portray him as a small-minded individual who couldn''t control his emotions in a fair fight, intervening solely to get revenge for his disciple. Furthermore, if he were to lose, it would undeniably mark his downfall.


    In recent times, he had managed to reach the previously deemed unreachable SS rank, a milestone he had considered unattainable and openly declared as such. As a result, the reputation of the current Nioh within Japan soared. Carrying that prestigious title, what would happen if the best player from Japan were to be defeated, not by the Korean Sword Master, but by Yu-Seong, who was merely a promising star?


    ''That¡¯s ridiculous.''


    Such a thing could never happen. Kyosuke, who erased the worst assumption that popped up in his mind, looked at Chairman Takaku.


    "For the sake of our homeland," said Takaku firmly.


    At his solemn words, Kyosuke couldn''t help but laugh inwardly.


    ¡®It¡¯s simply a desperate struggle for his own survival¡­¡¯


    Takaku himself was the one who orchestrated this show within Japan and engaged in negotiations with politicians. Although Takaku presented a superficial pretext of serving the nation, the primary motive behind involving Kyosuke was for his own protection.


    "...Understood," Kyosuke, rather than making a long speech, lightly replied and nodded.


    "I''ll speak with Choi Yu-Seong. You can go and prepare."


    Kyosuke didn''t respond. Instead, he turned his back on Chairman Takaku to check on his disciple''s condition.


    ''At least I need to ascertain exactly how he was defeated.''


    His disciple, Takeda Yu-Shin, was quite a robust man, so it was hard to simply believe he had been caught off guard.


    If Kyosuke was not aware, he would face defeat. He didn''t underestimate his opponent just because he was a promising player.


    ***


    When the scheduled main event ended too disappointingly, the chat section of the New Tube broadcast ignited for a different reason.


    While that was going on, Chairman Takaku approached Yu-Seong with a proposal for a second match; Yu-Seong¡¯s response was very simple.


    "10 billion dollars."


    "...What?"


    For a moment, Yu-Seong''s face overlapped with Woo-Jae''s in Chairman Takaku''s eyes.


    "Why should I fight for free?"


    "But..."


    "Then let''s forget about it. Even if I stop at this point, I only have things to gain."


    With a cunning grin, Yu-Seong managed to provoke Chairman Takaku. He left the man gritting his teeth in frustration inwardly.


    "Fine. 10 billion dollars. If you lose, you''re responsible for it," Takaku said with a nod.


    "That''s obvious. Shall we start with the contract?" asked Yu-Seong.


    "You don''t trust me?"


    "Is trust important when money is involved?"


    Again, Chairman Takaku ground his teeth.


    ¡®He appears to be just a kid¡­ but he truly takes after his father.¡¯


    Just like when he had initially refused Woo-Jae''s proposal, Chairman Takaku couldn''t ignore the fact that 10 billion dollars was an enormous sum of money. The stakes were high, and he couldn''t afford to back down any further.


    ''At this point, it¡¯s do or die.''


    The opponent was not just anyone; it was Kyosuke, the best player in Japan. In fact, there was no one else more trustworthy than him. With this in mind, a new contract was drafted, and Woo-Jae, as an authorized representative, joined them via a video call. And so, the announcement of the second event match followed¡ªthe duel between Inoue Kyosuke and Choi Yu-Seong.


    The NewTube chat room, which was already lively, began to heat up for a different reason. A new betting period was opened for the next hour.


    ¡®Perhaps it''s because the first match didn''t make much of an impression?¡¯


    Surprisingly, there were more predictions of Nioh¡¯s victory. As a result, Yu-Seong''s selection came with significantly higher betting odds.


    Yu-Seong shrugged his shoulders.


    ''Well, this is favorable for me.''


    He and his acquaintances had all placed their bets on Yu-Seong, ensuring that there would be no losers. It seemed like a deal with no loss. With that in mind, Yu-Seong once again stepped onto the battlefield.


    On the opposing side, Kyosuke stood fully equipped in his battle suit, his silence contrasting with Takeda Yu-Shin''s demeanor. He focused his sharp eyes on Yu-Seong, and it wasn''t until the match began that he finally spoke. "When a lion hunts its prey, it gives its all."


    Kyosuke started casting Ninjutsu, uttering a spell-like chant to himself.


    ¡®Oh, is that Ninjutsu, which is known to be used only by Japanese players?''


    Indeed, Takeda Yu-Shin had been too excited, rushing in and getting knocked down without a chance to utilize Ninjutsu. On the contrary, Kyosuke initiated his attack, showcasing his pride in the skill of Ninjutsu. With each swift execution of the techniques, the surroundings underwent real-time transformations.


    Firstly, a dense curtain of fog-like mist enveloped the area, encroaching upon Yu-Seong''s vision and even infiltrating his nostrils.


    ''Poison?''


    The moment he started to feel dizzy, a smile rose to Yu-Seong''s lips.


    "Fire Release," commanded Kyosuke in a soft voice.


    Red flames exploded in front of his eyes, covering the world like fireworks.


    ''He added fuel to the poison fog and cloud.''


    This was something Yu-Seong knew yet couldn''t avoid. He blocked the attack by extending one hand and casting a shield magic.


    ''Using magic makes the poison spread faster.''


    Kyosuke seized the opportunity without hesitation, causing his figure to vanish from sight. In the next moment, a chilling sensation crawled up Yu-Seong''s spine.


    Kyosuke''s skillful maneuvers, speed, and combat mastery were truly deserving of his title as Japan''s best player. It was unexpected to witness his relentless assault without taking the time to assess the situation, especially considering it was their first encounter.


    ¡®Did he mean that, like a lion hunting its prey, he was giving his all?¡¯


    Inwardly, Yu-Seong couldn''t help but feel a momentary admiration and nodded. Everything appeared to be in order, but unfortunately, there was one crucial detail that was incorrect.


    "I''m not prey," said Yu-Seong with a chuckle.


    Then, with astonishing speed and precision, he caught Kyosuke''s flying sword with his bare hand, effortlessly stopping its trajectory. In a display of nonchalance, he dropped the sword to the ground amidst the swirling poison fog and clouds. With a powerful swing, he unleashed his spear, infused with the force of wind, in a wide arc.


    Whoosh-!


    With a resounding crash, the once stark white poison fog surged upwards, rapidly dissipating into the sky. The previously obscured arena suddenly came into clear view, revealing every detail that was once impossible to discern even an inch ahead.


    "Considering there are spectators, they should be aware of what''s happening."


    Kyosuke, having realized that the Ninjutsu he had used disappeared with a single spear move, was about to join his hands again in bewilderment. However, Yu-Seong, without any hesitation, threw his spear at him.


    Thud-!


    Amidst the reverberating impact sound that had become all too familiar, Kyosuke was struck in the forehead by the spinning spear. The force of the blow caused him to stagger backward, his face instantly drenched in a torrent of blood.


    Pale and unconscious, Kyosuke lay sprawled on the ground. Standing over him, Yu-Seong calmly retrieved his spear and directed his gaze toward the pale-faced Chairman Takaku.


    "Ten billion dollars. Arigatou gozaimasu[1]."


    At that moment, Yu-Seong could genuinely express his gratitude in Japanese, the language that Chairman Takaku held dear.


    ***


    With two victories, Yu-Seong, who had already garnered attention after his return, suddenly became a star. Moreover, he made a considerable amount of money.


    ''In addition to NewTube revenue, the money I won from betting, and what I''m scheduled to receive from my father...''


    There was also the ten billion dollars he had obtained from Chairman Takaku.


    ''I''ve become wealthy.''


    With just one strike, Yu-Seong had ascended to a position that could be regarded as a global tycoon, surpassing even the immense backing of Woo-Jae. However, what brought even greater joy to Yu-Seong was something entirely different.


    ''I didn''t think it was a big deal, but my Star Factor is increasing drastically because of this.''


    Yu-Seong''s already tremendous physical abilities, which had reached the realm of a Transcendent being, were further amplified by the additional percentage effects of the Star Factor. It was indeed a surprise for Yu-Seong to discover that he had become approximately 20% more powerful than his original strength as a result of this minor event.


    ''I haven''t been able to feel it for a while, but indeed, gaining strength through training is slower than gaining skills.''


    It might have appeared as a minor event, but for Yu-Seong, who was gearing up to face his most formidable opponent, it held tremendous significance.


    Additionally, a new development occurred that provided Yu-Seong with a substantial advantage. The Sword Master, widely acknowledged as the strongest in South Korea, officially proclaimed Yu-Seong as the "strongest."


    Explore the extended edition on pawread dot com.


    ¡®I mean, wasn''t Kim Do-Jin the one who defeated you years ago? Why would you say I¡¯m the strongest? I feel so grateful.¡¯


    Thanks to that, the visible increase in the effectiveness of his Star Factor was apparent to Yu-Seong. He couldn''t help but feel that rank and level held less significance now. The benefits he was witnessing firsthand brought immense happiness.


    Naturally, the world was filled with questions. What had he experienced during the past three years? Yu-Seong, previously referred to as a hero sacrificed to be sealed with the Demon King, was now being portrayed as a master who had undergone rigorous mental training during his time in sealing.


    ''Well, they aren¡¯t wrong.''


    Regardless, it was a positive outcome. As various speculations circulated, Yu-Seong relished in the news of his story spreading worldwide. In the meantime, another two months flew by swiftly.


    1. ¤¢¤ê¤¬¤È¤¦¤´¤¶¤¤¤Þ¤¹ means thank you in Japanese ?

 CH 254

    For the past two months, Yu-Seong has been quite busy. He hadn''t exactly been training or entangled in any incidents, but strangely enough, he had a lot to do.


    ''First of all, I managed to monopolize Vision Technology stocks....''


    It was possible because he had made an offer that no other company could refuse and absorbed all the stocks they had quietly placed.


    ''Even the stubborn ones who wouldn''t sell eventually came around when the price increased by about five times.''


    As a result, an astonishing amount of one billion dollars was invested in the venture. Additionally, Yu-Seong contributed an additional 500 million dollars to expedite the company''s development. In the blink of an eye, a total of 1.5 billion dollars was spent.


    However, considering Yu-Seong''s net worth exceeded 10 billion dollars, it didn''t pose much of a strain.


    ''It''s still a bargain, after all. If I didn''t have the stocks handed over by Chairman Takaku, it would have cost twice as much.''


    More importantly, this investment had the potential to return not just tenfold, but even a hundredfold in size. Since it was a guaranteed return rather than mere consumption, there was no reason to hold back.


    Naturally, amidst all these developments, Yu-Seong had the opportunity to engage in discussions with Ellis, a brilliant American scientist who would soon become a developer of the Artificial Awakening Stone. The results, in fact, were quite promising.


    ''When I gave her a hint about the Artificial Awakening Stones from the original novel during our meeting, she seemed to grasp the concept quickly...''


    The money he had invested appeared to have the potential for a quicker and larger return than he had initially anticipated. Moreover, having earned Ellis'' favor, he no longer had to worry about her being lured away by another company.


    And while these events unfolded, Yu-Seong held firm in his confidence about one thing.


    ¡®I''ll be rolling in money in no time.¡¯


    He might even surpass his father, Woo-Jae, to become known as the richest man in Korea.


    ''Though I''m not sure how much hidden money he has...''


    However, with this much, wouldn''t he still be rolling in the dough without having to inherit the Comet Group?


    ¡®But then¡­ I reached this point thanks to the backing of the Comet in the first place.''


    Regardless, he went on to invest 8 billion dollars into the growth and recruitment of his Hidden Team.


    ''In the end, I have only about 500 million dollars left.''


    It was a bold move, but he believed it was a necessary one.


    ''The Demon King Worshipers are a global crime organization and also an Isolated Unit organization[1].''


    To confront this formidable enemy, Yu-Seong''s side needed to strengthen their forces. It wasn''t just a matter of recruiting a small number of elites, but rather, gathering a large group of individuals with some talent. Additionally, recruiting and supporting such individuals came with considerable costs.


    ¡®As they are risking their lives fighting the Demon King Worshipers, I should at least provide them with a living allowance.¡¯


    He decided to allocate 8 billion dollars to support equipment, personnel recruitment, and operating expenses all at once.


    ¡®The total amount reaches 30 billion dollars.¡¯


    Significantly, out of the total amount, 12 billion dollars was generously supported by Woo-Jae. Yu-Seong had sought his assistance in the eradication of the Demon King Worshipers, and Woo-Jae, fueled by his grudge against Eveheim, had agreed to support him.


    ''He probably saw it as beneficial in various ways. After all, the roots of Eveheim lead back to the Rothschild...''


    Woo-Jae harbored the life goal of using the Comet name to surpass the Rothschild and Rockefeller families.


    Among the world''s most renowned families, the Rothschilds had undeniable connections with the Demon King Worshipers, particularly with Eveheim. If Yu-Seong succeeded in dismantling the Demon King Worshipers, it would undoubtedly have a profound impact, reaching the roots of the Rothschild family.


    ''Well, whatever other matters are there, it''s for Father to figure out.''


    Woo-Jae and Yu-Seong¡¯s interests coincided in many ways, going beyond their familial relationship. Furthermore, Helen provided an additional 10 billion dollars in aid.


    ''I knew Helen was wealthy, but she indeed gave a significant amount in support.''


    Not only that, but she also introduced her personal acquaintances to the Hidden Team.


    As a result, thanks to Helen''s influence, the team led by Jenny experienced an exponential expansion, growing to more than a hundred times its original size since Yu-Seong first became aware of it.


    ''At this point, it''s impossible to keep it a secret.''


    As a result, even though Woo-Jae became aware of the existence of the Hidden Team, he appeared indifferent toward it. Yu-Seong, being chosen as the next chairman of Comet, already held significant personal power, which made Woo-Jae''s lack of concern understandable.


    Moreover, Baek Cheol, the former captain of the guards who had once protected Ji-Ho, was enlisted as a crucial member to support Jenny on the Hidden Team. This opportunity arose when Baek Cheol, deeply moved by Ji-Ho''s complete recovery in health and strength, felt compelled to repay his kindness by pledging his loyalty to Yu-Seong.


    ''He''s extremely dependable.''


    Perhaps it was because Jenny and Baek Cheol both had some experience leading an organization. Coupled with the large amount of money invested, the newly reformed Hidden Team accomplished quite a lot over the past two months.


    ''Collecting information on the activities of the Demon King Worshipers, carrying out interference operations, and so forth.''


    Indeed, the results were significant. It was now certain that substantial hitches had occurred in Eveheim''s plans.


    ''Not that everything could be stopped...''


    In that situation, Yu-Seong managed to uncover another major pattern of the Demon King Worshipers.


    ''All operations are only taking place in the major cities of each country where the Tower of Heaven exists.''


    The only exception to this was Seoul, South Korea. It seemed likely due to their awareness of Yu-Seong''s existence.


    ''Or they could be waiting for an opportunity.''


    Either way, it became clear that Eveheim was scheming something.


    Therefore, Yu-Seong had focused on real-world work for one month of the past two months. As for the remaining one month, he had devoted it to the Tower of Heaven.


    ''It would be great if we could discover some changes within.''


    Thanks to this, Yu-Seong managed to conquer up to the 50th floor of the tower. Although he learned nothing about Eveheim''s plans in the process, there was a distinct turning point.


    ''From the 30th floor of the tower, we could directly encounter gods.''


    As a result, on the 30th floor, Yu-Seong had the opportunity to personally meet Loki, Cu Chulainn, and Scathi, who all revealed an astonishing secret to him.


    ¡®The time for the gods to depart from this world is fast approaching.¡¯


    They said it was something akin to fate. When a world was approaching a certain end, the gods followed the flow of that world and returned to the stellar path. However, this didn''t mean that all of Yu-Seong''s ties with them were ending.


    ''They said, once the Transcendent Gate is completely constructed, we can meet again.¡¯


    Yu-Seong felt that he had come remarkably close to that distant realm, the world of stars where the gods resided. As a result, he did not feel profound regret about the separation.


    ''Besides, we''re not parting immediately...''


    In addition, there was one more thing Yu-Seong had done in the tower.


    ''I engraved the souls of Cu Chulainn and Scathi into Loki''s avatar.''


    Of course, Loki had resisted fiercely before Yu-Seong managed to convince her. The reason had been the same as why he didn''t necessarily summon Loki to Earth at the moment.


    ''This power could be a secret weapon in the fight against Eveheim.''


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    Indeed, the power passed down to Yu-Seong by the three transcendent beings was undoubtedly enormous. However, Eveheim already knew about all three of these powers. After all, he himself was a transcendent being, so there was no way he had no idea.


    ''I also know what Eveheim''s ability is, but...''


    He had probably given up transcending and gained something new instead. Or rather, he was trying to obtain it. In case of emergency, Yu-Seong also needed to hide a secret weapon.


    ''If I reveal it even once to the world, Eveheim might notice it.''


    He might be being overly cautious, but considering who his opponent was, Yu-Seong had to prepare for the worst.


    ''Moreover, I shouldn''t need to rely on the powers of other gods.''


    Thus, it was perfectly fine for him to save a secret weapon.


    While pondering these various thoughts, Yu-Seong''s eyes widened as he checked the newly delivered activity report of the Hidden Team.


    ''Wait, there¡¯s been an unusually high number of incidents in London over the past week?¡¯


    England was the homeland of the Rothschild family he had previously mentioned. In other words, it could mean that Eveheim was moving directly.


    ''What should I do?''


    Yu-Seong fell into brief contemplation.


    ''It could be a trap.''


    From now on, even a small movement could trigger an irreversible major incident.


    ''It would be best if we could ascertain Eveheim''s exact location...''


    Biting his lower lip, Yu-Seong moved his gaze toward the calendar.


    ''Kim Do-Jin and Bernard Yoo still have a week left before they leave the training room...''


    At that moment, it was a delicate period where relocating himself and leaving his seat unoccupied seemed risky. However, disregarding such a significant development, even if it might be a trap, was equally challenging.


    ''What if it''s a ploy to set off a major event¡­?''


    After much thought, Yu-Seong got up from his seat. "Let''s make a move."


    In fact, if he was afraid of a trap and remained idle, he would never reach the end.


    ''I''ve known for a long time that I can''t cover the sky with one hand.''


    That was why he had made many people his allies. Even if Eveheim were to cause an incident, there were plenty of people in Korea who could buy Yu-Seong some time.


    ''Above all... There''s no need to overthink it.''


    Eveheim wasn''t the only one who could hide or deceive his whereabouts.


    Yu-Seong picked up the phone and started talking with Yu-Ri. "I need a disguise-type player who is good at acting. Yes. A trusted individual. How many days do you think it¡¯ll take? Cost is not a problem. One day? Great."


    Yu-Seong hung up the phone and let out a laugh.


    ''As expected, having a group of talented people and pouring a lot of money in saves time.''


    Finally, the preparations he had been making all this time were shining through.


    ''Let''s play hide and seek, Eveheim.''


    Now, not only did he lack the intention to lose, but he was also confident that he would not lose.


    ***


    As night fell over the city, Eveheim, sitting in a quiet and empty bar, filled his glass with sweet whiskey. His eyes shimmered with a purple light.


    ''By now, Choi Yu-Seong must have figured out my signature.''


    Truly, it was indeed his intention to drive incidents toward London, England, to beckon Yu-Seong. In addition, as expected, Yu-Seong would likely move to London without watching over this situation.


    ''That''s the best scenario.''


    If Eveheim could create a disturbance in Seoul that would shake Yu-Seong to his core at that moment, it would be much easier to reach his desired conclusion.


    ''Even if a direct fight breaks out, it''s always easier to deal with the unstable side...''


    However, Eveheim found it hard to be entirely sure that Yu-Seong would move himself.


    "Upon closer examination, he seems to be pretty audacious if left alone."


    The whole point of causing incidents all over the world through the Demon King Worshipers was to provoke Yu-Seong. However, without much disturbance, Yu-Seong had poured a significant amount of money into operating a large organization, which easily thwarted the incidents.


    In this invisible war, Eveheim had come to realize that Yu-Seong was more cautious than expected. Therefore, while Eveheim could make predictions, it was hard to be certain.


    ''If I invade Seoul while Choi Yu-Seong is still there, the risk is too high.''


    Indeed, Seoul was Yu-Seong''s backyard, so to speak. Not only was there Yu-Seong, whom Eveheim regarded as someone he needed to be vigilant against, but there were also far too many others capable of dealing with the Hexagram Master or the Twelve Dark Kings.


    1. Isolated Unit organization refers to a structure where members operate independently, having limited knowledge of each other''s roles, and following instructions from a single or very few superiors. ?

 CH 255

    "Moreover, it seems that Helen is up to something in the United States,¡± Eveheim muttered.


    Helen, known as the Miraculous Alchemist, initially had some connection with the Demon King Worshipers due to various objectives. However, she now appeared to have completely sided with Yu-Seong and had invented something extraordinary.


    The problem was that even Eveheim could not access the new invention she had made.


    ¡®Also, gaining information is not easy¡­¡¯


    This was primarily because the Hidden Team fully aligned their actions with Yu-Seong''s intentions. The exact amount of money Yu-Seong was investing remained unclear, but it appeared to be substantial.


    Whenever Demon King Worshipers were involved, the Hidden Team would emerge as guardians of justice, disrupting their plans and making it challenging for them to proceed smoothly. Naturally, in response, Eveheim had also been pouring in a considerable amount of money, but a very simple physical limit had been reached.


    ¡®It¡¯s because there are far more ordinary saints than villains.¡¯


    In this world, regardless, there were more ordinary people than villains. And among ordinary people, those who would become villains were extremely rare. No matter how much money one had, it could not be used if there weren''t enough people.


    Grimacing, Eveheim tilted his whiskey glass. He could only click his tongue at the suffocating reality.


    ¡®That little kiddo has grown this much.¡¯


    He shouldn''t let his guard down. It was no longer just a matter of competition on that level. Before he realized it, Yu-Seong''s level had caught up to his own or even overwhelmed him.


    Even the plans Eveheim had envisioned from long ago were not going as planned. Thus, Eveheim decided to gamble by openly provoking Yu-Seong.


    In this situation, Eveheim had two things to consider.


    "Should I take a decisive advantage from here..."


    This was another gamble. Betting on the certainty that Yu-Seong was not in Korea, he could seize the opportunity.


    "Or should I play it safe and flush him out..."


    In fact, this choice was safer than taking a gamble. From Eveheim''s perspective, whether Yu-Seong was in England or anywhere in Europe, he would still be able to confront him at his home base. All Eveheim had to do was choose one option from the two available choices.


    ¡®After all, it will be quite easy to read Choi Yu-Seong''s movements¡­¡¯


    All he needed was a big move prepared for this moment. Eveheim, licking his lips with the tip of his tongue, looked up at the ceiling while supporting his forehead. No matter what he chose, this would be the last decision to be made.


    ¡®It''s a showdown, Choi Yu-Seong.¡¯


    Eveheim''s purple eyes shone brightly.


    ***


    In fact, to deceive the opponent, one must not do it half-heartedly. Yu-Seong decided that the only person who would know the main outline of this operation would be Yu-Ri. Additionally, he called Jin-Hwan and Jin-Young to film several dungeon hunting videos in a single day.


    "Please keep the fact that I''ve attacked several dungeons today a secret for a while. Also, change the dates on the videos."


    The two didn''t know why, but they decided to follow Yu-Seong''s instructions.


    With the help of Woo-Jae, Yu-Seong also directly contacted the Association Chairman and had the records deleted.


    With all the necessary preparations complete, the next day, Yu-Seong opened a portal to head to England.


    "Are you really going alone?" Yu-Ri, who was standing right behind him, asked.


    "Yeah."


    "But you said it could be a trap," Yu-Ri said.


    "That''s why I''m going alone. If Eveheim targets Seoul when I''m away, it''ll be the worst-case scenario."


    Even though he had prepared an elaborate deception, Yu-Seong couldn''t afford to be complacent. It was wise to assume that Eveheim also had a backup plan prepared.


    ¡®In that case, it''s better to go alone and appear solo.¡¯


    This decision was aimed at enticing Eveheim, who wouldn''t want to miss the opportunity to capture his prey that had entered his territory alone. For Yu-Seong, the most undesirable situation was Eveheim coming to Seoul.


    ¡®I can''t know what choice Eveheim will make.¡¯


    Therefore, the ideal situation would be after Do-Jin and Bernard Yoo emerge from the training room. Most of Yu-Seong''s plans up until now had been based on after the two of them came out of the room. However, he couldn''t simply ignore this situation, especially when he had been openly provoked like this.


    ¡®Right. When has the world ever gone my way?¡¯


    Yu-Seong looked around at the people standing before him. He waved his hand and said, "I''ll be back."


    "This isn''t going to be another situation where we can''t see you for years, is it?"


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    They seemed anxious due to the incident from before, but Yu-Seong confidently nodded in response. He reassured them, saying, "I promise."


    There would absolutely not be a situation like last time.


    "We''ll see each other again in a few days."


    With a firm promise made to everyone, Yu-Seong flung himself into the portal.


    ***


    If he exerted himself, he could open portals continuously and reach England in less than an hour. However, Yu-Seong made a conscious decision to take a bit more time. Once he entered a nearby area in Europe through the portal, he chose to board a flight instead.


    ¡®The portal magic emits large magical waves and could easily be detected if I''m not careful.¡¯


    That would render all the work he had done in Korea meaningless, wouldn''t it? With a temporarily prepared fake ID, he boarded a plane and crossed over to England. For Yu-Seong, using appearance modification and illusion magic to enter and leave countries was as easy as eating a meal.


    ¡®I''ll approach quietly and find out for sure.¡¯


    Yu-Seong mused while working out his plan. Then, an unexpected breaking news appeared on the massive TV at the airport.


    ''What?''


    The Tower of Heaven in Moscow, Russia, had collapsed. The Tower had never shaken or even trembled in the face of any mana device or threat. And yet, the fact that it had now collapsed made Yu-Seong jump up from his seat.


    ¡®Eveheim!¡¯


    In the original novel, there hadn¡¯t been an event where the Tower of Heaven had collapsed. However, Yu-Seong wasn¡¯t completely clueless about how that could happen. He had heard about it from Loki.


    In each major city on Earth where the Towers of Heaven suddenly descended, there existed characters that could be called ''administrators.'' Although they mostly lived in secrecy, performing NPC roles, their deaths would result in catastrophic events leading to the collapse of the tower.


    ''And the moment the Tower collapses, the mana that maintained the Tower would explode.''


    It would be similar to a nuclear explosion and inevitably, countless lives would be lost.


    Therefore, Yu-Seong had instinctively jumped up from his seat suddenly, but, there hadn¡¯t been any reports of a massive explosion or numerous casualties. From the perspective of the hastily reporting helicopter, no explosion could be seen.


    ''What''s going on?''


    It was a situation different from what he''d heard. Where had the mana that had resided in the fallen Tower of Heaven disappeared to? Beyond the thick dust visible beyond the camera, Yu-Seong noticed something black writhing, and he soon found the answer.


    ''No way, Eveheim you...!''


    Then, something black rose high into the sky, piercing and shattering the helicopter, causing the camera screen to darken instantly. A tremendous scream erupted from the mouth of the reporter who had been broadcasting the breaking news.


    Amidst immense chaos, a bone-chilling and hair-raising voice echoed from beyond the microphone.


    [Wait for me, humans. Finally, our era is coming, and I, Luxuria, will engulf the world.]


    The sinister laughter of Luxuria, the Demon King of Lust, threw the entire airport into a panic. Seeing the situation, Yu-Seong clenched his teeth.


    ''Demon King Worshipers have known how to summon the Demon King for a very long time.''


    The only thing that had stopped them was that it was difficult for them to gather sufficient mana to summon the Demon King. That was why they had been gathering dark mana from mass murders. At least, that had been the assumption; Yu-Seong had been wrong.


    ''From the beginning, Eveheim was planning to bring down the Tower of Heaven!''


    Eveheim had planned to summon the Demon King by using the massive mana explosion. Yu-Seong finally understands the reason for the unusually high activity of the Demon King Worshipers in cities where the Tower of Heaven was located.


    Realizing the truth, Yu-Seong''s entire body was covered in goosebumps in an instant.


    ''Moscow is just the beginning. From the very start, Eveheim has been trying to...''


    Eveheim had been preparing until now for this one big move.


    Yu-Seong hurriedly opened his smartphone, launching the Internet news page.


    ''Shanghai, China, too...!''


    With the collapse of the Tower of Heaven in Shanghai, a Demon King descended. It looked like a sea dragon as it dove into the ocean, yet, its size was so colossal that its face soared up, piercing through the clouds.


    As the dragon unleashed a savage roar and breathed out, a tenth of Shanghai vanished in a blink. Surprisingly, it happened in less than 10 seconds.


    ''Invidia, the Demon King of Envy!''


    Recognizing the opponent¡¯s identity, the next news article caught Yu-Seong''s eye. In the center of Paris, France, a demon with the face of a dragon on a red blood field appeared, and thousands of monsters started pouring out from the dungeon.


    ''Ira, the Demon King of Wrath...''


    Among the Seven Demon Kings of the Apocalypse, the second in rank had also made an appearance.


    If Yu-Seong simply left this situation as it was, all of Europe would turn into a massive battlefield. Moreover, the mana collected from this slaughter would eventually summon Superbia, referred to as the strongest and the worst among the Demon Kings. If four Demon Kings, including Superbia, descended upon the world all at once, then even Yu-Seong wouldn¡¯t be able to guarantee victory.


    ''Eveheim, you madman. If you can''t have your way, then are you intending to destroy the entire world?''


    Heat surged to the tips of his hair, anger threatening to override his reason, but Yu-Seong couldn''t afford to act recklessly. Especially in such times, he had to calmly assess the situation. Yu-Seong losing composure and becoming agitated was exactly what Eveheim greatly favored.


    ''I want to rush to Shanghai, which could potentially become a threat to the Korean Peninsula but...''


    In fact, Paris was the more urgent concern. Moreover, Yu-Seong was currently stepping foot in Europe.


    ¡®I have to trust my colleagues.¡¯


    There were also many powerful players in China. If they had just a bit more power to support them, they could indeed take down Invidia, who had descended upon Shanghai. Making his decision, Yu-Seong quickly picked up the phone.


    - Yu-Seong oppa.


    Yu-Seong nodded in response to Yu-Ri¡¯s voice.


    "I want all members of Hunting Team 8 to go to Shanghai."


    - And what about Moscow?


    While it was also far from the Korean Peninsula, it was still in Asia.


    ''And Russia has a relatively weak awakened force.¡¯


    As if to soothe his worry, a message popped up on his phone.


    ''Helen?''


    The message said that both she and Rachel were heading to Moscow.


    Despite feeling relieved, Yu-Seong knew that such a force would still be insufficient. The demon king, Luxuria, who had descended upon Moscow, was ranked third after Superbia and Ira.


    "I''m counting on you. Please, stay alive," he said.


    - Of course. See you alive.


    After hanging up the phone, Yu-Seong was about to call the next person when he was interrupted by a ringing.


    "Ji-Ho hyung-nim," he began.


    - I suddenly had a vision this morning and was able to foresee that this situation would happen. I am currently on my way to Moscow with Mi-Na and Captain Baek.


    "Ah... Thank you." Yu-Seong let out a small sigh of relief without realizing it.


    ''If it''s Helen and Rachel, Ji-Ho hyung-nim, Mi-Na noona, and Captain Baek Cheol...''


    Then, finally, it was enough to give him relief. Now, Yu-Seong could focus on Ira, the Demon King of Wrath, who had descended upon Europe with a clear mind.

 CH 256

    Yu-Seong knew his people were good, but he hadn¡¯t thought they would anticipate and move flawlessly according to his plan.


    ¡®I must be blessed.¡¯


    While his knowledge from reading the original novel certainly had a role in gathering exceptional people, he was still lucky and felt grateful toward those around him.


    Just as he was feeling a bit relieved by the situation, Yu-Seong remembered something else and sent everyone a message, ¡®Aside from the Demon King, there may be a Hexagram Master among them. Exercise caution. As absurd as it may sound, they might merge.¡¯


    Despite the seemingly illogical nature of the statement, the recipients of the message simply acknowledged the warning and expressed their gratitude.


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    "Really, I''m the one who¡¯s truly grateful," Yu-Seong said.


    The immense crisis at hand had been ultimately instigated by Evheim, who stood against Yu-Seong. It was due to this situation that Yu-Seong found himself with no alternative but to feel a sense of gratitude.


    ''No, Eveheim would eventually end up doing so anyway¡­''


    In a way, they could express mutual gratitude towards each other. As Yu-Seong gathered his thoughts, he discreetly left the airport, ensuring his identity remained hidden. He swiftly slipped into a tranquil alley devoid of CCTV cameras and people, promptly opening a portal that transported him to Paris.


    ''There''s no time to waste.''


    In the present moment in Paris, a dungeon break was unfolding, resulting in chaotic scenes with rampant monsters and the Demon King wreaking havoc. This dire situation led to the real-time loss of dozens, or even hundreds, of lives. There was a genuine risk that Eveheim might discover Yu-Seong''s location the moment he crossed the portal.


    However, despite the dangers involved, Yu-Seong felt compelled to proceed. After all, he believed he had no other viable options.


    ''Rather than considering this and that, action is needed.''


    In addition, trust was needed.


    ''Father is still in Seoul.''


    Moreover, it wasn''t solely about Yu-Seong''s actions. The cunning old man would certainly not remain idle and oblivious to the unfolding situation. Without a doubt, he was likely furiously voicing his concerns over the phone, rummaging through his confidential files in his office, making preparations for an emergency, and mobilizing both players and the military to respond.


    ''He has quite a few connections in Japan.''


    Somehow, it would work out.


    ''Let''s be resolute.''


    Like others, Yu-Seong made the choice to have faith in his own influence. It was something he had always known deep within. A single hand could not obscure the sky, but when dozens, hundreds of hands united, they could collectively repel the immense evil embodied by Eveheim. Yu-Seong had to maintain unwavering belief and discard any doubts that arose.


    ''Both in myself and my colleagues.''


    With his resolve firmly in place, Yu-Seong threw himself through the portal.


    ***


    In the once renowned city of art and culture, Paris, France, the air was now filled with the savage roars of monsters and the piercing screams of its terrorized inhabitants. Within this chaos, death, fear, and hatred converged, fueling the creation of mana.


    Above the darkened throne, amidst the ruins of the Louvre Museum, Ira, the Demon King of Wrath, raised his hand with a leisurely smile. With a flick of his wrist, a low-rank demon materialized and obediently followed his command, emitting a piercing screech as it lunged into the crowd of humans desperately attempting to escape.


    As the low-rank demon ruthlessly ended a human life, Ira, sensing the surge of mana coursing through him, exhibited a gleaming smile of satisfaction.


    [At this rate, I can use all my power before Superbia arrives.]


    Constantly relegated to the second rank, he had always existed in the shadow of others. Hindered by a name that carried a hint of unpleasantness, the opportunity he had long awaited had finally presented itself.


    [The moment he is summoned as sloppily as I was, I will seize the opportunity to take his life.]


    And by absorbing Superbia¡¯s mana, the being known as the strongest and worst of all time, Ira would be able to escape the sorrow of being second in rank forever.


    Just as he was fueling his ambition with determination, a group of players fell. They had been fervently fighting in a city filled with screams and agony but ultimately succumbed to the relentless chaos. The air echoed with pleas for salvation and desperate voices calling out to God.


    [Oh, the players¡¯ mana are particularly sweet¡­]


    Thanks to that, the power coursing through Ira''s body instantly increased by more than half.


    [I should eat them up first.]


    With his goal set, Ira''s eyes glowed as he propelled himself forward. With this much power recovered, there was no reason for him to wait.


    [A little faster¡­]


    As Ira rushed through the air with desperation, a green portal suddenly appeared before him. And upon seeing the man who emerged from it, Ira''s eyes sparkled.


    [You?]


    The man was truly extraordinary, surpassing not only ordinary humans but also standing unmatched among the countless players in the city. Most notably, there was a distinct aura about him, a scent that set him apart from the rest.


    [So you''ve killed a Demon King before.]


    In a swift and decisive response, the man wielded a gleaming silver spearhead that flashed before Ira¡¯s eyes. Simultaneously, bolts of lightning descended from the sky, enveloping Ira''s crimson form. Razor-sharp winds also tore through his entire body, gathering momentum to sever his formidable horns.


    [Aargh-!]


    In the midst of the chaos, Ira unleashed a piercing scream intertwined with a fierce howl. Brilliant flames erupted from his body, swiftly countering the onslaught of lightning and wind, pushing them back with raw intensity.


    ¡°Mmph.¡± With a determined grunt, Yu-Seong extended his Aqua Shield magic, creating a protective barrier.


    Stepping backward, he swung his spear, its blade enveloped by the shield. He was poised for a defensive maneuver.


    ''Ira of Wrath possesses the power of Fire.''


    In truth, Fire had poor compatibility with Yu-Seong¡¯s ability. Although Yu-Seong had reached the level of being called a Grand Mage through Green, his core was Thunder and Wind.


    ''Even though I suppressed it to a certain extent with the characteristic of transcendence....''


    When utilizing attribute series other than his own, Yu-Seong found himself only able to tap into roughly a third of his full power. This limitation stemmed from the inherent nature of those attributes.


    Of course, it could be argued that Thunder and Wind were effective against Fire, and indeed, it wouldn¡¯t be entirely incorrect to assume so given their shared destructive nature. In fact, in a direct power struggle, Thunder and Wind might even hold an advantage.


    ''However, that would result in Paris becoming a complete mess.''


    Despite the ongoing loss of lives, there were still individuals bravely fighting to save as many as they could. However, if the clash between Yu-Seong and Ira''s powers occurred at the heart of the chaos, it could potentially engulf everyone in its devastating wake, leading to further casualties.


    ''I need to lure him¡­''


    Fortunately, his opponent was Ira, Demon King of Wrath. He was known for his formidable combat power and had a reputation for having an exceedingly intense personality. Also, his emotions often took precedence over his reasoning.


    ¡°To think I had some expectations as you are ranked second among the Demon Kings¡­ You''re not as impressive as I thought.¡±


    At Yu-Seong''s words, Ira''s eyes narrowed as he was cautiously scouting around. A venomous smirk arose on his lips.


    [That human who summoned me to this world mentioned it earlier. A particularly cunning one will come, so I shouldn¡¯t fall for his words.]


    ¡°...¡±


    The one who had given the advice was probably the Demon King Worshiper, the Hexagram master.


    ¡®Damn, this move is not going to work.¡¯


    Yu-Seong inwardly clicked his tongue as he realized this.


    [I don¡¯t remember his name. The nerve of a human advising a Demon King¡­It annoyed me so much I wanted to swallow him whole, but he ran away.]


    "Eveheim?"


    [No, that''s not it.]


    "Then it must be James or Talia."


    [Oh, James. That''s right. That was the name.]


    The human and the Demon King exchanged a brief but meaningful exchange of questions and answers, their expressions revealing a shared understanding. Truly, their intentions toward each other appeared to be unmistakably clear.


    ''Ira is still not complete.''


    Ira wanted to buy more time to recover his mana, because he was well aware that Yu-Seong was not an easy opponent. On the other hand, Yu-Seong was contemplating how to lure him. Neither would easily fall for the other''s scheme, knowing the other''s intentions.


    While pretending to converse, Yu-Seong drew a magic circle with his opposite hand, dropping a powerful star-shaped magic bullet on the monsters and demons attacking humans.


    ''Star Fall.''


    This Grand Magic boasted a powerful force. It was very useful as it could identify targets. However, it had one drawback.


    ''The consumption of mana is immense, as expected.''


    While looking at Yu-Seong, Ira asked with a stifled smile.


    [What use will that be?]


    "You never know."


    Yu-Seong maintained a nonchalant demeanor, though his eyes sparkled with intrigue, carefully concealing his growing impatience. Amidst their conversation, he had noticed a distinct peculiarity in Ira''s dragon-like visage that set him apart from other demons.


    "But you, where have your horns, the symbol of demons, gone?"


    The original novel briefly described the deep sense of inferiority harbored by the Demon King Ira toward Superbia. A single challenge and subsequent defeat had resulted in the loss of his horns, a symbol of pride for demons. Since then, plagued by enduring humiliation, Ira dedicated himself to rigorous self-discipline, eventually attaining the position of second in rank among all Demon Kings. However, the wound inflicted upon him remained, a perpetual Achilles'' heel.


    [What¡­?]


    A reaction was finally received.


    "Could it be...you lost your horns to Demon King of Pride? Like a fool? How embarrassing!" Yu-Seong snickered and withdrew his spear. "What''s the point of fighting with someone like you and wasting my strength? I''ll be going."


    The moment Yu-Seong turned his back, Ira gritted his teeth and spewed out a massive flame.


    Yu-Seong swiftly twirled his spear, creating wind to split the flame, then tilted his head. "Are you angry?"


    [I have no reason to listen to the words of a lowly human in the first place.]


    "Well, why don''t you chase me then?" Yu-Seong provoked Ira before soaring high into the sky.


    Ira quickly followed him. Even at that moment, his mana was rapidly recovering.


    ''70 percent. That''s enough to tear apart a single human without any problem, even if it''s special!''


    Consumed by anger, Ira''s sanity was gradually eroding. He tore through the atmosphere, ascending above the clouds, with a flickering flame seemingly engulfing the world at the corner of his mouth.


    From above, Yu-Seong tightened his grip on the spear as he observed this ominous sight as Ira chased after him. He prepared himself for the impending clash.


    ''I can''t push myself any further.''


    Ascending beyond the atmosphere, Yu-Seong was met with a severe lack of breathable air. He had to rely on his mana to compensate for the oxygen deprivation.


    The time had come to decide the outcome of their battle. A prolonged fight was not an option. Undoubtedly, Demon King Ira shared the same sentiment. As if to confirm this, a colossal flame erupted from Ira''s mouth, staining the sky crimson.


    [Burn to death, human!]


    However, Yu-Seong''s choice upon seeing the approaching hellfire was already determined.


    ''Activate the Extreme Polarity of the Wind Thunder Dragon God Art.''


    Yu-Seong decided to fight him with power.


    RUMBLE-!


    As lightning coursed through Yu-Seong''s entire body, the surrounding area momentarily darkened. In response to him, the raging wind began to disperse and divert the approaching hellfire, sending it soaring higher into the sky toward the expanse of space.


    Yu-Seong seized the moment without hesitation. He activated his Third Eye, causing time to slow down, and pushed his own movements to their maximum acceleration. In this state, his attack resembled a bolt of lightning descending from the heavens, propelling his human form close to the speed of light. Even a Demon King like Ira would find it impossible to evade.


    The combined force of Ok-Rye''s heavenly punishment and the power of Yu-Seong''s Magic Spear converged, resulting in a devastating strike of annihilation.


    ''Ultimate kill, One Flash of the Wind-Thunder Dragon God.''


    A supersonic strike tore through the world, descending from the sky to the ground like a divine punishment. The tip of Yu-Seong''s spear pierced through the body of Demon King Ira, causing his once-red skin to burn and decay into blackness.


    With a gaze that moved slowly, Ira whispered a faint murmur toward Yu-Seong, who had already descended to the ground like a deity.


    [Mon...ster...]


    Swoosh-! It was the moment when the enraged Demon King Ira met a fruitless extinction.


    ***


    Thuuud-!


    With a thunderous roar that reverberated through the heavens and the earth, Yu-Seong descended to the ground. The lightning bolts and the powerful gusts of wind emanating from his strike dispersed the horde of rampaging monsters.


    Although he had restrained his strength to minimize damage while piercing through Ira, the Demon King of Wrath, the impact was still immense. In a single blow, he annihilated the second-ranked Demon King and skillfully controlled his power to sweep away the horde of monsters, achieving a monumental outcome.


    After such a feat, Yu-Seong planted his spear firmly into the ground and released a deep breath, his knee bent in exhaustion. "Phew..."


    Next, he looked around. The demons that appeared due to Ira''s summoning were turning into black dust and scattering. Even the horde of monsters, having realized the death of the Demon King, fell into a panic. They did not know what to do, and began to retreat back to the dungeon.


    ''I''ve won.''


    It was quite an effortless victory. Even if Ira was not in a fully recovered state, there was definitely a variable here.


    ''More than I thought...''


    Yu-Seong was stronger than he thought. Despite just having pulled off such an enormous feat, he still had plenty of mana and strength left.


    ''Is it the power of the skill?''


    Yu-Seong could not help but let out a hollow laugh inwardly.

 CH 257

    Initially, Yu-Seong believed that it would be impossible for him to defeat Eveheim with his own strength.


    ''After all, Eveheim achieved transcendence much faster than I did.''


    Even though Eveheim had shed his transcendence to meddle in this world, the situation was the same for Yu-Seong.


    ''I thought I might be at a disadvantage in terms of sheer power...''


    Perhaps it was due to his exceptionally potent skills that formed the core of his being, but once he left the sanctuary of the transcendent beings, his combat abilities had surpassed even his own expectations.


    ''Even if an enemy like the current one were to appear, there would be no issue.''


    The problem lay in his inability to devise a more efficient way to harness this overwhelming power.


    ''I must transcend the teachings of my masters and think outside the box...''


    What would be a good method? Lost in contemplation, Yu-Seong observed as a stream of players, soldiers, and mercenaries swiftly counterattacked the retreating monsters, their voices echoing as they passed by him.


    "H¨¦ros, H¨¦ros!"


    Stirred by their calls for a hero, Yu-Seong scanned his surroundings. From a distant and elevated vantage point, he witnessed the ongoing battle. They all knew. They knew where this dreadful disaster had originated and who had halted it. It was impossible not to.


    "You''re our hero! You''re the Korean, Choi Yu-Seong, right?"


    An elderly man with white hair approached Yu-Seong, extending his arms and speaking. Yu-Seong gently embraced the old man and nodded.


    "Do you know me?" Yu-Seong inquired.


    "Of course. Aren''t you the Grand Star who recently vanquished Nioh from Japan? Oh, my apologies for not introducing myself earlier. I am Gabriel, the president of the France Player Association."


    Surprised by the unexpected moniker "Grand Star" bestowed upon him by Gabriel, Yu-Seong shook his hand once more and nodded in acknowledgment.


    "I won''t forget you, Gabriel."


    "Don''t mention it. In fact, none of us will ever forget this act of kindness. With the Grand Star, Mr. Choi Yu-Seong, Korea is now and forever an ally of France."


    Observing Gabriel, whose eyes sparkled with a promise to never forget this favor, Yu-Seong scratched the back of his head and let out an awkward laugh.


    "I''m truly grateful. However, I''m not in a situation where I can engage in a lengthy conversation right now," Yu-Seong spoke as he hurriedly pulled out his phone.


    In fact, the situation globally was in chaos. He needed to quickly check on the situation in Seoul and determine whether he should return immediately.


    "Oh, I got carried away in the excitement of meeting a hero. Feel free to contact me anytime. We in France won''t forget, and we''ll be waiting."


    A quick look at "pawread dot com" will leave you more fulfilled.


    Gabriel bowed his head and was about to leave. At that moment, the clear sunlight, as if heralding a new dawn, started shining down from the blue sky, and a purple light flashed. Simultaneously, a figure materialized in the air. Yu-Seong, who had just finished his brief conversation with Gabriel and was texting Woo-Jae on his phone, immediately tensed up.


    "Eveheim?"


    However, it wasn''t his physical body. Yu-Seong gazed at the blurry, ghost-like avatar and flew straight up into the sky, fixing his gaze on it.


    - Choi Yu-Seong.


    Staring at Eveheim, who projected his voice like a loudspeaker, Yu-Seong couldn''t help but let out a hollow laugh.


    "Ha, you came all the way here but I guess you¡¯re afraid? Why else would you come in this form?¡± Yu-Seong taunted.


    It was clearly a provocation. Hadn''t it been recorded in The Art of War? The Provocation Stratagem¡ªinciting emotions in someone to manipulate their actions¡ªhad proven effective against Ira, the Demon King of Wrath. However, Yu-Seong''s current adversary was none other than Eveheim, who possessed a wealth of skill and experience.


    - I''ve been watching your battles from a distance. I saw how you overwhelmed Ira, the Demon King of Wrath, on your own. How could I not be afraid? Haha¡­


    Eveheim''s avatar chuckled as he spoke, and Yu-Seong clicked his tongue in response, emanating his aura around him.


    ¡®No matter how powerful Eveheim is, he couldn''t create an avatar like this from such a remote location in Europe.¡¯


    Perhaps Eveheim was closer than Yu-Seong had initially believed. As Yu-Seong patiently waited for an opportunity, Eveheim''s avatar carried on speaking.


    - Don''t do anything useless. Do you think someone as timid as I would reveal myself without taking proper precautions? It might be better for you to concentrate on our conversation.


    "Well said. Sure, let''s have a conversation. What is your exact aim, Eveheim? Why do you insist on plunging the world into chaos?" Yu-Seong said.


    - Didn''t your masters tell you?


    At Eveheim¡¯s surprised expression, Yu-Seong furrowed his brows. He said, "Yes, I did hear something. There''s an asshole who wants to reach the heavens by surpassing transcendence."


    - Tsk tsk, how can you say it like that? What''s so bad about a man having ambitions?


    "If transcendental beings exert consistent effort, they can ascend to divinity in no time. However, didn''t you discard transcendence because you lacked the confidence to pursue it?"


    Yu-Seong''s provocation briefly silenced Eveheim.


    - I''ve told you repeatedly that your simplistic provocation stratagem won''t work. My intentions extend beyond mere godhood. I aspire to stand shoulder to shoulder with the beings who exist far away in the universe.


    "And you decided to sacrifice many people to achieve that?"


    - What''s wrong with a little sacrifice for a big purpose?


    "So I was right. You desired to achieve the status of a Great God, yet lacked the confidence to generate that power on your own. Therefore, you made the choice to sacrifice the world."


    - My existence is frail indeed.


    "That''s not a noble purpose. It''s simply selfishness driven by your desires," Eveheim stated.


    From this point onwards, it no longer remained a mere simplistic provocation strategy. It transformed into what is commonly referred to as "Blitzing with Fact," where the truth was presented as it stood.


    A bitter smile appeared on Eveheim''s face.


    - Then, let me ask you this. If you know your limits and realize that no matter how hard you try, you can''t reach that level, should you give up your dreams?


    "How am I supposed to determine that? Don''t talk nonsense. Let''s make one thing clear. No matter how grand your dream is, what you''re doing now is trampling on the dreams of countless others."


    - Their dreams are insignificant.


    "Who decides whether a person''s dream is great or insignificant?"


    - It depends on the scale of the dream. I will ascend to the highest point in the sky. I shall become the embodiment of this world, extending my influence. In the end, it will benefit all.


    "So, why do you decide this on your own... No, forget it."


    Yu-Seong shook his head with a disgusted gaze. "You''ve just gone mad, Eveheim. You couldn''t stand the reality that your ability couldn''t satisfy your greed, so your mind just snapped!"


    Eveheim, hearing Yu-Seong''s blunt insults, let out a deep sigh with a bitter smile on his lips.


    - I had hoped that I could persuade you to join me in this cause, but that seems like a foolish thought.


    "Anyway, your purpose remains unchanged, and it''s certain that you''ve done all this for such a petty reason," Yu-Seong stated.


    In fact, Yu-Seong already knew that there could be no justification for such mass slaughter. Nevertheless, the reason he engaged in this conversation with Eveheim was simple.


    "So, you''re saying that your petty selfishness was the sole reason for killing my mother and Kim Do-Jin''s father?"


    - The more chaotic the world gets, the more karma accumulates. It''s the same reason why the gods in the sky give powers to the players.


    Karma heightened the gods'' power and abilities. Eveheim sought to gather that karma in his realm, desiring to claim it all for himself.


    "At least the gods didn''t sow chaos," Yu-Seong commented.


    Yu-Seong had discovered numerous secrets of this world. The emergence of dungeons and monsters was an inevitable fate for this realm. And while the gods arrived with the intention of acquiring karma, they didn''t accelerate or disrupt the natural course.


    - ...I suppose this approach doesn¡¯t work either. That''s why it''s not enjoyable to engage in conversation with a friend who knows too much.


    After glaring at Eveheim¡¯s avatar, Yu-Seong¡¯s eyes sparkled as he shrugged his shoulders. He said, "I''ve finally found you."


    - What...?


    "You''re still in London."


    The aspect that worried Yu-Seong the most upon Eveheim''s initial arrival was nothing out of the ordinary.


    ''What if he''s just drawing attention while using another Hexagram Master to strike Seoul?''


    If Eveheim acted boldly, he might resort to such a strategy. However, Eveheim, who had revealed his avatar, was undoubtedly in Europe. And accompanying him were five entities supporting him. They were the remaining Hexagram Masters, excluding Noah, who was already deceased.


    ''If it were the Twelve Dark Kings, there wouldn''t be this much energy.''


    The purpose behind Yu-Seong''s initiation of the conversation was to determine the opponent''s precise whereabouts and situation using pursuit magic.


    "You truly are a coward. You didn''t even have the guts to take a risk at the final moment," Yu-Seong remarked.


    In response to his taunting, Eveheim''s face displayed an unusual contortion for the first time.


    - You could say that I''m thorough.


    "No, you have been a coward right from the beginning. The reason you couldn''t launch an attack on Seoul and why you refrained from dispatching the Hexagram Masters, whom you should have trusted, to other locations, was simply due to your fear.¡±


    - Hmm... I admit it.


    Eveheim chuckled and nodded.


    - But, I didn''t lose.


    Then, he turned to Yu-Seong with a smirk.


    - Look. I summoned the Demon Kings, causing great chaos in this world. Many people have died, and many more will die.


    "Aren''t you underestimating my friends too much? Do you think things will go as you planned?"


    In fact, Yu-Seong could confidently assert that with the personnel dispatched to Shanghai and Moscow, they would be able to thwart the two Demon Kings.


    - Most importantly, this ensures my safety. Even though you know that I am in London, the fact that you can''t get here is proof enough.


    With that, Eveheim, as if recalling something, spoke with a broad smile on his face.


    - Although, I''m curious about one more thing. Why do you think the Demon Kings are the only cards in my hand?


    "What?"


    As Eveheim''s avatar waved at the startled Yu-Seong, the news began to broadcast like a TV screen. A massive terrorist attack had erupted in Washington, USA, leading to the collapse of the Tower of Heaven. While no Demon King had appeared, countless demons were emerging, accompanied by a dungeon break, causing panic and screams of fear among the people.


    - My friends are originally called Demon King Worshipers. Hehe.


    A victorious smile spread across Eveheim''s face. It was true that he hadn''t originally targeted Seoul. Yu-Seong''s statement was correct. As he had mentioned, Eveheim was a coward who had to plan for contingencies.


    That''s why he had orchestrated chaos in North America, far away from the other situations he had instigated.


    - It seems I''m the winner of this round, after all. Well, how about it? You should hurry and save America, Choi Yu-Seong, the great hero.


    At Eveheim''s confident declaration, Yu-Seong dropped his head as if in despair.


    "Heh... Hahaha..."


    But what slipped out from his lips was laughter.


    - What...?


    Surprised by the unexpected reaction, Eveheim voiced his question.


    "Who do you think the people who have been facing the Demon King Worshipers are?" Yu-Seong asked.


    Following that, the TV news announced the arrival of unexpected saviors, bringing welcome news. Almost 20,000 players suddenly materialized in Washington as reinforcements. Leading the charge was Jenny, the blonde leader of the Hidden Team. Eveheim''s eyes widened in astonishment at the unexpected appearance of the crowd.


    - What...? Then, what about Seoul now...?


    From the beginning, the reason Eveheim hesitated to attack Seoul was due to the presence of the Hidden Team, this formidable group.


    "I''m not a coward like you." Yu-Seong, watching Eveheim''s confusion, grinned and shrugged his shoulders.

 CH 258

    When three Demon Kings descended simultaneously, the decision to evacuate Seoul posed a challenging gamble for Yu-Seong as he organized personnel. Therefore, he had initially planned to relocate the Hidden Team to Seoul in case of emergencies.


    However, just before departing for Paris at the eleventh hour, he received a crucial message from Woo-Jae.


    - Don''t worry about me, no matter what you do. Did you really think your father wouldn''t be prepared for a situation like this?


    After Woo-Jae''s initial arrogant statement, the subsequent messages that followed were truly shocking. In Seoul, players from various countries were gathering, including Japan, despite strained relations, and India, known to have the second-highest number of players after China.


    Additionally, formidable players from South American countries such as Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina were also present. Among them were the top-ranking members of various guilds, including players with S-rank or higher rankings.


    ''...What on earth has Father been preparing all this time?''


    In fact, Yu-Seong had anticipated that Woo-Jae would gather players and soldiers from various locations, but the scale of the gathering exceeded Yu-Seong''s imagination.


    Flustered, Yu-Seong inquired about the situation only to discover that, despite operating under different names and corporations, all of them were funded by a common source known as ''Comet.'' In other words, Woo-Jae had not only formed a guild in Korea but had also established global organizations capable of seamlessly joining the Comet Guild whenever needed.


    Naturally, Yu-Seong couldn''t help but acknowledge the incredible and terrifying nature of Woo-Jae.


    ¡®So, he had been concealing this immense force all along, disguised under the pretense of contingency planning.¡¯


    In some ways, the most terrifying character within the context of this world might not have been Eveheim, but rather Woo-Jae.


    ¡®If it weren''t for me causing him to be defeated by Kim Do-Jin in the original novel, he would have gone on to create an even more astonishing history.¡¯


    Having a dependable backup alleviated the fear of moving forward. Consequently, Yu-Seong could issue continuous orders to the Hidden Team, which had a substantial number of personnel stationed in the United States and the UK, where the activities of the Demon King Worshipers had recently been most rampant.


    The objective was to sustain control and stability in those regions, and the outcome was a direct result of those tireless efforts.


    "This seems like a clear victory for me," Yu-Seong said.


    - ¡­


    For the first time, Yu-Seong beheld Eveheim''s visage, twisted and contorted like that of a wrathful demon. As Yu-Seong stared into Eveheim''s distorted face, his mind instinctively pondered what Eveheim would ultimately choose in the climactic moments.


    "You''d be wise not to meddle with the members of the Hidden Team in London," Yu-Seong remarked, his voice resolute. "Once the Hexagram Masters disperse, I will personally focus solely on you, activating teleportation swiftly."


    - While you''re dealing with me, won''t many people end up losing their lives?


    "Don''t be arrogant. I know you well, Eveheim," Yu-Seong stated firmly.


    As a matter of fact, there was no longer a necessity to rely on the original novel.


    "You''re a coward who prioritizes your own life above all else," Yu-Seong added.


    It was clear that Eveheim couldn''t afford to risk his own life by engaging in a confrontation. Yu-Seong''s observation was indeed accurate.


    - You''re right, Yu-Seong. I hate to admit it, but I have lost to you in our game so far.


    However, Eveheim was a bit more of a coward than Yu-Seong had initially presumed.


    - So, I had prepared this kind of measure just in case.


    Once again, as Eveheim extended his hand, the holographic map of London unfurled, displaying the entire city. Numerous red dots were scattered across its expanse, indicating various locations. It was evident to Yu-Seong at first glance.


    "Seems like the locations of the Hidden Team members. However... I did mention that a hostage threat wouldn''t be effective, didn''t I?" Yu-Seong remarked.


    - You better listen to it until the end, as I''m currently not in a very good mood.


    With Eveheim''s stern voice, another wave of his hand revealed a large hexagonal magic circle set up around London city.


    - This is a spell that I have personally constructed, investing a significant amount of time into its creation. The instant I snap my fingers, the entirety of London will be obliterated.


    "You... What...?"


    Only then did Yu-Seong''s eyes widen in realization of Eveheim''s true intention.


    - Here''s a proposal, Choi Yu-Seong: Enter this location alone. If you refuse, I will detonate the entire city.


    In truth, Eveheim''s target wasn''t solely the members of the Hidden Team. He posed a threat to the lives of the entire population of London. In such a scenario, countless individuals would face death, including even the Demon King Worshipers who followed him.


    "You''re truly insane..." Yu-Seong''s eyes reflected his bewilderment as he clenched his teeth.


    ''London is definitely a trap.''


    How many diverse methods could the cowardly Eveheim have secretly deployed within his territory? Just the thought of it caused an imminent headache.


    - From my perspective, it is irrelevant whether you retreat from this situation. The complete annihilation of a city as significant as London would undoubtedly unleash unimaginable chaos.


    Furthermore, the ensuing chaos would eventually transform into vast karma, accumulating within this world.


    - With the accumulated karma, I will unleash the most devastating Catastrophe upon this world, affecting it in its entirety.


    "...Superbia, Demon King of Pride."


    Eventually, chaos would beckon even greater chaos.


    Yu-Seong felt dizzy as he pictured that horrific disaster in his head.


    ''He wouldn¡¯t be taken down easily.''


    Watching Yu-Seong gritting his teeth, Eveheim''s avatar slowly blurred out with a wicked smile.


    - The choice is yours, Choi Yu-Seong.


    After Eveheim disappeared, all that remained before him was the Parisian sky. Yu-Seong had no option but to clench his fist and grit his teeth.


    ''That bastard...''


    At this moment, a single thought emerged in his mind.


    ''What if he is just lying?''


    A large-scale magic capable of obliterating all of London¡ªessentially, from Eveheim''s perspective, it meant he was willing to destroy his very own stronghold. In reality, such a decision was not something that the inherently cowardly Eveheim would typically arrive at.


    ''But just in case it''s real...''


    Now, the tide had shifted. Eveheim, too, possessed a profound comprehension of Yu-Seong. Regardless of whether it was a ruse, Yu-Seong found himself compelled to yield to it, fully aware of the truth. While Yu-Seong did not regard himself as a hero, he lacked the ruthlessness to idly witness the sacrifice of countless lives that he could have rescued. As a result, any variables or irregularities would prove ineffective.


    ¡®From the very onset, upon observing the anomalous situation unfolding in London, I embarked on the journey here. He must have possessed unwavering confidence that I would indeed come.¡¯


    Yu-Seong sighed heavily and thought.


    ¡®I''m sorry, Kim Do-Jin. I had intended to join you once you arrived, but¡­¡¯


    Now, even if Yu-Seong had to face Eveheim alone, he was determined to stop him.


    ''I have to confront this head-on.''


    With resolve in his heart, Yu-Seong opened the portal, signaling the beginning of his ultimate battle, and fearlessly plunged into London.


    From a distance, Eveheim observed the emergence of the green portal in the London sky and nodded his head in acknowledgment.


    "You had no other choice," he remarked, acknowledging the inevitability of Yu-Seong''s decision. In truth, even for Eveheim, employing London as bait was a desperate last resort.


    ''Thinking about the money and time I''ve poured into this country, it''s such a pity.''


    However, the threat of London''s destruction from the beginning was not to be taken lightly. It was a plan that Eveheim had meticulously prepared for an extended period, intended for employment in the direst of circumstances.


    ¡®I had expected the adversary to be Superbia, but¡­¡¯


    However, in the face of Yu-Seong, who proved to be significantly more formidable and meticulous than Eveheim had anticipated, he found himself compelled to resort to this strategy.


    ''If I don''t take him down, there will be no next time.''


    Above all, Eveheim''s instincts were screaming.


    ''This is the last chance.''


    His instincts told him that this was his final opportunity to eliminate Yu-Seong. Also, there was evidence to back up this instinct.


    ''Kim Do-Jin and Bernard Yoo haven''t been seen for the past few months.''


    Based on the experiences thus far, there was a strong likelihood that Yu-Seong was preparing something. Eveheim was particularly wary of the growth potential exhibited by both individuals. Given this situation, no matter how he contemplated it, prolonging the time appeared to be an unfavorable choice.


    ''I will stake everything and end it here.''


    It was around this time that Eveheim''s eyes shone coldly. A divine form appeared beyond the green portal. It was Yu-Seong.


    "You''re here!" Eveheim exclaimed.


    Without hesitation, he extended his arms wide, and simultaneously, vibrant purple mana erupted from six buildings situated across the city of London. The mana intertwined through the empty air, creating a colossal magic circle that hovered above Yu-Seong''s head.


    As the immense surge of mana materialized before him, Yu-Seong''s eyes widened in sheer astonishment.


    ¡®You didn''t think all I had in London was a mere self-destructive magic circle, did you?¡¯


    Eveheim harbored an unwavering confidence that Yu-Seong would be incapable of evading the mana cannon fueled by the energy harnessed from the six purple mana stones.


    ''Because the moment he dodges, countless citizens of London will die.''


    Indeed, in a swift response, Yu-Seong activated a defensive skill, wielding his spear to erect a formidable barrier that successfully intercepted the onslaught of the colossal mana cannon.


    ''It''s fine.''


    Eveheim never entertained any doubts that Yu-Seong would be incapable of withstanding an attack of such magnitude. After all, Yu-Seong had directly confronted Ira, the Demon King of Wrath, displaying his unwavering resolve and formidable strength.


    ¡®This is what¡¯s important.¡¯


    While Yu-Seong valiantly blocked the onslaught of the swirling mana cannon, Eveheim extended both hands behind him, the purple aura enveloping him like repulsive tentacles.


    Confronting the relentless mana cannon from the front, Yu-Seong found himself facing an attack that did not appear to pose an immediate threat. After a moment of hesitation, Yu-Seong reluctantly prepared himself and accepted the blow.


    Observing this, Eveheim chuckled with sadistic delight.


    ''Is he trying to tie up both my arms with this?''


    At the very moment that Eveheim, exultant with his initial strike, wore a triumphant smile, Yu-Seong swiftly dispelled all the descending mana cannons. With his back turned toward Eveheim, he locked eyes with fiery determination and shouted vehemently, his voice resounding through the air.


    "Eveheim-!"


    "Come, my adversary."


    Responding with a radiant smile, Eveheim outstretched his arms wide. Simultaneously, Yu-Seong descended like lightning, hurtling toward the very building upon which Eveheim stood.


    ***


    Upon arriving in London, Yu-Seong was immediately met with a relentless barrage of mana cannons, and he could feel the foreign energy clinging to his back. Nothing came easy for him in this dire situation.


    This novel is available on "pawread dot com".


    ''For now, the second one is the problem...''


    Eveheim¡¯s purple aura had penetrated Yu-Seong¡¯s body, disrupting his senses beyond the realm of his five senses and reaching into his sixth sense. It was one of the abilities that Eveheim was proud of¡ªSensory Distortion.


    ¡®Adding Perception Distortion to this.''


    Yu-Seong was certain that Eveheim stood right before his eyes, but suddenly, his figure vanished from sight. If his senses remained intact, he wouldn''t have fallen for a deception of this caliber. However, he had lost track of Eveheim''s movements, akin to playing a game of chess without a Rook and Cannon.


    ''I need to quickly drive out this nuisance...''


    Was it due to the fact that his adversary was none other than Eveheim himself? Even the Chakra, which wielded a power several times greater than ordinary mana, struggled to easily dispel Eveheim''s skill.


    To compound matters, five opponents materialized simultaneously before him, each emanating a formidable energy. Although the visual distortion caused by the Sensory Distortion made it challenging to discern their individual faces, deducing their identities proved relatively straightforward.


    "Hexagram Masters."


    The man on the far left nodded. "I didn''t expect to see you again under these circumstances.¡±


    At the sight of the man pounding his chest like a gorilla, Yu-Seong smiled and said, "So you''re Jackson."


    Similarly, Yu-Seong could discern the distinctive aura of the woman, who sat upon a broomstick like a cat, licking her hand, even though her face remained unseen to him.


    "And you''re Olivia..."


    Similarly, the other Hexagram Masters, such as Talia, Jacob, James, and others, were all revealing their unique characteristics.


    "Amazing. You''re the first one to distinguish opponents beyond standing still from the Sensory Distortion of Godfather," Talia said.


    Indeed, she was right. This was no easy feat. And to add one more thing, Yu-Seong actually didn''t think this level was a major problem.


    ''Although my physical condition is somewhat messed up...''


    At present, Yu-Seong possessed a sensory organ surpassing his already impeccable five senses.


    ''The Final Form of Third Eye. Open the Eyes of God.''


    Fearlessly surrendering his sight and shutting his eyes, a divine blue eye, radiating with brilliance, emerged on Yu-Seong''s forehead and illuminated the world.

 CH 259

    Yu-Seong had believed that he was fully aware of the extraordinary power of his skill composition as a player. However, during his training as a transcendent being, this belief was completely shattered, and the reason for it was quite simple.


    ''I really had no understanding of the true power of Chakra.''


    The mere thought that it was just a more efficient way to use power than mana was foolish. The God''s Chakra, passed down from Shiva, the Destruction God, was literally the power originally wielded by a ''god.''


    ''I had some idea, but...''


    As the levels of the God''s Chakra increased, its power began to generate an absurdly massive force.


    ''Even at present, in my current state, the realm of God''s Chakra has only reached the 6th stage.''


    Yu-Seong believed he had attained immense power, but his God''s Chakra had not yet reached the 7th stage. It was only at his current 6th stage that the complete unsealing of the power of the Third Eye was achieved. In essence, this marked the opening of the Eyes of God.


    Although the Eyes of God were perceived through the eyes, they were not merely a concept of vision. They did not belong to the somewhat instinctive sixth sense either. If one were to describe it, it would be the seventh sense¡ªa transcendent new sense that surpassed the five senses and even instinct itself.


    Consequently, Yu-Seong began to perceive an extensive amount of information.


    ''The flow of mana, the movement...''


    Even amidst his distorted senses, Yu-Seong could precisely pinpoint Talia''s imminent ice magic and absorb it with a mere touch of his hand. Moreover, he redirected the discharged energy in the opposite direction, effectively halting the movements of the five Hexagram Masters who were converging upon him from all sides.


    Simultaneously, he absorbed and dispersed the poisonous mist emitted by Jacob through his palm. However, this was far from the end of his remarkable abilities.


    Bang-!


    Jackson, who had braved the blizzard and the poisonous mist to approach Yu-Seong, was forcefully propelled into the sky, unable to endure the shockwave unleashed by the punch he had delivered.


    - He absorbed my ability and discharged it back?!


    - That''s impossible. Can that guy use all abilities?


    - He¡¯s quite good!


    Subsequently, the thoughts of the Hexagram Masters began to reverberate. Yu-Seong could read the stream of their thoughts and consciousness, perceive the flow of mana, and replicate skills using his Third Eye, ultimately reflecting them back. All of these extraordinary abilities were activated by a single skill: the God''s Chakra.


    ''It''s enough.''


    Despite his blurred senses and perception, Yu-Seong found solace in this state. In fact, it was even more advantageous for him. The Beast King''s Instinct, originally reliant on the six senses, naturally progressed and evolved as a result of the seventh sense.


    ¡®The Wild God¡¯s Instinct.¡¯


    Surpassing the instinct of a king, the instinct of a god awakened within Yu-Seong. His spear soared toward James, leaving him stunned by the sudden twist of events. In an instant, the spear was about to pierce through James'' head. In that unfathomable moment, beyond rationality, Yu-Seong sensed his opponent''s demise through his seventh sense.


    However, a distortion in space occurred, causing the spear intended for James to instead move to impale Yu-Seong''s back.


    Swiftly turning to catch the spear and activating the Wind Thunder Dragon God Art, Yu-Seong roared, "Eveheim-!"


    Beyond the senses, Eveheim had even distorted the fabric of space itself, twisting the divine certainty. While Yu-Seong felt a twinge of regret for missing a valuable opportunity, everything remained under control.


    ''If you come out like that...''


    Now, James had come to his senses and quickly chose to flee. In the midst of all this, the only one standing somewhat stupidly was none other than Jacob.


    ''His poison could be dangerous.''


    As Yu-Seong''s body faded away, a thunderous sound reverberated through the air. Startled, Jacob hastily dispersed the poisonous mist surrounding him, just as Eveheim''s Spatial Distortion started to engulf Yu-Seong''s form.


    In an instant, the flow of time decelerated, lagging even behind the speed of the Spatial Distortion.


    ''If you use space, Eveheim...''


    Yu-Seong had the power to manipulate time, which was passed down from Gabriel. Proving this, only Yu-Seong''s spear moved quickly in the delayed time, and it shattered Jacob''s skull.


    Bang-!


    The only thing claimed by the Spatial Distortion was the lifeless body of the infamous Hexagram Master.


    Although most of his senses remained restricted, Yu-Seong, standing beneath the somewhat damp London night sky with his radiant blue eye, declared confidently, "Here, today, the Demon King''s Worshipers will meet their end."


    ***


    Positioned nearly 10km away from the battlefield, Eveheim exerted various restrictions on Yu-Seong''s movements. While doing so, he couldn''t help but feel goosebumps creeping up his spine and forehead.


    ¡°Gabriel, Green, Bak Ok-Rye¡­ What kind of monster did they create?¡±


    Words of disbelief spilled from his mouth as Eveheim exerted his utmost distortion ability toward Yu-Seong, even rewinding the transcendent power that the latter had previously cast aside. After all, it was impossible to freely utilize the power of Spatial Distortion in a state outside of transcendence.


    Naturally, there was a distinct penalty for such actions, as the intervention of a transcendent being in the world clearly violated the rules. Therefore, Eveheim was prepared to abstain from using his abilities for at least ten years following this battle. He believed that this was the only way to contend with Yu-Seong, who had unlocked the Eyes of God.


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    ''Even with such determination¡­''


    Eveheim found himself losing ground as Yu-Seong went on a rampage, having successfully dealt with Jacob and now turning his attention toward James, who began to panic once again. This unexpected turn of events truly caught them off guard.


    ''The weakness of that monster is his retained humanity.''


    In a way, this fact could be considered as Yu-Seong''s greatest strength. If he had forsaken his own humanity, he would have inadvertently entered the realm of transcendence, resulting in the limitation of his immense power.


    ''No matter how cowardly, it can''t be helped.''


    Finally, Eveheim realized that the only path to victory was by exploiting Yu-Seong''s vulnerability as a human. With great force, he created a breach in the barrier he had set up as a contingency plan.


    - All Masters, start city warfare.


    In response to the command, all Hexagram Masters descended upon the city without a hint of surprise. Jackson''s destructive punch, a symbol of devastation, reduced a towering building of over 20 stories to rubble with a single strike.


    Boom-!


    As buildings started collapsing like dominoes, Yu-Seong''s focus shifted from hunting down the Hexagram Masters like the god of death, to rescuing the screaming and despairing people from the sudden disaster. He utilized magic to halt the crumbling structures and launched them into the air.


    However, the Hexagram Masters seized this opportunity without hesitation. As James summoned demonic Beasts that unleashed havoc and carnage upon the innocent, Yu-Seong''s hands grew busier, and his vulnerability increased.


    It was at this moment that Talia''s Freezing skill finally found its mark. Yu-Seong''s expression hardened as his ankle instantly froze, and in that split second, a colossal black sword, materialized by Olivia, swung toward him.


    Reacting swiftly, Yu-Seong unleashed a defensive skill, but among the Hexagram Masters, Olivia ranked as the second most powerful, second only to Eveheim.


    ''If I were in perfect condition, the outcome might have been different, but...''


    Having already clashed with Ira, the second-ranked Demon King of Wrath within the hierarchy, Yu-Seong would find it challenging to ward off her attack.


    ''If my Mana Distortion skill is added to that...''


    Yu-Seong''s face turned pale as his defensive skill crumbled in an instant.


    ''This fool, I''ve finally caught him¡­!''


    From a distance, a smirk crept onto Eveheim''s face as he observed the unfolding events.


    ***


    A multitude of thoughts raced through Yu-Seong''s mind as he fixed his gaze on the approaching sword of black mana.


    ''If I were to ignore the sacrifices of the people here and absorb the mana...''


    Perhaps, he could fend off the strike of that sword. However, it would mean abandoning a large number of people.


    ''No, there is still another way.''


    If he were to summon the souls of the gods residing within the dragon''s body, it could potentially offer a chance for a counterattack. However, he hesitated, uncertain if it was the right moment to unleash this power.


    His senses, tinged with the seventh sense, seemed to whisper to him: ''Not yet.''


    Trusting his unwavering intuition, Yu-Seong stared wide-eyed at the sword rapidly closing in. And then, almost like a deception, Olivia''s blade, poised to sever his throat at any moment, abruptly halted.


    - What are you doing, Olivia?!


    Eveheim''s voice, filled with bewilderment, resounded through the Eyes of God.


    "...Can you hear me?" Olivia''s voice followed.


    "Of course." Yu-Seong nodded in response.


    Then, a deep smile surfaced on Olivia''s face. She said, "You''re cool. More so than Godfather.¡±


    "...I don''t think it''s the appropriate time for a sudden confession, considering the present circumstances," Yu-Seong stated.


    Just then, a barrage of attacks from the other Hexagram Masters descended upon Yu-Seong and Olivia. It was the result of Eveheim''s confused command to eliminate both of them.


    However, Olivia single-handedly deflected all the incoming attacks by summoning numerous black fists. It was truly a remarkable sight, even from Yu-Seong''s perspective.


    ''This girl... She didn''t unleash her full power when she faced me.''


    She may not be on Eveheim''s level, but there was no denying that she was an incredibly formidable fighter, capable of overpowering the other Hexagram Masters.


    "Why were you concealing your skills?" Yu-Seong inquired.


    "I wasn''t exactly hiding them. I simply didn''t feel the need to fight seriously," Olivia replied.


    "It would be appreciated if you could remove the sword aimed at my neck before engaging in conversation."


    "But if the circumstances were different, you wouldn''t have listened, would you?"


    Indeed, Olivia was correct. Yu-Seong nodded in agreement.


    "Keep it brief; get to the point. The situation isn''t favorable," Yu-Seong stated.


    "You''re so naive. Just because a few others might die, it doesn''t mean you''ll be harmed, does it?"


    "It does hurt. It shatters my heart."


    "That''s intriguing."


    "What''s the purpose of this conversation?"


    "Become my puppet. Then, I''ll assist you," Olivia proposed.


    "Your puppet?" Yu-Seong couldn''t help but let out a dry chuckle.


    "Yes. Obey my commands, engage with me, be intimate with me..." Olivia''s face slightly flushed as she lowered her head, seemingly embarrassed.


    With her body trembling faintly, she asked, "You understand, don''t you?"


    In response to her strangely uncomfortable suggestion, Yu-Seong furrowed his brows. "I have no idea."


    "If you don''t comprehend, I''ll teach you. Just answer me. Do you desire to belong to me?"


    Olivia¡¯s voice, filled with mana, dug deep into Yu-Seong''s mind. In the face of this far from amusing proposition, his reply was simple.


    "You''re talking nonsense. Whether it''s you or Eveheim, all Demon King Worshipers are completely deranged," Yu-Seong retorted.


    Indeed, one only needed to look at Rachel to see the truth of that statement.


    "Is that so? You won''t become my puppet?" Olivia questioned.


    "Go to hell," Yu-Seong said, his smile radiant.


    Upon Yu-Seong''s curse, Olivia''s previously slightly flushed face turned crimson. It was the same shade of red, yet the emotions it conveyed were distinctly different¡ªanger.


    Seething with fury to the point where her face contorted, Olivia shouted, "What a shame. Then you''ll just have to die!"


    Just as the colossal sword was on the verge of descending upon Yu-Seong''s neck, a streak of silver lightning, triggering a sense of familiarity from a previous encounter, struck directly in front of him. It intercepted the colossal mana sword, halting its advance.


    Zzzt-!


    The surge of mana rippled outwards in all directions like a powerful current, creating a resounding clash. Within moments, Olivia''s body, unable to withstand the tremendous force, was forcefully propelled backward.


    Thud-!


    Amidst the billowing dust cloud, Yu-Seong caught sight of a dependable man in a white coat, nonchalantly brushing off his silver sword, his back facing him.


    "...Took you long enough. Why the delay?" Yu-Seong remarked, sporting a smile.


    The response was straightforward.


    "Choi Yu-Seong belongs to me."


    "You''re crazy. Wasn''t that what you said before? What does that even imply? It will lead to misunderstandings," Yu-Seong remarked.


    It was a scene he had witnessed and heard once before, yet the emotions it stirred within him were entirely different. Disregarding the furious Olivia with nonchalance, the handsome man casually turned his head, revealing his profile, and smirked.


    "It means that if he is to meet his end, I will be the one to end him," the man replied.


    "You bastard," Yu-Seong retorted.


    Though he uttered those words, Yu-Seong couldn''t help but feel relieved.


    "Kim Do-Jin."


    The two men, sharing the same sentiment, exchanged smiles.

 CH 260

    In fact, the sudden appearance of Do-Jin was something Yu-Seong had not anticipated at all.


    "I thought it would take at least another week," Yu-Seong commented.


    "Hele sent a drone into the training center and contacted me. Since the training was over and I was just refining my skills, there was no reason to hesitate," Do-Jin explained.


    "Ah...?"


    While humans were limited to entering in groups of no more than two, machines were not bound by such restrictions. Yu-Seong had never conceived of such a method and felt depressed as he came to this realization.


    "Hmph," Do-Jin scoffed nonchalantly, then glanced at Olivia, who had discarded her sword and was seething with anger.


    "Let''s put a pause on the conversation for now," Do-Jin proposed.


    "Yes, there''s a lot to sort out," Yu-Seong agreed. He chuckled and nodded, his Eyes of God radiating a gentle glow as he lowered his spear.


    The two men, each holding their weapon, stood back-to-back, presenting an impeccable image from any angle. Yu-Seong couldn''t help but admire the resolute energy emanating from Do-Jin.


    ''This guy...''


    He had grown unimaginably stronger compared to three months ago. It was a remarkable transformation befitting the protagonist of the original novel, a true genius.


    Perhaps the unwavering bond between the two men further provoked Olivia''s anger. Her face contorted even more as she questioned them. "What''s going on with you two? Making me feel jealous... What exactly is your relationship?"


    "Do you not see it?" Do-Jin snorted and leaned forward slightly as he spoke. He then declared, "We''re friends.¡±


    "Friends," Yu-Seong echoed simultaneously, launching himself toward the other Hexagram Master who displayed a tense expression in mid-air.


    Flash-!


    Two beams of light diverged, each moving in opposite directions. From the mirage-like silhouette, a bolt of lightning and a fiery blaze emerged, showcasing their formidable energy. They were poised to incinerate their respective adversaries with unyielding force.


    Crash-!


    With a resounding boom, Olivia, who had been forcefully pushed back, swung her dark mana-infused sword fiercely toward Do-Jin, as if intent on cleaving him in two. She yelled in frustration, "So annoying!"


    Several gigantic black hands emerged from behind her, relentlessly pounding on Do-Jin''s body without discrimination.


    BOOM, BOOM, BOOM-!


    The air seemed to detonate, with the sound echoing continuously. Do-Jin, maintaining an indifferent expression, was cleaved in half by the force of Olivia''s mana sword, dissipating into nothingness.


    Even in the face of such a tragic scene, Olivia remained unwavering, swinging her arm harshly as she turned her back.


    Thud-!


    Witnessing Do-Jin come to a sudden halt, Olivia wore a smirk on her face. She asked, "Did you think I''d fall for such a clumsy trick?"


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    Do-Jin responded with a mocking laugh. "You don''t think I purposely avoided slicing it, do you?"


    "What...?"


    "I thought dying in flames would be fitting for you."


    Subsequently, magic circles composed of pentagrams materialized simultaneously on both of Do-Jin''s black eyes.


    "What the... How could you use magic like¡­?"


    Olivia''s words could not reach their conclusion. From the ends of her short hair to the hem of her clothes, flames erupted and quickly covered her figure.


    "Kyaaaa-!" she screamed as she frantically shook her head, trying to shake off the flame with her mana.


    Unfortunately, the flame that Do-Jin had ignited was not so easily extinguished.


    ''Heart Fire.''


    The flame of resentment, once consuming Do-Jin''s mind, was now under his control, unfolding as his most potent power. As a result, there were only two ways to extinguish that flame: either shatter Do-Jin''s spirit or confront it with a heart stronger and more ruthless than his own.


    Unfortunately, Olivia seemed to fit into neither of those positions.


    "Ahhhhhhh-!"


    Unable to endure, the dying black witch extended her arm toward Do-Jin. Words didn''t come out, but the eyes engulfed by the consuming flames conveyed a clear message.


    "You want to live?"


    Do-Jin was uncertain if his voice was heard, but Olivia''s head frantically nodded up and down. Looking at her, he then asked, "Have you ever listened to the plea of someone dying even once?"


    At Do-Jin''s response, Olivia''s violet pupils quivered as she opened her eyes wide.


    "If you lived by killing so many people, you should have anticipated your own death," Do-Jin said.


    With a brief click of his tongue, Do-Jin''s sword left a trail of silver light as it swiftly cleaved through Olivia''s neck. Minimizing the time of agony toward death was the greatest act of mercy Do-Jin could offer to Olivia.


    "...I''ve also become much softer, it seems."


    Briefly glancing at Olivia''s face, who had given up everything and closed her eyes in her last moments, Do-Jin''s gaze turned skyward. Up there, Yu-Seong, who had slaughtered all the remaining three Hexagram Masters, was slowly descending to the ground.


    "Have you finished here as well?" Yu-Seong queried, swiping the blood smeared on his face away with the back of his hand.


    In response, Do-Jin smirked, gave a slight nod, and replied, "...And you have grown cold.¡±


    "What are you talking about?" Yu-Seong retorted.


    "Just an observation."


    "You know, for some reason, that annoys me."


    Despite Yu-Seong''s piercing gaze, Do-Jin merely clamped his mouth shut, evading his look.


    "Hmm, anyhow. The energy of Eveheim that was obstructing me earlier has dissipated," Yu-Seong continued.


    This fact had enabled him to take down three Hexagram Masters more swiftly than he had anticipated.


    "I actually thought he had fled, but..."


    However, that was not the case. From afar, Yu-Seong could sense the collision of two potent energies. Though lacking when compared to Eveheim, another considerably firm energy had joined this battlefield.


    "Bernard Yoo was headed that way. He mentioned he''d buy us some time," Do-Jin explained.


    Having completed his training, Bernard Yoo also appeared noticeably stronger, unexpectedly able to hold his ground against Eveheim.


    "Both of you must have put in a lot of effort," Yu-Seong said.


    "I had a hard time leading him," Do-Jin said.


    Displaying his usual arrogance, Do-Jin took a moment to steady his breathing before stepping forward. He suggested, "We should go and assist him. Things could become dangerous if any more time elapses.¡±


    "Oh, hold on a moment." Yu-Seong halted Do-Jin and quickly shook his head. "There''s still something I need to do."


    "But didn''t all the Hexagram Masters perish?"


    "It''s that important of a matter."


    Responding briefly to Do-Jin''s question, Yu-Seong stared into the distance. As Do-Jin had stated, Bernard Yoo''s situation was precarious, hanging by a thread. However, he could still hold on. It appeared as though Bernard Yoo''s robust energy signaled as such.


    ''I believe in you.''


    Internally replying, Yu-Seong began to tell Do-Jin what needed to be done.


    Having heard everything, Do-Jin was visibly taken aback and nodded in understanding. "We''ll need to move quickly then.¡±


    "Otherwise, our friend might be in danger," Yu-Seong remarked.


    Naturally, their pace accelerated.


    ***


    Eveheim, who had believed he could finally seize Yu-Seong this time around, despite the somewhat shaky circumstances, was left with no choice but to rage at the abrupt appearance of multiple variables.


    "Olivia, that girl, acted on her own, and now she has caused a mess!"


    Due to the slight delay, significant variables named Do-Jin and Bernard had entered the battlefield, throwing a wrench in Eveheim''s plans. Moreover, Bernard, who had previously seemed weak enough to be squashed by a finger at any moment, was now skillfully blocking Eveheim''s attacks.


    "Is that the best you can do? Can''t you give it more effort?" smirked Bernard, his face pale but determined.


    Eveheim''s attacks were thwarted by two colossal arms, which radiated a faint orange glow, crossed in the shape of an X right in front of Bernard. Despite Eveheim''s attempts to distort various senses and manipulate space, his efforts were in vain.


    Bernard poured all his power into defending, unwavering in his resolve to obstruct Eveheim''s path. Even when occasionally struck by an attack, he stood his ground, bleeding but undeterred.


    It felt like facing an impenetrable wall. Impatience began to creep onto Eveheim''s face, who had initially thought that he could easily overpower Bernard and return to assisting the Hexagram Masters once he appeared.


    "Give up, damn it!" shouted Eveheim in frustration.


    A mana cannon, embodying both fury and desperation, appeared to envelop Bernard''s body.


    "Aaaarghhh-!"


    Despite Eveheim''s heavy blow tearing through his skin, causing blood to flow and leaving his body in a ragged state, Bernard endured with a loud scream.


    Just as Eveheim involuntarily sighed at the frustrating resilience of his opponent, a massive herd of buffalo sprang out and charged forward.


    "Super-! Buffalo Rush!" yelled Bernard, his voice filled with determination.


    Bang-!


    Eveheim''s casual gesture could have effortlessly neutralized the attack, but Bernard, who had finally managed to counter it, chuckled as he raised his severely injured hand.


    "Hey, are you really the leader of the Demon King Worshipers?" Bernard taunted, employing a clear strategy to divert Eveheim''s attention from Yu-Seong and Do-Jin.


    Despite being aware of the tactic, Eveheim, already caught in a distorted state where half of his sanity had slipped away, couldn''t resist falling for the provocation.


    "How dare a brat that came out of nowhere..." Eveheim muttered through clenched teeth. He reached out into the air, and space unfolded, revealing a fluttering purple cloak that wrapped around his body.


    ''I didn''t intend to use my transcendence against such a brat, but...''


    As mentioned before, relinquishing his transcendence had placed a burden on Eveheim, making it challenging to reactivate it. His original plan had been to reserve it for the ultimate enemies, Yu-Seong and Do-Jin, when they stood before him.


    However, with no other viable options left, he had to unleash his full power for a brief period. Eveheim, now adorned in a purple cloak and a helmet with demonic horns, extended his palm.


    "Yes, I see that you''re desperate for death," he sneered.


    Sizzle, sizzzzle-!


    The mana light sphere taking shape in front of Eveheim''s palm crackled with electric sparks. When confronted with a formidable barrier, it was only natural that breaking through it would take time.


    "I will pierce through you with a single strike," Eveheim proclaimed.


    With a cluster of mana resembling a colossal missile formed, a twisted smile played on Eveheim''s lips. Bernard, too, felt the imminent danger creeping in.


    ''This might be too much for me...''


    Bernard''s thoughts raced as he realized he was about to be impaled.


    ''My friends, why are you guys so slow¡­?''


    Despite the fear of death gripping a piece of his heart, Bernard refused to step back. He challenged, "Come... I will block you once more."


    In truth, Bernard felt a sense of achievement. His talent was exceptional, but he recognized his shortcomings compared to his two friends. Having spent countless hours in the training room with Do-Jin only intensified this realization.


    A massive wall loomed before Bernard, a barrier that his friends did not encounter. The moment he laid eyes on it, Bernard understood what he needed to do.


    ¡®If I cannot break through, then I will become the wall myself.¡¯


    This unwavering determination was the best contribution he could make for his two friends.


    As he strengthened his resolve, a colossal purple mana cannon was launched toward Bernard. In a single breath, it pierced through the mana barrier he had erected, engulfed his entire body, and carried him away.


    The pain was excruciating; it was as if every bone and inch of flesh was being torn apart. However, even amidst such agony, Bernard maintained a bright smile and inwardly cried out, "I will never yield!"


    He refused to give in. Though he may fracture, he would not be broken.


    Bolstering his fiery determination, two robust hands came to support him from behind.

 CH 261

    Simultaneously, mana began to surge throughout Bernard''s entire body. This mana construct formed an even more formidable barrier, gradually morphing into an impregnable fortress that defied all attempts at penetration.


    Kaboom-!


    Even the full strength unleashed by Eveheim, who had transcended his limits, was effortlessly blocked by Bernard without so much as a tremor. A smile spread across Bernard''s lips as he turned his gaze toward his two friends, who had played a part in shaping him into an invincible fortress.


    "Why were you so late¡­? I almost died, you know," Bernard said.


    As the green cat landed on his head, Bernard felt its comforting presence. Exhausted, he began to collapse, but Yu-Seong swiftly caught him.


    "I had something I needed to take care of. Thank you for holding out," Yu-Seong replied with a smile.


    "...That''s enough for me to know. Now, I''m going to rest," Bernard said with a smirk.


    After ensuring Bernard was in a safe position, Yu-Seong shifted his attention to Eveheim. The sensation of facing Eveheim, who was restrained by the tip of Do-Jin''s sword, invigorated Yu-Seong.


    "So, we finally meet again, Eveheim."


    "...Though this isn''t exactly a pleasant encounter."


    Eveheim, suppressed by the combined force of the two men who had suddenly appeared before him and realizing his failure to defeat Bernard, let out a hollow laugh. It was a fact he already knew, but now he was truly cornered.


    He accepted his defeat and offered his applause. "You truly are amazing. To have pushed me this far.¡±


    "Is that meant to be a compliment? It doesn''t quite feel that way," replied Yu-Seong.


    "Haha..." Eveheim let out a hollow laugh as his eyes darted around restlessly.


    ''First, I need to get out of here...and start over again.''


    It would take a very long time, but the only thing waiting for him if he endured the current situation would be death.


    ''I can''t let that happen.''


    Indeed, he harbored ambitions that set him apart from the insignificance of others. Falling in a place like this was simply not an option.


    As Eveheim lifted his hand with determination shining in his eyes, a magic circle materialized within Do-Jin''s line of sight, heading toward Eveheim''s outstretched palm. The moment the fiery flames attempted to engulf his hand, Eveheim''s transcendence distorted the space around him.


    Seizing the opportunity, Eveheim created another magic circle above his palm and smirked, uttering, "Let''s meet again next time."


    However, as Eveheim infused his mana into the magic circle, an unintentional questioning sound escaped him amidst the serene scenery that surrounded him. "Hmm...?"


    It was because the self-destructive magic of London, the ultimate measure that would have plunged the entire city into catastrophe, failed to activate. Bewildered, Eveheim continued pouring mana into the magic circle, unaware that Yu-Seong and Do-Jin were laughing at his futile efforts. Regardless of his attempts, the result remained unchanged.


    "How on earth...?" Eveheim, belatedly realizing the situation, asked in a trembling voice.


    "You idiot."


    "Why do you think we were so late?"


    In fact, even without receiving an answer from Do-Jin and Yu-Seong, Eveheim already understood the situation. He muttered, "You dismantled the magic circle¡­ in such a short time?"


    It was a grand magic spell that he had spent decades crafting. How could a magic circle, into which he had poured so much effort, blood, and sweat, vanish within such a short period?


    "Why are you thinking so hard? You already know the answer, don''t you? Setting up the dominoes may be challenging, but..."


    Knocking them down was as simple as flicking a finger. True, Eveheim had meticulously prepared for such an eventuality, but Yu-Seong''s magical abilities were only slightly inferior to his own. And when Do-Jin''s abilities were added to the mix...


    "This guy is even better at magic than you, you know?"


    It was not without reason that Do-Jin possessed ''Genius'' as his Special Skill. His growth during the training sessions had surpassed even Yu-Seong''s wildest imagination.


    ''I thought I had become extremely strong, but...''


    Yu-Seong sensed the potential danger that could arise if they were to engage in a direct confrontation. On the other hand, while Eveheim was undeniably formidable, he struggled to handle Yu-Seong alone.


    "It''s over, Eveheim," Do-Jin declared coldly, taking deliberate steps forward toward Eveheim.


    "This can''t... This can''t be happening."


    With a flustered expression, Eveheim ceased pouring mana into the self-destruct magic circle, realizing the futility of his efforts. He then attempted to open a spatial door behind him, seeking refuge in a place where the two friends couldn''t follow.


    "Where do you think... Dispel!"


    However, Yu-Seong''s Spell Cancellation magic unfolded, causing the spatial portal to seal shut on its own.


    One of them approached like the grim reaper, ready to take Eveheim¡¯s life, while the other completely blocked his escape route.


    "It''s not a check, it''s checkmate, Godfather," Yu-Seong said, suddenly appearing behind Eveheim and pointing his spear.


    There was no way to escape, and there was no possibility of winning the fight.


    "Haha, hahahaha, hahahahahaha-!" Eveheim, confronted with this harsh reality, burst into insane laughter.


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    "Did the heavens fear that I would ascend to the lofty universe?!"


    "What nonsense. Your dream was simply crushed because it was too grandiose for you."


    "That can''t be!"


    In response, Eveheim snorted with laughter, his eyes twitching in agitation.


    ''He was a madman to begin with, so it''s not strange if he''s gone completely insane.''


    Although Yu-Seong desired to swiftly defeat Eveheim, he chose to wait for a simple reason¡ªYu-Seong believed that Do-Jin also held a grudge and wanted to unleash his anger upon Eveheim, just like himself.


    "Eveheim."


    However, that was merely Yu-Seong''s assumption.


    "I''m finally killing my sworn enemy," Do-Jin declared with a sly grin.


    With those words, it was over. Do-Jin''s sword cut into Eveheim''s neck. At the same time, Yu-Seong''s spear, which had reflexively reacted, unleashed a lightning bolt that pierced through Eveheim''s heart.


    Immediately, Eveheim''s corpse collapsed onto the ground in front of Do-Jin and Yu-Seong, who had withdrawn their weapons simultaneously.


    Naturally facing each other, Yu-Seong asked curiously, "Was that all you wanted to say?"


    "One never knows what this kind of guy might do if left alive for too long..."


    Indeed, it was a choice befitting the protagonist of a cool novel. Yu-Seong was about to applaud in admiration.


    "Choi Yu-Seong, Kim Do-Jin!"


    With Bernard¡¯s urgent voice, the gaze of the two naturally fell onto the corpse of Eveheim that had collapsed on the ground.


    "I may be dying... but I cannot let it end like this," Eveheim said, a smile in his eyes, despite his decapitated body.


    Simultaneously, as Yu-Seong and Do-Jin continued their attack, Space Distortion spread, causing Eveheim''s corpse to vanish into thin air.


    "I dedicate my remaining breath and soul in longing..." Eveheim''s voice echoed, even though his physical form was gone.


    High above in the sky, Eveheim floated lightly, bleeding, as he retrieved a stone from his chest. Witnessing this, Yu-Seong''s eyes widened in shock.


    Recognizing the nature of the brilliantly shining mana stone, radiating in seven colors, Yu-Seong shouted, "The Philosopher''s Stone!"


    Come to think of it, the original novel never stated that there was only one Philosopher''s Stone in the world.


    ''There was another one!''


    Yu-Seong was filled with despair. What kind of disaster had the Philosopher''s Stone once brought to Pyongyang?


    Since Eveheim was a human and not a demon, Yu-Seong had never thought that Eveheim could survive even after being decapitated. He attempted to rush in, wielding his Wind Thunder Dragon God Art, but the destructive wave of mana emanating from the Philosopher''s Stone, which was soaked in Eveheim''s blood, instantly repelled Yu-Seong.


    The same happened to Do-Jin. The flames emanating from his eyes and the transcendent sword were unable to reach Eveheim, who floated with his body and head separated, as the rampaging mana pushed them back.


    Despite the progress Bernard had made in his recovery thanks to the Green Wind Spirit Cat, his efforts were in vain.


    Boom-!


    A heavy roar shook the earth and the sky, as a powerful surge of mana pressed down on the shoulders of the three men.


    "Argh-!" Yu-Seong groaned as he forced himself to his knees and lifted his gaze to the sky. His expression was one of dismay, rendering him speechless.


    "Oh my¡­"


    The sky had turned pitch black. The once-illuminated surroundings were now devoid of any light, enveloping the entire world in darkness.


    Of course, Yu-Seong was capable of inducing a similar effect. If he unleashed the lightning bolt to its extreme, the entire sky would be covered in dark clouds. However, the nature of this darkness was different.


    ''Pure mana.''


    Indeed, the sky was engulfed in an overwhelming expanse of pitch-black mana. Its sheer magnitude was so immense that every corner, visible through Yu-Seong''s Eyes of God, appeared devoid of light. At the center, like the eye of a storm shrouded in mana, the body of Eveheim was being drawn into the Philosopher''s Stone.


    However, that was not the end of it. The bodies of the defeated Hexagram Masters, whom Do-Jin and Yu-Seong had vanquished, were also being pulled toward the Philosopher''s Stone. Emitting a seven-colored light, the stone absorbed them, transforming into a deep black hue.


    [Since everything I had accumulated has crumbled, if I cannot possess it, I must destroy it.]


    [I will seek revenge.]


    [I will bring ruin to this world-!]


    Starting with Eveheim, the voices of the deceased Hexagram Masters reverberated throughout the world like thunder.


    "We must put an end to this." Do-Jin stood up and, with those resolute words, leaped into the sky. The immense storm of mana pushed against him, but he exerted all his strength to forge ahead.


    Yu-Seong, unwavering in his belief that this catastrophe must not fully unleash upon the world, followed suit. Both he and Do-Jin did not entertain doubts about their ability to draw nearer. They simply pressed forward.


    Kwaaah-!


    The tempestuous storm of mana raged, morphing into a blade-like form, threatening to carve through their very beings.


    In that critical moment, displaying his superhuman endurance, Bernard rose from his position and leaped into the sky. With both arms extended, he summoned a protective barrier to shield them from the onslaught.


    Bang-!


    The weakened barrier crumbled with a resounding crash, yet this fleeting opening granted the two men a chance to advance further. However, it was not only them who experienced transformations during this time.


    A colossal demon, slowly materializing from the depths of the Philosopher''s Stone, commenced its laughter.


    [Finally¡­ I am¡­]


    Having devoured the foulest of flesh, Superbia¡ªthe Demon King of Pride and the mightiest among all demon kings¡ªsought to descend upon Earth. Yu-Seong, Do-Jin, and Bernard felt the looming peril instinctively.


    ¡®If we don''t stop that, it will be the end.¡¯


    Superbia, the Demon King of Pride, poised to descend upon this world, would manifest as an entity utterly distinct from the previous Demon Kings. It had assimilated Eveheim, who had achieved transcendence, merging with the Philosopher''s Stone. Moreover, it had sacrificed the Hexagram Masters, renowned as the most formidable beings, to augment its power.


    ''A complete state Demon King... No, even beyond that.''


    The power of distortion wielded by the Demon King of Pride captivated Yu-Seong''s gaze, evoking a sense of terror. He understood that their sole chance to vanquish the swiftly materializing demon, which fed on the black mana, might lie in this very moment.


    ''No, it is definitely now.''


    The moment of decision had arrived. Yu-Seong''s eyes met Do-Jin''s, and they shared a silent conversation. It was time to embark on the final battle.


    With unwavering determination, Yu-Seong shouted, "Loki-!"


    BOOM-!


    From the ruptured black sky, a bolt of vibrant purple lightning pierced through and struck the earth below. As the smoke and dust cleared, a colossal dragon emerged with its wings unfolding like the petals of a blooming flower. It unleashed a resounding roar that reverberated through the air, shaking the very foundations of the surroundings.


    Roarrr-!


    The dragon''s thunderous roar echoed across the battlefield. Resembling a cataclysm in motion, it unfurled its majestic wings and it took to the sky, positioning itself between Yu-Seong and Do-Jin.


    With its mighty jaws wide open, the dragon uttered words that resonated through the air.


    -I have, no...!


    Summoned under the name Loki, the composite voice echoed through the air, representing the three contracted gods¡ªLoki, a Joke-loving Prankster; Cu Chulainn, the Culann¡¯s Hound; Scathi, the Oldest Hunter. Each god''s essence merged together, resonating as a unified entity. High above in the sky, their voices intertwined with determination as they called out to the darkened heavens.


    - Ta-da! ¡®We¡¯ have appeared!

 CH 262

    The time had come for the gods to depart from this world.


    When Yu-Seong had initially heard this tale from Loki at the Tower of Heaven, he had believed it to be one of Loki''s cruel jokes. However, when he saw Scathi and Cu Chulainn nodding their heads in agreement, he had been left with no choice but to accept the undeniable truth.


    And so, he asked a question.


    ''Then, does this mean we can''t meet ever again?''


    They had said it would be difficult for a while for them to meet. When he had heard this response, Yu-Seong had smiled broadly.


    ''At least it''s not goodbye forever.''


    That was enough for him.


    Furthermore, the three gods had entrusted their final strength to Yu-Seong before they had departed from this world. To be more precise, they had bestowed it upon Loki, the dragon who had formed a contract with Yu-Seong.


    ¡®In the final, most critical moment, when this power is truly needed¡­¡¯


    They had left him after telling him to shout out the name of the dragon when he needed the power.


    And so, at this moment where Yu-Seong was feeling the dire need for the gods'' power, he raised his voice.


    In response, Loki, who had assimilated the power of the three gods, broke free from the juvenile dragon form and descended as a fully realized dragon.


    Simultaneously, Cu Chulainn soared into the air, carrying Yu-Seong and Do-Jin on his shoulders as he shouted.


    - We can only lend you our strength once!


    The dragon, radiating a purple glow, opened its huge mouth, revealing its terrifying teeth.


    Vroooooom-!


    As the world vibrated with a rumbling noise, swirling masses of blue, red, and purple mana converged in front of the dragon''s mouth like a vortex.


    Then, Scathi¡¯s voice followed right after.


    - If we open the way, the hunt is your responsibility, my beautiful and handsome friends.


    Loki''s voice concluded, and Cu Chulainn and Scathi responded in unison to Loki''s final remark.


    - Just in case, if you happen to die even after all of our efforts, we will pray for your peaceful rest.


    - Stop jinxing us!


    - Why must you be annoying to the very end?


    Despite the dire and serious situation, Yu-Seong couldn''t help but burst into hearty laughter at the banter of the gods echoing in his head. "Hahaha...!"


    "No need to worry. There''s no need for all of you to pray for our peaceful rest." Do-Jin''s confident voice followed, accompanied by a subtle smile.


    And at that moment, the immense energy gathering in the dragon''s mouth reached its climax. It was the calm before the storm, and a final statement shattered the brief silence.


    - It''s about time we got going.


    It was Cu Chulainn.


    We are "pawread dot com", find us on google.


    - Please take good care of Choi Yu-Seong, Kim Do-Jin.


    Scathi requested.


    - I''ll miss you both.


    Loki ended, and with her final words, a massive tricolored beam pierced the black sky, leaving the atmosphere and heading toward space.


    Ka-Bang-!


    With a thunderous noise, the purple dust scattered like flower petals, and the colossal dragon transformed into a small white dragon, being sucked into subspace.


    "See you again, everyone."


    With those last words to the departed three gods, Yu-Seong gazed straight ahead. The immense darkness that had once engulfed the entire sky had largely dissipated. In its place, a relatively large sphere of black mana remained floating in mid-air; it gathered to shield itself from the power of the three gods.


    ''It''s shrunk considerably, but it''s still big.''


    Looking at that huge sphere, which seemed as if it would need hundreds of people with their arms spread out to surround it, Yu-Seong briefly smacked his lips.


    ''Would have been nice if it ended just now...''


    Despite possessing enough power to obliterate a small country, it was impossible to absorb all the darkness that had enveloped the world. However, that was not a concern. From the very beginning, the three gods, who were mere avatars transferring their souls, understood the limitations of their powers and had paved the way for the two men.


    "Now, all that remains is..."


    "Our part. Let''s stay focused."


    Yu-Seong and Do-Jin exchanged words as they fixed their gaze upon the black sphere shielding the Philosopher''s Stone like a shell. The profound darkness appeared impenetrable from the outside, but that was not a problem.


    Thanks to the efforts of the three gods, the blackened sky had cleared, and the sun had emerged once again. Amidst the dark spheres, there existed a space where sunlight brilliantly penetrated. Although it was rapidly shrinking, both Yu-Seong, with his Eyes of God activated, and Do-Jin, who unleashed his Eye of Insight, did not miss this critical moment.


    ''Right now...''


    Yu-Seong''s Eyes of God emitted a radiant blue light, causing time to slow down around them. At the same time, Do-Jin''s Acceleration Magic propelled them forward with incredible force. In the blink of an eye, within the fleeting instant, the two men boldly dived into the sphere of darkness.


    ***


    Within the sphere, in contrast to the outside world where light had returned, darkness still prevailed. As Yu-Seong and Do-Jin ventured further into the darkness, their presence illuminated the surroundings. Before them lay the shattered Philosopher''s Stone, which had expanded in size through its absorption of darkness. Around it, black mana swirled uncontrollably, voraciously drawing in energy as if intent on devouring everything in the world.


    ''We need to destroy that to end this.¡¯


    As their minds synchronized, Yu-Seong and Do-Jin''s eyes shimmered with comprehension.


    In an instant, the Philosopher''s Stone, entwined with the pulsating black mana, underwent a metamorphosis. It transformed into a predatory creature, possessing four legs and razor-sharp, jagged claws. However, its countenance held a familiarity that struck both Yu-Seong and Do-Jin.


    "Eveheim?"


    [Why¡­? Why...has this happened?]


    With its head twisted grotesquely to the side, Eveheim emitted a voice that blended a low growl with a beastly sound. Yu-Seong and Do-Jin immediately grasped the gravity of the situation.


    The entity, initially destined to embody Superbia, had undergone a grotesque transformation into an incomprehensible life form due to the inflicted damage on the Philosopher''s Stone.


    [I... I only... wanted to be... a little more... special...]


    Purple tears dripped from Eveheim¡¯s eyes as it turned its gaze toward Yu-Seong.


    [Answer me... Choi Yu-Seong...]


    "...It seems its consciousness hasn''t completely disappeared?"


    [I said¡­ Answer¡­me¡­!]


    With the forceful voice, a wave of energy erupted, striking Yu-Seong''s body with great intensity. Reacting swiftly, he crossed his arms to block the attack, narrowly avoiding injury. Yu-Seong''s expression hardened with determination in response to the threat he faced.


    ''The power in just the voice was this intense....''


    It had transformed into a twisted and grotesque creature, wielding tremendous power. If it had been in its complete form, the unimaginable destructive force it could unleash would be catastrophic.


    "I''ll give you the answer, Eveheim. You were merely dreaming a dream that exceeded your capabilities," declared Do-Jin resolutely. Meanwhile, his flaming sword swung down from behind Eveheim, who had taken the form of a lion. Eveheim quickly conjured a long tail to block the attack, once again contorting its face 180 degrees.


    [Capabilities...?]


    Seeing its confused face and sensing that its power had weakened slightly, Yu-Seong''s eyes flashed.


    ''This creature....''


    As expected, it was unstable. There was no reason to miss this opportunity.


    "Yes. You were never worthy to ascend to the heights of the heavens," said Yu-Seong.


    [Why?]


    With a roar, Eveheim, its face contorted, stamped its four feet and cried out.


    Thud-!


    Eveheim''s back sprouted wings that were reminiscent of a dragon; it unleashed another wave of energy that scattered in all directions. Yu-Seong and Do-Jin, who had been poised for an opening, were forcefully knocked off their feet by this formidable force. Even with their considerable physical strength, resisting such power was a daunting challenge.


    Naturally, Do-Jin shot Yu-Seong a fierce glance, silently conveying their need for a strategic response.


    ''I''m sorry, I didn''t realize this would happen.''


    Yu-Seong, slightly sweating due to Eveheim''s somewhat evolved form, proceeded with his speech. "Because you were merely an ordinary human."


    [Ordinary? Me...? That can''t...be...]


    There was no rule or pattern to the weakening of the power surge, but Yu-Seong keenly seized the opportunity and intensified his assault.


    "Don''t delude yourself into thinking you''re exceptional, Eveheim. You''ve existed for a considerable time, observing countless individuals. Through their triumphs and failures, you must have intuitively grasped it. Why do humans falter?"


    [Greed...]


    The energy plummeted abruptly as Yu-Seong delivered his statement. His face tinged with determination as he glanced at Do-Jin.


    "Hmph..." Do-Jin snorted and averted his gaze.


    "Indeed. It is often greed that taints everything."


    [I... I was greedy?]


    "Yeah. Like many people, you made a mistake."


    [I... couldn''t... possibly...]


    Shedding purple tears, Eveheim glared at Yu-Seong as if to kill him.


    "I¡¯m telling the truth. The only difference between you and others is the magnitude of your mistake."


    [What¡­did I do wrong?]


    "You attempted to sacrifice others, no, the world, for your own greed."


    It was inherent in human nature to be driven by greed. Yu-Seong, like anyone else, desired a fulfilling life and happiness. It was a common principle. However, on this path, one should not inflict pain and sacrifice upon others.


    In stark contrast, Eveheim sought to fulfill its own ambitions by causing harm not only to individuals but to entire families, societies, and the world. At this stage, that greed became malevolent.


    "So, the reason you have reached this point is simple. You were driven by greed and became a villain."


    [I...was bad?]


    The face of Eveheim, which had been rotating 180 degrees continuously, finally came to a stop. Upside down, its eyes facing the ground, purple tears cascaded from its head like a waterfall.


    "You knew, didn''t you? You were thinking that it was acceptable to commit evil deeds as long as they served your ultimate goal. Why? Because as a selfish being, you believed your dreams were more important than the value of all other lives. And now, what do you see? Look at the state you''re in," Yu-Seong said.


    Eveheim''s momentum had considerably weakened, and its pupils darted around as it examined its own condition.


    Its form was unrecognizable¡ªit was a beastly shape that was grotesque and black. Eveheim''s eyes widened as it beheld the drastic transformation, far different from the self-image it remembered.


    [This is me? Impossible. I... I just wanted to achieve my dream...!]


    Looking at Eveheim with sober eyes, Yu-Seong exhaled a short breath, then declared, "You¡¯re being stupid, Eveheim. Don''t you get it yet? This monstrous form that now surrounds you is the embodiment of your original sin."


    [Pride...?]


    "Yes. Arrogance."


    With that cold proclamation, the end of Yu-Seong''s spear pointed toward Eveheim, who began to melt into a pitiful and hideous carcass.


    [Aarrgghh-!]


    Eveheim''s bestial cry echoed simultaneously.


    [I didn''t want...to become like this...!]


    "Everyone you''ve hurt would have thought the same. No one wanted to lose their family, to die, to scream in sorrow."


    [Forgive... Forgive me... Give me another chance...to make things right...]


    "Eveheim, you fool. It''s already over."


    Finally, Yu-Seong''s spear pierced through Eveheim''s head.


    Thud-!


    With a burst of sound, Eveheim''s face contorted in despair and was swallowed up by the darkness.


    [I... I am...]


    Thus, Eveheim disappeared from this world without even leaving its last words properly. However, the darkness hadn''t completely receded yet.

 CH 263

    [Grrrrrrr-!]


    The darkness had not completely receded, for the Demon King, the self-proclaimed symbol of Pride, still lingered.


    [What a shame... If I had absorbed him, I would have gained even more power...]


    Superbia, the Demon King of Pride who was named the strongest and worst among them all, said, stretching with gleaming red eyes.


    [Frail human, you''ve ruined everything.]


    The beast, with a lion''s head, a snake''s tail, and griffin wings, looked at Yu-Seong and spoke.


    "I haven¡¯t ruined everything yet," snorted Yu-Seong, as lightning bolts began to flash around him.


    Boooom-!


    With the resounding thunder, the world started to brighten with a blue light. On the opposite side, a flame erupted fiercely, repelling the darkness.


    "After all, you''re still alive, aren¡¯t you?" Yu-Seong said coldly, his voice infused with a sneer.


    [Kekeke... Your bravery is quite impressive, but do you honestly believe that you can defeat me¡ªthe Demon King of Pride¡ªin this realm of darkness, feeble human?]


    As Superbia chuckled in response and flapped his wings, a massive number of demons, wrapped in a clinging aura, began to rise from the darkness. What was astonishing was that each of them emitted an aura similar to that of the Demon King.


    [This is my world, my territory. In this realm, where everything that exists is indistinguishable from myself, you hold no hope.]


    "No," said Yu-Seong.


    Even as he sensed the overwhelming malice and hostility closing in on him, Yu-Seong remained composed and widened his Eyes of God.


    "That''s not for you to decide," continued Do-Jin, smiling.


    Do-Jin threw his sword into the air and climbed onto it. Simultaneously, purifying flames blazed around his outstretched arms.


    "Antareus!" shouted Do-Jin.


    In response to his call, the black dragon intensified the flames, repelling the rushing demons. Beside him, Yu-Seong''s aura from the Eyes of God started pushing back the surrounding flow. In this world, it seemed that only two individuals had achieved true freedom¡ªDo-Jin and Yu-Seong. The two men, each gripping a spear and a sword, exchanged glances before they began chanting their magic incantations.


    ''Wind Thunder Dragon God Art, advanced.''


    Lightning flashed all around Yu-Seong as he advanced. Right beside him, Do-Jin''s flames, as if unwilling to be left behind, encircled Yu-Seong''s body. Simultaneously, an immensely powerful magic expanded, enveloping the entire space that was shrouded in darkness. Yu-Seong widened his eyes and gazed at Do-Jin.


    ''This is the skill I''ve been preparing to defeat you.''


    The corners of Do-Jin''s lips twitched.


    ''Super Space Transition...?''


    The Super Magic, far surpassing the limitations of humans, engulfed the two as they soared through space at nearly the speed of light, granting them the ability to manipulate space itself. In that moment, Yu-Seong felt a fleeting rift as the two individuals, transcending space and even the flow of time, entered the realm of light and pierced through the darkness.


    ''This is the speed of light.''


    The lightning continued to flash and the flames burned fiercely, piercing through the bewildered darkness. After a considerable amount of time had elapsed...


    BOOM-!


    [How could I... Just like this...?]


    The thunderous sound was accompanied by the disbelieving voices of the Demon King.


    Thuuud-!


    Simultaneously, the swirling darkness surrounding them rapidly collapsed, giving way to a surge of light. As the darkness fully receded, Superbia, with both eyes fixed on the sun, wore a bitter smile upon his lips.


    [Was this... My pride as well...?]


    Psssh-!


    Shards of darkness scattered throughout the city, disintegrating upon contact with the sun. Truly, everything had reached its conclusion.


    ''Finally...''


    Yu-Seong, surpassing his own limits in an incredibly short time, had attained a state of ultra transcendence. He gazed at Do-Jin.


    "Finally, it''s over, Choi Yu-Seong," Do-Jin said, his voice drained.


    With that exhausted voice, the two of them descended toward the ground together. They hoped for a safe landing, but they lacked the strength to even twitch a finger. However, neither of them worried about death or pain.


    "These guys...!" Bernard exclaimed loudly, rushing over and swiftly catching the two individuals in each arm.


    With a cool smile gracing his face, he exclaimed, "What''s over? The real battle begins now!"


    "...Have you been listening this whole time?"


    As if moved to tears, Bernard''s eyes glistened with slight redness. He landed and said, "Hahaha. Anyway, both of you did well. You made it. I believed in you, but still..."


    "Wasn''t I amazing?" Yu-Seong asked, struggling to stand on his own as soon as they touched the ground.


    "To be honest, you were quite impressive," Do-Jin replied, stepping forward with a similar demeanor.


    Their competitive spirit appeared unyielding even until the very end.


    "But let''s be honest, you wouldn''t have made it this far without me," Bernard chuckled and remarked.


    Soon, all three of them burst into laughter at their audacity.


    "By the way, what happened to the other areas?" Yu-Seong, regaining his senses, searched his pockets for his cell phone. Unfortunately, it was in ruins from the intense battle.


    "Do we need to go and see for ourselves...?" Yu-Seong murmured to himself, attempting to gather mana, but it refused to respond.


    Do-Jin, facing a similar situation despite having utilized mana, let out a bitter laugh and said, "...Same here."


    While it could have been a bewildering situation, they were not overly concerned as the mana circuits within their bodies remained intact.


    "I think it''s because we''ve pushed ourselves beyond our limits," Yu-Seong said.


    "Looks like we won''t be able to use mana for at least a week," Do-Jin remarked.


    Bernard''s eyes narrowed as he quietly listened to their conversation.


    "So, if we were to fight now, I could beat both of you?" he remarked, emphasizing his point by clenching his fists that still overflowed with mana, and bursting into laughter.


    "Try calling me ¡®hyung-nim¡¯," Bernard said.


    "Stop talking nonsense."


    The only one to respond was Yu-Seong. From the start, Do-Jin turned his gaze away as if he hadn''t heard a thing.


    "...Anyway, all of our phones are broken. How are we going to..."


    Yu-Seong''s concern was short-lived.


    "Our savior is coming.¡±


    Just as Do-Jin had mentioned, while looking into the distance, a helicopter carrying the sunlight on its back and fiercely rotating its propeller approached. Before long, the helicopter descended slowly to the ground, its strong gusts of wind whipping the hair of the three.


    "Are you Mr. Choi Yu-Seong?" a white, middle-aged man from the helicopter asked.


    "Yes, I am," Yu-Seong replied.


    "Mr. Gabriel from the France Player Association has sent us. We''ve been briefed on the situation. After France, you''ve also saved England," the man said, his grin widening.


    In response to the man''s words, Yu-Seong wore an awkward smile and asked, "What about Shanghai or Moscow?"


    "The situations there have been resolved. Oh, and of course, in a positive direction," the man assured him.


    Truth be told, as Yu-Seong looked at the man approaching them with a bright expression, he had a hunch. However, he still desired confirmation and posed a question.


    Once the confirmation was given, Yu-Seong''s legs unknowingly weakened, causing him to stagger. If it hadn''t been for the swift support of Do-Jin and Bernard, he would have surely collapsed on the spot.


    "Thank you both," Yu-Seong expressed his gratitude.


    "Don''t mention it."


    "If you''re grateful, you could at least treat us to a meal."


    Upon hearing the words from the two men who grinned, Yu-Seong let out a deep sigh of relief once again.


    ''It''s really over.''


    Certainly, it wasn''t meant in a negative sense. They had successfully vanquished all the Demon Kings, dismantled the Demon King Worshipers, and averted the predicted world destruction.


    Yu-Seong no longer had to worry about his own mortality or the impending doom of the world he had grown to cherish.


    ''I have plenty of money... enough people...''


    All that remained was for Yu-Seong to enjoy the rest of his life happily. With the support of Do-Jin and Bernard, Yu-Seong boarded the helicopter. Upon seeing him, the middle-aged man expressed awe and spoke.


    "Though it may be a bit late to say, it''s an honor to have you, the Grand Star, here."


    Truly, it signaled the end of everything. No, it was the moment when a new life began.


    Epilogue:


    Half a year had passed since the global emergency known as the Demon King Advent incident. The most significant change on Earth, without a doubt, was the heightened "awareness."


    Although the incident had been resolved, the death toll exceeded initial expectations.


    Countries that had once been cautiously optimistic were awakened to the harsh reality of dungeons and monsters and realized that they could lead to dreadful catastrophes. The countries expanded the workforce of the Player Association and implemented stricter operational policies for dungeon management.


    But the greatest change of all was the increased vigilance against villains.


    During an interview, Yu-Seong, known as the Grand Star and the savior of Earth, revealed that the Demon King Advent incident had originated from the nefarious criminal organization known as the Demon King Worshipers. He emphasized the importance of global cooperation to prevent the resurgence of such organizations. Yu-Seong''s influential voice mobilized the World Player Association, as well as the private guilds that were driven by profit, to actively fight against villains.


    A new world had emerged where even villains, once considered a "necessary evil" like underground criminal organizations, could no longer show their faces in public with ease. As a result, the public''s perception of players, who were once seen as potential threats if they misused their powers, underwent a significant improvement. Observing the overall stability of the world, Yu-Seong pondered.


    "This phenomenon won''t last forever."


    "Villains have a tendency to resurface even after being eradicated, so there''s only so much we can do. You can''t bear the responsibility alone," retorted Do-Jin, clad in a stylish black tuxedo.


    Yu-Seong buttoned up his crisp white shirt as he responded.


    "I never intended to shoulder all the responsibility in the first place."


    "Isn''t it ironic that someone like you is speaking of world peace and eradicating villains at every official event?" Do-Jin asked, his tone cold.


    "Not at all. Besides, won''t other people work hard even if I don''t?" Yu-Seong replied with a cunning idea.


    "But eventually, there will be people who will be dissatisfied with your attitude," Do-Jin warned.


    "There probably are already. They just can''t express it openly," Yu-Seong acknowledged.


    That was the nature of fame. When you were at the height of popularity, everyone seemed to adore and trust you, but it also naturally bred envy and jealousy.


    And the moment Yu-Seong made even a minor mistake that tarnished his image, those dark emotions would pounce, as if they had been waiting for the perfect moment to tear at his heart and soul. This was precisely what Do-Jin was worried about.


    "And you will still hope for a stable world when that time comes," Do-Jin remarked.


    "Absolutely. As long as I reside in this world, instability cannot be favorable to me," Yu-Seong affirmed.


    "So..."


    "And I also understand your concerns," Yu-Seong reassured.


    After buttoning up all his buttons, he walked over to pick up a white jacket that hung on the other side of the room. His outfit contrasted with Do-Jin''s tuxedo. He smiled and turned around.


    He then said, "But don''t worry. I have no intention of shouldering that responsibility. I''m not that remarkable of a person. I may act like a hero, but I''m not a real hero. My role ends here. What happens after this is up to the remaining people."


    "What about those who won''t easily let go of you?"


    "Do you think I''d be swayed by them?"


    "A little bit," Do-Jin answered.


    Yu-Seong¡¯s expression turned awkward at Do-Jin''s frank words. He put on his jacket and stood in front of the mirror as he spoke, "Hmm. This pure white suit surprisingly suits me well.¡±


    "Not as much as mine looks on me, though."


    "Yeah, black suits you better."


    Yu-Seong laughed and rebutted Do-Jin''s confidence, smoothed his lapel with his hand, and continued speaking.


    "I admit I might be shaken a bit, but I''ll be put right back on track."


    "By who?"


    "By you."


    "...You''re burdening me with a tiresome task."


    "If you don''t like it, won''t other people come and help?"


    At Yu-Seong''s confident words, Do-Jin slightly frowned, crossed his arms and legs, and sighed.


    "Well, I have no choice. I''ll take on that role," he reluctantly agreed.


    Yu-Seong chuckled and glanced at Do-Jin through the mirror, nodding his head. "Thanks. Anyways, whose idea was it to dress up this grandly for a party?"


    In fact, the party planning had been fully arranged for the day they safely returned to Seoul. Thanks to Bernard, who loved to party more than anyone, he insisted that it was absolutely essential to commemorate the new beginning. However, due to various issues and arrangements that each had to sort out, half a year had passed, and only now had they reached this situation.


    "I believe it was Bernard who set the dress code," Do-Jin remarked.


    Shaking his head, Yu-Seong approached the door. "The problem is with the people who agreed to it. And to top it all off, it''s just at our place," he said.


    "Now that we''ve come this far, what''s the point of complaining?" Do-Jin responded.


    Yu-Seong sighed. "I know."


    The two men, continuing their banter, left the room together and walked through the somewhat tranquil house. As they crossed the long corridor that traversed the large house, Yu-Seong suddenly looked out the window at the many people waiting for them outside.


    ''Jin Yu-Ri, Jin Do-Yoon.''


    The two people who first caught Yu-Seong''s eyes nodded with bright smiles on their faces. What if those two, who had stood by his side from the beginning, hadn''t been there? Perhaps he would have been running around on his own to build everything from the ground up and might have died somewhere.


    ''I''ve harbored too much resentment and was incompetent...''


    Once again, an overwhelming sense of gratitude filled him for the presence of the two individuals. Ye-Ryeong and Jin-Hyuk followed closely behind, waving their hands with vibrant energy. They mouthed the words ''Boss'' and ''Yu-Seong hyung!'' loudly, evoking a sense of peculiarity within him.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ''If I had to put it into words...''


    Yes, he felt proud. The individuals who might have originally been shrouded in darkness and labeled as calamities were now able to greet others with bright smiles. Yu-Seong, feeling a sense of happiness, waved his hand back at them. Right in front of him, Bernard suddenly appeared and gestured for them to hurry.


    "I¡¯m coming, I¡¯m coming," Yu-Seong spoke with a smirk.


    Then he continued walking, taking steps forward. As he moved further along, he noticed other figures in the outside scenery looking at him.


    ''Helen, Rachel, and Jenny.''


    From the retired Helen in the world of players to Rachel, who had surprisingly abstained from killing people in recent times, and Jenny, who surprisingly fit in well with the other two women, Yu-Seong also found the feeling of looking at the three women to be peculiar.


    ''Well, I get it with Jenny... But to think I would become this close with the other two.''


    Especially in Rachel''s case, it was an unbelievably incredible situation considering their initial relationship, which he had thought was that of arch-enemies.


    ''...Perhaps I am still not that close with her?''


    When he saw Rachel''s seemingly smirking gaze, chills ran down his spine. However, when Helen and Jenny, standing on either side, shouted something and jabbed her in the ribs, she immediately concealed her expression and feigned surprise.


    ''I need to always be careful around Rachel, even if not the others.''


    Chuckling, Yu-Seong passed by them as well and continued a bit further, where this time his family awaited him.


    ¡®Ji-Ho hyung-nim, Mi-Na noo-nim.''


    Witnessing Ji-Ho, who had regained his strength and now stood on his own, stirred such profound emotions within Yu-Seong that he found himself overwhelmed. Standing behind Ji-Ho, Baek Chul also wore a wide smile; it was a marked contrast to the previous shadows on his face.


    ''It seems like Mi-Na noo-nim is doing well these days, too...''


    With the operation to suppress villains in full swing, the Comet Guild took the lead, surpassing other groups. Although Mi-Na found herself somewhat forcibly in the position of Guild Master, she was overjoyed as she was able to do the work she loved: hunting down villains. Among the villains, Mi-Na was even referred to as a Catastrophe, a testament to her extraordinary performance that was difficult to put into words.


    ¡®And Jin-Woo hyung-nim is here too.''


    Surprisingly, even Woo-Jae had managed to make his way to this location. He wasn''t dressed in the typical suit attire, but there he was, appearing in person at a place where one wouldn''t expect to find him. He had always considered it all just a game played by the kids, but now he stood among them, acknowledging the significance of the moment.


    ''He must be extremely busy these days but...''


    Thanks to the exploits of Yu-Seong and his party, the stock price of the Comet Group had skyrocketed, making it the top-performing company in the world.


    Woo-Jae was fully committed to solidifying the Comet Group''s reputation as the best for generations to come, with a legacy that would endure for thousands of years. He was rarely seen in the country due to his global business ventures, but when he heard about this party, he had personally made the effort to come all the way to Korea.


    ''...Maybe he came to nag me.''


    Truth be told, Woo-Jae''s recent gaze toward Yu-Seong had not been very approving. Woo-Jae had been eager to involve him in various company affairs and get him accustomed to the corporate world, but Yu-Seong had been subtly avoiding such obligations. The reason behind this was quite simple.


    ¡®I''ve worked hard, so I want to have a little fun. After all, I''ve even captured the Demon King and saved the world. I believe I deserve at least this much, don''t you think?¡¯


    Unable to challenge Yu-Seong''s confident stance, Woo-Jae observed him closely, his gaze piercing and contemplative, wondering when his own respite would come to an end.


    ''I''m still far from done, Father. Sorry.''


    With a hidden smile, Yu-Seong continued his journey, moving closer and closer to the front door. Alongside his family, there were members from various guilds, including Baek Ah-Rin from Eclipse. Even Do-Jin''s mother, who had made a full recovery and now shared warm greetings with Woo-Jae, was among the attendees. All eyes were on Yu-Seong, a testament to the strong bonds and happiness that connected them all, creating a sense of unity and fulfillment.


    ''This is my life...''


    It was the story of Yu-Seong''s life, one that had unfolded in unexpected directions and would continue to do so, and that was perfectly alright.


    ''Even if there''s something I can''t do alone... All these people are here to help me.''


    There was a time when he had tried to build a fence by himself. However, now he realized that a fence was something people made by holding hands and connecting with each other. After traversing the lengthy corridor, Yu-Seong arrived at the shoe rack and proceeded to put on his new pair of white shoes. Now, as he stepped out into the bright sunlight, everyone would be ready to welcome a new beginning.


    "Whoa..."


    Just as Yu-Seong was exhaling a short breath and grabbing the door handle, Do-Jin spoke up while putting on his black shoes right next to him.


    "Choi Yu-Seong."


    "Hm?"


    "Don''t...mble."


    "What?"


    "I said, don''t tremble."


    "Am I...trembling?"


    Yu-Seong''s gaze suddenly turned to his hand gripping the door handle. In fact, Do-Jin was right. He was trembling incredibly. But why?


    As if knowing all the reasons, Do-Jin, who was standing next to him, also clasped the door handle and said, "Don''t be afraid. The happiness you are experiencing won''t shatter like a lie. It''s real."


    "Ah..."


    "And even if someone tries to break it, don''t worry." Slightly blushing, Do-Jin turned the doorknob together with Yu-Seong. He said reassuringly, "I, I mean, all of us will protect you."


    At that very moment, unknown to Do-Jin, a wave of emotion engulfed Yu-Seong''s heart, causing teardrops to form at the corners of his eyes. However, it wasn''t sadness or fear that prompted these tears. He had never understood what it meant to cry tears of joy before, but now, it felt like he finally did.


    "Thank you, Kim Do-Jin."


    ¡®Thank you, everyone.¡¯


    As he gazed at Yu-Seong''s beaming smile, Do-Jin, with a strange quirk at the corners of his mouth, spoke.


    "I have caused a lot of trouble... from the very beginning until now."


    Letting out a deep sigh, Do-Jin repeatedly furrowed his brows, relaxing them, and then furrowing them once more as he continued, "I''m not sure what words to use to express this feeling... but yes, I should be the one saying thank you, Yu-Seong."


    Gradually, a bright smile spread across Do-Jin''s face, a smile that Yu-Seong had never seen before, not even described in the original novel.


    "Thanks to you, I was able to find happiness."


    With those calm words, all Yu-Seong could do was nod and smile. At the same time, Yu-Seong and Do-Jin flung the door open with all their might. Bright and radiant light fell upon the two of them, and then the door closed.