Chapter 33
Chapter 33
Jongwon had acquired a special class called Warrior of Lightning. It was definitely superior to a normal class. The extra lightning effect could deal additional damage and even inflict a stun, on top of normal damage. However, “superior” was relative; it wasn’t overwhelmingly powerful.
Whether it was due to his low skill level, lack of proper weapons, or simply being in Normal Mode, Jongwon was only slightly stronger compared to top-tier Slayers, not immensely so. In other words, special or hidden classes did not yet show a marked difference from normal classes.
Jongwon said,
“He’s insisting he wants to be included in the Platinum rank too.”
“Platinum rank?”
“Yeah.”
“Who is he?”
“I don’t know. They say he can solo a Twin-Headed Orc…”
Being able to solo a Twin-Headed Orc meant he was a formidable Slayer. Even though the Twin-Headed Orc was classified as an Easy Mode monster, it was considered an achievement within that mode. When it appeared as a boss, it became a challenging achievement, giving +10 points. With the boss multiplier, it could even be stronger than a Troll.
“But there’s no standard for Platinum rank. Honestly, it was created for you.”
“Exactly.”
“So he wants to have PvP with you, I guess.”
Hyunseok chuckled.
“Ridiculous.”
Yet it wasn’t entirely a joke. In reality, Hyunseok was a symbolic Slayer within the Korean Union. The concept of second- or third-in-command didn’t fully apply. The official second-in-command was currently Ha Jongwon. He was a Slayer with Strength over 100, the highest official Strength stat among combat Slayers. Ha Jongwon could also solo a Twin-Headed Orc.
And he said,
“I got completely destroyed. Didn’t land a single hit.”
The second-in-command of the Korean Union had been utterly defeated in PvP by this newly emerged Slayer. The speculation grew, perhaps there would really be two Platinum Slayers. Ha Jongwon was the Korean Union’s second-in-command and the Slayer with the highest Strength stat among fighters.
Jongwon complained,
“Damn it, our matchups just didn’t suit me.”
“Why did you even fight? That’s embarrassing.”
“It’s fun. PvP’s interesting. You learn stuff, sometimes even acquire new combat skills.”
“Once survival’s taken care of, people start thinking about other things.”
When survival isn’t guaranteed, humans focus solely on it. Once survival needs are met, other desires emerge, tasting better food, enjoying new experiences. That was human nature.
As Slayers and monsters appeared, people focused on slaying monsters. Now, as things stabilized, PvP culture began to form.
Entering Normal Mode, the combat field was opened for secondary Slayers, who no longer needed nearby monsters to engage in PvP. Consequently, PvP culture emerged, and secondary Slayers’ value increased.
Hyunseok asked,
“But what if someone actually gets killed?”
“Only 30% damage is allowed, so it’s not very dangerous. Unless someone like you one-shots them, there’s almost no risk. You’re a cheat, anyway. Also, you can only engage in PvP if you reveal your general shock value via a sandbag. PvP is fought using skill and tactics, not raw power. Excluding you, there’s practically no combat Slayer who can one-shot someone’s H/P. Honestly, it’s much safer than MMA or UFC, the H/P is visible.”
Though concerns rose, PvP was likely to become an accepted part of the culture.
“Then why did you lose?”
“He was too fast. Honestly, if I landed one hit, I could’ve beaten him… but I couldn’t land it. Feels like a professionally trained fighter awakened as a Slayer. High Agility… hidden class… I know his general abilities, but not his special ones.”
“So you got completely beaten without even figuring out his abilities?”
“Exactly.”
Jongwon laughed quietly. Losing PvP didn’t bruise his pride much.
“Not embarrassed?”
“What’s there to be embarrassed about? You learn from losing. One thing’s clear: I shouldn’t do PvP. Better to just hunt monsters. Strength over 100 makes my damage absurdly high, but penalties kick in. The system’s unfair. Only Strength, and they give you a penalty. Damn.”
Jongwon was effectively a high-damage “DPS” class, focusing almost entirely on Strength. His attacks were powerful against large, slow monsters but struggled against fast, agile, smaller creatures. Once Strength exceeded 100, he faced severe penalties, including markedly slower movement.
Hyunseok smirked,
“See, balance is the most important thing.”
“Show me the money, you bastard. Only someone like you could do that. A Mansour of the stat world.”
“Is that a compliment or an insult?”
“Half insult, half compliment!”
A few days later, the Slayer who had defeated Ha Jongwon announced that if Platinum rank was not granted, he would accept the American Union’s generous offer. The American Union was actively recruiting talent, offering substantial investment and support. The newly emerged Slayer who had defeated Ha Jongwon seemed included.
Korean public opinion surged.
―“Even if Ha Jongwon is a slow Strength-focused Slayer, missing a Slayer who beat him is idiotic.”
―“Better to just give Platinum rank. Defeating Ha Jongwon qualifies him, doesn’t it?”
―“Missing such talent would prove the Korean Union’s incompetence.”
Ha Jongwon scratched his head.
“Why is everyone making such a big deal about me losing?”
“Of course. Win or lose, you’re a top-tier Slayer in Korea.”
“I’m for monster slaying, not PvP. Easy to figure out. I’m weak at PvP.”
“World doesn’t care about your reasons. What matters is you lost.”
Hyunseok pondered:
‘Even though I learned boxing… I’m not exactly skilled.’
He might face a situation like Ha Jongwon. Though Jongwon would never be defeated, and Hyunseok himself never thought he’d lose, one must consider all possibilities.
‘Will my abilities even work in PvP…?’
Hyunseok was an All Stat Slayer, with high Agility, but had never fought humans. So far, only large monsters appeared; fast monsters like this Slayer could appear later.
‘A misstep could be fatal.’
It seemed the new Slayer was a speed-focused disruptor type, likely with low H/P. One wrong strike could unintentionally kill.
‘I need some practice.’
Since Jongwon had PvP experience with the Slayer, he likely knew the opponent’s general ability. Comparing values, Hyunseok could estimate an appropriate shock value.
He said,
“Hey, Jongwon. Let’s try a PvP test first.”
The usually cheerful Jongwon, who had been destroyed by the rookie Slayer, paled.
“W-what… don’t… don’t torment me.”
❋ ❋ ❋
Jongwon was comparatively weak, at least against Hyunseok. He groaned:
“Damn… I thought I’d die.”
“Why is your endurance so pathetic?”
Jongwon was speechless. Who could insult him, one of the era’s top Slayers, for low endurance? Probably no one except Hyunseok.
In weight training, one typically starts with light loads and gradually moves to heavy loads, often using pyramid sets. This method ensures safety while gauging one’s maximum capacity.
Hyunseok’s PvP with Jongwon resembled a pyramid set. He gradually increased intensity to test Jongwon’s endurance. The result was dismal. Jongwon barely exerted strength, yet his H/P noticeably dropped. His attacks were similarly ineffective.
The PvP ended, and Hyunseok was ready to face the Slayer requesting Platinum rank, a kind of promotion test. The match was secret, with Ha Jongwon as witness.
At the Union’s secretly arranged training ground, Hyunseok met his opponent. To his surprise…
‘Wait… the Slayer was a woman?’
(End of Chapter 33)
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— Translated by Prime Works —