Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Connection (3)
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Kim Gunja's steps slowed.
It was to scrutinize whether the spear technique Jo Changhwi was demonstrating in the training arena was truly the Thunder Dragon Star Spear.
'Clean.'
True to his reputation as an S-Rank Hunter famed for his spearwork, Jo Changhwi's technique was free of any superfluous movements.
The motions were so restrained they almost resembled a dance.
Thanks to that, it wasn't too hard to verify the spear art, but Kim Gunja's expression was somewhat ambiguous.
'Similar, but... different.'
What was it?
The foundation clearly resembled the Thunder Dragon Star Spear, yet it felt subtly off.
Like an extremely simplified version of the Thunder Dragon Star Spear.
But he couldn't quite pinpoint why it felt that way.
It was because Kim Gunja's own mastery of the Thunder Dragon Star Spear wasn't that deep yet.
As he pondered this spear art that seemed similar yet not quite the same, the presumed owner of the technique appeared, resolving his curiosity.
'So the War Maniac really is Abel.'
The only one who would know the name of a spear art resembling the Thunder Dragon Star Spear was the holy knight Abel.
Since he'd already suspected as much, learning his identity wasn't much of a surprise.
What surprised him more was the content of Abel's reaction.
'Supply version...'
That confirmed Kim Gunja's intuition had been spot on.
It resembled the Thunder Dragon Star Spear but featured highly simplified movements and forms.
Abel called it the supply version and named it White Dragon Spear separately.
In other words, the White Dragon Spear was a modified version of Abel's own Thunder Dragon Star Spear, simplified for easier learning.
Literally a downgraded counterpart.
The White Dragon Spear aligned perfectly with the meaning of a nerfed version of the Thunder Dragon Star Spear.
'Well, he must have had to teach others at some point...'
Abel had been a war hero, after all.
His rank couldn't have been low, and he surely had subordinates under his command.
Thus, there must have been plenty eager to learn from him.
Kim Gunja clearly remembered Abel's statue from the Customizing Room.
The overwhelming might that crushed enemy lines single-handedly.
But that was only possible with the Thunder Dragon Star Spear powered by holy thunder force.
'The odds of anyone besides Abel fusing holy power and thunder force are astronomically low.'
Since it was a unique spear art that only Abel, with his holy thunder force, could wield to full effect, modifications were inevitable for teaching others.
And Kim Gunja was wielding such power right now.
As he reflected anew on the Customizing Room's cheat-like nature and organized his thoughts—
Jo Changhwi, having finished warming up, turned to Kim Gunja and spoke.
"If you're here, come on in."
Kim Gunja gave a light bow in greeting and stepped into the arena.
Jo Changhwi, fresh from training, was quenching his thirst with bottled water, a faint frustration clouding his face.
Kim Gunja could vaguely guess the reason.
—The War Maniac pitifully gazes at the man struggling over the mere supply-version spear art, White Dragon Spear.
Abel had evaluated Jo Changhwi's spear art that way.
It implied he was stuck on something, frustrated by a lack of progress.
Having inferred much from Abel's reaction, Kim Gunja offered a polite greeting.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Kim Gunja. That was an impressive spear art."
"Impressive, my ass. Skip the formalities. Name's Jo Changhwi."
He was a refreshingly straightforward man.
When Kim Gunja shook the hand Jo Changhwi extended, the latter grinned.
"You know why I called you here?"
"Yes, the Guild Master mentioned it."
"Then we'll keep this short. The Guild Master's orders are to add you to our 4th Team."
Joining the 4th Team.
Jo Changhwi said it casually, but it carried profound weight.
The Hero Guild's core consisted of its top five teams.
Joining one meant becoming a core member of the Hero Guild.
It was also official recognition of his eligibility for S-Rank Gate hunts.
For an A-Rank Hunter of merely three months' standing, it was exceptionally preferential treatment.
"I'm deeply grateful for the high regard."
As Kim Gunja humbly responded, Jo Changhwi waved it off.
"No need to thank me yet. Nothing's set in stone. I don't take anyone onto my team without testing them myself."
It meant he'd decide after a test.
"Obviously, it'll be one-on-one with me. No childish initiation rituals from lower teams."
Kim Gunja had half-expected this while watching Jo Changhwi warm up.
"You're not the only one—everyone on the team went through the same process, so don't feel slighted."
Jo Changhwi gestured to the team members lounging around the arena.
Despite their relaxed postures, their auras were anything but light.
'This is one of the Hero Guild's main strike teams.'
Kim Gunja had faced similar elite soldiers before.
Staine's shadow unit.
Sorry as it sounded to the teams he'd trained with, the level was worlds apart—it hit him viscerally.
Hiding his reaction, Kim Gunja gave the team a light bow.
"That guy's got manners, at least."
"Yeah, I like him already."
"Me too. Steady and composed—he'd fit right in."
"Definitely better suited to us than Team 3 or 5."
As the 4th Team hunters showed their approval, Jo Changhwi spoke up.
"Already popular, huh? I've got high hopes for you myself. Heard and seen quite a bit."
At the mention of reports, Kim Gunja replied with an embarrassed look.
"Just got lucky."
"I don't care for excessive humility."
Jo Changhwi chuckled lightly, half-joking.
"Heard you mainly use the sword. Got a name for your swordsmanship?"
"It's called Heaven-Shattering Sword."
"Good name. Mine's White Dragon Spear. Even though this is sparring, it's practical combat technique, so stay sharp—you could get hurt."
"Understood."
"Start now? Or warm up first?"
"I'm fine..., uh... mind if I do?"
A flicker of puzzlement crossed Jo Changhwi's eyes.
Kim Gunja had been utterly composed throughout, yet that demeanor had wavered just now.
"...? If you want, go ahead."
A bit odd, but Jo Changhwi shrugged it off and agreed readily.
"Thank you."
As Kim Gunja walked off with a training sword to warm up, Jo Changhwi figured he got it.
'Well, facing an S-Rank like me would make anyone nervous.'
Awakener physical and mana levels widened gaps exponentially with each rank.
So it was only natural, perhaps.
But since he'd expected more, it was a tad disappointing.
'Thought he was special from what he's done, but maybe he's more ordinary than I figured...'
Jo Changhwi judged based on that shaken moment, but Kim Gunja was grappling with an entirely different issue.
A special quest, to be precise.
Teach Him a Lesson
📍 Difficulty: A
⏰ Description: The War Maniac pities Jo Changhwi, who is content with White Dragon Spear. He wishes for the Master to demonstrate through Thunder Dragon Star Spear that a higher level of spear art exists.
🎁 Conditions: Impress Jo Changhwi with spear technique
📍 Success: Unlock additional War Maniac ability
⏰ Failure: Master's chewy liver
Jo Changhwi's "advice" on White Dragon Spear had triggered it.
To Abel, it looked like Jo Changhwi strutting around with just the White Dragon Spear.
Leaving Kim Gunja in an awkward spot.
'This is tricky...'
He couldn't help murmuring inwardly.
The opponent being S-Rank was issue enough, but he couldn't casually bust out spear arts either.
Sword and dagger.
Those were the main weapons of Kim Gunja, the re-awakener.
Suddenly unveiling advanced spear technique—enough to impress a spear master like Jo Changhwi—would invite suspicion for sure.
Abel's quest ignored his circumstances entirely.
'Staine wouldn't have issued a quest like this.'
The difficulty was comparable, but Staine at least considered his situation.
Abel couldn't care less.
'What to do.'
Pretending to warm up, Kim Gunja racked his brain for solutions.
And soon, one came to mind.
'...No other choice.'
He didn't like it, but no helping it.
Couldn't sacrifice his precious liver.
Plus, it was a chance to unlock Abel's extra ability.
After a light warm-up, Kim Gunja returned to Jo Changhwi, training sword in hand.
Time to play the reluctant genius.
"......"
Jo Changhwi's eyes were wide as saucers.
Shock had even caused faint tremors at the corners.
But it wasn't just him.
The team members, who had been lounging casually in the arena, had all shot to their feet in stunned horror.
Kim Gunja's display was beyond astonishing—it bordered on terrifying.
"Wh-what the...?"
"How did he mimic the team leader's spear art after seeing it just once...?"
"Impossible..."
The 4th Team's reaction stemmed from the spear art Kim Gunja was performing right before their eyes.
They had seen Jo Changhwi's technique up close more than anyone.
Even they had to admit it was identical.
No—profounder, even.
"Am I seeing things? It feels... better than the team leader's...?"
"You felt it too? Subtle, but definitely superior...?"
"No way... is something like this even possible...?"
It was driving them mad.
It all started with Kim Gunja's single remark after the spar ended and he passed the test.
—Thank you. Team leader, if I may overstep... how about modifying White Dragon Spear like this?
—Hm?
Normally, he'd have ignored it.
It came from a junior A-Rank who primarily used a sword.
But Jo Changhwi had been frustrated with his stagnant spear art lately.
So curiosity won out.
Any stimulus or spark might help, he figured.
'But this...'
Whoosh! Swish!
Watching Kim Gunja's spear art, Jo Changhwi clenched his fist.
A more powerful, profound version of his White Dragon Spear unfolded before him.
It wasn't just about physical or mana levels.
Kim Gunja had altered—no, evolved—the White Dragon Spear's forms themselves.
Whoooosh—!
Still rough around the edges, but Jo Changhwi could clearly see it.
Simply twisting the simplified White Dragon Spear's forms had sprouted countless subtleties and possibilities.
It was unmistakably White Dragon Spear evolved to the next stage.
'How... how after just one look...!'
Jo Changhwi had sparred with Kim Gunja for nearly 30 minutes.
He'd mostly attacked while Kim Gunja defended.
To gauge his skills thoroughly, Jo Changhwi unleashed a wide array of spear techniques, and Kim Gunja calmly parried them.
A true test.
Yet now, Kim Gunja was flawlessly replicating those techniques mid-spar.
Upgraded, even.
Watching him, Jo Changhwi realized why Kim Gunja grew at such absurd speeds.
'Re-awakening and character-specific traits weren't the key!'
It had seemed off.
Even with re-awakening and traits, the growth was unprecedented.
And the reason stood before him.
A word slipped unbidden from Jo Changhwi's lips as he watched Kim Gunja.
"Genius..."
Not just any genius, but one with talent beyond comparison.
He could think of nothing else.
Swish—! Swish-swish!
Amid the shock and awe, Kim Gunja demonstrated the Thunder Dragon Star Spear, his face burning.
His conscience stung too much.
Modification? Upgrade? He wasn't skilled enough for that.
No way he could touch Abel's exquisite technique.
He was merely displaying the Thunder Dragon Star Spear as learned via Customizing.
Everyone was misinterpreting it wildly.
'Though I orchestrated this to avoid suspicion...'
Kim Gunja had drawn hints from White Dragon Spear's origins in Thunder Dragon Star Spear and the forms Sin Yeji often showed him.
He'd packaged his ability to showcase advanced spear art as "instant mimicry genius."
'Can't pass up the quest.'
And the plan worked beautifully.
Jo Changhwi and the 4th Team were floored by his "genius," none suspecting prior knowledge of spear arts.
The similarities were too striking for doubt.
Kim Gunja performed only the forms of Thunder Dragon Star Spear, sans holy thunder force—and it sufficed.
As an S-Rank, Jo Changhwi recognized the infinite potential and destructive power in those subtle changes.
Thus ended the Thunder Dragon Star Spear demonstration, amid shock and embarrassment.
Kim Gunja scratched his head, feigning concern about scolding from a senior.
"Sorry for the sloppy show. It doesn't come out quite like I envisioned."
Overwhelmed by the genius, Jo Changhwi hesitated to respond—but a chime answered for him.
In that moment, the icon of humility that was Kim Gunja gained the icon of genius as well.