Masterpiece (1)
Hyun-soo always felt like he was catching a cold in slow motion whenever he activated Ghost Step.
Everything around him slowed to a tenth of its normal speed, while he sped up tenfold.
"Kyaaah…!"
The woman's scream hadn't even finished echoing yet.
In the stretched-out moment of that cry spreading through the air, Hyun-soo moved.
He shot forward like lightning, slicing through the wrist of an assassin mid-thrust toward a noble's throat.
One.
He cleaved the assassin stabbing at the solar plexus of the one right beside him.
Two.
Then he kicked away the assassin behind Pan's wife, who was about to snap her neck.
Three.
Shuwaa—
Pan kicked off the wall and slid backward, his face twisting in shock as he glanced at his wife.
Hyun-soo plunged his sword into the gut of the assassin behind him and yanked it out with all his strength.
Four.
He planted both feet and launched himself upward, swiftly slashing the two assassins chopping down from above.
Five, six.
Hyun-soo usually tangled his path if he tried for more than six.
A tangled path meant his mental blueprint of movements got knotted up.
He calmed his mind.
The man who looked just like Prak—probably his father.
A dagger tip was already buried in the end of his abdomen.
He moved.
Without overthinking the complex path, he emptied his head and sliced the wrist.
Seven.
The finale.
Hyun-soo's head snapped around.
The man in the center was swinging a dagger—the very one he'd warned moments ago.
In a wide swing, he aimed to slaughter the three children of Pan standing before him.
Purruk—
The ghost walked.
Silently, faster than any living thing.
Slicing down at his wrist.
Eight.
Hyun-soo's face twisted.
In that split second, the man altered his wrist's trajectory.
Even so, he was still targeting the children.
This was their leader.
As the dagger arced toward the three kids.
Hyun-soo gritted his teeth and moved.
Sugaaak—
He reversed his downward slash, sweeping upward to carve open the man's chest.
Whoosh—!
Nine.
Time flowed back to normal.
***
Rek, vice-leader of the Red Dragon Squad.
He and his men had infiltrated the banquet hall disguised as knights.
He'd first checked the distance to Ben.
Then gauged the distances to the assassins and their targets.
Everything would unfold in mere seconds.
Afterward, they'd toss smoke bombs and flee.
But then.
"Draw it, and you die."
The voice from behind startled him.
But a grin soon crept onto his face.
The plan was flawless. No one could stop what happened in a blink.
No peace!
Vice-leader Rek lunged, dagger swinging at Pan's cherished family—the kingdom's number two.
"Kyaaaaak!"
A woman screamed.
As he moved, Rek heard something incomprehensible.
"Ghost Step."
With that low murmur, the ghost stirred.
Wherever it went—no, with every action—afterimages trailed.
All in one second.
Sugak
Kwajajak
Peojik
Kwaaang
Puuk
Kaaang—!
And the unidentified ghost was coming for him.
About 0.8 seconds passed.
Rek reacted swiftly to the ghost appearing before him.
The mission must be fulfilled…!
Even one victim would plunge the king into despair, marking the Red Dragon Squad's success.
The instant he shifted his dagger's arc to dodge the ghost's sword.
Sugaaak—
This time, it swept from below upward, slashing his chest.
Rek flew backward, chest torn open.
What… what the hell…?
Could someone change trajectory in that instant?
No—this was some mysterious power.
Tumbling back, Rek saw the man halted in a pose with his coat flapping wildly and sword raised high.
"Aaaak…!"
The woman's scream ended.
Simultaneously, blood erupted from Rek and his subordinates.
Whoosh—!
"Ugh, uwaaak!"
"Wh-what is this?"
"What just happened?"
It was as if a ghost had truly passed through.
Confounded, Rek rushed to strike his target again.
But it was too late.
Ben, having assessed everything, gripped his spear and unleashed the trueGhost Step.
Pupupupu—!
Every Red Dragon Squad member except Rek had their throats pierced and dropped dead.
Rek took a heavy blow to the nape and blacked out.
Thud.
With the situation cleared, Ben eyed Hyun-soo sheathing his sword.
Nine…?
It wasn't a stable form.
Average was about six or seven.
But pulling off nine even once shattered Ben's common sense.
Ben recalled their training room talk.
He'd implied Hyun-soo couldn't do it.
That notion was wrong.
Whether through effort or skill, Hyun-soo was beyond measure or judgment.
***
Nine.
Hyun-soo's chest thrilled at barely succeeding with nine.
Ask if he could do it again? No.
Moments ago, adrenaline had surged.
Even if fleeting luck, it was his achievement.
And Hyun-soo hadn't forgotten.
I'm a negotiator.
He had to return to the Goyad Kingdom.
Higher Negotiation Degree meant better rewards upon return.
One goal: promotion to the next title.
No user had achieved it in this short time, as far as he knew.
It required massive Negotiation Degree.
This sudden quest's reward? Precisely that.
How much will it rise?
Sudden Quest: Red Dragon Squad's RebellionComplete
Completed with miraculous results.
Acquire 17% Negotiation Degree.
Hyun-soo had held 62% Negotiation Degree.
The 17% boost brought it to 79%.
Ben approached.
"Impressive skill. And well done—you saved everyone here."
Ben grew clever for his sworn friend.
A subtle apology for doubting him.
By saying it, he broadcast that Hyun-soo had saved many in enemy lands.
Quest: Ben's TrialComplete
Ghost Step duration increased by 0.5 seconds.
Hyun-soo thrilled.
His efforts had borne full fruit.
Now I can reliably hit eight.
More time meant more room to plot and execute paths.
Hyun-soo had grown stronger still.
Ben swiftly took charge.
"Tell all knights to heighten alerts. The banquet ends here."
He eyed the knocked-out Rek.
"Drag him away."
The hall cleared quickly.
***
Hyun-soo logged out, rested, then reconnected.
He headed straight for the forge.
Why did the Red Dragon Squad suddenly turn?
No way for him to know.
With Rek captured, the truth would emerge.
And Hyun-soo had secured the finest material for a bow and spear shaft.
Top-grade from the small world tree.
He'd already decided: a bow.
How it was used mattered greatly in crafting.
Hyun-soo had that settled too.
Soon after arriving at the royal forge, Nel appeared.
"Incredible. Being the king's sworn friend."
Nel was genuinely awed.
She'd told the palace guards she was guildmate to Hyun-soo, got his approval, and was let in.
She said, "Gwangmyeong—everyone except me—is tackling quests to become Goyad knights."
Riesel, Bak, Bellia.
The reason was simple.
"To secure territory, the guild master needs at least five knights under him. We'll push fast."
Territory acquisition.
No knowing when the dream would realize, but minimum conditions existed.
One: barony or higher title.
Another: five knights secured.
"Soon the whole guild dives into one dungeon—no contact possible."
Nel asked curiously.
"Someone commissioned you—any reason?"
Hyun's Forge.
The once-quiet Hyun's Forge had decided to accept requests.
Hyun-soo smiled.
"Gwangmyeong only secured knights Luk, Bak, Riesel, Bellia. That guy's already a knight."
"True, but I'm skeptical. Will he really join us as a knight?"
Hyun-soo wore a confident look.
"Probably?"
Nel wondered why he thought so.
"He's posted daily for about 100 days straight on commissions. Shows how desperate he is for that bow. I know desperate folks."
Hyun-soo had been the most desperate of all.
"Fulfill it, and it'll yield massive returns. A great bow for me is fine, but we're a guild. His great bow in his hands packs several times the power."
Nel nodded.
She too thought recruiting him would be huge.
She pictured it.
A perfect marksman shielding them in battle, hitting everything.
"Sent the PM?"
"Of course."
Especially since he was the former archer rank one.
***
Ho-beom sighed.
"Ah, been ages since I quit editing."
Sitting at his computer, messages piled up.
Ho-beom chuckled.
"I get it. But I'm onto other work now—what can ya do?"
Ho-beom had once been a star video editor.
2040.
With internet streams rivaling broadcast TV ratings, skilled editors were priceless.
He'd cashed in big, then invested in one game.
Ares.
Ho-beom, shining Ares archer ranker.
Now, he was mockery fodder.
Hyun's Forge.
These were comments on his post.
Ho-beom was Ian.
Users mocked him as the Three Visits Beggar Ian.
Over 100 days of marathon.
Now, Hundred Bows Ian.
Other blacksmiths?
Impossible.
Reason: Ho-beom specialized in composite bows.
In Ares, composite bows were rarer than one in a thousand.
Plus.
My composite bow mastery at supreme level 5... switch bows, and junior bow mastery kicks in—weaker by 30% at least…!
His current bow was rare.
Due to composite bow scarcity.
Hope Hyun could make one stemmed from Dragon Light Sword.
A traditional Korean artifact.
Ian had no choice but Hyun. Then a PM arrived.
"…Whoaaaa!"
100 days of effort.
True Hundred Bows.
Ian whooped in triumph.
He detailed his desires, sent skill and stat screens with utmost sincerity.
Quick reply.
Ian wondered.
He could only wield traditional Korean bows. Reading the reply, his eyes widened.
Possible…?