Why Would I Ever Keep You in Check?
"Why would I keep you in check?" Tae-hyun asked with pure curiosity. He genuinely had no idea. Baudouin was flustered by the question. Naturally, when someone asks about something so obvious, it tends to make things awkward.
"...Y-you want me to say it with my own mouth?"
"Well, yeah. Who else's mouth would you use? Is there anyone else here?"
"...I'll just say it myself!" Baudouin hurriedly cut in. "Look, Kim Tae-hyun. It's a bit embarrassing for me to say it, but I'm a fairly well-known player among the rising rankers."
"Rising ranker?" Tae-hyun tilted his head. His complete lack of knowledge about what a rising ranker even was left Baudouin speechless.
"What's that? Like a young ranker? Are you a teenager or something?"
"N-no. It doesn't mean young in age. It's a term often used to describe players who are different from the existing rankers, like..."
Baudouin's face flushed as he spoke. Boasting about how amazing he was in front of Kim Tae-hyun was far more embarrassing than he had anticipated. His deeply buried sense of shame was exploding! After hearing the explanation, Tae-hyun nodded.
"Ah. I see. So 'rising rankers' refers to the latecomers who emerged as the player base of Pan-On expanded?"
"Exactly!" Baudouin slapped his knee. "We are qualitatively different from the old rankers who joined massive guilds, kicked others out, charged tolls, and leveled up solely by power-leveling in prime dungeons! That is what a rising ranker like me is... Dammit."
"?"
Baudouin cringed again mid-sentence. Come to think of it, what would Kim Tae-hyun think of him boasting like this?
Wow, look at this guy trying to teach a fish how to swim! Wouldn't he think something like that?!
"...Basically, we're rankers who don't join large guilds and play solo."
"Ah... so outcasts like Cain."
"Yeah, like Cain... Wait, what's an outcast?"
Wait. I mentioned Cain, and he didn't get angry? Tae-hyun was surprised. Usually, people got mad. But Baudouin didn't think Tae-hyun was mocking him. To him, Cain was a pretty impressive ranker! He assumed it was a compliment.
"Anyway, I'm not trying to keep you in check, so I don't recommend that weapon."
"...Hmm..." Baudouin fell into thought. Honestly, he couldn't bring himself to believe everything, but Tae-hyun was still one of the top-tier rankers. It felt uncomfortable to completely ignore the advice of someone of his caliber.
"If you don't take it quickly, you won't even get a single feather!"
The Garuda blacksmiths are growing angry!
If you do not equip the weapon quickly, your affinity will decrease!
"A-alright, fine! I'll take it, okay?"
◈ The weapons of the Garuda blacksmiths are their pride. If the weapon is destroyed, your affinity will decrease.
◈ You cannot use other weapons.
◈ Performing outstandingly will increase your reputation and affinity!
◈ Fight for the name of the Garuda!
"Oh dear... I told you not to take it. I warned you," Tae-hyun said, sounding genuinely pitying. Baudouin replied, feeling slightly offended.
"My level might be lower than yours, but I'm still a ranker."
"..." Tae-hyun paused. Wait, is his level not even 200?
"What level are you?"
"298."
"...Ah, I see!"
"So don't look down on me just because my level is lower."
"You're absolutely right."
"??"
Baudouin tilted his head in confusion, then spoke again. "You seem to think I'm some guy who can only use weapons he's familiar with, but I have great control and skill. Watch. I'll show you how I handle this weapon."
"No, that's not what I meant..." Tae-hyun felt frustrated. He wasn't worried that Baudouin wouldn't be able to handle a weapon with poor performance! He was just... worried that the guy might blow himself to pieces...!
"Please summon a training dummy!"
"Where do you get off ordering us around so arrogantly?!"
The Garuda blacksmiths have rejected your request!
Your affinity has decreased due to your arrogant request!
"..." Tears welled up in Baudouin's eyes. Tae-hyun looked at him with pity and spoke.
"Surely you can at least summon a training dummy in the practice range?"
"Don't get the wrong idea. It's not like we're doing this because we like you or anything."
A Training Dummy has been summoned to the practice range!
"Th-thank you."
"Don't mention it. I only did it because you remind me of Cain, so don't worry about it."
"...? Thank you."
Baudouin equipped the item.
You have equipped the Sky Iron Homing Throwing Spear!
"????" Why was the item's name so long? Is it because it has a lot of effects attached to it? Having prefixes attached to an item meant it possessed additional effects. The more prefixes it had, the better the item!
Skill available for use...
Skill available for use...
Skill available for use...
Numerous message windows popped up, but Baudouin didn't read them all. After all, you were supposed to learn how to use these kinds of weapons through experience. He would naturally figure out the necessary functions as he used it.
"Here I go!"
Boom!
The bomb loaded inside the Sky Iron Homing Throwing Spear has exploded!
CRITICAL HIT!
You have been stunned!
You are temporarily unable to move!
Baudouin staggered and froze in the middle of the practice range. A spear that suddenly exploded! "W-what... why did it explode?! Is this made in China?!"
"Oh dear. Those Guild Alliance bastards should have been the ones holding that." Tae-hyun muttered. If the Guild Alliance had equipped it, they would have been grinding their teeth in absolute rage!
"Sigh... What a massive disappointment. How did someone like that even become a Myriarch..."
If you continue to fail in front of the Garuda blacksmiths, your affinity may decrease!
"!!" Baudouin gasped in horror and picked up the spear. He had no time to hesitate. He needed to use a difficult combo skill with this newly acquired weapon to show them what he was made of. Here goes!
", first strike!"
A combo skill where damage increased with every consecutive strike landed on a single point! Baudouin intended to unleash massive damage with this skill to prove his worth.
The bomb loaded inside the Sky Iron Homing Throwing Spear has exploded!
CRITICAL HIT!
The level of your [Engineering Equipment Handling] skill has increased!
"W-what is this now?!" As he was blown back once again, Baudouin was shocked by the newly acquired skill. A usage skill. In Pan-On, skills specialized in "using" specific items were quite rare. They were skills that leveled up when using highly difficult items! Usually, they were skills like those that allowed one to use ancient scrolls without side effects once leveled up, or skills that allowed the operation of ancient magical devices. But this one... what on earth was it?
The number of players using Engineering equipment is increasing.
Your Engineering skill has increased.
Your Engineering Equipment Crafting skill has increased.
Oh, nice. Tae-hyun smiled with satisfaction. Meanwhile, Baudouin checked the weapon's details and gasped in horror. What kind of crazy weapon was this?!
"K-Kim Tae-hyun! Did you make this weapon?!"
"Wow. How did you know?"
"Who else could it possibly be?!"
Baudouin was utterly dumbfounded. A weapon that had a chance to explode with every single attack, and if you were unlucky, it would even damage the wielder. Sure, the damage output might be high, but who in their right mind would use a weapon like this?!
"Why on earth did you make a weapon like this?!"
"The Garuda guys asked me to make it, so I did. And besides, I warned you not to take it."
Ah...! That was why...! Only then did Baudouin realize Tae-hyun's deep intentions.
You have repeatedly failed in front of the Garuda blacksmiths.
Your affinity has decreased.
Your reputation has decreased.
"N-no! Do you have any idea how hard it was to raise that! Kim Tae-hyun, how do I use this weapon properly?! Please, tell me!"
"If you learn the Engineering skill, the side effects will decrease."
"...Other than that?! Is there no way to handle it with a skill?"
"Ah. What? A usage skill actually popped up for you? Was the difficulty really that high?"
Carbanog tells the Avatar not to say such nonsense when he was the one who crafted it in the first place.
Tae-hyun, whose Engineering skill was already exceptionally high, had no need for such a usage skill. The privilege of the creator! "If you have a usage skill, just keep using it to level it up. That should reduce the side effects."
"...Is there any other way?"
"What do you mean, 'any other way'? How much of a free ride do you want? Are you really a ranker?"
At Tae-hyun's words, Baudouin was suddenly overcome with intense shame. It was true. Since when had he become such a weak person? I still have a long way to go!
...Of course, if Tae-hyun hadn't crafted such a crazy weapon in the first place, he wouldn't have needed to level up such a useless skill. However, after experiencing several explosions, Baudouin was no longer in his right mind. It was only natural for a person's judgment to become clouded after getting hit by a few bombs.
"...I was wrong. I apologize, Kim Tae-hyun. As expected, I still have a long way to go compared to you."
"If you're talking about the Engineering skill, I don't really see why you'd need to catch up to me though?"
"No, I'm not talking about the Engineering skill, I mean overall..." Baudouin tried to proudly state his ambitions. He might have shown a pathetic side of himself today, but he would never do so again. He would overcome this trial with dignity and meet Tae-hyun again as a member of the national team!
"Right now, I must seem incredibly lacking in your eyes. I understand."
"I wasn't really thinking anything about you, though."
"Just you wait, Kim Tae-hyun. I will master this weapon and change your opinion of me. Let's meet at the World Cup!"
"..."
Watching Baudouin repeatedly blow himself up with the spear in front of the training dummy as if he had reverted to a novice, Tae-hyun clicked his tongue. I can leave now, right? Carbanog marveled at the conscience of the Avatar, who was casually trying to slip away after being the sole cause of the disaster. He is the living embodiment of Akisus!
"Oh, right. Kim Tae-hyun."
"Don't even think about asking me to make you more weapons."
"...No... I was just going to tell you something out of gratitude."
"Ah. Really?" Tae-hyun sighed in relief. He had been nervous that Baudouin might suddenly go crazy and shout, 'Kim Tae-hyun, craft me more gear! I will surpass you!' or something.
"There are several NPCs scattered across the Garuda Kingdom who possess secret skills. I've been gathering information on these skills ever since I advanced to the Myriarch class, and I'll share it with you as a reward. It happens to be nearby, too."
A new location has been added to your map!
The Mad Swordsman of the Arena
📍 Location: Gray Cloud Arena, Gray Cloud City
🎁 Reward: ?, ???
There is a strange rumor circulating in the Gray Cloud Arena. It is said that an exceptionally skilled Garuda swordsman is hiding inside the arena! If you meet this swordsman and earn their recognition, you might be able to learn a secret swordsmanship skill...
However, be warned. Rumor has it that this Garuda swordsman is completely insane...
Hmm. Should I just ignore this and go look for the Archisus Holy Knight Commander...?
?!
Normally, Tae-hyun would go absolutely crazy for secret skills, but after experiencing the spicy, unforgiving nature of the Garuda Kingdom, he had grown slightly hesitant. If he went there and met another lunatic, wouldn't he have to do some other crazy stunt?
Carbanog cheers you on, telling you not to back down!
Right. Carbanog. I can't afford to miss out on a secret swordsmanship skill. Though, of course, I'm the only one who has to do the crazy stunts.
Carbanog avoids your gaze.