The Blessing of a Curse

After quickly searching for information and listening to Tae-hyun's explanation, Bae Jang-wook's jaw dropped further and further. A sudden thought struck him. I should have just broadcasted this live! To think he had been completely unaware of such a spectacle. It was a failure on his part. No, it's fine. This is going to be released separately as a recorded broadcast anyway!

"Um, I told you, we need to start the broadcast," Kim Su-a urged.

"Ah, sorry! Start it! Start it!" Bae Jang-wook replied.

Kim Su-a cleared her throat and addressed Tae-hyun. "Hello, Tae-hyun. The viewers are currently watching the footage of your surroundings."

"Ah. Yes."

Around Tae-hyun were the blazing ruins of a demolished castle wall! Seeing this, the viewers went wild and began flooding the chat with questions.

The questions were pouring in so rapidly that even Kim Su-a, who had to filter through them, was flustered. She decided to start with a safe, standard question. "Are you currently performing a quest at Anong Castle?"

"Yes."

"The castle walls have been completely demolished. Why did they collapse? Was it an enemy monster? Magic?"

"No. I tore them down."

"..."

Kim Su-a froze at Tae-hyun's incredibly casual admission. Had she misheard him?

"Pardon?"

"There were quite a few enemies, so I brought the walls down to wipe them out all at once."

"H-How? Is there a spell that can do that?"

"With Engineering."

"Engineering?!"

At their exchange, the viewer comment section erupted once more.

"C-Can you really demolish a castle wall with Engineering?"

"Well, first, you make bombs..."

Tae-hyun looked as if he were about to reveal some profound secret. Kim Su-a waited with bated breath for his next words. What kind of skill had he used to bring down the wall?

"And then you just make a lot of them."

"..."

Kim Su-a felt as if she had been struck upside the head. However, she was a professional host. Shaking off her bewilderment, she moved on to the next question. "T-Then, let me ask some of the most popular questions from our viewers. Your class... you've kept it private, correct?"

"Yes. I have no intention of revealing my class."

"What archetype is it?"

"Well... a blacksmith archetype, I suppose?" Tae-hyun answered vaguely. The viewers would deceive themselves anyway.

"Ah, as expected. There has been a lot of talk about your blacksmithing skills ever since the Katerand Island quest, hasn't there?"

"Was there? I don't really remember."

"The next question is whether your class is a Rare Class or an Epic Class. Are you able to answer that?"

"It's neither."

"?!"

Kim Su-a was startled. From the side, Bae Jang-wook signaled her. It was a sign to stop digging.

If Kim Tae-hyun wanted to say what class it was, he would have just said it! Move on!

Ah. Right.

"The next question is... what is your relationship to the Kim Tae-hyun of Fantasy Online 1?"

"I was a fan of his."

An answer delivered with absolute, shameless brass! Tae-hyun lied without batting an eye. There was no better lie for people to easily swallow.

"Ah, I see! Indeed, player Kim Tae-hyun had many fans. He left quite an impression."

"He was handsome and had a great personality, too."

"Pardon? Ah, is that so...?"

He had worn a helmet the entire time, so how could anyone know if he was handsome? Kim Su-a was bewildered, but she chose not to press the issue.

"Next question. Wait. Is it really alright for you to be taking questions like this? Is the battle completely over?"

"It's not over, but they'll come to me anyway."

Tae-hyun refused to make the first move until the very end. The ultimate "come to me" strategy! If Marquis Marden still possessed any sanity after being hit by a trap that used an entire castle wall, Tae-hyun was willing to give him credit. If you can retreat cleanly after suffering this, then go ahead and retreat! I won't chase you!

However, Tae-hyun believed otherwise. He was certain Marquis Marden would lose his mind and charge blindly. Because he was waiting for exactly that, he could afford to be so relaxed.

"Ah, yes. Then... you are currently building ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a territory in the Valley of Despair and Sorrow. If players go there early to settle down, are there any benefits?"

Tae-hyun tilted his head. Territory construction? He hadn't even thought about such a thing.

"Well, if you come and settle down early, I'll make sure to give you a little something extra. It's not like it's hard to do."

"Next, we have this comment: 'Famous rankers usually treat other players like chess pieces and discard them, but it was really heartwarming to see player Kim Tae-hyun trying to look after the players he brought along until the very end.' That's very touching, isn't it?"

"I've never really looked after anyone, though."

"There's no need to be so humble, player Kim Tae-hyun."

"No, I seriously haven't."

Tae-hyun replied indifferently. If he had cared about his broadcast image, he wouldn't have lived his life like this in the first place.

Meanwhile, the shattered remnants of Marquis Marden's army began to move. Watching them gather beyond the castle gates, Tae-hyun rallied his companions.

"Oh dear. You must be in a hurry, so I will ask just one last question."

"I'm not really in a hurry, but sure, go ahead."

"...What are your future plans?"

"Well, clearing quests, leveling up... Oh, and I'm planning to track down one specific person and PK them."

"Wow. So even player Kim Tae-hyun has someone he dislikes? That person must be shaking in their boots."

"It's not that I dislike him. I just find him pathetic."

The ultimate diss! Watching Tae-hyun's Q&A live, Kim Tae-san clenched his fists. Who else could he possibly be talking about! Below the screen, the viewers' comments scrolled up at a breakneck pace.

"Oh, is that so, you punk?! Just you try!" Kim Tae-san bellowed, his eyes wide with fury. His guild was also growing at a dazzling speed. They were growing stronger so rapidly that they wouldn't lose to Tae-hyun!

Kim Tae-san's guild members possessed a sense of unity and teamwork forged since the days of Lineage. Sometimes with money, sometimes with brute force, they funneled quests and monsters to Kim Tae-san to power-level him! Just a little more, and Kim Tae-san would be within reach of the ranker tier. He would absolutely not lose!

"Hear me, insect! I have here the adventurers who were captured after trespassing into my ancient castle!" Marquis Marden bellowed.

"What? There are still hostages left? Why didn't you just kill them all at once?" Tae-hyun replied.

"Do not bluff! The fools of the Sadique Order might have let you slide because you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠do not worship Sadiq. But what about these adventurers?! You, who are praised in that castle, will surely..."

Marquis Marden dragged out the party he had held captive in his castle. The captured players, thoroughly depressed by the prospect of the death penalty, were bound tightly between vampire warriors. It was a blatant scheme to provoke Tae-hyun and lure him out of the castle!

But Tae-hyun only felt a twinge of pity for Marquis Marden. To think that after losing everything and being utterly crushed, he had to resort to a hostage situation. How had he fallen so low? Of course, it was entirely Tae-hyun's fault.

"Bow."

"Pardon?"

"Give me your bow."

"Ah, here it is!" An archer player eagerly handed his bow to Tae-hyun, thrilled that the legendary player was going to use his weapon.

"...If you do not wish to see these fools die, come out this instant! Let us settle this in a one-on-one duel! Are you listening?! Settle this with me, and I shall spare their lives—"

Swish!

Tae-hyun didn't even bother listening. He aimed straight at the captured party and fired. Not just one shot, but a rapid succession of arrows as fast as he could draw!

What did it matter if the hostages got hit or not? All that mattered was taking down Marquis Marden! This was the fastest way to convey his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠resolve to the vampire lord.

"W-Wait, what...?!"

The bound party had looked up with a glimmer of hope, only to blink in sheer panic as Tae-hyun shot arrows directly at them.

"No, this is...?!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The silver bombs detonated, sending up thick plumes of smoke. Amazingly, the only ones who took damage were the vampires! The shrapnel from the explosions had struck the vampires with pinpoint accuracy.

"T-Thank you!"

"Thank you so much!"

Tae-hyun narrowed his eyes. The surrounding vampires seemed to have taken damage, but the captured players were completely unharmed.

"Marquis Marden might not have gotten the message. I should shoot again and deal some damage to them."

"No, no! There's absolutely no need to go that far!"

"Exactly!"

Evangeline and Gu Sung-wook frantically rushed forward to stop him.

"Why? I told you, we have to lure Marquis Marden in."

"He'll come even if you do nothing!"

"Come on. I need to make it crystal clear that I don't give a damn about hostages so he'll come directly for me. If they stay alive like that, he'll get the wrong idea."

Evangeline desperately clung to Tae-hyun's arm.

Meanwhile, Marquis Marden finally spoke up.

"...I finally understand!"

"Did you finally realize that the only way to get me is to come over here?" Tae-hyun asked.

"No, you insect! The god you borrow power from... is Archisus!"

"..."

Tae-hyun was startled. However, he didn't let it show and feigned ignorance.

"Archi... who?"

"Lies will not work on me, insect! That bizarre evasion and luck of yours... it makes no sense unless it is Archisus. What a twist of fate. To think I would once again encounter the god worshipped by the bastard who wounded me. How perfect. Today, I shall bury that pathetic excuse of a god, Archisus, back into the shadows of the continent!"

Marquis Marden seemed completely certain now. Tae-hyun drew his longsword, Meteor, and replied, "So, either way, you're coming over here, right?"

"Yes! I shall slaughter you!"

Marquis Marden activated a skill that consumed his own HP to teleport directly in front of his opponent. It was an incredibly broken skill that completely bypassed the interference magic cast by the mages of Anong Castle!

"?!"

"Do you have any idea how much I have gnashed my teeth because of that %#*&@($& bastard of Archisus?! Take this! This is the culmination of my resentment!"

Marquis Marden closed the distance far faster than Tae-hyun had anticipated. Startled, Tae-hyun tried to retreat. However, Marquis Marden expanded his body as if detonating it, tightly wrapping himself around Tae-hyun. Enveloped in a thick crimson mist, Tae-hyun found himself unable to move. Even with bombs or critical hits, escaping in a short amount of time would be impossible!

"In vain! This is a spell crafted by me, a master of magic, specifically to seal those who possess divinity. Behold! I declare in the name of the mighty Cain, I shall revert the luck of Archisus that you possess! Return to the luck you had as a mere human, before you became an Apostle!"

There was one thing Tae-hyun had overlooked: just how deeply Marquis Marden had held a grudge after being defeated by an Archisus Church mage in the past. Though he had been pushed around like a pushover until now, when utilizing his true power, Marquis Marden was a formidable vampire and a master mage! It was not easy to break through an anti-Archisus strategy meticulously prepared by such a foe.

A crimson energy erupted from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Marquis Marden's entire body like a raging torrent, blasting directly into Tae-hyun.

"Be sealed! You insect of Archisus!"

Just as Tae-hyun had overlooked something about Marquis Marden, Marquis Marden had also overlooked something crucial. Followers of the Sadique Order received the power of Sadiq's Flame upon believing in Sadiq. Followers of the Demer Order received the power of Demer's Earth upon believing in Demer. Normally, believers received power after placing their faith in a god. Thus, if time was reverted to before they believed, that power would vanish.

But Archisus was different. It was not a matter of receiving power by believing in an existing god; rather, it was a forgotten god that only recognized someone as an Apostle if they already possessed immense power themselves. Even if his luck was reverted to when he was a mere human before becoming an Apostle...