Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: The Secret of the Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu
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‘What the hell?'
The Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu couldn't easily believe the scene unfolding right before his eyes, even though he was seeing it with his own two eyes.
As the guild master of Goryeo Guild, he had spent a long time with Balhae Guild's guild master, Sword King Jang Seok-won—sometimes cooperating, sometimes clashing.
But.
He had never once seen Sword King Jang Seok-won act so subservient.
'I must have misjudged.'
There was only one reason Sword King Jang Seok-won was behaving this way.
'The head of Dark Knight defeated Sword King Jang Seok-won.'
And overwhelmingly at that.
Otherwise, there was no way the arrogantly prideful Sword King Jang Seok-won would lower himself like this.
'I thought they were the ones who needed our help.'
The Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu had given the Dark Knight—the Goryeo Guild's benefactors—the utmost hospitality.
He had also sponsored them a massive sum of 200 million gold.
His reasoning was that for the Atlantis Dimension to be safe, organizations like Dark Knight needed to grow stronger.
Thus, beyond financial support, he intended to help Dark Knight in any way Goryeo Guild could.
But.
'I was arrogant.'
He had underestimated an organization whose leader was strong enough to overwhelmingly defeat Sword King Jang Seok-won.
Even though they had already received help from them once.
He had judged Dark Knight as a weak organization that needed aid.
In the meantime, Sword King Jang Seok-won and Dark Knight's leader had approached right up to him.
'That bald old geezer is Goryeo Guild's guild master, the Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu.'
Sword King Jang Seok-won introduced the Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu.
'Who are you calling bald?'
In an instant, the Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu bellowed.
Then.
'Ahem, I've been rude with a guest present. Please, come in.'
'No need.'
'We'll settle this later.'
The Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu growled a warning at Sword King Jang Seok-won before guiding Kang Hyun-soo and Sword King Jang Seok-won inside the Goryeo Guild House.
'The famously good-natured Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu can't tolerate being called bald, huh.'
Well, he still had a few strands of hair on the sides and back, so he wasn't completely bald.
'But shouldn't he get mad about being called an old geezer too?'
As far as Kang Hyun-soo knew, the Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu was in his late forties.
He just looked older due to thinning hair.
He was still solidly in his forties.
'Please, have a seat.'
The Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu offered Kang Hyun-soo a seat.
Kang Hyun-soo sat down.
Naturally, even as he did.
[Using Unique Skill Replica – S-Rank.]
[One stack is consumed.]
[Creating Replica of Solar Fist – EX-Rank.]
[Replica Solar Fist – F-Rank has been created.]
[Replica skills possess 160% of the original's capabilities.]
……Omitted……
'It won't come out easily.'
As expected of the Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu.
'He has a lot of EX-Rank skills.'
His main skills were almost all EX-Rank.
Even his support skills were mostly SS-Rank to SSS-Rank.
'It has to come out before my stacks run out.'
If he exhausted all his stacks without getting Skill Amplification?
'I might have to stick around Goryeo Guild a bit longer.'
At that moment.
[Unique Skill Replica has grown from S-Rank to SS-Rank.]
'Huh?'
He hadn't expected it at all.
Yet Unique Skill Replica had grown from S-Rank to SS-Rank.
'Well.'
It was about time.
Replica had been stuck at S-Rank for quite a while.
'With all the levels it's devoured so far.'
The levels Replica had consumed through skill enhancements were enormous.
Still, its growth had been slower than Kang Hyun-soo expected, which had frustrated him greatly.
Fortunately, his efforts hadn't been in vain.
Replica's rank had risen.
'Now I have some breathing room.'
A smile crept onto Kang Hyun-soo's lips.
Currently, Kang Hyun-soo possessed a total of ten Replica skills.
S-Rank allows for eleven Replica skills.
In simple terms, if he made Skill Amplification into a Replica skill?
The slots would fill up completely.
Then?
'It would be impossible to keep activating Replica to raise skill ranks.'
It would also block the chance to acquire permanently useful skills by casting Replica on named players he encountered.
Kang Hyun-soo had been prepared to accept that penalty to obtain the Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu's Unique Skill, Skill Amplification.
'But now I don't have to.'
With Replica growing to SS-Rank.
'I've got a full two extra slots.'
Even if he turned Skill Amplification into a Replica skill.
'One slot will still be free.'
And that wasn't all.
'Now it's 200%.'
All Replica skills now exert 200% of the original's power.
Even the F-Rank skill just created via Replica doubled in power.
'And the power of my other high-rank Replica skills doubles too.'
From Kang Hyun-soo's perspective, Replica's rank-up was an enormous gain.
'My stacks increased by four too.'
Compared to S-Rank, he could now cast Replica four more times.
Even as he cast Replica skills, Kang Hyun-soo continued conversing with the Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu.
'So, Goryeo Guild wants to fully cooperate with Dark Knight. What are your thoughts?'
A smile crept onto Kang Hyun-soo's lips at the Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu's words.
'More cooperative than expected.'
He trusted the Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu's character.
But Dark Knight maintained a secretive image, hiding in the shadows without revealing their identity.
'So I thought cooperation wouldn't be easy.'
Surprisingly, things were progressing smoothly.
'I agree. The more allies to fight the Demon King Army with, the better.'
'Then we should start by establishing a communication network.'
As Kang Hyun-soo and the Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu's negotiations gained momentum.
Sword King Jang Seok-won grew anxious.
'Um, may I say something?'
He interjected.
'Go ahead.'
With Kang Hyun-soo's permission.
'I believe the cooperative relationship should be established first with Balhae Guild over Goryeo Guild. Balhae Guild sponsored Dark Knight with numerous SS- to A-Rank items, including an EX-Rank item, plus 100 million gold. Naturally, doesn't that put Balhae Guild ahead of Goryeo Guild in priority?'
Sword King Jang Seok-won unleashed his words like a rapid-fire cannon.
'You sponsored Dark Knight with an EX-Rank item?'
Meanwhile, the Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu was greatly surprised by Sword King Jang Seok-won's words.
SS- to A-Rank items?
That was possible.
100 million gold?
Also possible.
But an EX-Rank item?
'Of course. Balhae Guild is thorough about favors and grudges.'
Despite Sword King Jang Seok-won's confident words.
'It was half-forced, huh.'
The Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu quickly grasped the situation.
'He probably tried to brush it off with words and got thoroughly screwed.'
He hadn't seen it himself.
But judging by Sword King Jang Seok-won's usual personality and current demeanor.
He could tell roughly what had happened.
'But has Goryeo Guild sponsored Dark Knight with anything? They're the benefactors who saved the guild from ruin.'
'We sponsored 200 million gold.'
Sword King Jang Seok-won was slightly surprised by the Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu's response.
'That's it?'
He taunted the Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu with a smug expression.
In truth, Sword King Jang Seok-won had been hoping Kang Hyun-soo would fleece Goryeo Guild even more.
Ideally, more than Balhae Guild.
But from the way things were going.
It looked like they'd form an alliance without much sponsorship.
That's why he stepped in.
Sure, Goryeo Guild had sponsored 200 million gold too.
But compared to Balhae Guild, it was peanuts, wasn't it?
'I can't just sit back and watch someone who paid less get priority.'
It was semi-forced.
But still, they had sponsored a larger amount first.
Naturally, they deserved better treatment for it.
'Dark Knight's strength is immense.'
Their leader was evaluated as equal to a divine-titled player.
And ten named players estimated at his own level.
Forming a cooperative relationship with such a group.
'Is tremendous power.'
Players with top-tier titles like Sword King Jang Seok-won were exceedingly rare.
Most were heads of massive guilds, natural disasters who could single-handedly wipe out lesser guilds.
As a player with a king title himself, Sword King Jang Seok-won knew their power better than anyone.
'And there are ten of them.'
Dark Knight's strength was truly terrifying.
They might even have more such powerhouses.
'If enemies, pure terror.'
But in cooperation or alliance?
'Perfect.'
Reliable backing.
'Balhae Guild also wants a cooperative relationship with Dark Knight?'
At Kang Hyun-soo's question.
'Of course. No, we're practically already in a cooperative relationship. That's why we sponsored you, right?'
'Back then, you called it support, not cooperation.'
'Support or cooperation—same difference, no?'
'Well, true.'
Kang Hyun-soo readily agreed with Sword King Jang Seok-won.
'Either way, we need to bring Balhae Guild in.'
Balhae Guild and Goryeo Guild.
Both were targets for recruitment.
If the fish you were trying to catch swam into the net on their own?
What could be better?
'You will prioritize Balhae Guild over Goryeo Guild, right?'
At Sword King Jang Seok-won's question.
'Sure.'
Kang Hyun-soo agreed readily.
'What's so hard about swapping priorities?'
Who they allied with first wasn't that important anyway.
'What matters is how many allied guilds we make.'
They'd received plenty of gifts.
He could easily assign them top priority numbers.
'That seems a hasty decision.'
At that moment, the Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu interjected.
'Hasty? What are you talking about, old man?'
'Goryeo Guild is equal to or better than Balhae Guild in every way. We can provide even more sponsorship.'
'What? You wanna go at it?'
Sword King Jang Seok-won growled in an angry voice.
'Yeah, let's.'
The Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu provocatively responded in a nonchalant tone.
'Why is he doing this?'
Kang Hyun-soo couldn't easily understand why the Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu was acting this way.
Why provoke Sword King Jang Seok-won all of a sudden?
'And was Sword King Jang Seok-won always like this?'
In Kang Hyun-soo's memory, Sword King Jang Seok-won was the ideal guild master.
Martial prowess, political savvy, cool-headedness, gravitas, leadership, and more.
'That's why I thought he was a jack-of-all-trades entertainer.'
But now it seemed otherwise.
More emotional than expected.
'And much lighter.'
This was a side he'd never seen as a Balhae Guild member.
Of course, Sword King Jang Seok-won's personality hadn't suddenly changed.
'I just didn't know him.'
As a former Balhae Guild member before regression, Kang Hyun-soo had seen guild master Sword King Jang Seok-won for over four years.
But.
He'd rarely shared personal rapport or long conversations.
Sword King Jang Seok-won was the guild master.
'And I was just a regular guild member.'
Even with his special Unique Skill drawing attention.
'In the end, a rookie. No need to show his true colors.'
Today's glimpse of Sword King Jang Seok-won felt more like the real human Jang Seok-won than the four-plus years before regression.
'Goryeo Guild intends to fully support Dark Knight in battles against the Demon King Army. Can Balhae Guild do that?'
'Of course we can. In fact, much better than Goryeo Guild under you, old man.'
'Then let's draw up a cooperation contract. I'll yield my priority too.'
The Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu pulled out a soul contract as if he'd been waiting.
'Huh?'
Sword King Jang Seok-won's heated expression froze instantly.
'You didn't spout empty words in front of Dark Knight's leader, did you?'
At the Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu's sly expression.
'I'm caught.'
Sword King Jang Seok-won realized he'd been baited.
Kang Hyun-soo as well.
'He provoked him to help me.'
He understood why the Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hu had baited Sword King Jang Seok-won.