Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: An Unbreakable Wall
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Kang Hyun-soo had conducted one particular experiment over the three months he'd spent hunting monsters.
It was to see just how far apart he could be from his summons.
The results had been astonishing.
"There are no distance limits."
Once summoned, his summons could operate perfectly fine no matter how far away they were from Kang Hyun-soo.
But there was one problem.
"If they get destroyed, that's it."
If they were defeated in battle against a monster and destroyed?
Even if he revived them using his Platoon Composition skill, they would only respawn at Kang Hyun-soo's side.
They couldn't respawn at the location where they'd been destroyed.
"I've left it to my best guys, so there shouldn't be any issues."
Kang Hyun-soo was on an expedition to the northernmost frontier.
He'd dug a pit in the snow and placed twenty of his summons there, along with the Ice King's Necklace.
The Ice King's Necklace was to absorb the natural chill in the air.
The twenty summons were there as escorts, in case of any unforeseen events.
"No sane person would trek a month and a half from the small city of Sok to dig up some random snowfield in the middle of nowhere."
Even if some madman or monster did show up, the twenty summons would handle it.
"And they're not living beings, which is a relief."
Their bodies, made of mana, didn't feel the cold.
They also didn't need to eat or drink.
"I definitely made the right choice picking this class."
No scam was as good as this one.
Without the Lone Platoon Leader class?
He would've been stuck in Sok for three years without a choice.
Or he'd have had no option but to bury the Ice King's Necklace in the snow and pray no one found it.
"I'll come back for it in three years."
It had only been a D-Rank item last time he'd checked.
But in three years, it would be EX-Rank.
"It's a shame the summons can't check item info."
If they could?
He'd be able to monitor the Ice King's Necklace's rank in real-time through the platoon leader's view.
"You never know."
It might become possible once his class rank went up.
"There could be other class-exclusive skills I don't know about, like Platoon Leader's Sight."
Kang Hyun-soo had obtained the Lone Platoon Leader class.
But he knew more about what he didn't know than what he did.
The previous owner of this class, before his regression.
Hadn't been the type to blab about his class info to other players.
* * *
BOOM!
The moment the Fist Emperor's fist struck his opponent's shield, an explosion like a cannon shell rang out.
"Urk!"
The shield was crumpled beyond recognition.
Along with it, the brute-race player gripping it was sent tumbling across the ground in a battered state.
He'd taken down his opponent in a single blow.
"I win!"
The Fist Emperor celebrated his victory.
An undefeated streak.
He hadn't lost a single time on his way to the quarterfinals, semifinals, and now the finals.
'Well, that's to be expected.'
Before his regression, the Fist Emperor.
Had claimed undefeated championships in every martial tournament.
Now, having met Kang Hyun-soo, he'd grown even faster than before his regression.
And it wasn't just about higher levels.
He'd sparred repeatedly with powerhouses like Kang Hyun-soo and Song Ha-na, gaining tons of combat experience.
Then, using that experience, he'd thrown himself into life-or-death battles against monsters.
'Thanks to the summons.'
Hunting monsters is dangerous.
That's why most people hunt weaker monsters for safety.
But the Fist Emperor and Song Ha-na didn't need to.
They had Kang Hyun-soo's summons as reliable insurance.
That let the Fist Emperor fight stronger monsters to his heart's content.
From his perspective, having grown through such bloody battles, the players in this tournament might as well have been flowers grown in a greenhouse.
'And I just hit level 400.'
This was a martial tournament for levels 301 to 400.
Naturally, level 400 had the biggest advantage.
'Once the tournament's over, I'll head to the Mightor Kingdom.'
There was something he absolutely had to get there.
It was also the perfect hunting ground.
'It won't be easy from here on out.'
Most players living in Atlantis stayed between levels 300 and 400.
The so-called mid-to-low level bracket.
The reason 300 to 400 was considered mid-to-low was simple.
Without talent, you couldn't clear the Limit Break quests.
Players needed to complete Limit Break quests starting at level 99 to level up further.
The level 99 and 199 Limit Breaks?
'Anyone can clear those.'
But from level 299 and 399, it took real effort or talent.
The quests varied.
And they differed by class.
Melee DPS might have to beat a same-level monster.
Tanks might need to survive an hour against higher-level monster attacks.
'Those are the easy ones.'
The real problem started at level 499.
'You can't brute-force those with effort alone.'
Talent was essential.
'Actually, plenty of people struggle to break past level 399 too.'
And reaching level 400 in the first place wasn't easy.
In Song Ha-na and the Fist Emperor's case.
They'd hunted much higher-level monsters thanks to their superior skills, hitting 400 in a relatively short time.
But for average players, it could take 5 years at best, 10 at worst.
Past 400, though, the difficulty spiked so much it made that look like a joke.
'The EXP needed for level-ups becomes insane.'
Hunting lower-level monsters gives you a pittance of EXP, ridiculously low.
It felt like switching from easy mode to hell mode.
A player who just hit 400 hunts their ass off to reach 500.
But as levels climb, the ever-worsening level-up difficulty wears them down.
Even if they somehow reach 499.
'Most can't break the level 500 wall.'
When that happens?
'Most give up on breaking it and switch to stable farming for cash instead.'
They abandon Limit Break quests and hunt lower-level mobs en masse to make money.
'Skills hit their wall at B-Rank, levels at 400.'
Players with A-Rank skills or level 500 are treated as high-level.
'Though to rankers, they're just usable grunts.'
Average players look up to them as high-level pros.
But rankers see them as decent mid-level cannon fodder.
'This is just the beginning.'
Mid-level wasn't good enough.
Song Ha-na and the Fist Emperor had limitless potential.
They wouldn't stall at the level 499 wall like other players.
'I'll make them stronger than before the regression.'
They'd earned the Emperor title pre-regression.
Now they had this fateful encounter with Kang Hyun-soo.
So they deserved something like the God title, the pinnacle for all players.
'I'll make sure they get it.'
Roll them hard, and they'd surely surpass their past selves.
* * *
The Fist Emperor advanced to the finals with his undefeated record intact.
One more win tomorrow.
And he'd claim victory in the 301-400 level martial tournament.
"Ju-pi."
Kang Hyun-soo called out to the Fist Emperor.
"Yeah?"
"If you win tomorrow, you planning to apply to the Muran Kingdom Army again?"
"Of course."
"What if you get rejected?"
At Kang Hyun-soo's question, the Fist Emperor's face twisted miserably.
He wanted to snap about jinxing it.
But over the past six months, he'd grown genuinely fond of Kang Hyun-soo.
And received plenty of help.
The Fist Emperor acted tough on the outside, but he was softer than most.
Crucially.
He knew deep down his chances of passing the Muran Kingdom Army exam were slimmer than failing.
"Why ask something like that?"
The Fist Emperor pouted.
He knew it came from concern.
But it felt like Kang Hyun-soo was treating his rejection as a done deal, which stung.
"Me and Ha-na are leaving Muran Kingdom for Mightor Kingdom after the tournament."
"What?"
The Fist Emperor was pretty shocked.
He'd assumed Kang Hyun-soo and Song Ha-na would stick around Muran.
"If you're not set on joining the army, wanna come with us?"
At Kang Hyun-soo's question, the Fist Emperor's face crumpled again.
'Rejection?'
It was possible.
Atlantis natives rarely left their birth countries.
The Fist Emperor had been an exception pre-regression.
But that was far in the future.
After failing to join the Muran Kingdom Army despite undefeated tournament wins across the board.
'I'll convince him.'
Leaving early would be good for him anyway.
And Kang Hyun-soo was fully prepared to persuade him.
'He'll probably say he has to enter the 401-500 tournament.'
He already had a solution for that.
"Sure."
"Next tournament's the... Huh?"
"I said sure."
Kang Hyun-soo was caught off guard by the instant agreement.
He'd prepped a full pitch.
And got an OK right away.
"Without your help, I probably wouldn't have even entered this tournament. I know that much."
The Fist Emperor's goal was victory in every martial tournament.
For the 301-400 one, he'd planned to challenge it around level 390.
He figured it'd take at least a year to pass 390.
But with Kang Hyun-soo's help.
He hit 400 in just half a year.
"I'm not an idiot. I know sticking with you helps me grow. And for the next tournament, I can just hit 500 and come to Gula. It's not like I'm quitting."
"Right."
All the lines Kang Hyun-soo had prepared came spilling from the Fist Emperor's mouth.
"You thought I'd say no, huh? Kinda hurts. Do I seem that shameless? I won't leave your side till I've paid back what I owe. Got it?"
Kang Hyun-soo couldn't help but chuckle at that.
He'd thought he had the Fist Emperor's mindset and personality all figured out after six months.
Apparently not.
"You'll never leave, huh?"
Song Ha-na eyed him curiously.
"Yeah, never."
"So if you pass the Muran Kingdom Army exam, what then?"
"Uh?"
The Fist Emperor's face filled with dismay at Song Ha-na's question.
"You're not gonna say all that and then enlist right away, are you? Before paying off your debt?"
Hearing Song Ha-na grill him, cold sweat soaked the Fist Emperor's back.
* * *
There were no upsets.
The Fist Emperor easily won the 301-400 level martial tournament.
"Congrats."
"The competition was weak. But good job anyway."
"Thanks."
The Fist Emperor gave an awkward smile at the praise from Kang Hyun-soo and Song Ha-na.
"Go on."
"Sorry."
At Kang Hyun-soo's words, the Fist Emperor muttered a quick apology and headed to the enlistment office.
'I've got a real shot this time.'
Hope swelled in the Fist Emperor's heart.
Martial tournaments were Muran Kingdom's most popular event.
More than that, they were a fast track to success.
For a beastman like him, an exception.
But past winners got scouted by the kingdom army or major guilds, walking the elite path.
'I wasn't taken seriously because it was low-level brackets.'
The 301-400 tournament was different.
Most of Muran Kingdom Army was levels 300-400.
To them, approving his enlistment meant instant combat-ready troops.
Plus, this bracket had the most active-duty Muran soldiers participating.
Naturally, some of his opponents had been serving soldiers.
And he'd beaten them all, claiming undefeated victory.
Proving superior combat prowess to active-duty troops.
'This should shatter the prejudice.'
The unwritten rule from the founding war.
Time to bury that ancient grudge.
"I've come to apply for enlistment."
The Fist Emperor proudly submitted his application.
It listed his level and tournament record in full.
"Results will be posted tomorrow on the enlistment office bulletin board."
"Understood."
Finishing up, the Fist Emperor turned to leave.
"Ah!"
Then it hit him: something he forgot to include.
'I should've written "five straight undefeated wins" separately.'
He had noted his undefeated record from 0-50 to 301-400 tournaments.
But emphasizing the five in a row might've helped his case.
The Fist Emperor turned back toward the office.
Just as he reached for the door.
"That guy's persistent. Comes to submit every time he wins."
"Yeah. Even ten wins wouldn't change anything. Why bother?"
The clerks' conversation reached his ears.
"Beastmen are auto-rejects anyway. That's the order from up top."
"Right, special directive: no beastmen passes. And in the last few decades, he's the only beastman applying. Isn't that basically saying reject him?"
"Exactly. Reject the guy. So what if he's skilled? Cowardly beastmen."
"Yeah. Can't enlist guys who abandon comrades and run when it's tough."
"Gotta stamp this rejection quick. Where's the stamp?"
"I got it. Here."
"Thanks."
SLAM!
"Now, post this on tomorrow's bulletin."
"Yes."
The Fist Emperor, hand on the door, froze like a stone statue.