Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Negotiating the Reward (2)
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“That’s impossible.”
All S-Rank and higher items belonged to Rankers or Named Players.
Handing one over was naturally beyond even Jin Gu-pyeong’s authority as sub-guild master.
No, setting authority aside, there simply weren’t any spares to give.
“Every S-Rank or higher item already has an owner.”
“The Sword Ghost must have left something behind when he fell in battle. You didn’t fail to recover it, did you?”
“That’s not the case, but...”
The Named Player known as the Sword Ghost had been the owner of an SS-Rank item.
It had been a dire situation, but they had of course secured the Sword Ghost’s SS-Rank item.
However, that item...
Already had a separate owner.
“In truth, the real owner of the SS-Rank item the Sword Ghost was using is the Guild Master. The Sword Ghost had only borrowed it temporarily.”
S-Rank and higher items were exceedingly rare.
Naturally, not just anyone could possess one.
That held true even for Named Players.
So why had the Sword Ghost ended up with an SS-Rank item?
Because the SS-Rank item was a sword.
The Guild Master, Blade King Kyung Wi-gang, who wielded a blade, couldn’t use it, nor could the sub-guild master, Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong, who used a spear.
Among the sword users in Zhonghua Guild, the Sword Ghost had been the most skilled.
Thanks to that, he had luckily gotten his hands on the SS-Rank item.
“Even with the Sword Ghost dead, the item still belongs to the Guild Master. It’ll probably be assigned to another guild member who uses swords.”
‘Probably.’
Before his regression.
That item had ended up in the Sword Sovereign’s hands.
But.
‘I can’t let it go to the Sword Sovereign this time either.’
That item needed to become fodder for the Devouring Sword, whose growth had stalled after reaching A-Rank.
“Just say the Cabal Guild stole it when the Sword Ghost fell in battle, and that’s that.”
At Kang Hyun-soo’s question, Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s expression hardened rigidly.
Truth be told, he hadn’t been without such thoughts.
That was why he had kept the recovery of the Sword Ghost’s SS-Rank item under wraps, just in case.
But he had planned to disclose it eventually.
To suffer a crushing defeat in battle, lose the Sword Ghost, and have an SS-Rank item taken as well?
The Guild Master, Blade King Kyung Wi-gang, wouldn’t let Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong off easily.
Even if he wanted to pocket the SS-Rank item for personal gain, he first needed to hold onto his position.
That was why Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong intended to hand the SS-Rank item the Sword Ghost had used back to Blade King Kyung Wi-gang.
But now the situation had changed.
‘We already achieved a great victory. There’s no need to hand over the SS-Rank item the Sword Ghost used to the Guild Master.’
Even if they said the Sword Ghost died and the SS-Rank item was taken.
Blade King Kyung Wi-gang wouldn’t reprimand him too harshly.
He would likely think they just needed to crush Cabal Guild and recover the SS-Rank item again.
Realizing that, a small greed bubbled up in Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s heart.
‘I could take it for myself.’
The spear Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong currently wielded was S-Rank.
His other items were S-Rank or A-Rank as well.
‘If things go well, I could trade the Sword Ghost’s SS-Rank item for another SS-Rank item.’
If that happened?
Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong would have an SS-Rank item of his own.
“That’s not feasible. Name another condition.”
Kang Hyun-soo was dumbfounded by Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s words.
‘Greed’s filled him to the brim.’
Kang Hyun-soo realized Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong was scheming to swallow the SS-Rank item that had belonged to the Sword Ghost.
“The only thing I want is an S-Rank or higher item.”
“If you keep proposing impossible conditions, I can’t offer any compensation.”
Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s demeanor was relaxed.
They had already achieved a great victory against Cabal Guild with the opponent’s help.
If he had come to negotiate before that victory?
He would have accepted without question.
But now circumstances were different.
“Then there’s nothing to be done.”
“Name another reward. I can give you as much gold as you want.”
‘Crazy bastard.’
Kang Hyun-soo was floored.
An SS-Rank item was a treasure that couldn’t be bought with money.
And even though he said “as much as you want,”
If Kang Hyun-soo demanded 10 billion gold?
He absolutely couldn’t pay it.
“I don’t need it. If Zhonghua Guild can’t provide it, I’ll just go to Cabal Guild.”
“What?”
Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s relaxed expression turned to stone at Kang Hyun-soo’s words.
“I only wanted an S-Rank or higher item from the clash between Zhonghua Guild and Cabal Guild. If Zhonghua can’t give it, I have no choice but to approach Cabal.”
Of course, it was a bluff.
He had no intention of helping the Demon King’s minions, even for billions.
But.
‘Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong doesn’t know that.’
The sudden appearance of Korean Rankers.
From Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s perspective, he would think this group of players made up of Rankers could ally with Zhonghua Guild, a Chinese guild, or Cabal Guild, a British one.
“You think Cabal Guild would deal with you after you killed their guild members?”
“Who knows? And how would they prove I killed any Cabal members? This is a problem. If Cabal launches a massive counterattack, we’ll lose the hunting ground again.”
Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong ground his molars at Kang Hyun-soo’s mocking words.
“You think we’d crumble just because two more Rankers join them?”
“Who said anything about two?”
With those words, the Sword Ghost erupted with mana.
And in sync, Cabal No.1, No.2, No.3, and No.4, who had been hiding nearby, simultaneously unleashed their suppressed mana.
Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s face paled.
He had known others were hiding.
But he hadn’t expected them all to be Ranker players.
‘The summons’ combat power is lower than in life, but you can’t know for sure until you clash.’
The summons’ combat power being weaker than in life stemmed partly from diminished physical abilities.
But a larger factor was fighting on pure instinct without intelligence.
However, when it came to just emitting mana to assert presence, rather than direct combat?
‘Mana-based summons have the advantage.’
For Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong, who had come expecting to negotiate with just two rogue Ranker players, this was quite disconcerting.
‘He probably thought he could subdue them by force if needed.’
As Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong?
He could easily overpower two Ranker players.
Moreover, this was Zhonghua Guild’s home base, Lujabenu.
He could summon reinforcements anytime if necessary.
But.
‘Five is too many.’
He might even get overpowered himself.
Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong closed his eyes.
He couldn’t make a snap decision.
“Hand over the SS-Rank item the Sword Ghost used. Then we’ll lend you our strength. Refuse, and we’ll go to Cabal Guild.”
Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong opened his eyes at Kang Hyun-soo’s urging disguised as a threat.
“How long will you lend your strength?”
“Until Blade King Kyung Wi-gang returns.”
“What about after that?”
“If you pay the appropriate price.”
“Fine, we’ll do it that way. Let’s meet back here in two days.”
“No, we’ll set the place and time. Wait for our contact.”
With that, Kang Hyun-soo unsummoned the Sword Ghost and Cabal No.1 through No.4.
Shaaa!
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the mana dispersed and their presences vanished.
For Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong, unaware they were summons...
‘How can they disappear so suddenly? Assassins with stealth skills? But even then, is this possible?’
He couldn’t help but be bewildered.
* * *
Kang Hyun-soo’s group continued hunting.
Song Ha-na and Fist Emperor were full of zeal to level up.
Kang Hyun-soo needed to level up to recover his spent stats.
In the midst of that.
The deal went through.
‘SS-Rank item, Sword of Absolute Destruction.’
The sword the Sword Ghost had used.
‘This will do it!’
It could propel the Devouring Sword, stalled at A-Rank, straight to SS-Rank in one go.
‘Growth will get tougher after this.’
He would worry about that later.
Kang Hyun-soo infused mana into the Devouring Sword.
Shaaa!
But.
Kwaaakwaa!
The Sword of Absolute Destruction repelled the mana flowing from the Devouring Sword with a burst of powerful energy.
[The Devouring Sword (A-Rank) failed to absorb the Sword of Absolute Destruction (SS-Rank).]
“Huh?”
Kang Hyun-soo’s face filled with bewilderment.
‘What? This kind of thing happens?’
The Devouring Sword had failed to devour the Sword of Absolute Destruction.
‘Is it because of the rank difference?’
That was likely.
A two-rank gap.
Even in low ranks, a two-step difference meant performance like a completely different item.
Let alone from A-Rank upward?
‘The leagues are different.’
The Devouring Sword probably needed at least S-Rank to consume the Sword of Absolute Destruction.
Even then, it might not be possible once it reached S-Rank.
The higher the rank, the vaster the gulf between tiers.
‘This is going to be a headache going forward.’
If SS-Rank was already like this?
Even SSS-Rank or EX-Rank items obtained later might prove impossible for the Devouring Sword to devour.
‘Should I just use it myself?’
The thought crossed his mind, but.
‘The options suck.’
The Devouring Sword was the Sword God’s beloved blade before regression, hailed as Atlantis’s greatest famed sword.
Perhaps because of that?
Even at A-Rank, the Devouring Sword’s options were superior to those of the SS-Rank Sword of Absolute Destruction.
Especially the Anti-Heal option.
It was a treasure no SSS-Rank or even EX-Rank item could replace.
‘In that case.’
There was only one option.
Shaaa!
Kang Hyun-soo summoned the Sword Ghost.
“Take it.”
Kang Hyun-soo handed the Sword of Absolute Destruction to the Sword Ghost.
“Yes, sir!”
The Sword Ghost knelt respectfully and received the sword.
‘It ends up back with him after all.’
The weapon the Sword Ghost had wielded returned to his hands.
Among Kang Hyun-soo’s current summons, the Sword Ghost was the strongest, so it was only natural.
He had considered giving it to Song Ha-na, but.
‘Giving her an item too far beyond her level would hinder her growth.’
For Song Ha-na’s current level, B-Rank was just right.
Crucially, summons felt no resentment if given and then taken back.
‘But Song Ha-na is different.’
Human hearts are fickle; taking back what was given feels worse than never giving it.
“Use it well.”
“Yes, sir!”
The Sword Ghost replied vigorously.
‘When will this guy’s intelligence improve, though?’
So far, the only voluntary word he had uttered was “Yes, sir!”
‘At least his combat sense has improved, so that’s something.’
His language skills were still abysmal.
‘Still, it’s good that he can vocalize according to my will.’
The squad leaders, Cabal No.1 through No.4, couldn’t even speak my commands aloud despite receiving my will.
If the Sword Ghost had parrot-level intelligence, Cabal No.1 through No.4 were goldfish-level.
‘Well, better than nothing.’
Intelligence allowed for even slight improvements in combat smarts.
* * *
Zhonghua Guild reclaimed their hunting ground.
But they weren’t satisfied.
They prepared a massive counterattack instead.
“We’ll seize Cabal Guild’s hunting grounds.”
“Understood!”
At sub-guild master Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s command, Zhonghua Guild invaded Cabal Guild’s hunting grounds.
There was no fierce battle.
Just one-sided slaughter.
Cabal Guild didn’t sit idly by either.
Just as Zhonghua had done, they waged guerrilla warfare based on familiar terrain.
In that situation.
Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s request arrived for Kang Hyun-soo.
‘He’s picking the hardest jobs on purpose.’
Demon Subduing Spear Jin Gu-pyeong asked Kang Hyun-soo to attack Cabal Guild’s guild house on a day of his choosing.
It was a request to serve as bait to lure Cabal Guild’s Rankers out of the major city Daion.
‘Incredibly dangerous task.’
If his collaborators were truly a group of Rankers, he might have refused.
But for Kang Hyun-soo?
It wasn’t a huge risk.
‘I can handle this much easily.’
Unleash the summons to cause chaos, then escape.
High risk of death, sure.
‘Just unsummon if it gets dicey.’
If unsummoning failed, he might lose the summon.
‘Then just revive it with stats.’
But.
‘I can’t do it for free.’
No big deal for summons, but for players, it was a life-risking mission.
Naturally, it deserved commensurate reward.
‘An S-Rank item should suffice.’
The Devouring Sword couldn’t absorb an SS-Rank item.
But an S-Rank?
‘It might work.’
Truth be told, Kang Hyun-soo didn’t even know if the Devouring Sword could absorb S-Rank items.
If not?
‘I’ll test it then.’
To pry an S-Rank item from Jin Gu-pyeong, Kang Hyun-soo sent the Sword Ghost.