Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Living Billboard (2)
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“That, that’s...”
Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong hesitated, his face turning pale.
“Why? Don’t like it?”
“No, not at all. Here it is, Master.”
Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong offered the spear Fenrir’s Fang to Kang Hyun-soo with a respectful demeanor.
“I was merely worried about the emperor of the Rokto Empire’s reaction. If the gift disappears, there could be various problems...”
“Shut your mouth.”
“......”
At Kang Hyun-soo’s words, Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong, who had been babbling excuses, obediently closed his mouth.
‘Will it work?’
Probably not.
Even an S-Rank couldn’t absorb an SS-Rank.
Naturally, an SS-Rank wouldn’t be able to absorb an SSS-Rank item with an even greater gap.
‘Still, I have to test it.’
If it succeeded, it would be a massive jackpot, wouldn’t it?
Swoosh!
[Gluttony’s Sword SS-Rank failed to absorb Fenrir’s Fang SSS-Rank.]
As expected, it failed.
“Tch!”
Kang Hyun-soo clicked his tongue briefly, and Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s sullen face brightened.
Seeing that, Kang Hyun-soo wanted to snatch Fenrir’s Fang back and toss it to a summon.
‘But there’s no suitable one.’
Unless he killed Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong and turned him into a summon.
Currently, there was no summon capable of properly wielding the spear Fenrir’s Fang.
Moreover, as Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong said, if the Rokto Empire emperor’s gift suddenly vanished, various issues would arise.
“Take it.”
In the end, Kang Hyun-soo handed Fenrir’s Fang back to Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong.
“Thank you, Master!”
As he took back Fenrir’s Fang, color returned to Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s previously pallid face, and his expression lit up.
But if Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong knew what Kang Hyun-soo was really thinking?
He wouldn’t have been able to smile so carefree.
Because...
Kang Hyun-soo planned to reclaim it later.
‘Once Gluttony’s Sword reaches SSS-Rank, I can feed it to him then.’
Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong was one of Kang Hyun-soo’s limbs anyway.
It was just entrusting it temporarily to a subordinate bound by chains.
However, Kang Hyun-soo didn’t bother telling Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong that fact.
‘No need to tell him and lower his morale.’
There were many things Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong needed to do going forward.
For that reason, he needed to bolster his power for the time being.
“Plenty of challengers will come after Zhonghua Guild from now on, right?”
“With the protection of the Rokto Empire emperor and the Mightor Kingdom king, we’ll be fine for a while, but as time passes, it’ll definitely get tough.”
Zhonghua Guild’s forces were not just halved—they were practically annihilated.
The named players and rankers had dwindled from nine to four.
The silver lining, if any...
Was that two of those four were named players.
The losses excluding named players and rankers were even more devastating.
The mid-to-high-level players who had solidly supported the guild’s backbone were nearly wiped out.
If they hadn’t received vast amounts of gold, items, and skill books as gifts?
They might not have even maintained their massive guild scale, falling to the level of a slightly standout small-to-medium guild.
‘But having treasure without the power to protect it is a crime in itself.’
What determined a guild’s level was the levels and numbers of its affiliated players.
For those without the strength to defend it, a large quantity of gold, items, and skill books wasn’t a blessing—it could be a curse.
‘With the protection of the Rokto Empire and Mightor Kingdom, they won’t wage open war.’
But once time passed, the ripples from this incident settled, and the Rokto Empire and Mightor Kingdom’s vigilance loosened?
They could subtly pick fights, apply indirect pressure, and easily force Zhonghua Guild to hand over gold, items, and skill books.
‘I can’t just let that happen.’
Originally, Kang Hyun-soo had planned to leave Zhonghua Guild in its shrunken state.
However, now that Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong, the new guild master of Zhonghua Guild, was under his thumb...
Changing the plan was inevitable.
‘It’ll also be easier to monitor Sword Sovereign Ju Wi-cheon.’
One of the traitors, Saber King Kyung Wi-gang, was dead and turned into a summon.
But the other traitor, Sword Sovereign Ju Wi-cheon, wasn’t ripe for harvest yet.
A high-level player without a title like Ju Wi-cheon needed to grow rapidly, surpass Saber King Kyung Wi-gang, and reclaim the Sword Sovereign title.
‘Only then will it be worth harvesting.’
To achieve that, Zhonghua Guild’s scale and prestige needed to grow.
‘Sword Sovereign Ju Wi-cheon could easily abandon the wrecked Zhonghua Guild.’
Then harvesting Sword Sovereign Ju Wi-cheon later would become a hassle.
“I’ll bolster your power.”
“Pardon?”
No sooner had Kang Hyun-soo spoken than he promoted Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong from squad leader to company commander.
“Ooooo!”
As his increased stats rose from 5% to 10%, Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s face brightened.
But that wasn’t the end.
‘Commander’s Blessing.’
Commander’s Blessing, which had grown from C-Rank to B-Rank, could now be used on a total of 50 people.
The additional stats also increased from 15% to 20%.
“Huhk!”
On top of the 10% basic stat increase from becoming a company commander, Commander’s Blessing added another 20% to his base stats.
With his total stats surging by a whopping 30%, intense joy bloomed on Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s face.
Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s current level was 925.
Gaining even one level through grueling effort?
Yielded barely ten undistributed stats.
Naturally, even leveling up didn’t feel like much growth.
But now was different.
Power overflowed through his entire body, and vast mana leaked out, rippling around him.
‘With this...’
Even the insurmountable wall that was Saber King Kyung Wi-gang seemed beatable with ease.
Something flew at Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong, who was lost in the sudden surge of power, his eyes half-lidded.
He instinctively raised a hand to block.
Whoosh!
His hand missed.
Thwack!
The scabbard Kang Hyun-soo swung struck Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s crown.
“Argh!”
Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong clutched his head with both hands.
The scabbard’s edge had hit dead-on, causing pain that brought tears to his eyes.
“Tsk tsk tsk. Gave too much power to a fool.”
Kang Hyun-soo clicked his tongue as he spoke.
“Pardon? What do you mean, Master?”
Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong asked Kang Hyun-soo with a puzzled expression.
“You feel like you could do anything now, right? Like you could smash any Saber King, Saber Emperor, or Saber God that shows up?”
At Kang Hyun-soo’s words, which seemed to read his mind, Jin Gu-pyeong’s face flushed.
But he didn’t think his thoughts were wrong.
Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s level was 925.
Including stats from achievements he’d picked up along the way?
His effective level exceeded 1,000.
And now he’d grown even stronger.
It felt like he’d leveled up 500 times.
With this, he could surely take on Saber King Kyung Wi-gang, right?
“You’re mistaken.”
It was true that Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s stats had risen significantly.
But not to the level of 500 level-ups—more like a bit over half, around 300.
“Your stats still aren’t at Saber King Kyung Wi-gang’s level. And you think stats are everything? Even if your stats matched his, everything else about you is sorely lacking.”
At Kang Hyun-soo’s cold words, Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong bristled inwardly.
But he could only bristle inwardly.
A servant couldn’t snap back at their master for scolding them, could they?
However, no matter how well he managed his expression, he couldn’t hide the aggrieved look in his eyes.
“What, you think if physical abilities are equal, your spear could overcome Saber King Kyung Wi-gang’s saber arts?”
At Kang Hyun-soo’s question, confidence faded from Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s eyes.
Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong had sparred with Saber King Kyung Wi-gang countless times.
There were spars using skills at full power, and spars using only spear and saber techniques.
Yet...
Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong had never once beaten Saber King Kyung Wi-gang.
It wasn’t just about physical abilities or skills.
It was purely the difference in their mastery of their weapons.
“If you want to catch up to Saber King Kyung Wi-gang, first adapt to your increased physical abilities and mana.”
Mana leaking out and rippling around his body?
Meant he couldn’t properly control it.
The same went for his body—he couldn’t control it properly either.
No matter how dazed he was, getting his crown smashed by Kang Hyun-soo’s scabbard and feeling such pain?
Kang Hyun-soo was currently depleted of most of his accumulated stats.
His pure stats were at the level of a 400-range player.
It could be that he took the hit on purpose since it was his master’s attack.
But judging from Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s instinctive arm movement...
He hadn’t taken it on purpose.
He’d tried to block and failed.
A guy over level 900.
A guy whose total stats were at a 1,200-range player level.
A named player with the Demon-Slaying Spear title.
Couldn’t block an attack from Kang Hyun-soo, who was at a mere 400-range player level?
Even if he was off-guard, it didn’t make sense.
“Your body senses are all out of whack. Better adapt quickly.”
His strength and speed had increased.
But in turn, his finesse had dropped, and numbness had set in.
His body control had hit rock bottom.
To adapt to the suddenly vastly increased physical abilities?
It would take no small effort.
“I’ll work my ass off!”
“You really will have to. If you haven’t adapted by the next time we meet, I’ll take that power back.”
At Kang Hyun-soo’s words, Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s face paled.
To him, already addicted to the immense power and mana overflowing his body...
The threat of having it taken away...
Was no different from a death sentence.
“I’ll definitely do it!”
“You’d better. You know the law of budgets, right?”
“Pardon?”
“If you don’t spend this year’s budget, next year’s gets cut. But if you spend it all, next year’s increases.”
Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s eyes sparkled.
That meant if he failed to adapt, the power would be taken, but...
If he succeeded well, even more power would be granted, right?
‘Stronger than now?’
The moment he grasped Kang Hyun-soo’s meaning, his heart pounded wildly.
Level stays the same, but stronger.
That thrill was beyond words.
‘And it’s not like I can’t level up anymore.’
His stats had surged, but Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s level was still 925.
Naturally, he could still level up plenty.
“I’ll definitely secure the extra budget!”
Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong shouted at Kang Hyun-soo with blazing eyes.
“And I have additional orders.”
“Please speak.”
“Among the Zhonghua Guild members who went on the great expedition, there are guys named Ju Wi-cheon and Jang So-hwa.”
“I know Ju Wi-cheon. He was the one Saber King Kyung Wi-gang fully backed.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, he treated him almost like a foster son.”
‘So that’s why they got along even later.’
Kang Hyun-soo learned a fact he hadn’t known.
“But I don’t know much about this guild member named Jang So-hwa.”
“Find out. He’s a healer, so it should be easy. Then, support those two heavily on the guild level.”
“Pardon?”
“Give them items and skill books generously, and provide hunting grounds suited to their levels.”
It meant to raise Ju Wi-cheon and Jang So-hwa as Zhonghua Guild’s next main forces.
“Understood. But why give such orders?”
Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong cautiously asked, wondering if Ju Wi-cheon and Jang So-hwa had some connection to Kang Hyun-soo.
If so?
He’d need to cozy up to them too, right?
“Both have the potential to become named players. So make them your limbs.”
“Understood.”
It wasn’t a difficult order for Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong.
Ju Wi-cheon had garnered some attention.
But he was still just a rookie.
And with his full backer Saber King Kyung Wi-gang dead, he was like a kite with a cut string.
Jang So-hwa had the rarity of being a healer.
But since even Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong hadn’t heard of him, his standing among healers must be rock bottom.
Actively supporting them and turning them into limbs?
For a seasoned politician like Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong, it was like eating cold porridge.
“Raise them well. So I can harvest them as soon as possible.”
At the word ‘harvest’ that slipped from Kang Hyun-soo’s mouth...
Cold sweat drenched Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s back.
The moment Kang Hyun-soo uttered it...
Dense killing intent, thick enough to make his flesh ache, crushed down on Demon-Slaying Spear Jin Gu-pyeong’s entire body.