Chapter 26
Chapter 26
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: 9. Barefoot Superman (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
'What the hell is this?'
Youngwoo glanced up at the title still floating above his head.
As he'd just confirmed, he was the current Gumi's Greatest Swordsman.
'No way the Greatest Swordsman title allows for side gigs?'
Otherwise, what reason would there be to grant another title of the same type to someone who already had one.
Once Youngwoo finished reading the previous message, entirely new information appeared.
《Title Acquisition and Merger》
「If you acquire an additional title with similar effects and properties, you can proceed with a merger.」
「Some titles can evolve into new ones based on the number of mergers, and your 'Gumi's Greatest Swordsman' qualifies.」
Below that, something like an evolution path for Gumi's Greatest Swordsman was displayed.
[Gumi's Greatest Swordsman] => 2 or more mergers.
= [Gyeongbuk Greatest Swordsman (Provisional)]
'What the hell is "Provisional"? Does it mean promotion pending?'
As soon as Youngwoo had the question, an addendum explanation appeared.
「If you hold 3 or more regional Greatest Swordsman titles in Gyeongbuk, you can acquire the Gyeongbuk Greatest Swordsman (Provisional) title.」
「Among holders of Gyeongbuk Greatest Swordsman (Provisional), the one with the most regional Greatest Swordsman titles in that area ascends to Gyeongbuk Greatest Swordsman.」
'Why is this so complicated? So basically, the one with the most Greatest Swordsman titles becomes the Gyeongbuk Greatest Swordsman? But you need at least 3.'
Youngwoo scratched his chin as he reread the explanation.
It made sense, though—Gyeongsangbuk-do was divided into a whopping 23 regions.
So how else would they determine the unified top dog among them?
'Yeah, fair enough.'
Even to Youngwoo, competing based on the number of titles each held seemed the most straightforward.
But then.
Flash!
There was another way to compete.
「However, all Gyeongbuk Greatest Swordsman (Provisional) holders will be able to see the current Gyeongbuk Greatest Swordsman's location in real time.」
「The Gyeongbuk Greatest Swordsman title can also be inherited through murder.」
'...Of course.'
It was within expectations.
Becoming Gyeongbuk Greatest Swordsman would make you that much stronger, but at the cost of being hunted by all the Provisional holders.
'Then Gyeongnam Greatest Swordsman, Busan Greatest Swordsman, Jeonbuk Greatest Swordsman... probably the same for every region.'
A battle royale with the entire nation participating.
Of course, judging from the Gimcheon City incident, there might not be as many Greatest Swordsmen as he'd thought.
Either way, he'd already collected 2 regional Greatest Swordsman titles in Gyeongbuk.
Just one more, and he could qualify for Gyeongbuk Greatest Swordsman.
-Do you want to merge and acquire Gimcheon Greatest Swordsman?
...Merger rights will expire in 5 seconds.
...4.
...3.
Youngwoo approved the merger without hesitation.
The Greatest Swordsman title above his head flashed like it'd been struck by lightning, then an alert popped up in front of him.
「Gimcheon Greatest Swordsman has been merged and acquired!」
「Gumi's Greatest Swordsman title effects have been strengthened.」
Bzzzt!
「Enhanced Gumi Greatest Swordsman」 - Unique Title
【Prestige of the Greatest Swordsman】
【Gumi Swordsmanship】
'A plus sign on the title now. How exactly has it gotten stronger?'
Youngwoo examined the title tooltip for a while before realizing the golden orb was still floating in front of him and reached out toward it.
Thud.
The orb spun faster, displaying the kill rewards.
≪Guaranteed Reward≫
「Noll's Iron-Plated Belt」 - Mutated Belt
【Remotely retrieves weapons.】
≪Choice Reward≫
[3 million Karma]
or
[Distribute 30,000 Karma to all residents in the region]
'The choice reward is the same as in Gumi. Because it's a mutated being that appeared yesterday?'
Unlike last time, though, there was a clear reason to pick the latter this time.
[Golden Congregation]
|Summon golden rain in 2 or more regions. (1/2)
A perfect chance to complete the Golden Congregation achievement.
'In fact, the Karma sprinkled over Gimcheon this time won't be much. There probably aren't that many survivors left.'
Even so, he was choosing to share it with those few remaining people.
For the public good? No.
This time, it was purely for Youngwoo's own benefit.
Flash!
[Distribute 30,000 Karma to all residents in the region]
As Youngwoo made his ironic choice, the orb vibrated like before and shot up into the sky.
Shwooo!
A golden streak slicing across Gimcheon City's skies.
"Huh?"
"Gasp, what is that?"
"Wh-what..."
The Gimcheon City survivors standing in formation behind Youngwoo gaped at the orb streaking through their vision in an instant.
Powerless as they were, they didn't dare ask Youngwoo what he'd just done, whether it was a disaster or a miracle.
They just stared blankly as it flew toward the horizon.
"......"
Then, at last.
Boom!
The orb burst like fireworks, dyeing the sky gold.
"Whoa."
"Oh my god."
The survivors' eyes gazing at the sky turned gold as well, and moments later.
Shwaaaaa...!
The golden rain—now practically Youngwoo's signature—began to fall.
Countless golden drops raining from the heavens.
The exhausted survivors, worn down by their long retreat, welcomed it without resistance.
Miracle's synonyms for unity appeared before everyone's eyes.
《Enhanced Gumi Greatest Swordsman 'Jeong Youngwoo07' has given up 3 million Karma monopoly and gifted 30,000 Karma to all Gimcheon residents.》
《30,000 Karma will soon be distributed in commemorative coin form. Prepare yourselves.》
"Commemorative coins?"
"What does this mean?"
As the survivors panicked at the unfamiliar term, Youngwoo felt something odd at his waist.
'Oh, right—the scabbard was at belt level.'
Sure enough, the makeshift scabbard was gone, replaced by a pitch-black iron belt.
Unlike the scabbard, it had two hooks for weapons, but otherwise looked unremarkable.
However.
【Remotely retrieves weapons.】
This belt had a special function, didn't it?
'No way remote retrieval means...'
Youngwoo stared at the Early Bird in his hand, then tossed it experimentally toward the ground 5 meters ahead.
Whiiish, thunk!
Then he reached out toward Early Bird again.
Swoosh.
What happened next gave Youngwoo a fresh shock.
'Whoa?'
The moment he moved his hand, Early Bird yanked itself free from the ground.
Shink!
Well, technically it returned to the sheath's hook, but he could snatch it mid-flight, so effectively...
'This is straight-up telekinesis swordplay. Or semi-telekinesis since it's retrieval only.'
He didn't know the max retrieval distance, but it'd clearly be handy in combat and all sorts of situations.
'Seems like each mutated being drops different gear.'
Right on cue, a clink sounded from midair, and without batting an eye, Youngwoo snatched the commemorative coins.
Tap tap tap.
Meanwhile, the Gimcheon survivors fumbled in shock at the coins being gold.
Just like Youngwoo and the Sky Castle folks had yesterday.
'Feels like ancient history already.'
Youngwoo felt a pang of sympathy watching them scramble on the ground.
"Put it all into strength and endurance first. Then loot every corpse in Gimcheon. Plenty died without spending their Karma."
Survival tips from your integrated regional Greatest Swordsman.
The people picking up coins looked up at him.
Then they realized belatedly.
The face on the fallen coins matched the barefoot man before them exactly.
"Huh...!"
"Wait, is that..."
The Gimcheon survivors tried to say something, but Youngwoo was already kicking off the ground with his soles.
Boom!
He needed to head north in a hurry.
If Sangju City had failed to hunt their mutated being like Gimcheon...
'There might not be a single soul left by now.'
And if so, the mutated being might not stick around Sangju anymore.
'...I'm losing my mind too.'
Youngwoo made a bitter face at how he'd started thinking like a local in this damned world.
Thud!
Now his legs propelled him down the road from Gimcheon to Sangju.
Alerts waiting to be cleared kept flashing in his vision the whole time.
[Achievement Unlocked: Golden Congregation]
|Achievement Rank: Legendary
|Achievement Rating: First
「Recommended achievement list has been updated.」
「You have 2 unclaimed achievement rewards.」
'Two rewards? Oh, right—the Special Social Worker one.'
That meant two new achievements had appeared in the recommended list.
Youngwoo opened his achievements window right away.
Shing!
〔Your achievement tendency is "Blockhead."〕
||Completed Achievements: 4
|The Golden Rain Caller [Legendary]-First
|Forgive Your Four Enemies [Heroic]-#46
|Special Social Worker [Legendary]-First
|Golden Congregation [Legendary]-First
His achievement tendency was still 'Blockhead,' and completed achievements had increased to 4.
'So what's in the recommended achievements?'
〈Recommended Achievements〉
[Golden Flood]
|Summon golden rain in 5 or more regions. (2/5)
[Nightwalker]
|Spend one night outside your residence.
[Jeweler's Touch]
|Equip hero-rank or higher rings on both index and ring fingers. (2/4)
[Perfect Orphan]
|Find and eliminate your parents. (1/2)
'That damn Perfect Orphan won't go away.'
Youngwoo shook his head and checked the new ones.
'Golden Flood... sequel to Golden Congregation.'
His gaze landed on 'Nightwalker' right below it.
[Nightwalker]
|Spend one night outside your residence.
Another thing blockheads—who did everything they weren't supposed to—would try.
Seeing 'Nightwalker' made Youngwoo almost certain of one thing.
Abnormal weather—or something equivalent—would appear every night.
Otherwise, why have an achievement just for spending one night outside your residence?
'There must be ways to ignore or avoid the abnormal weather.'
As Youngwoo tallied his achievements, the regional status in the corner of his vision flashed—probably entering a new area.
'Already near Sangju?'
Flash.
|Current region: 'Sangju.'
|This region's Greatest Swordsman: 'Dokgo Sehwan01'. 2nd gen, 146 defenses.
"Huh?"
Surprisingly, Sangju's Greatest Swordsman was the 'real deal.'
"Second-gen Greatest Swordsman with 146 defenses..."
Big numbers.
It meant he'd killed the inaugural Sangju Greatest Swordsman, then racked up 146 more murders after.
What kind of person was this region's Greatest Swordsman?
No doubt someone this ruthless wouldn't shy from fighting monsters, and had likely taken down the mutated being too.
'And probably chose the 3 million monopoly.'
Youngwoo checked his own comparatively meager stats.
『Character: Jeong Youngwoo07』
[Strength] 600 (19+581)
[Stamina] 350 (21+329)
[Durability] 550 (13+537)
[Sense] 100 (24+76)
In game terms, a bizarre build banking on gear for imbalance.
It had worked well in Gimcheon, but things could play out very differently in Sangju.
Because.
'Sangju Greatest Swordsman's total stats are at least 3,000.'
Youngwoo's total was a measly 1,600.
So how do you beat someone with nearly double your stats?
'No other options right now. Gotta gear up harder.'
Now only one line remained in Youngwoo's vision.
「You have 2 unclaimed achievement rewards.」
Youngwoo gazed at the distant Sangju cityscape and murmured softly.
"Claim rewards."