Chapter 111
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: The Duel
Players Chapter 111
With a face flushed with excitement, Choi Yu-ra clutched a flyer and shouted, punching the air.
“That Heavenly Dragon Emperor, the pretentious bastard! Did you hear him? Calling our perfectly fine Kang-seok ‘Dark Destiny Lord’? He needs a serious beatdown! A beatdown!”
Although she was clearly cursing the Heavenly Dragon Emperor, it somehow felt like Kang-seok was getting dragged through the mud with him.
Inside the main bridge of the Black Dragon.
Choi Yu-ra continued.
“And when you think about it, isn’t betting the keys just plain sinister? Demonic Beast Allocen is the mid-boss of the second World Quest, and Sea Emperor Vepar is the final boss. The treasures in their rooms must be on completely different levels, but he wants to put them on the line like they’re equals?!”
It was a very game-like way of thinking, but it wasn't an entirely implausible theory.
Choi Yu-ra had been furious with the Heavenly Dragon Emperor from the moment he arrived, thanks to Evangeline’s grating behavior, but after going outside and seeing the other Players’ reactions, she became even more incensed.
8:2.
It wasn't the score of a baseball game. It was the ratio of Players betting on the outcome of the duel between the Heavenly Dragon Emperor and Kang-seok.
Eight out of ten predicted the Heavenly Dragon Emperor’s victory.
When considering the amount of money wagered, the difference in payouts was even greater. Most Players who bet on Kang-seok placed small sums, while a significant number of those who bet on the Heavenly Dragon Emperor wagered large amounts. It was a clear sign of how many people were certain of the Heavenly Dragon Emperor’s victory.
It wasn't just because of the Heavenly Dragon Emperor's title, ‘The Strongest Player.’
In the Battle of Sicily, which was the centerpiece of the second World Quest, Kang-seok had fought Sea Emperor Vepar separately from the other Players. In contrast, the Heavenly Dragon Emperor had single-handedly defeated Demonic Beast Allocen in front of everyone.
Although Kang-seok had also displayed his power by defeating Vepar with a sword of light, the Players didn't see that strength as his own. Most believed such a feat would have been impossible without the Divine Artifact, Morning Glory.
The fact that most of the participants in this World Quest were from the Northern Kingdom and Shangri-La also played a large role. Few knew of Kang-seok’s true martial prowess, so they judged him based on ‘rumors,’ and the rumored Dark Destiny Lord had never defeated a Demonic Beast on his own.
When he defeated the Earth Dragon Andras, dozens of Players and adventurers were by his side, and in the Tower of Raum, he fought alongside dozens more Players.
If it weren't for the few Players who had witnessed Kang-seok fight Raum and Oriax in the first World Quest, the bet might not have even been established.
“I’m so pissed! So pissed!”
After stomping her feet and fuming for a while, Choi Yu-ra seemed to exhaust herself, slumping into a seat with her shoulders drooped. She was still seething, even in her weariness, which was strangely cute.
[Quest: Predict the Winner of the Duel.]
[As Miss Choi Yu-ra says, it is true that the Heavenly Dragon Emperor is arrogant, but it is also true that he is strong.]
[Do you remember what I told you when you cleared the tutorial? Among all the Players who cleared the highest-rank tutorial, it was the Heavenly Dragon Emperor who displayed the most formidable combat power.]
[Due to information restrictions, I cannot tell how strong he is now… but I do not believe his strength at that time was a temporary fluke.]
[It is just a duel. Please be careful not to get hurt, alright?]
Iris spoke, taking the opportunity presented by the quest that had appeared thanks to the news of the bet Choi Yu-ra had brought. Her voice was filled with concern. Seong Yu-jin nodded, seemingly sharing the same sentiment.
The Heavenly Dragon Emperor.
Hailed in unison by the Players from the Northern Kingdom as the strongest of them all.
Kang-seok had also seen the Heavenly Dragon Emperor fight. He had single-handedly defeated Demonic Beast Allocen and accomplished the incredible feat of pushing back the dozens-of-meters-tall Sea Emperor Vepar with his strength alone.
He was strong. He was certainly worthy of the title of the strongest.
‘However.’
Kang-seok closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them. He moved his hand through the air, creating characters of light.
He hadn't accepted the Heavenly Dragon Emperor’s challenge because he coveted the key to Allocen's room.
Nor had he fallen for a shallow provocation.
I can win.
Through this duel, I can become even stronger.
[Martial King.]
The stage he had reached by defeating Sea Emperor Vepar.
Kang-seok envisioned victory.
* * *
“Last call for bets! Last call!”
“Heavenly Dragon Emperor versus Choi Kang-seok! Heavenly Dragon Emperor versus Dark Destiny Lord! Bet now or never!”
The next morning, just before noon, countless Players had gathered on the coast.
Even the dungeon of Sea Emperor Vepar, currently in the midst of exploration, was utterly deserted at this moment. The spectator stands, built overnight by production-class Players, were overflowing with a sea of onlookers.
The dueling ground itself was incredibly simple.
A circle with a thirty-meter diameter had been drawn on the shore, its boundary reinforced with colored paint. That was all.
The spectator stands, made from the wreckage of broken ships, were equally simple, constructed in a tiered fashion perfect for people to huddle together and watch.
The contributions of the production-class Players didn't end with the dueling ground and stands.
“Popcorn! Get your popcorn here!”
“Buy some chicken! Chicken! We have beer too!”
“Traditional English fish and chips!”
“Our own special brand of cola! For those who've missed the fizz!”
There were Players with culinary skills, and Players who had been professional cooks in their original world.
It wasn't just Players who had gathered to watch the duel between Kang-seok and the Heavenly Dragon Emperor, and the same was true for those who had set up stalls.
Officials from the Shangri-La Navy, residents of Sicily, and even those who had come for rescue and reconstruction efforts had gathered to watch, their numbers easily surpassing several thousand.
“Wow, I never thought I’d see popcorn again like this.”
In the special seats for officials—which were really just the front row—the members of the Adamas Guild each held a handful of snacks.
Go Min-gu, holding a tub of popcorn so large a small child could fit inside, expressed his awe.
Yang Jun-gyu writhed in happiness at the sight of a carbonated drink for the first time in half a year, while Sekhmet was completely captivated by the novel charm of fried chicken.
With a beer in one hand and chicken in the other, Choi Yu-ra stared anxiously at Kang-seok's back as he stood in the dueling ground.
She had told him repeatedly that he had to win, but now that the duel was about to begin, she couldn't control her worry.
The Heavenly Dragon Emperor.
It was infuriating, but even to Choi Yu-ra, he was a monster. Could Kang-seok win? No, more importantly, what if he got hurt?
“It’ll be fine. We know better than anyone how strong Kang-seok is, don’t we?”
Kim Kang-san’s mature voice helped the despondent Choi Yu-ra pull herself together, and she nodded.
Kang-seok was strong. Hadn't he performed miracles time and again that could be nothing other than a testament to his strength?
“That’s right, Yu-ra. Kang-seok is definitely going to win. I bet all the money I’ve saved up on him!”
“I put a decent amount on him too. The Guild Leader will make us rich, right?”
Yang Jun-gyu and Oh Ha-na added their words of support, and Choi Yu-ra nodded. In truth, not just the two of them but most of the guild members had bet on Kang-seok.
Most of them.
Amidst the cheerful atmosphere, one person awkwardly averted his gaze. Choi Yu-ra shot up from her seat.
“Hey, Go Min-gu. Why are you avoiding my eyes? You… don’t tell me?!”
The gazes of all the Adamas guild members fell on Go Min-gu. He chewed on his popcorn, pretending not to hear, but it wasn’t an issue that could be ignored so easily.
As the stares grew more intense, Go Min-gu cleared his throat a few times and muttered in a small voice.
“Well, I studied a bit of business administration, and there’s this saying in financial management… you know, don’t put all your eggs in one basket? I was just trying to reduce the risk…”
“You traitorous bastard! How could you bet on the Heavenly Dragon Emperor?! Even Ha-na, who’s only been in the guild for two days, is cheering for Kang-seok!”
Choi Yu-ra’s roar pierced Go Min-gu's heart. The assault didn't stop there.
“Min-gu, I’m really disappointed in you.”
“So the enemy was among us all along.”
Yang Jun-gyu and Park Han-yeong each added a comment, and the looks from Oh Ha-na and Kim Kang-san were far from friendly. But the most terrifying of all was Seong Yu-jin.
She wasn't throwing a fit like Choi Yu-ra; she just stared silently, but her gaze was utterly chilling.
In the end, unable to bear it any longer, Go Min-gu fled the Adamas Guild’s special seats as if escaping, and only then did the atmosphere somewhat settle down.
Behind Choi Yu-ra, who was still growling in frustration, Kim Kang-san spoke.
“It’s starting.”
* * *
The sun climbed high into the sky.
When the appointed time came, the Heavenly Dragon Emperor exchanged a glance with Evangeline and walked toward the center of the dueling ground.
Kang-seok was already standing there.
Dark Destiny Lord. Savior of Aachen. Conqueror of Raum.
None of his titles were to be taken lightly.
The Heavenly Dragon Emperor hadn't expected his duel with Kang-seok to be commercialized like this. But he didn't particularly care.
Evangeline had given him so much. It was thanks to her procuring an airship that he had been able to make it to the second World Quest just in time.
If Evangeline could make a fortune from this duel, then so be it.
What he needed to focus on was the duel with the Dark Destiny Lord. And on himself, growing stronger through it.
The Heavenly Dragon Emperor stood facing Kang-seok. The distance between them was roughly six meters.
A wind blew, carrying the salty scent of the sea.
Some of the more talkative Players began to chatter loudly, acting as announcers and commentators. The Heavenly Dragon Emperor blocked out the noise. He focused solely on the man before him, Kang-seok.
On the night of the second World Quest, a golden blade of light had split the sky and the world.
Evangeline and many other Players had attributed it to the power of the Yellow God’s Divine Artifact, Morning Glory, but the Heavenly Dragon Emperor thought otherwise. Even if the power was given, it was the Dark Destiny Lord who had ultimately wielded it.
He knew how to set the stage. No matter what anyone said, it was the power of the Dark Destiny Lord, Choi Kang-seok, that had led the second World Quest to victory.
He acknowledged him. And for that reason, he would use his full strength from the very beginning.
The Heavenly Dragon Emperor took a deep breath. Having opened all three of his Dantians—upper, middle, and lower—he activated one of the seven secret techniques of the Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon.
Body of the Heavenly Demon.
The only buff-type skill among the seven secret techniques of the Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon. It was the key to reaching the realm of the Heavenly Demon, which transcended humanity.
A terrifying aura erupted from the Heavenly Dragon Emperor. The boisterous crowd of thousands fell silent in an instant. Not a single person dared to make a sound.
The Players recalled the Demonic Beasts they had faced two days prior. And they realized.
The Heavenly Dragon Emperor was stronger.
The Heavenly Dragon Emperor had grown stronger.
Just watching from a distance was suffocating. They were crushed by the pressure emanating from his mountain-like aura, unable to move a muscle.
A chilling smile formed on Evangeline's lips. Even for her, a six-star adventurer, the Heavenly Dragon Emperor’s aura was enough to make her hair stand on end. The Dark Destiny Lord would surely be no match for him.
Choi Yu-ra gasped for breath. Oh Ha-na looked as if she were about to cry, and Yang Jun-gyu’s face turned pale as his lips trembled.
The Heavenly Dragon Emperor would win. It was inevitable.
That was what most people thought.
Seong Yu-jin clenched her fists. She stared straight at the despair-inducing Heavenly Dragon Emperor. Looking at Kang-seok’s back, she whispered in her heart.
‘Show them.’
[I believe in you.]
Iris spoke, and Kang-seok let out a fierce grin. Instead of being intimidated by the Heavenly Dragon Emperor’s Body of the Heavenly Demon, he raised his right hand. He murmured in a low voice.
“Cry out, O Dragon of Black Flame.”
Second Movement: Black Flame Dragon.
Black flames erupted. They devoured the world-crushing aura of the Heavenly Dragon Emperor, making their presence known.
The Heavenly Dragon Emperor raised his manacled left hand, taking a stance. Kang-seok extended his right arm, which was wrapped in chains, and drew the Black Sword, Durandal.
And in a single moment.
The two of them stomped forward simultaneously. They charged toward each other.