Chapter 147
Chapter 147
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 147
Chapter Title: Guild Battle Announcement
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"Really? They'll accept it?"
John Tail shot up from his seat at Unhyang's message. His voice must have been too loud— he could feel eyes peering in from outside the team leader's office.
-Yes. But they want to use it in something other than the exam.
"Other content? Like what?"
-The guild battle.
"Guild battle? Streamer Lee Soo-hyuk?"
It was unexpected.
He'd reached the 7th floor, so he qualified. But entering a guild battle without joining a guild offered little benefit.
'Is it really just for content?'
If so, it made sense.
But something about it felt off.
'It's different from his usual moves.'
Since starting his stream, Streamer Lee Soo-hyuk's sole goal had been points.
He wasn't chasing fame or thrilled by the streamer gig—he streamed purely for points.
Streamer Lee Soo-hyuk and the real Lee Soo-hyuk were worlds apart from the start.
Yet somehow...
'They're too alike.'
No matter how you looked at it, the two were spitting images. Watching the stream felt like a direct broadcast of Lee Soo-hyuk's life.
A so-called "money pigeon" streamer obsessed with points.
'That's part of this streamer's charm, though...'
Even so, a guild battle?
This was way too similar.
-Team leader?
"Ah, yeah?"
John Tail snapped back to attention at Unhyang's call.
The call wasn't over yet.
"If it's confirmed, we should announce it early. Make it blow up."
-Already drafting it.
"It's special content—how about an event? Prizes for guessing ranks or something."
-Great minds? Already in the report.
Her instant reply left John Tail clicking his tongue in admiration.
Just recently, she'd been slacking off for years, barely doing her job. Now she was outshining most veteran managers.
"What's with the sudden work ethic? Doesn't suit you."
-I'd love to slack and collect my paycheck, but my streamer's too good.
John Tail chuckled at her bright tone.
Then a pang of guilt hit him—about her.
"...Sorry about the Reinhardt thing."
-At least you know.
Her voice was curt, but no real resentment lingered. Thankfully, she'd cleared the mess he'd dumped on her.
"How'd you even handle it? You two fight?"
He knew her skills well. John Tail was the one who'd hidden her Murim genius status at Baehae.
Even so, he hadn't expected her to beat Reinhardt.
What he'd banked on was her background.
The massive backing of Shinryeonseong. That could keep Reinhardt in check.
But...
-You'll find out soon enough.
Her cryptic responses only fueled his unease.
Soo-hyuk checked the days until the guild battle.
'Ten days left.'
His heart raced.
He'd even wondered if participating was a good idea. His skills weren't standout yet.
But he couldn't back out just because he lacked confidence.
If power was short, he'd make up for it in the time remaining. With that resolve, Soo-hyuk got to work.
A simple, straightforward notice.
Unhyang had begged him to post it. He'd agonized over it, but concise info was best.
She'd ribbed him for lacking flair, but the reaction was explosive.
Negative comments flooded the notice.
To players, guild battles were sacred ground. Especially in a world where lives hung in the balance.
And Soo-hyuk was a fresh 7th-floor climber.
Viewers valued visible floor numbers over raw skill.
It was only natural—numbers were straightforward.
"Nothing but hate."
Soo-hyuk tossed his keyboard aside while scrolling.
No need to feel bad. He was confident he could flip public opinion soon.
Something more pressing mattered now.
Over 520k.
His bulging wallet lifted his spirits. Most came from squeezing guilds.
A happy yet tough dilemma.
Where to spend it?
Lately, he'd dumped earnings into Jin-un's treatments.
But treatments had a flaw.
'Way too time-intensive.'
Round trip to Murim. Treatment time.
Added up, it'd eat half his remaining days.
He wanted the next trial before the battle.
One option left.
"It's been a while."
Back to square one.
Time to rediscover why he started streaming.
320,000 points used. 'Selfish Sacrifice Lv6' level increased.
'Selfish Sacrifice Lv7' acquired.
Selfish Sacrifice was the pillar skill he always paired with Lightning.
Invest points, level rises, effects strengthen.
It devoured 320k in one go—next level demanded 640k.
Thud.
Soo-hyuk headed straight for the nearest hunting ground.
The 7th floor's world split sharply: gothic cityscapes versus raw wilderness outside.
Reportedly the monster-infested realm.
Step beyond the city, and monsters swarmed.
Chiiiik, quiiiri—
Low growls from the bushes—deliberately hushed.
Not distant, but stifled.
"You guys know."
Creak.
He halted, scanning around.
Deep enough. Monsters everywhere.
"That I came to hunt."
Even rankers strutting tall lacked their instincts. They knew his solo venture wasn't a blunder.
Probably why they'd rallied comrades.
Kyaaang—!
One burst from the thicket, hunger overriding caution.
But he hadn't come for singles.
Flash—!
Boom—!
Lightning in his fist shredded the monster. Its corpse shattered into airborne shards.
No sensation yet.
Stamina had risen plenty; this penalty was negligible.
"Two things to test today."
Zzzt.
Blue sparks leaked from his gloved right hand.
A brief wince at the prickling...
Soon comfort settled, and he continued.
"Gonna sting a little."
Ziiiing.
Guided by fingertip sensation, he sketched in air.
Blue lightning stretched into a spear form.
Soo-hyuk gripped the Thunder and hurled it full-force at the forest ahead.
Bzzeeok—
Kwaaauuung—!
The screaming Thunder obliterated trees in a fan sweep, shards exploding outward.
No monster corpses in sight. Without top-tier defense, survival was impossible.
'Power's definitely amped up.'
Thunder differed from Lightning he'd wielded so far.
Lightning prioritized speed over raw destruction; Thunder excelled in devastation.
Slower to form, but for heavy hits, it outclassed by leagues.
'Issue is blending their strengths.'
Thunder and Lightning.
He grasped their natures.
Now to fuse merits.
Thunder's power plus Lightning's speed—for a pure-upside technique.
And one more.
"I dumped blood-money points into this."
320k.
Just a bit more, and he could've finished Jin-un's final treatment.
He had to squeeze every drop from it.
Grrrrowl.
Monsters emerged one by one after his attack.
Soo-hyuk shed his stuffy mask, baring teeth at them.
"Let's see your limits."
In the ruined forest's heart.
Soo-hyuk rested on a stump he'd left as a chair.
'Leveled up once, huh.'
Must've bagged a ton.
Proof his endurance had grown.
'Effect's solid.'
Selfish Sacrifice delivered. It curbed Lightning and Thunder penalties, easing bodily strain.
Higher levels demanded exponentially more points—and granted expo boosts.
But as effects grew, Soo-hyuk faced a new issue.
'Am I leaning too hard on the skill?'
This void after channeling Lightning or Thunder. It deepened.
Not inherently bad—meant broader control.
Yet it spotlighted his gaps.
Lightning was all-round: firepower and physical buffs via aura.
Soo-hyuk had relied on it for firepower-dominant fights.
Long-term, though, it was stamina-draining attrition.
Selfish Sacrifice levels wouldn't change that. Low stamina exposed him.
"No time...
To compensate: higher levels. Stats.
If other stats backed him enough to skip Lightning attrition, no need for it.
Top rankers built via hunting levels and trials.
Soo-hyuk used shortcuts: Lightning, Selfish Sacrifice, treatments.
Best choice till now.
Hunting levels took ages.
To catch Kim Il-su short-term: trial rewards, treatments, skills.
But he knew.
One skill couldn't summit.
"Gotta find a way."