Chapter 182
Chapter 182
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 182
Chapter Title: Intimidating Presence
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As the gods' appearances were revealed, the reactions grew even hotter. Cheongryang, who had settled into a seat at the cafe, checked the viewer count.
Viewers surpassing 130,000.
This broadcast was a hot topic even in the industry. With already skyrocketing popularity, combined with the provocative trial concept, it was bound to explode.
"Reactions are great."
"If we play it right, we might hit 200,000?"
Watching the viewer count climb endlessly, Cheongryang stuck out her tongue in amazement.
130,000. This was definitely on the level where she could call it a major streamer rating.
It was hard to believe this was a streamer who had only started broadcasting recently. In that short time, the name Lee Soo-hyuk had leaped over 20 years to create a new syndrome.
"With this, we can charge several times more for the next ad. If we just do a few ads during the main tournament..."
Heh heh. Cheongryang murmured with a pleased smile.
"We'll get a nice bonus too?"
"Is that what matters right now? You money grubber."
Even under Unhyang's piercing glare that seemed ready to shoot beams, Cheongryang's mind was still a field of flowers.
Well, with results like this, hefty bonuses were surely incoming.
"What's with that look? Our Soo-hyuk's broadcast is blowing up like this. You're happy too, right?"
"Oh? Since when was he 'our Soo-hyuk'?"
"From the beginning."
"You talk a good game."
Unhyang smirked at Cheongryang's excited demeanor.
"Then, I'll leave the manager duties to our Cheongryang."
"...What? What do you mean 'our Cheongryang'?"
'Our' and 'nim'.
Two modifiers she'd never heard in her life. For a moment, Cheongryang felt a chill run down her spine.
"What's up? Trying to dump more work on me?"
"No work to dump. Just keep doing what you're doing well."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Slurp-.
Unhyang finished the rest of her drink and stood up.
"I probably won't be around for a while."
"...Where are you going?"
Grab-.
Cheongryang reflexively reached out and clutched Unhyang's wrist.
She knew it wasn't something she could hold back with force, but her only thought was to stop her no matter where she was headed.
The recent events surrounding her were far from ordinary. They'd searched for her in the Divine Alliance Castle, she'd met Uncheon-geuk, and even the Heavenly Demon had come calling, though for different reasons.
She was in peril. It would be strange if she wasn't.
"Sit down first and talk."
"Why?"
"Where are you going all of a sudden? Even with how busy things have been lately..."
"Busy? What business?"
Unhyang's innocent counterquestion left Cheongryang speechless for a moment.
Was she really asking because she didn't know? As Cheongryang floundered, Unhyang smirked again.
"What, were you worrying about me, sis?"
"...Like I wouldn't?"
"Don't worry. I'm not disappearing. Just contact me via Kit, what's there to fret about?"
Her playful words, tossed out like a child's, carried a mature undertone.
Cheongryang saw the image of little Unhyang from their childhood days when they'd go buy candy overlapping with her now.
"...Trying to start again?"
"Yeah."
"You sure it'll be okay? Once you start again, you can't stop."
"It's fine. I'm not alone anymore."
"Fine, huh..."
Cheongryang's gaze shifted to the Kit screen in her hand.
The Kit showed Soo-hyuk walking among Valhalla's gods. With a hunch, Cheongryang let out a hollow laugh.
"This guy's just a streamer."
"Not 'just' a streamer."
"You think because he helped you once back then, Lee Soo-hyuk would risk his life for you?"
Unlike usual, Cheongryang's words carried thorns.
Even if they pierced her mercilessly, she hoped they wouldn't stab her heart.
If it made Unhyang hesitate now. If it stopped her, she didn't care about any resentment later.
"No. Absolutely not. He's just a streamer who needs points. You know Lee Soo-hyuk's nickname? Moneybug, moneybug!"
"You really think that?"
"Crazy, please! Open your eyes and look at reality! Fan-girling is fine in moderation, but you gonna throw your life away for this guy?"
Cheongryang was convinced. Lee Soo-hyuk would never help Unhyang.
He'd fought alongside her against the Divine Alliance warriors and the Thunder Sword, but that was it.
No one in the world would fight them alongside her. Let alone from a workplace connection.
"I know too."
"You know?"
"I'm not a kid, I don't play those stupid hopeful games. Who would risk their life for someone they've just worked with a bit?"
"Then?"
Her calm tone didn't sound like empty words.
Cheongryang quelled her agitation and listened closely.
"It's the opposite."
"Opposite?"
"I hate the idea of you or someone I care about getting hurt because of me. Even like this... that day will come eventually."
She couldn't deny it.
Uncheon-geuk and the Divine Alliance wanted Unhyang's talent.
Heaven had given her unparalleled talent, and they coveted it.
Would they really wait forever if she stopped?
Cheongryang knew too. Absolutely not.
"So I have to protect it with my own power somehow. Staying like this won't cut it."
Light returned to the eyes of the genius that had been dim for so long.
Cheongryang could no longer stop her. She knew it was dangerous, but she couldn't tell her to keep waiting anxiously for an unknown threat.
That would truly be the thorn in her heart.
"This isn't fan-girling or stupid hope."
"......"
At a loss for words, Cheongryang bowed her head.
She'd lost.
This was an unbreakable resolve.
And knowing she was included in that resolve made her mouth and heart ache bitterly.
'Back to being the one protected.'
The two letters 'Cheongryang' were Unhyang's old weakness.
And that stemmed from Unhyang's care for her.
She couldn't do anything with her own power. No matter how madly she trained and climbed the tower, it was futile flailing—she knew that.
But.
She couldn't help her, but there was a way not to be a weakness.
"Go and relay this."
Recalling Uncheon-geuk's words she hadn't told Unhyang.
'...I can't keep being a weakness forever.'
To avoid watching Unhyang's receding back, she slowly closed her eyes.
Click-.
In the center of the palace where the gods gathered.
Soo-hyuk bore all their gazes alone.
The gods' looks at the outsider who had entered Valhalla varied wildly.
"Why bring a human here?"
"Tyr chose him, they say."
"Who doesn't know that?"
Doubt.
"Do we have to keep watching?"
"I want to smite him right now."
Contempt.
"Not an ordinary human."
"Chosen by Tyr, who hates humans more than anyone..."
"Must have something special."
Interest.
Soo-hyuk answered those gazes.
"Why do you think?"
Crackle-.
Soo-hyuk manifested thunder right there. Seeing the blue lightning rising from his fingertips, some gods jolted in surprise, shifting their heavy forms.
"That's..."
"Thunder?"
"Why in a human's hand?"
For the skeptical gods, Soo-hyuk ramped up the output.
Only after the booming Rumble! did the gods confirm it was thunder.
"Explanation enough?"
"Now we need a different explanation."
To the question of how he obtained thunder, Soo-hyuk explained.
Thor's mission to Viola and the Valkyries. And the events during his aid.
"Thunder chose a human as its master?"
"Hard to believe."
As the gods murmured.
"It had no choice."
A voice with overwhelming presence cut in.
"Thunder was originally humanity's."
Soo-hyuk looked at the god who spoke.
A familiar face.
No need to scrutinize features; the scars and firmly shut eyes told who it was.
'Heimdall.'
The god who lost his eyes yet pierces truth.
The gatekeeper who filtered humans in Valhalla's trials, now clearly seeing him with closed eyes.
"Still, this is a problem. In the past, maybe, but now it's Asgard's."
"Giving and taking back?"
"Not taking it. But to possess it, you'll need Valhalla's formal recognition first."
Another trial, even after entering Valhalla.
Soo-hyuk sneered behind his mask.
"That's blatant discrimination."
"Hardly."
Heimdall shook his head.
"I've heard about you. You stopped Bergelmir's resurrection, right? On Valhalla's behalf, my thanks."
Instead, he bowed politely to Soo-hyuk on behalf of the other gods. Not hostile.
"This is at Tyr's request. To test if you're truly suited for Valhalla."
Tyr's request.
At those words, Soo-hyuk's eyes narrowed.
'Another trial...'
He'd done plenty of trials. Did Tyr not know? His reaction suggested he did.
He'd even stopped Soo-hyuk from mentioning Thor's name.
So he had other intentions.
"Anything else to see?"
Whoosh-.
Then, a new presence appeared behind Soo-hyuk.
Not approaching quickly. It just materialized.
Magic.
"Just kill him. Like this, stab-."
A short, sharp object pressed against his throat. Likely an awl or dagger, some such weapon.
He could have reacted, but Soo-hyuk didn't. This one had no intent to kill.
"Loki!"
"Even that troublemaker prince has a day I like him."
His identity came from the other gods' reactions.
Loki.
Asgard's second prince. Licking his lips behind Soo-hyuk.
"Enough, Loki."
Heimdall reined him in.
"He's Tyr's guest."
"I know. That's why I'm not killing him right now."
Swish-.
Loki spun the awl lightly in his hand and vanished from his spot.
"Just a prank. Only a prank."
He reappeared in the center of the empty gods' seats.
With slick black hair and a sly smile, he had the greediest eyes among the gathered gods.
"My apologies. If I offended, accept my substitute apology."
"No offense. So, what's this trial?"
"Find and tame the Heavenly Horse that bows to no one in the heavens. Succeed, and no god can deny you."
"Tame a horse?"
"Not easy. The Heavenly Horse is a divine spirit born with holiness like us."
Taming the Heavenly Horse.
Hard to grasp what that entailed. Probably not simple riding, and Heimdall's Heavenly Horse seemed no ordinary one.
During the talk, the inscrutable Heimdall felt harder to read than the hostile, greedy Loki. What lay behind those shut eyes?
But one thing.
'Worth dangling the bait.'
There was harvest.
'Bitten.'
Now it was clear.
Why he had to undergo another unnecessary trial.
Why Thor, who should have come to his senses after losing Mjolnir, was still hiding.
Those Who Covet Thunder-.
That scenario name was the core of this trial.
As Soo-hyuk took a step to leave.
Shooo-.
Sound faded, and the scenery blurred. At the familiar phenomenon, Soo-hyuk halted.
This trial's second cutscene began.