Chapter 227
Chapter 227
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 227
Chapter Title: Before Starting the Trial
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Soo-hyuk went through the pre-arranged schedule.
"Before heading in, let me down an energy drink."
Swish. He pulled a blue can of beverage from his pocket.
It was the energy drink he'd taken on for advertising this time.
Soo-hyuk nodded at the flood of chat messages.
"Yeah, it's homework. First time trying it for me too."
Soo-hyuk popped the lid open without hesitation and chugged it down.
Gulp, gulp, gulp. The drink went down his throat refreshingly cool. He wiped the residue from his lips with the back of his hand and said,
"Huh, it's kinda bland."
He drained every last drop from the can, but it wasn't anything special. It felt like a plain ion drink with no additives whatsoever—truly bland.
A message popped up saying fatigue recovered 'very' slowly, but that was it.
You couldn't trust the system blindly. Especially messages without hard numbers like 'very' or 'slowly.'
In cases like this, you just had to go by feel.
And Soo-hyuk's take on Clementine's drink? Utter trash.
'This costs 100 points?'
Staring at the empty can, Soo-hyuk quickly readjusted his mask to neutral.
Just in case his expression gave away the harsh review.
'They watered it down heavy.'
Soo-hyuk pondered the viewers' questions for a moment.
How to even answer this.
He glanced sideways at Unhyang. She was out of frame, crossing her arms in an X.
"Hm..."
After a brief think, Soo-hyuk replied,
"They gotta step it up."
Unhyang shot him a horrified look from the side. Even for an ad, this was a blunder.
'But it really sucks.'
100 points wasn't cheap either.
That was when Soo-hyuk was eyeing the empty can.
A familiar nickname.
Safe Asset was the most famous viewer on Soo-hyuk's stream.
In a way, his contributions outweighed even Hawk's Eye or Pak Soo-hyuk, whom he'd collabed with.
But 'not helpful'?
Soo-hyuk mulled the meaning for a second before replying,
"If you're salty, just win then."
Soo-hyuk chuckled at the reaction. This guy's the funniest for sure.
They'd laughed, joked, acted weird—but the ad was done.
"Alright then..."
Soo-hyuk walked toward the glowing light in front of him.
"Let's get started."
His floating body regained gravity.
His blackened vision cleared, and his dulled senses slowly returned.
'Started, huh.'
Every trial brought something new. Where and how he'd wake up this time?
Soo-hyuk opened his eyes to lingering darkness. His body still felt like it was moving somewhere.
A cool breeze brushed against him.
Cool...
Whoosh!
"Gah!"
In an instant, the wind lifted his body into the air.
Dizzy with the sensation of freefall, he quickly scanned his surroundings.
'The sky?'
Pure white clouds entered his view. The blue sky was pretty, but no clue how high up he was falling from.
The moment he tried to steady himself—
Grab.
Something swooped in and snatched his body.
"You alright?"
A familiar voice.
He looked up to see a thick hand gripping his collar.
'Thor?'
The rescuer was Thor.
He was flying through the sky astride the Heavenly Horse—the very one Soo-hyuk had tamed in the 7th floor trial.
"You're awake, I see."
Thor effortlessly hoisted Soo-hyuk with one hand and set him down on the back seat.
Vision went black again. Only then did Soo-hyuk realize the initial darkness was Thor's back.
"Slept a ton, huh? Must've been wiped from the battles."
Thor nodded like it made sense.
Ah, right.
To him, the fights with Loki and Heimdall probably felt like just days ago.
It had been quite a while for Soo-hyuk, though.
'Every time I ride, I fall off.'
Tumbling off the Heavenly Horse to start the trial. He vaguely remembered a similar start when heading to Asgard.
"Where we headed?"
"Forgot already?"
"Olympus?"
"Yeah."
The last trial ended with Thor mentioning the final piece's location.
Seemed like the moment that convo wrapped, they bolted straight for Olympus—that was this trial's kickoff.
"How much longer?"
"Day or two?"
Two more days on Heavenly Horse. Might not sound far, but it was.
Soo-hyuk peered down. The landscape blurred past at impossible speeds.
'Insanely fast.'
Two days at this pace? Plus however long they'd already flown—no short trip.
Still, relief.
Unlike before, Soo-hyuk was used to riding the Heavenly Horse now. Or more precisely, it was carrying him this time.
He'd been disoriented on wakeup and tumbled once, but now? Smooth even at this speed—no discomfort.
"We just flying straight to Olympus like this?"
"Yeah."
Comfy.
Super comfy.
Sit back and fly to Olympus? And the Heavenly Horse's back qualified as first class.
"Just wake me when we get there."
"What?"
"Nothing."
The viewers heard Soo-hyuk's grumble, as did Thor.
Though unlike the viewers who got it, Thor was just baffled.
Despite his casual complaint, Soo-hyuk sank into thought.
'Why's this time necessary?'
With Viola to Asgard, the trial started right before arrival.
But now? Still en route to Olympus by a long shot.
What was the difference?
'No such thing as meaningless time.'
Trials never wasted a moment. How you used it was up to the challenger.
So this moment had purpose too.
At least, every trial Soo-hyuk had faced so far did.
Of course.
'8th floor's my first too.'
The road ahead was unknown to him as well.
But that didn't change anything.
If anything, it made him more certain.
The trials ahead wouldn't be any less meaningful than before.
"What's Olympus like?"
"Olympus?"
Thor lowered his voice in reply.
"A bunch of arrogant, annoying bastards."
His tone twisted with resentment.
"Why?"
"'Cause they think they're above us."
To Soo-hyuk, who knew little of Olympus or Asgard, it was vague.
Who was above whom? Only they knew.
But one thing was clear.
'They don't get along.'
No friendly vibes here. Thor wanted Soo-hyuk to know he despised Olympus.
"You'll see for yourself—better than hearing about it."
Neigh!
Mid-flight, the Heavenly Horse suddenly cried out.
Thor gripped the reins tight. Calming the bucking steed, he frowned.
"Looking pretty beat."
Even a legendary mount tires after days of nonstop flight at top speed.
"Guess we rest a bit."
"Rest?"
Where?
Soo-hyuk looked around.
No fields—just endless sky.
Clear skies, sun blazing, not a cloud in sight. How do you rest here?
As Soo-hyuk craned his neck, Thor pulled out a hammer.
"Mjolnir?"
He thought it was at first, but no—Mjölnir was smashed in the prior trial.
"Made something similar. Same balance and size."
Thunder-less, but perfect for Thor.
A lifetime with hammers meant it fit better than spears, thunder or not.
"What's that for?"
"Gotta make a place to rest."
"Make a place to...?"
Soo-hyuk blinked in confusion, but Thor answered with action.
Rumble.
Thunder echoed from somewhere.
The familiar sound made Soo-hyuk look up. Tingling magic prickled his skin.
'No way?'
Mjölnir was gone.
"Spent thousands of years with Mjölnir."
Thor raised the hammer-like weapon confidently skyward.
Rumble.
Thunder growled low again.
Shadows fell over Soo-hyuk and Thor. The blazing sun vanished as dark storm clouds blanketed the sky.
Neigh!
The Heavenly Horse reared up in joy, whinnying.
Thrilled by the clouds.
Heavenly Horses lived atop clouds—special ones, sure, but any clouds let them rest.
Soo-hyuk wanted to shout too.
"How'd you do that?"
Thor had lost Mjölnir—and the thunder power it channeled. He should've been thunder-less.
Yet this was thunder, big or small. And he'd made clouds with it.
"This power?"
Strength filled Thor's shoulders and voice.
"Losing a weapon doesn't kill a warrior's soul."
Whoosh.
He thrust the Mjölnir-like hammer high, voice grave.
"I've mastered wielding thunder. Even without it, the power dwells in my body..."
"Nah, not that."
"...Not that?"
"The clouds."
Soo-hyuk's eyes sparkled.
"You already had that too, right? The ability to make clouds."
He'd half-given up, just having the clue but no method.
Found it.
The way.