Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: The Heart of Lightning
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No matter how amazing the streamer, viewer count always starts at zero when they go live.
It's just the rate at which viewers pile in that differs.
Viewers flooded in rapidly.
About three minutes in, Soo-hyuk monitored the viewer trend after going live.
Just as he was about to kick off the main stream.
A sponsorship rolled in alongside a question.
"Thanks for the donation, I Love Lee Soo-hyuk. Nah, think I'll wrap up early today."
In the pristine white room of the trial chamber, Soo-hyuk turned on his camera and mic.
He figured a bit of chit-chat was needed before diving into the real stream.
"Yeah. Need a little time to regroup before heading up to floor 3."
Rushing your body just because your mind was in a hurry was a rookie mistake.
The trial could be retried, but Soo-hyuk had no intention of failing even once on his climb.
Messing up the trial with overambition or scraping by with subpar scores would only drag out his time in the Victory Tower.
Step by step, steady as climbing stairs.
Only with fully recovered condition and focus could he deliver perfect results.
"Gotta sort out the loot from floor 2 too. Floor 3 clear starts next stream."
A perfect on-topic question for the stream.
The Lightning Heart.
Most viewers tuning in now had probably rushed over out of curiosity about it.
"I'm curious too. Haven't checked it yet—saving it for us all."
"As if."
Viewers empathized with the streamer's situation and mood.
Knowing that, Soo-hyuk hadn't peeked at the Lightning Heart ahead of time.
No mentions of the cutscene.
No matter how much chat he scanned, nothing about that final cutscene.
The countless eyes peering down at him from the clouds.
He'd confirmed it on Hawk's Eye's stream too, but it seemed only he'd seen it.
Not your average cutscene, huh.
What the hell was that?
Those eyes marked with■■, bearing countless names.
If even the system-approved Players platform couldn't catch them, they were no ordinary beings.
Time to dig.
The eyes behind the mask narrowed.
Starting now.
Whoosh—!
His vision shifted.
Like booting up a new game, everything around Soo-hyuk transformed, revealing the scenery of the ruined village.
"Gather the wounded in one spot! Treat the critically injured first, meds..."
The first person his eyes met was Pelius.
Spotting Soo-hyuk rising, he broke into a bright grin.
"Benefactor! You're awake!"
His tone was higher-pitched.
His speech more polite, his approaching steps even more deferential.
Soo-hyuk muttered as he sat up from the stiff bed.
"Why's he acting like that?"
"Pardon?"
Pelius, drawing near, wore a puzzled look.
"Oh, right. Mic."
Soo-hyuk hastily adjusted his mic.
So Pelius wouldn't hear him.
"Pel's getting the VIP treatment now. Must be 'cause he took down that giant?"
Pelius had always been friendly toward Soo-hyuk.
But not this friendly.
"Benefactor! You okay? We were worried seeing you collapse in front of the village. If you hadn't woken up..."
"Ugh, shut it."
Soo-hyuk prepped words to brush Pelius aside amid his fussing.
He readjusted the mic, then spoke.
"Still dizzy. Mind giving me some space?"
"R-right? Sorry."
Pelius hesitated at Soo-hyuk's words before stepping back.
Or so he thought.
Pelius had actually positioned himself to block anyone from approaching Soo-hyuk.
Ignoring chat, Soo-hyuk surveyed his surroundings first.
"Trial's progressing fast. Looks like the remaining giants got mopped up."
Crackle.
A yellow gem from his inventory emitted a faint glow.
The Lightning Heart.
His reward for slaying the giant in this trial.
"Let's check the reward together first."
"...?"
Soo-hyuk's eyes widened round.
Soon, a rare curse slipped from his lips.
"What the actual fuck..."
Chat was split.
Some loved it, others felt it fell short of hype.
The item's Unique grade was solid, but lower than the Lightning Spear used on the giant.
But Soo-hyuk thought differently.
Jackpot.
If picking between spear or heart, hands down the heart.
Seemed underwhelming at a glance, but as a Lightning user, every option was perfect.
Lightning resistance for a Lightning user means offense and defense. Plus 20% base attack power.
Soo-hyuk's eyes sparkled as he read the final option.
And immunity to electrocution to boot...
Sneer.
The corner of his mouth lifted behind the mask.
What if he'd had this back at his peak?
Kim Il-su's neck wouldn't have been the only one barbecued—every Blue Zone player would've been toast.
Sensing his lukewarm reaction, a sponsorship question came in.
Soo-hyuk snapped back and replied.
"Nah, I love it. A lot."
From chat, no one seemed to grasp the item's true value.
Made sense.
Even if the grade looked good, the visible options were plain.
Only someone who'd wielded Lightning could fully appreciate it.
Get clues from the village.
Finishing his first task, Soo-hyuk's gaze shifted.
To Pelius.
He was currently the most favorable NPC in the village toward Soo-hyuk.
"Yes, ask away!"
In the rundown tent.
Pelius's eyes sparkled facing Soo-hyuk.
His eagerness at the mere mention of questions was relieving yet burdensome.
"He'd probably tell me how many moles he has on his ass too..."
Good thing Pelius didn't catch that one.
Mindful of the mic, Soo-hyuk spoke up.
"The legends were true."
"Yes, we saw. Our city was saved thanks to you."
Swish.
"This came from the giant's body."
Soo-hyuk pulled out the Lightning Heart from his inventory first thing.
"It's called the Lightning Heart."
The message said to get clues via the Lightning Heart.
No beating around the bush—Soo-hyuk acted on it straightaway.
If Pelius didn't pan out, he'd show it to someone else.
But luckily.
"This is..."
Pelius's reaction suggested he'd nailed the first step.
"I-is this really the Lightning Heart?"
"Yes."
The yellow gem infused with Lightning power.
Pelius's eyes gleamed upon seeing it.
"You know what it is?"
"Uh, n-no."
Pelius's voice trembled.
"N-not exactly."
"...?"
Soo-hyuk scrutinized Pelius's eyes.
Not lying.
His fidgety reaction screamed genuine ignorance.
"What I know is just legends. Whether they're real..."
Soo-hyuk stifled a sigh and pressed.
"Tell me what you know anyway. Whatever it is."
If not this guy, it'd mean hunting down others.
Tedious.
The repetitive busywork trials were what Soo-hyuk hated most.
"All I know are... two legends."
"Two?"
"Yes."
Any clues at all?
Soo-hyuk leaned in.
"First legend: Lightning was used to exterminate giants. Just like you did, benefactor."
He already knew that.
Soo-hyuk's own knowledge of Lightning's origins matched.
Trials linked like this before too.
But per Pelius, there was another.
"The second legend: Gods and giants fought over Lightning."
"Fought?"
"Yes."
Finally, a real clue.
Soo-hyuk's eyes lit up.
"It's more legend-of-a-legend, really. Gods and giants warred over Lightning, and the giants lost."
Gods and giants.
Their war sparked by this Lightning.
"And this gem..."
Pelius stared at the gleaming yellow Lightning Heart, eyes aglow.
"It's probably... man-made."
"Man-made?"
"Yes."
"Who made it?"
Pelius shook his head at the question.
"Legends don't say who. But the purpose is clear."
"Purpose?"
"Primary purpose: for humans to wield Lightning."
Soo-hyuk nodded at the explanation.
Plausible.
The Heart's options were tailor-made for Lightning handling.
Legend or not, feels legit.
The words carried weight.
But as he listened for more, Soo-hyuk frowned.
Pelius looked tense somehow.
Gulp.
Deep breath.
"What I just said? That's just the surface purpose."
Fear flickered across Pelius's face.
"The real goal is something else."
"What?"
"Gods and giants. Beings too great for mere human power to challenge."
After another big breath, he continued as if scared to even voice it.
"This was made to fight them... and win."