Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Heart of Lightning
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Pelius's explanation prompted Soo-hyuk to examine the Lightning Heart cradled in his hand.
Gods and giants.
Mighty beings that far transcended humanity.
Was this truly an item created to fight and defeat them?
At that moment, a chat message caught his eye in the corner of his vision.
Most of the chats were downplaying the item's value.
But he found himself nodding along.
'Not wrong.'
It was spot on.
The system never lied. That was an immutable truth acknowledged by everyone surviving in this tower.
The item grades were the same.
Unique.
A high grade, but it was hard to take Pelius's words at face value.
'If what he says is true, it's an item that would measure at least Legendary, or even Mythic.'
Mythic grade.
A tier Soo-hyuk had never obtained even once.
Even in the present era, twenty years later, Mythic items could be counted on one hand.
'I'll keep that in mind.'
Regardless of the item's value, Soo-hyuk didn't dismiss Pelius's words out of hand.
For starters, it was certain this item was highly efficient for wielding Lightning.
The myths about Lightning. The war between gods and giants.
And the tales of humans who fought them.
Stories worth remembering.
Above all, unbeknownst to the viewers, Soo-hyuk had been assigned a scenario named Lightning.
This tale was likely the opening to that scenario.
And sure enough.
Moments after Pelius finished his story, the trial completion messages appeared.
"Oh-."
Soo-hyuk let out a small exclamation at the rapid succession of messages.
He knew the Achievement Points from the Lightning Trial would strengthen the Lightning skill.
But two levels at once?
He'd had some expectations, but this was quite satisfying.
'This is more than enough from the 2nd floor. Overflowing, even.'
He'd reached level 26 and obtained Lightning.
He'd pierced all his meridians early to secure stats, and through the Lightning Heart, found a clue to overcome Lightning's penalties.
On top of that, he'd raised the Lightning skill two levels in one go.
'Satisfied.'
This was plenty.
He'd filled his insatiable greed, claiming everything this trial offered.
Now, finally.
Whoosh-!
Soo-hyuk's body was enveloped in light for an instant.
With all trials prepared on the 2nd floor complete and rewards settled, there was no reason to linger.
"Benefactor...?"
Pelius rose in confusion at the sight.
The next moment.
Pop-.
Soo-hyuk vanished from the spot.
Left alone, Pelius blinked.
"Huh...?"
Whoosh-!
His vision flashed pure white for a moment.
As his body floated weightlessly, the world around Soo-hyuk shifted.
His white field of view regained color.
Marble pillars and pristine white walls came into sight. Soo-hyuk blinked upon arriving at the temple in the village center.
"Another one's climbed up."
"The mask?"
"Lee Soo-hyuk cosplayer?"
"That trend never ends."
The players gathered in the temple glanced at Soo-hyuk.
Players succeeding in the ascent to the 3rd floor was common, but the mask he wore was bound to draw eyes.
The 3rd floor.
Still part of the lower floors.
It hit him anew.
No matter how much Lightning and rewards he'd gained, he was still just a low-floor player.
That was when it happened.
Ding-.
A hefty sponsorship arrived without even a mission prompt.
A viewer named ILoveLeeSooHyuk.
Already their second sponsorship today.
"Thank you for the 1,000 points, ILoveLeeSooHyuk. Impression? Hmm..."
He glanced around briefly.
The open temple on all sides.
This place, used like a free market, bustled with players coming and going.
"Um, excuse me."
An awkward voice called out.
Kim Ye-ryeong.
At first, she'd been wary of him.
"I lost my party member... Have you seen anyone about this tall?"
As she spoke, Ye-ryeong stretched her arm high, mimicking height.
Choi Su-hun.
The guy who stood at least two meters tall.
'Here it is.'
Pfft-.
A laugh slipped out.
Exactly here, on the 3rd floor.
The place where he'd first met Kim Ye-ryeong and the others.
Come to think of it, how had it gone?
"I've seen him."
"R-Really?"
"He went that way-."
If, back then.
"Just follow me. We're heading the same direction anyway."
If he'd just given directions and left it at that, what would have happened?
'They might all still be alive now.'
Images of his dead comrades flashed through his mind.
He squeezed his eyes shut against the unwanted scene, yet longed to see it again.
For a moment.
When he opened his eyes, he was still standing where he'd first met Kim Ye-ryeong.
With no reply for a while, an urging chat popped up.
His soft mood hardened. Returning from the past, reality came back into focus.
To the viewer's question, Soo-hyuk answered with his honest feeling.
"It feels like... coming home."
The reactions were as expected.
No matter how impressively he'd cleared the trials, Soo-hyuk was a fresh 3rd-floor player.
Far from ranker status, not even mid-tier.
A newbie just entering the tower spouting about "hometown" was laughable.
Unhyang's chat appeared then, calming the viewers' reactions somewhat.
Instinct told him.
This was the perfect moment to end the broadcast.
Of course, first.
"Oh, right."
One announcement left.
"I'll be doing a collab broadcast with Hawk's Eye this evening."
Hawk's Eye had been running a lot of Soo-hyuk-related content lately.
In fact, quite a few viewers had flowed in from Hawk's Eye's stream to his.
"That's why today's broadcast ends here."
The chat ignited again at the sudden end announcement.
Best to make a run for it in times like these.
"See you all in Hawk's Eye's stream."
Soo-hyuk ended the broadcast swiftly and looked up.
Then, he addressed the man approaching him.
"What is it?"
A man with short blond hair and a brown suit.
He pulled a business card from his wallet, printed with his name and affiliation.
"I'm John Tail from Baehae Entertainment."
Soo-hyuk took the card and examined it.
Baehae.
The MCN company he belonged to.
And he'd heard the name John Tail from Unhyang before.
"That old fogey..."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing. I've heard a lot about you. Nice to meet you."
Old fogey. Boomer.
What Unhyang called the manager department's team leader.
"Unhyang is on her way up. As you know, unlike ascending via trials, moving between floors takes a bit of time..."
"As you know," he said, but the explanation assumed Soo-hyuk was clueless.
No matter how talented, to him, Soo-hyuk was just a newbie on the 3rd floor. Not an unreasonable assumption.
"I have something to discuss. Shall we move to a seat first?"
Soo-hyuk and John Tail headed to a nearby cafe.
Two iced coffees arrived. John Tail, quenching his thirst, spoke up.
"Normally, I'd have Unhyang relay it, but I wanted to meet you in person. I was curious. She's never praised a player this much before."
"Never?"
"Well, there is one. Lee Soo-hyuk of Blue Eyes, though he's an older player..."
John Tail trailed off and asked.
"You know him?"
His eyes said there was no way he didn't.
Not just because of the shared name. Even twenty years later, Lee Soo-hyuk's name lived on like legend.
"I do. Lee Soo-hyuk."
Saying his own name felt awkward each time.
And the subtle discomfort that came with it.
The reason was simple.
'The reason my name has been passed down until now is partly thanks to that bastard Kim Il-su's influence.'
The video of Kim Il-su from the memorial hall honoring him.
That's what came to mind.
Blue Zone needed a hero.
Kim Il-su knew his own limits. He knew he could never become Lee Soo-hyuk.
No.
No one in that era or this one could become Lee Soo-hyuk.
So Kim Il-su chose.
To build a nation atop the corpse of the Lee Soo-hyuk he'd killed, and fill his coffers selling that name.
"Unhyang used to respect only that one player. According to her friend at the company, she was a huge fan."
"My fan?"
"Pardon?"
"No, I mean the old Lee Soo-hyuk's fan."
Soo-hyuk quickly corrected himself, and John Tail nodded.
"Yes. But somehow, a new player caught that strict friend's eye. You, Mr. Soo-hyuk, with the exact same name."
Soo-hyuk fiddled with his coffee cup at the honeyed praise.
As he pondered how to drink it, John Tail's question hit straight.
"Are you interested in the Blue Eyes guild by any chance?"
The glint in his eyes behind the mask shifted.
John Tail flinched at the subtle change.
"Y-You are interested, I see."
"Why do you ask?"
"Well... Actually, that's part of why I wanted to meet you separately."
Tap tap tap-.
John Tail hurriedly typed on his kit and shoved the screen forward.
"It's a tournament starting on the 3rd floor in five days, but..."
Soo-hyuk's eyes widened at the kit's screen.
In the photo.
A terribly familiar item appeared.
"Blue Eyes' relic. The prize Blue Zone is offering this time."