Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: The Waiting Knight
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The fight cut off right in the middle when the tension was peaking.
Lee Soo-hyuk, who had been continuously channeling lightning, awkwardly lowered his sword in embarrassment.
He wasn't some kid; he couldn't just go wild recklessly because he was drunk on his newfound power.
"I've heard the story."
Lee Soo-hyuk said that as he glanced briefly at Schneider.
His gaze made it clear who he'd heard it from.
"Pelius."
"...Is that so?"
As Lee Soo-hyuk and Pelius casually conversed, the surrounding players reacted with utter confusion.
Just moments ago, they had been fighting like they wanted to kill each other, with no room for anyone to intervene.
Now they were suddenly exchanging polite, leisurely words. It was only natural they'd be baffled.
The viewers were showing intrigued reactions to the new development in the story.
Lee Soo-hyuk, having lowered the sword he'd been swinging for a bit, started paying attention to the stream again.
The viewer count was skyrocketing.
A good number had dropped off while he was passed out, but plenty of viewers were still hooked on the Thunder Cave clear.
No matter that it was a low-floor dungeon, the Thunder Cave was one the Blue Zone players had poured ages of effort into just to acquire Lightning.
"I'm glad you've heard."
Clack—.
Pelius removed his helmet.
And inside it was...
"You might not recognize me, but allow me to greet you again. It's been a long time, my benefactor."
Pelius's face, revealed from under the helmet, was far from pleasant to look at.
A long burn scar ran diagonally across it, and his nose was smashed flat, unrecognizable as such.
What kind of accident could have left him in such a state?
Indeed, as he said, it wasn't exactly a situation for warm greetings.
"Where have you been all this time?"
"Were you looking for me?"
"Yes. I was. Because you have Lightning."
The person Pelius had been waiting for.
It was none other than Lee Soo-hyuk, bearer of Lightning.
As the Knight of Thunder, he had waited here for his old benefactor for a very long time.
"Still, I figured you'd come here eventually. Though I never imagined you'd look so young."
"Young...?"
Though it was a short phrase, Lee Soo-hyuk sensed vast ages in Pelius's words.
He didn't look that old on the surface.
But the time he'd spent waiting for Lee Soo-hyuk seemed far beyond five or ten years.
"How much time has passed since then?"
"I see. No wonder it felt strange when you suddenly vanished. You were an otherworlder too, benefactor."
"That's right."
"Time, huh. Not sure. After over a hundred years, I stopped counting properly."
In reality, rankers ceased to age, no longer growing older. If that was Pelius's case, it made sense.
But this situation had nothing to do with the rankers' immortality.
'He's nowhere near ranker level.'
Pelius's skill far surpassed 3rd-floor players, true—but he was no match for those called rankers.
That meant he hadn't aged due to some other reason, not death from old age.
More importantly...
'Wasn't the Lightning Trial a virtual test you could repeat anytime? How does he remember me?'
Lee Soo-hyuk had cleared the Lightning Trial just ten days ago.
Yet in this dungeon's trial, over a hundred years had passed, and Pelius remembered him.
Was it predetermined from the start?
Or had his actions in the Lightning Trial influenced this Thunder Cave?
As his thoughts deepened, Pelius continued.
"Ever since learning of otherworlders' existence, I wondered if the one who helped us back then might be one too."
"Disappointed?"
"No."
Pelius shook his head.
"Even if your aid wasn't out of pure goodwill, we still received your help. That's an undeniable fact."
"What happened to the villagers? And why did this happen to you, Pelius?"
"The village is gone in the end. I'm the only survivor."
As expected.
The giants that attacked the village weren't the end of it. The trial had merely concluded; after Lee Soo-hyuk vanished, the threat to the village persisted.
And to overcome that threat...
Pelius had made one choice.
"I wanted power as strong as yours, benefactor. So I searched for the power you wielded."
'As I thought.'
Lee Soo-hyuk's influence was why Pelius had ended up like this.
"I traveled for over a decade. Came close to death countless times, and this face became like this back then."
Pelius's eyes deepened with recollection of the past.
"Then I found this cave. And I found it."
"Lightning?"
"Yes."
Murmurs rippled through the surroundings at Pelius's answer.
The chat was exploding too.
Lightning.
It was Lee Soo-hyuk's signature and the dream of every player.
Until now, the only known chance to get Lightning was on the 2nd floor.
Now it was confirmed: Lightning was hidden in the Thunder Cave too.
"It's real..."
"If I get that, I could..."
"Shh. Quiet down."
Greedy voices came from the back. Some were already scheming to stab Lee Soo-hyuk in the back.
Ignoring them, Pelius pressed on.
"This power called Thunder was what I sought. But for one unqualified like me to claim it, I had to pay a price."
"Some kind of punishment?"
"You could say that."
Pelius twisted his lips into a grin.
"The price for a mere human coveting such great power."
With that, Pelius touched the area around his eye.
"I lost my sight and was confined to this cave, waiting only for you, my benefactor."
His eyes gleamed yellow.
He seemed to be blind.
"So please..."
Clank—.
Lifting his battered sword, Pelius continued in a courteous tone.
"Go past me."
As he spoke...
Flash—!
Pelius swung the sword he'd raised forward.
Boom—!
Lightning swept over Lee Soo-hyuk's body.
Reacting wasn't hard. From the moment he'd slowly raised his sword, it was like announcing the attack.
Though an enemy, Pelius was showing Lee Soo-hyuk a measure of respect.
'No wonder Schneider couldn't take him.'
Zzt, zzt—.
Even blocking it sent a sharp sting through him. Pelius's skill was undoubtedly superior to Schneider's.
And originally, Lee Soo-hyuk would have been the same.
'Let's do this.'
Fatigue was high. Mana overflowed, but stamina was low.
What he needed now was a quick resolution.
Max output to end it in one go.
Fortunately...
His 48 Magic Power stat and S- grade Lightning were primed for massive output.
Zzzzzzt—!
Boom—!
The two swords clashed, producing deafening thunder.
A rift formed around Lee Soo-hyuk and Pelius, dividing spaces. No other player dared intervene.
Not even Schneider.
'Lee Soo-hyuk aside, Pelius wasn't this strong before.'
Boom—!
Schneider shuddered at the thunder in his ears and the lightning ricocheting everywhere.
'...The Thunder Cave was waiting for someone else after all.'
Rumble—!
Zzt, zzzzzzt—!
The lightning on their swords repelled each other. The blades halted midair, vibrating without touching.
Sweat beaded on Lee Soo-hyuk's forehead.
'One chance.'
If he had more stamina, maybe.
But dragging it out like this, he'd collapse first from exhaustion.
So...
'Can't miss that one shot.'
Bam—!
His arms trembled as he kicked Pelius in the chest.
Distance opened, buying a moment. As he caught his breath, Lee Soo-hyuk's eyes flicked to Pelius's feet.
'He can't use his eyes anyway.'
Which meant...
'Presence.'
The guy read presences around him.
Nothing else explained it.
Zzt—.
Without giving breathing room, Pelius surged forward in a straight line, lightning on his toes.
No time to think. Lee Soo-hyuk swung his sword again, probing for openings.
Bam, bam-bam—!
Boom—!
Swords clashing amid thunder.
'No need to rush.'
His focus sharpened amid rising fatigue.
'I'll win.'
And in that gap, one blade slipped through.
Whoosh—.
A spear flew from afar.
Crunch—.
Thud—.
"...!"
The spear pierced Pelius's arm.
Naturally, Pelius's attention snapped toward where it came from.
Even blind, instinct pulled him toward the threat.
"Schneider?"
It was a spear Schneider had hurled with all his might.
And in that brief opening...
'Useful move.'
Lee Soo-hyuk went for broke.
Thump, thump—.
As fatigue rose, his heart pounded faster.
Not his real heart.
The other heart beside it.
The Heart of Lightning beat harder and faster, ramping up output.
Boom—!
His feet pushed off the ground, accelerating. Pelius, momentarily distracted, refocused on Lee Soo-hyuk.
A wave of lightning unfolded before him. To counter the sudden power spike, Pelius pushed himself too.
"One arm's injured, but..."
Thrust—.
Pelius gripped his sword with his other hand, wrapping it in lightning.
"The other one's still good."
Boom—!
Thunder roared with his wide swing. But Pelius looked puzzled at the heavy blow.
Nothing caught on the blade tip. No rending of flesh and bone, not even the clash of swords.
He'd charged straight at him for sure.
'Presence...'
From the front, sides, and back.
Lee Soo-hyuk's presence was gone everywhere.
Whoooosh—.
And where he'd vanished was right...
Above Pelius's head.
Lee Soo-hyuk, body flipped upside down, poised to swing his sword.
Riiiing—!