Chapter 37
Chapter 37
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Contract Complete
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The contract was complete.
Any other procedures or briefings would be handled the next day, so the two left the guild for now.
It was late, and Jo Jin-hwi looked too exhausted to continue talking.
That was why Su-ho and Jo Jin-hwi headed straight back to the Kaiser Cheongdam.
Once again, as Jo Jin-hwi reached for the driver's seat, Su-ho spoke up.
“I’ll drive.”
“No, I should.”
“You’re not my manager, so I can’t keep bumming rides off you.”
“But I am your manager?”
“What?”
“I mean, it’s basically true, right? You keep feeding me exclusive scoops like this. If I have any shame, I should at least play manager. I’m fine, really. After driving Ferraris all the time, this sedan feels comfy. Maybe I should switch to sedans myself.”
Su-ho chuckled at that.
“Sedans do feel comfy. By the way, you skipped the office all day. Is it okay to keep being away?”
“No need to worry about that. With all the exclusives I scored today, who’d dare complain?”
“Fair enough.”
It was a sight to behold.
This was exactly the picture Su-ho had wanted.
Then, as he drove, Jo Jin-hwi casually asked.
“So, for the article order, I’ll lead with the Sealed Gate raid. Logically, the Nexus join should come first, but who knows how long the government’s embargo will last.”
“Makes sense. Do whatever’s easiest.”
“Then I’ll head back to the office right after… Oh, but Su-ho.”
“Yeah?”
“There’s something I’ve been dying to ask too. How were you so sure about conquering the Nameless Sword Gate?”
“Oh, that?”
Truth be told, Jo Jin-hwi had been itching to ask as well.
He’d brushed off Guild Master Bae Dong-hyeok with a vague “I killed it,” but he couldn’t do that to Jo Jin-hwi.
‘Telling Jo Jin-hwi means it’ll all end up as article details. Might as well give him more.’
Su-ho explained.
“There’s a Sword Emperor inside the Nameless Sword, right?”
“Yeah, the Nameless Swordsman.”
“I’d heard of his reputation. He forces every player into sword fights with his skill. That’s why so many died, and a ton of them were sword users. So I was confident.”
“Confident because of that?”
“Under the same conditions, in a sword fight? I knew I’d win. You know I’m a healer, but my main focus is swordsmanship.”
“…That’s the only reason?”
“Yeah?”
“No… even so, he killed over 200 people. Including ranker-level swordsmen. You know that, right? Weren’t you scared at all?”
“What’s a ranker sword user? The Sword Emperor’s skill copies your status window exactly, so physical stats are identical. The key to beating him is pure swordsmanship. No item effects or skills—just raw skill. That’s what I focused on, and I trusted mine.”
“Do you have a swordsmanship skill?”
“Yeah. S-Grade. A creation skill, so only I have it.”
Jo Jin-hwi’s eyes widened again.
“S-Grade?! When did you even learn that?!”
“Not long ago. But I’m not going anywhere, so take your time asking. You have to drip the stories periodically anyway, or the hype dies and people lose interest. Ask whatever—I’ll answer.”
“Ha… Su-ho, you really know how to drive me crazy. Me, getting this worked up over a guy… I get why people stan idols and singers now. I never understood before.”
“Come on, not that serious.”
“I mean it. So, using this chance, thank you again for calling me first. And sorry for not believing you right away.”
“Haha, no problem.”
Jo Jin-hwi was all loyalty now.
He dropped Su-ho off at the Kaiser Cheongdam and headed straight to the office.
Thanks to that, Su-ho got home comfortably and flopped onto the sofa.
‘Long day.’
Raiding gates wasn’t tiring.
Just the long-distance travel.
Even high-stat players struggled with that.
Su-ho dozed off briefly, then checked his status window.
[ An Su-ho ]
- Lv: 52
- Class: Healer
- Trait: New Blood
- Strength (R): 14
- Vitality (R): 14
- Mana (R): 14
- Senses: 96
- Bonus Stats: 7
Seven bonus stats piled up.
Su-ho grinned.
It wasn’t compound interest, but skipping checks let them stack like they were copying themselves.
As planned, he dumped 4 into Senses to hit 100.
[ Senses stat has reached 100. ]
[ Senses stat grows further. ]
[ Congratulations! Senses stat level up—now Red grade! ]
Finally, the last Senses stat hit Red grade.
With the fourth stat reaching Red, the system chimed again.
[ All stats are now Red grade. ]
[ Unlocking Uniformity Effect perk. ]
[ All remaining bonus stats will be used to uniform all color stats. ]
[ Stat info updated. ]
It was the Uniformity Effect.
Su-ho checked the refreshed window.
[ An Su-ho ]
- Lv: 52
- Class: Healer
- Trait: New Blood
- Strength (R): 14
- Vitality (R): 14
- Mana (R): 14
- Senses (R): 14
- Bonus Stats: 0
Seeing the updated window, Su-ho felt a thrill.
Uniformity let him boost Senses by 11 using just 3 bonus stats.
‘Uniformity only triggers when all stats are the same color, and only one color stat is short of uniformity.’
That’s why it was so rare.
Tons of conditions, and even if met, no bonus stats meant no trigger.
‘This is what they call a hidden perk.’
With his status sorted, Su-ho finally relaxed.
After a quick shower, he checked his now-primary sub-phone.
Jo Jin-hwi had messaged: the Nameless Sword article was out.
‘Let’s see the reactions.’
Su-ho fired up the living room laptop.
The internet was flooded—news sites, YouTube, SNS, communities, all plastered with his story.
- Wtf is An Su-ho?
- Tower of Challenge raid wasn’t long ago, now a Sealed Gate?
- How tf did he beat the Sword Emperor?
- I challenged him once. Dude’s untouchable… Beating him means…
└ But why’s this guy alive?
└ Nameless Sword lets mid-escape.
└ Oh right.
- So An Su-ho’s the Sword Emperor now?
- Nah, beating Sword Emperor makes you higher.
- What’s above Sword Emperor?
- Idk… Sword God?
- Lmao yeah, Sword God.
- Sword God An Su-ho ㄷㄷ But what level? Under 100 still?
- Level matters? Skill does. You respect elders just for age?
└ True
└ That’s society
- An Su-ho is a god. An Su-ho is a god. An Su-ho is a god. An Su-ho is a god. An Su-ho is a god. An Su-ho is a god. An Su-ho is a god…
- Mom! I wanna be An Su-ho when I grow up! Mom! I wanna be An Su-ho when I grow up! Mom! I wanna be An Su-ho when I grow up!…
- How’d a newbie snag a Sealed Gate even big guilds bid hard for? Nameless Sword’s under gov management, right?
- Tower raid got him special gov perks?
- Ask National Hunter Assoc go go
└ On it.
└ Filing inquiry.
Public opinion was mostly positive.
Not surprising.
No scandals or haters yet.
‘But fans breed haters quick.’
He figured they’d appear soon.
People weren’t all saints.
So Su-ho turned on his main phone, long ignored.
Missed calls poured in. Scanning them, one name stood out: Park Pyeong-sik, scout from top guild Prime.
‘This guy’s persistent.’
Of course.
He’d spotted the gem An Su-ho first, tried scouting early.
But with newbie-tier top terms? Massive regret.
Now glued to Su-ho’s line all day to salvage it.
Still, no dice.
‘Good scout, but next time maybe.’
Su-ho powered off the main phone again.
Then his sub-phone rang.
Familiar number.
Su-ho answered.
“Yeah, been good?”
- …You sound awfully chill?
The voice belonged to Banshee’s leader, Gu Yeon-hwa.
She’d called right after seeing his article.
“So, your answer?”
- Let’s meet first.
“Why? I just need the yes or no.”
One meeting was enough.
Indulge too much, and they’d think they held the power. Not Su-ho’s scene.
Time to draw the line.
He was confident.
He’d proven himself; who needed who was obvious.
Gu Yeon-hwa replied.
- Cocky much? We haven’t accepted yet, you know?
“Fine, no then.”
- Huh?
“I’m not hurting. Pass.”
- Why so sudden…
“But you should know: crossing me good for you? I can crush you anytime.”
Silence, then she spoke.
- Sigh… So, what now?
Su-ho smirked.
No meekness, but hierarchy set.
“Too late today. Tomorrow, lunch at Nexus Academy in Paju?”
- All of us?
“Duh?”
- Tricky. Two team members work days—hard for lunch. I have lectures.
“So? If real life > revenge, live it. Guess I misjudged your desperation.”
- …Ha! Fine. Tomorrow lunch, Nexus Academy.
“Cool.”
Su-ho chuckled, ending the call.