Chapter 43: The Sword Saint's Proposal (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 43: The Sword Saint's Proposal (1)
[Cheon Yu-seong has requested a video call.]
[Would you like to accept?]
A familiar name popped up on the screen.
Jinhyuk dragged the call icon across the screen.
"Well, look at that. You're alive?"
The demonic humans couldn't have been easy to deal with...
But as expected, the Swordmaster seemed to be a cut above.
"You absolute bastard! Do you have any idea how much hell I went through last night because of you?! I didn't sleep a single wink trying to deal with those persistent leeches!"
Cheon Yu-seong raised his voice.
"I know. But I did it all for your own good. You're great at everything else, but you lack real-world experience in player-versus-player combat."
"Y-You call that an excuse?!"
"Besides, I wanted to teach you a little lesson about empathy. I trust you've thoroughly learned what it feels like to be chased by a persistent leech."
"I mean this from the bottom of my heart... when you die, you are absolutely going to hell."
"Hmm. I can't really deny that."
If the world were divided strictly into good and evil, I would probably be closer to evil.
And if I had to choose between heaven and hell, hell sounded like it would be a bit more entertaining anyway.
Anyway.
"I doubt you called just to curse at me. What do you want?"
If he really wanted to retaliate for the demonic human incident, he wouldn't be having a conversation like this.
He would have tracked me down and swung his sword first.
Having fought him over a hundred times over the years, Jinhyuk understood the man named Cheon Yu-seong better than anyone else.
"Quick-witted as always, bastard. Actually, I have a proposal for you."
"Did you bring up the demonic humans first just to lay the groundwork so I couldn't reject your proposal?"
"Think whatever you want."
"Fine. Let's hear it first."
Jinhyuk nodded.
Cheon Yu-seong spoke.
"In one hour, an event will be held at the Awakened Association. Players rated AA-rank and above, including myself, are scheduled to gather and hold a Martial Arts Gala."
Unbelievable...
A gala?
"Must be nice to have so much free time. They're holding a gala when they keep failing to clear the boss?"
"That is exactly why they are holding it."
"What?"
"The consecutive failures have made the public anxious, and the credibility of the Association and the guilds is plummeting. That's why they plan to use this gala to show everyone just how strong and reliable the players are."
"Hmm. That makes sense."
A sparring match between players with flashy and diverse abilities.
While raids hunting monsters were frequently broadcasted on NewTube, opportunities to watch player-versus-player combat were rare.
It was certainly not a bad way to relieve the mounting tension.
Just as the Roman emperors of the past appeased the masses through the Colosseum.
Sure, okay.
I get the intention, but...
"What does that have to do with me? I wasn't rated AA-rank or above."
"The winner of the gala will be given the right to choose one of two rewards. Either select one of the replicas of the sacred relics kept in the National Museum of Korea, or..."
Cheon Yu-seong's voice dropped to a low register.
I had a bad feeling about this.
"...or obtain the right to nominate and challenge a player who did not participate in the gala to a duel."
Damn it.
Why are my bad feelings never wrong?
Jinhyuk massaged his temples with his fingers.
"Don't tell me... you're planning to challenge me?"
"Defeating you is the sole reason I climb the Tower. Doing so in front of everyone would be absolutely perfect."
Wow. Talk about a battle maniac.
What a ridiculous wish.
Maybe he's the one who's truly suffering from eighth-grade syndrome.
"But can't I just refuse? That nomination right or whatever?"
"Of course, you can. You might be branded a coward if you refuse, but if you don't care about that, it won't matter."
"Then I'll just refuse. I hate annoying things far more than being branded a coward."
Thank goodness. There was a loophole to slip through.
Just as Jinhyuk let out a sigh of relief...
"No, you won't be able to refuse."
Cheon Yu-seong pulled a black ticket from his inner pocket.
Embossed with golden lettering and a hologram, it was a ticket that looked extraordinary at a single glance.
"What is that?"
"An invitation from the Black Market. With this, you can participate in an auction held in Las Vegas, USA, tomorrow at midnight."
"……!?"
At Cheon Yu-seong's words, Jinhyuk's eyes narrowed.
And for good reason.
An invitation to an auction hosted by the Black Market wasn't something you could easily get, even if you wanted to.
There were only rumors that one had to pass incredibly strict conditions to obtain it.
The exact method of acquisition was unknown.
Yet, he had managed to get his hands on one.
‘He brought a bait that's way too appetizing.’
Unlike the 'Coin Exchange' used by players, cash was the primary currency there, making it an incredibly attractive opportunity for those with deep pockets.
The items up for auction would undoubtedly all be highly useful.
There were certain items he needed to clear the 4th floor in three days.
He would likely be able to find much better versions of them at the auction house.
"But if you don't win, you're handing that ticket over to me for free, right?"
"Don't worry. That won't happen."
Cheon Yu-seong slipped the ticket back into his inner pocket.
Then, he added one last thing.
"Come in your best condition. I don't want to hear any excuses about losing because you were tired."
The video call ended there.
Leaving behind words that were classic him until the very end.
* * *
On his way to the Awakened Association after leaving the first basement floor, Jinhyuk wrapped up the business he hadn't finished underground.
--------------------------------------------------
Name: Kang Jinhyuk
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Level: 19
Strength: 8 | Agility: 8 | Stamina: 8 | Magic Power: 41 | Gap: 100 | Luck: 10 | Adaptive: 10
Stat Points Available: 54
Coins Held: 2,740
Class: None
Unique Abilities: Fusion, Grave of Swords, Blessing of the Stars, Judgment of Anubis
Skills: Lv.4 'Fire Element', Lv.3 'Eye of Truth', Lv.3 'Communion', Lv.3 'Brand of the Flame Soul', Lv.3 'Monopolize', Lv.3 'Shallow Breathing', Lv.1 'Ice Sculpting', Lv.1 'Daylight'
--------------------------------------------------
‘54 points...’
Seeing this really made it sink in.
Just how insanely hard he had hunted over the past day.
Furthermore, looking at the packed list of unique abilities and skills, the corners of Jinhyuk's mouth kept curling upward.
In particular, the newly acquired 'Ice Sculpting', 'Daylight', and 'Judgment of Anubis' from the basement would have endless utility in the future.
This was insane.
There was no other word but "insane" to describe a growth rate that was incomparable to anyone else's.
Jinhyuk's gaze shifted back to his stats.
‘I should distribute my stats evenly, focusing on the ones I haven't invested in so far.’
While specialized builds weren't bad, it was better to have other stats meet a minimum threshold to cope with various environments.
After all, the higher one climbed the Tower, the more erratic the climates and monsters became.
[Strength increases from 8 to 16.]
[Agility increases from 8 to 16.]
[Stamina increases from 8 to 16.]
He invested 8 points into each of the three stats.
Now, let's see...
Jinhyuk picked a pebble up from the ground.
Then, he lightly squeezed.
Crack.
The pebble split in two.
His grip strength had definitely changed. Thanks to raising his agility, his physical senses also felt much sharper and more refined.
‘I'll have to wait and see about stamina, since its effects are usually felt during prolonged battles.’
Just as he was thinking that...
[Congratulations! The video you uploaded has been selected as a 'HOT Issue' video.]
A golden status window appeared before his eyes.
Oh.
Is it already going viral?
He thought it would take a bit more time, but given the content, it seemed to have spread much faster than anticipated.
Jinhyuk quickly clicked on the video.
He saw his masked self, Patrick, Teresa, and other rankers from major guilds.
Of course, he had appropriately edited out the parts regarding the demonic humans.
The purpose of this video wasn't to tarnish the guilds' images.
And even without baiting people like that, the reaction was already explosive.
-GymNewbieIsCrying: Going to the boss alone and without pay? Is this for real?
-ScreamAndStrip: Wow. I thought only his skills were insane, but his character is legendary too.
-BecomeAnAdult: So cool. He's risking his life purely out of concern for the people.
-kd1004: Are all you rankers watching? Take notes. This is true noblesse oblige.
-YasuoIsScience: But is it even possible to clear a boss solo?
-MythomaniaDetector: If anyone else said that, I'd be cursing them out, but looking at what this player has achieved so far, I feel like it might actually be possible.
-SongGaInBannedForTwoWeeks: Fr. For some reason, I trust him.
-DimianPeter: Bro, please reveal your face just once. Seriously, I'll only watch your videos from now on.
-HulkIsHulk: Seconded.
-SquirrelThunder: Thirded.
It was exactly the reaction he had expected.
The mysterious, highly talked-about player whom everyone was curious about.
With such a skilled individual confidently declaring a solo boss raid, the hype was bound to explode.
As if to prove it, the view count had already shattered the ceiling and soared into the sky.
[Views: 50,536,988]
Considering that residents outside the Tower could only watch a video once a day, 50 million views was an absolutely unprecedented figure.
Since it paid 100 coins per 10,000 views, 50 million views meant 500,000 coins.
With a 90% cut taken as a platform fee, he was able to cash out 50,000 coins.
‘If it weren't for that insane clause taking a 90% fee, I would have made 500,000 coins...’
It was a shame, but there was nothing he could do.
This rule applied equally to all players around the world.
‘Still, 50,000 coins is an eye-popping amount.’
There would be no one to compare him to in Korea.
Even the highly popular rankers abroad probably hadn't gathered 10,000 coins, let alone 50,000.
Since even the heavy uploaders who posted videos daily only managed to get views in the hundreds or thousands per video.
‘For now, I should save up my coins.’
Having received his payout minus the fee, Jinhyuk stopped in his tracks.
While handling various matters, he had arrived at his destination before he knew it.
* * *
The main entrance of the Awakened Association.
He spotted Cheon Yu-seong, dressed to the nines in a black suit.
What was up with his outfit when he was supposed to spar today?
Surely he hadn't confused a martial arts gala with a ballroom dance.
While Jinhyuk shook his head, Cheon Yu-seong spotted him as well.
"You're late."
Cheon Yu-seong raised an eyebrow.
His face was full of irritation, as if he had been waiting for quite a while.
"Late? There's still a minute left until our scheduled time."
Jinhyuk shrugged.
At the same time, his eyes scanned Cheon Yu-seong from head to toe.
‘He's gotten much stronger than when we met in the ruins.’
His energy was sharply refined.
His physical build had also become sturdier.
Indeed, it was understandable why he wanted a rematch.
Having made such dazzling progress, he undoubtedly believed he could win this time.
However.
Contrary to Cheon Yu-seong's hopes, the gap hadn't narrowed in the slightest.
If anything, it had widened even further.
‘Man, I almost feel bad for him.’
Even if they spent the same amount of time... and even if they worked themselves to the bone, the result wouldn't change.
Because the quality of information the two possessed was simply on completely different levels.
But right then...
"What's this? You're that leftover trash named Cheon Yu-seong? You're way scrawnier than I thought."
A man with muscles so bulging they made his suit look pitiful approached them.
The tattoo on the man's neck.
It was a tattoo Jinhyuk recognized.
‘Oho.’
Jinhyuk let out a soft exclamation.
It looked like he was about to get some highly entertaining free theater.