Chapter 44: The Sword Saint's Proposal (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 44: The Sword Saint's Proposal (2)
The Black Cloud Guild.
It was one of the large-scale guilds aiming for the third-place spot, right behind South Korea's firmly established number one, 'Dangun', and number two, 'Ssaulabi'.
'They're far from normal.'
The Black Cloud Guild had grown rapidly of late through highly aggressive business practices, and its guildmaster, Hong Deok-pyo, in particular, was surrounded by some very nasty rumors.
In short, they were bad news.
And this man also had a black cloud tattoo—the trademark of the Black Cloud Guild—etched onto his neck.
"A friend of yours?"
Jinhyuk asked Cheon Yu-seong.
"I've heard the name. A scout from their guild offered me a spot."
Ah...
That single sentence explained everything.
A guild that threw its weight around had taken an interest in Cheon Yu-seong.
And naturally, being the lone wolf he was, this guy must have rejected the offer flat out.
Seriously, our dear Sword Saint never failed to keep things interesting.
The man asked again.
"Hey. I'm asking you. Are you that Cheon Yu-seong bastard or what?"
"Yes, I am Cheon Yu-seong."
"I knew it. They told me to look for a black-haired guy with a pretty-boy face, and they were right. I'm Jeong Do-hyeon of the Black Cloud Guild."
Jeong Do-hyeon introduced himself.
"If this is about joining your guild, I've already given my answer to your scout."
"I know. I heard the gist of it."
"Then we have nothing more to discuss, do we?"
"Normally, yes. But it rubs me the wrong way that a mere AA-rank rookie rejected our guild's offer. This time, I plan to force a 'yes' out of you."
"You... force me?"
Cheon Yu-seong's eyebrows furrowed into a sharp V.
"Ho. You've got some guts for a pretty boy."
Jeong Do-hyeon bared his teeth.
In an instant, a faint murderous intent flared between the two.
Crackle!
Dust swirled on the ground as their mana clashed.
Their hands moved.
Toward the weapons at their waists.
Right then.
"Don't overdo it. Put your swords away. Surely you aren't stupid enough to fight right in front of the Association?"
Jinhyuk intervened.
"He's the one who started it!"
Cheon Yu-seong protested, but only for a brief moment.
He knew all too well that dealing with the aftermath of a fight here would be a massive headache.
Clack!
"Tch!"
Clicking his tongue, Cheon Yu-seong sheathed the sword he had drawn halfway.
Meanwhile, Jeong Do-hyeon sized Jinhyuk up, looking him up and down.
As if appraising the value of an object.
"And who the hell are you?"
Who indeed?
"I'm just a guy who came to cheer him on since I heard there's some Ball or whatever today."
"Cheer him on? You're not even participating in the Ball, just cheering?"
"I didn't get an invitation."
"Ha... If you didn't even get an invitation, your rank must be pathetic."
"It's F. Personally, it's my favorite letter."
When Jinhyuk spoke nonchalantly, Jeong Do-hyeon let out a scoff of disbelief.
Crack!
As he cracked his knuckles, his bulging muscles rippled grotesquely.
"If you came to cheer, you should've crawled into a corner and clapped quietly. How dare a mere F-rank get in my way?"
If this had been inside the Tower instead of in front of the Association, he would have ripped his spine out on the spot.
But considering the consequences, he would go easy on him by only breaking a limb or two.
That was the compromise Jeong Do-hyeon settled on.
However, the moment he was about to swing his mana-infused fist—
"He is my prey!"
Cheon Yu-seong, who had been watching, roared.
Shring!
His sword was drawn, unleashing a dazzling flash of light.
[Cheon Yu-seong activates Lv6 'Soul-Chasing Sword Qi'!]
"You should have done that from the start."
Jeong Do-hyeon turned toward Cheon Yu-seong as if he had been waiting for this.
A blue energy shimmered around his fists.
It was a reinforcement-type skill capable of pulverizing even boulders with a single strike.
"I'll shatter that toothpick of a sword along with you in one blow!"
And that was...
...the last sight Jeong Do-hyeon remembered.
* * *
Thud!
His massive two-meter frame collapsed to the ground.
Since the pommel of the dagger had slammed hard into his temple, it was only natural that he lost consciousness.
"Finally, some peace and quiet."
Jinhyuk retrieved his dagger with a deft flick of his wrist.
And...
"..."
Cheon Yu-seong, who had witnessed the whole thing, kept his mouth shut.
Soon after, with a complicated expression, he dispersed the mana he had gathered.
The sword qi coating his blade vanished.
'That movement just now...'
Even if the opponent had let his guard down, to strike a vital point in such a split second...
It was so incredibly fast that even though he had been fully focused, he had completely lost track of Jinhyuk's presence.
Jeong Do-hyeon, the victim, probably didn't even realize what had hit him.
'Damn it.'
Cheon Yu-seong clenched his fists.
Since they parted ways at the ruins, he had devoted every single second to becoming stronger.
He had entered a labyrinth that stretched a single day into a month and trained like a madman.
He had fought countless monsters, constantly breaking through his limits.
And yet...
Why on earth...
'Why does it feel like the gap between us hasn't closed in the slightest?'
It was impossible.
No, it was something that shouldn't be.
But no matter how many times he replayed the scene in his head...
...he couldn't think of a single scenario where he could have countered that surprise attack.
"What are you dazing out for? Let's get inside before someone sees us. Didn't you say you were short on time anyway?"
"...Right."
Cheon Yu-seong took a heavy step forward.
* * *
The training ground on the 13th floor of the Awakened Association.
The entire floor was constructed from mana-absorbing magic crystals and special alloys, making it a place where players could go all out without restraint.
Clang! Clang!
Clash-clash-clash-clang!
Blades clashed, sending sharp metallic rings echoing through the air.
It was a 24-player battle royale. As a result, the arena was a chaotic storm of all kinds of unique abilities and skills.
"Haha, Mr. Park. You seem even slower than before you awakened. Aren't you relying too much on your ability?"
"I'm just warming up, you punk. I'm getting serious now, so stay on your toes unless you want to visit the healer lady on the 5th floor."
Perhaps because only high-ranking players were gathered here, most of them already knew one another.
Birds of a feather flock together, after all.
The strong had already established their own networks.
Of course, that didn't mean they went easy on each other.
They merely refrained from using lethal blows. With their pride and honor on the line, everyone gave their absolute best at every moment.
At the same time, rankers from various guilds and broadcasting station officials were watching the match with keen interest from the spectator seats.
"The level of the match is quite high."
"Yes. This should be enough to satisfy the public."
"Still, this is only a temporary measure. We need to clear the 3rd floor as soon as possible."
Various voices chimed in.
Most of the discussions were about the future of humanity.
But not everyone shared those concerns.
To some, the future of humanity meant nothing compared to their top priority: expanding their guild's power right now.
Those sitting right in the center of the spectator seats scanned the prospects with hawk-like eyes.
It was Hong Deok-pyo, the only S-rank present and the master of the Black Cloud Guild, along with the Black Cloud Guild scouts who followed him.
"That duo over there looks pretty decent."
One of the scouts pointed to an elderly man wielding flames and a young woman controlling a summoned beast.
The woman handled defense using her summon, while the old man's flames pressured the opponent the moment an opening appeared.
Their coordination was seamless, as if they had trained together for a long time.
However, Hong Deok-pyo let the scout's words go in one ear and out the other.
His attention had already been completely captured by a single player.
Specifically, Cheon Yu-seong.
...Magnificent.
A lean yet solid build.
His aura was so perfectly restrained and cold that even those watching from afar could feel its chill.
'The awakening test must have a lot of flaws.'
There was no way he was a mere AA-rank.
No matter how conservatively one estimated, he shouldn't be categorized under 'A' at all.
Hong Deok-pyo himself had already gasped in admiration several times at the way Cheon Yu-seong wielded his sword while dominating the arena.
"I can see why you failed to recruit him."
"Ah, Boss. That's a bit harsh. I was totally about to subdue him, but some insect blindsided me!"
Jeong Do-hyeon grumbled defensively.
"Are you whining about that F-rank guy again?"
"Y-You don't believe me?"
"How can I believe you failed because of a mere nuisance like that?"
"Sigh. This is so frustrating, seriously. If you had just let me participate in that match, I would've cleaned up all those insects and forced Cheon Yu-seong to his knees...!"
"Quiet! Is now the time to be whining about the match? Focus on the interview coming up shortly."
The reason they had kept Jeong Do-hyeon out of the Ball was for the press conference scheduled after it ended.
A AAA-rank, a rarity of perhaps one in five hundred thousand among the awakened.
Considering the growth rate in the Tower of Trials, Jeong Do-hyeon possessed enough talent to easily reach S-rank within the next three years.
And if it became known that they had recruited such a promising prospect...
...the guild's prestige would naturally skyrocket.
"We spent a lot of money preparing for this. You know that, right?"
"Don't worry, Boss. I look absolutely killer on camera."
Jeong Do-hyeon grinned, his face filled with grand dreams.
* * *
Not far from the Black Cloud Guild, Jinhyuk, who was watching the match, let out a small yawn.
This was... like child's play.
Even if it was a friendly match where lives weren't on the line, the level was far too low.
If there was one refreshing thing, it was seeing Min Jung-woo and Lee Yu-ri, whom he had met at the National Museum of Korea.
'It's nice to see them after a while.'
Perhaps they had been quite stimulated back then, as their skills had improved significantly.
But as for the rest, he wanted to ask what on earth they had been doing since the Tower of Trials appeared.
Well, even so, the surrounding reaction was far too favorable to just criticize them.
To talk about a bright future with only this level of skill...
...it was truly a sight to behold.
If this was the level of comedy, it felt like it could make even the sullen Alice laugh all day long.
'Damn, at this rate, Cheon Yu-seong's victory is guaranteed.'
Jinhyuk sighed softly as he watched Cheon Yu-seong, who was still running wild in the arena.
He had hoped to easily snatch the invitation, but looking at the atmosphere, that didn't seem likely at all.
Even if all the players in the arena joined forces to attack him, they wouldn't be able to leave a single scratch on Cheon Yu-seong's skin.
And as if to support that thought, Cheon Yu-seong began to rapidly subdue the other players.
"Urgh!"
"Argh..."
Players with various minor and major injuries either fainted or surrendered.
It was an overwhelming difference in skill.
Most couldn't even begin to read the trajectory of his sword.
And even if they did, they couldn't withstand even three exchanges.
Ultimately, just fifteen minutes after the match began, every player except Cheon Yu-seong had fallen.
"T-The winner has been decided."
An Association staff member stammered.
Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
Immediately, a thunderous round of applause erupted.
It was proof that the guild officials in the spectator seats had been genuinely impressed by the match.
"Congratulations, Player Cheon Yu-seong. Now, for one of the two rewards, the replica and..."
"I don't need a replica. What I want is to challenge someone."
Cheon Yu-seong cut the staff member off.
Once again, the spectator seats buzzed with excitement.
'As expected. He prefers a battle with the strong over items...'
'How cool. I really want to recruit him to our guild.'
'Just who is the person that sword demon wants to fight so badly?'
'It must be one of the guild masters.'
Everyone thought.
If it was an opponent that such a powerful monster wanted to fight, they had to be one of South Korea's top rankers.
Was it the master of the Dangun or Ssaulabi Guild, who hadn't come today?
Or perhaps Elder Yu Cheon-yeong of the Yu family, long known as the pinnacle of the Korean martial arts world?
Or maybe someone from the unaffiliated mercenaries?
Just as all sorts of speculations were running wild,
"Come out."
The tip of Cheon Yu-seong's sword pointed directly at a man in the spectator seats.