Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: The Holy Knight Path
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"Not a knight, but a Holy Knight?"
Anna double-checked.
At first, Hae-jin had told her to acquire the knight class using the Job Addition Ticket.
But when she asked about the Holy Knight option in the list of available classes, he now instructed her to choose Holy Knight.
As Anna confirmed one last time if she should really pick Holy Knight, Hae-jin nodded.
"Yes."
Hae-jin, who had told her to go with Holy Knight.
The reason was simple.
Initially, he thought it might be better for her to just pick knight over Holy Knight, so she could wield both holy power and aura.
After all, having multiple classes meant there was no downside.
But then a different thought occurred to him.
'Since she's a Saintess, maybe she can make full use of a Holy Knight's abilities?'
Just as Hae-jin had pondered moments ago, the ability to handle two kinds of energy was a special power for a Player.
However, the reason Hae-jin and Joo-hyuk decided to add the knight class for Anna was purely for tanking.
So, what if...
'A Holy Knight is also a tank built on a foundation of holy power.'
Moreover, a Holy Knight's tanking capabilities were superior to a regular knight's.
Except in special cases.
So, if they added the superior tanking class of Holy Knight, wouldn't Anna—once she reached the pinnacle of holy power—be able to utilize it to its fullest?
That's why Hae-jin told Anna to add Holy Knight with the Job Addition Ticket, not plain knight.
Naturally, Anna followed Hae-jin's instructions and acquired Holy Knight as her additional class.
Anna, who had just gained the Holy Knight class, spoke up.
"I've added the Holy Knight class. I've also learned the Holy Knight skills."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Then, I'd like to meet this Damian fellow now."
"Hmm, I think I'll need to ask my father to make the arrangements."
"Sure?"
"Yes."
Anna said she needed to speak to her father, Yohan, to see Damian.
At that moment, Hae-jin turned his gaze toward Yohan, who had been quietly listening to their conversation.
As their eyes met, Yohan immediately spoke.
"If the Messiah requires it, I must connect you right away. I'll contact Elder Damian."
"Yes, thank you."
Hae-jin expressed his gratitude for the help.
Yohan looked flustered at that.
"Ah... No need, Messiah! Gratitude? If the Messiah needs something, it's only right that I assist!"
"Haha..."
Hae-jin gave an awkward laugh at the constant Messiah talk.
Soon after, Yohan contacted Damian, and Hae-jin and Anna arranged to meet him through Yohan.
And so, Hae-jin finally came face-to-face with Damian, whom he had only heard about from Joo-hyuk.
Damian looked even older than expected.
Hae-jin had figured someone called "elder" might be in his seventies, but his appearance was that of a withered old man, shrunken like a mummy.
His face suggested at least his eighties, maybe nineties.
Hae-jin already knew his actual age.
On the way to meet him, guided by Yohan, he had learned that Damian was 88 this year.
Thanks to that, Hae-jin wondered.
'Can an 88-year-old really teach proper sword-and-shield techniques?'
He had his doubts just from the age, but seeing him in person made them worse.
Could such a frail, aged elder even properly hold a sword and shield?
In any case, upon meeting him, Yohan and Anna greeted him.
"Elder Damian, it's been a while."
"Grandpa, long time no see."
"Yes, good to see you all. And that's the Messiah over there?"
"Yes, that's right."
"The Messiah..."
Damian had enormous eyebrows like great bird feathers that obscured his vision, but as they twitched slightly, his gaze met Hae-jin's.
At that moment, Hae-jin could feel it.
'My worries were unfounded.'
He could sense it from the eyes.
The gaze of a true powerhouse, something ordinary people couldn't detect.
Of course, new Players might not notice it.
But Hae-jin was an experienced Player.
He knew it well.
The gaze of the strong.
Just moments ago, Damian had seemed like little more than a mummy based on looks alone, but that brief glimpse of his eyes revealed it.
Damian was the real deal.
'He really trained Joo-hyuk.'
Truth be told, Hae-jin had doubted it even while hearing about Damian from Joo-hyuk.
An ordinary person facing a Player?
It sounded utterly ridiculous.
Awakened Players had stats and skills that no normal human could match.
But in this moment...
From the aura of strength in Damian's eyes, Hae-jin understood.
'He could easily handle mediocre Players.'
Damian, who had briefly revealed his eyes, lowered his eyebrows again, hiding that gaze.
Then he approached Hae-jin.
From his earlier conversation with Yohan, it seemed Yohan had already informed him.
That Hae-jin was the 'Messiah' they had been waiting for.
Murmuring 'Messiah' as he drew near, Damian reached Hae-jin's side.
Without hesitation, he dropped to one knee.
Just like Yohan had done at first, calling him Messiah.
"..."
Hae-jin could only stay silent, seeing exactly what was about to happen.
Sure enough.
As expected, Damian followed suit with the formal bow.
"It's an honor to meet you, Messiah."
"Haha..."
First Yohan, now even Damian knelt on one knee while calling him Messiah—Hae-jin was dumbfounded.
And from someone in his eighties... nearly nineties.
It made him feel like a criminal somehow.
For now, Hae-jin helped Damian to his feet.
"Understood. Please rise for now. This is a revelation as the Messiah."
Honestly, even saying it himself made Hae-jin cringe.
A revelation as the Messiah?
It was goosebump-inducing dialogue.
But he had no choice.
Hadn't he already gone through this once with Yohan?
They treated him as Messiah and wouldn't budge unless he issued a 'revelation.'
So, despite the cringe, he said it to get this 90-year-old man to stand.
Sure enough.
Upon hearing the Messiah's revelation, Damian immediately complied.
"Understood, Messiah."
Damian rose after responding.
Unlike with Yohan, he didn't have to watch someone older kneel, so that was a relief at least.
'Yeah, better to just push through what needs doing like this.'
No point in dragging it out like with Yohan.
Somehow, Hae-jin could almost hear Joo-hyuk's voice in his ear.
『I told you, right? You have to accept it.』
'Yeah, I'll accept it.'
With that resolve, Hae-jin got straight to the point with Damian.
Damian looked at him in astonishment.
"Ha, as expected of the Messiah. You knew I was once the captain of the Holy Knight Order, even though we've never met. So, you wish for me to teach sword-and-shield techniques to the Messiah and Anna?"
"Yes. But I'll be using dual swords instead of a shield."
"Swords? Then you'll be using dual-wield swordsmanship?"
"That's right."
When Hae-jin explained he would use dual swords—adding another sword in place of the shield instead of standard sword-and-shield—Damian stroked his beard.
"Hmm, I see. Then, when shall I begin teaching you?"
"It's getting late today, so how about starting tomorrow? What time should I come?"
"If you're receiving my instruction, the ideal start is 3:30 a.m...."
"3:30 a.m.?"
What kind of hour was that?
He could understand a 6 a.m. military-style reveille, but 3:30 felt way too early.
Seeing Hae-jin's reaction, Damian nodded and explained.
"Yes. The rooster's crow marks the start of the day when Father God bestows light upon his children. Moving your body from then allows you to forge the most sacred form. Of course, if it's too much for the Messiah, we can set a different time..."
Damian claimed that 3:30 a.m., when the rooster crows, was when sacred energy began at its peak.
But thinking he couldn't impose his standards on the Messiah, Damian asked if Hae-jin had a preferred time.
Hae-jin shook his head at the question.
"No. As the student, I'll follow your schedule, Damian."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
Joo-hyuk had said it.
If he properly followed Damian's teachings, he could master dual swords to Joo-hyuk's level.
Hae-jin had been worried because Joo-hyuk kept bringing it up, preparing for times when Hae-jin might be absent.
He had only swung a greatsword so far, but for Joo-hyuk to fill in, he needed dual sword skills.
Yet Joo-hyuk insisted everything would be solved by following Damian.
So, Hae-jin planned to accept everything Damian said.
With Hae-jin agreeing to start tomorrow at 3:30 a.m., Damian nodded.
"Then, we'll meet here tomorrow at 3:30 a.m."
"Got it. Oh! Is Anna okay with that?"
He realized he had only considered his own situation.
He had spoken to Joo-hyuk, so he was fine following Damian's lead, but for Anna, showing up at 3:30 a.m. for sword-and-shield training might be tough.
Anna responded to his question with one of her own.
"Will that raise our survival chances?"
Raise our survival chances.
That was the excuse Hae-jin had used so far to get Anna to follow him.
Follow the Messiah, and you'd boost your survival odds in this hellish Survival Game of the Trials' Arena.
In the Trials' Arena, where survival was the goal, it was the most crucial thing for Players.
Hae-jin answered.
"Yes, it will."
Anna let out a sigh at his confident reply.
"Sigh, if you say so, Hae-jin, I have no choice. I'll be here tomorrow by 3:30 a.m. too."
"Good. Then, shall we call it a day?"
"Shall we?"
As Hae-jin suggested parting ways, Yohan interjected.
"Messiah."
"Yes?"
"What if I treat you to a meal...?"
Yohan hoped to host a meal for the Messiah.
Seeing that, Hae-jin thought.
'Somehow, that sounds exhausting.'
Yohan, who bowed formally calling him Messiah, would surely make the meal extravagantly attentive.
But no matter how lavish, Hae-jin felt it would tire him out.
So, he told Yohan, who offered the meal.
"No, everyone head home."
"But..."
Yohan reacted as if he couldn't possibly send the Messiah away without a meal.
Reluctantly, Hae-jin uttered those magic words to him.
"This is a 'revelation.'"