Chapter 126
Chapter 126
Chapter 126: Platinum National Team (4)
Translation: godtl
Platinum.
The rank where the manifestation of qi becomes possible—whether through one's own skill or the system's correction.
A tier where warriors can imbue their weapons with energy.
Naturally, arrows were no exception.
Twang!
Every arrow loosed by the Platinum-ranked archers shimmered with a faint heat haze.
They would likely tear through A-grade or lower armor like paper.
Yet amidst that lethal barrage—
"Hmm."
Si-mun remained unperturbed.
No.
'I was hoping to test my new acquisition, but... tsk, no need, I guess.'
He was almost disappointed.
'Mixing arrows and bolts was a decent idea, but...'
Standard arrows alongside slightly shorter crossbow bolts.
The differing flight speeds made deflecting or blocking them tricky, but that was it.
'Zero coordination.'
There wasn't a shred of tactical depth beyond that.
By nature, bolts were propelled by crossbows—not human draw strength—granting them greater force than arrows.
Thus, bolts inherently packed more punch than standard arrows.
Therefore.
'They should've fired the crossbows half a beat later than the bows, or shot them first to create an opening for the arrows.'
The national team's archers displayed no such consideration.
They were just volleying arrows en masse under the banner of concentrated fire.
'Probably too emotional to think straight... right?'
He could only hope so.
With a deep sigh, Si-mun flicked his fingers, his arms hanging loosely at his sides.
Snap.
Rumble—
The floor surged upward.
Since the arena was stone, the rising ground instantly formed smooth, dome-shaped barriers.
Of course, no matter how solidly conjured, a barrier alone couldn't stop aura-infused arrows.
"Now he can't even run! Charge!"
Jeong Ha-jun, watching the situation, barked the order with gleaming eyes.
The combat-focused players, weapons at the ready, rushed toward Si-mun, now encircled by his barriers.
"Once the aura arrows breach his barrier, the long-reach fighters go first—"
Ha-jun's excited voice cut off abruptly.
For good reason.
The archers' aura arrows—
The very arrows that could shred A-grade armor—
Ting!
—were deflected with absurd ease.
"How...?"
Ha-jun's face went slack.
But he wasn't alone.
"J-just crush him! It's one guy anyway!"
Ha-jun roared, refusing to halt his charge.
'That monster can block aura arrows? So what!'
Weren't aura arrows the weakest form of qi manifestation?
As projectiles detached from the wielder, they paled in cohesion, control, and power compared to sword energy or fist energy.
But this was different.
'Even S-grade armor can't save you from a direct hit now.'
Aura directly channeled into a weapon could cleave through S-grade defenses like butter.
And weren't their weapons diverse, too?
Spears, axes, blunt weapons—perfect for team battles.
Even among spears alone, there were long spears, lances, and more.
The same went for axes and blunt weapons.
They could handle any situation.
'As long as he doesn't use that insane Lightning Spear or Fire Sword.'
Ha-jun had long since studied Si-mun's capabilities.
And how to counter them.
'If he tries using those...'
Mid-charge, Ha-jun's gaze flicked backward.
A woman drawing the string of a sleek shortbow.
He locked eyes with Choi Hyo-yeon.
Ever the archer, she noticed and gave a slight nod.
"Good! Push through!"
Relieved, Ha-jun adjusted his grip on his shield.
Just as he was about to slam his aura-clad shield into Si-mun's barrier—now within reach—
Crack.
A clear, crisp sound rang out.
Jeong Ha-jun didn't panic and shouted—
Or rather,
"Whatever that bastard does, don't falter—focus—!"
He tried to shout.
CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!
At least, until an overwhelming impact surged over his aura-clad shield.
Before he could even steady himself from the force hammering against his shield—
"Ahhhhk!"
"Ghk—cough!"
Screams erupted from all directions.
His boots carved deep grooves into the stone floor as he skidded back.
"Deploy the barrier now!"
"Heal the critically injured first!"
"Someone pull this out of me!"
Only after being pushed back a considerable distance did Ha-jun finally grasp the situation.
"W-what the hell...?"
Chaos.
Stone spikes thicker than telephone poles had impaled every single close-combat fighter in the vicinity.
And not just nearby.
"Someone heal over here too!"
"No good! Out of range!"
Centered around the protective barrier that had enveloped Si-mun—
Every fighter who had rushed in, encircling him, had been skewered without exception.
Most close-combat players, unlike Ha-jun who had managed to raise his shield, were now injured to varying degrees.
Utter bewilderment filled Ha-jun's eyes.
What the hell just happened? Everyone's wearing at least A-grade gear, most even S-rank defensive equipment...
Even if they weren't—
These were players selected for the national team preliminaries, meaning they were all top-tier Platinum rankers in the country.
They should've been able to handle mere stone spikes without issue.
Hng.
Ha-jun immediately sheathed his blade in Sword Energy and slashed down at the spike.
Clang.
"Tch!"
A numbing recoil traveled up his arm.
Unbelievably—
This damn rock... blocked my Sword Energy?
To the point where the fact he'd used Sword Energy felt meaningless.
Not a single scratch marred the stone spike.
If anything—
It felt like I just slashed Sword Energy with Sword Energy...
The spike boasted absurd durability, even resisting Sword Energy.
Ha-jun stared, dumbfounded, at the barrier now bristling with spikes like a porcupine, as if he'd seen a ghost.
Then—
Whoosh.
The protective wall, along with the stone spikes that had shot out in all directions, crumbled away.
And behind it—
A strikingly handsome face with sharp features.
At Si-mun's leisurely expression, Ha-jun snapped back to his senses in a panic.
"Archers! All of you, open fire—!"
Before he could even finish issuing the order—
THUD.
Something intensely heavy pressed down on both of Ha-jun's shoulders.
And not just his.
"Kgh—!"
"Hrk!"
Close-combat fighters who had been struggling to rise with healers' support were slammed back into the ground.
The healers supporting from the rear met the same fate.
In a single step—
Over twenty players were simultaneously crushed flat.
And above their heads—
"How disappointing."
A clear, cold voice rang out.
Perhaps it was the intangible force pressing down on all of them—
"I heard most of you here have participated in the Special Match for years. Even if your combat skills are lacking, your strategy is downright pathetic."
Step.
"I can't believe you've supposedly had years of Special Match experience."
Si-mun's voice and footsteps echoed unnaturally loud as he mused aloud.
Whether it was the humiliation of his words—
Or the invisible weight crushing their entire bodies—
The twenty-plus players pinned to the ground couldn't move a muscle, trembling uncontrollably.
Among them—
"Damn... you!"
Using his shield as a crutch, the short-haired man struggled to rise.
The distinct haze of Manifested Qi rippled across his entire body.
As expected of the preliminaries' top rank.
A flicker of interest crossed Si-mun's previously disappointed gaze.
Jeong Ha-jun—first place in the Platinum division preliminaries.
True to his rank—
He's resisting by cloaking his entire body in aura.
Ha-jun had Manifested Qi across his entire form, pushing back against the suppression of Heavenly Demon's Dominion.
Wrapping aura around armor is pretty difficult... Is it because he's a shield-wielding Platinum?
Jeong Ha-jun, whose main weapons were a sword and shield.
Perhaps because of that.
He had skillfully manifested his aura across his entire set of armor.
But that was all.
'Given that he's Platinum, he won't be able to maintain that state for long.'
It wasn't just about stats—it was more like a difference in enlightenment.
Unless one was overflowing with aura.
Manifesting aura across the entire body like that was extremely inefficient.
Therefore, wasting aura in such a manner.
'Must mean he intends to burn through everything in a short time.'
As if proving Si-mun's prediction.
"Raaaaah!"
With a desperate roar, Jeong Ha-jun charged forward.
His reckless charge, reminiscent of a wild boar, was fittingly aggressive for the top-ranked Platinum player.
"Hmm."
Si-mun gave a small nod and clenched his right fist.
A dark energy rapidly condensed within his clenched fist.
Noticing this, Jeong Ha-jun—
Whoosh!
—thickened the aura enveloping the shield he held out as he charged.
And then.
Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
Strike: Tyrant Emperor Break.
Si-mun's fist swung upward with immense force.
CRACK!
A deafening metallic screech assaulted their eardrums.
Had even a second passed?
A brief clash defying the laws of physics ensued.
The result became clear almost instantly.
Crack—crack—crack!
Jeong Ha-jun's aura fractured like glass in an instant.
And then.
"Guhk!"
The condensed aura shattered along with the shield, sending its owner hurtling through the air.
Si-mun immediately kicked off the ground, pursuing Jeong Ha-jun midair.
"Your charge wasn't bad."
Though not particularly efficient.
Just as Si-mun muttered this brief review and prepared to finish him off—
'Hm?'
Si-mun's eyes flickered.
The reason was simple.
Despite his full-powered attack being met head-on and shattered.
Even though his shield-bearing left arm had been completely mangled.
'He's... smiling?'
The corners of Jeong Ha-jun's lips were curling upward.
At the same time.
A chill.
A cold warning prickled the hairs and muscles of Si-mun's right arm.
As always.
Si-mun trusted his instincts and moved.
Swish!
A sharp whistling sound grazed past his chest.
Then.
'An arrow...? Huh?'
Si-mun's eyes widened.
After the arrow brushed past his chest.
Slowly.
'The Human Body Fusion is unraveling?'
The Human Body Fusion covering his entire body began to dissolve.
Si-mun instantly realized the reason.
'I see. A Nullification Arrow.'
Nullification Arrow.
An item that completely nullifies specific spells or energies.
Its rarity matched its performance, making it nearly impossible to obtain.
Yet here it was.
But.
'I can just reapply the Human Body Fusion.'
Snap.
With a flick of his fingers, Si-mun restored the fusion in an instant.
Just as he was regaining his stance—
A chill.
"Again?"
Startled by the returning warning, Si-mun quickly ducked his head.
Swish!
An arrow grazed his scalp and embedded itself into the ground below.
An arrow shot from above, suddenly?
That confusion was quickly resolved.
Thanks to ducking his head, he saw it.
'That's...'
A small space swallowing the arrow.
'An S-rank Trait: Spatial Passage.'
S-rank Trait: Spatial Passage.
An ability that connects two points in space bidirectionally.
For combat classes, it enabled unconventional ranged attacks.
For Magic Classes, it offered even more diverse trajectories—a dimensional-type trait as rare as Magic Class abilities.
And considering the arrow fired was a Nullification Arrow.
Identifying the culprit wasn't difficult.
Since he had ducked, the situation below the arena was now clearly visible.
'Second-ranked Choi Hyo-yeon.'
Under the oppressive weight of the Heavenly Demon's Dominion.
Choi Hyo-yeon had already risen to her feet, gripping a shortbow and glaring upward.
Perhaps due to the complexity of controlling a dimensional-type trait.
"Tch!"
She gritted her teeth and forcefully flicked her index and middle fingers sideways.
Even before his instincts could warn him, Si-mun had already seen the motion.
Swish.
Harnessing the rotational force, he spun his body once more.
Zzzzip!
Another Disabling Arrow barely grazed past his shoulder.
Snap.
Flicking his fingers again, Si-mun immediately kicked off the air, darting toward Jeong Ha-jun, who was still falling midair.
Following Si-mun's movement—
Zzzzip!
Zzzzt!
Like a superball ricocheting wildly in a confined space,
Disabling Arrows crisscrossed through the air around him, raining down from all directions.
One.
Whoosh.
Having already caught Choi Hyo-yeon's hand signals in his sight, Si-mun—like some movie protagonist—
defiantly weaved through the arrows traversing space, cutting through the air.
'Is it because of Lemegeton's influence? Controlling Demonic Energy at maximum output is a bit tricky...'
As Si-mun reached the falling Ha-jun, his body spun in a full rotation.
As if preparing for a downward strike—
his leg followed his body's motion, carving a crescent in the air.
The tip of his foot, shimmering with dark energy, traced a black, clean arc like a master's calligraphy.
"It's not like you'll actually die since we're inside the Arena, right?"
With a grin that didn't match his words,
a viscous, pitch-black energy seeped from Si-mun's left eye.
That was the signal.
Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
Heavenly Demon's Sovereign Stride—Suppression.
The leg that had drawn a crescent descended upon Jeong Ha-jun.
Though "descended" wasn't quite the right word.
"Stepped down"—as if taking a casual stride—would have been more accurate.
But.
KOOOOOOO—!!
The result that unfolded was anything but casual.
.......
.......
A heavy silence settled over the training waiting room.
And for good reason.
What they were seeing on the monitor was—
KOOOOOOO—!!
—something far heavier crashing down.
A thick cloud of dust blotted out even the spectator view, leaving no gaps.
Yet, no one needed to see through it to know what lay beneath.
A moment later—
"Wh—what the hell?!"
"This—this is insane...! This can't be real!"
Curses, shock, and awe spilled out in a torrent.
The Platinum Division players who had been knocked out by Jeong Ha-jun—now a human meteor—
threw their Arena Access Devices to the ground, some even kicking them in frustration.
Their furious gazes turned toward the waiting room.
"You—! Did you guys mess with the settings or something?!"
"Th-that's gotta be it! There's no way this is real otherwise!"
"Fuck! That guy just had his Debut Match! And that move—we've never even seen it on stream before!"
They glared at Lee Sang-min and a handful of other players, seething.
But it didn't last.
They couldn't stay angry.
For one, this was a National Tournament training ground—tampering with stats was an absurd accusation.
And more importantly—
"......."
A man with a darkened expression, head bowed in silence.
Jang Ji-ho—the first one Si-mun had taken out—wasn't saying a word.
There was no way stats had been tampered with to begin with.
But even if it were possible, Jang Ji-ho wouldn't have just sat back and allowed it.
Yet here he was, silent as death.
What did that mean?
"Haah..."
"Fuck!"
In the end, faced with an unbelievable reality, the players had no choice but to grit their teeth and tremble—until Si-mun returned.
Soon after—
"That should settle it, right?"
Si-mun exited the Arena and stepped into the waiting room.
.......
.......
When no answer came,
his gaze shifted toward Jeong Ha-jun, standing at the forefront of the players, head still lowered.
After a brief moment of studying him, Si-mun glanced around and spoke.
"With this, I assume there are no further objections to my inclusion?"
.......
No response from the national team.
What could they say?
How could they argue when they themselves had witnessed something they couldn't believe?
Then—
"......No. I can't accept this."
A hoarse voice pierced the silence.
Si-mun's eyes naturally turned toward its owner—Jeong Ha-jun, still bowing his head.
"Then shall we try it again right here? Just so you know, if we fight here, I can't be responsible for any injuries."
Lately, my control's been a bit too tight.
As Si-mun shrugged with those words, Jeong Ha-jun abruptly raised his head.
"I don't need any of that shit—I said I won't accept it, you bastard!!"
His eyes bloodshot, he screamed.
"From the start, there was no condition about winning or losing, was there? I get that you're strong, but that doesn't erase the unfairness you've committed!"
Is this what people look like when they lose it?
Spittle flying, Ha-jun raised his voice like a madman.
"I don't give a damn if you're strong or not—I'm boycotting this unfair inclusion!"
"Ha-jun oppa, even so, this is—"
"Shut the hell up!"
Ha-jun barked at Choi Hyo-yeon, who had been trying to dissuade him. The sheer madness radiating from him left her stunned, like a mute who'd eaten honey.
Ha-jun whipped his head back to glare at Si-mun.
"Let me say it again—I won't accept it. I'm boycotting, so you better get that through your head!"
"Ah... this is just delusional."
Si-mun sighed deeply, tilting his head to the side.
"Excuse me, but you're not a child—is this really the time for a tantrum? What's going to change by doing this?"
"Everything will change!"
Ha-jun snapped back as if he'd been waiting for Si-mun's retort.
"Do you even know who's backing me? It's Kim Jong-jun-nim. The man who took a round off the Sword Saint in the National Team Selection Tournament!"
"Kim Jong-jun? Ah."
Si-mun tilted his head before letting out a small sigh. A dry laugh escaped him.
"The Vice Guild Master of the Scorpion Guild? You're from the Scorpion Guild?"
"What, you got a problem with Scorpion? What're you gonna do about it? You know this too, right? Our Vice Guild Master is a first-generation active Ranker. Someone like him could crush this kind of injustice in an instant!"
As Ha-jun said.
Even before considering his position as the Scorpion Guild's Vice Guild Master.
Kim Jong-jun was a player of considerable influence.
And that wasn't all.
From the very beginning, the first-generation active Rankers wielded immense power.
It wasn't just about brute strength.
From the early days of the Galaxy Arena's appearance until now.
What they had achieved and monopolized couldn't be measured by mere force.
"Once this boycott's over, I'll bury you first. You don't really know the upper ranks yet, do you? This world's a lot smaller than you think. You'd better give up on having a comfortable time in the Arena from now on!"
Ha-jun's eyes bulged to the point of nearly flipping inside out. With foam practically gathering at the corners of his mouth, he looked every bit the madman.
And his words clearly had an effect.
Not just Choi Hyo-yeon, who had tried to stop him, but every member of the national team present glanced at Ha-jun with uneasy eyes.
Watching this, Si-mun let out another hollow laugh.
As expected, he didn't get his position as a leader through strength alone.
In any country, the upper ranks were bound to have fewer people.
Naturally, unless you had backing comparable to Ha-jun's, it was better to avoid friction whenever possible.
Right.
Unless you had no backing.
"Ha, seriously. I really hate this kind of thing..."
Scratching his head roughly, Si-mun rummaged through his pocket.
But since retaliation in kind is the most effective remedy, I've got no choice.
As if resigned, Si-mun smirked and tapped his phone screen.
Then, as if to make sure everyone heard, he switched to speaker mode.
From the phone—
......What is it?
A cold, razor-sharp voice answered.
If this is trivial, prepare yourself.
"Would I call the Association President over something trivial?"
Perhaps sensing something off about Si-mun's tone—
You—what's going on?
The voice on the other end grew even colder.
"Nothing much. It's just that I might not be able to participate in the special match tomorrow."
You damn—!! That matter was already settled—
"Ah, it's not just me changing my mind. I just met with the Platinum division's national team members, and they said they refuse to work with me."
What?
The answer was so unexpected that the voice sounded momentarily dazed.
"With the match tomorrow, they're talking about boycotting me, threatening to make my Arena life hell with their connections and all. What am I supposed to do?"
.......
"And just so you know, I did everything I could. I even proved myself in a spar."
Of course, I won cleanly.
As Si-mun muttered that, a brief silence came from the other end.
Then—
Si-mun held the phone as far away as possible, covering one ear.
WHAT KINDFUCKING SON OF A BITCH DARES—!!!!
The deafening roar of the Iron Wood King, a voice more precious than gold, exploded through the speaker.