Chapter 76
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: The Gunner Mother
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I never dreamed that Mother would choose Gunner.
Gunner might be tough for her.
New World implemented weapons with extreme realism, true to its virtual reality game nature.
That meant every gun had recoil, and if you didnt brace it properly, you could hurt yourself with the kickback.
I had listed Martial Artist and Gunner as the least recommended jobs, so I couldnt fathom why shed picked Gunner.
But those worries turned out to be unfounded.
Bang! Bang!
Keeeaak!
Mothers bullets struck the goblins forehead dead-on.
I was stunned by her rock-steady brace and solid marksmanship.
M-Mom, why are you so good with guns?
Oh, I never told you. I used to be a competitive shooter.
She had possessed national team-level skills, enough to compete in qualifiers, but retired early upon getting pregnant with me.
It was a fact Id never known because shed never mentioned it.
Why didnt you ever tell me?
I kept it secret so you wouldnt feel bad. Plus, I was already feeling burnt out on competing back then.
Id known our family wasnt well-off when I was young.
Thats why Mom had to work outside the home, leaving me to watch the house alone.
And her talk of burnout was surely a white lie.
Picking Gunner means you couldnt let go of shooting, huh.
Sacrificing what you love, scraping by fiercely for your childs sake and to make ends meetthats what being a parent is, right?
Id never been one myself, so I couldnt fully grasp it, but seeing Mom choose Gunner hit me right in the chest.
Yeah.
If shed chosen Gunner, then Id support her to the hilt.
I messaged Yeo Min-ji.
WhisperHoon - Minzi: You can come now.
WhisperMinzi - Hoon: Got it! On my way!
Origin Village restaurant.
Yeo Min-ji arrived in no time.
Hello! Maam, Im Yeo Min-ji.
She greeted Lee Na-yeon with warm familiarity.
True to the saying that first impressions are everything, Mom took a liking to her and smiled back.
Nice to meet you. Im Hoons mom.
Yes! Jeong Hoon and I teamed up for the last event and took first place. I heard you got a capsulecongratulations!
Oh, really?
So, if its okay with you, Maam, would you consider joining our guild?
Guild?
Yeo Min-ji explained guilds to Mother.
Yes. If you join us, well provide maximum support so you can enjoy the game without any hassle.
Mother looked a bit flustered by the bold offer.
Shed only started playing to share a hobby with her son, and she was just getting the hang of it.
A guild invite out of nowhere was bewildering.
Youll support me just for joining?
Yes. Jeong Hoons been helping me out, so this is my way of repaying the favor.
Oh, really?
Mother glanced at Jeong Hoon.
Yeah. In exchange for my help, they agreed to take both me and Mom into the guild.
I see.
It hit her thenher son was making waves in-game.
Joining the guild means youll never lack for supplies. Gunners a pricey class, after all.
Hmm, you sure I wont be a burden?
Not at all.
Jeong Hoon shrugged casually.
Yes! Far from itwed be thrilled!
Jeong Hoon, a Martial Artist hidden class, had joined Hoyoung.
That alone was a massive win for them.
Alright. Shall I give it a try?
In the end, Mother was convinced and decided to join the guild.
After submitting her guild application, Mother logged out to rest.
Alone with Yeo Min-ji now, Jeong Hoon asked about her training progress.
Hows Critical Hit coming along?
Success rates up a bit from last time.
Back then, shed landed Critical Hits right away.
Scarecrow dolls were stationary targets, so hitting the same spot wasnt too hard.
The real challenge was moving targets.
Even I only succeed 20-30 of the time.
Critical Hit, which procs after 30-50 hits to the same spot.
Even as All Master, Jeong Hoon rarely triggered it easily.
Nailing a skill that tough in such a short time wasnt simple.
1?
That was generous.
It shouldve been under 0.01, but she was a domestic ranker as a Martial Artist.
Yeo Min-ji beamed and held up two fingers.
2!
2?
Jeong Hoons eyes widened slightly.
He knew she was obsessed with fist techniques, but 2 meant nonstop dedication.
Wow you look like you dont believe me at all.
She puffed her cheeks, making her hurt feelings plain.
Its not that I dont believe you I just never imagined 2.
Im a ranker, you know? And youre only level 104.
Level 104, but I figured out Martial Artist passives.
I surrender.
She threw up the white flag in their unwinnable debate.
Jeong Hoon chuckled and added,
Then Ill head out.
Back to Autobahn?
Yeah. Off to the Martial Tower.
Huh? Why the Martial Tower?
Jeong Hoon was level 104 now.
Pure leveling was best, quest or no.
Unlike other towers, Martial Tower was neglected, offering little appeal.
Well, one thing.
A test for levels 100-150, gauging Martial Artist aptitude.
Clear it well, and you got achievement points and items.
But the stingy rewards based on difficulty kept most users away.
No way he was aiming for that?
Youre thinking it.
Yeah, but its inefficient Wouldnt plain leveling be better?
Yeo Min-ji had visited Martial Tower upon hitting 150.
Spent a full day acing it.
Rewards? 2,000 achievement points and a Rare Knuckle. Lame.
No problem. Its not just about the rewards.
Jeong Hoon stood.
I did warn you. Dont regret it later.
She didnt press further.
Martial Tower in Autobahn.
It sat at the northern depths, surrounded by training grounds.
Most were empty; only a few had NPCs training.
Here it is.
First time visiting Autobahns Martial Tower.
That record I found in the collapsed Martial Tower before regression.
When the game became reality, this tower crumbled soon after.
A new dungeon spawned from its ruins in real-life England, and Jeong Hoon, wandering nearby, entered and found the record by chance.
Written by the tower lord himself.
Kairos.
It lamented no worthy Martial Artist had appeared.
The final scrawl was hard to read, but it bewailed the lack of one with true Martial Artist will.
Somethings gotta be here.
Pre-regression, hed seen the ruins; now, it stood firm, and lord Kairos lived.
Who goes there.
As he approached, someone called out.
NPC Info
-Nickname: Marden
-Level: 200
-Job: Fist-Kick Master (3rd Class)
Unlike other towers, Martial Tower had no guards.
Kairos had overhauled the system, believing Martial Artists shouldnt be rigid.
So outsiders drew nearby training NPCs, like this one.
Marden was drenched in sweat from training.
Im here for the exam.
You?
Yes.
Marden eyed him up and down.
He looked underleveled for it.
Targeted at 100-150, but stable clears needed 140.
Hmm Whatever. Follow me.
Marden led him to the basement.
It was a training ground like outside, but oddly structured.
Double doors, padlock smack in the center.
He guided Jeong Hoon to it, stepped back, and waited.
A question mark blinked over his head.
General Quest: Martial Artist Aptitude Evaluation
-Restriction: Level 100 Martial Artist
-Reward: ?
-Description: Pass the Martial Towers exam.
Jeong Hoon accepted; Marden nodded at the door.
Exam starts by breaking that padlock. Then comes what suits you.
Lv.160 Padlock
As said, it had a levelLv.160 defense.
Got it.
Jeong Hoon approached.
He unleashed a fist infused with Myeongwang Fist Technique 1st Stage at the padlock.
Boom!
Impact roared as fist met lock.
Mardens eyes widened.
Oho!
A true Martial Artist smashes through obstacles body-first.
To him, Jeong Hoon embodied the spirit perfectly.
Boom! Boom!
Myeongwang Fist Technique hammered on.
Locks defense plummeted.
Boom! Crack!
It hit zero and shattered.
Creak.
Doors slid open.
Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
Applause from beside Jeong Hoon.
Marden, face alight with admiration.
Impressive No, truly impressive. Overcoming an unbreakable lock with Martial Artist spirit.
He even switched to honorifics; evaluation skyrocketed.
At the attitude shift, Jeong Hoon smiled faintly.
A Martial Artist has to.
Marden nodded vigorously.
Well said! Martial Artists conquer trials with body alone! Now, complete the exam.
Yes.
NPC Mardens trust surges.
Who knew smashing a lock would boost trust so much.
Fitting for a fist-for-brains martial nut.
Jeong Hoon entered.
Just one door, yet everything went dark.
Pitch black, as if nothing existed.
No sound either.
The door was a portal to another dimension, apparently.
Then, a hologram appeared.
Exam difficulty adjusted to users level.
Lv.170 Weakened Fist Saint Kairos defeated.
Vision cleared; Martial Tower lord Kairos appeared.