Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: The All Master Who Regressed to Bronze
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Choi Shin-hyeok.
This name had already spread far and wide, not just across Korea but even internationally.
It was only natural.
Even setting aside the Shinwa Group that backed him, the feats Shin-hyeok had accomplished were more than enough to draw the attention of the world's top guilds and organizations.
First, first place in the Placement Exam.
That was fairly ordinary.
But things changed with his subsequent achievements.
Not content with reaching Silver 1 in just a month after the Placement Exam, he participated in the Unified Silver League Promotion Tournament.
And he went even further, winning the whole thing.
From that point on, it was inevitable that the world's premier guilds would start taking notice of him.
Of course, no matter what offers they made, Shin-hyeok—as the third-generation heir to the Shinwa Group—had no reason to join them.
And those world-class guilds and organizations had no real intention of aggressively recruiting someone like him, either.
That was the story before his 10-win streak in the Colosseum.
Korean media outlets lost their minds.
Shin-hyeok, already hailed as a new prodigy, had dropped a bomb—no, a nuclear warhead. The excited press churned out articles without getting paid.
As the flood of news articles poured in, online communities ignited.
The community boards and comments were plastered with talk of Shin-hyeok.
And posts pouring fuel on the fire popped up too.
This was proof that he'd perfectly honored the casual promise he'd made on stream. It racked up hundreds of recommendations in an instant, shooting to the top of the board and sending affection for Shin-hyeok through the roof.
Young, handsome, talented, and generous enough not to hesitate handing out gifts to others.
Korea especially—despite boasting two of the Five Kings—had yet to join the ranks of player superpowers, so everyone cheered the rise of this new talent.
Of course, for every stan, there's a hater.
As was typical online, posts tearing Shin-hyeok down existed too.
The so-called malicious haters.
Posts no one who knew even a little about Shin-hyeok would ever write.
But they weren't a problem.
One whack from Shinwa's legal team's iron fist, and heads caved in.
Forced or genuine haters alike got deleted one by one, and the toxic commenters and posters vanished.
Thus, the communities normalized, a miracle of clean boards unfolding.
While everyone joyfully bantered over this delicious topic of Shin-hyeok, heavyweights around the world began hearing about him too.
America, Japan, Russia, Europe, and more.
Even in player superpowers, it was the same.
But one place took a different approach to showing interest in Shin-hyeok.
"Choi Shin-hyeok? Do we really need to pay attention to some backwater talent from a minor country?"
"He achieved a 10-win streak in the Colosseum."
"...What nonsense! That game's not meant to be cleared! Even the Flame Emperor and Martial Emperor challenged for 9 wins and failed!"
"But it's true. It was broadcast live worldwide, so everyone knows of his success."
"Hmmm..."
In China, inside the guild master's office of the Trinity Party—a space larger than most penthouses—the man receiving the report stroked his chin and swallowed a groan.
Another Trinity Party guild master, who had come to the office for the report as well, spoke up.
"Sword Emperor, no need to overthink it. Just do what we always do."
"What we always do..."
"A talent like that is too big for a small country to hold. Offer relocation and naturalization like always, and bring him over."
"Martial Emperor, the target's the third-gen heir to one of Korea's twin pillar megacorps. Even if the state makes a huge offer, will he accept?"
Sword Emperor and Martial Emperor.
They were China's proud strongest duo, the Sword-Martial Twin Emperors—shortened to the Twin Emperors.
They were discussing Shin-hyeok.
But as Martial Emperor Feng Yuan said, relocating or naturalizing Shin-hyeok would be tough due to his status, so Sword Emperor Namgung Hyeon shook his head.
Feng Yuan then laid out his thoughts.
"From what I dug up, the kid was basically abandoned by his family before adulthood—right up until the Placement Exam. His whole family was. So he might harbor some resentment toward Shinwa Group."
"But since his Placement Exam, Shinwa's changed their tune and is giving him full support. Considering that, I think our offer has a high chance of rejection."
They debated the pros and cons based on their investigations.
And as Namgung Hyeon said, Shin-hyeok taking Trinity Party's—or even China's—offer seemed unlikely.
Yet Feng Yuan smirked anyway.
"If so, we do what we always do. Pluck him clean."
"...That's high risk."
"Then what? Let him grow and leave him be? His talent is real. He'll stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us eventually."
"Ahem..."
Pluck him clean.
Feng Yuan sneered at Namgung Hyeon, who looked uncomfortable and coughed dryly at the words.
"Don't play the hypocrite, Namgung Hyeon. How many players worldwide have we kidnapped, forced to relocate, and naturalize? This is no different from what we've done before."
"...Sigh, fine. We'll do it that way."
"Good. Send the delegation with the assassins too."
"Even the assassins?"
"If we're doing it, do it right. He's beyond Gold level. To handle him, we need to get serious too, right?"
"...Got it. Do as you please."
"Yeah, yeah. You play the noble one. I'll handle the dirty work."
Sneering at Namgung Hyeon's hypocrisy, Feng Yuan rose and headed for the door.
But Namgung Hyeon grabbed him.
"Who from the assassins are you sending?"
"Ideally the assassin leader, but that's unlikely. Probably division leader level."
"That'll suffice."
An assassin division leader.
Only the top Diamond talents among Diamonds could hold those seats.
Second only to the assassin leader in ability.
Namgung Hyeon nodded briefly upon hearing that.
"Add more personnel."
"Why?"
"Heard there's an outstanding blacksmith in Korea. Affiliated with Shinwa Workshop."
"Again Korea, again Shinwa?"
"The blacksmith is the key. Want to bring him along this time. He'd be perfect for forging my new sword."
"Still obsessed with swords, huh. Fine. We'll send two division leaders then."
"Good."
Feng Yuan clicked his tongue briefly at Namgung Hyeon's greed for the Korean blacksmith, nodded, and left the office.
This was the moment a noose originating from China began tightening around Shin-hyeok and Se-jin.
Of course, oblivious to it all, Shin-hyeok headed to Se-jin's workshop with his 10-win rewards.