Too Many Money-Making Talents 070
The roulette wheel began spinning at a rapid pace.
It didn't stop, and the speed gradually slowed without pause.
Among the cells densely marked with question marks, one cell landed exactly on the 12 o'clock position.
Gulping.
I unconsciously swallowed my saliva.
Excitement and anticipation surged simultaneously.
'At least S-rank talent.'
Just as the Go talent had flipped my life 180 degrees.
Something that would shake my life once more was about to reveal itself right in front of me.
The question marks faded.
And the letters that filled the void.
Archery (S)
"Archery...?"
For a moment, my head went white.
It felt like I'd been hit hard.
The shock was greater than when the Go talent appeared.
Archery?
This was... an unimaginable result.
The lack of context, I thought, was exactly when the word 'context' was used.
Staring blankly at the system window, my heart slowly beat.
Talent 'Archery' has been updated.
The familiar phrase followed, but the next part was unfamiliar.
My whole body felt electrified, forced sensations rushing in.
'Different from Go.'
Then it had been like waves crashing in, building inner energy.
The feel of terms, rules, senses, reading, and value judgment.
But this time it was different.
From the tips of my fingers.
To the tips of my toes.
From the crown of my head down my spine.
All senses and nerves in my body stood on end, awakening with a tingle.
At the same time, the rules, terms, and general knowledge of archery were engraved one by one.
The mechanism of archery shooting seeped into me without any foreign feel.
Talent 'Archery' update complete.
Unable to satisfy the talent maintenance condition.
Not a main job talent. Usable only as a side job.
A talent that can receive additional points based on the performance of the main job 'Pro Go Player'.
I took a deep breath.
It had changed.
My body's senses responded sensitively.
My skin felt to open, my ears to perk up.
I could even feel the flow of the tiniest air brushing my skin.
'Amazing.'
Physical senses I could never experience in mind sports like Go.
It was embarrassing and bewildering, but adaptation came quickly.
Or rather, my body had already remembered it.
Already internalized senses.
It wasn't awkward.
It felt as natural and familiar as if I'd done it my whole life.
I extended my left hand in a gesture of fixing the bow.
"Am I... supposed to know archery?"
All the question marks flooding my mind vanished.
The sensation of the string hooking onto my fingertips.
Anchoring and release.
Pung!
The virtual arrow I released flew far and embedded itself in the distant target.
It was an unbelievable situation, yet laughter kept coming.
A new talent.
A new path.
A pleasant tremor made the corners of my mouth rise without me noticing.
This time.
"...Since it's late, let's climb up quickly?"
***
Korea Baduk Association.
The main studio on the first floor.
The Korea Baduk Association logo, then the photo wall.
A space where countless competitions had been held and the long history of Korean Go had quietly accumulated over the years.
The protagonist today was me.
Click.
Flash, and the shutter sounds rang one after another.
The President of the Korea Baduk Association and Secretary General Lee Sang-woo stood side by side, with me in the middle.
Admission.
A scene I'd imagined dozens of times.
The certificate in my hand.
Two characters engraved in classical calligraphy on it.
'In-ha Kim, Entered the Divine.'
Meaning I'd reached the realm of gods.
A nickname passed down through the long tradition of the Go world.
A name symbolizing respect and skill.
The words attached in front of my name were no longer unfamiliar.
Heavy, yet not disproportionate.
'...Perfect.'
No reason to shrink back or be crushed.
I had already endured and achieved it.
Pro 9-dan Kim In-ha.
The honorific following my name meant that.
After the commemorative photo, handshakes followed.
"Congratulations, Coach Kim. Please continue to take care of me in the future."
"Thank you."
The President patted my shoulder a few times and left the studio first.
The President said he rarely attended admission or promotion ceremonies.
But since I was such a hot topic, he had squeezed out time somehow.
Secretary General Lee Sang-woo said with a smile.
"Shall we go up to the upper floor for a bit and talk?"
"Yes."
We took the elevator to the third-floor review room.
The place where the previous interview had been conducted.
"...Admission and 9-dan promotion at the same time. I've worked at the Korea Baduk Association for over 20 years, but you've made a historic achievement."
I let out a small laugh.
"It's just the beginning."
"Haha. It's ongoing. I like your confidence, Coach Kim."
We continued our conversation while the Korea Baduk Association staff drank myoncha for me.
"From now on, schedules for competitions, ranking matches, national team selections, and related matters will be handled separately by our staff."
"Thank you."
"There's also an end-of-year award ceremony. Coach Kim is one of the likely winners this year, so please be sure to attend."
I nodded quietly.
Noticing my reaction, he added with a sly smile.
"This isn't confirmed yet, but we might hold an event match for New Year's special on Seollal."
"Event match?"
"It's still in discussion, but the sponsor seems quite generous. However, it seems they really want you to participate."
"Me?"
"Yes. And..."
Secretary General Lee Sang-woo paused for a moment before continuing.
"They want to play One-Color Go."
I widened my eyes without realizing.
"Go played with stones of a single color. A match where you have to read only, without distinguishing black and white. Good for Go promotion and has symbolic meaning."
"...Well, that's fine."
I answered quietly but positively.
A completely different way from normal matches.
One-color stones covering the board.
The battle unfolding above them.
'It would be fun.'
It seemed like a good event for the gradually declining popularity and inflow of Go.
Noticing my reaction, he smiled slightly.
"I'm glad you like the idea. I thought Coach Kim would definitely find it fun."
"Has the opponent been decided?"
"Not confirmed yet, but... we're coordinating with Oh Soo 9-dan."
"Oh Soo sensei?"
A living legend.
The unique 9-dan who entered the divine in the Go world.
The only player to beat AI, both first and last.
Countless records and fame that no one could surpass.
'I really want to play him.'
Just the fact that I could face him made my cooled heart slowly warm up.
A challenge toward the legend.
Even if it was an event match.
A clear, simple, yet most intense emotion stirred.
Toward me, Secretary General Lee Sang-woo asked cautiously.
"...Since the opponent is an opponent, does it feel burdensome?"
"No."
I shook my head quickly.
Burden?
There was no way to feel it.
A deep smile formed at the corner of my mouth.
"I'm even more looking forward to it."
***
Indoor Archery Range.
A trend rapidly spreading, especially among the MZ generation.
A different kind of sport.
The exoticism of shooting arrows.
Date course, group activity.
Equipment rental was possible like before with billiards or bowling, so the entry barrier was low.
Families bringing kids for experiences were not uncommon.
'...S-rank talent is definitely different.'
When I first got the talent 'Go', I had to research everything from start to finish.
Because I knew nothing about Go except 'playing it'.
My strength level, competitions or rules, how to get admitted, nothing.
I was just satisfied with participating in amateur Go tournaments and receiving prize money.
'Why was I like that back then.'
I unconsciously laughed.
In retrospect, I was really foolish.
I should have participated in domestic professional competitions open to amateurs.
I had to come back a lot.
'...Still, it was fun.'
Regret?
No.
A feeling rising steadily from the bottom.
Time spent learning a new world step by step.
Because that time existed, I had this now, and my legacy could be completed.
But this time it was different.
The necessary general knowledge was already laid out in my head.
Types of equipment, shooting mechanism, competition rules and standards, and the overall flow of the archery world.
'Just need to confirm.'
That's why I came to this Indoor Archery Range.
It was conveniently close to the Korea Baduk Association too.
There was no better place to check this talent right now.
Kiiik.
Opening the door, it was bustling with people.
Dates.
Clubs.
Beginners with awkward hands holding arrows.
Experts aiming at the target with smooth form.
And the bow hanging on the wall.
Shining carbon arrows.
Distant targets lined up in a row.
The thrill and excitement I felt when I first came to the Korea Baduk Association came rushing back.
Pung!
Looking at the target where someone's arrow had deeply embedded, my fingertips reacted without me noticing.
"You came alone?"
The manager approached.
Short hair, sturdy shoulders, he looked like an archery pro at a glance.
I answered briefly.
"Yes."
He scanned me.
My body.
My clothes.
And empty hands with no equipment.
Anyone would see me as an unprepared beginner.
"First time?"
I hesitated for a moment.
First time, but not first time.
I was about to say no, but he laughed first.
"Come this way and I'll explain."
He was kind.
I missed the timing to speak, but I let it go.
He explained equipment rental and demonstrated how to wear the arm guard.
"This is a recurve bow. Set up for beginners. The arrow is carbon shaft. Wear the protector on your left arm."
He seemed to have dealt with many first-time archers.
He explained the basic stance, anchoring the bow, and reference points calmly.
At that moment.
From the side, pang! an arrow flew.
Pung.
The sound of the arrow leaving the string and embedding in the target.
My heartbeat, which had been listening, accelerated uncontrollably.
"You're listening, right?"
I turned my head, having been distracted.
"The explanation seems fine."
"What?"
"I want to see the feel."
He looked at me with a bewildered face.
"...Feel?"
I didn't say more and scanned the interior of the Indoor Archery Range.
Twelve shooting stations lined up in a row.
The second row at the very end.
International standard 18 meters.
The same distance as the one used by the club members here.
"Can I shoot from there?"
"What?"
The surprised manager's palm check felt like he was sizing me up.
Soon, confirming there was no line, he said slightly askew.
"It's fine, but... beginners might have trouble hitting the target."
"It's okay."
"Then... 30 arrows for 10,000 won."
I nodded and walked to the 12th station.
I stood on the line.
First breath.
First feel.
First manifestation of the talent.
Familiar yet thrilling sensation.
Like the feeling I had when I first touched internet Go.
I extended my left hand to fix the bow.
Grip.
Relaxing my palm slightly, the bow found its own neutrality.
I pulled the bowstring to the setup position.
The snap feeling as it touched the jawline below my ear.
Familiarity like placing a Go stone.
Even though the equipment didn't fit my hand, it was enough to catch the feel.
First shot.
Pung!
The arrow flew.
Pung.
It embedded in the target.
9 points.
Slightly off the center.
'My body balance isn't great.'
The talent was perfect.
But physical balance hadn't caught up yet.
I reloaded the arrow.
Adjusted my breath.
'Considering my body state...'
I visualized the trajectory in my head.
The parabola drawn by the arrow.
All senses—arms, shoulders, eyes, breath—aligned as one.
Pung!
As I released the bowstring, the arrow embedded in the target.
10 points.
Line touch.
Not the exact center.
'Short.'
It wasn't satisfying.
This was the Indoor Archery Range.
Even if official standard, only 18 meters.
No wind.
I took a deep breath and pulled the bowstring again, fixing it at the face reference point.
Release.
Pung!
The arrow flew and precisely hit the small circle inside the yellow target at the exact center of the target.
"...!"
I felt the gazes of people looking at me. I even heard whispers saying "Look there."
'With this feel.'
I hooked the back of the arrow into the notch point.
Exact sensation at the no-king point.
Exactly.
Without trembling.
The feeling of people's gazes and murmurs toward me fading away.
Breath.
Heart.
Even time.
A moment as if stopped.
I released the taut bowstring.
Pung!
The arrow flew.
Toward the arrow already embedded in the center of the target.
With a beautiful arc.
The tip of that arrow dug into the arrow shaft.
Kang.
A metallic, cracking sound echoed in the indoor range.
The split arrow.
The shaft broken into two pieces.
I exhaled long.
"Good."
Robin Hood Shot.
Alias arrow splitting.
...To confirm S-rank talent 'Archery', four arrows were more than enough.