Chapter 83: World Class
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 83: World Class
When I opened my eyes, the midday sun was streaming through the master bedroom window.
"Yaaa-wn."
Crack!
A refreshing pop echoed from my joints as I stretched. As if waiting for me to wake up, my phone began to ring. I picked it up to hear a familiar voice.
— Hyung! Have you eaten yet?
"No. I just woke up."
— Then let’s eat first. I’ll head over to your place.
"I don't mind, but... didn't the new semester start?"
— Oh, school doesn't matter. I have plenty of attendance days left, so I’ve got some breathing room.
I don't think attendance days were meant to be 'breathing room' for skipping class, I thought, tilting my head as I replied.
"It’ll be hard for you to get a job later if you keep that up."
— Huh? There’s no way I’m ever getting a job.
"Ah."
My brain was still foggy from sleep; only then did it click that Gi-chan wasn't just an ordinary high school student.
Come to think of it, this kid is technically a CEO.
"Right. Then come over. We’ll eat and then head down to Wonju."
We went to a local restaurant and ordered pork ribs. Just as the meat was grilled to perfection, Gi-chan walked through the door. I hadn't noticed it as much when we were playing Cloyd together, but every time we met in reality, his appearance struck me anew.
How does his hair never get flattened, even after wearing a helmet?
Whether it was just my imagination or not, seeing his perfectly styled hair even after he pulled off his helmet was strangely irritating.
"My timing is perfect."
"Yeah. Eat up, you punk."
"Pardon?"
"I said, eat a lot."
After sitting down and casting Silence, Gi-chan began to work his chopsticks with lightning speed. In an instant, the four servings of meat I had already grilled vanished.
"Whew. That was a good meal."
"If you're done, let's get moving. We need to check the Insights once we get there."
"Yes, sir!"
After paying the bill, we stepped outside and mounted our machines. The gazes of passersby naturally gravitated toward us.
"By the way, it looks like all those people who were lurking around the neighborhood have cleared out."
"I don't know. I didn't see any when I came out."
"Did something happen on their end?"
"I don't even want to know. I'm sick of those guys."
Vrooooom!
With that, Seo-un’s machine took off first, and Gi-chan followed close behind. They sped toward the house in Wonju they had left yesterday and pulled up in front.
'Hamit.'
— I know, Master.
The ego weapon, which had used extremely formal language when Seo-un absorbed the Nascent Soul, had already reverted to its usual blunt tone. Seo-un didn't care; he was too busy glaring at the three people standing before him.
As Hamit, hanging from his neck, transformed into bandages and wrapped around his hand, Gi-chan also drew his golden Staff of the Abyss.
"We didn't come here to fight."
Seo-un spoke as he watched Jeong Su-hee wave her hands dismissively.
"I remember blood being shed the last time you guys showed up. It’s hard to feel at ease, especially since you ended up making a troublesome enemy for me."
"I just came to deliver the news that your 'troublesome enemy' has tucked their tail between their legs."
Seo-un and Gi-chan exchanged glances at her cryptic words.
"This is pretty important stuff. It’s a bit awkward to talk standing up, don't you think?"
Seo-un led her and the two guards behind her into the house. He pulled some canned drinks he’d bought at a mart on the way out of his subspace and tossed them over. After quenching her thirst, she looked around the house.
"You built this well."
"I doubt you came here for a house tour."
Despite his bluntness, she didn't even flinch.
"The Ranking System has been updated."
Seeing Seo-un and Gi-chan waiting for her next words with indifferent expressions, she looked at them with a face full of certainty.
"I knew it. You participated in the update game, didn't you?"
"So, what’s your point?"
"So cold. Right now, rumors about the Ranking System are spreading like wildfire among the regular players. The players who survived the update game are leaking information, and everyone is in a frenzy. People are dying to know if the person named Jin Seo-un, who sits at the bottom of the highest rank—the Crown grade—is actually Korean or not."
At those words, Gi-chan spoke up.
"Ah! Why did I think that ranking window was only visible to us?! If it was opened for every game..."
Ignoring Gi-chan’s fussing beside him, Seo-un looked straight at Jeong Su-hee.
"Continue."
"Other players might not know, but we and the Central Bureau know exactly who that Jin Seo-un is. Every player, from the Central Bureau’s field agents who were spread out everywhere to the Pro-China Alliance, has vanished. Especially Kim Chi-sang—rumor has it he even cut off contact with the Central Bureau and went into hiding."
"..."
Seeing Seo-un continue to stare at her without much reaction, she sighed, disappointed by the lack of a response.
"You're no fun. I don't know if you realize this, but the number of people from Earth who have made it into the Crown grade can be counted on one hand. Rumor has it there are only three, including you. Thanks to that, the friction between us and the Central Bureau stopped instantly."
"And why did you go out of your way to come here and tell me this?"
"You don't have to be so defensive; I’m not here to ask you to join us. I just thought it would be safer to stay on good terms with someone who has grown from a national-level player to a world-class one. And you seemed like you might be out of the loop on this kind of information."
"Thanks for the good news."
"I wouldn't call this a trade, but can I ask you one thing?"
When he nodded, she asked without even taking a breath.
"You're planning on not joining any guild in the future, right?"
"I have no intention of playing house with others. I saw it in this last game—those guilds seem like a real pain."
"You might have felt it, but from now on, not just squad games but all regular games will likely be dominated by these guilds. Since more and more players are teaming up based on their guilds, the number of players trying to join one by any means necessary is already increasing. And as you probably know, the one building the largest guild in Korea is Kim Chi-sang."
"A gathering of riffraff is meaningless. Building a solid fixed quad with real experts who are good at the game is a much faster way to grow."
"Well, everyone has their own way of thinking."
With that, she stood up from her seat.
"Then let’s keep things friendly in the future, Mr. Ranker."
She turned to open the front door, then suddenly paused and added one more thing.
"Oh! The two organizations from the Pro-China Alliance that approached you have reportedly abandoned all their business interests and disappeared. They’re probably shivering in fear right now, wondering when you might come knocking."
At those words, even Seo-un couldn't help but smirk.
"If you want to find them, let me know. With our information network, we can track them down within a few days."
Having finished her piece, she pulled a business card from her subspace and flicked it toward Seo-un. He caught the card, which flew like a hidden weapon. It was a simple black card with nothing but a phone number written in white.
Once Jeong Su-hee’s group left, Gi-chan spoke up.
"You're a celebrity now!"
"I don't know. It might not be all good. I might get targeted."
"That’s true, but at least we don't have to worry about those annoying pests anymore."
"That is a plus."
Seo-un pulled a sweet latte he’d bought at a cafe from his subspace to wet his throat. Gi-chan also pulled out a coffee and spoke.
"Shall we finally check it?"
Seo-un’s lips curled into a pleasant arc as he nodded and pulled a parchment from his subspace. As he unfurled the parchment, an effect of a translucent lock shattering appeared, and Korean text that looked like it was written in a flowing cursive script revealed itself.
"If I start showing strange symptoms while reading the Insights..."
"I know. I won't touch you, no matter what."
Gi-chan, who had clearly read his fair share of martial arts novels, answered before Seo-un could even finish. Smiling at his response, Seo-un turned his gaze to the parchment.
'A human Dantian can only hold three gapja of internal energy?!'
Seo-un’s eyes widened involuntarily as he read. In martial arts novels, three gapja was the kind of internal energy even a passing extra elder would have.
If he hadn't met Jang Do-cheon and received the Great Blood-Born Demon Method, he might not have cared. But for someone who had already accumulated over two gapja of internal power, the fact that a human Dantian couldn't hold more than three was a massive shock.
Composing himself, Seo-un continued reading the Insights.
"W-wait! You can't just skip over it like that! This isn't helpful at all!"
Seo-un raised his voice involuntarily at the abrupt progression of the Insights.
"W-what’s wrong?"
When a startled Gi-chan asked, Seo-un sighed and handed the Insights to him. With a bewildered expression, Gi-chan took the parchment and scanned it quickly. After skimming through the text, Gi-chan spoke in a hollow voice.
"Hyung, this... it’s Part 2."
"Huh?!"
At those words, Seo-un snatched the Insights back.
"Where does it say that?"
"Right there at the very top..."
In his haste to read the main text, he had skipped the top section, where "Mad Demon's Insights (Part 2)" was written in tiny letters.
"...No! How can a main reward be this sloppy?! If it’s Part 2, they should have notified me in advance!"
"Even if you complain..."
He knew. No matter how much he complained, the one responsible wouldn't even bat an eye. He had wondered why it felt like it was skipping ahead to explain high-level concepts, but he never imagined it was because a piece was missing.
However, it wasn't a total loss.
"I didn't know the capacity of the Lower Dantian was so small."
"Pardon? Three gapja is small?"
"You don't focus on martial arts, so you wouldn't know. I’ve already surpassed two gapja."
"What?!"
Looking at the wide-eyed Gi-chan, Seo-un opened his status window for the first time in a while.
[Name: Jin Seo-un]
[Race: Human]
[Trait: Demonic Human (Mage)]
[Strength: 81]
[Stamina: 48]
[Agility: 142]
[Toughness: 73]
[Magic Resistance: 180]
[*Trait Stat Internal Energy: 739]
[*Trait Stat Mana: 60]
"In terms of stat points, it’s 739."
Even excluding internal energy, his Strength had risen and his Agility had skyrocketed thanks to Carrera's Shirt and Kaiser's Ring.
"Whoa... You're like a martial arts novel protagonist. Two gapja already..."
"My situation is a bit unique. If things had gone well, who knows? I might have filled the third gapja in this last game. Anyway, these Insights aren't much help right now. Unless it’s that guy..."
The quick-witted Gi-chan knew exactly who he was talking about.
"You mean Nam Sa-gwang?"
"Yeah."
"True, he did say something similar back then. That Rejuvenation isn't a result, but just a side effect of a process? He said it was nothing but a malfunction to him."
"If it’s him, he could definitely take another step forward with these Insights."
At Seo-un’s words, Gi-chan looked at him with a worried expression.
"Are you planning to accept him into the fixed quad?"
"I don't know. He’s attractive as a teammate, but the risk is too high. Let’s discuss that separately. For now, only the Senior, Juriel, and Li Lingwei are confirmed."
"I see. I have no complaints about those three. Especially Juriel—her magic skills are outstanding. Oh! And I managed to snag some pretty good items this time too."
Finishing his sentence, Gi-chan pulled a 6th Circle Stone and a pink gem the size of a fist from his subspace with a smile.
"Huh? You're already at the 6th Circle. What are you going to do with another one?"
"The important thing is this."
The moment Seo-un took the pink gem Gi-chan handed him, he recognized the item.
Seo-un’s expression turned peculiar as he heard the familiar notification.
"Don't tell me..."
"Yes. The probability isn't that high, but an Alchemist should be able to attempt it. I heard a rumor once that an Alchemist made a 7th Circle Stone, and they said this Highest Grade Mana Stone is what’s needed to craft one."
"You're going to get a power-up."
"I don't know yet. It might fail during crafting. I gave up two area-of-effect spells for this."
Handing the Mana Stone back to Gi-chan, Seo-un tilted his head.
"But when did you get that item?"
"Oh, Juriel tossed it to me before I was killed by Nam Sa-gwang. I don't know if it was something she already had or if she secretly pocketed it."
"She really is a woman you can't let your guard down around. No openings whatsoever."
Gi-chan nodded with a smile.
"When I was watching the roulette, I saw that besides Juriel, the other mages each managed to snag an item or two for themselves."
In a squad game where farmed items were supposed to be shared, it was common for players to hog good items for themselves.
"All that does is ruin teamwork. That’s why those guys never get past the Gold Wing rank. Useless parasites."
Just thinking about the mages he’d played with made his blood pressure rise. They were people he never wanted to be in the same quad with again.
As the two were discussing the previous game in a sort of post-mortem review, they both fell silent at the same time. Their gazes shifted in the same direction as a knock sounded on the front door.
Knock, knock, knock.
Gi-chan drew his Staff of the Abyss and waved it, opening the front door to reveal an unexpected figure.
"Talk about twins being alike."
Fortunately or unfortunately, Seo-un’s remark didn't reach the woman standing outside thanks to the Silence Gi-chan had cast. Gi-chan dispelled the magic and spoke.
"Please, come in."
Jeong Su-hwa stepped cautiously into the house and looked straight at Seo-un.
"I came because I have information to share."
Seeing her say the exact same thing as Jeong Su-hee, who had visited just moments ago, Seo-un shook his head. Gi-chan spoke up in his stead.
"Have a seat."
He pointed to an empty sofa and handed her a can he’d pulled from his subspace. She took it, set it down, and got straight to the point.
"I’ve brought information that I felt Mr. Jin Seo-un absolutely needed to know. As of today..."
"Kim Chi-sang has gone into hiding from the Department of Homeland Security? And you suspect he’s cut ties with them?"
She looked at Seo-un with startled eyes as he finished her sentence for her.
"Your... your information network is fast."
"It’s thanks to a certain ugly woman I know."
Jeong Su-hwa felt strangely offended by Seo-un’s twisted smirk, but she didn't let it show.
"Currently, many ability user agents under the Department of Homeland Security have lost contact along with Kim Chi-sang, and the higher-ups are in an uproar. With the man who managed the private organizations and handled reporting gone, our control over most of the private organizations we cooperated with has been shaken. The leadership is in a state of panic. He is likely..."
"Building a guild and gathering Korean ability users to consolidate power."
"...Yes. That is my assessment as well. I came here to explain his relationship with the Department of Homeland Security in advance, in case it might cause trouble for you."
"I’m sure you had something else you wanted to ask, too."
She sighed at his directness. The man before her was never easy to deal with.
"You're right. I’ll ask plainly. You are Crown grade, aren't you?"
"I am. And to answer you in advance, I will refuse any proposal you make."
"I won't make a proposal to join forces like last time. But could you make just one promise?"
Once again, he answered before even hearing the question.
"Don't worry, I have no intention of lending my strength to the Resistance. I am strictly neutral."
"It’s not that... I want you to promise to refuse any proposals from other countries, just as you are doing now."
For the first time since Jeong Su-hwa arrived, a hint of curiosity appeared in Seo-un’s eyes.
"Other countries?"
Seeing that Seo-un seemed unaware, Jeong Su-hwa’s eyes sharpened as she shared the information.
"Currently, most major nations have a grasp on ability users and the world of Cloyd. Not only that, but several countries are moving quickly to gather those ability users and build their power."
Gi-chan’s eyes widened at those words.
"They're building power instead of controlling them?"
She let out a small sigh, her shoulders drooping.
"Actually, while every nation tries to control ability users to keep them from the public eye, few do it as coercively as our country. Most try to win them over with various benefits."
"That’s the smart way to do it."
With a bitter smile, she nodded and continued.
"Right now, almost every country is frantically taking the lead in creating guilds and expanding their size. Scouting ability users from other nations is common. Because of that..."
"They might come to scout Seo-un Hyung, who has emerged as a Crown grade?"
She looked at Seo-un with a gaze full of conviction as Gi-chan finished her sentence.
"It’s not just a possibility. They will definitely come. We’ve already confirmed that several famous ability users from Japan and China have left their countries and are on planes. Normally, the Department of Homeland Security would have stopped them somehow, but..."
"Since Kim Chi-sang took most of the ability users with him, that’s become impossible."
"Yes..."
Seo-un nodded as he looked at Jeong Su-hwa, who seemed exceptionally lonely today.
"Don't worry. I’ll never be the one to put a leash around my own neck. No matter how grand the offer, I’m going to live in Korea, breathing Korean air."
Normally, those words might have sounded cold, but in the current situation of massive upheaval, they sounded incredibly reassuring to Jeong Su-hwa.
"Yes. I will leave trusting those words completely."
She bowed her head and was about to walk out when Seo-un called out to her.
"Wait."
"Yes?"
"If they try to use force..."
She smiled as Seo-un trailed off.
"In Korea, ability users are potential terrorists under a specially enacted National Security Law. Even if you were to kill them for the sake of national security, you would never be prosecuted for murder. I guarantee it. Even if ability users from Japan and China end up dead, I will take full responsibility for cleaning up the aftermath."
Gi-chan looked shocked by her chilling words, but Seo-un nodded with a deep smile. Just as she was about to step out the front door, her phone rang loudly. She answered it and suddenly screamed.
"What?! What about civilian casualties?!"
Naturally, Seo-un and Gi-chan’s attention snapped toward her. Having clearly overheard the voice on the other end of the line, Gi-chan quickly pulled out his phone and accessed a portal site.
"Hyung..."
He held out the phone, the screen displaying the trending search rankings.
As the two men looked at each other, their expressions hardening, Jeong Su-hwa hung up the phone. She irritably performed a Stomp, sending spiderweb-like cracks spidering across the entryway tiles as the entire house trembled.