Chapter 172: Far Behind the Cheetah, Kang Tae-min Was Smiling Brightly.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 172: Far Behind the Cheetah, Kang Tae-min Was Smiling Brightly.
"...Is this a half-success?"
Inside a house that had become a ruin.
Most of the furniture had been torn apart as if a monster had attacked, and not a single object sat in its proper place, looking as though a typhoon had swept through.
In the middle of it all, Chubby Ahn lay collapsed, having barely managed to protect a single computer and desk.
"It’s... pure love, right?"
If Baek Tae-yang gained strength and proved his masculinity by stealing other men's women...
Kim Min-su was the exact opposite; he grew stronger through love.
This included sexual contact, acts of affection, kissing, holding hands, and emotional exchange.
It was a growth method befitting the title of the novel, Academy Pure Love Diary.
"Still, I'm glad the Troll King became S-Class."
In truth, this wasn't how the story was supposed to go.
Min-su was supposed to gain the power of a Magician by forming a deep relationship with Yu-min, and obtain long-range firepower from Melanie.
He was supposed to get healing from the Saintess, and from Ryu Hye-mi...
"...I should just be satisfied that he got stronger."
Although Min-su had ended up with a deep bond with the Troll King, the end result was excellent.
For one, he had copied a portion of an S-Class boss monster's power and gained something close to immortality.
Furthermore, since he had achieved the rank 1 contribution for both the S-Class and C-Class Gates, the additional rewards would be immense.
It pained Chubby Ahn's heart to see Min-su dry-heaving and wailing all day, but it couldn't be helped.
"Thanks to that, my power has returned as well."
The benefits gained from this Gate weren't limited to Kim Min-su.
As Kim Min-su—the protagonist pushed by Chubby Ahn—performed well, power naturally returned to Chubby Ahn as well.
He had done well to consume enough power to wreck his house just to create that S-Class Gate.
As proof, the ruined house was slowly beginning to restore itself to its original state.
If that bastard Baek Tae-yang had taken this Gate too...
"Ugh, how horrific."
He would have been forced to watch helplessly as a mere bystander while his power slowly withered away.
Now that he knew the original author was alive, he didn't even want to imagine what might happen if he just sat still.
He didn't even know who the protagonist that guy was pushing was.
"There's a high chance it's Baek Tae-yang... but because it's so likely, it feels like it might not be him."
It felt too obvious.
The original author was never such an easy opponent.
He was the type to show you something easy to understand and then twist it two or three times over.
"No matter. From now on... it’s our Min-su’s turn."
The reason he kept throwing in S-Class Gates was to give Kim Min-su at least one S-Class reward.
As a result, Kim Min-su was now in an incredibly powerful state, as if all his suppressed growth had exploded at once.
In this situation, what more could Baek Tae-yang possibly do?
The only reason that bastard had been able to shine until now was that Kim Min-su was too weak.
Furthermore, Baek Tae-yang was a character scheduled to be active only until the mid-point of the story.
His early potential might be high, but if they went all the way to the end, the result was as good as decided.
"Min-su has finally started growing."
No matter how hard the dogs run themselves ragged, what does it matter? The cheetah is smiling leisurely from behind.
"Hmph. Now the story of the true protagonist begins."
Chubby Ahn stood up to release his pent-up excitement.
He looked into the full-length mirror, which had just been restored, and began to shadowbox impressively.
One-two, five times. Straight, twice.
"Workout finished for today."
Ending his productive exercise, he sat back down at his computer desk.
He had practically announced to the whole world with those cream-puff fists that the era of Kim Min-su had arrived.
+++++++++++++++++++++
"To think a third-party force would actually appear."
"You didn't expect it?"
"No. To be honest, this was a failure on our part. I'm sorry for putting you in such a dangerous situation."
Hah.
To think even Jang Du-cheol hadn't anticipated an intrusion into the Gate.
'This is tougher than I thought.'
An anomaly that even a top-secret investigation team, composed of the elite among 1st-Grade Hunters, hadn't considered.
"Usually, a Gate has only one entrance. That's why an Opener enters the Gate by opening it at that designated spot... but this..."
There is only one Gate entrance—the one at the location where it first formed.
Therefore, guarding that spot was equivalent to blocking all intrusions into the Gate.
However, everything changed when Scrawny and the Black Gyaru intruded into this Gate.
"Moving from one Gate to another from the inside... and then clearing it only to come out of the original Gate..."
This is getting really confusing.
They kept saying "Gate, Gate," and just when I thought I understood, my thoughts got tangled again.
'If they moved from C to S, they should have come out of S... but they came out of C... but Scrawny and the Black Gyaru intruded into S...'
Can't they just stay still and let me go around stealing women? Why are there so many interruptions?
It was even more frustrating because these were events that didn't offer a single clue.
"Baek Tae-yang, for now, focus solely on escorting the Saintess."
"What about Baelson?"
"You are stronger."
I shrugged at Jang Du-cheol's words, which carried a hint of subtle pride in me.
I couldn't think of a rebuttal since he was telling the truth.
Jang Du-cheol decided that this was enough for now, closed the files, and stood up.
"You've worked hard. Get some deep rest today, and we'll talk again tomorrow."
"Can I know what's happening tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow... it's just a simple distribution of rewards. Since we just cleared the Gate."
"Understood."
I bowed.
After saying goodbye to Jang Du-cheol, I headed outside first.
================================
[As the (Protagonist - Kim Min-su) performs well in the Gate, the Protagonist's position is shaken.]
[5.1% of the Protagonist Share is transferred to Kim Min-su.]
[Current Protagonist Share: 35%]
================================
A message that popped up right after clearing the Gate.
Because of this, I had set aside my desire to check the rewards and ran straight to Jang Du-cheol.
I hoped to find some clue to break through the situation, but to think he knew nothing.
'This is so frustratingly stifling.'
[Rocinante activated! Drive safely!]
After summoning Rocinante, I headed straight home.
A suffocating situation where nothing had been resolved.
I had to find a way.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
"This is seriously a suffocating situation."
Meanwhile.
There was another person in a situation just as blocked as Baek Tae-yang's.
"I donated way too much."
His name was Kang Tae-min.
He was one of the representative figures who had been riding the "Baek Tae-yang Coin" after being thoroughly "educated" during the training session.
Led by Chairman Choi Young-nam, the Baek Tae-yang Coin was always on an upward trend.
Perhaps that was why.
Kang Tae-min had become arrogant.
The belief that no matter how much money he spent, he could quickly recover it through the Baek Tae-yang Coin.
It was all well and good that he had established a Gate Damage Recovery Foundation and even a support facility for Gate and Dungeon orphans.
'I spent... way too much.'
The one thing he overlooked was that just because the Baek Tae-yang Coin was always trending up, it didn't mean his wallet was too.
He realized this fact far too late.
'I can hold out for about two months... but after that, it's impossible.'
The expensive supercars and luxury vehicles he bought for a lavish lifestyle.
The penthouse that was built even higher than before.
To think all of this had an expiration date of only two months.
Did that mean he had to go back to a miserable life where he split a single cup of ramen over three days?
"No way! Absolutely not!"
Kang Tae-min frantically searched through his contacts.
Ring... ring...
"Hey, it's me. Any work lately?"
First failure.
"No, it's just that I want to take on something big, not just small stuff... I was wondering if there's a blockage in the Mount Baekdu Dungeon I could clear... Ah... there isn't..."
Second failure.
"Hey, what are friends for? If not for times like this, when would I ask for a favor? Huh? Huh? What?"
Just as he was about to fail for the third time.
Kang Tae-min heard something strange.
—Wasn't it you who opened that S-Class Gate recently? You know, that concept-type one that suddenly appeared.
"Tell me more. What do you mean?"
—It wasn't you? Everyone thought it was you. I mean...
The contents of the call were shocking.
'Someone is impersonating me?'
Someone had impersonated him to open a concept-type S-Class Gate.
Since it was a top-secret operation, it was impossible to know who had been deployed, but one thing was certain.
'I smell something very fishy.'
Whether this smell would turn out to be the stench of dung or the scent of durian, he'd have to sniff further to find out.
But if he dug into this properly and tossed it to Baek Tae-yang...
'He said he's doing joint training... he might be busy, but... if I play this right, I could create a connection not just with Victory, but with Rubenia as well.'
Already, the refreshing sting of carbonation seemed to flow through his entire body.
At first, he felt rage at being impersonated, but now he was almost grateful.
[Baek Tae-yang Does It Again! The Incident That Shocked Victory and Made Rubenia Tremble!]
[Who Was the Opener by His Side? Let's Learn About the Trending Opener, Kang Tae-min!]
The headlines of the main articles and the posts about his rising stock price already flickered before his eyes.
After expressing his thanks, Kang Tae-min hung up in a hurry and immediately pressed a speed-dial number.
'Our lovely Mr. Tae-yang is definitely speed-dial number one.'
The greatest Hunter was Baek Tae-yang.
Ring... ring... ring...
Click.
—Hello?
"Ah, Mr. Tae-yang? It's Kang Tae-min. You remember me, right? It's nothing else, but..."
I have something to tell you.
Far behind the cheetah.
Kang Tae-min was smiling brightly.