Chapter 91: You're That Guy from the Comments, Aren't You?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 91: You're That Guy from the Comments, Aren't You?
"Excuse me?"
Min-su couldn't quite grasp the current situation.
He understood that the doorbell had rung while he was ego-searching to check the public's opinion of him.
However, he couldn't interpret the situation that followed at all.
It’s not like a delivery went to the wrong address... What is this guy?
He had thought this before, but among all the people he knew, he had never seen someone so poorly put together.
He was far below the level of an average person.
It was as if he didn't even wash regularly; his hair looked slightly greasy.
To use a manga analogy, he looked like a chibi character with a massive gut.
He was a man whose impression could be summed up by drawing three circles in a row.
"The Devil... what did you say?"
"The Devil Chaos Ultra King. I'll be calling on you often, so feel free to call me Deka-u-king. You're the first person since the founding of 'Noble' allowed to use that abbreviation, so you should consider it an honor."
"What? Noble?"
"Yes. Have you heard of us?"
It was a group Min-su knew all too well.
In the first place, Noble had been a nuisance, constantly trying to recruit Kim Min-su even before he entered Victory Academy.
It was also Noble that had publicly advertised his title as an 'Innate Awakened with an Always-Active Main Skill' since his character education days.
One of the reasons he was able to build his current Hero image was thanks to Noble's immense capital and promotion.
While he was grateful, he had declined their invitations because he couldn't figure out their true intentions.
"Are you here to ask me to join or recruit me again? And how did you even get in here?"
"Well... is that really important right now? What matters is that we have met. I have only heard of you through the recommendations of others, but you truly do make very clever judgments. However, that... um... the fact that we have met is what's important."
Huh? What is with this guy, seriously?
Min-su felt an inexplicable emotion growing in his chest.
The man spoke strangely, repeated himself, and the whole scene felt strangely familiar.
Min-su furrowed his brow, unable to fathom why Baek Tae-yang suddenly came to mind.
"Important or not, I asked why you're here. Why have you been talking in circles this whole time?"
Since Baek Tae-yang—whom he had shoved into a corner of his mind to avoid thinking about—had surfaced on his own, his words didn't come out kindly.
He knew he shouldn't let his feelings dictate his attitude, but Min-su couldn't help himself when it came to anything related to Baek Tae-yang.
"Well, um... seeing the various recent incidents, I heard you're going through a very difficult time... So, part of it is that we want to support you, and then there's Yu-min..."
"Don't talk about that! This is a. warn. ing."
Chubby Ahn was quite shocked that Min-su reacted so strongly to that topic.
Putting emphasis on every single word was proof that he was extremely sensitive.
It was like that in the anime, too.
In times like this, it was best not to provoke him.
But there is one exception.
When the protagonist radiates such a heavy aura and creates a tense atmosphere.
There is always a mood maker by his side to break the tension.
Usually, it's something the heroines should do, but since there's no one around Min-su right now, I have no choice but to do it myself.
Chubby Ahn opened his mouth again to calm the situation.
However, there was one fact he failed to grasp.
The one who created this situation was none other than Chubby Ahn himself!
"You were dumped by Melanie... You're currently maintaining the worst possible relationships with the opposite sex, but with me, The Devil Chaos Ultra King..."
"I told you to stop!"
Slam!
Min-su's face turned as red as a beet as he reflexively shouted.
Min-su was someone who had a habit of flying off the handle.
Blink, blink.
Chubby Ahn blinked repeatedly, trying his best to maintain his composure.
Being relatively shorter than Min-su, Chubby Ahn couldn't help but feel quite intimidated.
What if he made Min-su even angrier and he just shut the door and went inside?
Then the whole point of this visit would be lost.
He absolutely could not offend Min-su, who needed to grow further through perfect self-coaching right now.
Gulp.
Min-su, however, was kind-hearted enough to still be waiting for him to speak.
Chubby Ahn etched the mindset of a general facing war into his soul and spoke again.
"Noble, and I, have come to help you. Don't you think it's too cruel to handle all of this alone?"
"Me, with you?"
"Yes! Think about it. Do you really think that guy Baek Tae-yang was able to run wild like that from his very first day after transferring just because he's talented?"
"...What?"
Chubby Ahn got straight to the point.
Normally, he would have started with 'what is life' and shared serious contemplations on solitude, romance, and the indomitable hero.
But since things were going south, he decided he couldn't delay any longer.
Moreover, Min-su had already forgotten his anger and was listening intently to his words.
"To be honest... do you think it makes sense for someone to suddenly become so active and have incidents pile up right after awakening?"
"Then what?"
"It's obvious someone must have helped him! Does it make sense? Monsters suddenly popping out in a department store! A Gate suddenly turning into an S-Class, and he just clears it easily when even you couldn't! He's a guy who hasn't even received character education! He crushed you in a duel without any training! Do you really think that's possible with just his own strength?"
"No, well, um... I did have my doubts, but why do you keep bringing up memories I don't want to remember as examples?"
The suspicion Min-su had toward Chubby Ahn had long since vanished.
The biggest reason was that the man was making a lot of sense.
"Ahem, that part was my mistake... Anyway, that's just an example. So, what I'm trying to say is that there's no way he could have reached that level on his own."
"I suppose... Even in the last Gate, I had practically won, but then he received that ridiculous Kaivan First Series or whatever..."
The reason Min-su lost wasn't because of the Kaivan First Series weapon, but because of Baek Tae-yang's Demonization.
But that wasn't what was important right now.
The core idea was: 'It seems Baek Tae-yang always receives help from others.'
That's right... That guy was always getting help from someone... Unlike me, who tries to do everything alone!
In the first place, Yu-min was only able to go on a 1:1 after-school date because I was generous enough to 'allow' it.
The reason Baek Tae-yang beat me in the duel? That was also because I didn't get 'serious.'
Strangely, Min-su began to be persuaded by Chubby Ahn's words.
But as he became more convinced, a question began to arise.
"So, what are you..."
"Deka-u-king."
"Right, so how exactly is this Deka-u-king person going to help me?"
"Didn't you hear me say I'd be the supporter who helps you perfectly defeat Baek Tae-yang?"
"No, I mean, by what method are you going to make me like that? And you keep mentioning Baek Tae-yang with every breath, but I didn't lose that badly, okay? That guy Baek Tae-yang is lying. Do you understand?"
[Don Quixote's Falsehood activated! The lie that you didn't lose that badly to Baek Tae-yang is turned into truth!]
[Don Quixote's Falsehood has been seen through. The opponent knows the truth.]
Min-su was quite flustered.
He had activated the skill thinking the man fully believed him, but it was seen through?
Wait, does that mean the truth is that I was perfectly and miserably defeated?
The skill only displayed the absolute truth in its messages.
He knew he lost, but he honestly thought it was a close call, or they were evenly matched, or it was just luck.
It was for real?
Min-su began to fall into confusion again.
Wait a minute.
Then, he suddenly felt his brain clear up.
This three-head-tall character who suddenly showed up.
The way he kept mentioning things I'd hate while offering to help.
His way of speaking, subtly getting under my skin without quite crossing the line.
And even the prior knowledge of knowing that I had been perfectly defeated.
"You're the guy who commented on the Q&A post written by the Pure Love Diary Writer, aren't you?"
"W-what are you talking about all of a sudden?"
Min-su, having finished his deduction in an instant, sharpened his gaze.
Something had felt suspicious.
He wondered why the guy didn't get to the point and kept talking in circles, causing irritation.
To think he'd approach me like this? Knowing I couldn't do anything to him because of my status as a Hero and an Awakened?
Seeing as he even knew about Noble, he was likely an Innate Awakened as well.
But looking at his appearance, he looked like someone who had been judged as a 5th-Grade Hunter and was living the life of an ordinary person.
Thinking that such an insignificant guy was making a fool of him, Min-su couldn't help but get angry.
"Look at you flustered, your chin fat is even trembling. It's you, right? The one who's always being sarcastic and mocking me for my spelling! That's you!"
"No, why is this suddenly turning into this? You know you're seriously misunderstanding right now! It doesn't make sense at all, think logically! Why can't you think that I'm someone sent by the Pure Love Diary Writer?"
"That's even weirder! The Pure Love Diary Writer already verified with photos that he's 2 meters tall and has a muscular body fit for a bodybuilding competition. You're telling me you're associated with someone like that? Besides, he mentioned before that he's always busy with women. Seeing as you can't even get your facts straight, it's definitely you, the commenter!"
Chubby Ahn was flustered, belatedly realizing he had said those things in the past.
I had no choice if I wanted to be persuasive to Min-su...
He had only used a stolen internet photo once because he thought his own body wouldn't be credible.
To think it would come back to haunt him like this.
"Wait, there's a misunderstanding!"
"Misunderstanding, my foot! I was so stupid to be fooled by someone like you for even a moment! Consider yourself lucky I'm not throwing a punch right now!"
Slam!
The door closed, and Chubby Ahn broke into a cold sweat.
Where did it go wrong? I was clearly trying to help.
Chubby Ahn took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the spit that had landed on him from Min-su's heated rant.
I'll have to find another way... How should I help Min-su?
Thus, the first meeting between Chubby Ahn and Kim Min-su ended in failure.
I really am a genius. It feels like I've mastered the 'truth and reason of the universe' or whatever the Pure Love Diary Writer said... To see through a scammer in one go... I should post another question today.
However, Min-su's mood had recovered wonderfully.
In a way, one could say that Chubby Ahn had succeeded after all.